Md. FOREST HILL, Md. Far mers in Harford County and throughout much of the central Maryland area are reporting alfal fa fields have declined dramatical ly over the winter. According to Reg Traband, Harford County agricultural agent, many alfalfa fields which were in prime condition early last year and top producers of quality hay now have many missing and dead alfalfa plants. Meanwhile, volunteer grasses and weeds have invaded these fields. Traband discussed the problem with an extension agronomist at the University of Maryland. He relates that die problem began during excessively wet periods last year. At that time, alfalfa was subject to epidemic disease inva sion. Diseases which attack alfalfa are present at low levels much of the time. But, when the weather is very wet, they become serious and overwhelm the alfalfa to the point where plants become weak and cannot survive. Diseases which take their toll are root rot, leaf spot, and black stem spot. Traband noted that alfalfa plants weakened by these diseases in 1989 have failed to OVERWHELMING DEMAND WAYNE HERSHEY AND JIM TEMPLIN FROM HERSHEY EQUIPMENT UNLOAD CAGE WIRE AT THE KEN BLEACHER FARM IN MILLERSVILLE, PA Buj Dutchman. PPi* 1- ■ ‘ I t * tM> * jM% Alfalfa Yields Down survive the winter and regrow this spring. Now farmers will be making decisions, according to Traband. If the alfalfa field has declined to the point that hay making is not economical, turning the field to com for the current growing sea son is one choice. Some producers will elect to take the first alfalfa harvest during May and then plant com for harvest late this growing season. It isn’t possible to plant more alfalfa seed into an already exist ing alfalfa field. Due to competi tion, new seed just cannot sprout and grow, to produce a dense stand of hay suitable for maintaining and harvesting. According to Traband, the nor mal rotation of crops in a field include alfalfa hay for several years, followed by one to several years of com, then either soybeans or small grain followed by more alfalfa. Such a rotation of crops can encompass up to 10 years for an individual field. Alfalfa is the highest quality forage grown by local fanners. It is used as feed for both cattle and horses. With good management, field of alfalfa can be expected to Hhey equipment COMPANY, INC. 1 Ditigmn «f QmlHy SyitiMi f»r Pwiltfy, Swim md Onin Hindling produce from five to eight years. Annual yield goals are in the range of five tons of hay per acre annually. Of course this is a goal and may not be realized since alfalfa, like all hay crops, is sub ject to being rained on while the crop is being harvested. When this happens, the quality and quantity of the crop will be diminished dra matically even to the point of the entire harvest for that period being completely lost Typically, an alfalfa field will be harvested four and sometimes five times during the growing sea son. However, Traband noted, when near-disasters occur as with the situation now, this reduces the yield potential and life of any alfalfa field. . ROPE IN SOME EXTRA CASH! Advertise With A Lancaster Farming CLASSIFIED AD... Phone: 717-394-3047 or 717-626-1164 DUE TO OVERWHELMING DEMAND, BIG DUTCHMAN TRUCKS ARE BUSY MAKING DELIVERIES OF EQUIPMENT. DRIVER, RAY MOYER, ARRIVES IN PENNSYLVANIA WITH ANOTHER LOAD. Big Dutchman offers the important features that make a cage system work better and last longer. SYCAMORE IND. PARK 255 PLANE TREE DRIVE LANCASTER, PA 17603 (717)393-5807 (Conllnuad from Pago E 4) fertilizer through main irrigation lines into plant ‘ ‘zones, ’ ’ or specif ic areas of the plot, show promis ing results in providing better delivery of chemical fertilizer to plants. Several studies Dr. Clyde Dowler, research agronomist with the USDA at Tif ton, and others are working with several companies, including Val mont Industries and Lockwood Manufacturing Company, on con ducting several types of studies of fertigation systems. “Injector pumps put the chemi cal into irrigation lines,” Dowler Route 30 West at the Centerville Exit. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 5,1990-E5 ‘Fertigation’ said. “In some ways, this provides a better system than a conventional system.” In mid-April, the team was working on a com fertigation prog ram that will place soluable potas sium at the root zone of com. Applications include up to SO pounds of potassium per acre. Manufacturers of the injector systems with the Tifton test project include Inject-O-Meter, Milton- Roy, and Pulsafeeder. The most simple fertigation applicator is a “hozon,” accord ing to D.C. Sanders, professor and extension specialist at North Car olina State University. In a paper, “Drip Fertigation Systems,” San ders mentions the hozon “venturi units,” which are available in /‘various sizes up to 2 inches in diameter” for applications on plots of one-half acre or less. “Venturi sucks fertilizer solu tion out of a tank by differential pressure created in the venturi,” Sanders wrote. Sanders notes other types of pumps that can be used for injection of fertilizer. “Small elec trical pumps are also used,” he wrote. “They must be calibrated and require electric power to the field.” Filters should also be used to make sure pump lines are not clogged by dirt or debris. Accord ing to Sanders, “the principle of fertigation is one that brings much concern to new users and should be handled with care by even the experienced fertigator.” “The use of irrigation pays,” said Robinson. “We know it pays to do these things. The farmers wouldn’t continue to fertigate if it didn’t make them money.” Fencing Supply Headquarters 9-39-6-12V5... 10-47-6-12/2 TREATED WOODEN FENCE POSTS 3/ ”x4'/2 ”x6/2 ’ Long $3.99 Each Complete Line Of FENCE CHARGERS & ACCESSORIES Call For Details: HENRY B. HOOVER, INC. 1731 W. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 717-733-6593 AGWAY Simple applictor $79.95 $84.95
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