Estudio comparado de las curvas de crecimiento de los cultivares de alfalfa Aragón y Du Puits

Abstract

From each of five plots with Latin square design 5x5 cuttings have been succesively taken at 20-30 cm. and 30-40 cm. height, pre-bud, early flower and full flower stages through the growing season from March to October. During this time both cultivars completed four cycles of vegetation (full flower). The plants of both cultivars did not reach the flower stage after the fourth cycle. Du Puits cultivar reached the flower stage about 8 days before than Aragón cultivar during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th cycles studied. Mean daily yields (total D. M./number of days) were maximum in both cultivars at bud stage (179,7 Kg/D. M./Ha.) at 2nd cycle the Aragón cultivar (163,2 Kg/D. M./Ha.) but at the 3rd cycle the Du Puits cultivar. The mean daily marginal increase of D. M. between one and the following cut (D. M. produced/ n.° of days) reached a maximum at the pre-bud stage of the 2nd cycle in the Aragón cultivar (247,8 Kg/D. M./Ha.) and at the full bud stage of the 3rd cycle in Du Puits cultivar (220,5 Kg/D. M./Ha.). The growth curves were always of the typical sigmoide type