HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Leep, R. H. Articles by Jeranyama, P. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Leep, R. H. Articles by Jeranyama, P. Agricola Articles by Leep, R. H. Articles by Jeranyama, P. Related Collections Agroclimatology Alfalfa Plant and Environment Interactions Crop Ecology

ALFALFA

Fall Dormancy and Snow Depth Effects on Winterkill of Alfalfa

^a Dep. of Crop and Soil Sci., Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824
^b Dep. of Geogr., Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824

* Corresponding author (jeranyam{at}msu.edu)

Received for publication December 11, 2000. The lack of a definitive method to assess winter hardiness in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) remains a challenge in the north-central region of the USA where winterkill of alfalfa can be severe. The reliability of fall dormancy ratings for describing alfalfa cultivar susceptibility to winter injury and the role of snow depth in moderating temperatures near the plant were investigated at Chatham, MI on a Chatham Stony loam (Typic Haplorthod). Four cultivars were selected with a range of fall dormancy ratings: ‘Nitro’, ‘Magnum IV’, ‘Saranac’, and ‘Vernal’. The cultivars were planted in 1993–1994, 1994–1995, and 1995–1996 seasons in plots over which 0-, 10-, and 20-cm winter snow depths were maintained. Temperatures were monitored for each plot, and stand counts were made each fall and spring to assess winter injury. Nitro suffered the most winterkill across snow cover treatments. The total yield range was 0 to 9 Mg ha^-1 in the absence of a snow cover and 0.4 to 12 Mg ha^-1 for a snow depth of at least 10 cm, except in 1996. Extreme minimum canopy-level (6 cm) temperatures for 10-cm snow depth averaged over three winter seasons were 12.1°C higher than the 0-cm snow cover treatment, which translated into higher yields. The results suggest that snow cover of 10 cm adequately protects alfalfa from winter injury. Cultivars within the same fall dormancy rating did not necessarily perform similarly, suggesting the need to develop other methods for assessing winter survival.

Abbreviations: DOY, day of year

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Rochette, J. Dionne, Y. Castonguay, and Y. Desjardins Atmospheric Composition under Impermeable Winter Golf Green Protections Crop Sci., June 20, 2006; 46(4): 1644 - 1655. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Dhont, Y. Castonguay, P. Nadeau, G. Belanger, R. Drapeau, and F.-P. Chalifour Untimely Fall Harvest Affects Dry Matter Yield and Root Organic Reserves in Field-Grown Alfalfa Crop Sci., January 1, 2004; 44(1): 144 - 157. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Leep, P. Jeranyama, D.-H. Min, T. Dietz, S. Bughrara, and J. Isleib Grazing Effects on Herbage Mass and Composition in Grass-Birdsfoot Trefoil Mixtures Agron. J., November 1, 2002; 94(6): 1257 - 1262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Belanger, P. Rochette, Y. Castonguay, A. Bootsma, D. Mongrain, and D. A. J. Ryan Climate Change and Winter Survival of Perennial Forage Crops in Eastern Canada Agron. J., September 1, 2002; 94(5): 1120 - 1130. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]