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Aphanomyces-Resistant Alfalfa: A Solution To A Common Problem In Spring Seedings, Paul C. Vincelli, Jimmy C. Henning, Tim Hendrick, Gerald D. Brown, L. J. Osborne, Beth Prewitt, Val Shields, Don Sorrell, Kim Strohmeier, Ray Tackett, Joe Wyles

Agronomy Notes

For several decades, farmers have experienced a common stand-establishment disease syndrome when spring-seeded alfalfa was followed by extended periods of wet weather. Seedlings affected by this syndrome exhibit severe stunting as well as yellowing and reddening of seed leaves (cotyledons), but they do not wilt or collapse, as they might from a damping-off disease. Commonly, the problem affects most or all of the field.

Based on research that began in the 1980's, we suspected that a fungus called Aphanomyces euteiches (hereafter simply called Aphanomyces) was responsible. This root-rot fungus can be found in the majority of alfalfa fields we …