Transcript Alfalfa-2 - WordPress.com

Lucerne or Alfalfa
Production
technology
• INTRODUCTION
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Scientific Name : Medicago sativa
Common Name : ALFALFA or LUCERNE
Belong to Leguminosae family.
Originated from the Mediterranean region.
It is called as the 'QUEEN OF FORAGE CROPS'.
It is a perennialflowering plant in the pea
family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in
many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay,
and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop.
It is a frost tolerant crop susceptible to various pest and
diseases and extreme drought tolerant crop.
It is a rabi crop.
Mostly used for animal feed.
Nitrogen fixer , highly palatable perennial forage crop
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HISTORY : Alfalfa seems to have originated in south-central Asia, and
was first cultivated in ancient Iran.
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In ancient India, Ayurvedic texts prescribe the use of
Alfalfa seeds and sprouts for improving blood cell production and it's
leaves and stem as a good source of protein and minerals.
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Economic importance: Alfalfa, called the "Queen of the Forages," is the
fourth most widely grown crop in the United States behind corn, wheat and
soybeans and double the cotton acreage. Although there is no published value for
alfalfa hay the estimated value is $8.1 billion all over the world.
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Alfalfa is also important due to its high biomass production.
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Its nitrogen-fixing abilities (which increase soil nitrogen) and its use as an animal
feed greatly improve agricultural efficiency.
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WORLDWIDE PRODUCTION : Total production of the whole world last year
was around 436 million tonns grown on an area of 30 million hectares.
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It is widely grown in the areas of North America, Europe , Canada ,China , Italy,
Russia, India and Pakistan also. It is a widely grown crop .
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Angiosperms
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Medicago
Species: M. sativa
PLANT DESCRIPTION :
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Perrenial forage legume crop.
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5-6 cm in height can even grow upto 1m depending on the area and
climate.
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Leafy branches leaves are dull and trifoliate .Multibranched perrenial.
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Flowers are blue but can be yellow or purple.
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Very deep tap root system .
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This plant exhibits autotoxicity, which means it is difficult for alfalfa seed to
grow in existing stands of alfalfa. Therefore, alfalfa fields are recommended
to be rotated with other species (for example, corn or wheat) before
reseeding.
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Its roots have some special quality that they can reach down in soil upto 4m
and also more than 7-8 m in well drained soils. This is the reason this crop can
face very harsh drought conditions by uptaking nutrients and water from soil.
SOIL AND CLIMATE REQUIREMENT:
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Alfalfa can be cultivated on all type of soils except
water logged and saline ones.
Deep loamy soils ,well drained soils with pH ranging
from 6-7 are best for its cultivation ,acidic soils can
also be used for its production.
It is highly sensitive to climatic conditions.
Semi dry climate is best for alfalfa as it can tolerate
high temperatures of summer. The crop does best in
the areas where annual rainfall is in between 30 – 40
inches. The crop can be cultivated upto the altitude
of 9800 feet.
It tolerates short spells of drought.
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY FOR
SOWING , HARVESTING AND
STORAGE OF ALFALFA:
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SOWING TIME : 1ST week of Oct to middle of november. However
middle of oct is best for sowing.
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SEED RATE : Seed rate varies from place to place and germination
percentage; mostly it used 8 – 12 Kg per acre for proper plant
density.
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20 –25 kg for broadcasting and 12-15 kg for line sowing.
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METHODS OF SOWING : 1)Broadcasting 2)Line sowing.
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LAND PREPARATION : eep ploughing with chisel or mould bold
plough followed by clod crushing and 2–3 dry ploughings with disc
harrow & cultivator are necessary. The deep ploughing is must
because the alfalfa is deep rooted crop and it will be helpful for
proper root development.
VARIETIES :
 Two types are used :
1. Dormant (with reduced growth in winter).
2. Non-dormant (named as winter active).
 MOSTLY USED VARIETIES ARE :
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Type 8 and 9
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Synthetic-78
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No-18
4.
Quandari
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YIELD : 7 – 10 tons per acre dry matter can be obtained for good
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TOP PRODUCING AREAS OF PAKISTAN : In areas of
established alfalfa. In Pakistan total production is 3978061 t/hac.
Punjab and Balochistan.
HARVESTING AND STORAGE :
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When alfalfa is to be used as hay, it is usually cut and baled.
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In Pakistan it is cut when needed for forage with the help of sickle no
proper method for harvestation .
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It can be stored in the form of hay ,silage or baleage.
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When used as feed for dairy cattle, alfalfa is often made
into haylage by a process known as ensiling.
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It can be harvested by mowers etc.
USES OF ALFALFA :
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As a multipurpose fodder :
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As a high quality fodder.
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Palatable fodder.
3.
Lucerne meal is used for livestock and poultry.
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As an ornamental .
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Windbreak
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Fuelwood
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Biogas