(June 2008) With fuel prices on the rise, it's understandable that producers are looking for ways to cut costs. However, that doesn't change the fact that it's essential for growers to manage their alfalfa stand according to crop need, not the added cost of fertilizer or insecticides, says CROPLAN GENETICS® seed Alfalfa Agronomist Randy Welch.

"Growers in some areas are getting $200 per ton for quality hay this year, which is unprecedented," Welch says. "The nation's hay supply is near record lows, which means the forage supply will be impacted for a lot of livestock species if there are any problems with this year's crop. Therefore, alfalfa growers now more than ever can't be cutting corners."

Potash and phosphorous prices are exceptionally high right now, but they're a necessary expense if a field is deficient. Equally as important are boron and ammonium sulfate.

"Growers might be reluctant to spend the money they need to on fertilizer, but if they don't put nutrients back in the soil, the stands will suffer, and that's a fact," Welch says. "To add some perspective, corn producers haven't refrained from applying nitrogen right now because it's $0.60 a unit. Alfalfa growers need to adapt the same mindset."

To get the best value for their dollar, growers should annually grid test 25 to 33 percent of their field to ensure that they're applying the correct levels of fertilizer to the right area of the field.

Soil fertility isn't the only thing that growers need to consider at this time. With the average producer losing between a half- and a full ton of alfalfa per acre annually to insect feeding, now is the time to go on the offensive against potato leafhopper if they're at economic threshold levels. One way to prevent feeding on the crop at hand is to harvest now. If you're still at least 14 days from harvesting, spraying is your best bet.

"Growers need to earn every pound of forage from here on out, so the most important thing to do is find an advisor who you trust to help you monitor your leafhopper pressure and decide if and when to spray," Welch says. "Get out in the field with a sweep net, do an insect count, and don't wait until the plant turns yellow, because then it's too late and damage is already done."

Welch recommends applying AgriSolutions™ insecticides like Arctic® 3.2 EC or Taiga® Z to control potato leafhopper and other insects, such as alfalfa weevil, meadow spittlebug, stink bugs, cutworms, armyworms and alfalfa aphids.

For more information about potential problems this year's alfalfa crop could encounter, your CROPLAN GENETICS® expert agronomist has you covered. For the expertise needed to help you make crop management decisions that maximize your yield and reduce your risk, turn to your local seed specialist and check out your local Answer Plot® location as a third-party source to help sort out the other brands and find the answers for your toughest field.