- Author: Rachael Freeman Long
- Author: Dan Putnam
Put on that jacket! This winter has been cold and dry, and many of our crops have felt it, including almonds, but also alfalfa! Fortunately, alfalfa has a high degree of tolerance but yields can also be reduced due to frost.
Frost Damage. We had record high temperatures in early February (near 80oF) followed by record lows (27oF on Feb 24, CIMIS data, Davis site). This caused some frost damage to alfalfa fields in many areas of the San Joaquin and the Sacramento Valley, with tip burn and dieback in the upper canopy.
Established alfalfa has good frost tolerance and will readily regrow once the weather warms. Harvest may be delayed by a week or two, depending...
- Author: Rachael Freeman Long
- Author: Thomas Getts
It's that time of year again to watch for those evil alfalfa weevils! Weevils are key pests of alfalfa, causing yield and quality losses mainly to the first alfalfa hay cutting. The alfalfa weevil complex includes the Western, Egyptian, and Eastern strains that are all likely the same species (Hypera postica). Each year, growers throughout the country deal with this devastating pest. Telltale signs of weevil damage are small holes in the leaves of the new growth during the winter and spring, depending on field location. Damage is most severe in the first cutting, with large uncontrolled infestations potentially causing damage to the alfalfa regrowth under windrows within the second cutting.
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