Introduction
Alfalfa which is known botanically as Medicago sativa is a perennial herbaceous legume and is a plant that has been grown as feed and forage for livestock for hundreds of years in various countries of the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop. Read more on livestock production here
The name alfalfa is used in North America however in places such as the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand the name lucerne is used. It is cultivated in more than 80 countries in an area exceeding 35 million ha. World production of alfalfa was around 436 million tons in 2006.
Importance of Alfalfa
As alfalfa is known for its superior content of vitamins, minerals and protein, compared to other feed sources. In addition to being used as feed, alfalfa has been used to make medicinal herbs for humans, its seeds or dried leaves can be taken as a supplement, or can be sprouted and eaten in the form of alfalfa sprouts. Other potential importance of consuming alfalfa include:
- Helps control cholesterol
- Improves metabolic health
- Has antioxidants effects
Cultivation and Suitable Farm Practices
Alfalfa is quite hardy and is capable of tolerating drought conditions. Alfalfa can be grown in any type of soil as long as the soil is not acidic but would grow best in a rich, well drained loamy soil.
Alfalfa seeds should be planted directly into the soil after ploughing. i=the seeds have a hard coating, it is for this reason that they have to be soaked in water for a day before planting.
Seeds germination takes place in less than a month and after that, Plants grow and should be ready for harvesting after about 6 weeks
Pest and Diseases of Alfalfa
Like most plants, alfalfa can be attacked by various pests and pathogens. Diseases often have subtle symptoms which are easily misdiagnosed and can affect all parts of the plants. For pests and diseases of other crops click
Pests of alfalfa plants include the following:
- Alfalfa weevils
Army worms
Root rots
Diseases of alfalfa plants include:
Downy mildew
Harvesting and handling of Alfalfa
When alfalfa is to be used as hay, it is usually cut and packaged in bulk as in a bale. This is done because bales are easier for use in transportation, storage, and feeding. It can be harvested with the aid of farm equipment such as the mower condition which in addition to harvesting the alfalfa also crimps and breaks the stems of the alfalfa plants as they pass through the mower, making the alfalfa dry faster.
Processing of Alfalfa
While animals can be allowed to graze on the alfalfa plants without any form of processing, before alfalfa is fed to animals as hay, it has to be processed in the form of drying.
Advantages and reasons to grow
Asides the obvious benefits of growing which include
- Production of animal feed
- Production of supplementary vitamins for humans
Other reasons to grow alfalfa include:
- Alfalfa is a leguminous crop which means it is able to fix nitrogen into the soil due to the presence of bacteria that produce nitrogen from the air. It can thus be used during rotation of crops and can help reduce the need for commercial fertilizers in the farm
Opportunities for Investment in Nigeria
With millions of livestock in Nigeria, there is a huge market for alfalfa. The relative high cost of animal feed would ensure that farmers of livestock would be more likely to patronize a nutritious and cheaper option as opposed to using the current feed which is quite expensive.
The hardy and drought resistant nature of the alfalfa plant also means that it can be grown fairly easily in areas with bad soils and which other crops cannot be readily grown it thereby increasing the productivity of that area
Constraints and Challenges of Cultivating in Nigeria
In order to establish a successful alfalfa stand, the pH needs to be maintained between 6.5 and 7.0. Additionally, current alfalfa commercial varieties do not tolerate flooding, meaning that a well-drained site needs to be selected to establish an alfalfa stand. These factors ensure that the potential for alfalfa production is limited.
They can however be overcome by the development of alfalfa breeds and varieties which are capable of withstanding these conditions and other conditions in the area in which they would be cultivated
References.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/alfalfa#TOC_TITLE_HDR_7
https://www.feedipedia.org/node/275
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa
Cover image source: www.naturallycurly.com