Hedge lucerne (Desmanthes virgatus) is a perennial crop. It is grown in throughout the year under irrigation and during June – October as a rainfed crop.It contains 22% crude protein and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It aids atmospheric nitrogen fixation in soil and can yield fodder for    3-4 years.

Lands suitable: Desmanthus can be grown well sandy loams and does not tolerate waterlogged areas. Heavy soils require a good drainage. It does not grow well on alkaline soils.

Preparation of the land: The land should be ploughed well with deep ploughing and the bed needs to be prepared well as the seeds are very small. Field is divided into small plots like beds and channel preferably 10 x 10 m size (or) make it ridges and furrow method with spacing between 60cm. The best time for sowing the seed is October- November.

Varieties: CO-1, CO-2

Seed rate :Sow the seeds at 20 kg/ha in solid stand on the side of the ridges over the lines where fertilizers are applied at a depth of 2 cm and cover with soil.

Seed treatment: To get better germination seeds must be treated in hot water at 80^o C for 5 minutes (boiling water removed from the flame and kept for 4 minutes to attain 80o C). After hot water treatment, seeds should be washed with cold water and soaked in cold water over a night. Seeds should be shade dried before sowing at a distance of 60 cm in rows.

Spacing          : Between ridges 60 cm, plant to plant is continuous

Manuring: FYM @ 12.5 tons/ha at the time of land preparation. 25 Kgs of N and and 40 Kgs of phosphorous and 20 kg of potash per hectare should be applied as a basal application and to be followed every year with 80kg phosphorous and 40 kg of potash per hectare for better yield of fodder. 20 kg of Nitrogen should be applying as top dressing on 30 days after sowing.

Irrigation: Irrigation should be given immediately after sowing, life irrigation on the third day and thereafter once in a week. After establishment of the crop well irrigation can be given 10-15 days.

Harvesting:First cut on 90th day after sowing at 50 cm height and subsequent cuts at intervals of 44 days at the same height.The annual green fodder yield is about 125 tons per hectare (7 cuttings/year).