Evaluation of Alfalfa Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Densities and Regrowth Characteristics of Alfalfa Grazed by Sheep in Winter and Spring

2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayes B. Goosey ◽  
Patrick G. Hatfield ◽  
Sue L. Blodgett ◽  
S. Dennis Cash

Fall regrowth of alfalfa, Medicago sativa (L.), serves as a major source of winter pasture for Montana sheep producers. In years of drought, alfalfa fields are extensively winter/spring grazed; however, the impact on crop health is unknown. Alfalfa paddocks were continuously grazed for 95 d in 2002 and 98 d in 2003 during winter and spring to determine the impact on spring and summer alfalfa regrowth, nutrient quality characteristics, and alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica Gyllenhal, densities. Grazed and non-grazed forage yield, crude protein (%), and acid and neutral detergent fibers (%) did not differ at harvest (P> 0.17) during either study year. Acid and neutral detergent fibers (kg/ha) were greater (P < 0.05) in non-grazed compared to grazed plots during 2002–2003. Alfalfa weevil densities were lower in grazed than non-grazed plots (P< 0.03) over four sampling dates during both study years. Winter/spring sheep grazing appears to offer potential for alfalfa weevil management without compromising yield or nutritive factors of subsequent alfalfa production.

1972 ◽  
Vol 104 (9) ◽  
pp. 1433-1437 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. D. Dondale

AbstractCarbofuran was applied to three hayfields at a rate of 0.56 kg/ha in early June. This caused significant reductions of Thysanoptera, phytophagous Coleoptera larvae (including the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyl.)), and Cicadellidae. It caused similar reductions in Araneida and parasitoids. The differences between treated and untreated plots were no longer significant by September. Carbofuran did not significantly affect the yield of air-dried hay or of crude protein.


2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue L. Blodgett ◽  
Andrew W. Lenssen ◽  
S. Dennis Cash

Successful implementation of early harvest techniques for alfalfa weevil larval, Hypera postica Gyllenhal, management depends on synchronization between alfalfa growth sufficient for harvest and economic populations of the insect, conditions that frequently occur in Montana. Field trials were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to determine if the addition of raking to timed harvest would improve the efficacy of alfalfa weevil larvae management, an important cultural control of alfalfa weevil larval populations. Post-baling mean number of alfalfa weevil larvae in stubble were 4.3 (SE = 1.6) and 7.5 (SE = 1.1) per 0.1 m2 for cutting with raking and cutting alone, respectively, (P = 0.06). Nutritive value of forage, as estimated by crude protein and neutral and acid detergent fiber concentrations, did not differ between treatments. Harvest combined with early raking effectively reduced alfalfa weevil larvae populations over cutting alone without compromising nutritive value of forage.


1994 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. K. Twidwell ◽  
K. D. Kephart ◽  
S. A. Clay

Field studies were conducted during 1990 and 1991 in northeast South Dakota to determine the effect of sethoxydim application timing on quackgrass [Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski] control in established alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Sethoxydim was applied as single applications in the fall, spring, after the second cut of alfalfa or as various repeated applications in the fall, spring, and after the first and second cuts of alfalfa. The alfalfa-quackgrass mixture was harvested three times per year, and dry matter yields of alfalfa, quackgrass, and total herbage were determined. Total herbage samples were analyzed for crude protein (CP) concentration. Usually, single application of sethoxydim in either the fall or spring did not control quackgrass as well as multiple applications. However, three and four applications of sethoxydim per year did not consistently control quackgrass any better than two applications per year. Sethoxydim reduced quackgrass yields in most instances, but yields and CP concentrations of total herbage were seldom affected. Use of sethoxydim for quackgrass control in established alfalfa may be warranted only in situations where relatively weed-free forage is desired. Key words: Application timing, forage yield, competition, stand density


1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger H. Ratcliffe ◽  
T. Austin Campbell

In 1981, alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., germplasm was collected in Central and Eastern Turkey to provide a new source to screen for alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal), resistance. This collection was evaluated at Beltsville in two stages, starting with primitive Turkish cultivars and concluding with wild alfalfas. Approximately 80,000 plants of the germplasm line B36 were screened as seedlings for resistance to neonate larvae, and 107 plants that were least defoliated by larval feeding were vegetatively increased and evaluated further for larval and adult feeding antixenosis. Five of the 107 selections demonstrated feeding antixenosis to larvae and/or adults and were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) less defoliated by feeding than ‘Ranger’ alfalfa. Larval and adult survival on the 107 clones did not differ significantly from that on ‘Ranger’. The five selections demonstrating feeding antixenosis were tested further for oviposition antixenosis. Oviposition was significantly less (P ≤ 0.05) on three of the five selections than on ‘Ranger’ when adults were confined on plants for 5 d. There was no significant correlation between stem diameter and oviposition rate, indicating that factors influencing oviposition antixenosis may be related to biochemical rather than morphological differences among alfalfa selections in this germplasm.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 94-100
Author(s):  
Serge-Olivier Konan KOUASSI ◽  
◽  
Yves Bénarèce Tra DJE BI ◽  
Soualio KAMAGATE ◽  
Mathieu Nahounou BLEYERE ◽  
...  

