0830HIGH

HIGHLIGHTS
of
AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH
-1'
Ai ~
~ot t~ci i e-Pines Pay . . . Results Tell Time for Planting Oats .. Hybrid
Vigor at Lower Cost . . . Grow or Buy Nitrogen for Corn . . . Peanuts, a
Favorite Delicacy of Stored Food Insects .
What Happens to Peanuts During
Storage? . . Research Points to Arrest of Plant World Thugs.
VOL
S
E R V
I N
G
A
L L
o
2, No
f
3 --
A
FALL
L A
B
AGRICULT URAL E XPERIMENT
STATION SYSTEM
of the
ALABAMA
POLYTECHNIC
INSTITUTE
1955
A
M
A
a 4adogtted'coraz ear
Evet
PIN ES
PAY
KNOX LIVINGSTON
I
I i
('1)II 1
11AN'
of Foretry
1
1111X(1l IiJl ,I,
S
-d J. E. CAROTHE1RS
D~atmn
)11
1 1 1i i Itli
ili. 11
t i\
Ha(11il X
('ito
lli
0111
191
tIar
[oI
(It(11
l"
I IIIX
sili
'
I jI111(1X
XiX
li ci
i'
fiII
X
Xoii XX
ilt' l
\l~
d 'j
Lill
li
i
Ifth
111(114 11111
k
\601
)ll t
'Il
.1l~l tt,
1(1
1111 iX
111
iX
- 'I
IX i
II'c
1
.114'
.iii
sh
I
Xidiic.
t
icliii
ti
(i
'ht
(IXIl
I
XXIiti
iile
l
cL IIsli(
i ('
i Xtili.
Abovc
Scdlirgs on worn-out crop land,
below-6X8, 19 year-ald plantation that
paid 9%o compound interest on investment.
Acc
lt
Il
('it
i
Ylvlms
t'i
\-,I) 14 it'llss IIio\I
Ei
tilal
XIII ttl
iiet'i
e ill'
\\Iil/IIi.it
III
(1
onX
ex1
i
p I i II
tii111((111;l\ of
II I ('t Il
i'ilt11p'X
I
tl
it the
b
l'(I
i'X dI wII tillst' (Illlit \.XX
ll iItiXXre11111 i
r I
i(e. X
X1 h[iba14X
I'll
(I op".(I
illit
tl
~
111
'.1.p(t)
'l pIIc
'1
Xo~l
'XI
att
( Is 1)dl 1I
(
ilt'
1.1(1
Iil \(i'1111
ill
i' tXii
fr
1
ili
1
.pa
lit)\Il
i~t
1X
PIXXlIt'
bIII
Ic11 1
d
.te
lstI1(1
xf
a111111
ti(
X
XIpc
.'iti ial I l i 1. t't4S
( pe
li c
ilolc
i x 1111
is pc
11
4n
('lii
tll
XXill
IXX('Ill.]
til'antha
~0(21
1
t I I(
111
soI
iill
ill i
iII)'.
l
liii'
b_\iIXs
ii4i i
-ill('t
i iii
)is
iti
X
h
'Ill
i l
) )I)il
I:
1
Ii
Y
11.
111
p
lt .111
b\"LsItplpwaoitd
XiIId' X1at dlii
(
X
X9 11
pe Xtoc
IiiI
il((liXIl
I
pii
tiI'
Il
I
li I
)II
1i
1)111 (1,
(''t
I il(sI t'P'lC
I
1( 1ilt'' l I(
._)()
"iI~
1 1
h l.
.X
1111
('Xt
ll
ii(
ii
p(Iia
XIdl
IX
hlii
1rittill
SI'v"ll Pisv
\Iiltltv \1 \Iik\I\
I'llIp\\()od \i(-I(l
(
1111
Stal
1
t1(1 i-
I
A tiilt.
;I.
I I it
T1111.1
stllt
il
't
0II114' it
II I
itn.19
N
)
Ii
al
ill
,
I
XXI ild
I'Xt
19
ii lii
() Ik
l
XI';t
i
llIi
it 0Wi
Pr 11111t
d
cI'llIli(
(Xl
t
i11
llh i Xcllct'
272:3
27T23
1 l
1'1
I
I.
85
Iclil
15. 2
15. 1
15.2
:35.1
N 11111
IL77
15.5
1211)
1,2101
6X6
6X6
II
lii 1.1.11
908)
(6X8
GS5I
8X8
t68 1
8X88
18:3
.1.39
:3
91!, X
:30.3
12
1_0
1 2)
It WK 16
19\/ I
l li
li
7.5
41,8
.31.
