Abstract

Adrar’s oasis with great ingenuity knew, taking into account the harshness of pedoclimatic conditions, to adapt the means of production to Lucerne. We compared 2 oasis alfalfa cultivars through biometric and chemical parameters at two phenological floral and early flowering stages. The quality of these is correlated with the phenological stages. Indeed, the older the plant, the greater the assimilation of mineral matter; But the needs at the floral button stage are higher than at the early bloom stage. The highest value of MAT is 38.7% in El Menea at the floral bud stage and the lowest is 20.8% in the same cultivar at the same stage at the second mowing. The ratio of leaves to stems in green and dry is higher in Tamentit than in El Menea in both stages, resulting in better digestibility. At the initial flowering stage this ratio, in dry, decreases from 1.51 to 1.04. With the same planting rate, the Tamentit population has an average plant per square meter lower than El Menea, ie 15.8 at the floral bud stage, as well as lower values of the other 2 parameters, height of stems and number of stems per square meter. The summer season and the second year of operation encourage the increase in the number of stems and the spring season favors the height of the stems. The difference between the green and dry yields of the two cuts is not significant. So, alfalfa El Menea is more productive than Tamentit which has better digestibility.

Keywords: Alfalfa; Chemical composition; Morphology; Oasis; Yield