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Funded Project |
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Funding Program:
Regional IPM Competitive Grants - Northeastern |
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Project Title:
Evaluation and Implementation of Glandular-Haired Alfalfa for Pest Management |
Project Directors (PDs):
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Lead State: MD Lead Organization: University of Maryland |
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Cooperating State(s):
Pennsylvania |
| Undesignated Funding: $95,000 |
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Start Date: Sep-01-1998 End Date: Aug-31-2000 |
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Pests Involved: alfalfa |
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Area of Emphasis: host plant resistance |
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Summary:
New alfalfa cultivars with glandular hairs on the stems are now being introduced with true resistance to potato leafhopper, the major insect pest of alfalfa in the Northeast. Alfalfa is a major component of the livestock industry, with an estimated value as a crop of $840 million per year in the Northeast. Prior to the introduction of glandular-haired cultivars in 1997, most state Agricultural Experiment Station scientists had no previous exposure to these cultivars. University field trials indicated that the resistant germplasm reduced leafhopper injury, but leafhoppers colonized, reproduced, and developed in resistant cultivars. The impact on forage yield and quality remains to be clarified, as well as its impact on nontarget insect, weed, and pathogen pests and beneficials. However, growers are being encouraged to adopt this new technology and Extension Specialists and agents are being pressed to advise growers on their value with minimal independent or unbiased information, including the lack of economic guidelines.
The overall goal of the project is to enhance the implementation of this new form of host plant resistance by documenting both the benefits and potential pitfalls. In this joint research and extension proposal, scientists in Maryland and Pennsylvania plan to: 1) quantify leafhopper response to resistant cultivars using large plot field studies, 2) assess the impact of resistant cultivars on nontarget insect pests and natural enemies, 3) measure the agronomic performance of the resistant cultivars in field plots including the impact of leafhopper and weed suppression, 4) compare the economics of the use of resistant and susceptible cultivars, 5) develop "on-farm" demonstration sites using side-by-side resistant and susceptible alfalfa fields, and 6) establish a web site to inform growers of recent information about new cultivars. The project is expected to greatly improve the implementation of this biologically-based pest management tactic through: 1) the development of unbiased data on pest management and economics of the new cultivars, 2) the direct involvement of county extension agents and cooperating producers, and 3) the cooperative education and efforts of the seed industry. Objectives: Our research objectives are: 1. To quantify the population response of potato leafhopper to resistant (glandular-haired) and susceptible (traditional) alfalfa cultivars, 2. To assess the impact of glandular-haired alfalfa cultivars on nontarget insect pest and natural enemy population densities, 3. To determine the relevance of glandular-haired alfalfa for improving alfalfa yield, quality, and stand persistence through potential leafhopper, weed, and disease suppression, and 4. To compare the economics of alfalfa product with resistant and susceptible cultivars. Our extension objectives are: 5. To develop "on-farm" education/training sites across alfalfa production areas, and 6. To establish a world wide web page to keep growers abreast of information and research results of leafhopper resistant alfalfa. Outcomes and Impacts Summary from 2001 IPM Center report Alfalfa has an estimated crop value of $840 million per year in the Northeast. A principal insect pest of this crop is potato leafhopper. With about 800,000 acres of alfalfa in Maryland and Pennsylvania, losses due to leafhopper can run from $10 million to $22 million each year in just these two states. In 1997, varieties of alfalfa that are resistant to potato leafhopper were introduced. Growers wanted to plant the new varieties, but they needed information about yield, crop quality, and effects on nontarget species. William Lamp and Art Hower are meeting this need by examining both the benefits and the potential pitfalls of the new types of alfalfa. They've identified at least one new cultivar that reduces leafhopper densities and increases crop yield by up to a third. To spread the word about their findings, Lamp and Hower are developing "on-farm" demonstration sites across alfalfa production areas so growers can get a first-hand look at the effectiveness of new varieties. They're also constructing a website that shows their results, along with those from similar trials in other states, to provide sound, researchbased information about the value of leafhopper-resistant varieties. These outreach efforts will set the stage for growers to use the new crops in the coming years. |
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