ALFA ALFA

It is a cool season perennial crop having nutritional value for the animals. This fodder helps to increase milk yield of lactating animals even if they are feed in less quantity. It is grown in rabi season which gives yield for approximately 3 years. The crop is resistant to drought, cold and hot conditions. The roots contain Rhizobium bacteria which help to increase fertility of the soil.

Loamy soil having good drainage system is best for the cultivation of Alfa alfa crop. Its cultivation can also be done in sandy loam to smooth soil. It can even tolerate sodic soil and poorly drained soils.

Type-8, Type-9 (perennials), RL 88 (perennials), Anand 2 (annual) and LLC 3(annual) are the varieties developed for Rajasthan areas.

For Alfa alfa plantation, it requires well prepared land. To bring soil to fine tilth, one deep ploughing followed by 3-4 harrowing is required. After this, planking is done to level the field.

Time of sowing:
October is best for seed sowing.

Sowing depth:
Use 1-3cm of seed sowing depth.

Spacing:
Use row spacing of 20cm.
 

Seed rate:
Use seed rate of 8-10kg/acre.

Seed treatment:
As seeds have hard coat, so dip the seeds in water for 6-8 hours and then use it for sowing.

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Use cow dung @80qtl/acre and mix well in the soil at the time of land preparation. Use fertilizer dose of Nitrogen@8-14kg/acre in the form of urea@15-30kg/acre and phosphorus@25-33kg/acre in the form of SSP@150-200kg/acre.

Half dose of nitrogen and full dose of phosphorus is added at the time of sowing. Rest of the nitrogen dose is added in three equal splits after second harvesting.

It requires less irrigation. After sowing, two irrigations are given at the interval of 5-7 days. In light soil, next irrigation is given after 10-12 days in winters, 7-8 days in monsoon and 5-7 days in summers. In heavy soil, irrigation is given after 10-15 days in summers, 15-20 days in monsoon and 20-25 days in summers.
 

Do 2-3 weedings for good growth of the crop. To protect crop from Amarbel weed, spray of Paraquat @0.1-0.2% is done immediately after first and second harvest.

First harvesting is done after 55-60 days of sowing and then next harvesting is done after the interval of 30-35 days of first harvesting. By 7-8 harvestings, it gives an average yield of 280-320qtl/acre of green fodder per year.