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Variety traits

Alfalfa Crown

Medicago sativa L.

Cultivated alfalfa lacks typical rhizomes, as it possesses a taproot system. The function of a regeneration organ is performed by the crown—a thickened basal part of the stem at the soil surface.

In the reference 3 varieties crop Alfalfa, where this is mentioned in the description.

Alfalfa is characterized by a robust taproot system that can penetrate to a depth of up to 10 meters, whereas the presence of rhizomes is characteristic only of certain ecotypes of yellow alfalfa, which are used in breeding to increase winter hardiness. The functional analogue of shoot-forming structures in cultivated varieties is the crown, or caudex.

The crown is the basal part of the plant where axillary buds and stem primordia are concentrated. The development of this zone directly determines the longevity of the crop, the intensity of shoot regrowth, and the ability of the stand to maintain density over several years of exploitation. When evaluating alfalfa varieties, breeders focus on crown diameter and the number of renewal buds rather than rhizome length.

General information about the subject — on the page Rhizome.

Sources8

Varieties of Alfalfa mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.