Showing posts with label alfalfa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alfalfa. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Lab Seeks Farmers to Order or Apply Worms to Fight Alfalfa Snout Beetle
From the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program:
The Shields Lab at Cornell University is asking farmers interested in ordering or applying the biocontrol nematodes (worms) proven successful for limiting the highly destructive alfalfa snout beetle to contact the Lab.
The lab can be reached at (607) 591-1493. Farmers should call before April 29 if they are planning to apply the nematodes before July 1.
The Shields Lab is also interested in talking with anyone interested in rearing the biocontrol nematodes as a business enterprise.
Farmers have the option to purchase a shipment of the biocontrol nematodes from the Shields Lab or to request assistance in rearing the nematodes themselves.
The cost to purchase the biocontrol nematodes from the Shields Lab is $26 per acre. Growers using their own labor to rear the biocontrol nematodes may reduce the cost to about $15 per acre.
Applications must be made by Sept. 1. The April 29 ordering date from the Lab includes the opportunity for a 10 percent discount for delivery for application by June 15. A 10 percent discount will be provided to participants paying upon delivery.
The Shields Lab recommends applying the nematodes to alfalfa fields in the seeding or first production year for best economic impact.
The Shields Lab plans to discontinue its rearing of the nematodes by 2021.
"Alfalfa snout beetle will remain a potential threat as long as alfalfa is grown in the region, so we are also very interested in assisting anyone interested in rearing these biocontrol nematodes as a business enterprise so this control agent remains available to Northern New York farmers after 2021," sadi Cornell entomologist Elson Shields.
With long-term funding by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, Shields and Cornell University Research Support Specialist Tony Testa developed a complete understanding of the life cycle of alfalfa snout beetle and created the science-based, field-tested protocol for using a combination of two species of native New York nematodes to control the beetle.
Their guide to rearing and applying the biocontrol nematodes is online at www.nnyagdev.org
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Homer Farm Honored With Ag Environmental Management Award
E-Z Acres in Cortland County has won the state's top environmental award – the 2015 Agricultural
Environmental Management Award.
Each year, the award honors the outstanding efforts of a farm to protect soil and water quality. E-Z Acres Farm , located near Homer, and its owner Mike McMahon were recognized for its environmental ethics, progressive production practices and community service work.
The honor was presented during a ceremony at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls. Also honored was the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The McMahon family operates a 680-cow dairy farm on 2,500 acres of land in the Skaneateles Lake watershed. To support their dairy operation, they also raise corn, alfalfa, and grass hay crops.
As early adopters of the principles of agricultural environmental management, E-Z Acres farm has implemented several conservation practices that have also increased productivity.
The farm has replaced the traditional alfalfa-corn silage rotation with intensive grasses, which enhances soil conservation while also benefiting dairy herd health.
With E-Z Acres’ land resting over Cortland County’s sole-source aquifer, the McMahons are also dedicated to quarterly monitoring of the water quality through stream and well testing.
In addition, the farm uses a monitoring system and liner for the farm’s three million gallon manure storage, cover cropping of corn silage fields annually, and precision feed management to protect soil health. The farm has also taken energy efficiency measures by replacing lighting with energy efficient fixtures throughout the farm.
“I’m humbled to receive this esteemed award," McMahon said. "At McMahon’s E-Z Acres, it’s about doing things right and not about doing it for the awards. Like many in our business, we believe if we take care of the environment, the environment will take care of us.”
The McMahons were the first animal welfare-approved farm in New York State and have been leaders in the community representing the farm and the agriculture industry’s interests.
E-Z Acres hosts several annual community events, including an annual Farm Field Day for Cortland County fifth graders and a Cornell University farm management class. They also partner with the Syracuse Rotary Club to provide farm tours for low-income families.
The farm has worked closely with the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District, which provides technical assistance to advance agricultural environmental management practices within the county.
Each year, the award honors the outstanding efforts of a farm to protect soil and water quality. E-Z Acres Farm , located near Homer, and its owner Mike McMahon were recognized for its environmental ethics, progressive production practices and community service work.
The honor was presented during a ceremony at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls. Also honored was the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The McMahon family operates a 680-cow dairy farm on 2,500 acres of land in the Skaneateles Lake watershed. To support their dairy operation, they also raise corn, alfalfa, and grass hay crops.
As early adopters of the principles of agricultural environmental management, E-Z Acres farm has implemented several conservation practices that have also increased productivity.
The farm has replaced the traditional alfalfa-corn silage rotation with intensive grasses, which enhances soil conservation while also benefiting dairy herd health.
