2016 SE Hay Convention Presented by Growing Alfalfa in the Southeast ALFALFA IS NOT NEW TO THE SOUTHEAST

ALFALFA IN THE SOUTHEAST

Nine historical germplasm sources introduced to US M. falcata, Ladak, M. varia, Turkestan, Flemish, Indian, Chilean, Peruvian , African

Ali Missaoui Forage and Biomass Breeding and Genetics

ALFALFA PIONEERS IN THE SOUTHEAST

Lucerne green Lucerne, when dried, loses ¾ of it’s weight a cow eats of mown lucerne 66# per day, of St. foin 64# neither gives any taste to the milk...

Mid-March, 1770, First mention of alfalfa in Jefferson’s records:



4 April 1795



finished bringing dung to the Lucerne with the mule carts.

“Work to be done at Monticello. plant raspberries, gooseberries—currans— strawberries—asparagus—artichokes— fill up trees—sow grass—henhouse— cherry tree—Lucerne...”

9/12/1795, Jefferson to George Washington: “I sowed at the same time 2. acres of Lucerne, in exactly an equal soil, which in both instances had been originally rich, but was considerably exhausted. I gave the Lucerne this last year a good coat of dung, & due tillage; yet it is such poor dwindling stuff that I have abandoned it, 10/4/1795, George Washington to Jefferson: “Lucern has not succeeded better with me than with you; but I will give it another, and fairer trial before it is abandoned altogether”

MANAGEMENT STRATEGY # 1 : SOIL PH

11/20/1801, William Maclure to Jefferson: “…perhaps the clover, lucern & other grasses which grow in the upper parts of Germany might succeed with you where the English and Dutch seeds have failed…. In the country around the Hartz Mountains they use pulverized Gypsum as a top dressing for their Lucern & Clover ………and frequently cut the lucern seven times…...”

Alfalfa Yield in Georgia will increase as pH becomes more neutral

1

Liming is necessary

Aluminum Toxicity •

•

•

Soil Testing is very important

In acid subsoils, soluble aluminum is toxic to plant roots and causes root pruning. Gypsum can’t increase pH of acid subsoils, but can reduce aluminum toxicity Calcium will displace aluminum, allowing it to be leached below the rooting depths as long as there is enough moisture

MANAGEMENT STRATEGY #2: VARIETY SELECTION • •

• •

•

 Liming materials come in several forms  Calcitic products contain calcium-based neutralizers  Dolomitic sources contain both calcium and magnesium Both are effective for changing soil pH  Some claims are made that when Ca/Mg ratios in the soil are low, calcitic limestone should be used  Particle size matters more

VARIETY SELECTION: ROUNDUP READY AND CONVENTIONAL OPTIONS

One of the most important considerations in an alfalfa production program Most forage breeding in the US is focused in the upper Midwest, Great Plains, the Intermountain West, and the irrigated regions of the southwest. Georgia environment is substantially different Germplasm from outside the region typically performs poorly within the state and the southeast region UGA forage breeding program successful cultivars such as Alfagraze, Alfagraze 600RR, Bulldog 505, and Bulldog 805 alfalfas

Dormancy controls autumn growth...

VARIETY SELECTION



FD = 11 Non-dormant

FD = 1 Dormant

...and regrowth rate during the year

Growth after September harvest

FD = 11

FD = 5

FD = 1

Growth seven days after

harvest

2

PERSISTENCE AND GRAZING TOLERANCE • Response to grazing is vital for the development of persistent forage cultivars intended for use in the Southeast • Performance of varieties developed over 3 decades has proven that exposure to grazing can be exploited in selection to improve grazing tolerance • UGA alfalfa cultivars are selected under grazing pressure

VARIETY SELECTION: PITFALLS TO AVOID • Go with varieties that have been grown in your area and are adapted • Let someone else develop the learning curve for new varieties and find out what the potential problems might be (UGA is doing this…..) • Avoid “miracle varieties” that promise everything • Stick with local and regional seed and forage sales • Excessive seed costs • Cheap seed of a variety: Most likely older seed, lower purity, lower quality, lower germination • You want to establish your pasture in the first try