1.2
12
,i ll'..t
(1.21I
2.3~
N llc
Ni lic
N iii
ilc
90
2(6. S
.2
22.1
185
(.5
6I
.11
1 -. 01
t(
t
3 p
l
c
n
m l
oild
i)
r
s
o
1
c
r
\
)1
W
ITH NO ADDED COSTS
you
can step
up your yield of forage and grain as
much as 25% to 50% by planting oats
at the right time.
In general, this crop is planted 20 to
30 days later than what research results
show to be the best planting dates for
top yields in Alabama.
e4cdt4 tdt t'e
TIME
OATS
OPLANTING
F. S. McCAIN and F. L. SELMAN
Time-of-Planting Tests
Department of Agronomy and Soils
What planting dates are best for
grain only and for grazing and grain,
and what are the advantages from earlier plantings are answered in the results from the oats date-of-planting tests
by the API Agricultural Experiment
Station. Nortex 107 and Victorgrain 4893 have been the test varieties used in
this 4-year experiment conducted at
several locations throughout the State.
Starting August 20, the two varieties
were planted at 20-day intervals continuing until November 10.
In addition to plots grown for grain
only, companion plots were planted to
the same variety and at the same dates.
These plots, fertilized in the fall with
additional nitrogen, clipped until March
1 to simulate grazing, and then allowed
to make grain, were used to determine
forage yields and total animal feed produced per acre. In order that all results from these tests were on the same
basis, the forage yields were converted
to bushels of grain per acre. The conversion factor used was roughly 500
pounds of green weight of forage
equaled 3 bushels of oats in feed value.
Therefore, total yields of feed from the
grain-forage plots are expressed in
bushels per acre.
Results
Four years' results from this experiment show that the best time for planting oats varies (1) for different parts
of the State and (2) for use to be made
of the crop - for grain only or for grain
and grazing. The best time to plant oats
for grain only in northern and central
Alabama is later than that for forage
and grain. However, in the southern
part the best planting dates are the
same for grain only and for grain and
forage. (See Figures 1, 2, and 3.)
In general, grain yields decreased
from north to south regardless of planting dates. Clipping until March 1 did
not materially affect the grain yield in
northern and central Alabama. However, in southern Alabama clipping until March
1 reduced grain yields of the
conduted
f,,,,~80
a
A L A B A NA
CENTRAL
Bu.
90
-
80
L
70
"
for grain and
AUG. 20 to
SEPT. 30
60
40
so
L
8/20
to OCT. 30
AI
9/I10
SEPT.
20
9/30
PLANTING
10/20
DATES
FIGURE 2
NORTHERN
A L A 8 A MA
for grain and
100-.O
for grain only
'
8/20
00,
I-
SEPT. 20
to OCT. to
9/10
PLANTING
9/30
10/20
DATES
FIGURE 1
September 30 planting as much as 10
bushels per acre. On the other hand,
the total grain equivalent from that
planting date (forage converted to
grain plus grain harvested) was greater
in southern Alabama than in other parts
of the State.
Forage yields increased from north
to south, with the major increase occuring between central and southern
Alabama. Fall application of nitrogen
and clipping until March 1 significantly
increased the total feed produced over
that of oats grown only for grain regardless of location or date of planting. Although forage yields were greatest in
southern and central Alabama, farmers
throughout the State should graze their
oats to make maximum use of total feed
produced.
YIELD OF OATS PLANTED FOR GRAIN ONLY AND FOR GRAIN AND FORAGE AT DIFFERENT
PLANTING DATES, SIX LOCATIONS, 1954
Planting date
August 20
September 10
September 30
October 20
November 10
--62.2
-
.
--
1110
Northern Alabama Central Alabama Southern Alabama
For For grain For For grain
For For grain
grain and forage grain and forage grain and forage
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
67.3
93.3
44.1
89.4
34.4
69.3
100.6
48.1
91.1
85.2
100.2
72.8
92.5
51.0
88.4
39.2
113.9
64.8
79.5
52.7
70.5
37.6
109.2
47.2
60.8
32.9
76.7
PLANTING
DATES
FIGURE 3
FRED MOULTRIE
G. J. COTTIER
D. F. KING
HYBRID VIGOR at ower cot
Department of Poultry Husbandry
CROSSING OF NONINBRED strains offers
excellent possibility for production of
low-cost, high-producing layers.
Since about 1940, the trend in breeding for higher egg production has been
toward crossing inbred lines to produce
chicks with hybrid vigor. Birds produced by this system generally are excellent egg producers. However, because of the years of inbreeding and
testing necessary for development of
suitable parent lines, chick prices for
the resulting "hybrids" are considerably
higher than for standardbred chicks.
Within the past few years, consider-
each test year, a study was made of
their performance with respect to several characteristics, the two most important being (1) laying-house or adult
mortality, and (2) first-year egg production.
