Alfalfa or
Medicago sativa, its scientific name, is a flowering plant belonging to the pea family and known by different names in different regions of the world. In the UK it is known as lucerene and in India as Lucerne grass.
Alfalfa is a perennial legume cultivated as a forage crop and lives for three to twelve years depending upon the climate and variety of the crop. The plant reaches a height of 3ft and its roots sometimes stretch to 4.5m.
Alfalfa needs to be grown in rotation with other crops like wheat and corn. It has a group of
small flowers which are purple in colour and is similar to a clover.
The root nodules of alfalfa contain bacteria known as Sinorhizobium meliloti, with the ability to fix nitrogen, forming a high-protein feed irrespective of nitrogen content in the soil.
Alfalfa is this characteristic of increasing soil nitrogen and its use of animal feed that has increased agricultural productivity.
Alfalfa is extensively grown everywhere as food for cattle.
Alfalfa is also harvested as hay. If grown under correct weather conditions and proper soil, alfalfa becomes the highest produced forage plant. One of the most significant legumes in agriculture, alflfa is largely produced in the USA. Other countries producing alfalfa are South Africa, Australia and the Middle East. In India, alfalfa is grown in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu and is known as Kuthirai Masal.
Alfalfa can be grown in extreme climates ranging from very cold terrain to extremely hot deserts.
Alfalfa is primarily used as food for cattle. It is also used for beef cattle, sheep, horses and goats.
Alfalfa is also eaaten by humans in salads and sandwiches. It has medicinal values as well. It is used as an herbal medicine as it is rich in protein, calcium and seveal vitamins like C, D and E and other minerals. In ancient Chinese medications,
alfalfa was used for treating digestive and kidney disorders. In India, ayurvedic practitioners use alfalfa for treating poor digestion. In ancient times, it was also believed to treat people for arthritis and water retention.
In some regions, tender shoots are consumed as leaf vegetables. Dehydrated
alfalfa leaf is available over the counter as a dietary supplement in various forms, like tablets, tea and even in the powdered form. Alfalfa is also a galactagogue, a substance that stimulates lactation.
