alfalfa - getting 10 ton yields 12 march 2011 10 8 6 4 ...good, > 4 plt/ft2 190 150 140 100 fair,...
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Alfalfa - Getting 10 Ton YieldsMarch 2011
Craig SaxeJuneau County UW-Extension
Special Thanks to:
Dr. Dan UndersanderUniversity of WisconsinUniversity of Wisconsin
For providing many of these slides
Alfalfa - Getting 10 Ton Yields
“The good is the enemy of the best”
“Attention to detail makes the difference”
2009-2010 Experimental Variety Trial Results(Sown April 2008)
8
10
12
0
2
4
6
Arlington Marshfield Malone Spooner
AveTop Variety
Yield difference between top and bottom entries of WI Alfalfa Variety Trials, 1985 to 2010
4
5
6
7
cre
Average 2.26t/a DM
Minimum 0.34t/a DM
Maximum 6.18t/a DM
Number trials 279
0
1
2
3
4
1985
1987
1988
1989
1989
1990
1991
1991
1992
1993
1995
1996
1997
1997
1998
1999
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Tons/a
Harvest Year
Additional yield of top alfalfa varieties
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
, t/
a
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
1 2 3 4
Yie
ld
Cutting
High yielding
Low yielding
2
Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence Project
7
2007 2007 -- 2010 2010 SummarySummary
1. Maintain Proper Soil pH and Fertility
Proper fertilization:
Allows for good stand establishment
Promotes growth
Increases yield and quality
Improves winter hardiness and stand persistence
Improves alfalfa’s ability to compete with weeds
Strengthens disease and insect resistance
Soil pH and Fertility
Have soils tested
Lime fields to at least pH 6.7-6.9
Apply lime at least 12 months before seeding
Best timing is as field is coming out of alfalfa
First-cutting alfalfa yield relative to soil pH
3
Pounds of nutrients removed per ton of alfalfa produced
Nutrient Dry Matter Removed (lbs/ton)Phosphate (P205) 14Potash (K2O) 58Potash (K2O) 58Calcium (Ca) 30Magnesium (Mg) 6Sulfur (S) 6Boron (B) 0.08
2. Select the Best Alfalfa Varieties
Cheap seed will not pay off in the long run
Look over University Trials
Compare new varieties with ones you’veCompare new varieties with ones you ve grown
Select high-yielding varieties with adequate winter survival and disease resistance.
Select Varieties with Increased Winterhardiness
Less winterkillLess winter injury – more yield
Winter Injury – uneven growth
Winterhardiness Test of Alfalfa
ProcedureSpace plant alfalfa (1 ft apart) in rows 1 ft apart
Clip frequently during seeding year
Cut on Sept 20 in seeding yearCut on Sept 20 in seeding year
Rate individual plants in spring for injury and kill
Report results relative to check varieties
4
RecommendationsVery Winterhardy, Winterhardy, Moderately Winterhardy alfalfa varieties recommended for WisconsinPlant more winterhardy type if:
Uneven greenup in spring frequently occursCutting schedule always less than 35 daysHarvest late fall cutting
Effect of Verticillium Resistance on Alfalfa Persistence
60
80
100
stan
d
0
20
40
Fall/1
Fall/2
Spring
/3Fall
/3
Spring
/4Fall
/4
Time after seeding
% s
RMRLRS
Selecting Grass varieties -Yield difference among varieties in UW Trials
4
6
s/acr
e
Annual difference between top and bottom variety
0
2To
n
Selecting Grasses
Orchardgrass and tall fescueWant winterhardy types
Select Grass Varieties for
YieldWinterhardinessLate maturing varietiesConsistent yield throughout season (β)Consistent yield throughout season (β)Rust resistance (orchardgrass, tall fescue, ryegrass, festolium)
5
3. Proper Seed Bed Preparation and Planting
Causes of Seeding Failure: Low Soil pH
First-cutting alfalfa yield relative to soil pH
Causes of Seeding Failure: Loose Soil
