Table 2.

Effect of alfalfa seedling inoculation and co-inoculation with root growth promoting microorganisms on alfalfa hay chemical composition and predicted hay quality characteristics for ruminants.

Item	Treatments1
	C	Pi	Gi + Pi	Sm + Pi	SEM	P-value
Mean of stage of maturity2	2.4	2.2	2.2	2.3	0.12	0.35
Chemical composition, % dry matter
Dry matter	26.3	24.5	24.0	24.6	1.75	0.45
Organic matter	89.1	89.2	88.9	88.6	0.18	0.22
Ash	10.9	10.8	11.1	11.4	0.18	0.23
Ether extract	2.40c	3.34b	3.15b	3.77a	0.115	<0.01
Crude protein	17.2	16.5	16.4	16.6	0.34	0.39
Neutral detergent fiber	41.7	39.6	40.9	40.3	0.76	0.29
Acid detergent fiber	37.4a	36.3b	34.8c	34.0c	0.45	<0.01
Acid detergent lignin	7.0	7.3	6.0	6.2	0.43	0.14
Cellulose	30.4	30.0	28.6	28.0	0.58	0.07
Hemicellulose	4.2	3.2	6.2	6.4	1.23	0.08
Total carbohydrate	69.5	69.4	69.4	68.2	0.44	0.20
Non-fiber carbohydrate	27.8	29.8	28.5	27.9	0.89	0.42

SEM = standard error of the mean.

^{a, b, c} Within a row, means without a common superscript differ (P < 0.05).

¹C, control; Pi, seedlings inoculated with P. indica; Gi + Pi, co-inoculation of seedlings with P. indica and G. intraradices; Sm + Pi, co-inoculation of seedlings with P. indica and S. meliloti.

²Stage of maturity at time of cutting was determined based on Kalu and Fick (1981), which indicated that alfalfa plants were between early bud stage and late bud stages of growth when harvested (0 to 9 scales).