Yakutia Yellow alfalfa, or sickle-shaped, is a perennial herbaceous plant from the legume family, distinguished by its bright yellow and pale yellow calyx coloration. This variety is characterized by shorter stature and slower regrowth compared to cultivated alfalfa, typically yielding one cut, rarely two. Despite lower productivity, it possesses several advantages such as high winter hardiness, drought resistance, and salt tolerance, making it less demanding regarding growing conditions and a more durable crop that tolerates grazing well.
Yakutia Yellow alfalfa has a powerful root system, branched stems, and trifoliate leaves. Flowering occurs in racemes consisting of 12-26 papilionaceous flowers. The seeds of this culture are yellow, sickle-shaped, or spirally twisted. Due to its high protein and vitamin content, it is widely used as a fodder crop. The variety is resistant to drought and winter conditions, allowing its use in crop rotations on both irrigated and non-irrigated lands.
This alfalfa variety was approved for use in 1989 and recommended for cultivation in the regions of Eastern and Western Siberia, including the Irkutsk region, Krasnoyarsk Krai, the Republic of Buryatia, the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, the Tyva Republic, and the Khakassia Republic. The breeder of the variety is FGBUN FCI "Yakut Scientific Center of SB RAS". Yakutia Yellow alfalfa is a valuable variety for agriculture due to its adaptability and fodder qualities.
