Management and productivity of corn–alfalfa intercropping systems in the southeastern United States

1. What was the primary objective of this study?
   a. To evaluate forage productivity, quality, and corn silage yield under different fertilization programs.
   b. To compare forage productivity, quality, and cattle performance in annual grazing systems.
   c. To evaluate forage productivity, botanical composition, quality, and corn silage yield in corn–alfalfa intercropping systems.
   d. To assess forage productivity, quality, and stand persistence under different alfalfa establishment methods.
    
2. Which four cropping systems were compared in the experiment?
   a. Corn, soybean, alfalfa, and bermudagrass.
   b. Alfalfa alone, corn alone, alfalfa + corn, and alfalfa + crabgrass + corn.
   c. Corn alone, corn + ryegrass, corn + clover, and soybean.
   d. Alfalfa alone, crabgrass alone, corn alone, and bermudagrass.
    
3. Where was the study conducted?
   a. Knoxville, TN.
   b. Athens, GA.
   c. Spring Hill, TN.
   d. Lexington, KY.
    
4. What experimental design was used?
   a. Split-plot design with three replications.
   b. Latin square design.
   c. Completely randomized design.
   d. Randomized complete block design with four replications.
    
5. Which forage species was included to help maintain productivity during hot, dry conditions?
   a. Bermudagrass.
   b. Annual ryegrass.
   c. Crabgrass.
   d. Tall fescue.
    
6. What was the seeding rate used for alfalfa establishment?
   a. 10 lb pure live seed/acre.
   b. 15 lb pure live seed/acre.
   c. 20 lb pure live seed/acre.
   d. 30 lb pure live seed/acre.
    
7. How did total herbage mass respond to treatment?
   a. It was greatest in ACC every year.
   b. It was influenced by year but not by treatment.
   c. It was greatest in corn monoculture.
   d. It declined equally across all systems.
    
8. Which treatment showed the greatest decline in alfalfa proportion by 2024?
   a. AA.
   b. AC.
   c. ACC.
   d. CA.
    
9. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied to corn during both years of the study.
   a. True.
   b. False.
    
10. What happened to crude protein concentration as alfalfa persistence declined?
    a. It increased substantially.
    b. It remained unchanged.
    c. It disappeared completely.
    d. It generally decreased.
     
11. Which treatment had the greatest neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFd)?
    a. AA.
    b. AC.
    c. ACC.
    d. CA.
     
12. In 2023, which treatment produced the highest corn silage yield?
    a. Corn alone (CA).
    b. Alfalfa + corn (AC).
    c. Alfalfa + crabgrass + corn (ACC).
    d. All treatments were equal.
     
13. Why were corn silage yields much lower in 2024?
    a. Excess nitrogen fertilization reduced growth.
    b. Poor seed quality reduced emergence.
    c. Reduced soil moisture and a drier growing season limited productivity.
    d. Corn was planted later than recommended.
     
14. Which laboratory technique was used to evaluate forage nutritive value?
    a. Gas chromatography.
    b. Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS).
    c. High-performance liquid chromatography.
    d. Kjeldahl digestion only.
     
15. Which conclusion best summarizes the study?

a. Intercropping consistently increased corn silage yield and improved forage quality across all years.
b. Alfalfa persistence and forage productivity improved as stands aged over time.
c. Corn monoculture produced the highest forage quality and greatest overall productivity.
d. Crabgrass helped maintain forage quality, but weather had a greater influence on productivity than intercropping system.

 ^{This quiz was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team for accuracy and appropriateness.}