Page 4—Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 15, 2000 NORCROSS, Ga. Adequate potassium and phosphorus nutri tion are critically important to al falfa productivity under periodic grazing or hay harvesting. Carbohydrate assimilation and transport within the alfalfa plant are decreased under potassium defi ciency. Potassium is also important for proper nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Alfalfa roots are the main storage organ for starch that is used for regrowth of the shoots. Alfalfa root nitrogen is also mobilized to re growing shoots, because defoliation (harvest) severely limits uptake of nitrogen by roots and nodule activ ity. The primary sources of nitrogen for regrowth during the first two weeks after harvest are root protein and amino acid pools. A Purdue University project di rected by Dr. Jeff Volenec and col leagues, with partial support from the Foundation for Agronomic Re search, is studying the interactions of phosphorus and potassium on al falfa yield and stand persistence. The study is providing new insights into the mechanisms by which al falfa responds to phosphorus and potassium. It is also monitoring nu merous physiological and biochemi cal (starch, sugar, protein) attributes of the roots thought to be critical to rapid regrowth and winter hardiness. Nutrients released from clay min erals and soil organic matter sources during the winter months help meet the needs of the first cutting, but as soil test levels decline, yield levels are reduced. This effect has in creased each year that the study Will You Be Short of Quality Forages? Agriculver Has The Seed Products To Help You! 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Slight decreases in forage quality components have sometimes been observed in the high fertility plots, but the increased yield from phos phorus and potassium application produces more total protein and total digestible nutrients (TDN). Low phosphorus and potassium nu trition did reduce root organic reserves in some cases, and the re searchers expect stand persistence to be affected in future years for the low phosphorus and potassium plots. Higher fertility will enable the shoots per unit area to be main tained even though the number of plants per unit area declines. This will ultimately increase stand longevity and may help explain why adequate phosphorus and potas sium nutrition are essential to al falfa productivity. Better understanding of the phys iological effects of phosphorus and potassium management will help explain the yield response and will provide new insights into the best management practices for fertilizing alfalfa for optimum yield and in creased stand longevity. 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