1. Stem Characteristics and Local Environmental Variables for Assessment of Alfalfa Winter Survival

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is considered the queen of forage due to its high yield, nutritional qualities, and capacity to sequester carbon. However, there are issues with its relatively low persistency and winter survival as compared to grass. Winter survival in alfalfa is affected by diverse factors, including the environment (e.g., snow cover, hardiness period, etc.) and management (e.g., cutting timing, manure application, etc.). Alfalfa's poor winter survival reduces the number of living... M. Saifuzzaman, V. Adamchuk, M. Leduc