The National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance (NAFA) has released its 2010 Edition of “Winter Survival, Fall Dormancy & Pest Resistant Ratings for Alfalfa Varieties.”

In areas of excessive rainfall, many newly seeded alfalfa fields may show poor growth in wet or poorly drained fields which may be due to several diseases.

In its simplest form, a killing freeze is when temperatures get cold enough to kill all the top growth on the alfalfa plant.

Agricultural settings support a wide array of wildlife because of the mix of cover and forage.

Although established alfalfa can access deep subsoil water, dry topsoils limit the availability of many nutrients.

Plant description
Yellow-flowered alfalfa is a perennial legume growing up to 30 inches high with multiple erect stems.

Alfalfa is one of the world’s most versatile crops, growing in environments ranging from the cold northern prairies to the blistering western deserts. Alfalfa grows on soils ranging from beach sands to heavy clays. It can be grazed, fresh fed, baled, cubed, pelletized or turned into silage.

Alfalfa is the premier forage crop with high yield, high forage quality, season-long productivity, drought tolerance and extended stand life.

In this Forage Forum article, Pioneer alfalfa research director, Dave Miller, discusses how the genetics of alfalfa varieties are different than the other major crops and how they are tested.

Providing nutrients is essential for producing profitable alfalfa yields. Throughout its growth alfalfa continuously depletes soil nutrients.