Control In Alfalfa, Start With Progeny To Achieve Potato Leafhopper ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff LANDISVILLE (Lancaster Co.) Female potato leaf hoppers can certainly do a lot of alfalfa damage. But the true worry, according to an entomologist, is the female progeny. The offspring produced by the female leafhoppers, especially the last two weeks before har vest, are “really going to cause David Wagner, Penn State precision ag specialist, at tank, spoke about spray liabili ties at the field day Thursday. you trouble,” noted Art Hower. Hower, along with Marvin Hall, Penn State forage special ist, spoke Thursday morning to about 70 crop advisers, field managers, agriproducts repre sentatives, and other agri industry representatives. The representatives attended the Penn State- sponsored Field Crop Pest Management Field Day at the Landisville Research Center. On a 35- to 42-day harvest al falfa stand, the last two weeks are critical damage times. Leaf hopper nymphs, developing fe males, and late instar nymphs can create the most damage. The third or fourth instar is when damage “really turns on you,” said Hower. Hower and Hall spoke about the new breed resistance factors to the leafhoppers developed by several companies. Greatest resistance is about 50 percent on today’s varieties on the market. Next spring, accord ing to Hall, varieties with 75-80 percent resistance will be avail able. With the new varieties, there is no downside on yield, Hall Marvin Hall, Penn State forage crop specialist, provided a model of the potato leafhopper and spoke about leaf hopper damage to alfalfa. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 15, 2000-A2l noted. There is no difference in palatability between non resistant and leafhopper resis tant varieties. The leafhopper is a tiny green insect which jumps when dis turbed. Alfalfa plants “yellow” (Turn to Pag* A 22)
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