2024 Forage Guide | Page 8

Alfalfa

How to select your alfalfa

Comparing alfalfa varieties can be difficult and overwhelming .
Here are some key factors to consider when comparing an alfalfa variety to your alfalfa stand expectation :
• Intended use : Most alfalfa is planted for harvest as hay , silage or grazing . Special situations may require different variety selection criteria . When selecting or comparing alfalfa varieties , base decisions on expected alfalfa performance under realistic management conditions .
• Winter hardiness : This is a measure of the plant ’ s ability to survive winter without injury . It is measured on a scale of 1 to 6 ; 1 being the hardiest and 6 being the least hardy . Winter-injured plants may survive the winter , but the buds formed in the fall for spring regrowth may be killed . These plants have fewer shoots for first cutting and produce a lower yield .
• Fall dormancy : This is measured by determining how tall alfalfa grows in the month following a September 1 cutting . More dormant types will remain short and low-
KEY FEATURE OTHER FEATURES INOCULATION *
VARIETY
PV Ultima
Top yielding
Very persistent with strong tolerance to pests
Multi-cut High quality Multi-foliate
Novozymes Nitragin ® Gold
VR Total
High performance
High quality Flexible harvest window Very winter-hardy Traffic tolerant Multi-foliate
Novozymes Nitragin ® Gold
PV Parlour HG
Hi-Gest ™ Alfalfa Technology improves digestibility
High leaf to stem ratio More crude protein Hi-Gest Alfalfa Technology Multi-foliate
Novozymes Nitragin ® Gold
Spredor 5
Very persistent creeping rooted alfalfa
Improved tolerance to salt , drought and a wide spectrum of diseases
Creeping rooted
Novozymes Nitragin ® Gold
Halo 2
Excellent salinity tolerance
Excellent yield potential Strong winter hardiness
Multi-foliate
Novozymes Nitragin ® Gold
hps ® Premium Blend
Multiple technologies in one strong package
Top performing varietal blend
Novozymes Nitragin ® Gold
Winter Survival : = Good , = Excellent . Fall Dormancy : 1 = Dormant , 10 = Non-dormant . HR = Highly resistant , R = Resistant , † Indicates a blend .
Novozymes Nitragin ® Gold pre-inoculant nitrogen-fixing bacteria for alfalfa and sweet clover is OMRI listed for Organic use .
6 Alfalfa