Variety traits

Leafiness of alfalfa

Medicago sativa L.

Leafiness is the proportion of leaves in the total plant mass, which determines the forage value and nutritional quality of alfalfa. This indicator is measured by separating a sample into fractions and is expressed as a percentage.

In the reference 35 varieties crop Alfalfa, where this is mentioned in the description.

Alfalfa leafiness is a cultivar-specific trait reflecting the ratio of leaf mass to the total plant mass or its dry matter. In breeding work and variety testing, values in the range of 50–60% are considered typical for promising samples.

The trait is dynamic and closely linked to the crop's developmental stage. While the leaf proportion can reach 70% at a plant height of about 15 cm, it decreases to 30% or less by the onset of flowering and as the height increases to 70 cm, due to the predominance of the stem fraction.

High leafiness directly correlates with forage quality, as leaves contain 1.5–2 times more protein than stems, reaching protein concentrations of up to 25% of dry matter. Breeding for an increase in this indicator allows for improved forage digestibility and reduced nutrient losses during harvesting.

General information about the subject — on the page Leafiness.

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.