MANAGEMENT STRATEGY #3: FERTILITY Nutrient N* P K Ca Mg S Fe Mn Cl B Zn Cu

6 T/A 360 31 240 192 40 24 2.3 1.5 1.5 0.4 0.3 0.12

8 T/A 480 42 320 256 53 32 3 2 2 0.5 0.04 0.16

10 T/A 600 52 400 320 66 40 3.8 2.5 2.5 0.06 0.5 0.2

12 T/A 720 62 480 384 79 48 4.6 3 3 0.07 0.6 0.24

Lbs./Ton** 60 5 40 32 7 4 0.38 (~5 oz.) 0.25 (4 oz.) 0.25 (4 oz.) 0.06 (~1 oz.) 0.05 (0.8 oz.) 0.02 (~0.3 oz.)

Mo

0.024

0.032

0.04

0.048

0.004 (~0.06 oz.)

Recognizing K deficiency

* Nitrogen in alfalfa comes mostly from nitrogen fixation. However, some starter N may be needed to start plants off well in sandy soils or in soils with low fertility

GET A SOIL TEST REGULARLY!

WHY GROW ALFALFA?

$$$$ Economic opportunities

PROFITABLE TO GROW ALFALFA

http://www.americasalfalfa.com/

3

WHY INTERSEED ALFALFA INTO BERMUDAGRASS?  Grow

Interseeding Alfalfa in Bermudagrass

your own nitrogen!

ELIMINATE YOUR N COST

 Increase

the quality of your forage by 30 or more RFQ points!

 Makes

excellent supplemental feed and/or cash hay crop!

 Growing

with Bermudagrass allows alfalfa to dry faster and be harvested clean!

 If

nothing else, you still have Bermudagrass!

Inoculate seed with proper Rhizobium strain

RESEARCH SUMMARY: NITROGEN REPLACEMENT VALUE

WHAT DOES NITROGEN REPLACEMENT VALUE MEAN TO YOU?

ONE NEEDS BETWEEN 150 AND 200 LBS OF FERTILIZER NITROGEN PER ACRE TO PROVIDE THE SAME YIELD AS BERMUDAGRASS INTER-PLANTED WITH ALFALFA AND NOT FERTILIZED WITH NITROGEN.

Calculated savings of using alfalfa as your N source:

12

Nitrogen Response in Bermudagrass Also Note: the higher quality of the final product with alfalfa inter-planted into bermudagrass

N Fertilizer Applied (pounds)

Value Per Acre*

150

$72

200

$96

250

$120

300

$144

8

6

4

2

RFQ=200; Protein 22%

RFQ=100; Protein 12%

Total Yield (tons/acre)

10

*Calculated using Urea @ $0.48 per pound N

0 O N

100 lbs N

150 lbs N

Alfalfa Interseeded (0 N)

200 lbs N

250 lbs N

INCREASED FORAGE QUALITY

Inter-seeding Alfalfa in Bermudagrass INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HAY

Feed and Forage Analysis Reports* Relative Forage Quality (RFQ)

Crude Protein**

Total Digestible Nutrients**

1st cut Bermudagrass + Alfagraze 600 RR Alfalfa

189.9

20.5%

67.2%

2nd cut Bermudagrass + Alfagraze 600 RR Alfalfa

240.2

25.1%

68.4%

1st cut Fescue + Orchardgrass

86.6

15.9%

51.4%

Hay Crop

*Field locations near Canon, GA **Measured by Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) Analysis – reported on Dry Matter Basis UGA Feed and Environmental Water Laboratory – Athens, GA

Winner of 2014 Southeastern Hay Contest in Perennial Peanut/Alfalfa Hay Category

4

Management Simplified and Risk Reduced!

RISK REDUCTION

(IF ALFALFA FAILS, YOU STILL HAVE BERMUDAGRASS)

CULTURAL CHANGE

Non-destructive to the existing Bermudagrass stand

An effective P management tool • Alfalfa removal of total P in the range of 169 to 283 kg ha‐1 • The high P accumulation in alfalfa tissue and uptake present an opportunity to use alfalfa as a tool in the management of pastures heavily amended with poultry litter

ALFALFA IN GEORGIA 

 Moultrie Mid November, 2006

Moultrie Mid December, 2006

(INSTEAD OF FERTILIZING WITH NITROGEN AND USING FEED SUPPLEMENTS, JUST INTER-PLANT ALFALFA)

