Biomass Production and Nutrient Status of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) In Response to Boron Supply in Sandy Soil

• Published in: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis Vol. 52; no. 6; pp. 613 - 624
• Main Authors: Dhassi, Khalid, Aït Houssa, Abdelhadi, Makroum, Kacem, Amlal, Fouad, Fagroud, Mustapha, Darrhal, Nassima, Idrissi, Chaimae, Drissi, Saad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 26.03.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Alfalfa; Biological fertilization; Biomass; Boron; deficiency; Fertilization; Medicago sativa; Mineral nutrients; Nutrient content; Nutrient status; Nutrients; Regression models; Residual soils; sandy soil; Sandy soils; Sodium; Soil; Soil fertility; Soil management; Soil testing; Symptoms; Uptake
• ISSN: 0010-3624; 1532-2416; 1532-4133
• DOI: 10.1080/00103624.2020.1862160

Boron (B) fertilization management of alfalfa, as perennial crop, requires to identify its sensitivity to B and its nutrients status after B supply for different forage harvests. The response of alfalfa to B supply, when grown on a Mediterranean sandy soil, was evaluated at different cuts. The native soil B content was around 0.15 mg kg −1 , which was considered as B deficient. 19 cuts were evaluated in container experiment during three successive production seasons: 2016 (5 cuts), 2017 (7 cuts), and 2018 (7 cuts). Six soil B supplies were tested: 0 (control), 0.2, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10 mg kg −1 . B was added in the sodium form. It was split equally between sowing and after the first cut for each rate. The results revealed that B deficiency symptoms did not induce a negative impact on total biomass production and protein content. Shoot B content of all cuts increased with increasing B rates. The lowest shoot B levels (<35 mg kg −1 ) were recorded in control after five successive cuts. B uptake for each cut can be predicted using the regression model: y (mg kg −1 of soil) = 0.018 x-0.01 z + 0.14 (adjusted R2 = 0.61) where x = soil B supply (mg kg −1 ) and z = cut number during growing seasons (from 1 to 19). The residual soil B was less than 0.5 mg kg −1 , after 19 cuts, for different B rates. The results suggest that alfalfa seems not to be affected by B deficiency particularly during the first 3 years of production in sandy soil.