Fungicide Use in Alfalfa Production

For years, the corn and soybean industries have utilized fungicides to help protect plant health, yields and to reduce stress during grain fill. The same can be said of using a fungicide in alfalfa production. Using a fungicide in alfalfa can result in better leaf retention, healthier plants and higher feed quality potential. 
 
Fungicides are labeled in alfalfa for up to three applications during the growing season. While we may have three allowances per growing season, even a single fungicide application in the spring can benefit and protect an alfalfa stand. A spring application of fungicide is generally the best time to treat alfalfa, as spring is when we face the most disease pressure with cool, wet conditions in the field. Fungicides can also tank mix with Roundup® herbicide and insecticides. When you go to do your spring field clean-up to relieve weed and insect pressure, add in a fungicide to help protect your alfalfa crop from disease pressure. 
 
What to Know Before You Spray
First crop? You’re in luck. Studies show on average the first crop or harvest provides a higher percent yield response rate to fungicide application than for later crops.
 
Consider your climate. Trials show the wetter the climate the better the chance of achieving a profitable response to fungicide application.
 
Apply fungicide at the right canopy height. It’s ideal to treat first crop alfalfa at 6- to 8-inch canopy height as this will take advantage of its longer regrowth period before harvest.
 
Know your goals. Applying fungicides will help achieve increased yields but will not necessarily increase forage quality.
 
For more information regarding fungicide use in alfalfa or W-L Alfalfa, contact your local W-L Alfalfa distributor.
 
12, Brian Lang | Feb. “Does It Pay to Spray Fungicide on Alfalfa?” Farm Progress, 9 Dec. 2018, https://www.farmprogress.com/forage/does-it-pay-spray-fungicide-alfalfa.

Privacy and Terms

For the 2020 growing seasons, growers must direct any product produced from HarvXtra® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready® Technology seed or crops (including hay and hay products) only to US domestic use. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product.

Due to factors outside of Forage Genetics International’s (FGI) control, such as weather, crop production patterns, and other factors, results to be obtained, including but not limited to yields or financial performance, cannot be predicted or guaranteed by FGI. Results are based upon FGI controlled tests and field trials and public trials. Results may vary.

ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Roundup Ready® and Roundup® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC, used under license by Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® is a registered trademark of Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready® Technology is enabled with Technology from The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc.