Assessing Alfalfa Stand Condition in the Spring
by Dr. Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin
As alfalfa comes out of dormancy in the spring we should evaluate stands for condition and yield potential. The earlier we make a determination the more possibilities we have for remedial action. This stand assessment should occur in three parts:
Are individual plants alive?
This assessment can begin as soon as the frost is out of the ground and continue until spring greenup occurs. The pro
Effect of Wheel Traffic on Alfalfa Yield
by Dan Undersander
How does wheel traffic cause forage loss?
Wheel traffic causes yield reduction in part to both deep soil compaction and surface soil compaction. Another portion of the yield loss is due to cracking or breaking of crowns, which will reduce the shoots produced and may allow entry of disease into the crown. However, the major damage and cause of yield loss for alfalfa harvested more than two days after cutting is break
