Alfalfa. Possible sale with VAT, Volyn region.

Alfalfa (Medicago L.) is a genus of the legume family, which includes up to 60 species, most of which are perennial plants. About 20 species are found on the territory of the CIS, among them seed alfalfa (blue), yellow alfalfa and hybrid alfalfa, obtained by crossing seed alfalfa and yellow alfalfa.

Alfalfa is the most widely grown alfalfa. It is very nutritious, rich in digestible protein and vitamins. Its hay contains an average of 16.3% protein, and grass hay mowed before flowering contains up to 20% (ie dry weight), 50 feed units. in 100 kg.

Alfalfa sow is characterized by high productivity. With the correct cultivation technology, the hay yield can be 9-10t/ha, and with irrigation - 15-20t/ha.

Grass mixtures with alfalfa sowing are widespread. It is cultivated both in areas provided with moisture and in arid and semi-arid areas of forest-steppe and steppe.

Place in crop rotation:

Alfalfa is demanding on carefully cultivated soils, free from weeds. The most suitable precursors for alfalfa are legumes, as well as fallow crops. Alfalfa itself is a good precursor for many agricultural crops.

Alfalfa seed is sown both by pure sowing and by using the cover sowing method. As a cover crop, mainly spring cereals are used, which are less suitable for these purposes -Sudan grass. You can compare the characteristics of cover crops and choose the most suitable one here.

Coverless sowing of alfalfa works well on areas well cleared of weeds. Due to the slow growth of alfalfa plants in the first phases of development, there is a possibility of the entire crop being overgrown with weeds. Cover crops are used to avoid this.

When choosing an area for growing alfalfa, it will not hurt to pay attention to the depth of groundwater. The proximity of groundwater negatively affects the development of alfalfa plants.

Soil preparation:

When alfalfa is placed after grain crops on the plot, we peel off the harvest residues and after two to three weeks, we plow to a depth of 27-30 cm with a plow with a front plow.

If a cover crop is used when growing alfalfa, then soil preparation is carried out according to the technology for this cover crop. In areas with irrigation, we pay special attention to leveling the area for a more uniform distribution of water, which contributes to a significant increase in the yield of alfalfa.

Fertilizers:

During the growing season, alfalfa removes a large amount of such nutrients as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium from the soil with the harvest. This is precisely what contributes to obtaining such high yields of green mass containing such a quantity of protein.

A significant increase in the yield of alfalfa is also given by the use of organic fertilizers, especially when they are combined with mineral fertilizers. The application of organic matter is carried out under the predecessor of the cover crop or directly under the cover crop in the range of 25-30 tons/ha.

For irrigated alfalfa, mineral fertilizers should be applied before watering. Good results are given by phosphorus-potassium fertilizers applied after each cut before watering at the rate of 30 kg of the active substance, but when applied once during the summer, the dose of fertilizer is increased to 50−60 kg/ha.

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers also increase the resistance of alfalfa to overwintering and wetting.(//tractor-service.com)

According to many years of experience, alfalfa reacts very negatively to a lack of phosphorus in the early stages of vegetation. If the content of this element in the soil is insufficient in the first month after sowing, it will negatively affect the vitality of plants in the following years.

You can find out more about perennial grass fertilizers on this page.

Seed preparation:

The main preparation ofalfalfa seeds is careful cleaning of weed seeds and other foreign impurities. We pay special attention to the fight against piles, in the presence of which we use special cleaning machines.

The treatment of alfalfa seeds with molybdenum gives good results (in those areas where this element is insufficient in the soil). We dissolve 100 g of molybdenum-acidic ammonium in 400 g of water and treat one sowing unit with this solution.

Sowing:

Germination of alfalfa seeds is observed already at +1°C, and sprouts withstand frosts up to -5°C. So, alfalfa can be sown at the same time as early cereals, as cover crops. Moreover, precisely during this period, the soil still retained a lot of moisture accumulated during the winter period. Well, the most optimal temperature regime for seed germination is 17-20°C.

In arid areas of the steppe, the sowing rate is 8-10 kg/ha, in forest-steppe areas and in irrigated areas - 10-15 kg/ha. The seed embedment depth on heavy soils is 2−3 cm, on light soils - 3−4 cm. If there is insufficient moisture in the soil, it is possible to apply post-sowing seed rolling with smooth rollers.

Crop care:

Alfalfa cultivation technology Having harvested the crop of a cover crop, we do not delay harvesting the straw from the field after threshing. If the arable layer is provided with the required amount of moisture, it is possible to feed alfalfa with potash (50-100 kg/ha of potassium salt) and phosphorus (1.5-2 c/ha of superphosphate) fertilizers at the beginning of autumn. This will increase the resistance of alfalfa plants to frost.

Every year we carry out spring harrowing with heavy harrows in two tracks, which helps remove last year's stubble and loosen the top layer of the soil. A positive result is given by fertilizing and harrowing alfalfa after each cutting.

In irrigated areas, try not to allow the moisture level in the meter-long soil layer to drop below 70-75% above sea level.

Harvesting:

Alfalfa is harvested for hay in the budding phase. Delaying harvesting reduces the protein and fat content of plants, worsens the development of the otava, and reduces the collection of hay for the next crop. The quality of hay decreases especially strongly. According to research data, the protein content in plants in the budding phase is 23.6%, before flowering - 18.8%, at full flowering - 15.3%. The amount of crude protein in the leaves is 20-30%.

When mowing more than 3 times during the growing season, alfalfa quickly falls out. To increase its productive longevity, the first mowing should be carried out at the beginning of flowering. Harvesting during the period of budding contributes to the preservation of leaves in the hay. In order to preserve them more fully, the mowed grass is raked into the rolls a few hours after mowing. In favorable weather, after 2-3 days, alfalfa hay dries so much that it can be stacked or stacked.

In steppe regions with a drier climate, mowed alfalfa is raked into swathes immediately after mowing, and by evening it is already harvested.

It is necessary to regulate the time of the last slope. The winter hardiness of alfalfa plants that leave for the winter largely depends on this. According to long-term observations, the last mowing of the grass is best done 1-1.5 months before the onset of permanent frosts. During this time, alfalfa will be sufficient for regrowth, formation of a rosette and replenishment of the necessary amount of nutrients.