Effect of Seeding Depth on Alfalfa Emergence
5060
70
80
nce
(%)
Causes of Seeding Failure: Seeding Depth
0
10
20
30
40
50
0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2
Seeding Depth (inches)
Pla
nt E
mer
gen
clayloamsand
Choose Best Establishment Method
• Direct Seeding
• Oats with Poast Plus or Roundup• Oats with Poast Plus or Roundup
• With Companion crop•Oats•Ryegrass
4. Scout Fields and Spray as Needed
Two Major Pests
1. Potato Leafhopper
2. Alfalfa Weevil
6
Adults- 1/8 inch long- wedge shape
fl
Potato Leafhoppers
- florescent green• Nymphs
- much smaller- yellowish green to florescent green- no wings
Symptoms- Hopper burn- Distinct V-shape discoloration
Damage
p• Caused by
- Sucking plant sap and injecting toxinwhich inhibits water and nutrient transport
Alfalfa Weevil
LarvaSlate-colored when smallBright green when full grown (3/8”)White stripe down the back, black head
AdultDark gray to brown snout beetle (3/16”)Distinct dark shield-like mark on the back
Damage
Larva chew and skeletonize leavesSevere damage gives the field a grayish castMost damage occurs on spring growthFeeding can continue on second crop new growthSome fields may not green up
5. Harvest Management
Forage Yield Relative to Quality
7
Cutting Schedules for Different Management Goals
Risk of alfalfa harvest at Marshfield, 1970-2000
405060708090
100
babi
lity
greater than 500 GDDless than 200 GDD
010203040
Sept.01 Sept.08 Sept.15 Sept.21
Date of Last Cutting
Prob
Effect of late fall cutting on next year’s yield (data from 2006)
56789
cut 4cut 3
012345
Arl-fall cut Arl - no fallcut
Mar - fallcut
Mar - nofall cut
Spo -fallcut
Spo - nofall cut
cut 3cut 2cut 1
1. What is your stand age?> 3 years 42 to 3 years 2< 1 year 1 0
2. Describe your alfalfa variety:A. What is the winterhardiness?
Moderately winterhardy (ws score 4) 3Winterhardy (ws score 3) 2Very Winterhardy (ws score 2) 1 0
B. What is the disease resistance?Moderate resistance to only bacterial wilt 4Moderate resistance to Bacterial wilt plus either Anthracnose, Fusarium wilt, phytophthora root rot, or Verticillium wilt 3Moderate resistance to all above mentioned diseases 1 0
Alfalfa variety total score (multiply two) 0
8
3. What is your soil pH?< 6.0 46.1 TO 6.5 2> 6.6 0 0
4. What is your soil exchangeable K Level?Low (< 80 ppm) 4Medium (80 to 120 ppm) 3Optimum (120 to 160 ppm) 1High (> 161 ppm) 0 0
5. What is your soil drainage?Poor (somewhat poorly drained) 3Medium (well to moderately drained) 2Excellent (sandy soils) 1 0Excellent (sandy soils) 1 0
6. What is you soil moisture during fall/winter?Wet 5Medium to dry 0 0
7. Describe your harvest frequency:Cut interval Last Harvest< 30 days Sept. 1 to Oct. 15 5
After Oct. 15 4Before Sept 1 3 Before Sept. 1 3
30 to 35 days Sept. 1 to Oct. 15 4 After Oct. 15 2 Before Sept. 1 0
> 30 days Sept. 1 to Oct. 15 2 After Oct. 15 0 Before Sept. 1 0 0
8. For a mid to late October cut, do you leave more than 6 inches of stubble?
Yes 1No 0 0No 0 0
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6. Maintain Short Rotations
Yield is the most important component of profitability
Fixed costs same regardless of yielde.g. taxes, land costs, machinery depreciation
Production costs similarHarvesting costs similarHarvesting costs similar
Slightly higher for extra fuel and labor to harvest higher yield and haul to barn
Alfalfa Yield and Dollar Return from Wisconsin Green-Gold Program
$600
$800
$1,000
per
acre
Profitability increases with yield because fixed inputs remain constant and variable inputs increase
l li htl i ld
$0
$200
$400
$600
2 4 6 8
Yield (t/a)
Dol
lar
Ret
urn only slightly as yield
increases.
