Abstract
The Inner Mongolian Plateau is a critical region for the development of herbivorous animal husbandry in China. However, its harsh climate and poor soil quality have constrained the sustainable growth of the alfalfa industry. This 3-year field study investigated the effects of potassium (K) fertilizer on the productivity and forage quality of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. ‘WL168’) in such specific conditions of the region. Five rates of K fertilizer (0 (CK), 100, 200, 300, and 400 kg ha−1 of K2O) were applied in three split applications. Forage harvests occurred three times annually in 2023 and 2024, and yield, yield components, and forage quality were determined. The results showed that the forage yield of alfalfa increased initially and then decreased with the rising K application rates, which paralleled the changes in the plant density, and plant height, especially the mass shoot−1; forage yield was mainly correlated with mass shoot−1. Appropriate K fertilizer improved forage quality, especially in 2024. With increasing application, crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDNs) first rose then declined, whereas neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) decreased steadily, leading to a consistent rise in the relative feeding value (RFV). Comprehensively considering both yield and quality under such condition, a K fertilizer application rate of 273.2 kg ha−1 of K2O is suggested as a reference for this region.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Forage yield rose and then fell as potassium rate increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativae0 - Treatment
- rising K application ratese0
- Outcome
- forage yielde0
- Direction
- increased initially and then decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the forage yield of alfalfa increased initially and then decreased with the rising K application rates”
Claim · model-written summary
Plant density rose and then fell as potassium rate increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- potassium fertilizert0
- Outcome
- plant densitye0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“which paralleled the changes in the plant density, and plant height, especially the mass shoot−1”
t0“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
t1“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
Claim · model-written summary
Plant height rose and then fell as potassium rate increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- potassium fertilizert0
- Outcome
- plant heighte0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“which paralleled the changes in the plant density, and plant height, especially the mass shoot−1”
t0“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
t1“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
Claim · model-written summary
Shoot mass rose and then fell as potassium rate increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- potassium fertilizert0
- Outcome
- mass shoot−1e0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“which paralleled the changes in the plant density, and plant height, especially the mass shoot−1”
t0“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
t1“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
Claim · model-written summary
Forage yield correlated mainly with shoot mass.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- mass shoot−1e0
- Outcome
- forage yielde0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“forage yield was mainly correlated with mass shoot−1”
t0“Alfalfa”
t1“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Appropriate potassium fertilizer improved forage quality, particularly in 2024.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Appropriate K fertilizere0
- Outcome
- forage qualitye0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Qualifier
- especially in 2024e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Appropriate K fertilizer improved forage quality, especially in 2024”
t0“Alfalfa”
t1“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Crude protein first rose and then declined as potassium application increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- increasing applicatione0
- Outcome
- crude protein (CP)e0
- Direction
- first rose then declinede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“With increasing application, crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDNs) first rose then declined”
t0“Alfalfa”
t1“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Total digestible nutrients first rose and then declined as potassium application increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- increasing applicatione0
- Outcome
- total digestible nutrients (TDNs)e0
- Direction
- first rose then declinede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“With increasing application, crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDNs) first rose then declined”
t0“Alfalfa”
t1“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Neutral detergent fiber decreased steadily as potassium application increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Potassium Fertilizert0
- Outcome
- neutral detergent fiber (NDF)e0
- Direction
- decreased steadilye0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) decreased steadily”
t0“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
t1“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
Claim · model-written summary
Acid detergent fiber decreased steadily as potassium application increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Potassium Fertilizert0
- Outcome
- acid detergent fiber (ADF)e0
- Direction
- decreased steadilye0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) decreased steadily”
t0“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
t1“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
Claim · model-written summary
Relative feeding value rose consistently as potassium application increased.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Potassium Fertilizert0
- Outcome
- relative feeding value (RFV)e0
- Direction
- consistent risee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“leading to a consistent rise in the relative feeding value (RFV)”
t0“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
t1“Alfalfa Response to Potassium Fertilizer”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest 273.2 kg ha−1 of K2O as a regional reference rate.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- K fertilizer application rate of 273.2 kg ha−1 of K2Oe0
- Value
- 273.2 kg ha−1 of K2Oe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a K fertilizer application rate of 273.2 kg ha−1 of K2O is suggested as a reference for this region”
t0“Alfalfa”
t1“Alfalfa”
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- no effect
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18 papers in the same direction as this paper · 6 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- positive
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See all 26 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.