ALFALFA PLANTING GUIDE
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ALFALFA PLANTING GUIDE

ALFALFA PLANTING GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS FIELD SELECTION ALFALFA SEED SELECTION FALL DORMANCY FORAGE QUALITY DISEASE RESISTANCE SEED TREATMENT STAND ESTABLISHMENT FIELD PREPARATION SEEDING RATE SPRING SEEDING LATE-SUMMER SEEDING EVALUATING STANDS MANAGING WEEDS MANAGING INSECTS MANAGING FERTILITY BECK’S VARIETIES 2 | BECK’S

FIELD SELECTION ALFALFA SEED SELECTION When planting alfalfa, one of the first things to consider is the condition of the field. Below are some factors to help make the decision easier: Alfalfa seed selection is a long-term decision. It is important to consider the following to select the best variety for each farm: Well drained Forage quality Highly productive Leafhopper management History of low weed pressure Stand persistence Free from herbicide carryover Compatibility to Roundup Ready® genetics Consider planting alfalfa in soils that do not tend to hold water or stay wet very long....

Winterhardiness Winterhardiness is a measurement of winter survivability. It is measured on a scale of one to six, with one being the most winterhardy and six being the least winterhardy. In geographies that experience freezing temperatures with minimal snow cover, selecting varieties with lower ratings is important. The lower the number, the better winter survival. varieties against high-performing competitive varieties. Harvest alfalfa when forage quality is highest during its early growth stage. GROWTH STAGE Early Pre-Bud Early Bloom Full Bloom CUTTING INTERVAL (DAYS AFTER MAY 25)...

Forage Quality Terms The capacity of the feed to meet the animal’s protein needs. Normal Range: 18-24% ACID DETERGENT FIBER (ADF) The percentage of highly indigestible and slowly digestible material, including cellulose, lignin, pectin, and ash. Lower ADF indicates a more digestible forage. NEUTRAL DETERGENT FIBER DIGESTIBILITY (NDFD) NEUTRAL DETERGENT FIBER (NDF) The indigestible component of the plant that increases with plant maturity. Normal Range: 5.5-7.5% The structural components of the plant, specifically cell wall. NDF is a predictor of voluntary intake because it provides bulk or...

Disease Resistance The ability of an alfalfa variety to grow back after harvest directly relates to its ability to generate yield. Most varieties offer data on regrowth. When selecting alfalfa seed, consider the variety’s ability to recover after harvest. Six diseases are commonly tested and used to rate alfalfa varieties. They are scored on a scale from one to five, with five being the best. Therefore, a variety that scores a rating of 30 carries a five for each disease. The diseases listed below may kill seedlings, reduce stand density, and lower yields. Fusarium Wilt Bacterial Wilt...

STAND ESTABLISHMENT Seed selection is just one of the keys to achieving a successful alfalfa stand. No matter how good the seed is, poor planting practices will never return a satisfying stand of alfalfa. Remember, the decisions made during stand establishment will more than likely affect the results you see for the life of the stand. Field Preparation A fine, firm seedbed is needed Start weed free and clean with good seedto-soil contact Consider no-till Alfalfa is a tiny seed and must absorb 125% of its weight in water to germinate ¼” to ½” planting depth; alfalfa seed is unlikely to...

Evaluating New Stand Establishment MANAGING WEEDS At first glance, alfalfa stands can appear thin or look like less than an adequate amount of seeds emerged. Patience will likely help in this situation. In many cases, a stand can appear thin, but when measured, it turns out to be ideal. Weed management is important in both the establishment year and throughout the life of the stand. Weeds during the establishment year can choke out young seedlings, resulting in thin stands, while older stands will have reduced yield and forage quality. There are many options in weed control, especially with...

Field Pennycress Foxtail Supp Night-Flowering Catchfly Shepherd’s Purse Virginia Pepperweed Canada Thistle Curly Dock Hemp Dogbane Hoary Alyssum Orange Hawkweed Sowthistle, Perennial White Cockle Wirestem Muhly Yellow Rocket POAST PLUS Alfalfa Tolerance Annual Weeds Biennial Weeds Spotted Knapweed Perennial Weeds Source: Adapted from Penz, University of Wisconsin, 2010.

MANAGING INSECTS Potato Leafhoppers Treat fields when 40 percent of plant tips show signs of damage Harvest within ten days of projected harvest date In heavier infestations, monitor pressure immediately following harvest Be careful not to confuse Potato Leafhopper feeding for nutrient deficiency Potato Leafhoppers Potato Leafhoppers are another insect common in alfalfa, but attack later in the season. In many cases where a Leafhopper resistant variety is not used, an insecticide application will be required. The chart below indicates when an insecticide application is necessary. Use an...

MANAGING FERTILITY Starting with good fertility and maintaining levels throughout the life of the stand is crucial to successful alfalfa production. Soil testing is necessary for any crop production and needs to be done every three to four years. Sample in the fall or as early as possible before seeding. Deciding when to rotate out of alfalfa will require an analysis of your individual farm plans and an evaluation of stand density and yield potential. Since this needs to be done on a farm-by-farm basis, use this as a guide to help in your decision making process. The important nutrients,...

Autotoxicity Established alfalfa stands produce toxins that can reduce the germination of new alfalfa seedlings and potentially reduce root development in plants that do make it through germination. These toxins are typically released one year after planting. The comparison below shows the effects of alfalfa autotoxicity on newly seeded alfalfa. FIELD SEEDED DIRECTLY AFTER A TWO-YEAR ALFALFA CROP WAS TERMINATED FIELD SEEDED IN NORMAL CONDITIONS

Planting alfalfa provides many beneficial opportunities for farmers, both financially and nutritionally. High-yielding, high-quality alfalfa is a valuable revenue stream. Perennial alfalfa stands provide improved soil health. Count on Beck’s to provide a quality line of alfalfa to best match your goals. FALL DORMANCY ALFALFA VARIETIES DISEASE RESISTANCE An excellent yielding, high forage quality Genuity® Roundup Ready® alfalfa that can be planted on a majority of soil types across the Midwest Aphanomyces Race 1 and 2 resistance provides root rot protection for an optimal stand High-yielding...