Ancient Chinese doctors used alfalfa to increase appetite and to help poor digestion. Modern day herbalists promote it for detoxification believing that it can help relieve certain types of ulcers, reduce inflammation due to arthritis, treat high fevers, cleanse the liver and bloodstream and alleviate allergic reactions related to plants and grasses. There are few if any valid scientific studies to support these claims, however, it's proven as an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, proteins and fats and especially rich in the amino acid tryptophan, iron and vitamins A, D and K. High vitamin and mineral content is one of the reasons alfalfa is popular among farmers and planted in over 25 million acres in the United States. When alfalfa is cut prior to bloom, it is low in fiber and high in energy, which makes it an ideal component in livestock feed for dairy cattle, horses, beef cattle, sheep and milking goats. Alfalfa has a good yield, but it can be a costly crop to grow.
Annual dollar loses due to pests and disease run in the hundreds of millions.
More that 20 diseases are a serious problem for alfalfa including bacterial wilts, fungal leaf spots, viruses, and nematodes. Most of these can be managed with proper treatment and pesticides. Specimens were illuminated through Nikon dichromatic filter blocks containing interference filters and a dichroic mirror and imaged with standard epi-fluorescence techniques. All Rights Reserved . No images, graphics, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders.