Paying closer attention to alfalfa seeding rates would help many growers boost their bottom lines, says Marvin Hall, forage extension specialist with Penn State University Extension.
It’s not uncommon for growers who think they know their seeding rates to be off by several pounds, says Hall. “Studies have shown large differences between seeding rates of different varieties of alfalfa when seeded through the same seeder. Coated seed flowed faster than uncoated seed, which resulted in higher seeding rates than expected.”
With uncoated seed, seeding ranged from 14 to 21 lbs/acre without changing the settings on the seeder, according to the studies he cites. “While this range in seeding rates does surround the normally recommended alfalfa seeding rate (15-18 lbs/acre), the variation can be very expensive. If a farmer thought he was seeding 15, but was actually seeding 20 lbs/acre, the additional cost per acre for seed would be substantial.”
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