Not all are adapted to Montana. Varieties for the eastern two-thirds of Montana should possess strong winter hardiness plus resistance to bacterial wilt. Verticillium and fusarium wilt resistance should also be considered. Avoid seeding alfalfa immediately following alfalfa because disease may carry-over. Rotating to another crop for two years helps reduce alfalfa pests.
Seed represents only a small part of the expense of establishing a stand.
The extra money spent for certified seed will pay off over the life of the stand. When you buy certified seed, you receive guaranteed information on variety, content of weed seeds, purity and germination. The Montana Agricultural Experiment Station evaluates many public and private varieties for yield performance. A report on the yield performance and other agronomic characteristics is published annually and distributed to county Extension Service offices. Performance data on yield, winter and drought hardiness, disease and insect resistance and quality can be found in these publications.