Paola

An early season tetraploid variety of Italian breeding

16.18 tonnes/hectare (at Rybnoye state trial plot, 2017)

Central and Central Black Soil regions since 2019

The plants are quick to start growing in spring and regrowing after a cut. The average plant height is 83 cm. An excellent leaf‑to‑stem ratio, with 51% of leaves. The variety is highly frost, heat, drought and disease tolerant. It is valuable as a forage. From 2 (in Siberia) up to 3‑5 cuts per season, depending on moisture availability

Early spring (April‑May) or summer sowing (until 15 August) following rainfall. The plants need to regrow and establish before going dormant in winter, for better cold hardiness

20–25 kg/ha

Alfalfa does not tolerate acidic soils with pH < 5.5. It is sown after cereals. Particular attention needs to be paid to surface leveling prior to sowing, with subsequent rolling with packer wheels for best emergence. Application of up to 120 kg/ha of phosphate‑potassium fertiliser is recommended during the sowing time

High resistance to the majority of diseases which tend to affect alfalfa. Particular attention needs to be paid to monitoring the pest populations of alfalfa leaf, seed and root weevils, alfalfa plant bug

Pre‑sowing seed treatment against root rots and timely insecticide treatments against pests

Forage, haylage