Protecting Your Lucerne Crops for Winter

When managed and cropped correctly, a stand of lucerne can last for three to five years. Prepare your crop to face the winter with these tips and help to ensure its survival.

Protecting your lucerne

When managed and cropped correctly, a stand of lucerne can last for three to five years. Here are some tips to help prepare your lucerne for winter and to ensure its survival.

Proper harvesting

• Height of cut: Lucerne must not be cut below six to seven centimetres, as this will impact regrowth. If lucerne is cut shorter than this, the harvesting machine can damage the crop and limit regrowth between each cut and for the following spring.
• Frequency of cutting: Wait four to six weeks between harvests, depending on the climate. Wait a minimum of four (in the south) to six weeks (in the north) to facilitate regrowth between each cut and in the spring.
• Let lucerne flower once a year: Lucerne renews its root stocks by flowering. By letting the lucerne flower once a year, it can produce enough nutrients to face the winter and regrow in the spring.
• Perform the last cut three to five weeks before the first frost: The last cut should be done three to five weeks before the first frost. This will protect regrowth in spring and help the transfer of energy stocks to the roots.

Evolution of growth and root reserves on the first growth (according to DEMARLY)

Source : ARVALIS

The top of the picture shows a good cut (7cm) and the bottom of the picture shows a bad one (3cm)

Source : Internal MAS Seeds®

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Spring fertiliser application

It is very important to manage fertilisation in a way that favours the perennity of your lucerne crop, in order to maximise your production potential. Of special note is potassium. This is a crucial element for the perennity of lucerne during regrowth. Lucerne needs 30 kg/ha of potassium per ton of dry matter produced.

Potassium

Calculate the potassium needs of your lucerne based on potential of the crop, a soil analysis and previous crop restitution.

Without any soil analysis, add:

• 150 kg/ha for a potential of 12 tons of dry matter/ha
• 300 to 350 kg/ha for a potential of 20 tons of dry matter/ha
• Sulfur-potassium has to be divided. For more than 200 kg/ha, add in two batches at spring.

Phosphorus

• Lucerne needs phosphorus with a high degree of bioavailability to develop well and preserve its roots system.
• Calculate the phosphorus needs of your lucerne based on a soil analysis and previous crop restitution.

If no soil analysis is available, add 70 to 80 kg/ha. Phosphorus should be added in spring when lucerne begins to grow again.

Sulphur (S)

• Lucerne needs 50 kg/ha of sulphur during regrowth in the spring.

*Source: Arvalis

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