B-1047

Plant density and yield of any stand of alfalfa will eventually decline, but rate of decline will be influenced  by multiple factors including harvest and/or grazing management, irrigation practices, precipitation, soil fertility, soil type, weeds, insects, diseases, and, in some instances, variety of alfalfa.

Alfalfa stand renovation: Reseed or crop rotation? explores ways to replenish alfalfa stands. The Web-only bulletin discusses the chances of thickening new and old stands, the importance of crop rotation in alfalfa production, and the problems associated with following one stand of alfalfa with another without rotation.

Gray explains, “Crop rotation disrupts the build up of disease-causing organisms by eliminating alfalfa host plants, allows for weed control and adjustments in soil fertility, and avoids autotoxicity problems.”