Planting method for improving yield and quality of alfalfa

Abstract

The invention relates to a planting method for improving the yield and quality of alfalfa, and relates to the technical field of alfalfa seedling cultivation, the planting method comprises the steps of land selection and preparation, seed treatment, sowing, field management and harvesting and stubble reserving; the alfalfa seed pretreatment step comprises the following steps: soaking alfalfa seeds in an aqueous solution containing a chionanthus retusus leaf extract, and then fishing out and drying the alfalfa seeds. According to the method disclosed by the invention, the chionanthus retusus leaf extract is adopted to soak and pretreat the alfalfa seeds, so that the yield of the alfalfa can be remarkably increased, the crude protein content in the alfalfa can be increased, the quality of the alfalfa is improved, and the use requirements of animal husbandry are met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of alfalfa seedling cultivation technology, and in particular to a planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality. Background Technology

[0002] Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a high-quality legume forage widely cultivated worldwide and plays a crucial role in livestock development. Rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, it boasts advantages such as high yield, strong adaptability, and balanced nutrition. It is a superior green fodder for dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, and other livestock, playing a key role in ensuring the quality and quantity of livestock products and promoting the sustainable development of livestock farming.

[0003] Currently, existing alfalfa cultivation methods generally include the following process:

[0004] 1. Site selection and land preparation

[0005] Site selection: Generally, a flat, well-drained plot with fertile and deep soil is chosen. Alfalfa thrives in neutral or slightly alkaline soil. At the same time, low-lying, waterlogged areas should be avoided, as alfalfa roots are intolerant of waterlogging; prolonged water accumulation can lead to root rot, affecting plant growth and even causing death.

[0006] Land preparation: After selecting a suitable site, deep plow the land to break up the plow pan, increase soil aeration and water permeability, and promote downward growth of alfalfa roots. After deep plowing, harrow the land to break up the soil and make it level, achieving a state of loose topsoil and firm subsoil, creating favorable soil conditions for sowing.

[0007] 2. Seed treatment

[0008] Screening: This process removes impurities, broken seeds, shriveled seeds, etc., from the seeds to improve their purity and quality, ensuring uniform germination. Generally, winnowing or sieving methods are used to separate seeds from impurities based on differences in weight, size, etc.

[0009] 3. Sowing

[0010] Sowing time: The sowing time for alfalfa varies depending on the local climate conditions. In spring, sowing can generally begin when the soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm is consistently above 5℃. At this time, the air temperature gradually rises, which is conducive to seed germination and seedling growth.

[0011] Sowing rate: The sowing rate is determined based on factors such as seed quality, soil fertility, and sowing method. Generally, if the seed quality is poor, the soil fertility is low, or the sowing method is broadcasting, the sowing rate can be increased appropriately; conversely, it can be reduced appropriately.

[0012] 4. Field Management

[0013] Irrigation: Although alfalfa has a certain degree of drought tolerance, it still needs an appropriate amount of water during its growth. During the seedling stage, soil moisture should be maintained at 60%-70% of field capacity to promote seedling root growth and development.

[0014] Fertilization: Apply fertilizers appropriately according to the growth stage of alfalfa and the soil fertility to meet its needs for various nutrients.

[0015] Pest and disease control: Common diseases of alfalfa include downy mildew, rust, and powdery mildew, while major pests include aphids, thrips, and leaf miners. Disease control primarily employs a combination of agricultural, physical, and chemical methods. Agricultural control includes selecting disease-resistant varieties, implementing proper crop rotation, and strengthening field management. Physical control utilizes methods such as light traps and color sticky traps. Chemical control involves timely spraying of appropriate fungicides at the initial stage of disease occurrence. Pest control combines biological and chemical methods. Biological control utilizes natural enemy insects and microbial agents; chemical control involves spraying appropriate amounts of insecticides when pest levels reach control thresholds.

[0016] 5. Harvesting and stubble retention.

[0017] However, the yield and quality of alfalfa obtained by the above-mentioned existing planting methods are not high, making it difficult to meet the demand of modern animal husbandry for high-quality feed. Summary of the Invention

[0018] To address the above problems, this invention provides a planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality.

[0019] This invention provides a planting method to improve alfalfa yield and quality, the planting method including site selection and land preparation, seed treatment, sowing, field management, harvesting and stubble retention;

[0020] The alfalfa seed pretreatment step includes: soaking the alfalfa seeds in an aqueous solution containing fringe leaf extract, then removing and drying them.

[0021] Furthermore, the mass percentage of the fringe leaf extract in the aqueous solution is 5-10%, for example, it can be 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, or any value between any two of the above values.

[0022] Furthermore, the preparation method of the fringe leaf extract includes the following steps:

[0023] The leaves of the fringe tree were crushed and then added to water for vacuum reflux extraction to obtain an aqueous extract.

