Alfalfa - for stable forage production
This review reports on alfalfa cultivation for stable agriculture in Russia and abroad. Alfalfa is a multi-purpose crop that provides livestock with highly nutritional forage (hay, silage, haylage, green fodder). Alfalfa is a source of enzymes, honey, bio fuel and edible germs. Its fast growth rate enables three cuts of green mass containing 14-24% of crude protein in dry matter even in the Non-Chernozem area. New bastard alfalfa varieties such as “Selena”, “Agniya” and “Pastbishchnaya 88” produce stable yields on relatively poor sod-podzolic soil. Alfalfa can grow in one place for a long time reducing costs for reseeding. It requires no nitrogen fertilization and enriches soil with 45-200 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>. Annual nitrogen fixation reaches 150 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> in alfalfa shoots in the Non-Chernozem zone. Strong root system and high plant density protect soil from erosion. Alfalfa shows high drought-resistance, thus, making it necessary to increase its cultivation area in the north of Russia. Monoculture is effective under the drought conditions while alfalfa mixtures with gramineous perform better in rainy years. Nowadays biological preparations make it possible to prepare not only haylage, hay and artificially dried forage from alfalfa but also silage.