Alfalfa Maiya

Yield stability with Maya alfalfa

In today's unpredictable climate, choosing seeds from Florimond-Desprez Veuve et Fils is a matter of economic security for any farm. Working with the Maya variety has proven that it is a 'workhorse' that forgives many agronomic mistakes and remains stable even in challenging fields.

Field observations and agronomy

The plant height of 65–70 cm is the 'sweet spot', providing excellent stand density during mowing. Machinery handles it easily without clogging the headers, and the regrowth rate after cutting allows for the targeted 4-5 full cycles per season. Importantly, the leaves do not shatter during drying: this is critical for maintaining nutritional value, as the protein is concentrated specifically in the leaves.

Resilience as a key profitability factor

A farmer's main headache with perennial grasses is infection. French breeding proves its effectiveness here. The Maya variety is equipped with 'built-in armor' against a complex range of diseases:

• Anthracnose and Fusarium wilt — the primary causes of stand thinning in the second or third year — are virtually non-existent.
• Verticillium wilt, capable of destroying an entire field, is suppressed by the plant’s natural immunity.
• Stem nematode, often overlooked when choosing seeds, does not pose a problem here, allowing the field to remain productive for longer without the need for reseeding.

For the operator, this means minimal expenditure on fungicide protection and no unscheduled field maintenance. Maya alfalfa delivers the quality one expects from a European manufacturer: predictability, disease resistance, and efficiency in hay or haylage production.