The evaluation of nodulating ability of alfalfa in mixtures
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to study the nodulation ability of two alfalfa varieties, alone and in mixtures with grass crops. The alfalfa varieties Pleven 6 and Dara were used, and the cocksfoot variety Dabrava was used for the mixtures with grass crops. The ratio of legumes to grass crops in the mixtures was 50:50% and 80:20%, respectively. Soil monoliths were taken to determine the number of nodules formed on the alfalfa plants and the level of nodule formation. It was found that the number of nodules formed (16 nodules/plant) on the Dara alfalfa plants was 33.3% higher than that on the Pleven 6 plants (12 nodules/plant). In mixtures of alfalfa and cocksfoot in a 50:50 ratio, the number of nodes was found higher than that formed only by alfalfa in both varieties, with the Dara variety having 26.8% more. In mixtures of alfalfa and cocksfoot in a ratio of 80:20%, the number of nodes formed was the highest due to the larger proportion of the legume component. The number of nodes formed in the alfalfa variety Dara was 26.7% higher than that in the variety Pleven 6, and 15.8% higher in the mixture in a ratio of alfalfa Dara: cocksfoot 80:20% compared to alfalfa alone. In terms of nodule formation, the plants were ranked as follows: Dara alfalfa in mixtures with cocksfoot in a ratio of 80:20% (45.5), Pleven 6 alfalfa in mixtures with cocksfoot in a ratio of 80:20% (43.0), alfalfa variety Dara – single crop (42.0), alfalfa variety Pleven 6 – single crop (40.5) and alfalfa variety Pleven 6 in mixtures with – single crop in a ratio of 50:50% (40.5). The higher potential for alfalfa nodule formation in mixtures with cocksfoot in a ratio of 80:20% was associated with more efficient use of nitrogen for nodule formation.
Authors: Vasileva, Viliana, Vasilev, Emil, Popović, Vera, Kaya, Yalcin
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7111784958