With E-Z Acres’ land resting over Cortland County’s sole-source aquifer, the McMahons are also dedicated to quarterly monitoring of the water quality through stream and well testing.
In addition, the farm uses a monitoring system and liner for the farm’s three million gallon manure storage, cover cropping of corn silage fields annually, and precision feed management to protect soil health. The farm has also taken energy efficiency measures by replacing lighting with energy efficient fixtures throughout the farm.
“I’m humbled to receive this esteemed award," McMahon said. "At McMahon’s E-Z Acres, it’s about doing things right and not about doing it for the awards. Like many in our business, we believe if we take care of the environment, the environment will take care of us.”
The McMahons were the first animal welfare-approved farm in New York State and have been leaders in the community representing the farm and the agriculture industry’s interests.
E-Z Acres hosts several annual community events, including an annual Farm Field Day for Cortland County fifth graders and a Cornell University farm management class. They also partner with the Syracuse Rotary Club to provide farm tours for low-income families.
The farm has worked closely with the Cortland County Soil and Water Conservation District, which provides technical assistance to advance agricultural environmental management practices within the county.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
New Alfalfa from Cornell University Combats Pests
This information is from Cornell University:
Dairy
and other livestock farmers in the northern U.S. have three new alfalfa
options this growing season – all pioneered by Cornell University
researchers as a way to combat devastating pests, increase yields and
improve forage quality.
Developed by Donald Viands, a professor of plant breeding and genetics in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University, along with senior research associate Julie Hansen, and research support specialist Jamie Crawford, these new varieties were grown in Cornell greenhouses and tested for resistance in farm fields across the state.
“The broader implications on agriculture revolve mostly around livestock producers, especially in the dairy industry, being able to economically produce forage for feed,” Viands said. “Higher forage yield and quality, combined with multiple disease and insect resistances, enable forage to be produced more economically, thus enhancing economic vitality of livestock operations.”
The first variety, SW 9558SBR, provides resistance to the alfalfa snout beetle, which can cripple root systems. Viands said this project was a collaborative effort among plant scientists Elson Shields and Tony Testa in the Department of Entomology at Cornell, extension educators and farmers.
In trials, researchers have found this variety provides a half-ton increase in yield per acre.
The developers said seed companies are interested in selling SW 9558SBR to combat the snout beetle following a dramatic increase in the insect’s population over the past decade. The alfalfa snout beetle, currently confined to northern New York state, has the ability to spread to surrounding states and Canada.
“It’s easy to overlook this problem,” said Hansen. “Beetles burrow in hay bales and if only one insect gets transported, populations can grow rapidly.”
A second new alfalfa variety, SW 315LH, combats the potato leafhopper – an insect Hansen called “the most furious pest on alfalfa in all of North America.” The pest does not overwinter but arrives each year from the south carried by early spring thunderstorms. While the insect is found throughout the central and northern United States, Hansen said SW 315LH is the first potato leafhopper-resistant variety of alfalfa that is well-adapted for New York.
The third variety, SW 215CR, is geared to bolstering New York’s alfalfa cultivation and is the culmination of a project spearheaded by the late Royse Murphy, professor emeritus of plant breeding. This “creeping rooted” variety helps alfalfa grow in adverse conditions because its root system swells and grows laterally.
“Creeping rooted is not really a new trait, but Murphy successfully bred it into Northeast conditions,” said Viands. “This variety will be effective in New York state and surrounding states, building pasture longevity.”
All varieties are available to farmers through the New York-based seed company Seedway, with limited availability of SW 315LH and SW 215CR this spring. Seeds are available to farmers throughout the northern United States and may be made available to Canadian farmers in the future.
Hansen said the team has had early feedback indicating both higher yields and healthier plants.
“The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is unique for doing this type of work,” said Viands. “Through collaboration with researchers, extension educators and farmers, we can help advance the land-grant mission throughout the state.”
These varieties have been ongoing, collaborative projects for years and are funded primarily by Federal Hatch Funds through the Cornell University Agriculture Experiment Station as well as the Northern New York Agriculture Development Program and New York Farm Viability Institute.
 |
| Alfalfa snout beetle |
Developed by Donald Viands, a professor of plant breeding and genetics in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University, along with senior research associate Julie Hansen, and research support specialist Jamie Crawford, these new varieties were grown in Cornell greenhouses and tested for resistance in farm fields across the state.
