LEAFINESS, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND YIELD OF SOME LUCERNE VARIETIES

The leaf: stem ratio on green and dry weights, chemical composition and yield of dry-matter and protein per acre were determined for ten varieties of lucerne at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany during 1955–8. The first cut was taken when about 20% of the flowers were open and the subsequent cuts when 10–15% were open.
The mean leaf: stem ratio, based on green weights, showed no significant difference between varieties. The early varieties, however, contained a higher proportion of dry-matter in the leaf and a lower proportion in the stem than did the mid-season and late types. As a result, the early types tended to show a higher leaf: stem ratio based on dry-matter than the mid-season and late types.
The early types also contained a significantly higher percentage of protein than the mid-season and late types, and had a lower crude fibre content for the whole plant.
Highly significant differences were established between varieties and types in the total yields of dry-matter and protein from three cuts in each of three seasons, when all were cut at similar stages of maturity. The heaviest yields of dry-matter and protein were secured from Eynsford, Chartrain-villiers and Du Puits, the lowest from certified Provence and Grimm, both of which came from an environment vastly different from that of Cambridge. Gamma, an early variety, had the highest percentage of crude protein at each cut during the three year period, but it was similar to FD 100 and Marais in total dry matter yield.