7/30/2019 Erba Medica-medicago Sativa

1/5

L'erba medica (Medicago sativa L.), una pianta erbacea appartenente allafamiglia delle Fabaceae (o Leguminose).La M. sativa una pianta perenne, con apparato radicale fittonante che puarrivare anche a una lunghezza di 35 m.E' una pianta erbacea vivace che potrebbe vivere fino a 10-15 anni inambienti adatti.

La Medicago sativo pianta moderatamente resistente al freddo, in quantomanifesta la tendenza a continuare a vegetare anche durante lautunno,cos rimanendo esposta al danno delle successive basse temperature. invece molto resistente al caldo.Lerba medica una forte consumatrice dacqua: ne consuma 700-800 litriper formare un chilogrammo di sostanza secca;

Il terreno pi confacente alla medica quello di medio impasto e quelloargilloso di buona struttura, profondo, in modo da non ostacolarelapprofondimento delle radici.Nei confronti del pH lerba medica non tollera lacidit.Lerba medica pu essere seminata:- 1 Alluscita dellinverno dal momento in cui la temperatura raggiunge i5-6 C;- 2 In fine estate perch le piantine possano raggiungere un buono sviluppo

epigeo (4-5 foglie) e radicale /almeno 50 mm) allarrivo dei freddi.

7/30/2019 Erba Medica-medicago Sativa

2/5

La temperatura ideale di vegetazione tra i 20 e i 25 C; in questointervallo massima la velocitdi fotosintesi e di azotofissazione. La medica arresta la sua crescita contemperature inferiori

ai 5 C e superiori a 35 C. Anche la temperatura minima necessaria per lagerminazione di 5 C.La medica riesce a sopportare temperature inferiori a 20 C durante ilriposo invernale; la sensibilital freddo maggiore per le piante in piena attivit vegetativa, che possonoessere danneggiateda temperature di pochi gradi sotto lo zero. La medica ha grandi capacitdi adattamento, mamostra in pieno la sua potenzialit produttiva nei terreni profondi, di medioimpasto o argillosi.Teme per il ristagno idrico, non si adatta ai terreni troppo sciolti, spessopoveri di potassio e calcare,non tollera la reazione acida del terreno; il pH ottimale per la medica tra6,5 e 8; con pHinferiori la simbiosi rizobica si instaura con difficolt e diminuisce ladurata del medicaio.

Physical CharacteristicsPerennial growing to 1m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 5. It is inflower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from July to September. Theflowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and arepollinated by Bees and Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant isself-fertile. It can fix Nitrogen. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it4/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils,requires well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Theplant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in theshade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Hedge, Cultivated Beds.

Edible UsesLeaves; Seed; Tea.

7/30/2019 Erba Medica-medicago Sativa

3/5

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[2, 8, 52, 145]. The leaves canalso be dried for later use[55]. Very rich in vitamins[183], especially A, Band C[201], they are also a good source of protein[206]. The leaves are arich source of vitamin K[213]. A very nutritious food in moderation,

though it can trigger attacks in patients with systemic lupus erythematosusand large quantities can affect liver function and causephotosensitization[238]. A nutritional analysis is available[218].The seed is commonly used as a sprouted seed which is added to salads[2,20, 52], used in sandwiches etc or cooked in soups[183]. The seed issoaked in warm water for 12 hours, then kept moist in a container in awarm place to sprout. It is ready in about 4 - 6 days[244]. The seeds canalso be ground into a powder and used as a mush, or mixed with cerealflours for making a nutritionally improved bread etc[183, 213, 244]. Seedyields average around 186 - 280 kilos per hectare[269].An appetite-stimulating tea is made from the leaves[21, 55], it has aflavour somewhat reminiscent of boiled socks[144] and is slightlylaxative[159].

