BY JOYCE BUPP weaker and die.
Staff Correspondent in-bred resistance to ver-
YOKK. "It’s the best perennial uciUium will, accorduig to Baylor,
forage crop we have. No other crop j s the on j y feasible long term
we can grow will even touch its control ot the fungus. A crop
quality and yield in protein rotation plan, with a minimum ot
potential, plus it’s a good energy two years between altalfa crops, is
producing crop.” suggested to help decrease the
That’s what John Baylor, Penn available fungal inoculum, but other
State’s grassland specialist, has to plants, including red clover,
say about alfalfa. Canada thistle, shepherds purse
Baylor, one ot the area’s and yellow rocket can harbor the
foremost authorities on alfalfa fungus pathogens,
production, updated farmers at- One partial preventative is the
tending the York Dairy Day on use 0 t Thiram-treated seed,
results of continuing research on Tluram, when applied correctly
alfalfa -in cooperation with the and at proper dosage levels, will
Pennsylvania Alfalfa Growers no t interfere with the plants
Council. Modulation, should kill most fungi
As it altalfa growers didn’t have ln a i' o t 0 f se ed, and may delay the
enough worries, what with May - tungus’ introduction into a new
haymaking rains, and August field.
droughty spells, now another Seed treated with the non
threat may move mon them a sylemic fungicide Thiram wiif be
, disease known as verticifhum will, available to Pennsylvania farmers
Caused by a fungus, verticillium this year. Ot prune importance in
wilt has been a problem ot alfalfa evaluating the need tor treatment,
production for many years in oUier sa ys Baylor, is knowing where that
parts of the world. It prefers cool alfalfa,seed was produced,
summers, with temperatures Verticilhum will is known to be
ranging from 60 degrees to 70 present in seed fields in the states
degrees. And, while some 0 t Washington, Idaho and Oregon,
European alfalfa varieties have where it was first found in the
3 ® built in resistance to the fungus, continental U.B. live years ago.
they are less resistant to some ot However, the tungus is not present
our domestic diseases. In California and Nevada, where a
Early symptoms ot the wilt large percentage oLPennsylvama
mclude a yellow blotctuness ot marketed seed is grown,
leaflets on a single alfalfa stem. "Check seed labels,” warns
Yellow segments in a ‘V’-shape jtjuylor, adding that a farmer
term at the ups ot the leaflets, would be wise to use treated seed it
often turning pinkish-brown. jj e does not already have the
. Younger leaflets may curl upward, disease on his farm and.it tus seed
or inward, from the up or twist was nol produced in a verticilhum
along midrib to form a loose spiral. Wll t | re e area.
Leaves may die, turning a light- To date> t n e wdl has been
tan, while stems remain green and positively idenlilied only in central
erect. One less reliable symptom is Pennsylvania valleys,
a yellow-orange root. Diseased Altalfa growers also are warned
plants will gel progressively l 0 he on the alert tor leal miners, a
1 c
ids were
alum ut
is to the
i to begin,
diately.
lo get oil
- attests
the first
he cows
teed, and
tulk pail,
lage was
on, and
swhat by
e state's
, was the
rds and
Martin
Smyser,
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Verticillium wilt status highlights
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any, sucking, mtgiauag insect.
Baylor warned that the miners
may move in later this year, and
growersshould be on the alert and
"ready tor them." Weevils, a
devastating pest ot past years, is
not expected to pose a major
problem this growing season.
Baylor also highlighted yield
increases seen in four years ot on
tarm research trials run by the
Altalta Growers' Council. Intense
studies on research plots have
broadened previous knowledge ot
altalta cropping through
measuring yields, protein and
energy per acre, nutrient uptakes,
and more tirm data on actual costs
ot production
«yields on research tields are
taken from six samples per acre,
each sample the size of one
thousandth ot an acre. Plant
growth from each tiny sample plot
was tested tor moisture and
nutrient content. Further analysis
ot samples returned data on crude
protein ■ levels, acid detergent
fiber, total dependable nutrients in
the forage, and mineral uptake
Irani the soil.
Since 1977, average yields on the
top-producing trials climbed, from
5.5 ton per acre to a 1981 average ot
6.7 ton per acre. And the lop yield
m 1981 came out at a whopping 10.7
tuns to the acre.
But Baylor and his research
associates have tound that these
bumper yields ot altalfa draw
considerable quantities ot
nutrients out ot the soils, especially
phosphorus and potash.
Tests showed that averages ot
70-91 pounds ot phosphorus per
acre is taken troin the soils, and
between 350' to 400 pounds ot
potash.
But that’s just the average.
"The top producing acres look in
York alfalfa update
excess of 700 pounds of potash,"
adds Baylor, "and at least 400
pounds is needed to gel a job done
on others. ”
Trace mineral needs, while
relatively small in comparison to
the major nutrients, are never
theless critical to high alfalfa
output. Boron is a key one that
should be applied annually, since
the level of this vital trace element
seems to be generally on the low
side.
Another important trace mineral
is sulfur. While data has not yet
shown that to be greatly deficient,
Baylor still suggests many Penn
sylvania fields may need a sulfur
boost for the greatest yields.
Keeping pace with yield in
creases has been_ the cost ot
production, climbing at the rate ot
some 14 percent annually. In 1977,
average cost on an acre came to
$174, but has mushroomed to an
estimated $262 tor 1982.
"Only three percent ot that cost
is tor seed,” notes the agronomist.
Potato processors need license
Washington, L).(J. -As oFJan. 1,
processuig tirms that buy potatoes
grown within the state in which the
firms are located must obtain a
license under the Perishable
Agricultural Commodities Act, a
federal law administered by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Charles Brader, a marketing
official with USDA’s Agricultural
Marketing iJenvice, said an
amenslmeaLapproved by Congress
in November 1978 requires all
processing tirms that purchase
potatoes-regardless ot where they
obtain their supplies-to be licensed
RIGGS
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Box 98
Boswell, PA 15531
PH: 814-629-5621
incaster Farming, Saturday, February 27,1982—A25
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1818 Grain Bin. 4173 Bushel Capacity
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DRYERS
Name
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"So seed’s a poor place to cut
costs. Get the best seed you can. 1 '
Top alfalfa growers m the 4-year
testing period used 11 dilferent
varieties, somewhat dependent on
' the soils with which they were
working. Most soils in the trials
were ot limestone origin, although
a tew were shale. Fertilizer went
on according to soil test recom
mendations. Since most of the
trials were run on livestock-
oriented predominately dairy
farms, ample quantities of manure
went on the acreage while in corn
rotation.
The lop producer in 1981 double
cropped his alfalfa planting in
oats, but most used spring-seeding
alone with chemical weed control.
Insect control at planting hinged
largely on the use of Furadan.
Four cuttings is a must tor
harvesting the greatest alfalfa
potential, with a handful of the
growers wedging in a fifth harvest.
First cut came at bud stage, with
successive cuts at intervals ot 36,
39 and 43 days.
under the act. Previously, some ot
these tirms were not required to be
licensed under PACA.
The PAC Act establishes a code
ot good business conduct tor the
produce industry, Brader said. It
provides tor damages to be paid by
those who tail to meet their con
tractual obligations in buying and
selling tresh and trozen truits and
vegetables.
License applications may be
obtained trom Regulatory Branch,
Fruit and Vegetable Division,
AMS, USDA, Washington, D.C.
20250.
> \ **
*• r
BUTLER^
(Include area code)