Names
Scientific synonyms (4): Medica sativa (L.) Mill., Medicago sativa subsp. vulgaris (Alef.) Arcang., Medicago sativa var. vulgaris Alef., Medicago vera Kirschl..
In other languages
- en: alapap, alfalfa, lucerne
Where it is recorded
- USDA PLANTS: MESA
- GRIN: 23676
- POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30234961-2
- Wikidata: Q156106
Taxonomy record sources: POWO (CC BY 4.0), USDA_PLANTS_CATALOG (Public Domain). Loaded from the botanica open cultivated-plant knowledge base and the GBIF backbone; each row keeps its origin.
Growth stages
- Initial: about 10 days (FAO 56 Table 11: planted Jan Apr (last - 4°C), Calif., USA.)
- Crop development: about 20 days (FAO 56 Table 11: planted Jan Apr (last - 4°C), Calif., USA.)
- Mid-season: about 20 days (FAO 56 Table 11: planted Jan Apr (last - 4°C), Calif., USA.)
- Late season: about 10 days (FAO 56 Table 11: planted Jan Apr (last - 4°C), Calif., USA.)
What the sources say it wants
Each line shows the band, then the kind of source and the citation. "Published" means the number is printed on the cited page; "derived" means it was computed from published numbers with the formula recorded on the row; "external API" rows are refreshed nightly from a live source; "curated" rows are OAT's own working values from June 2026.
Whole cycle
| Zone | Measure | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root zone | Root-zone EC (dS/m) | up to 2 (warning above 3.4, alert above 5.4) | published: FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 29, 1985 |
Initial
| Zone | Measure | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timing | Crop coefficient, initial stage (ratio) | 0.4 | published: FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56, 1998 |
Mid-season
| Zone | Measure | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timing | Crop coefficient, mid-season (ratio) | 0.9513 | published: FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56, 1998 |
Late season
| Zone | Measure | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timing | Crop coefficient, end of season (ratio) | 0.9 | published: FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56, 1998 |
Phenophases observed by the USA National Phenology Network
11 phenophases are tracked for this species and refreshed nightly, as stage triggers: All leaves withered, Flowers or flower buds, Fruits, Initial growth, Leaves, Open flowers, Pollen release, Recent fruit or seed drop, Ripe fruits.
Keystone status
Partial. The KEEP rule asks for a growth stage and a band in each of light, air and root zone before a crop counts as complete; this plant is in the keystone with what its sources give so far.
Generated 2026-09-15 from the OAT plant keystone. Source types and citations are carried on every row; the keystone snapshot that the Library instruments read is plant-targets.json and its quality sheet is plant-targets.quality.json.