“The broader implications on agriculture revolve mostly around livestock producers, especially in the dairy industry, being able to economically produce forage for feed,” Viands said. “Higher forage yield and quality, combined with multiple disease and insect resistances, enable forage to be produced more economically, thus enhancing economic vitality of livestock operations.”
The first variety, SW 9558SBR, provides resistance to the alfalfa snout beetle, which can cripple root systems. Viands said this project was a collaborative effort among plant scientists Elson Shields and Tony Testa in the Department of Entomology at Cornell, extension educators and farmers.
In trials, researchers have found this variety provides a half-ton increase in yield per acre.
The developers said seed companies are interested in selling SW 9558SBR to combat the snout beetle following a dramatic increase in the insect’s population over the past decade. The alfalfa snout beetle, currently confined to northern New York state, has the ability to spread to surrounding states and Canada.
“It’s easy to overlook this problem,” said Hansen. “Beetles burrow in hay bales and if only one insect gets transported, populations can grow rapidly.”
A second new alfalfa variety, SW 315LH, combats the potato leafhopper – an insect Hansen called “the most furious pest on alfalfa in all of North America.” The pest does not overwinter but arrives each year from the south carried by early spring thunderstorms. While the insect is found throughout the central and northern United States, Hansen said SW 315LH is the first potato leafhopper-resistant variety of alfalfa that is well-adapted for New York.
The third variety, SW 215CR, is geared to bolstering New York’s alfalfa cultivation and is the culmination of a project spearheaded by the late Royse Murphy, professor emeritus of plant breeding. This “creeping rooted” variety helps alfalfa grow in adverse conditions because its root system swells and grows laterally.
“Creeping rooted is not really a new trait, but Murphy successfully bred it into Northeast conditions,” said Viands. “This variety will be effective in New York state and surrounding states, building pasture longevity.”
All varieties are available to farmers through the New York-based seed company Seedway, with limited availability of SW 315LH and SW 215CR this spring. Seeds are available to farmers throughout the northern United States and may be made available to Canadian farmers in the future.
Hansen said the team has had early feedback indicating both higher yields and healthier plants.
“The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is unique for doing this type of work,” said Viands. “Through collaboration with researchers, extension educators and farmers, we can help advance the land-grant mission throughout the state.”
These varieties have been ongoing, collaborative projects for years and are funded primarily by Federal Hatch Funds through the Cornell University Agriculture Experiment Station as well as the Northern New York Agriculture Development Program and New York Farm Viability Institute.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Researchers Unveil New Alfalfa Variety that Resists Snout Beetle
News from Cornell University:
Cornell University plant breeders have released a new alfalfa variety with some resistance against the alfalfa snout beetle, which has ravaged alfalfa fields in nine northern New York counties and across the St. Lawrence River in Canada.
There are no other known alfalfa snout beetle infestations in North America, but the pesky beetle has been spreading. The snout beetle’s larvae feed on and damage the alfalfa plant’s roots, limiting yields for this major livestock feed.
“We are the only ones who can work on [this pest], because it is so regional,” said Don Viands, professor of plant breeding and genetics and director of the Forage Breeding Project.
The new resistant cultivar, called Seedway 9558 SBR, has been in development since 2003, along with six other populations. But Seedway 9558 SBR has provided the most resistance while also maintaining the highest yields.
On a scale of one to five, where one represents little to no root-feeding damage and five is severe root-feeding damage, Seedway 9558 SBR scored a 2.9.
“This initial variety is better than anything else, but we feel we can still do better,” Viands said. “We are trying to get a variety that is at least twice as good as this one.”
For effective control, the resistant alfalfa should be planted with a larvae-killing nematode that has been studied and released by Elson Shields, professor of entomology, said Viands.
“We are making significant progress in developing resistance, but it has been very slow,” Viands said. The first-year base crop for Seedway 9558 SBR was 13 percent resistant, compared with 38 percent after seven cycles. “Normally it takes four to five cycles to develop resistance, but this [alfalfa snout beetle resistance] may have multiple genes, so it is taking time,” Viands added, noting that it is still unknown exactly what mechanism allows the plant to deter the beetles.
Cornell University plant breeders have released a new alfalfa variety with some resistance against the alfalfa snout beetle, which has ravaged alfalfa fields in nine northern New York counties and across the St. Lawrence River in Canada.
There are no other known alfalfa snout beetle infestations in North America, but the pesky beetle has been spreading. The snout beetle’s larvae feed on and damage the alfalfa plant’s roots, limiting yields for this major livestock feed.
