Critical Issues and Projects

There are a number of critical issues that require research and are of strong interest to alfalfa producers. While the Foundation is open to any creative idea that may impact alfalfa producers, below are several topics which appear to be of interest. While this list is not comprehensive, these may include:

  • Crop Production
    • Irrigation Management (scheduling, improving water use efficiency)
    • Irrigation Technology (better sprinkler or flood systems, drip irrigation)
    • Harvest Scheduling (Cutting Cycle Effects on yield and quality)
    • Harvest Management (Conditioning, machinery, traffic, technology)
    • Fertilizers and Crop Nutrition (Use of N, P, K, micronutrients, manures)
    • Stand Establishment (timing, method, seed treatments, tillage)
    • Variety Testing (variety X environment X management)
    • Genetics and Variety Development (breeding, gene editing, pest and saility, drought resistance)
    • Salinity Management (Techniques to manage salinity, soil treatments)
    • Alfalfa Grass mixtures (seeding patterns, varieties timing)
    • Organic Alfalfa (methods to produce organic alfalfa)
  • Pest Management
    • Weed Management (during establishment and in-season weed control)
    • Insect Management (old and new pests, economic thresholds, new options)
    • Disease management (fungicides, seed treatments, in-season)
    • Nematode Management (stem and root knot nematode)
    • Rodent Management (gopher, squirrel, vole management techniques
  • Economics
    • Cost Studies (crop value, controlling costs)
    • Behavior of Markets (relationship of quality to markets, price)
    • Export Markets (opportunities, methods)
    • Market Standardization
  • Alfalfa Utilization
    • Forage Quality Measurements (Testing new methods to measure quality)
    • Standardizing Laboratories for quality measurement
    • Animal Response (Ration balancing, alfalfa in TMR, dairy feeding studies)
    • Grazing Management (options for alfalfa/grass, mixes and roations, timing, bloat)
    • Alfalfa for Horses (testing criteria, crop management for horses)
    • Alfalfa for human food (extraction of protein, other applications
    • Industrial Options (phytochemicals, biofuels, other applications)
  • Environmental
    • Wildlife Interactions with Alfalfa (documenting value to wildlife habitat, enhancing value)
    • Crop Rotation, Cropping Systems (effect of alfalfa on N and benefits to other crops)
    • GMO Adaptation (GMO-conventional coexistence, impacts on environment)
    • Soil Health: Crop Rotation, soil conservation, tilth, tillage)
    • Alfalfa Environmental Impacts (offsite movement of pesticides, water)
    • Alfalfa – Nitrogen Interactions (N2 fixation, efforts to control NO3 pollution, manures in alfalfa)
    • Alfalfa and Life Cycle Analysis (energy, greenhouse gas, other impacts)
  • Regulation
    • Air and Water Pollution (positive and negative influences of alfalfa systems)
    • Issues Associated with Pesticides (approvals, registration)
    • Water Regulation and impacts on Alfalfa
    • Water Transfers & Economics