In recent years, sulfur (S) deficiency has been diagnosed in corn, soybean, alfalfa, and wheat in the Midwest, including Indiana and Michigan.
10 articles tagged "alfalfa".
Timely alfalfa seeding is always important to getting an excellent stand, and when seeded late does not have time to develop into a winter hardy plant.
In most years, with highly resistant potato leafhopper alfalfa varieties, management of this pest with insecticides usually isn’t needed.
Night time and early morning temperatures across Indiana dipped to lows (less than 28oF) on Wednesday and Thursday that may be concerning to alfalfa producers. Damage may be little to none, or possibly severe. Minimal damage may appear as new leaves emerging next week being bleached. Whereas, severe damage will have the plant losing its upright integrity and appearing water soaked (mushy). New seedlings will take on a water soaked appearance if freeze damaged. Variation in response could be extreme across a field due to differences in temperature because of topography. Older stands that were well managed last year will have a greater chance of survival. Please contact me at johnsonk@purdue.edu if damage is severe because of the freeze events.
Last week’s articles were concerning the eye-popping numbers of black cutworm and armyworm moths being captured by pheromone trap cooperators and weevil damage being reported in southern Indiana alfalfa fields.
Pest managers, in southern Indiana, should now be scouting their alfalfa for leaf feeding from weevil larva.
The beginning of damage to alfalfa leaflets (note yellowing) caused by the potato leafhopper was seen on second harvest.
We have received a number of calls about leaf spots occurring in alfalfa. Many of the common foliar diseases of alfalfa are favored by the high moisture conditions this season in Indiana.
Light green alfalfa in the background of the photo was adequate in all nutrients except S which was 0.14% – well below the critical level of 0.25%.
Populations of potato leafhopper continue to plague alfalfa fields throughout the state. Undoubtedly, the extended warm temperatures have contributed to this population explosion.
