CALIFORNIA
FORAGE UPDATE is a joint project of the California
Alfalfa & Forage Association and the UC Alfalfa Workgroup.
Welcome
to the California
Forage Update. We hope that this email information newsletter will help
growers and industry members stay in touch with information about forage
crops within California
and the neighboring regions.
This is a new
‘partnership project’, which combines the expertise of growers, industry
members, and University
of California Cooperative Extension
to assist the industry in communications. This first newsletter, we asked
specific people to contribute, but it’s an evolving project, so we’d like to
hear from you, and see how you can participate. Let us know whether you
like it or not!
Catchword of the Day:
Be Brief, be very brief. Most of us are interested in staying in touch with
information about forage crops, but simply don’t have that much time.
So Here we go: The First
CALIFORNIA
FORAGE UPDATE:
Seth
Hoyt Reports
that the USDA’s March Planting intention shows a 6 ½ percent increase in
‘all hay’ grown in California
in 2006. Seth is Senior Ag. Economist with the National Agricultural
Statistics Service, Sacramento,
CA. The March report lumps all
hay together, and a breakout won’t be available until late June, but more
hay acres are expected. Hay prices are remaining at high levels in April,
after the highest alfalfa hay prices on record in 2005. Lower milk prices
will put downward pressure on the markets in 2006, while poor spring growing
and harvesting conditions may put upward pressure on prices. Current hay
prices can be seen at:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsmnpubs/hsum.htm Seth’s full report can be
seen in your CAFA News, which will be mailed out soon. See CAFA website for
further information
http://www.calhay.org
--Aaron
Kiess, CAFA Executive Director,
Novato, CA
Intermountain Regions of California
are waiting for substantial growth, since this winter/spring has been much
wetter and cooler than normal. The alfalfa in many areas is just now
resuming growth after the winter dormant period--many fields appear as much
as 3 weeks behind normal. There is flooding damage to alfalfa in low-lying
fields throughout the region. It also appears that stem nematode is going
to be a problem in many fields as a result of the frequent moisture. Winter
dormant herbicide applications are way behind normal in many fields due to
wet soils and the frequent storm fronts making for poor spraying conditions.
Some fields have still not been treated and it is getting to the point where
some fields would probably better off left untreated. The wet cool
conditions have also delayed spring plantings of new fields.
-S. Orloff, UCCE,
Siskiyou Co
‘Precipitation Happens’ is the story throughout the
Sacramento Valley,
and the northern San Joaquin
Valley.
After a relatively dry January and
February, March and April have brought floods to several N. San Joaquin
delta islands, and threatened agriculture throughout the
Central Valley. Easter saw significant precipitation In many
areas. Fields have been inundated with water, and it just doesn’t seem to
stop. It is clear that the entire first cutting of alfalfa will be
significantly delayed, likely to cause reduced supplies. Quality hay will
be limited due to poor growing conditions. Weather patterns through mid-to
late-May will determine if growers can take a heavy (probably damaged) first
cut and hopefully a higher-quality second cut.
-Rachael Long, D. Putnam,
UC Davis
In the
lower San Joaquin Valley,
rain was spotty compared with more northern areas, but still delayed. Where
it didn't rain, growers are now taking their first cutting, mostly as green
chop. Egyptian Alfalfa Weevils are still present but most growers are
harvesting instead of spraying, which is an effective control measure if the
alfalfa is picked up in one or two days.
-Carol Frate, UCCE,
Tulare Co.
Low
Desert
California
(Imperial and Palo
Verde
Valleys) is a contrast
to the rest of the state, since only ¼ of an inch of rain has fallen in
March, the first rain since October. Excellent conditions currently exist
in the low desert for alfalfa production, which means excellent quality and
good yields. Some growers have already put up two cuts of hay after
previously sheeping-off new stands in December-January. Increase in
fuel/transportation costs have resulted in a slight softening of prices
prior to availability of SJ Valley production. Daily high temperatures
between 85-100 F in April have caused growers to begin applying herbicides
for prevention of summer grassy weeds. Pest pressures are very light at
this time—it is difficult to find winter insects such as weevils or aphids,
but spring weeds such as sowthistle and prickly lettuce have been noted on
some fields.
-Michael Rethwisch, UCCE,
Riverside Co., Blythe,
CA
Stem
Nematode
is something growers should watch for in their alfalfa fields as they begin
recovering from these severe winter rain conditions. Water can spread
nematodes from field to field. These microscopic worm-like organisms create
symptoms of reduced growth, very compacted internodes. Growers should
observe if this pest is present, and be careful to clean machinery to
prevent spreading to other fields. This is one example where planting
resistant varieties would help.
-Becky Westerdahl,
Nematologist, UC Davis
Nitrogen
may be a limiting factor for alfalfa production after long flooded, cold
soil conditions. Damage to root systems and yellowing of foliage is due
primarily to physiological effects, lack of oxygen for the roots, and foliar
diseases, but nematodes and root diseases may also be factors reducing
growth. Poor soil conditions and flooding causes the nodules on the roots
(which fix Nitrogen from the air) to slough off and become ineffective.
