Inoculants by Crop - JumpStart - Alfalfa/Sweetclover
Alfalfa has a high requirement for nutrients with many sources considering phosphate is the most limiting nutrient in alfalfa production. Approximately 15 pounds of P2O5 are removed with every ton of alfalfa harvested.
Phosphate is responsible for:
- Root development – crucial for recovery and over-winter survival as well as moisture and nutrient uptake from greater volumes of soil.
- Early crop development – plants require phosphate to get up and out of the ground as quickly as possible.
- Effective nodulation – phosphate is required for nodule formation and function in all pulse crops. Alfalfa can fix the majority of its nitrogen requirements but nitrogen fixation can not take place without access to phosphate.
- Energy storage and transfer – phosphate is required for photosynthesis and therefore for plant growth using the sun’s energy.
- Seed formation – phosphate is required as a structural component of seed if you are growing forages for seed.
- Stand recovery – a good supply of phosphate means your forage stands recover faster after cutting.
JumpStart Increases Phosphate Availability
JumpStart increases the availability of phosphate by forming a symbiotic relationship with the plant. The plant’s roots produce sugars that feed JumpStart while JumpStart solubilizes phosphate making it available for the plant to take up. Better phosphate availability means higher yields.
JumpStart Application
JumpStart is sold as a wettable powder that is mixed into water and applied to the seed prior to seeding.
JumpStart Application Rates for Alfalfa and Sweetclover
JumpStart 80 g (2.8 oz) |
JumpStart 400 g (14 oz) |
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Amount of seed treated |
100 kg |
220 lb |
500 kg |
1100 lb |
Recommended water volume |
2 litres (2 US quarts) |
10 litres (11 US quarts) |
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See the Inoculant Application Methods section for more information.
Better Nodulation and Nitrogen Fixation
Phosphate plays a critical role in nitrogen fixation and thereby enhances growth, yield and maturity in legumes. Research shows that adequate phosphate nutrition brings many benefits in legumes:
• More extensive root growth - provides greater opportunity for the development of nitrogen-fixing nodules.
• Faster development of active nodules - results in greater nitrogen fixation.
MultiAction Fertility
See TagTeam alfalfa/sweetclover section for more information on how JumpStart, the phosphate inoculant, is combined with Sinorhizobium meliloti, the Rhizobium species for alfalfa and sweetclover for even greater yields.
For more information on the unique features of JumpStart click on JumpStart.
