dan undersander-agronomy © 2006 2006 agronomy update dan undersander extension and research forage...

Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2006

2006 Agronomy Update

Dan Undersander

Extension and

Research Forage Agronomist


2005 Alfalfa Yields at Arlington

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Yie

ld (

t/a)

1 2 3 4

Cutting

2005 Yield

Historic Yield•First cutting above average

•Second and third cuttings were average

•No August harvest due to drought


2005 Alfalfa Yields at Marshfield

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Yie

ld (

t/a)

1 2 3 4

Cutting

2005 Yield


• Other cuttings were average


2005 Alfalfa Yields at Lancaster

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Yie

ld (

t/a)

1 2 3 4

Cutting

2005 Yield


• Other cuttings were average to slightly above


2005 Alfalfa Yields at Fond Du Lac

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Yie

ld (

t/a)

1 2 3

Cutting

2005 Yield

Historic Yield• First harvest 30% below average

•Second and Third harvests were 40% below average


Roundup Ready Alfalfa

In 1997 Forage Genetics International and Monsanto began working to develop Roundup Ready® alfalfa.

Roundup Ready® alfalfa was developed by incorporating the CP4 gene into alfalfa. This is the same gene used to develop all other Roundup Ready® crops.


Product Development

Trait integrated into elite germplasm FD3 to FD10 dormancy types

First generation Roundup Ready® alfalfa varieties: Forage yield > commercial checks Competitive forage quality, multiple pest

resistance and persistence RR trait purity > 90%


2000 UW Herbicide Study

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

Rou

nd

up

2x

Con

ven

tion

al

Pu

rsu

it

2002

1st

cu

t yi

eld

DM

T/A

Broadleaf

Grass

Alfalfa

RoundupConventional Pursuit

Herbicide treatments applied in establishment year (2000)

May 2002


Product concept testing to evaluate efficacy relative to other herbicides.

Plot area infected with weed seed.

RR alfalfa seed used to establish plots

Various herbicide treatments applied

Only Roundup® gave effective weed control

Roundup UltraMaxPursuit + Select

Pursuit + Select Roundup UltraMax

Five days before first harvest

Seven days after first harvest

2001 WI test


Weed control in established stands

Excellent crop safety with respect to forage yield and quality. Roundup® applications in spring and/or fall result in excellent season-long control of weeds.

Fall Roundup

applicationControl


Performance of Roundup Ready Alfalfa VarietiesArlington, WI Rosemount, MN

2004 2005 2005

Entry tons/acre^ tons/acre^ tons/acre

WL 2.60 7.20 5.28

CropPlan Genetics 2.55 7.14 5.29

DK FD4 2.47 6.92 5.31

Garst 2.35 7.04 5.44

RR03BD-218 2.30 6.98 5.08

RR03BD-209 2.32 6.76 5.07

RR03BD-257 2.47 6.35 5.2

RR03BD-250 2.29 6.61 4.95

REBOUND 5.0 2.30 6.53 5.32

54V46 2.16 6.18 5.4

Mean 2.38 6.77 5.23

LSD(5%) 0.15 0.72 n.s


Performance of Roundup Ready Alfalfa Varieties

Rosemount, MNEntry RFQWL 199CropPlan Genetics 183DK FD4 188Garst 181RR03BD-218 201RR03BD-209 190RR03BD-257 177RR03BD-250 180REBOUND 5.0 18154V46 177

Mean 186LSD(5%) 16


The Future…

Research is ongoing with biotech traits that enhance forage quality. Reduced lignin alfalfa

Increased fiber digestibility Decreased manure solids

Tannin alfalfa Increased efficiency of alfalfa protein utilization Decreased protein supplementation Decreased N losses from dairy cows Elimination of bloat risk when grazed


Use considerations

The seed is guaranteed to have greater than 90% roundup ready seed.

It is anticipated that the first spraying in the seedling stage will take out the non roundup ready seedlings and their loss will not be noticed as stands thin naturally in the seeding year.

This could be an issue if the alfalfa is not sprayed in the seedling stage.

Roundup controls a broader array of both grassy and, especially, broadleaf weeds than currently available herbicides.

Concern about development of Roundup resistant weeds if all three crops in rotation are Roundup resistant.

Problem may be minimized by frequent cutting of alfalfa

Roundup does not cause damage to the seedling alfalfa as observed with most other herbicides.


Use considerations

Harvest restrictions for herbicides registered for use in forages

Buctril 30 days

Butyrac 200 60 days for new seedings30 days for established stands

Glyphosate

(Weathermax and Ultramax II)

14 days 36 hours for fields being rotated to another crop5 trifoliate leaves to 5 days before harvest for Roundup

Ready alfalfa

Poast Plus 7 days for undried forage14 days for dried hay

Pursuit 30 days

Raptor 20 days

The harvest restriction is much shorter for Roundup applied to alfalfa in the seedling stage than for most other herbicides.


