Appropriate sowing technique to enhance productivity and maximize the net return of alfalfa crop
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Abstract
Alfalfa (Medicgo sativa L.) is a popular forage crop of Pakistan due to its multi cutting, palatable and nutritious forage quality. In Pakistan, huge gap in alfalfa yield and demand is unavoidable to be engineered. The scientific research was planned to find out suitable sowing technique for enhancing the forage and grain production and also maximize the income and net return. The study was selected five sowing methods at 15 cm, 30 cm, 45 cm, 60 cm row to row distance and Broadcast (BC). Results revealed that broadcast sowing technique produced higher values of main components of yield and enhanced forage yield by 15%, grain tonnage by 23% and net return 24.4% over control (i.e. 30 cm apart row to row). The economic data showed a highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 3.34 (24.6%) by broadcast technique when alfalfa sown in standing water than control (i.e. row to row 30 cm).
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