FOLIAR APPLICATION OF SELENIUM, ZINC AND COPPER IN ALFALFA (Medicago sativa L.) BIOFORTIFICATION

Abstract

Biofortification of forage crops has an important role in improving the quality of plants used for animal nutrition. The field experiments were conducted in three consecutive years in Subotica, Serbia, in order to investigate the effect of Se, Zn, and Cu foliar fertilization on the yield, Se and Zn contents and nutrient efficiency, as well as on other mineral compositions of alfalfa hay. The treatments were as follows: i) control without fertilization, ii) 5 g Se ha-1 , iii) 10 g Se ha-1 , iv) 0.5 kg Zn ha-1 , v) 1 kg Zn ha-1 , vi) the combination of these two elements (0.5 kg Zn ha-1 and Se 10 g ha-1) and vii) 2% Cu solution. The application of Se, Zn, and Cu had no effect on dry yield or on crude protein, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Mo, and Co contents in alfalfa hay. However, Se, Zn, and Cu fertilization significantly increased the contents of Se, Zn, and Cu in alfalfa hay. The results showed that Se and Zn contents in plant biomass were significantly correlated with the applied doses of Se (r=0.99) and Zn (r=0.99). The production years of alfalfa and the weather conditions proved to be significant factors in fertilization efficiency.

Biofortification of Forage Peas with Combined Application of Selenium and Zinc Under Mediterranean Conditions

“…This practice has been intensively studied in crops for human food, such as wheat, rice, or chickpea (Germ et al 2013;Ram et al 2016;Hla Hla et al 2019;Manojlović et al 2019), and to a lesser extent in grain crops for animal feeding (Rodrigo et al 2013;Novoselec et al 2018). The very few studies which have been conducted in forage crops deal mainly with alfalfa (Petković et al 2019). Among forage crops, legume species seems to be especially suitable for agronomic biofortification, since many studies have demonstrated a higher capacity to accumulate Se and Zn in their tissues (Poblaciones et al 2014;Poblaciones and Rengel 2016).…”

Determining the content of nitrogen and some macroelements in the dry mass of perennial leguminous plants

“…The concentration of magnesium in alfalfa fodder varied, depending on the phenological phase at mowing, from 2.7 to 3.5 g kg -1 DM, similar to red clover fodder (2.1-3.8 g kg -1 DM) (Marković et al, 2007), which is consistent with our results. Hay obtained from alfalfa foliar fertilized with Se, Zn, and Cu during the vegetation had a P content of 2.2-2.4 g kg -1 DM, K 14.2 g kg -1 DM, Ca 2.36-3.46 g kg -1 DM, and Mg 2.7-3.2 g kg -1 DM (Petković et al, 2019). It was reported that N, K, and Ca were present in the highest concentration of alfalfa dry matter, while S, Mg, and P were present to a much lesser extent (Ferreira et al, 2015), which is in accordance with the results of our study.…”

Agronomic biofortification of forage crops with zinc and copper for enhancing nutritive potential: a systematic review

“…found that NDF and ADF were not significantly affected by foliar application of Cu fertilizer. Petković et al 92 . found that no effect of Cu foliar application on CPC was observed.…”

“…Datt et al 125 found that NDF and ADF were not significantly affected by foliar application of Cu fertilizer. Petković et al 92 found that no effect of Cu foliar application on CPC was observed. Tripathi et al 126 observed increased CPC and decreased NDF and ADF levels in a sorghum crop due to the application of Cu along with other micronutrients.…”

“…The presence of a higher concentration of Cu than that of the required amount by plants resulted in chlorosis, necrosis, leaf discoloration, and inhibited plant growth. 91 Petković et al 92 reported that alfalfa belongs to a group of plants with a high sensitivity to Cu deficiency, but fertilization with Cu did not show a significant improvement in the growth parameters. Though Cu fertilization first increased the content of Cu in alfalfa biomass, it later reduced the yield of alfalfa at a toxic level of Cu.…”