Pag* 16-Foraglng Around, Uncwter Farming, Saturday, April 18, 1998
MANAGING POTATO
LEAFHOPPER *
DR. DENNIS CALVIN
Penn State Entomologist
While some new alfalfa varieties
offer resistance to the potato
leafhopper, most varieties do not, so
managing leafhoppers remains very
important in producing alfalfa in
Pennsylvania.
As spring approaches, warm air
will begin to move into the northeast
and bring with it spring showers.
These spring showers that originate
in the Gulf of Mexico can also bring
the potato leafhopper.
The potato leafhopper is a migra
tory insect that overwinters in
states along the Gulf of Mexico. It
cannot survive the cold winter con
ditions in the northern United
States. In the spring, potato
leafhoppers wait for the right cli
matic conditions and then fly into
updrafts created by strong storm
systems developing in the Gulf of
Mexico. The insects are drawn into
the storm system and carried hun
dreds of miles north and eastward.
Computer simulations of storm
America's Alfalfa
Keeps Growing
with
Totals
The persistent
MULTI LEAF
There’s good reason why
Total +Z has such high yield
potential over long rotations
compared to other varieties
It has bred-m +Z seedling
resistance to P fiytopfithora and
Aphanomyces. high resistance
to five alfalfa diseases and
excellent wmterhardmess for
top yields in tough
conditions It features very
dark green color, high leaf-to
stem ratio and high quality
for extra value
Fall dormancy rating: 3.4
AMERICAS
art
genetic Wonders that Work
Pi. ROHRER & BRO, INC.
Smoketown, PA
Hours: Mon.-Frl. • AM to 5 PM
Saturday 8 AM to 12 Noon; Closed Sunday
movement have predicted that pota
to leafhoppers can move from the
Gulf of Mexico to Pennsylvania in as
little as five days.
By understanding this behavior
of the potato leafhopper, its arrival
into Pennsylvania can be anticipat
ed. In the spring, beginning around
late April, major storms form the
Gulf of Mexico begin to move north
and east into Pennsylvania. The
frequency and intensity of these
storm fronts influence the timing
and number of leafhoppers reaching
the northeast United States.
In years when few storms arrive
early, the arrival of lealhopper is
later and the numbers arriving are
lower, resulting in reduced pressure
from the insect. Under these condi
tions, only a few second cutting
alfalfa field typically need an insec
ticide application. However, the
numbers build up during the second
cutting and a greater number of
PH. 717-299-2571
Hesston Balers Model 545
The Hesston® 545
Special” lets you join the
growing group of livestock
producers who are using higl
moisture round bales to
conserve feed value while
reducing haytime weather
womes
Beefed-up drive.
The 545 pulls double duty
- it easily produces a 2,400-
pound high-moisture
silage bale or a 1,250-
pound dry bale That’s
because it comes with a
beefed-up drive system,
heavyweight suspension
and wide flotation tires to
tackle tough, wet crops
with ease
STOLTZFUS FARM SERVICE, INC.
Rts. 10 & 41, Cochranville, Pa
215-593-2407
ZIMMERMAN’S FARM SERVICE
School Road, Rt. 1, Bethel, Pa.
717-933-4114
D. W. OGG
Frederick, MD - 301-473-4250
Westminster, MD - 410-848-4585
HERNLEY’S FARM EQUIPMENT. INC.
2095 S. Market St., Elizabethtown, Pa
717-367-8867
third cutting field require an insecti
cide application.
In years when early spring
storms originating in the Gulf of
Mexico are frequent, potato leafhop
pers in general arrive earlier and
damage from the insect is greater.
Under these conditions, many sec
ond and third cutting alfalfa fields
require an insecticide application to
prevent damage.
As the second cutting of alfalfa
reaches about 2 to 4 inches in
height, scout the field once a week.
If a storm has just moved through
the area, there is a good chance that
new leafhoppers have moved into
the field. Arriving leafhoppers pre
fer the new regrowth before it takes
on the dark-blue green color of
maturing alfalfa.
The wavelengths of light reflected
from the young alfalfa plants that
are yellow-green is very attractive to
leafhoppers flying over the field. To
a leafhopper, this indicates that the
plant is succulent and rich in the
nutrients it needs for proper egg
development and growth and devel
opment.
Older plants have harder stems
and leaves and a lower protein con
tent. Besides proving a good diet for
the leafhopper, the younger plants
are more tender, making it easier for
females to penetrate to stem to
deposit their eggs in the stem.
or hay.
Wet or dry.
. >.
UMBERGER S OF FONTANA, INC.
RD 4, Box 545, Lebanon, Pa.
717-867-2613
Craig Elected
President
GRANTVILLE (Dauphin Co.) -
The board of directors of PFGC
elected Paul Craig as president at a
board meeting held at the 1998
Pennsylvania Grazing and Forage
Conference March 5 at the Holiday
Inn.
Craig has been involved in exten
sion work for a number of years,
most recently in Dauphin County
with responsibilities in agronomy,
dairy, and pesticide safety. He
serves on the Grazing Conference
Committee. Craig has been a long
time member of PFGC and is serv
ing his second three-year term on
the council.
Richard C. Hall also was re-elect
ed to the position of executive direc
tor of PFGC. He works part time in
his retirement for the Milton
Hershey School as director of special
projects.
Marvin Hall was re-elected as
executive vice president. Hall is on
the Agronomy extension staff at
Penn State. He has been involved
with PFGC for a number of years.
, tons/hour.
The larger starting roll and
:p groove dnve rolls have
;n specially designed for the
:tra residue of high-moisture
lalmg You can bale wet hay at
up to 23 tons an hour, dry at
up to 20 tons an hour
Stop by today and check
out the baler that’s built for
high-mositure work -
the 545 “Silage Special”
from Hesston
A I Nobody knows hay Hka
A HESSTON
's-K i
STANLEY S FARM SERVICE
RD 1, Box 46, Klingerstown, Pa.
717-648-2088
CJ. WONSIDLER BROS.
Finland Rd., Quakertown, PA
215-536-1935 / 215-536-7523
Rts. 309 & 100, New Tripoli, PA
610-767-7611