Yuma County Office
2200 W. 28^th Street, Ste. 102
Yuma, AZ 85364
(520) 726-3904
(520) 726-8472 FAX

Production Update:
PDF version, 14KB

Yield Losses: Substantial losses of yield occur in the normal haymaking process, usually on the order of 20 to 30%. Yield losses during harvesting result from incomplete recovery of hay in the windrow and from fragmentation or shattering of leaves and stems by the baler. Rain can shatter leaves and result in losses of dry matter. Yield can also be lost during storage from plant respiration and oxidation of the plant by microbes. Baled hay can lose 1% dry matter for each 1% moisture above 18%.

Insect Management: Egyptian alfalfa weevil, Hypera brunneipennis, are continuing to infest low desert alfalfa fields. Weevil larvae will begin to pupate toward the end of March. The numbers of weevil larvae will decline rapidly through April and newly emerged adults will be appearing in fields. Adult weevils do not cause economic damage, but do signal the end of Egyptian alfalfa weevil larval infestations for the year. In areas of higher elevation where frost may occur into April, the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica, larvae may start appearing in alfalfa fields from mid-April through mid-June. The treatment threshold is the same for both species of alfalfa weevil, an average of 20 larvae per sweep. To sample for weevil larvae, divide the field in to 4 or more sections and take 5 sweeps in each section. To get the field average, divide the total number of weevil larvae by the total number of sweeps.

Weed Control: Proper identification is the first step in deciding upon a control technique. If you are not sure what weeds you have, you can drop them off at the extension office and we will try to identify them. If we are not sure, we can send them to the University of Arizona herbarium for identification. Sometimes, however, seedlings cannot be properly identified and flowering plants are required. By then it is often too late to start a control program.

10 Year Summary (January 30, to February 12, 1992-2001):

Full Disclaimers

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James A. Christenson, Director Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.

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