Manhattan, Kansas
March 23, 2007
Farmers planning to plant Roundup
Ready alfalfa this year need to hurry.
A U.S. District Court in San Francisco issued a preliminary
injunction order March 12, finding fault with the regulatory
process the U.S. Department of Agriculture used in approving the
Monsanto product.
Pending further hearings, the court injunction stopped sales of
Roundup Ready alfalfa seed March 12. Growers who had bought the
seed earlier may still plant it - IF they can do so by March 30.
"Planting as early as March is by no means usual in Kansas.
Still, it shouldn´t cause any stand problems," said Jim Shroyer,
Kansas State University
agronomist.
K-State recommends no-till or reduced-till as the best approach
to planting alfalfa, he said. Either offers a firm soil surface,
helps maintain soil moisture, saves time, and reduces planting
costs.
"One problem with having a narrow planting window, though, is
that you don´t want any weeds growing when you seed alfalfa,"
said Dallas Peterson, weed scientist with K-State Research and
Extension. "At the same time, you have to be certain that no
herbicide carryover from a previous crop could injure the
emerging plants."
Another potential delay is alfalfa´s nutrient needs, he said.
Producers must inoculate alfalfa seed to help it achieve the
nitrogen fixation needed for top production. They also need an
already- completed soil test to determine which fertilizer
and/or other soil amendments to apply.
"Alfalfa does best when the soil pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.5. In
soils with a lower pH, alfalfa can grow thin and weedy, so
applying lime before planting can pay big dividends," Shroyer
said. "Plus, alfalfa is a big phosphorus user, removing about 10
pounds of P with every ton of alfalfa harvested.
"Past research in Kansas has shown that applying and
incorporating a P fertilizer will result in large yield
increases. Even in a no-till situation, a surface-applied P
fertilizer can have a long-term, beneficial effect on
productivity. First, however, you need that soil test to know
how much to apply."
Roundup Ready alfalfa is resistant to the effects of Roundup, a
popular weed-controlling herbicide.
RELEATED RELEASES
U.S. growers
can continue to grow and use Roundup Ready alfalfa, but
Monsanto Company is disappointed with the preliminary
injunction affecting purchase and planting, will continue to
support growers' right to choose Roundup Ready alfalfa for
their forage operations
Monsanto Company
supports U.S. growers right to choose Roundup Ready alfalfa for
their forage operations; asks to intervene in lawsuit
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