SUCCESS STORIES: UGA ON-FARM DEMO PROGRAM Began in Strategic Locations with “Innovators”

BULLDOG ALFALFA IN VALDOSTA, GA, INTER-SEEDED IN TIFT 85 BERMUDAGRASS 2ND YEAR STAND (PICTURE TAKEN MARCH 24, 2011)

Interseeded into bermudagrass Irrigated; Limed; Fertilized (P & K) Fall dormancy = 8 (if North Georgia, FD = 4-5)

5

BULLDOG 505 ALFALFA INTERSEEDED IN ALICIA BERMUDAGRASS IN WATKINSVILLE, GA

ALFALFA SEEDED IN BERMUDA IN COOK COUNTY

PLANTED: NOV. 2009 PICTURE TAKEN MARCH, 2011

PLANTED IN THE FALL OF 2004, (PICTURE JUNE 2005)

BULLDOG 505 ALFALFA SOD-SEED IN TIFTON 44 BERMUDAGRASS

BULLDOG 505 ALFALFA SOD-SEEDED IN BERMUDA IN N.W. GA

CHATTOOGA COUNTY

BULLDOG 805 ALFALFA INTER-SEEDED IN TIFT. 44 BERMUDAGRASS

BULLDOG 805 ALFALFA INTER-SEEDED IN TIFT.44 BERMUDAGRASS,

PLANTED IN NOV. PICTURE TAKEN IN JULY

MOULTRIE, GA .1 YEAR OLD. PICTURE TAKEN IN DEC.

6

On-Farm Demo Program Now Expanded

ALFALFA-BERMUDAGRASS IS A VIABLE SYSTEM….

Assessing the Value of Alfalfa & Round Ready® Across the South Southeast US Demo Sites Anchoring to the Existing GA Program

MAINTAINING ALFALFA IN BERMUDAGRASS

1.

Well-drained site.

2.

Soil test for adequate pH (6.5), fertility (100 lbs/acre P and 250300 lbs/acre K).

3.

Before seeding, bermudagrass is mowed or grazed to 1-2”, spray contact herbicide (Gramoxone at 1 qt/ac, glyphosate at 9 oz/ac of 5.5-lb ai/gal, glyphosate at 12 oz of 4-lb ai formula).

4.

Fire can be used after the chemical burndown.

5.

Plant on 7-9” rows no deeper than ½”.

6.

After emergence, apply Mustang or Karate at the highest rates allowed to control field crickets that feed on seedlings at night).

7.

Planting dates, Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 in the Mountains and Piedmont area, Oct. 15-Nov. 15 in the Coastal Plains region,.

8.

Seeding rate: 22- to 25-lb/acre.

AUTOTOXICITY IN ALFALFA • Alfalfa plants produce toxins that can reduce germination and growth of new alfalfa seedings. • This phenomenon is known as autotoxicity. • The extent of the toxin’s influence increases with the age and density of the previous stand and the amount of residue incorporated prior to seeding • The autotoxic compounds are water soluble and are concentrated mainly in the leaves. • The compounds impair development of the seedling taproot by causing the root tips to swell and by reducing the number of root hairs • This limits the ability of the seedling to take up water and nutrients and increases the plant’s susceptibility to other stress factors.

 Soil

test at least two times annually and follow recommendations.

 Take

a tissue sample 1 week prior to the second cut each year to determine other fertility needs.

 Apply

Boron and Molybdenum as recommended.

 Scout

and spray for the alfalfa weevils in February/March and fall armyworms in summer.

 Glyphosate

applications only when Bermudagrass is dormant ????

AUTO‐TOXICITY IN ALFALFA

ALFALFA MANAGEMENT Pliny, Naturalis Historia, A.D. 50

Harvest at early flower Control weeds Well tilled, weed free seedbed Lime and fertilize as needed • Disk down a seeding failure and reseed either in the late summer after a spring seeding or the following spring. • Auto-toxic compounds are not present the first year. • Reseed gaps in new seedings as soon as possible. • Never inter-seed to thicken a stand that is 2 years old or older.

Plow up when stands thin

Plant after danger of frost

Don’t grow in wet areas

 ...not

much has changed in ~ 2000 years!

7

Thank you for your attention !!!!

8