Alfalfa crop in the blooming phase (National Research and Development Institute for Soil Science, Agrochemistry and Environment (ICPA) - Romania)
The technology is applied in Braila region and is located in north-eastern part of Romanian Plain. It has an agricultural area of 387,646 ha (of which 350,001 ha are arable land), and has specific geomorphologic, hydrological and climatic conditions which need to use ameliorative agricultural systems. Within Braila County are distinguished the following relief units: Calmatui Plain, part of the Braila Plain (51% from County area) and the Floodplains of Danube (Big Island of Braila), Siret, Buzau and Calmatui rivers (49% from County area).
Braila Plain is characterized by a specific micro-relief of Baragan type with large floodplains, poorly fragmented, with altitudes ranging between 20-25 m in the east part and 35-40 m to the west part, with soils mainly of chernozem type, formed on loess and loess deposits and which shows numerous small depression areas. Floodplains, areas adjacent to Danube, Siret, Buzau and Calmatui rivers are located at lower altitudes, ranging between 2-4 m and 13-15 m and are characterized by the presence of alluvial soils formed on river-limnic and alluvial deposits, with alternating of layers with different textures. According to United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Braila County is located in arid region with an average annual temperature of 10.9°C, long-term average annual precipitations (P) of 447 mm, potential evapotranspiration (ETP) of 705 mm (750-800 mm in dry years) and an average climatic water deficit of 258 mm (350-400 mm in dry years). The biophysical aridity index (P/ETP = 0.50-0.65) places the Braila region in area with moderate risk to desertification. Both intensive and extensive farming systems are practiced within Braila County. Intensive agriculture, characterized by high inputs and yield levels, is realized on large vegetal farms. On the other hand, extensive agriculture, with low input and yield levels, is practiced by farmers on small vegetal farms, and is so-called the semi-subsistent agriculture.
Crop rotation with legumes (such as alfalfa) is is generally limited to a maximum period of time of 5 to 6 years, providing a plant succesion of spring (generally maize, soybean, sunflower) and winter crops (such as wheat, rapeseed, barley). The technology consists of a crop rotation in which one parcel/field plot is cultivated with perennials legumes and set temporarily outside the crop rotation for 4-5 years. During this period, the field plot cultivated with perennials legumes recovers its fertility by improving the soil aeration status, water infiltration and storage rate and soil aggregate stability. Leguminous crops play an important role in crop rotation because it favors the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and bind it into the soil with a significant increase in soil fertility. Crop rotation with legumes reduces the biocides use because it breaks the pest cycles and weeds. Leguminous crops also improve the soil structure and its stability, increases water permeability, soil biodiversity and soil quality. At the same time, crop rotation with legumes represents a supplemental income source for land users. After alfalfa baling, this is sold to the nearby livestock breeders.
Crop rotation with legumes has many advantages, such as increase of soil agro-ecosystem biodiversity, reduction of chemical inputs, reduction of soil structure degradation processes, increase of nutrient availability and consequently increase of soil fertility, and increase of farm income. Also in the land user's view, crop rotation with legumes may improve land productivity, even though it increase the costs of inputs and management for crop establishment, and for this reason the land user's awareness is low.
Location: Braila, Braila, Romania
No. of Technology sites analysed: single site
Spread of the Technology: evenly spread over an area (approx. < 0.1 km2 (10 ha))
In a permanently protected area?:
Date of implementation: less than 10 years ago (recently)
Type of introduction
| Specify input | Unit | Quantity | Costs per Unit (USD) | Total costs per input (USD) | % of costs borne by land users |
| Labour | |||||
| labor | person-days | 3.0 | 17.6 | 52.8 | 100.0 |
| Equipment | |||||
| fertilisation | machine-hours | 1.0 | 13.37 | 13.37 | 100.0 |
| ploughing | machine-hours | 3.0 | 12.39 | 37.17 | 100.0 |
| seedbed preparation | machine-hours | 2.0 | 19.67 | 39.34 | 100.0 |
| alfalfa sowing | machine-hours | 1.0 | 17.32 | 17.32 | 100.0 |
| fertilisation | machine-hours | 1.0 | 13.37 | 13.37 | 100.0 |
| herbicides & pests control | machine-hours | 2.0 | 8.4 | 16.8 | 100.0 |
| alfalfa cutting | machine-hours | 1.0 | 50.96 | 50.96 | 100.0 |
| alfalfa baling | machine-hours | 2.0 | 36.4 | 72.8 | 100.0 |
| Plant material | |||||
| alfalfa seeds | kg/ha | 22.0 | 6.12 | 134.64 | 100.0 |
| Fertilizers and biocides | |||||
| complex fertilizers | kg/ha | 150.0 | 0.28 | 42.0 | 100.0 |
| ammonium nitrate | kg/ha | 200.0 | 0.14 | 28.0 | 100.0 |
| herbicides | l/ha | 0.5 | 13.75 | 6.88 | 100.0 |
| biocides | l/ha | 0.1 | 110.55 | 11.05 | 100.0 |
| Total costs for establishment of the Technology | 536.5 | ||||
| Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD | 130.22 | ||||
| Specify input | Unit | Quantity | Costs per Unit (USD) | Total costs per input (USD) | % of costs borne by land users |
| Labour | |||||
| labor | person-days | 1.0 | 17.6 | 17.6 | 100.0 |
| Equipment | |||||
| fertilisation | machine-hours | 1.0 | 13.37 | 13.37 | 100.0 |
| herbicides & pests control | machine-hours | 2.0 | 8.4 | 16.8 | 100.0 |
| alfalfa cutting | machine-hours | 1.0 | 50.96 | 50.96 | 100.0 |
| alfalfa baling | machine-hours | 2.0 | 36.4 | 72.8 | 100.0 |
| Fertilizers and biocides | |||||
| ammonium nitrate | kg/ha | 200.0 | 0.14 | 28.0 | 100.0 |
| herbicides | l/ha | 0.5 | 13.75 | 6.88 | 100.0 |
| biocides | l/ha | 0.1 | 110.55 | 11.05 | 100.0 |
| Total costs for maintenance of the Technology | 217.46 | ||||
| Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD | 52.78 | ||||
Increases competition among feed suppliers in the nearby area, so the animal breeders can have more options of sources from which they can buy feed for animals.
By introducing the alfalfa crop in rotation, the land user diversifies the farm crop plan and also increases the income of the farm by selling alfalfa balls to the nearby animal breeders.
The hay baling production and selling of the hay bales outside the farm is an additional source of income for the land user.
The land user gains knowledge concerning the efficiency of alfalfa in soil protection against degradation processes such as soil organic matter loss.
Cultivation of the alfalfa improves the soil organic matter content.
Alfalfa plants are attractive to pollinators.
Crop rotation with legumes reduces the biocides use because it breaks the pest cycles and weeds.