“We are the only ones who can work on [this pest], because it is so regional,” said Don Viands, professor of plant breeding and genetics and director of the Forage Breeding Project.
The new resistant cultivar, called Seedway 9558 SBR, has been in development since 2003, along with six other populations. But Seedway 9558 SBR has provided the most resistance while also maintaining the highest yields.
On a scale of one to five, where one represents little to no root-feeding damage and five is severe root-feeding damage, Seedway 9558 SBR scored a 2.9.
“This initial variety is better than anything else, but we feel we can still do better,” Viands said. “We are trying to get a variety that is at least twice as good as this one.”
For effective control, the resistant alfalfa should be planted with a larvae-killing nematode that has been studied and released by Elson Shields, professor of entomology, said Viands.
“We are making significant progress in developing resistance, but it has been very slow,” Viands said. The first-year base crop for Seedway 9558 SBR was 13 percent resistant, compared with 38 percent after seven cycles. “Normally it takes four to five cycles to develop resistance, but this [alfalfa snout beetle resistance] may have multiple genes, so it is taking time,” Viands added, noting that it is still unknown exactly what mechanism allows the plant to deter the beetles.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Does Ice and Cold in Northern New York Harm Alfalfa?
From the Northern New York Cornell Cooperative Extension Field Crops Team:
Cornell Cooperative Extension offices in Northern New York have fielded several questions regarding ice and risk of winterkill in alfalfa recently.
It’s a good topic for discussion right now as much of the Northern New York landscape was covered with an inch or two of solid ice.
The ice coating outdoor surfaces in early January was the result of freezing rain and sleet that fell just a few days before Christmas.
The storm caused lots of immediate damage in the form of downed tree limbs and power outages and it continues to bruise knees, but many are now wondering if the ice also poses an additional risk to alfalfa.
Ice sheeting is associated with increased risk of winterkill in alfalfa, but the conditions now in the North Country are probably not likely to worsen winterkill and may actually be a protective feature for alfalfa.
Alfalfa is an enormously important perennial legume across Northern New York because of its high yield potential and high feed value for high-producing dairy cattle.
With proper management, alfalfa stands can last up to 5 years or more and a more persistent, longer lifespan generally means a better economic return. All too often though, alfalfa stands can become thin and less productive after the third year and harsh winter conditions can exacerbate this decline.
Historically, risk of winter damage to alfalfa has been linked to several environmental and management factors: age of the stand, variety, disease pressures, soil pH and K, cutting schedule and soil moisture and drainage.
The risk of winterkill increases with advancing age of the alfalfa stand. Younger plants (1-2 years) are generally more stress tolerant compared to older plants (2+ years) because they’ve been exposed to less physical damage and disease organisms.
Alfalfa varieties vary in winter hardiness as well as resistance to diseases and pests, and choosing a variety that resists diseases such as Phytophthora root rot and Verticillium, bacterial and Fusarium wilts, will reduce the risk of stand loss due to winterkill.
Soil pH below 6.0 stresses alfalfa plants and can exacerbate winter injury. A soil pH of 6.6 or greater removes this risk.
High exchangeable soil K (>160 ppm) reduces risk of winterkill and conversely, a low exchangeable K (<80 ppm) can make winter injury much more likely by reducing root health and fall carbohydrate storage.
The timing of cutting (or grazing) affects the persistence of alfalfa too. Several factors come into play - stage of maturity, frequency and timing of cutting, and the timing and stubble height of the last fall cutting.
Harvesting alfalfa at late bud to early flowering stage will optimize both forage yield and quality and results in better stand persistence. Leave a 6 to 8 inch stubble in the fall to effectively catch a layer of snow for insulation.
Finally, let’s talk about ice and its effect on winterkill. We know that alfalfa stands typically do not survive well on poorly drained soils. Poorly drained areas can suffer 2 types of winter injury as a result of the combination of cold and excess moisture.
Where soil remains wet, frost can heave alfalfa plants out of the ground in late winter and early spring. Heaved plants may have broken taproots, or the crown may be left up above the soil where it is exposed to cold, dry winds and mechanical injury later in the season. Diseases will often invade the weakened root and the plant dies during the summer.
If water accumulates and freezes on the plants and soil surface, this is referred to as ice ‘sheeting.’ Ice sheeting can occur in low areas as the result of a mid-winter thaw or from sleet and freezing rain as we’ve recently experienced. Ice sheets cause winter injury by smothering plants and by rapidly conducting heat away from the plants and soil surface leading to very low soil temperatures. The longer the ice remains on the soil surface, the greater the risk of economic damage.
