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Crop Production :: Forage Crops :: Kudirai Masal
Lucerne Meal Preparation Video

Kudirai Masal

Season and Varieties

Zone District/Season Month Variety
Irrigated
Coimbatore, Thiruppur, Erode and Dharmapuri Throughout the year CO 1 & CO 2

Particulars of Lucerne Variety

PARTICULARS CO 1 CO 2
Parentage Mass selection from Coimbatore local Poly cross derivative involving CO 1
Duration (Days) Perennial Perennial
Green fodder yield (t/ha/year) 80-90 (11-12 harvests) 130 (14 harvests)
Seed yield (kg/ha) 200 - 230 245
Morphological characters
Plant height (cm) 60 - 70 70-80
No. of branches per plant 12 - 15 15-20
No. of pods per stems 10-15 18-20
No. of seeds per pod 3-5 4-6
Quality characters
Protein content (%) 20 - 22 23.5
Dry matter (%) 18 - 20 16.8
Dry matter yield (t/ha/year) 16.15 21.94

Special features of Lucerne CO 2

  • More number of stems per crown with soft and dark green leaves
  • High crude protein (23.5 %) and dry matter yield (21.94 t/ha/yr)
  • Profuse flowering nature leads to enhanced seed yield
  • Superior ratooning ability and early flowering render 14 harvests per year
  • Highly palatable, preferred by milch cattle, goat, sheep and horses
  Profuse flowering of Lucerne CO 2

Package of Practices

Season : Throughout the year under irrigated conditions in Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Krishnagiri districts of Tamil Nadu (Not suitable for hot and humid areas)
Soil : Well drained black cotton soil is good. Can be raised in alkaline soils also.
Preparatory cultivation : Plough 2 to 3 times to obtain a good tilth and form beds and channels of convenient size
Manures and fertilizers : Basal
FYM   -           25 tonnes/ha
NPK    -           25: 120: 40 kg/ha
Seed rate : 15 kg/ha
Spacing : 25 cm apart in lines
Weed management : Hand weeding whenever necessary
Plant protection : Generally not required for fodder production
Water management : Immediately after sowing and life irrigation on 3rd day.  Then once in 10 days depending on soil type and weather condition.
Sprinklers can also be installed
Harvest : The first harvest 60-65 days after sowing.
Subsequent harvests are made at an interval of 20-25 days
Green fodder yield : 90-130 t/ha/year (in 12-14 harvests)

Bed Preparation Sowing
Irrigation after sowing Installation of sprinkler in Lucerne field
Weeding Manual Harvesting
Harvesting by brush cutter Green Fodder Yield

Seed production Technologies

Season : Seed production once in a year during summer months.The crop should be harvested during first week of March and allowed for seed production in such a way that the peak period of flowering should coincide with summer days.
Manures and fertilizers : Top dressing:
NPK - 15: 120 : 40 kg/ha. 
Plant protection : Spraying 0.05% Methyl Dematon or Dimethoate is suggested for the control of Aphids/Ear head bug.
Micronutrient application : Spraying of 3% Borax + ZnSO4 solution at flower initiation and 50 % flowering stage.
Seed harvest : Hand picking of pods at physiological maturity stage
Seed yield : 200-240 kg/ha

Lucerne Seed setting
 

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