Objective:

To evaluate the yield, growth rate, plant height and crude protein, ash and neutral detergent fiber contents in six genotypes of Medicago sativa L. and on two high Andean plateaus of northern Peru.

Materials and Methods:

A complete randomized block design was used. The M. sativa varieties (SW10, W450, HORTUS 401, W350, SW8210 and STAMINO 5) were considered the treatments, distributed in three blocks, repeated in the two localities, with a total of 36 experimental units. The chemical composition, green forage and dry matter yield, growth rate and plant height in the six genotypes and their interaction, were evaluated. The analysis of the productive indicators was done through variance analysis. In addition, Pearson’s correlation tests were carried out to find relation between plant height and biomass yield.

Results:

The altitudinal plateau I achieved 10 241,8 kg/ha/cut of green forage and 61 450,6 kg/ha/year, 1 739,9 kg/ha/cut and 10 498 kg/ha/year of dry matter, with the best production. The variety W-450 had higher average green forage yield (56 963 kg/ha/year) and dry matter (10 483,9 kg/ha/year). Plant height varied from 22,4 to 35,5 cm and crude protein from 16,7 to 21,2 %. The ash records were from 9,3 to 12,0 % and neutral detergent fiber from 24,2 to 32,5 %.

Conclusions:

All the varieties showed high potential for forage production under the conditions of both altitudinal plateaus. Likewise, the environmental conditions were determinant in the performance of the different genotypes.

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