Yield of alfalfa as Stand Ages (% of 2nd year)
60
80
100
120
2nd
Yea
r)
4th year11% decline 5th year
27% decline
0
20
40
60
1(seedyr)
2 3 4 5 6 7
Age of Stand (Years)
Yiel
d (%
of 2
Benefits of Shorter Rotations:
Increased alfalfa yield from younger stands
Less weed problems in younger stands
I d il i ld f ll i lf lfIncreased corn silage yield following alfalfa
10 to 15% higher corn yields following alfalfa
More legume credits
Less rootworm insecticide needed following alfalfa
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Alfalfa Legume Credits
Med, Fine Soils Sandy Soils-----Regrowth after last cutting------
>8 inches <8 inches >8 inches <8 inches
St d D it lb it /Stand Density -------lb nitrogen/acre------
Good, > 4 plt/ft2 190 150 140 100
Fair, 1.5 to 4 plt/ft2 160 120 110 70
Poor, < 1.5 plt/ft2 130 90 80 40
7. Minimize Wheel Traffic Damage
No traffic
Traffic
Minimize Wheel Traffic Damage
Effect of Wheel Traffic
Soil compaction
Surface: related to contact weight
S b il l t d t l i htSubsoil: related to axel weight
Physical damage to plant
Crown Damage
Broken Stems
Reducing Wheel Traffic Damage
Minimize driving on fieldUse smallest tractor when possibleMerge windrows where possibleGo to larger equipmentGo o a ge equ p eTake most direct route to edge of fieldMake road to drive on
Reducing Wheel Traffic Damage
Do driving on field soon after harvest Manage to dry forage quicklyHarvest for haylage or baleageUse preservative and harvest wet hayUse p ese a e a d a es e ay
Use of duals not recommendedApply manure quickly after cutting
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8. Avoid Autotoxicity
Alfalfa plants produce toxins that can reduce germination and growth of new alfalfa seedings
Toxins influence increases with age and density of stand
Water soluble compounds impair seedling tap root development by causing root tips to swell and reduce root hair numbers
Autotoxicity reduces future yield
Smaller plants, misshapen roots20 to 30% reduced yield in production years
Autotoxicity
Reduces germination if severe
Reduces yield for life of stand
Effect most severe on light soilsEffect most severe on light soils
Effect most prolonged on heavy soils
Area of influence around living plant is 16” radius
Irrigation/rains can wash autotoxic factor from soil
Alfalfa Zone of Influence -distance from old plant
Low survival
8”
16”
24”
Survival but low yield
No effect on yield
Source: John Jenkins, U of MO
Alfalfa autotoxicity –conventional vs notill seeding
8090
100
eck)
Seeding year yield response to alfalfa seeded at various times after alfalfa stand kill
Conventional Notill
010203040506070
Yiel
d (%
of c
he
Oweeks
2 weeks 4 weeks fallkilled
after 1yr corn
Time after old stand killed
Notill
Cosgrove et al., 1996
Planted two weeks after plowdown Planted one year after plowdown
12
Autotoxicity Recommendations
Wait at least one year before reseeding alfalfa if stand in for two or more years
Can reseed new seeding failures anytimeCan reseed new seeding failures anytime
Recommendations for Emergencies
Accept some yield loss
Remove topgrowth before plowing to reduce effect
Tillage can reduce effect
Irrigation/rains can wash toxic factor from soil
Select fields with lightest soils
9. Importance of Seeding Year
Too much competition to the young alfalfa seedlings can stunt their growth and or kill them.
Alfalfa stressed in the seeding year will never yield ll i f tas well in future years
Higher than necessary plant populations of the cover crop add to establishment cost without producing additional return.
Harvest First Cutting of New Seeding Early
Take first cutting at 60 days after plantingMore additional cuttings – higher tonnageLess weed problems
Effect of Cover Crop Competition on Alfalfa Yield
1.531.67
1.78
1.02 0.96
1.54
0.9
1.2
1.5
1.8
0
0.3
0.6
Drilled
with
Pursuit
Drilled
with
Poast
Drilled
contro
l
Oats fo
r sila
ge
Oats fo
r grai
n
Oats w
ith Poa
st
Conventional oat nurse crop
Roundup oat takeout
Alfalfa yield in year following seeding with Italian ryegrass cover crop at different rates
Fig 4. Alfalfa yield in year following seeding Italian ryegrass cover crop at different rates
7
89
0 lb/a
Italian Ryegrass seeding rate lb/a
High r egrass
01
234
56
Arlington Marshfield Spooner
Yie
ld (t
/a) 2 lb/a
4 lb/a8 lb/a16 lb/a
High ryegrass seeding rates reduce alfalfa stand and yield in future years
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Seeding year stress reduces yield of alfalfa in future years
AutotoxicityPotato Leaf hopperCover CropCover CropDrought?Other?
Seeding year stress reduces yield of alfalfa for all years of stand
ConsiderLow yielding stands because of seeding year stress will not recover
RecommendationDetermine if low production year yield is due to nutrient stress
If so, treatIf not, consider turning over stand
Alfalfa Seeding Trial - Forage Yields
Arlington, WI
Treatment 2003 2004 2005
(1) Alfalfa seeded direct 2.8 2.4 2.3( )
(2) Oats sprayed at 6 inches 3.0 2.3 1.7
(3) Alfalfa + Oat haylage 2.7 4.1 3.1
Oat 2.0 2.3 2.0
Alfalfa 0.7 1.8 1.1
http://fyi.uwex.edu/cwas/
Forage Web Page
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/teamforage/index.html
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