- Author: Daniel H Putnam
Each day it's important to value the folks around you.
This week, Dr. Larry Teuber passed away after a long courageous battle with cancer. Larry started as an Assistant Professor in at UC Davis on December 7, 1977 and his appointment continued until his last day. He had his boots on. He was the alfalfa breeder and geneticist for alfalfa at UC Davis, and director of the California Crop Improvement Association.
Larry was instrumental in contributing to the plant breeding of alfalfa, having released numerous key non-dormant alfalfa germplasm sources which have been used by private companies, and, more recently, several widely-grown alfalfa varieties: UC Impalo WF and UC...
- Author: Michelle Leinfelder-Miles
In a blog entry last March, I introduced a study I am conducting to assess the effect of surface water quality on soil salinity of alfalfa fields in the south Delta. This blog revisits that project and describes what was learned in the first year. The objective of this work is to gain knowledge on the leaching fraction being achieved and how surface water quality and rainfall affect leaching. The knowledge to be gained will assist growers with salinity management.
As a forage crop, the marketed product of alfalfa is the vegetation, or alfalfa hay. Hay yields are directly related to crop water use. As crop water use increases, generally so does alfalfa...
- Author: Daniel H Putnam
Please join us for a field day coming up soon. We will heavily feature irrigation management issues, which are key to alfalfa producers in this drought year, but also a range of pest management and crop management issues.
PCA and CCA Credits are offered.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014, Davis, CA (12 Noon through 4:15)
Grains Field Day is 8:30 through noon *(see website for details)
Location: UC Davis Agronomy Field Headquarters, Hutchison Road, Davis, CA
This field day features research on the UC Davis campus including alfalfa varieties, new weed control methods, control of aphids and other pests,...
- Author: Daniel H Putnam
- Author: steve orloff
A friend sent me these photos from an alfalfa field near the Merced area in California's Central Valley. Can you diagnose what this is?
We're not 100% sure what it is, but have a pretty good idea- and have provided a view at the end of this blog - but see if you can diagnose this yourself.
Here are a few hints:
- Symptoms appeared several weeks ago, in February/March, 2014
- This field had been irrigated twice during winter time due to the drought this year, followed by late Feb early March rains
- These are quite heavy clay-loam soils
- The pH of the soil is rather high, probably 7.5 to 8.2
- Symptoms were generally widespread...
- Author: Larry Godfrey
- Author: Vonny Barlow
Blue alfalfa aphid (BAA) populations have again been seen in southern and central California including locations in the Imperial, Palo Verde, Antelope, and San Joaquin Valleys (see Peter Goodell blog from 16 January 2014). In many locations, this was even an earlier build-up than observed in 2013. There are many theories and rumors as to what is causing this BAA population build-up. The “bottom-line” is that we do not know conclusively and research needs to be done to determine the reasons for this. The goal is to put together the resources (funding and personnel) to study this situation in a reasonable period of time. In the short-term, management practices will need to be developed to get through this situation until more...