Alfalfa

1
Alfalfa

• (Medicago sativa)

2
Introduction

• Known as the queen of forages
• Alfalfa(Medicago L.), also called Lucerne
• Originated near Iran
• First introduced to America in 1736 by colonists
• Oldest cover crop in the United States
• Very high yield legume
• Very good pasture crop

3
Description

• Is a herbaceous perennial legume
• Mature alfalfa usually has 5-25 stems
• Height 15-25 inches (38-63cm)
• Stems slender
• Leaves alternating on stem
• Leaflets are linear oblong and toothed towards end

4
Area of Adaptation

• Worldwide in distribution
• Widely grown in US.
• Accounts for 30 mill. acres of production
• Wide range of soil and climate are suitable
• For best production well drained soils, with
  neutral pH and good fertility are required

5
Primary Use

• Used mostly for hay crops
• Has highest feed value of all hay crops if
  harvested late bud or early flower stage
• Produces greatest amount of protein per acre
• Often mixed with corn silage
• Alfalfa can be made into silage, pellets, meal or
  cubes
• Can be used as pasture crop

6
Cultivars

• Many cultivated varieties are available with
  specific characteristics for
• Climate,
• Soil-related,
• Insect,
• Disease problems.

7
Soil Requirements

• Deep permeable soils
• Adequate moisture supply during growing seasons
• Alfalfa is very sensitive to poor drained soil
  and compacted soil conditions that restrict root
  growth
• Does well in loam soils
• Alfalfa does not tolerate pH levels below 6.2
  especially in seedling stage

8
Germination and Seedling Development

• Primary root emerges near the hilum
• Penetrates soil as unbranched taproot
• Hypocotyledonary area straightens and elongates
• The cotylendory leaves emerge
• Foliar leaves have a slender petiole
• Vegetative buds develop in the axils of the
  cotylendonary leaves

9
First 15 days
10
15-30 days
11
Planting Date/Rate

• Most plant in early spring or late summer
• Influenced by precipitation, temp, and cropping
  patterns
• Spring planting allows for harvest during
  seedling year, but weeds are a problem
• Late summer planting means less competition with
  weeds, proper seeding must allow for adequate
  seedling development before onset of winter
• planting rate of 12-15 lb/A
• of cutting ----- 4-5

12
Diseases/Insects

• More than 20 diseases are a problem for alfalfa
• Include fungal bacterial wilts, leaf spots, crown
  and root, viruses, and nematodes
• Insects- a number of insect pests for alfalfa
• The insects that most interfere with forage
  production are
• Potato leafhopper, alfalfa weevil, spotted
  alfalfa aphid, alfalfa plant bug

13
Certified seed

• 60/bu
• Cost 2/
• 200,000 seeds/