The Effect of Cutting Height on Forage Yield and Performance of Alfalfa Cultivars

Abstract

Six exotic alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars were evaluated for their forage yield performance and persistency under different cuttings heights during 1991/1992 in UAE. Cultivars revealed a highly significant difference throughout cuts except for the third and fifth cut where they were significant and the ninth cut where they were not significant. There was a highly significant difference between cutting heights for all cuts. However, there was no significant cultivar/cutting height interaction. The best cutting height for all cultivars was 6 cm above ground level followed by 3 cm. Increasing cutting height to 9 cm significantly reduced yield per unit area. Cutting at ground level had the highest yield for the first cut but it damaged the crown, cut new shoots and decreased persistency. The best performing cultivar under Emirates condition was Cuf 101 followed by Condura 73.