- Author: Vonny M. Barlow
- Author: Peter B. Goodell
- Author: Larry Godfrey
The blue alfalfa aphid, Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji was first identified by entomologists in the spring of 1975 in the Imperial Valley of California. Since then it has become widespread throughout the state and has become established in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and as far east as Kansas and Oklahoma. Both adults and nymphs feed on photosynthetic fluids from the leaves and stems of the alfalfa plant. Low to moderate populations of blue alfalfa aphid may cause little to no visible yellowing of plants. Blue alfalfa aphid feed in the new growth, at the tips and young leaves. After prolonged feeding, leaves will eventually turn yellow, starting at the veins, leaves will curl and wilt, and turn necrotic...
- Author: Daniel H Putnam
Hang onto your hats - A decision by USDA yesterday paves the way for commercialization of the second genetically-engineered (GE) trait in alfalfa in 2015 – one with a quality feature.
Reduced Lignin in alfalfa may improve milk production per ton, and potentially allow growers to harvest later, increasing yields.
The USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has declared a “FONSI” – finding of no significant impact for the KK179 trait in alfalfa, which confers reduced lignin levels in the plant, effective 10 November, 2014.
This formally deregulates the low lignin GE...
- Author: Vonny M. Barlow
- Author: Larry Godfrey
Introduction
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has been cultivated in California since it was first introduced from Chile in 1850. Alfalfa yields can be reduced by several species of insects, such as leafhoppers in the genus Empoasca. These leafhoppers are highly polyphagous and capable of successful reproduction on over 200 plant species in 25 different families. In alfalfa hay in California there is a complex of three species of Empoasca leafhoppers (ELH) that are nearly identical in appearance and behavior. These include the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris), the garden leafhopper, Empoasca solana DeLong, and the Mexican leafhopper,...
/h3>- Author: Shannon C. Mueller
As promised, here is a link to the handouts and presentations from the Alfalfa and Forage Field Day held at the Kearney Ag Center on September 12th. You should find everything you need at http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/FieldDay/2014/KAC.aspx
We are collecting email addresses to create an electronic mailing list for meeting announcements. The cost of printing and mailing newsletters has become prohibitively expensive, so we are migrating to electronic delivery. The list will not be used to send information other than meeting-related announcements. If you didn't provide your email at the meeting and would like to be added to the list, please send...
- Author: Shannon C. Mueller
Current research and timely recommendations for producing alfalfa and forages will be covered during the annual Alfalfa and Forage Field Day at the Kearney Agriculture Research and Extension Center on Friday September 12. The program begins promptly at 8:00 AM and includes lunch and an afternoon field tour of Subsurface Drip Irrigation in Alfalfa.
The complete program can be downloaded at: http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu
A tram will take everyone to the field in the morning to view alfalfa and sorghum variety trials, forage and grain sorghum irrigation research plots, and an alfalfa-wheat rotation trial characterizing nitrogen...