[0024] The aqueous extract was concentrated and dried to obtain the fringe leaf extract.

[0025] Furthermore, the working conditions parameters for the reduced pressure reflux extraction include: pressure of 10–15 kPa, for example, 10 kPa, 11 kPa, 12 kPa, 13 kPa, 14 kPa, 15 kPa, or any value between any two of the above; temperature of 55–65°C, for example, 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, or any value between any two of the above; time of 60–90 min, for example, 60 min, 70 min, 90 min, or any value between any two of the above; and the number of cycles of 1–3.

[0026] Furthermore, the soaking working conditions parameters include: temperature of 40-45℃ and time of 5-10 minutes;

[0027] And / or, the weight ratio of the alfalfa seeds to the aqueous solution is 1:(5-10).

[0028] Furthermore, the site selection and preparation steps include:

[0029] Select land with a soil pH of 6.5–7.5, a salt content of <0.5wt%, and a soil layer thickness of ≥25cm;

[0030] The land is deeply tilled to a depth of 30-35cm, and base fertilizer is applied. The amount of base fertilizer includes: 5000-6000 catties / mu of well-rotted organic sheep manure and 15-30 catties / mu of 10-10-10 compound fertilizer.

[0031] Furthermore, the sowing step includes:

[0032] Spring sowing is carried out in March and April, with a row spacing of 15-30cm, a depth of 0.5-1.5cm, and a sowing rate of 1-1.5kg / mu; cover with soil after sowing.

[0033] Furthermore, the field management includes water management, fertilization management, and pest and disease control management.

[0034] Furthermore, the water management includes: irrigating the seedbed after sowing, maintaining a moisture content of 60 wt% during the seedling stage; and irrigating with 80-100 m³ of water after each harvest. 3 / mu, irrigate 1-3 times during the first two growing seasons;

[0035] The fertilization management includes: applying 5-6 kg / mu of urea during the seedling stage, and applying 20-30 kg / mu of superphosphate and 8-10 kg / mu of potassium sulfate after harvesting.

[0036] Furthermore, the harvesting and stubble retention steps include:

[0037] Harvest at the initial flowering stage, leaving a stubble height of 5-6 cm, and harvest 3-4 times a year.

[0038] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0039] This invention provides a planting method to improve alfalfa yield and quality. The invention discovers that soaking alfalfa seeds with fringe leaf extract can not only significantly increase alfalfa yield, but also increase the crude protein content in alfalfa and improve alfalfa quality, thereby meeting the needs of animal husbandry. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] Unless otherwise specified, all raw materials, reagents, instruments, and equipment used in this invention can be purchased commercially or prepared using existing methods. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified or detailed, the steps and parameters involved in this invention can be performed according to existing alfalfa cultivation methods or directly using existing equipment; these will not be elaborated upon further in this document.

[0042] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Experimental methods in the following embodiments, unless otherwise specified, are generally performed according to national standards. If no corresponding national standard exists, then generally accepted international standards, conventional conditions, or conditions recommended by the manufacturer are followed.

[0043] The main raw material information involved in the following embodiments and comparative examples is as follows:

[0044] Well-rotted sheep manure: Commercially available products from Qinghai Fulu Agricultural and Livestock Development Co., Ltd.

[0045] Fringe leaf extract (self-made): Fringe leaves were crushed and then added to water for vacuum reflux extraction at a pressure of 12 kPa, a temperature of 60°C, a time of 70 min, and repeated twice to obtain an aqueous extract; the aqueous extract was concentrated and dried to obtain the fringe leaf extract.

[0046] Example

[0047] This example provides a cultivation method to improve alfalfa yield and quality, including the following steps:

[0048] 1. Site selection and land preparation

[0049] Site selection: Select land with a soil pH of 6.5-7.5, a salt content of <0.5wt%, and a soil layer thickness of ≥25cm.

[0050] Land preparation: The land is deeply plowed to a depth of 30cm, and base fertilizer is applied. The amount of base fertilizer includes: 5500 catties / mu of well-rotted organic sheep manure and 17 catties / mu of 10-10-10 compound fertilizer.

[0051] 2. Seed treatment

[0052] Screening: This process removes impurities, broken seeds, shriveled seeds, etc., from the seeds to improve their purity and quality, ensuring uniform germination. Generally, winnowing or sieving methods are used to separate seeds from impurities based on differences in weight, size, etc.

[0053] Soaking: Alfalfa seeds were soaked in an aqueous solution containing 8% (w / w) of fringe leaf extract at 42°C for 8 minutes, with a weight ratio of alfalfa seeds to aqueous solution of 1:8; then removed and dried.

[0054] 3. Sowing

[0055] Spring sowing should be carried out at the end of March, with a row spacing of 20cm, a depth of 1.0cm, and a sowing rate of 1.2kg / mu; cover the seeds with soil after sowing.

