This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of productivity-limiting factors associated with boron(B), molybdenum(Mo), rhizobium, and lime on dry matter yield(DMY) and nutritive value of alfalfa. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at the National Institute of Animal Science, Cheonan, Republic of Korea, from April 2022 to August 2024. Alfalfa cultivar ‘SW5615’ was sown at a rate of 20 kg ha⁻¹. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of a control, in which all productivity-related factors were supplied, and four limitation treatments: B limitation, Mo limitation, Rhizobium limitation, and Lime limitation. Alfalfa was harvested five times at the early flowering stage, approximately 10% bloom. DMY and forage nutritive value, including crude protein(CP), neutral detergent fiber(NDF), acid detergent fiber(ADF), total digestible nutrients(TDN), and relative feed value(RFV), were analyzed. Productivity-limiting factors significantly affected DMY (p<0.05). Compared with the control, relative DMY was 97.8% under B limitation, 82.2% under Mo limitation, 63.1% under Rhizobium limitation, and 64.6% under Lime limitation. Among nutritive value parameters, only CP concentration differed significantly among treatments(p<0.05), whereas NDF, ADF, TDN, and RFV were not significantly affected(p>0.05). The highest CP concentration was observed under Lime limitation, which was likely associated with reduced biomass accumulation or delayed maturity rather than improved forage productivity. These results indicate that Rhizobium and Lime limitations were the major factors reducing alfalfa DMY, followed by Mo limitation, while B limitation had little effect under the present experimental conditions.

ABSTRACT
Ⅰ. INTRODUCTION
Ⅱ. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Ⅲ. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
    1. Dry matter yield
    2. Chemical composition and forage nutritive value
Ⅳ. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ⅴ. REFERENCES

• Jiyung Kim(Forages Production Systems Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea)
• Seung Min Jeong(Forages Production Systems Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea)
• Ki-Won Lee(Forages Production Systems Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea)
• Hyung Soo Park(Forages Production Systems Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Cheonan 31000, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author