Besoin en eau des fourragères et réponse à l’irrigation

Importance of grasslands for biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes

Inquiries regarding the significance of irrigation in agriculture are increasingly pertinent among climate change dynamics. Within this framework, experiments have been initiated to study the influence of irrigation on forage crops (alfalfa, English ryegrass, hybrid ryegrass, and fescue). These trials aim to ascertain water use efficiency for these crops, defined as the quantity of dry matter produced per millimeter of water applied, alongside investigating irrigation's repercussion on forage quality. Preliminary findings reveal water use efficiencies ranging from 18 to 29 kg DM/ha/mm contingent upon species, alongside a negligible impact of the hydration regime on forage nutritional quality. These findings necessitate further validation through a final year of experimentation.