Drought-resistant and highly productive alfalfa developed in Chile

Published Oct 23, 2024

Tridge summary

The Chilean Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA) has introduced a new drought-resistant alfalfa variety called Kauke. Capable of producing up to 7,000 kilos of dry matter annually, this new variety is designed to last over four years, making it a valuable solution for livestock farmers in water-scarce regions. Developed through research on over 70 ancestral alfalfa varieties from extremely drought-prone areas, Kauke has proven its adaptability in various Chilean regions and is expected to enhance agricultural productivity under climate change conditions. The project has received support from the Crop Trust of Germany and the Australian Research and Development Institute (Sardi), with collaboration from the University of Talca and the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation.
Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

(NAP) The Chilean Institute for Agricultural Research presented Kauke, a new variety of alfalfa designed to thrive in drought conditions. Kauke has the capacity to produce up to 7,000 kilos of dry matter per hectare per year and offers a persistence of more than 4 years, positioning itself as a solution for livestock farmers in regions with water shortages. Kauke was developed after extensive research on more than 70 ancestral varieties of alfalfa from areas with extreme drought. Its potential has been proven in various regions of Chile, such as Maule, Ñuble, Biobío and Araucanía, showing excellent adaptation to the Mediterranean dryland with annual rainfall exceeding 500 mm. Luis Inostroza, principal investigator at INIA, highlighted that Kauke is 40% more persistent than other conventional varieties of alfalfa, making it an ideal option to face climate change and ...

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