- Alfalfa - Medicago sativa,
also known as Lucerne, Purple Medic and Trefoil, is a perennial
flowering plant cultivated as an important forage crop.
- The leaves of this
remarkable legume contain eight essential amino acids. Alfalfa is a good
laxative and a natural diuretic. It is useful in the treatment of
urinary tract infections, and kidney, bladder and prostrate disorders.
Alkalizes and detoxifies the body, especially the liver. Promotes
pituitary gland function and contains an anti-fungus agent.
- In most climates, alfalfa is
cut three to four times a year but is harvested up to 12 times per year
in Arizona and Southern California. Total yields are typically around 8
tonne/hectare (4 ton/acre) but yields have been recorded up to 20
tonnes/ha (16 ton/acre). Yields vary due to region and with weather, and
with stage of maturity when cut. Later cuttings improve yield but reduce
nutritional content.
- Alfalfa herbage fibers
mainly consist of celluloses, hemicelluloses, lignin, and small amounts
of pectin and proteins.
- Alfalfa has considerable
potential as a feedstock for production of ethanol and other industrial
materials because of its high biomass production, perennial nature,
ability to provide its own nitrogen fertilizer, and valuable
co-products.
- Alfalfa biomass has
potential biotechnological importance in the production of low fiber,
juice-derived co-products such as particulate (chloroplastic) protein
concentrates, soluble protein concentrates, carotenoids, vitamins,
minerals, growth factors, pharmaceutical agents, cosmetic products, and
transgenic enzymes.
- Alfalfa is one of the most
important legumes used in agriculture.Its primary use is for dairy
production, followed by beef, sheep, horses and goats, but it is
sometimes used for human consumption. Alfalfa sprouts are used as a
salad ingredient in the United States and Australia.
- Tender shoots are eaten in
some places as a leaf vegetable. Human consumption of older plant parts
is limited primarily by very high fiber content. Dehydrated alfalfa leaf
is commercially available as a dietary supplement in several forms, such
as tablets, powders and tea. Alfalfa is believed to be a
galactagogue.
- The leaves of this
remarkable legume contain eight essential amino acids. Alfalfa is a good
laxative and a natural diuretic. It is useful in the treatment of
urinary tract infections, and kidney, bladder and prostrate disorders.
Alkalizes and detoxifies the body, especially the liver. Promotes
pituitary gland function and contains an anti-fungus agent.
- This versatile herb is also
a folk remedy for arthritis, diabetes, asthma, hay fever, and is reputed
to be an excellent appetite stimulant and overall tonic. Excellent
source of nutritive properties with minerals, chlorophyll and vitamins.
Alfalfa is high in chlorophyll and nutrients. Treating with alfalfa
preparations is generally without side effects, however the seeds
contain a slightly toxic amino acid L-canavanine.
- Roundup Ready alfalfa will
be the first genetically enhanced alfalfa product to be marketed
commercially.
- Alfalfa is susceptible to
the spotted or pea aphid, alfalfa weevil, stem nematode, bacterial wilt,
snout beetle, and several leaf spots.
- Today the alfalfa leafcutter
bee is increasingly used to circumvent this problem. As a solitary but
gregarious bee species, it does not build colonies or store honey, but
is a very efficient pollinator of alfalfa seed. Nesting is in individual
tunnels in wooden or plastic material, supplied by the alfalfa seed
growers.
- Alfalfa is distributed
worldwide and accounts for nearly 12 million ha of production (30
million acres) in the U.S. and over 140,000 ha (350,000 acres) in
Kentucky.
- The US is the largest
alfalfa producer in the world, but alfalfa is important in Europe,
Australia, South America, South Africa, China and the Middle East.
- The leading Alfalfa growing
states are California, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
- Alfalfa is Colorado’s most
valuable forage crop, averaging about 3 million tons from 800,000 acres.
Average annual value is $233 million. Alfalfa is produced throughout the
state and performs well at elevations from 3,400 to 8,500 feet. It has
the highest yield potential of any perennial forage crop grown in
Colorado; average yields approach 4 tons per acre.
- Alfalfa is the most popular
and important forage crop grown in California. It is produced on
approximately 1 million acres, or about 1 out of 8 eight irrigated acres
in the state. The intermountain counties of Siskiyou, Shasta, Modoc,
Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Inyo, and Mono account for about 15 percent of
the state’s acreage and produce approximately 10 percent of the total
crop.
