Effects of Irrigation Regimes and Row Spacing on Alfalfa Seed Yield in the North of Khuzestan

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Abstract

In order to evaluate the effects of irrigation regime and row spacing on seed yield of alfalfa cultivar Baghdadi, this experiment was conducted at Safiabad Agricultural Research Center Farm 2002 to 2004. The soil of the experiment site was silty clay loam.The experiment was arranged in a split plot based on a RCBD. Main plot was allocated to irrigation regimes based on evaporation from pan evaporation(including irrigation after 100,150,200 and 250mm evaporation from pan) and sub plot was allocated to row spacing( including 50,60 and 75 cm). The results showed that there were significant differences for yield and water use efficiency among irrigation regimes. Irrigation after 250 mm evaporation from pan had higher seed yield and WUE. The row spacing of 75cm with higher seed yield (178.7 Kgha-1) and higher seed germination (80.5%) was superior to other row spacings. The significance of years effect for most of the traits indicated the difference in changes of these traits in different years after alfalfa establishment.

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