Over the 5-year period, Strain A
averaged 16.5 per cent adult mortality,
and Strain D averaged 81.6 per cent.
Mortality of the strain-cross averaged
19 per cent, indicating that livability of
this particular cross was almost as good
as that of the better parent, Strain A,
and far superior to that of Strain D.
Figure I shows laying-house mortality.
PER CENT MORTALITY
30
25
20
I5
I0
5
0
A
D
STRAIN
AXD
Fig. 1. Laying-house mortality of pure strairns and strain crosses housed, 1949-53.
able interest has been shown in the
crossing of noninbred strains. Many
breeders have found that crossing of
certain strains produces chicks with a
great amount of hybrid vigor. This system of breeding, being less complicated
and less expensive, permits the sale of
good chicks at lower cost.
Since 1949, the API Agricultural Experiment Station has been crossing the
disease-resistant Auburn Strain White
Leghorn (Strain A) with another White
Leghorn strain (Strain D), which also
has been bred for several years at this
station.
Each year chicks of the two pure
strains and of the strain-cross (A X D)
have been hatched, reared, and housed
together to 500 days of age, or until the
end of their first laying year. During
NUMBER EGGS
Egg production averages, based on
number of pullets housed and number
of survivors, are shown in Figure 2. On
a survivor basis, Strains A and D were
the same, averaging 205 eggs per bird.
Strain-cross birds averaged 221 eggs or
16 more than their purebred parents.
On a pullet-housed basis, where both
livability and egg production influenced
results, Strain A averaged 185 eggs per
bird, Strain D averaged 167 eggs, and
the strain-cross birds averaged 196 eggs
or approximately one dozen more per
bird than the better parent strain.
Both parent strains used in making
this successful cross are good strains
that have resulted from many years of
selection for superior performance.
Strain A has been selected at Auburn
since 1985 for livability and egg production. Strain D, although not as disease resistant as Strain A, is an excellent egg producer and originated
from one of the leading commercial
strains in the country.
It is well known that crossing just
any two good strains does not guarantee
good results. It also is well known that
crossing a good strain with an average
strain or even crossing two average
strains may result in an outstanding
strain-cross bird. Poultry breeders who
want to profit from the hybrid vigor obtainable by strain crossing can set up
systematic crossing and testing programs for identifying those strains that
"nick" or combine well.
PER PULLET HOUSED
PER SURVIVOR
225
200
,., .:
175
150
A
II
I\ ~II
.
D
STRAIN
AxD
Fig. 2. First-year egg production of pure strains and strain crosses housed, 1949-53.
Difference between 14 and 54 bu. per acre
from olots at riqkt and left due to commer
cial nitroge'n or to vetch.
'~
S
I,
'I.-
1)
t
I ii - i
i i.(t~
I
Nit
I II
III(,Tti I XX x
lxI.i
It
it
lit
txIt
S
t
Ix
t Ix
I I ft,t II
lI
i
Et
X
t ttqI I I)Itti t--
%
I
t \I itiIt
(1(
I
t
tltI
it It
ltiI
II
,reo CORN?
]fxil
t
it
I t
xii
( hilts ) l
tX
tI tlII i
tip
i
thit
Ito x
NIII
' lix
t
t
J.CPJ
it lii il
fiil, i~fit i tilt
lm
12,00
tittt
tilt.
\\(I X
Itjittth-1ti1x1i
flx i
X
xxti
(2itt Ii
t I
l
It itt
l li d
fiax
to
- l i.I
1 )l
of
i pp \ut
I itlits(ditiilxt
rm to(l
100
.xt
iI\
ix
lcl
t x
f Itt)p
'( I ti
i
i~t
GROW ot BUY NITROGEN
rt
tik. \
1I it
til
~
ix2J
ItCO III
t Cxxrflis
N
tItIi Ii tiiI
xitclx is
iii .t
I i
l if
ll.
xaxlu
ii
t t
iettiutil
15
1it
(tw
ti
"()ill
tit
J Il
llt Clt e
Six Xt
(.
itf
ilt
li s\~ti
te
(sit[
l.
tX
it I
t il itt
till
t
IX i
t
\I iit( \Nt
1 litali
Itt i
Lt
tt
y
\Ii.
(
-iiri
ii
1
Itt
t C'i
III(1
'
iiluiri
it
tl
it til
iLittiitt
Ilt(-I
I(
itl
[d it 1(\ il sl1 It 1( xx (.p t
it
(t
iliii
itin
xx
tu
i t
Iitt xxitt
(i
I t ii
itoCX li (1 t~
X
till
l
ttl (-ix itilitligi
liit iii
Ixi
ib
l
I
lt)
Iiph
I p C t us ii
I tilt
CI
fIl*t)\
t
I, ittx
.l
tifi(I
t
lhit
t
(iiittitlle
\N . li i
xttltii
ri \111
Iitt
t miii
l
Itiitt
w
it
oti
tilt
i
lii
(illti
I,
,i
p
t tis tit
It liil
lirl
li titil
il
I Il I ix x
i l3 ism)ii
.