The study aims to determine the impact of dietary crude protein levels on the hematological parameters of Japanese quail from growth to ovipositor. To this end, five feeds with different crude protein levels (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26%) were supplied to 700 quails of three weeks of age. These were subdivided into six batches, including three batches of females and three batches of males for each feed group. After subjecting the quails to diets containing the different protein levels, four samples were taken at the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh week of age. The samples taken were analyzed using an SYSMEX XN 350 automated hematological analyzer. The results of this investigation indicated that non-significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in hematological parameters in both female and male quails. This study showed that dietary crude protein levels had no impact on the health status of Japanese quails. Keywords: Japanese quails, Crude protein, Hematological parameters.


2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenalee M. Mischkolz ◽  
Michael P. Schellenberg ◽  
Eric G. Lamb

Mischkolz, J. M., Schellenberg, M. P. and Lamb, E. G. 2013. Early productivity and crude protein content of establishing forage swards composed of combinations of native grass and legume species in mixed-grassland ecoregions. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 445–454. We evaluated the early establishment productivity of forage swards of native, perennial, cool and warm season grasses, and legumes as they have the potential to provide non-invasive, productive, and drought resistant rangelands. Seven species with agronomic potential and a broad native geographic distribution were selected for testing including: nodding brome [Bromus anomalus (Coult.)], blue bunch wheatgrass [Pseudoregneria spicata (Pursh)], western wheatgrass [Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.)], side oats grama [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.)], little blue stem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.)], purple prairie clover [Dalea purpurea (Vent.)], and white prairie clover [Dalea candida (Willd.)]. Forage swards, including all seven monocultures, 21 two-species mixtures and a mixture with all species, were planted in two sites, Saskatoon and Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Western wheatgrass (WWG) had the highest overall plant density and the strongest effect on the forage yield of the forage swards; however, productivity and crude protein content were not reduced when other species were also included in the forage sward. Dalea spp. did not establish as well as the other species, but had the highest crude protein concentrations. This work provides insight into forage sward development at the establishment stage; additional work is required to determine long-term species impacts for well established forage swards.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 550
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Kanatas ◽  
Ioannis Gazoulis ◽  
Ilias Travlos

Irrigation is an agronomic practice of major importance in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L), especially in the semiarid environments of Southern Europe. Field experimentation was conducted in Western Greece (2016–2018) to evaluate the effects of irrigation timing on weed presence, alfalfa yield performance, and forage quality. In a randomized complete block design (four replications), two cultivars (“Ypati 84” and “Hyliki”) were the main plots, while three irrigation timings were the subplots (split-plot). The irrigation timings were IT-1, IT-2, and IT-3, denoting irrigation 1 week before harvest, 1 week after harvest, and 2 weeks after harvest, respectively. IT-1 reduced Solanum nigrum L. density by 54% and 79% as compared to IT-3 and IT-2, respectively. Chenopodium album L. density was the highest under IT-2. IT-3 resulted in 41% lower Amaranthus retroflexus L. density in comparison to IT-2, while the lowest values were observed under IT-1. Stand density and stems·plant−1 varied between years (p ≤ 0.05). Mass·stem−1 and alfalfa forage yield were affected by the irrigation timings (p ≤ 0.001). Total weed density and forage yield were negatively correlated in both the second (R2 = 87.013%) and the fourth (R2 = 82.691%) harvests. IT-1 and IT-3 increased forage yield, leaf per stem ratio, and crude protein as compared to IT-2. Further research is required to utilize the use of cultural practices for weed management in perennial forages under different soil and climatic conditions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monir M. M. El Husseini

AbstractLarval and adult populations of the Egyptian alfalfa weevil (EAW) Hypera brunneipennis (Boheman) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was monitored after application of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana in the alfalfa field (Medicago sativa L.) in two successive seasons 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. The second and last generation of the weevil on April 10, 2016, was controlled by only one application with the conidiospores of the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana (3 × 108 spores/ml). Accordingly, the larval population decreased from 16.07 ± 1.09 in season 2015/2016 to 7.37 ± 0.05 individuals/50 sweep net double strokes in season 2016/2017. Also, the adult weevil’s population decreased from 5.66 ± 0.8 to 2.55 ± 0.6 individuals/50 sweep net double strokes in the two seasons, respectively. 39.66% mortality rate was recorded in the Hypera brunneipennis adults aestivated under loose bark of the surrounding eucalyptus trees, which received the application of B. bassiana in the field. Another application with the fungus, targeting the second generation of the pest adults in alfalfa each season, will undoubtedly lead to a further decrease in the pest population.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document