Use considerations

The contracts will vary slightly among companies in terms of record keeping. Cropplan Genetics is requiring a GPS reading in each corner of each

field. Others requiring no GPS reading in Wisconsin (one GPS reading per

field is required for those states in the West where seed is produced). The one time technology fee per 50-lb bag of Roundup Ready

alfalfa seed East of the Rocky Mountains is $125 a bag. West of the Rockies, it is $150 a bag. If a grower plants 12 lb/acre in Wisconsin, the technology fee is

approximately $30/A. Add to this the cost of the seed itself to get the total seed cost.


Seeding grass-alfalfa mixtures

Why? Less use of oats as cover crop

Less need for bedding Value of grain less than hay Damage to alfalfa

Short rotations of alfalfa Need high yield in seeding year

Faster drying Multiple species less susceptible to stand damage


Changes in Alfalfa Establishment Practices

Prior to 1990, greater than 90% of alfalfa seed with oat cover crop

Now less than 40% of alfalfa is seeded with oat cover crop

Planted Oat Acreage in Wisconsin

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Acrea

ge (th

ousa

nds)


Acreage of oats harvested for oatlage

050

100150200250300350400450500A

cres

(tho

usan

ds)

1929 1936 1943 1950 1957 1964 1971 1978 1985 1992 1999 2006


First production year yield of alfalfa-grass mixtures, Spooner

0

1

2

3

4

5to

tal S

easo

n Y

ield

(%

D

M)

Alf

alfa

A+e

arly

OG

A+l

ate

OG

A+P

er R

yeg

A+T

imot

hy

Ave

rage

earlymediumlate


First production year yield of alfalfa-grass mixtures, Marshfield

0

1

2

3

4

5T

otal

Sea

son

Yie

ld (

% D

M)

Alf

alfa

A+e

arly

OG

A+l

ate

OG

A+P

er R

yeg

A+T

imot

hy

Ave

rage

earlymediumlate


Quality changes in Alfalfa-Grass mixtures with Maturity - Spooner NDF

020

4060

ND

F (

% o

f D

M)

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ksE

arly

+ 1

wk

+ 2

wks

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ks

AlfalfaAlf/OG earlyAlf/OG lateAlf/Per RyeAlf/Timothy

First cutting Second cutting Third cutting


Quality changes in Alfalfa-Grass mixtures with Maturity - Spooner RFQ

0

50

100

150

200

250R

elat

ive

For

age

Qua

lity

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ksE

arly

+ 1

wk

+ 2

wks

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ks




Quality changes in Alfalfa-Grass mixtures with Maturity - Marshfield NDF

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70N

DF

(%

of

DM

)

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ksE

arly

+ 1

wk

+ 2

wks

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ks


Third cuttingSecond cuttingFirst cutting


Quality changes in Alfalfa-Grass mixtures with Maturity - Marshfield RFQ

0

50

100

150

200

250R

elat

ive

For

age

Qua

lity

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ksE

arly

+ 1

wk

+ 2

wks

Ear

ly+

1 w

k+

2 w

ks




Quality changes if Alfalfa Grass mixtures with Maturity

Including grasses with alfalfa increases NDF Grasses have higher digestible fiber than alfalfa Grass-legume mixtures have higher digestible fiber Some grass-legume mixtures have similar RFQ to

pure alfalfa


Maximizing Alfalfa Yield in Seeding Year

Seed early Select variety carefully Consider mixing with Italian ryegrass


Yield range of seeding year alfalfaArlington and Marshfield, WI

Arlington

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

tons

/acr

e

Marshfield

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 205to

ns/a

cre


Yield range of seeding year alfalfa

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

1998 2004 1999 2002 2005 1997 2000 2003

ton

s/a

cre

Chippewa Fond du Lac Lancaster


Choose high seeding year yielding variety of alfalfa Seed at 15lb/a. Two Italian ryegrass types over-seeded at the

following rates: 0 (pure alfalfa plot), 2 lb/a 4 lb/a 8 lb/a 16 lb/acre.

Effect of Italian Ryegrass Seeding Rate on Forage Yield


Effect of Italian Ryegrass Seeding Rate on Forage Yield

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Arlington Marshfield Spooner

Yie

ld (

t/a

DM

)

Alfalfa + 2 lbs Ryegrass




Alfalfa

Ryegrass seeded at 2, 4, 8, and 16 lbs.

Note that rates above 4 lbs/a reduced alfalfa stand


Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Forage Yield

Treatments pure alfalfa at 15lb/a one variety of the Italian ryegrass seeded with alfalfa

at 15 lb/a oats at 2 bu/a with alfalfa at 15 lb/a

Apply nitrogen according to following treatments: 0 lb/a 30 lb/a at seeding 30 lb/a at seeding + 30lb/a after first cutting.


Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Forage Yield

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

alfalfa Alfalfa + Italian Ryegrass Alfalfa + Oats

Yie

ld (

t/a

DM

)

+ 0 N

+ 30 lb N

+ 30 & 30 lb N

Arl

Arl Arl

Mar

Mar

Mar

Spo

Spo

Spo


Maximizing Alfalfa Yield in Seeding Year

Seed early Select variety carefully Consider mixing with Italian ryegrass Cut at 60 days after seeding Following cuttings at appropriate stage Take late fall cutting if planted variety with winter

survival of 2 or less.

dan undersander-agronomy © 2006 2006 agronomy update dan undersander extension and research forage...

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