Alfalfa Seed Treatment.

Alfalfa seed treatment

One of the most productive and widely adapted forage crops world-wide is alfalfa Medicago sativa. Attempts to improve yield and stand viability lead to this experiment. The work was conducted on the Brigham Young University Idaho campus in Rexburg, Idaho under irrigated conditions on a Pocatello variant silt loam soil. Alfalfa is susceptible to several types of fungal diseases which reduces yield. Our tests were aimed at reducing yield loss through application of fungicide and inoculant combinations in novel ways. Three treatments were used, 1. Control- no seed treatment), 2. Apron (fungicide) and Nitrogen Gold (inoculant), 3. Apron, Nitrogen Gold, and Stamina (pre-emergent fungicide).

It was assumed the standard seeding rate of 20 pounds per acre would result in the greatest yield and stand viability from emergence to establishment. The hypothesis was tested by imposing seeding rates of 10, 20, and 30 pounds per acre in addition to fungicide and inoculant application on the test plots. There were four replications. Additional supporting data included: 1) Soil temp at seeding, 2) Stand count at weeks 1-4, 3) Irrigation times & amount, 4) Vigor notes, 5) Weather data, high/low, precipitation, 6) Yield on Cuts 1, 2 & 3.