DR. MARVIN H. HALL
Extension Forage Specialist
Penn State
Farmers who grow com or soy
beans generally know and have
checked at what seeding rate they
are planting. However, when asked
about the rate at which they seed
alfalfa, they may be a little less cer
tain. In fact, many of those that
think they know their alfalfa seed
ing rate may be off by several
pounds.
In a recent study, large differ
ences were found between seeding
rates of different varieties of alfalfa
when seeded through the same
seeder. Coated seed flowed easier
than uncoated seed, which resulted
in higher seeding rates than was
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expected (considering the reduction
in seed numbers per pound because
of the increased seed size associated
with seed coating). With uncoated
seed, the seeding rates ranged from
14 to 21 pounds per acre without
changing the settings on the seeder.
While this range in seeding rates
does surround the normally recom
mended alfalfa seeding rate (15-18
pounds per acre), the variation can
be very expensive. If a farmer
thought he was seeding 15 but he
was actually seeding 20 pounds per
acre, the additional cost per acre for
seed would be substantial.
The difference between variety
seeding rate was attributed to small
differences in seed size and shape.
It is a general rule-of-thumb that a
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Foraging Around, Lancaster Firming, Saturday, April 18, 1i
pound of alfalfa contains 220,000
seeds, but the recent study showed a
range from 196,000 to 224,000 seeds
per pound. In addition, some seeds
were slightly rounder and flowed
through the metering device faster
than other varieties. Recommended
alfalfa seeding rates will normally
result in 75 to 90 seeds per square
foot. However, the range in seeding
rates that was observed resulted in
ranges from 70 to 105 seeds per
square foot.
Unfortunately, varieties showed
no consistent trends m variation.
Therefore, seeder calibration is an
important consideration when alfal-
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fa varieties are changed. This can
be done rapidly by driving the seed
er over a tarp spread on the ground
and counting the seed's that are
dropped in a couple square foot
areas on the tarp. Seeders which
drop between 75 and 90 uncoated
seeds per square foot are planting at
recommended rates. Seeds should
also be calibrated annually before
starting to seed, since slightly worn
seed metering devices on the seeder
can cause large changes in alfalfa
seeding rate.
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