Composition

Leaves (Fresh weight)

In grammes per 100g weight of food:Water: 82.7 Calories: 52 Protein: 6 Fat: 0.4 Carbohydrate: 9.5 Fibre:3.1 Ash: 1.4In milligrammes per 100g weight of food:Calcium: 12 Phosphorus: 51 Iron: 5.4 VitaminA: 3410 Thiamine: 0.13Riboflavin: 0.14 Niacin: 0.5 VitaminC: 162Source: [218]

Medicinal Uses

Anodyne; Antibacterial; Antiscorbutic; Aperient; Diuretic; Emetic;Febrifuge; Haemostatic; Nutritive; Stimulant; Tonic.

Other Uses

Biomass; Dye; Green manure; Hedge; Oil; Paper.

Often grown as a green manure. It is a bit slow to establish in its first yearso is generally only recommended for positions where it can remain for 2

7/30/2019 Erba Medica-medicago Sativa

4/5

or more years. Alfalfa is very vigorous from its second year, producing ahuge bulk of material that can be cut down 2 or 3 times during theseason[20, 87]. Plants are very deep rooting, descending 6 metres or moreinto the soil[200], and are able to fix large quantities of atmospheric

nitrogen, this makes them one of the very best green manures. Plants arerather intolerant of competition from grass etc, however, and there is thedrawback of needing to leave them in the soil for more than 2 years tofully achieve their potential[K].Alfalfa is a potenially excellent source of biomass. It is possible to producemore than 2 tonnes of protein from the leaves (suitable for human use) perhectare per year. In addition, the plant residues remaining could be used toproduce the equivalent of about 10 barrels of oil per year[269].A yellow dye is obtained from the seed[269].The fibre of the plant has been used in making paper[269].The seed yields about 8.5 - 11% of a drying oil. It is used in paints, varnishetc[46, 57, 61, 269].The plant can be grown as a low dividing hedge in the vegetablegarden[52, 206].

Cultivation details

Alfalfa is a very versatile plant that can adapt to a wide range of climaticconditions from cold temperate to warm sub-tropical.[269]. It succeeds ona wide variety of soils[52, 269], but thrives best on a rich, friable, well-drained loamy soil with loose topsoil supplied with lime[269]. It does nottolerate waterlogging and fails to grow on acid soils[269]. Grows well onlight soils[206]. The plant has a deep taproot and, once establishd, toleratesdrought and extremely dry conditions[52, 269]. Prefers a neutral fertilesoil[87] but succeeds in relatively poor soils so long as the appropriate

Rhizobium bacteria is present[200]. A good bee plant[46] and a food plantfor many caterpillars[30].Alfalfa is a very deep rooting plant, bringing up nutrients from deep in thesoil and making them available for other plants with shallower rootsystems. It is a good companion plant for growing near fruit trees andgrape vines so long as it is in a reasonably sunny position, but it does notgrow well with onions or other members of the Allium genus[201].Growing alfalfa encourages the growth of dandelions[201].

Alfalfa has long been cultivated for its edible seed, which can be sproutedand eaten in salads. It is also grown as a green manure and soil restorer.There are many named varieties[183].

7/30/2019 Erba Medica-medicago Sativa

5/5

Botanists divide the species into a number of sub-species - these are brieflydescribed below:-M. sativa caerulea (Less. ex Ledeb.)Schmalh. This sub-species is likely tobe of value in breeding programmes for giving cold tolerance, drought

resistance and salt tolerance to alfalfa.M. sativa falcata (L.)Arcang. This sub-species is likely to be of value inbreeding programmes for giving cold tolerance, drought and diseaseresistance plus salt and water-logging tolerance to alfalfa.M. sativa sativa. The commonly cultivated form of alfalfa.M. sativa varia (Martyn.)Arcang. This sub-species is likely to be of valuein breeding programmes for giving cold tolerance, drought resistance andhigh yields to alfalfa.This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, thesebacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some ofthis nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used byother plants growing nearby[200].

Propagation

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring insitu. The seed can also be sown in situ in autumn[52]. Seed can be

obtained that has been inoculated with Rhizobium bacteria, enabling theplant to succeed in soils where the bacteria is not already present.