Preplant

Select your field, considering:

• Pest history, especially weeds.
• Current crops and pest problems.
• Surrounding crops and vegetation.
• Presence of Sclerotinia stem and crown rot (white mold) on site or in neighboring alfalfa fields.
• Soil conditions, particularly salinity and proper drainage for disease management.

Manage weeds with herbicides or cultivation prior to planting if necessary.

Consider crop rotation to minimize weeds, diseases, and nematodes.

Prepare the field for planting by:

• Deep tilling to assure deep rooting patterns and drainage
• Leveling the land if flood irrigating
• Creating a firm but loose seedbed for seed germination

Take into account the potential for drainage and run-off problems.

Consider planting alfalfa on shallow beds (24–60-inch wide and 4–8 inch deep furrows) on heavy soil types. The beds allow water movement off crowns, helping to prevent seedling diseases

Select varieties that are tolerant or resistant to known problem pests.

Select seed considering:

• Use of certified seed (weed- and stem nematode-free)
• Seed treatment for suspected field pathogens or if planting at suboptimal time.
• Rhizobium treatment for nitrogen fixation if alfalfa has not recently been grown in the field; it is good to inoculate all fields, as it is cheap insurance.
• Select varieties with genetic resistance to major diseases and pests known to occur in the region