Yield and quality of alfalfa and red clover as affected by time of cutting

Abstract

Identifying the best time for cutting is important because it determines the yield and quality of the alfalfa and red clover crops. In our country conditions, the first cut should always be carried out at a fixed date namely around May 5, since at that time no buds and flowering will occur because of environmental conditions (Table 1). In some years, this method can be replaced with the crown bud appearance and development method (Table 4). The second and third cuts should be performed based on phenological phase at the start of flowering or at flowering (Tables 2 and 3). The last cut (fourth or fifth) should be made either 40 days before the permanent frosts appear or at the very end of the growing season (Table 7). In the year of sowing, alfalfa is cut for the first time at full flowering (July 5) and two to three cuts are obtained depending on environmental conditions (Table 5). When producing seed, alfalfa fields should be cut on May 15-25. Cutting can significantly reduce the abundance of eggs and larvae of harmful insects, since it physically removes them. Intensive cutting will exhaust the alfalfa field, so the cutting height should be increased. The optimum time for cutting red clover is when 20% of the inflorescence appears for the first and second cuts and at the end of the growing season for the third.

Prikazani su najčešće primenjivani metodi određivanja optimalnog vremena košenja lucerke i crvene deteline: fenološka faza razvića, pojava i razvoj pupoljaka na kruni korena i fiksni datumi ili intervali. Za košenje prvog porasta najpovoljniji su metodi pojave pupoljaka na kruni korena ili fiksni datum (5. maj). Za drugi i treći u četvorootkosnom sistemu, ili drugi treći i četvrti u petootkosnom sistemu, najpodesniji je metod određivanja vremena kosidbe preko fenološke faze razvića biljaka (u početku ili punom cvetanju). Za poslednji (četvrti ili peti porast), pogodan je metod fiksnih intervala odnosno četrdeset dana pre pojave mrazeva. Semensku lucerku treba kositi prvi put za krmu tako da drugi semenski porast lucerke cveta u najtoplijem delu godine, pogodnom za oprašivanje i oplodnju. Optimalno vreme košenja crvene deteline je u fazi pojave 20 % cvasti, i sa tri otkosa godišnje.