[0056] 4. Field Management

[0057] Water management: Irrigate thoroughly after sowing, maintaining a moisture content of 60 wt% during the seedling stage; irrigate 90 m³ after each harvest. 3 / mu, irrigate twice during the first two growing seasons;

[0058] Fertilization management includes: applying 5.5 kg / mu of urea during the seedling stage, and applying 25 kg / mu of superphosphate and 9 kg / mu of potassium sulfate after harvesting.

[0059] 5. Harvesting and Stubble Retention

[0060] Harvest at the initial flowering stage, leaving a stubble height of 5-6 cm, and harvest 3-4 times a year.

[0061] Comparative Example

[0062] This example provides a planting method to improve alfalfa yield and quality, which differs from the previous example only in that:

[0063] (1) No soaking treatment was performed during seed treatment.

[0064] Test case

[0065] In this example, when alfalfa was in the initial flowering stage during the alfalfa planting method in the embodiment and comparative examples, three representative sampling points were selected using the diagonal three-point selection method. The alfalfa was cut flush with the ground within a 1m×1m quadrat and the fresh weight was measured. The results are shown in Table 1. At the same time, the crude protein content (CP) in the obtained alfalfa was determined using the Kjeldahl method. The test results are shown in Table 2.

[0066] Table 1

[0067] Test group <![CDATA[Annual production (g / m 2 )]]> Example group 5709 Comparative group 4981

[0068] Table 2

[0069] Test group Crude protein content (%) Example group 26.1 Comparative group 18.7

[0070] As shown in Tables 1 and 2, compared with the comparative example, the alfalfa planting method provided in this embodiment of the invention, by using fringe leaf extract to pre-treat alfalfa seeds, can not only significantly increase alfalfa yield, but also increase the crude protein content in alfalfa and improve alfalfa quality.

[0071] Various embodiments of the present invention may exist in the form of a range; it should be understood that the description in the form of a range is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as a hard limitation on the scope of the invention; therefore, it should be considered that the range description has specifically disclosed all possible subranges and single numerical values ​​within that range. For example, it should be considered that the range description from 1 to 6 has specifically disclosed subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6, etc., and single numbers within the range, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, regardless of the range. Furthermore, whenever a numerical range is referred to herein, it means including any referenced number (fraction or integer) within the range referred to.

[0072] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A method for improving alfalfa yield and quality, characterized in that, The planting method includes site selection and land preparation, seed treatment, sowing, field management, harvesting and stubble retention; The alfalfa seed pretreatment step includes: soaking the alfalfa seeds in an aqueous solution containing fringe leaf extract, then removing and drying them.

2. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mass percentage of the fringe leaf extract in the aqueous solution is 5-10%.

3. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to claim 1, characterized in that, Preparation method of the tamarind leaf extract Includes the following processes: The leaves of the fringe tree were crushed and then added to water for vacuum reflux extraction to obtain an aqueous extract. The aqueous extract was concentrated and dried to obtain the fringe leaf extract.

4. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to claim 3, characterized in that, The working conditions for the reduced pressure reflux extraction include: pressure of 10–15 kPa, temperature of 55–65 °C, time of 60–90 min, and number of extractions of 1–3.

5. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The soaking conditions include: a temperature of 40–45°C and a time of 5–10 minutes. And / or, the weight ratio of the alfalfa seeds to the aqueous solution is 1:(5-10).

6. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The site selection and preparation steps include: Select land with a soil pH of 6.5–7.5, a salt content of <0.5wt%, and a soil layer thickness of ≥25cm; The land is deeply tilled to a depth of 30-35cm, and base fertilizer is applied. The amount of base fertilizer includes: 5000-6000 catties / mu of well-rotted organic sheep manure and 15-30 catties / mu of 10-10-10 compound fertilizer.

7. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The sowing step includes: Spring sowing is carried out in March and April, with a row spacing of 15-30cm, a depth of 0.5-1.5cm, and a sowing rate of 1-1.5kg / mu; cover with soil after sowing.

8. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The field management includes water management, fertilization management, and pest and disease control management.

9. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to claim 8, characterized in that, The water management includes: irrigating the seedbed after sowing, maintaining a moisture content of 60 wt% during the seedling stage; and irrigating with 80-100 m³ of water after each harvest. 3 / mu, irrigate 1-3 times during the first two growing seasons; The fertilization management includes: applying 5-6 kg / mu of urea during the seedling stage, and applying 20-30 kg / mu of superphosphate and 8-10 kg / mu of potassium sulfate after harvesting.

10. The planting method for improving alfalfa yield and quality according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The harvesting and stubble retention steps include: Harvest at the initial flowering stage, leaving a stubble height of 5-6 cm, and harvest 3-4 times a year.