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Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK |
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Oklahoma Alfalfa |
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Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK |
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Oklahoma Alfalfa |
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FOLIAR FEEDING ALFALFA Foliar feeding sounds like a sure way to improve alfalfa yield and quality. Foliar feeding is not a new technique or method of fertilizing. It is accomplished by spraying the crop canopy with a solution containing one or more nutrients. It is a very effective method of getting small amounts of a nutrient into the crop. Here are some points to remember about foliar feeding your alfalfa. 1. There must be a lot of leaves present to intercept the spray in order for a significant amount of the fertilizer to be taken in by the crop. Consequently: a) There is little or no value to spraying a fertilizer solution on the crop right after it has been cut for harvest. b) If there is a good canopy then there probably isn't a nutrient deficiency. 2. Nutrients are only absorbed (taken in) by the plant when they are in solution (moist leaf surface). Once the solution dries, the fertilizer becomes a solid again and must be re-wet by dew in order for additional plant intake. Rain or irrigation will wash the foliar application off. As a result, only a small amount of any nutrient will be taken in by the plant. Deficiencies of phosphorus and potassium will only temporarily be corrected. 3. Micronutrient fertilization by foliar feeding can be effective in getting the small amount of these nutrients required into the plant. However, the micronutrients generally are not translocated in the plant and thus periodic spraying would be required. Foliar feeding will rarely improve alfalfa yield or
quality in Oklahoma because micronutrients are seldom if ever deficient, and phosphorus
and potassium are more effectively supplied by the more conventional soil applications.
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| Gordon V. Johnson, Nutrient Management Specialist Department of Plant and Soil Sciences Oklahoma State University |
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