Article
Article
Alfalfa
Article By:
Teuber, Larry R. Department of Agronomy and Range Science, Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, California.
Graham, J. H. Waterman-Loomis Company, Highland, Maryland.
Last reviewed:October 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.021900
The world's most valuable forage legume, Medicago sativa, also known as lucerne, and less often as purple medic, medica, snail clover, median herb, Burgundy hay or clover, and Chilean clover. Alfalfa is often referred to as the queen of forages. It is produced worldwide on more than 32,000,000 hectares (79,000,000 acres). The United States, Argentina, Canada, Russia, Italy, and China are the world's major producers of alfalfa. The chief producing areas in the United States include California, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. See also: Fabales; Forage crops; Legume; Legume forages
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