Abstract:
From all forage crops, which together with meadows have a major contribution in ensuring the forage base,,
alfalfa crop (Medicago sativa L.) occupies a position of great importance. This plant is distinguished by its forage value,
high cultivation area and high digestibility, and from the point of view of farmers and world's agricultural sciences is
considered to be the "Queen of Fodder Herbs". In order to determine the quality of alfalfa, a series of classical analysis
for cellulose, NDF, ADF and ADL were performed. This paper proposes a simple and nondestructive technique for rapid
determination of these organic substances, method called „Near Infrared Spectrophotometry” (NIRS). In this purpose
samples of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L., variety Eugenia) were obtained at the Experimental Teaching Station, Mănăştur
and Cojocna Farm, in the years 2008-2009. Alfalfa crop was seeded by randomized block method with two experimental
factors. The highest content of crude fiber, NDF and ADL was recorded on the phenophase of seeds formation (33.21%,
70.31% , respectively 15.15%). The lowest content recorded (31.14%) was the ADF content during the phenophase -
seed formation. Good results (successful results) were obtained for the calibration of NIRS device (SEP = 1.058 [CF],
0964 [NDF], 1041 [ADF] and 1209 [ADL]). This system allows us to use NIRS technique for determining organic
matter derived from alfalfa to feed and for other feed quality determination.
