—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 25, 1977
24
Alfalfa
[Continued from Page 1]
alfalfa is therefore
questionable,” be added,
“and don’t look for a good
situation next Spring
either.”
Baylor explained that
yields of seeds out West are
very low due to the
prolonged drought that area
has experienced. Only about
a fourth of the normal
irrigation water is available
for seed fields. Other seed
producing areas have had
dry spells as well, and those
regions where growing
conditions have been
favorable cannot make up
for the losses encountered
elsewhere.
A spokesman at a Lan
caster County - seed
dealership confirms
Baylor’s warning, adding
that the shortage will be
more acute with better
varieties. Some of the
cheaper grades are likely to
be available. The shortage is
a nationwide problem, the
spokesman added. '
Baylor and Shirk made
their remarks at a field
meeting held near here on
the Harold Ranck farm. A
second meeting was held
that evening at the Paniel
Stoltzfus farm near
Honeybrook. The purpose of
the meetings was to show
progress of various seed
varieties and management
practices. One of the more
recently developed
techniques to come up for
discussion was lime coating
of seeds. Baylor believes the
idea has merit and expresses
considerable interest in
continuing research on it.
Fifteen varieties of alfalfa
seed were available for the
farmers’ inspection, with
Baylor describing the
qualities of each.
A big part of the program
centered on alfalfa diseases
and pests. Baylor em
phasizes that anmracnose is
the most serious alfalfa
disease fanners have had to
cope with in recent years. It
is a high-temperature, high
moisture disease which
generally makes its first
appearance in late July or
August. Shirk pointed out
looking
that alfalfa has been plagued
by too much moisture in
many areas during the last
several years and therefore
sees the lack of excess
moisture so far this year as a
key factor in turning the crop
around.
Anthracnose is usually
discovered in newly seeded
fields first, although it may
be found in established
stands as well! The first sign
of destruction is when in
dividual stems die.
Three pests - weevils, leaf
hoppers and leaf miners -
came to the attention of the
farmers who attended the
meeting.
The leaf miner is more of a
problem in second and third
cuttings, says Baylor. The
more ideal conditions there
are for alfalfa, the less effect
any of the pests have on the
crop, the Penn Stater
commented. Although
aptuds are a problem in
some fields, they don’t pose a
threat under most con
ditions.
Questioned about spraying
programs, Baylor em
phasized that the economic
factors have to be taken into
consideration. That’s
especially true with leaf
miners. A thumb rule is that
if one leafhopper is caught
per two sweeps of the net,
spraying is justifiable.
The time of spray ap
plications is determined by
results of sweeping for bugs.
Again, the thumb rule is to
spray when regrowth is four
to six inches tall. Baylor
pointed out, however, that
optimum spraying times
vary for different species of
bugs. To get rid of them
economically requires some
compromising on
scheduling.
Baylor noted that weevils
are the predominant bug
problem in first cutting
alfalfa; while miners and
leaf hoppers come later. A
compromised spraying
schedule would perhaps
catch weevils and miners on
the first pass, and miners
and leaf hoppers at a later
spraying.
“Please don’t treat new
[Continued on Page 25|
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Chester County farmers gather around a newly agronomist John Baylor led a program
established alfalfa stand on the Harold Ranck farm concentrated on diseases, weed control,
near Russellville. Penn State's Extension varieties and hay preservation.
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