Abstract: Alfalfa has been highly valued since it was introduced to China in the Han dynasty, some 2000 years ago. This paper reviews literature reporting the cultivation and utilization of alfalfa in the Republic of China up to 1949. The sources studied indicate that the northwest of China (including the provinces Shanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang, Suiyuan, Ningxia and Qinghai) possessed the greatest concentration of alfalfa planting during the time of the Republic of China. Based on extracted information from multiple sources dated between 1932 and 1970, 52 counties reported plantings of alfalfa in the Republic of China, in the years leading up to 1949; Shaanxi had the highest number of counties with plantings (22 counties), followed by Gansu (14 counties), and Xinjiang, Suiyuan, Ningxia and Qinghai (8, 3, 2, and 1 counties with plantings, respectively). The increase in alfalfa area was particularly notable in the Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia regions. In 1942, the government organized planting of 2000 ha of alfalfa in Yanan, Ansai, Zhidan, Jingbi, Ganquan, Dingbian, and other counties, and 1500 ha in Longdong county. In 1944, 1300 ha of alfalfa was planted in Yanchuan county, and by 1949, 66000 ha of alfalfa had been planted in Shaanxi province. In addition, alfalfa-grain crop rotations were practiced in the Suiyuan-Hetao area, and through this alfalfa planting expertise was established. From 1941, various policy initiatives of the government in the Shaanxi Gansu Ningxia border region encouraged the development of alfalfa industry. For example, an “Instruction letter of the Government Construction Department of Shaanxi Gansu Ningxia border region on forage grass” was circulated in 1941, and a document “Improving implementation methods” appeared in 1942. In a strategic management plan for the Yellow River, Li Yizhi advocated alfalfa cultivation on account of the agricultural, ecological, environmental and economic benefits. Li Zhuchen noted that the deep root system of alfalfa gave good drought resistance. Alfalfa is more effective than crops in reducing soil erosion. In addition to its value for feeding livestock, alfalfa is suitable for human consumption as a vegetable. This use is more common in times of famine, but alfalfa often appears in the farm produce markets in Lanzhou. Hence, on account of its climatic adaptation and many applications, alfalfa has been widely cultivated in Northwest China.

Key words: alfalfa, the Republic of China era, northwest region, cultivation and utilization, alfalfa history