Alfalfa very seldom needs supplemental N for maximum production, but this
may be one of the situations where a little N may pay off. Growers must get
more than about 0.2 to 0.25 ton increased yield with an
application of 30 lbs N/acre to acre to justify the cost (at
$110-120$/ton). Apply only as the fields are being drained and the plants
are beginning to grow, since N will not ‘fix’ the yellowing due to flooding
or drainage issues. N will primarily have an effect on the new growth after
harvest, after which the nodulation should be sufficient. Do not apply N
after good growth and nodulation has resumed, since excess N encourages
weeds and discourages Nitrogen fixation from the air, one of the major
advantages of alfalfa.
-Dan
Putnam, Rollie Meyer, Rachael Long, UCCE
Alfalfa Weevils
have been delayed due to the cold and rainy conditions this year. The
insect requires ~220 degree-days for the eggs to hatch. That equals about 3
weeks of days with high temperatures of 65F and daily lows of 45F. In the
Davis area, we had 13 days meeting these conditions
in January and February and some minimal egg hatch occurred. Only 3 days
with these conditions have occurred in March and April. Weevil larval
population peaked in the Davis area are at least 3 weeks later in 2006
compared with 2005, which was itself 1 week delayed compared with 2003 and
2004. In addition, populations appear to be lower in 2006 compared with
previous years. In the same field on the
Davis campus, levels this year are about 1/2 that in
2005 and 1/3 that in 2004. A fungus disease of weevil larvae, which we
reported as common in some areas in 2005, is again present and killing
weevil larvae in 2006. Check fields carefully before treating; the diseased
larvae will appear as slimy dark spots on the sweep net after sweeping a
field. Early harvest is also a management option for weevil larvae;
insecticide choices at this time may be limited by pre-harvest intervals as
stated on the label.
-Larry Godfrey,
Entomologist, UC Davis
Winter
Forages in the San Joaquin Valley
have been effected by the excessive rainfall in December, which led to N
losses mid-winter, followed by a dry spell and cold (as low as 24-26 degrees
in some areas), which caused frost damage in some fields, especially the
early-planted fields. Sterile kernels sometimes resulted from these
earlier cold temperatures. Widespread incidence of stripe rust has been
reported in April, associated with very wet spring conditions on most
varieties, including some varieties which previously have shown resistance,
e.g. Summit,
Blanca Grande, and PR1404.
-Steve Wright, UUCE
Tulare Co.
National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance formed April 6th in Denver.
Several alfalfa/forage associations and seed growers and support companies
have formed the ‘National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance’ formally in
Denver,
Colorado, with incorporation in
Washington State.
This organization is an outgrowth of the ‘Alfalfa Alliance’ which was
governed by the seed companies (see
www.alfalfa.org ). State-based hay associations and associated support
industries have been invited to be a part of the governing board. The
California Alfalfa & Forage Association has been invited to participate as a
representative of state hay associations, along with several other state
associations. It is anticipated that this organization will assist in
addressing issues of a national nature in
Washington, DC
that have not been previously addressed. For further information, contact
Rod Christianson, NAFA,
agmgt@agmgt.com
-D. Putnam, UC Davis
USDA-ARS Positions.
Over the past two years, CAFA has been writing letters and promoting the
idea of attracting USDA-Agricultural Research Service scientist positions to
California or other western states. This state is
the leading milk producing state, and largest producer of alfalfa hay. All
western states now count for about 40% of the nation’s milk supply, and
nearly 40% of the nation’s alfalfa. However, USDA has had a very limited
presence in addressing important issues related to dairy and forages,
especially with regards to irrigation, water, and environmental issues.
Western United Dairymen and CAFA have proposed 4 positions (alfalfa water
use, alfalfa quality & utilization, dairy manure management and dairy air
quality) to correct this deficiency. If you are interested in this subject,
contact CAFA (address below).
-Aaron
Kiess, CAFA Director
UC
Davis Alfalfa/Forage Field Day. May 9, 2006 1-4:30.
Field day will be held on
Hutchison Road near
Davis, and will feature alfalfa varieties, Roundup
Ready Varieties and weed control experiments, new plantings of experimental
perennial grasses for horses, new Brown Mid-Rib Sudangrass, traffic
influence on alfalfa. Free BBQ lunch sponsored by CCIA, and Small Grain
Field Day in the Morning. For more information, see website:
http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu
-D. Putnam, UC
Davis, CA
Western Alfalfa & Forage Conference,
Reno, NV.
Mark your calendars—This conference will be held December 11-13, 2006 in
Reno, sponsored by 11 western states. Planning is
underway—exhibits welcome. See
http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu for details. The last ‘Western’ was held in
2002 in Reno,
with >700 attendees.
-D. Putnam, UC
Davis, CA
Let us
know what you think about this first issue of CA Forage Update!
If you would like to
contribute to future issues, or wish to contact us, write to:
Aaron Kiess,
CAFA Director (akiess@eme.net)
and Janice Corner, UC Davis, Plant Sciences Dept. Agronomy Research and
Information Center (jecorner@ucdavis.edu
)
If you don’t want to
receive this E-newlsetter in the future, email to:
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