Alfalfa, a plant with multiple uses, is gradually expanding its coverage in Romania, based on the increase of livestock but also subsidies allocated through EU CAP policies. The cultivation of alfalfa is conditioned by several factors: the pedoclimatic conditions, the feeding needs of the animals, for sale (hay, hay flour, granules, silo). In the paper we studied 14 grouped alfalfa plots, from ATU Gurahonţ, analyzing the cultivation schemes and strategies for the establishment and exploitation of alfalfa crops, in traditional systems depending on the technical and financial possibilities of the farmers. The research results show that in the hilly area, where the land areas are divided, the areas cultivated with alfalfa are small, minimum 0.4 ha, maximum 3.55 ha. Alfalfa plots are grouped, making it easier to manage them, in association based on kinship and neighborhood, according to local traditions. The alfalfa productions in the analyzed area, at the level of 2020, were between: 34.6 and 62.5 t/ha-1 green mass, depending on the year in which it is the culture, the culture and exploitation technology but also on the exhibition of the land. Higher biomass production was recorded on the S-E slopes. Depending on the surface and the financial power, in the analyzed area, there are several scenarios of alfalfa cultivation: total mechanization of alfalfa culture, semi-mechanization of the culture (certain technological links are made manually) and entirely manual cultivation encountered on surfaces very small terrain. The elaboration of schemes and strategies for the establishment and exploitation of alfalfa crops, in traditional systems in Gurahonţ, is based on the technical and financial possibilities of the landowners.

alfalfa, traditional system, biomass, hill areas

field crops and pastures

Presentation: poster