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MU South Farms
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Mt. Vernon, Lawrence County

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Email: Southwestcenter@missouri.edu

Superintendent:
Dr. Richard Crawford - Bio
14548 Highway H
Mt. Vernon, MO 65712-9523
Phone: 417-466-2148
FAX: 417-466-2109
Email: crawfordr@missouri.edu

1999 Alfalfa Variety Trial Results

Robert Kallenbach, Matt Massie, Greg Bishop-Hurley and Dan England
Department of Agronomy and Southwest Missouri Center

Growing Conditions Statewide for 1999

Alfalfa yields in 1999 were good, although insect problems and a drought in late summer led to low yields for cuttings taken in August and September. There was little if any winter-kill in 1998-99 because winter temperatures were moderate. Lower than normal rainfall, led to better than average haymaking weather. Except for insect damaged fields, hay quality was above average.

Insect problems this year were widespread. While alfalfa weevil populations were lower than normal, Missouri experienced severe invasions of potato leafhopper. Potato leafhoppers yellowed and severely stunted an estimated 200,000 acres of alfalfa in Missouri this year. In addition, there were several reports of blister beetles, aphids, and web worms. The incidence of disease was normal this year, except that there were several reports of Sclerotinia killing alfalfa seeded in the fall of 1998. These pests, along with the late summer drought, lowered statewide yields by approximately one ton per acre.

University of Missouri Trial at the Southwest Center

Seventeen alfalfa cultivars were planted in September 28, 1998 at the Southwest Center, near Mt. Vernon, Missouri. The soil type is a Huntington silt loam. All varieties were broadcast seeded at 17 pounds of pure live seed (PLS) per acre. Individual plots were 5 ft. by 20 ft. and planted into a conventional seedbed. Plots were fertilized with 0-50-150 + 2 boron on May 14, 0-50-150 on July 15, and 0-100-300 on September 16. Plots were sprayed for alfalfa weevil on April 6, (1 qt./acre Furadan 4 F), potato leafhoppers on June 18, (1 pt./acre Furadan 4 F), blister beetles on August 4, (1.5 qt./acre Sevin 4F), and annual grasses on September 1, (10 oz./acre Select). The trial was not irrigated.

Plots were harvested at the first flower to one-tenth-bloom stage (approximately every 30 days) during the growing season. There were five harvests this year. Forage yields were taken from a 2.67-ft. x 20-ft. strip in each plot using a flail type mower. Sub-samples from each plot were analyzed for moisture content. Stand persistence was evaluated on May 20th by counting the live plants in four 1 ft. sq. frames per plot. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications.

MISSOURI

Southwest Center near Mt. Vernon

5/136/147/158/169/141999 TotalStand 5/20
 ------------Tons Dry Matter/Acre----------Plants/sq. ft.
Cultivar: Company 
DK142 DEKALB 1.89 1.47 1.13 0.60 0.60 5.68 16.4
Dagger + EV Agri-Pro Seeds 1.67 1.44 1.13 0.73 0.55 5.52 12.9
ABT 400 SCL Agri-Bio Tech 1.59 1.54 1.14 0.64 0.58 5.49 15.2
Innovator + Z ABI Alfalfa 1.66 1.30 1.20 0.65 0.62 5.43 21.2
Feast + EV Agri-Pro Seeds 1.65 1.40 1.13 0.64 0.59 5.41 14.6
ABT 350 Agri-Bio Tech 1.72 1.33 1.10 0.64 0.59 5.38 13.1
ProGro MBS 1.66 1.35 1.09 0.65 0.59 5.34 16.8
Affinity + Z ABI Alfalfa 1.63 1.22 1.19 0.68 0.61 5.33 18.3
Jade II NC+ Hybrids 1.92 1.22 0.94 0.70 0.48 5.27 12.1
WL 325 HQ WL Research 1.64 1.14 1.26 0.66 0.58 5.27 14.8
AmeriGraze 401 + Z ABI Alfalfa 1.57 1.28 1.18 0.67 0.57 5.25 19.3
WL 326 GZ WL Research 1.63 1.32 1.04 0.62 0.52 5.12 9.9
53Q60 Pioneer Hi-Bred 1.64 1.30 1.07 0.64 0.55 5.19 11.4
Stellar WL Research 1.53 1.33 1.12 0.62 0.48 5.08 15.6
Cody Public 1.45 1.26 1.17 0.62 0.56 5.06 17.6
WL 324 WL Research 1.57 1.28 1.02 0.59 0.57 5.03 11.2
Vernal Public 1.61 1.28 0.89 0.59 0.53 4.88 16.2
Mean*   1.64 1.30 1.12 0.64 0.56 5.25 15.1
LSD (0.05)   0.20 0.21 0.13 0.09 0.09 0.44 3.6
CV %   8.65 11.26 8.26 9.51 11.23 5.80 16.8
MCV   12.23 15.95 11.65 13.48 15.91 8.44 23.8
LSR   42.55 52.00 35.14 57.33 63.57 55.38 31.8

Planting date and rate: 17 lb./acre pure live seed on September 28, 1998
Planting method: Broadcast into a conventional seedbed
Plot size: 5' X 20', RCBD with four replicates

* Mean and statistical values include data from three experimental varieties not shown.


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