LUCERNAS ŠĶIRNES 'SK RASA' IZVEIDOŠANA UN RAKSTUROJUMS.

Alfalfa breeding at the LLU Research Institute of Agriculture has been carried out since 1972. At present two alfalfa cultivars, 'Skrīveru' (Medicago varia M.) and 'SK Rasa' (Medicago sativa L.), have been created and registered in Latvia. The latter cultivar 'SK Rasa' was registered and included in the Latvian and European Union Common Catalogue of Plant Varieties in 2015. 'SK Rasa' is suitable for growing under Latvian soil and climatic conditions, as it is easily adaptable, winter-hard with good regrowth abilities and it forms good and stable seed yields every year. It is more modest in terms of soil requirements and can be grown in light acid soils (pH KCL 6.2-5.8) with calcareous subsoil. In addition, this cultivar was found suitable for growing in conditions of organic farming. 'SK Rasa' persists in the sward for 4-6 years, it usually produces three harvests (cuts) in the growing season. It can be used for highly productive, perennial sward establishment in pure sowings or in mixtures with perennial grasses (timothy, meadow fescue, ryegrass) ensuring the producing of high quality forages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]