Date of Award:

5-1951

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Plants, Soils, and Climate

Department name when degree awarded

Agronomy

Committee Chair(s)

D. A. Greenwood

Committee

D. A. Greenwood

Committee

D. W. Thorne

Abstract

Alfalfa has long been recognized as an outstanding hay plant in terms of both yield and feeding value. It is high in digestible protein, minerals, and vitamins. Because of its long life it can be economically produced. It is of exceptional value in maintaining soil fertility by helping to control erosion, by improving the physical condition of the soil, and by accumulating large amounts of nitrogen.

The great importance of alfalfa growing in the United States is attested by its rapid and continued expansion. It is one of the most important forage crops and is grown on a greater acreage than any other crop in the intermountain area.

From 1899 to 1919 the seventeen states west of Minnesota grew from 87 to 97 percent of the alfalfa in the United States. In 1927 these states grew 64 percent and in 1949, only 44 percent (8). It is said that if the acreage planted to legumes were to be increased to the extent advisable for soil conservation and a balanced agricultural economy, the annual need for alfalfa seed would increase to more than 100 million pounds (5).

About one-third of Utah's crop land and 38 percent of its irrigated land are planted to alfalfa. Livestock production is limited by the amount of forage that can be produced (10). An increase in the production of alfalfa would materially increase the number of livestock that could be fed. Perhaps more important is the quality of the hay. Modern health practices are concerned not only with the curative aspect of disease, but also with their prevention. They are primarily concerned with those conditions which contribute to the fullest realization of the inherited potentialities of the crop for growth, development and resistance to disease.

Investigations of the relationship between soil and nutrition have the important functions of showing how a greater quantity of better food can be provided for an increasing population. During most of man's agrarian existence he has been able to grow his food on the best soils. With rapidly increasing population, that day is passing and he must learn to use soils of a lower fertility level. For this reason basic information about the effect of soil characteristics on the nutritional quality of food should be obtained now in order that such problems can be solved intelligently when they arise. Of all the sciences and arts one of the greatest is adequate feeding of animals and man.

This study is an attempt to determine the effect of various fertilizers applied to different soils on the yield of alfalfa and on interrelationships with thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin content. These three vitamins of the B-complex series appear to be of unusual and fundamental importance as they are apparently indispensible to all forms of life.

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