Improving Forage Production and Longevity of Alfalfa Stands with Balanced Fertilization
To determine the influence of balanced fertilization on forage production, longevity of alfalfa stands, weed population and disease severity.
IPNI-2000-CAN-SK26
16 Feb 2006
2005 Annual Interpretive Summary
Improving Forage Production and Longevity of Alfalfa Stands with Balanced Fertilization, 2005
Alfalfa is a large consumer of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S). In northeastern Saskatchewan, it is grown on approximately 200,000 acres for the dehydrated pellet market. Alfalfa for seed is grown on more than 120,000 acres in western Canada. In the absence of nutrient inputs, alfalfa cannot maintain its original productivity after about 3 years of hay production. The objective of this project is to determine the influence of balanced fertilization on alfalfa forage production, seed yield, and longevity of seed stands.
Good growing conditions in 2005 resulted in excellent first cut alfalfa hay yields, ranging from 2.0 t/A for the check to 2.9 t/A for the highest yielding treatment. The results showed that P and S were the major limiting nutrients. Second cut hay yields were lower due to wet fall weather, ranging from 0.7 to 1.3 t/A. Again, increasing the rate of S fertilizer, along with P, resulted in highest alfalfa hay yields. Wet fall conditions resulted in the seed crop being lost, and yields were less than 10 lb/A. In this final year of the project, hay yields with P + S fertilization were 1.3 t/A higher than the unfertilized check. Soil K levels were high enough to prevent K from becoming deficient. SK-26F