More about the Alfa Plant

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial. Depending on variety and climate can grow five to twelve years old. With a height of 1 m and small bunches of blue flowers appear on the plant clover. The plant has a deep and vigorous root system that can extend up to 4.5 meters. This allows the plant to survive during temporary droughts.


Alfalfa is native to Europe and is widely grown as cattle feed. In the Netherlands, mainly lucerne artificially dried to produce high protein animal feed. There are three to four times a year cut. Sowing takes place both with and without dekvrucht. If dekvrucht will include winter wheat used. The fruit of alfalfa sprout alfalfa hot.


Like other species of the Fabaceae family (Leguminosae) has the ability to plant nitrogen-fixing bacteria with nitrogen to bind so that the protein-rich foods can produce regardless of the presence of nitrogen in the soil.


The extensive cultivation, beginning in the 17th century, was an important advance in European agriculture. The nitrogen-fixing properties and use as feed significantly increased the efficiency of agriculture. When properly cultivated land, alfalfa has a high yield.


Lucerne is one of the few plants that self-toxic. This makes it impossible to move from old alfalfa plants to be sown again. The old alfalfa must first be worked again on the same plot can be sown. Better is also associated with diseases in order to apply the rotation.


Alfalfa is especially in long-term cultivation affected by wilt (Verticillium albo-atrum) and leaf blight (Pseudopeziza medicaginis). Pleksgewijze wilting and death is often caused by stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci).



Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luzerne


See also: International Flower Delivery, Florist