Alfalfa management will be the subject of a hands-on workshop June 19 at the Forage Systems Research Center in Linneus, MO.
The workshop will feature an extensive set of new alfalfa research plots at the farm. Studies include comparison of leafhopper-resistant varieties, potassium fertilization and insect control methods, says Rob Kallenbach, University of Missouri forage specialist, Columbia. Additional plots will compare eight new alfalfa varieties.
Participants will dig taproots to look for rots and blights. They also will sweep and count insects, both harmful and beneficial.
"We want to make it a hands-on workshop," Kallenbach says. Classroom discussions and exhibits will be included with plot tours. Forage testing, bale sampling, and hay marketing will also be covered.
The program will run from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. Registration costs $10 and includes supper. To sign up, call Roberta Baumgardner at 660-895-5121. Or e-mail her at BaumgardnerR@missouri.edu