Abstract:

Alfalfa（Medicago sativa） has a long cultivation history in China. Up to now, its extension is still slow, although it has been sparkplugged for a long period of time. One of the important reasons is lacking a full understand about its adaptation to stress environment. In this paper, alfalfa＇s productivity, water consumption rule and adaptation to arid conditions in semi-arid and semi-humid regions were discussed. The paper poinnts out that its characteristics of high water consumption and the low water efficiency may lead to productivity change and limitation in regional development. On the basis of our experiments and other researchers＇ work, this paper raises several suggestions for the further development of alfalfa production in northen China.

Key words: alfalfa , productivity , water utilization , water use efficiency , drought resistance , drought tolerance

摘要：

苜蓿在我国栽培历史悠久,虽然经大力倡导,至今发展速度依然缓慢,其重要原因之一是对其适应能力缺乏全面认识。通过探讨我国半干旱和半湿润地区苜蓿的生产力、耗水规律及对干旱适应的特点,指出其由高耗水、低水效特性而导致的生产力变化,以及区域发展上的局限性。综合文献报道、实践经验及作者研究结果,就苜蓿今后在我国北方地区的发展问题提出了若干建议。

关键词: 苜蓿 生产力 水分利用 水分利用效率 抗旱性 耐旱性