https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=AlfalfaAlfalfa - Revision history2026-07-31T01:38:33ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Alfalfa&diff=550445&oldid=prevSimba at 07:09, 3 June 20262026-06-03T07:09:26Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Taxobox<br />
| name = Alfalfa<br />
| image = 75_Medicago_sativa_L.jpg<br />
| image_width = 200px<br />
| image_caption = ''Medicago sativa''<br />
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae<br />
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]<br />
| ordo = [[Fabales]]<br />
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]<br />
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]<br />
| tribus = [[Trifolieae]]<br />
| genus = ''[[Medicago]]''<br />
| binomial = ''Medicago sativa''}}<br />
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'''Alfalfa''' (''Medicago sativa'') is a [[species]] of [[flowering plant]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Fabaceae]]. It is also known as the '''lucerne'''. It is [[wikt:native|native]] to the [[Near East]] and central [[Asia]]. It has been [[introduced species|introduced]] to [[Europe]], central [[Africa]], [[China]], [[North America]], and [[South America]]. Alfalfa is a [[crop]]. It is used to feed [[livestock]].<br />
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==Nutritional value==<br />
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[[Image:Sprouted Alfalfa.jpg|thumb|right|Sprouted alfalfa seeds.]]<br />
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Alfalfa is high in [[protein]], [[calcium]] and other minerals, [[Vitamin B|vitamins in the B group]], [[vitamin C]], [[vitamin D]], [[vitamin E]], and [[vitamin K]].<ref><br />
* [http://www.nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/alfalfas-nutritional-value/ Nutrition Research Center, Alfalfa Nutritional Value] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414171352/http://www.nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/alfalfas-nutritional-value/ |date=2010-04-14 }}. Nutritionresearchcenter.org (21 March 2008). Retrieved on 17 October 2011.<br />
* [http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/alfalfa.html The Facts About Alfalfa, Melissa Kaplans' Herb Care]. Anapsid.org. Retrieved on 17 October 2011.<br />
* {{cite book|last=Diamond|first=Marilyn|title=The American Vegetarian Cookbook from the Fit For Life Kitchen|url=https://archive.org/details/americanvegetari00diam|year=1990|publisher=Warner Books|location=New York|isbn=0-446-51561-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/americanvegetari00diam/page/379 379]}}</ref> The sun-dried hay of alfalfa has been found to be a source of vitamin D, containing 48&nbsp;ng/g (1920 IU/kg){{clarification|date=April 2025}} vitamin D<sub>2</sub> and 0.63&nbsp;ng/g (25 IU/kg) vitamin D<sub>3</sub>.<ref>Horst R.L. ''et al'' 1984. The isolation and identification of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 from Medicago sativa (alfalfa plant). ''Archives of biochemistry and biophysics'' '''231''' (1): 67–71. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6326678]</ref> There is reference to vitamin D<sub>2</sub> and vitamin D<sub>3</sub> being found in the alfalfa [[shoot]]; this is awaiting verification.<ref>[http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/chemdisp.xsql?chemical=VITAMIN-D-3 Chemical Information<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Mushrooms are not allowed in [[Jain]] [[vegetarianism]], making alfalfa the only known source which Jains can use to make vitamin D<sub>2</sub> supplements.<br />
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==External links==<br />
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* [http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Medicago_sativa.htm ''Medicago sativa'' at Tropical Forages]<br />
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==References==<br />
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{{reflist}}<br />
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{{biology-stub}}<br />
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[[Category:Faboideae]]<br />
[[Category:Territory symbols of Delhi]]</div>Simba