Breeding and field management of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in climatic

conditions of Pakistan

Dr. Abid Mahmood Director General Agri. Research Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad-Pakistan

Email: dgaraari@yahoo.com Government of the Punjab-Pakistan Agriculture Department

Present Status of Fodders and Livestock in Pakistan

Share of agriculture to GDP 18.9 %

Share of Livestock to agri. GDP 58.93 %

Source: Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18

Total milk production (year 2017-18) 57.89 million tons (5th in world)

Total meat production (year 2017-18) 4.26 million tons

Fodder Crops Area 2.1 million ha (9 % of total cropped area)

Fodder Production 43.7 million tons

Average Yield 21 t/ha

Goat

74.1

Camel

1.1 Horses/mule

s

5.9

Sheep

30.5

Buffalo

38.8

Cattle

46.1

Livestock population in Pakistan (million heads) Total: 196.5

Major fodder crops in Pakistan

Summer fodders

1. Sorghum Sorghum bicolor L.

2. Pearl millet Pennisetum americanum

3. Maize Zea mays

4. S.S Hybrid Sorghum X Sudangrass

6. Cowpeas Vigna ungiculata

7. Guar/Cluster bean Cyamopsis tetragonoloba

8. Mott Grass Napier purpureum

Winter fodders

9. Berseem Trifolium alexandrinum

10 Alfalfa Medicago sativa

11 Oats Avena sativa

Contribution of different feed resources for dairy animals in Pakistan

51%

38%

6% 3% 2%

Fodder and CropResidues

Forage/Grazing Cereal By Products Post Harvest Grazing Concentrate (Oil seedCake etc)

(Source: FAO Report)

Area and Production of Major Fodder Crops ( Punjab)

0,09 0,60 0,74 0,08 0,33 0,84

8,36

22,64

1,94

5,96

0

5

10

15

20

25

Guar Sorghum Berseem Alfalfa others

Area (Million ha)

Production (Million tons)

12 1943

16054 13400

45074 45797

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

2016-17 2017-18

See

d a

vala

bili

ty (

MT)

Local Imported Gap

Fodder Seed Availability in Pakistan

Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP

Fodder lean periods Nov– Dec

May – June

Fodder scarcity/lean period in Pakistan

Reason: Less fodder due to Cropping pattern

Crops Berseem Alfalfa Oat Sorghum Maize Pearl millet

Guar (Cluster bean)

Yield Potential (t/ha)

115 130 87 70 70 65 35

Dry Matter (%)

17.93 25.20 26.60 - 22.00 23.78 -

Crude Protein (%)

20.34 22.06 7.65 7.0 9.00 6.9 21.50

Cruder Fibre (%)

26.33 35.25 32.08 35.78 28.26 24.30 35.20 (Gum contents)

Ash (%) 11.66 10.65 8.35

(Crude Fat) 9.28 7.96 10.47 3.85

Yield potential & nutrition status of fodder cultivars in Pakistan

- Low yield of alfalfa as compared to other fodder crops (berseem, sorghum, maize etc.)

- Narrow germplasm and lack of varieties

- Seed unavailability

- Reliance on green fodder and crop residues only

- Scarcity/lean period (November-December & May-June)

- Lack of machinery for farm operations and fodder conservation

Alfalfa-Pakistan’s perspective

- High yield

- Higher persistence

- Disease & insect resistance

- Diseases: Bacterial wilt, leaf spot, anthracnose and phytophthora

- Insects: Aphid and weevil

- Tolerance against abiotic stresses

- Drought , low/high temperature, salinity etc.

- Fast growth rate

Alfalfa breeding objectives

Recurrent selection

1st year

2nd year

3rd year

4th year

- Superior phenotypes are selected - Selected plants self-pollinated - Seeds are harvested separately

- Individual plant progenies are planted - All possible intercrosses are made and

seeds are composited

- Composited intercross seeds are planted

- Selfing is done

- Individual plant progenies are planted - All possible intercross are made and

seeds are composited

Original selection cycle

1st Recurrent selection cycle

May be repeated as in 1st cycle

Station yield testing

Provincial testing

National testing

Spot Examination

Expert sub-committee

Provincial Seed Council

Release of a variety

Variety approval system

Provincial Testing

Seed System

BNS

Pre-basic

Basic

Private Seed Sector

Punjab Seed Corporation

Farmers

54

122

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Farmer's yield Potential Yield

Yie

ld (

ton

/ha)

Alfalfa-Yield gap

Green fodder yield of alfalfa at farmers’ field

Total Yield: 54 t/ha

Problem: Rains at flowering/seed setting

Alfalfa Seed Production in Pakistan

Alfalfa hay making in Pakistan

Problem: 1. Lack of machinery 2. Drying issue in rains/winter 3. Small farmer

Green fodder supply

Household livestock farming

1. Almost every farmer has livestock (1-6 animals) 2. Source of ready income 3. Domestic milk production (daily income)

Improved dairy farms

11/23/2018

Livestock grazing in Pakistan

Problem: 1. Reliance on natural vegetation 2. Less biomass/nutritional value 3. Unplanned grazing

Alfalfa field management

Soil & Climate Loamy soil, moderate climate except Dec-Jan & May-Jul

Varieties Sargodha Lucerne 2002, Type 8X9, King Lucerne, Sultana & Supersonic

Sowing time 2nd fortnight of October or in November

Sowing methods Broadcast & line sowing in 45 cm apart rows

Seed rate Broadcast: 20-25 kg/ha Line sowing: 15-20 kg/ha

Irrigation First irrigation: 3 weeks after sowing Subsequent irrigations: 15-20 days interval in winter 10-15 days interval in summer

Fertilizer application NPK @ 25:60:60 per ha

Weed management Pre-emergence herbicide application of Roundup & Gramoxone Extra

Insects Alfalfa weevil & aphid

Diseases Bacterial wilt, leaf spot, anthracnose and phytophthora

Potential yield 110-130 t/ha green fodder yield in 6-8 cuttings

Stra

tegi

es

to

pro

mo

te A

lfa

lfa

Varietal development with improved nutrition & wider adaptability

Promotion of cold (-1°C) & heat (48°C) tolerant varieties

Subsidy on alfalfa Seed production

Formal seed production in collaboration with private sector & livestock department

Campaign for nutrient value of alfalfa compared to other fodders

Weed control in perennial fodder crops

Mechanization in farm operations and fodder conservation

Bridging yield gap through better extension services

Thank you