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General Information
- Alfalfa
- Alfalfa-Herbal
Information
- Alfalfa-Plant
Information
- Medicago sativa
- Alfalfa and Hay
- Alfalfa Description
Production and
Processing
- Alfalfa
Production
- Alfalfa
Harvesting
- Using Calcium Sulfate
in Alfalfa Production
- Top Yielding Alfalfa
Production
- Honey Bee Pollination
of Alfalfa
- Alkali Bee Pollination
of Alfalfa
- Alfalfa Seed
Production
- Alfalfa Seed Production
in the Western United States
Ethanol Production
From Alfalfa
- Ethanol production from
Alfalfa
- Biomass Energy
Production
- Producing Fuels and
Chemicals from Cellulosic Crops
- Ethanol Production in
Hawaii
- Alfalfa Traits that
will Impact Bioenergy Production
Quality and
Management
- Quality evaluation of
Medicago sativa
- Heterosis of Forage
Quality in Alfalfa
- Leaf Cutting Bee
Management
- Loose Cell
Management
- Intermountain Alfalfa
Management
- Weed Management in
Alfalfa
- Alfalfa Root and Crown
Rot Control
Company
Profiles
- National Alfalfa
Alliance
- Alfalfa House
- Grassland
Species
- Hebei Bonherb
Technology
- Nafosa
- WL Alfalfa
- Monterey Bay
Consultants
- Douglas G.
Tiffany
- Daniel H. Putnam
- Richard S. Gates
- David B.
Hannaway
- Lars R. Furenlid
- Registered Regional
Consultants
- Seed Consultants
- CPL Business
Consultants
Patent
- Alfalfa hybrids having
hybridity
- Bilirubin Oxidase from
Alfalfa
- Bread Containing
Alfalfa
- Alfalfa Weevil with a
Strain of Bacillus
- Potato Leaf
Hopper Resistant Alfalfa
- Production of Alfalfa
Seeds
Technology
- Innovative Technology
to Recover Gold from Solutions Using Medicago Sativa
- Roundup Ready
Technology
- Phytoremediation
- Investigation of Metal
Binding in Alfalfa Biomass
- Seed Production Issues
for Genetically Enhanced Alfalfa
- X-ray Absorption
Spectroscopy
Predators and Pest
Control Management
- Integrated Insect
Control
- Nest Destroyers
of Leaf Cutting Bees
- Parasites and
Predators
- Cultural Control of
Weed
- Blister Beetles In
Alfalfa
- Forage Species
- Potato Leafhopper on
Alfalfa
- Pest Management
- Insect Pest
Control
Projects
- Alfalfa Response to
Water Deficit
- Production of Alfalfa
Seed In Xinjiang
- Alfalfa Hybrids for
Increased Biomass Yield
- Montana Intra-State
Alfalfa
- Effect of Alfalfa Vs a
Corn and Soybean
- Alfalfa Production in
Relation to Precision Agriculture
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Product & Data Sheet
- Alfalfa Leaf
Capsule
- Alfalfa Extract
Powder
- Alfalfa Herb -
Cut
- Alfalfa Tincture
- True Greens
- Alfalfa Leaf
Powder
Applications
- Removal of Copper Ions
By Medicago Sativa
- Alfalfa-High Quality
Hay for Horses
- Medicinal Applications
of Alfalfa
- Profiling Saponin
Glycosides in Medicago sativa
- Conversion of Vestitone
to Medicarpin in Alfalfa
- Productivity of Alfalfa
Grown on Copper and Zinc Polluted Soils
- Nutrient Utilization by
Dairy Cows
- Production of
Electricity from Biomass Crops
Market
Price
- Alfalfa Hay - Bed
Planted Production
- Alfalfa Seed
Production
- Alfalfa - San Joaquin
Valley
- California Hay
- California Market -
2003
- California Market
-2004
- California Market
-2005
- California Market
-2007
- National Hay
- Alfalfa Hay -
Intermountain Region
- Hay Prices-Idaho
2007
- Hay - Oregon
Market
- Alfalfa Hay -
Washington
Manufacturers,
Suppliers And Buyers
- Alfalfa
Producers
- Hangzhou New Asia
International Co., Ltd
- Alfalfa Sprout
Suppliers
- Medicago Sativa
Suppliers
- Manufacturers of
Alfalfa
- Organic Seed
Suppliers
- Alfalfa Seed
Exporters
- Trade Leads of
Alfalfa
- Shaanxi Tianrun
Phytochemical Co.Ltd
- UK Suppliers of
Alfalfa
- Alfalfa Buyers List
1
- Alfalfa Buyers List
2
Market
- Alfalfa-Crop of the
Future
- Profit Of
Alfalfa
- Commercial Potential
for Genetic Engineering in Alfalfa
- Autotoxicity in
Alfalfa
- Alfalfa Forage
Production
- Alfalfa Buyer
Survey
Report
- Alfalfa-The
Manufacturing Plant
- Alfalfa Green Fuel of
the Future
- Bioprocessing for Ethanol
Production
- Alfalfa and Other
Forages
- Alfalfa Agronomy
Report
- Alfalfa hay production
by small-scale farmers
- Genetic Traits in
Tetraploid and Diploid Alfalfa
- New Treatment May Lift
the Curse on Alfalfa Grazing
- Alfalfa Grazing
Tolerance Variety Report
Alfalfa Plant
Disease
- ChalkBrood
Disease
- Hole Punching
- Anthracnose
- Nematodes
- Plant Diseases
- Forage Legume
Insects
Safety &
Guidelines
- Common Mistakes in
Alfalfa Production
- Agricultural Safety and
Health
- Deficiencies and
Damages of Alfalfa
- Pest Management
Guidelines
- Useful Links
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