Most of the Nitrogen requirements for this hay production is fixed by the Nitrogen fixing rhizobia (the active ingredient) in HiStick inoculants. The alfalfa draws the remaining small portion of its nitrogen source from residual soil nitrogen in the soil profile.

The nitrogen fixed by HiStick is a unique bargain as a production input.  Here is how to calculate the cost.  First, take the cost of your alfalfa HiStick bag and divide the cost by fifty, since the bag treats fifty pounds of seed.  This gives you the HiStick cost to treat one pound of seed. Then multiply that cost by your per acre seeding rate.  That will give you the cost per acre for one year.  Then divide that cost by your expected life of stand, say four years. Now you have your pro rated cost, or cost/acre/year.  Now consider this low cost for the amount of nitrogen fixed at the various ton yield levels (See nutrient table) a real in-put bargain for a critical fertility factor!

New Generation "Sterile Inoculant"
Old line Alfalfa inoculants are available as preinoculated seed or grower applied material such as peat based inoculants.  All these inoculants are "Non-Sterile" because the carriers they contain are not purified by a sterilization process. Contaminants in these products dilute their strength, shorten shelf life, and reduce effectiveness.  HiStick is produced by a purificationn process that eliminates contaminants, making it a "Sterile" inoculant.   Being sterile, HiStick can guarantee a uniquely high Rhizobium (active ingredient) content and a two year shelf life.  In fact HiStick's active ingredient content is twenty times that of the leading non-sterile brand inoculants.  Inoculant strength per seed pays off in yield performance.

Convenient to Use - Works with All Planters and Aerial Applicators
HiStick has a patented BUILT-IN sticker that allows dry or slurry application to seek.   HiStick clings to seed and will not build up at the bottom of your planter, it works in all types of planting equipment and can be aerially applied.

Unique Patented Safener
HiStick's built-in safener encapsulates the inoculant and protects it from alfalfa seed treatments such as metalaxyl. The built-in safener is another unique HiStick performance benefit that distinguishes HiStick from less effective inoculants.

What is Effective Inoculation
All legumes associate with Rhizobium bacteria to form nitrogen fixing root nodules.   Inoculation is the process of applying these bacteria to the seed, and is normally carried out just prior to planting. This ensures that sufficient numbers of an efficient strain are delivered in a viable form to the seed, thus resulting in effective nodulation of the crop and high levels of nitrogen fixation during the life of the stand.

Some alfalfa seed is pre-inoculated (inoculated some months prior to planting), but this process only delivers relatively low numbers of Rhizobium to each seed (0-1000). Pre-inoculated seed should therefore be inoculated with HiStick prior to planting to enhance yields (see data tables).  HiStick's guaranteed strength delivers more than 70,000 Rhizobium cells to each seed, a deluxe rate for maximum nitrogen fixation and yields.  Following is data demonstrating HiStick's yield enhancement compared to pre-inoculated seed only.

1995-96 HiStick Alfalfa Inoculation Trial
Dr. Gerald W. Evers, Forage Management Research
Texas A&M University, Overton Research and Extension Center
Overton, Texas
Influence of inoculation on Alfalfa seedling weight, N content, and nodulation (5 months after planting), and yield at first harvest

Three Application Methods

1.  In closed planting equipment such as drills, HiStick may be applied to raw or pre-inoculated Alfalfa seed dry.  Simply layer HiStick and the seed in the drill and mix thoroughly so that each seed is treated.

2.   In open, free-falling planting systems such as aerial seeding, HiStick's built-in sticker must be maximized by slurry applying HiStick.  In this rapid method, 1.0-1.5 pints of water are used with HiStick for each 50 lb bag of alfalfa seed (see label).   Mixing and dry down is fast.  Once seeds are treated, STOP, do not overmix.

3.  Hydro seeding is the method of seeding alfalfa through a fertilizer/lime solution.   This method is very harsh on the seed and the inoculant.  To give greatest assurance of maintaining seed germination and inoculant viability, you should:

A.  Double inoculate with HiStick.
B.  Ensure that the solution is alkaline, neutral or absolutely no lower than pH5.0 Lower pH's are destructive to the inoculant.
C.  Apply the fertilizer/lime/seed/inoculant solution as soon as possible (within 2-3 hours)

Application
If the HiStick pack feels hard, it is because the hermetically-sealed inner bag has formed a vacuum.  This is normal; the pack should be slit open and worked gently with the hands to disperse the contents.   The 14-oz. unit treats up to 150 lbs. of Alfalfa seed.

Precautions
Always read the label instructions on the bag.

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