Drought stress is one of the most significant limiting factors in crop production worldwide, and alfalfa is no exception. Dealing with droughts and water shortages can be challenging. However, there are some new tools available to alfalfa producers to help mitigate yield and profit losses.

When a producer plants an alfalfa field, there is an expectation that the field will remain productive for several years. Alfalfa is a perennial crop but there is a limit to its longevity, since all alfalfa fields naturally thin over time.

Alfalfa, often crowned the “queen of forages,” has long reigned supreme in the world of agriculture, commanding respect and admiration from hay producers and dairy farmers alike.

In recent years, the percentage of alfalfa used in dairy rations has been slowly declining as other feedstuffs have become more available or cheaper. However, alfalfa’s recent significant forage quality improvements may help to reverse that trend.

One of the things we have learned over the years is that new alfalfa seedings that have good growing conditions yield much better in future years. Said another way – seeding year stress lowers yield potential of alfalfa in future years.

Interseeding and overseeding are often used interchangeably but can have distinct management implications.