VEGA 87 — a cultivar of variable medick lucerne of the variegated hybrid type, characterized by medium-early maturity and a short flowering period. Bushes are erect with medium density and uniform foliage coverage reaching 48-60%. Leaves are elliptical with weak pubescence, flowers are variegated, and seeds are kidney-shaped, yellow-violet in color, with a mass of 2.2-2.4 g per 1000 seeds. The vegetative period from the beginning of spring vegetation to the first mowing is 50-55 days, and to seed maturity is 120-130 days.
The cultivar is distinguished by high winter hardiness and resistance to lodging, root rots, and most diseases, as well as having above-average drought resistance. Dry matter yield reaches 10-11 tons per hectare, and seed yield ranges from 250-300 kg in the Non-Black Earth Zone to 800 kg in forest-steppe and steppe zones. At the budding phase, 1 kg of dry matter contains 0.85-0.88 feed units and 167-180 g of digestible protein, making the cultivar a highly nutritious feed.
VEGA 87 is widely used as a fodder, nectar-producing, and green manure crop. It enriches the soil with organic matter, nitrogen, and potassium, improving soil structure and reducing acidity. Lucerne is a good predecessor for many agricultural crops, is resistant to nematodes and pests. The recommended sowing rate is 0.4-0.5 kg per 100 m², which ensures intensive regrowth in spring and after mowing, allowing up to three cuts per season.