This winter, however, the 1 to 2 inches of ice is above several inches of snow that fell before the freezing rain and sleet just before Christmas. Right now, alfalfa crowns and roots may actually be protected by the ice because it has held an insulating layer of snow on the plants during some very cold temperatures and high winds.
If ice formed directly on the alfalfa crowns and soil, no such protection would occur, and the plants would be at risk of smothering and loss. In lab research trials, alfalfa plants directly covered with ice began to die after about a week, and most were dead within a month.
Our present situation here in Northern New York, though uncomfortable for humans, may be just fine for alfalfa.
Cornell Cooperative Extension offices in Northern New York have fielded several questions regarding ice and risk of winterkill in alfalfa recently.
It’s a good topic for discussion right now as much of the Northern New York landscape was covered with an inch or two of solid ice.
The ice coating outdoor surfaces in early January was the result of freezing rain and sleet that fell just a few days before Christmas.
The storm caused lots of immediate damage in the form of downed tree limbs and power outages and it continues to bruise knees, but many are now wondering if the ice also poses an additional risk to alfalfa.
Ice sheeting is associated with increased risk of winterkill in alfalfa, but the conditions now in the North Country are probably not likely to worsen winterkill and may actually be a protective feature for alfalfa.
Alfalfa is an enormously important perennial legume across Northern New York because of its high yield potential and high feed value for high-producing dairy cattle.
With proper management, alfalfa stands can last up to 5 years or more and a more persistent, longer lifespan generally means a better economic return. All too often though, alfalfa stands can become thin and less productive after the third year and harsh winter conditions can exacerbate this decline.
Historically, risk of winter damage to alfalfa has been linked to several environmental and management factors: age of the stand, variety, disease pressures, soil pH and K, cutting schedule and soil moisture and drainage.
The risk of winterkill increases with advancing age of the alfalfa stand. Younger plants (1-2 years) are generally more stress tolerant compared to older plants (2+ years) because they’ve been exposed to less physical damage and disease organisms.
Alfalfa varieties vary in winter hardiness as well as resistance to diseases and pests, and choosing a variety that resists diseases such as Phytophthora root rot and Verticillium, bacterial and Fusarium wilts, will reduce the risk of stand loss due to winterkill.
Soil pH below 6.0 stresses alfalfa plants and can exacerbate winter injury. A soil pH of 6.6 or greater removes this risk.
High exchangeable soil K (>160 ppm) reduces risk of winterkill and conversely, a low exchangeable K (<80 ppm) can make winter injury much more likely by reducing root health and fall carbohydrate storage.
The timing of cutting (or grazing) affects the persistence of alfalfa too. Several factors come into play - stage of maturity, frequency and timing of cutting, and the timing and stubble height of the last fall cutting.
Harvesting alfalfa at late bud to early flowering stage will optimize both forage yield and quality and results in better stand persistence. Leave a 6 to 8 inch stubble in the fall to effectively catch a layer of snow for insulation.
Finally, let’s talk about ice and its effect on winterkill. We know that alfalfa stands typically do not survive well on poorly drained soils. Poorly drained areas can suffer 2 types of winter injury as a result of the combination of cold and excess moisture.
Where soil remains wet, frost can heave alfalfa plants out of the ground in late winter and early spring. Heaved plants may have broken taproots, or the crown may be left up above the soil where it is exposed to cold, dry winds and mechanical injury later in the season. Diseases will often invade the weakened root and the plant dies during the summer.
If water accumulates and freezes on the plants and soil surface, this is referred to as ice ‘sheeting.’ Ice sheeting can occur in low areas as the result of a mid-winter thaw or from sleet and freezing rain as we’ve recently experienced. Ice sheets cause winter injury by smothering plants and by rapidly conducting heat away from the plants and soil surface leading to very low soil temperatures. The longer the ice remains on the soil surface, the greater the risk of economic damage.
This winter, however, the 1 to 2 inches of ice is above several inches of snow that fell before the freezing rain and sleet just before Christmas. Right now, alfalfa crowns and roots may actually be protected by the ice because it has held an insulating layer of snow on the plants during some very cold temperatures and high winds.
If ice formed directly on the alfalfa crowns and soil, no such protection would occur, and the plants would be at risk of smothering and loss. In lab research trials, alfalfa plants directly covered with ice began to die after about a week, and most were dead within a month.
Our present situation here in Northern New York, though uncomfortable for humans, may be just fine for alfalfa.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
What to do For Feed When Alfalfa is Scarce
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