Iw"
lii
(o~,
11 1 iit
i
Iltir xiwittt
til
IttTo
I
tl(i,
Itti
I
pxilit
is
i
tl
tl
lxxi
x xlttttx.
St
t
1i)\x it
liwttxthspateCI.
to ti \\ i
3ti
'xi
ilt(I(
I,) ti xi lxx
I
Ai_\
)i wdI)
XX itt I
IilOittli
ill
I\
\1
ixu
Nii
ISl
1.4
1.2
21.2
12.6
5: 3.t0
xii
\i
6 1
5IL:
ii
5.T)
52.
i
i
lx\
,
It(1~o)5tt
1
i i
xi
i sit hmIitxxittt'alic
pht ilisliltfii
10iT ittli
x tttl
to
txx)l t ha
it
ll i flit-
tii
11)
d
~ttX
I
i is
13t1.
58.1
:3 2. 7F
'10
ll
116.01i
x
l
x xx\\I ()t/il
i I i
f till bothi
(
iii
litii(XXI
x i l I(.lit
g i
i 1(
uil.ll
17.(S
XIIii\(it x
l tx
lx ittltIo
It!
.
Ill
ot
tNill(
\ ili.
\,(t(l
Iilt
t19- V~
M
flTit il
7I
)I .
it, Ittiltltisoi it) fit
iii iiiX
()ri
111i l 1tttt4
txl 211f ililI
x
\ii \ ix, xi I'Ituot
.1-'
\ cr
ttril
l
li
t III I ti'
titl
xxiitt
lt Ittmt t S2 til
tit.XXit
tult
i slidt illrCli tX i
does
I
it
tix
d f)t
iXillI .11 t
Itist I retit tfIx
tttxl
tf i slxxi xxtittx.
o
I t 111
tu(
l t l"
I'ItIxit it xc Iti
itt l\ itl til . C
lilti,
cheaper
itt
li~I 1 t til e l
t lii liii1ls
tixi
Itll
( fit
(Ai
it i
d1
d1x'Ix
lik
S( iiiI
Clitil
tit
ha\
it
c
xxi
( li c (, tiltd \i h\x t it i littill lii
lIt
ffla\
ti o Itt iii (1s l i iit'e i
\Niti
Ii it
It t{*t
'm
c tt lI l
x
iiicIt
ftiii
ilvIrix illi titt
(It
tillI
s
1i
Ilitt
ttt
ill11
S2
f.ltt.
Hills
l ixogrel
.11
oil
fill tiditt
i
imi l
\ iii
mi ldt
(A
iiiit(
li t of liitrw
tI lIi
li if
i
6t . 2
tit(x
iilt
.511.2
Cii
')ill it
(d
l
lilx
xi
ii
p xio
.) (((l
ex
licc
t
fIX
I x
tif
\ it lit
h 11a"il-.Ia d e
PEANIS-a Ovltr dtetmee
la arapted' ad 4at4ect4
L. L. HYCHE, Assistant Entomologist
B. WAYNE ARrH-UR, Assistant Entomo/og/st
Flout beetles on stored peanuts.
I
~ ix
s'x.Fivsii
x ii
x\
ll iii'
Bin Preparation
x,i t ixs!
t
Ai ix
Th isii
tifa
)li'tt(
i i tillii
oP t heiitx
I
1
t'No
Ix l tiicir ithii
i
1
itiiii)
p
oi
i i itI i
stee iit'i
btt ls.r
:
ttildIic
g Ia
('alolis
'iii
I
iit'ttlo
~hrD
'I liii
1ii
ii
itti ."
otlrpilInsetp
a ii'
Ix
tiiixiii
it'\
Icts
d Dam
ixislit
ot
a
t\(i
.it
ii
1
In ,,
iiiit t i
con1) il
x Ici \xt\i
t'tt
xoli lg'l
iiiixiiii ixx,lii ti\
t t'i
ii
Left-kernels of peanuts keot free of insects; right-results of insect feeding on
unprotected stored peanuts,
t ip i
ixlit
prbem
its
' n
i'-p
itii
iii i tIs
t's(
xolid i
i
. t
tIi
i
'i
n
2
liit pAni
48- iio iit'ix. rt
teel
l i ixi x Fi xI.
Ix
I t nii
xiiul
1)i 111ila e
at
'Il(
asso 'Uignt
rutxct
bc65F
il
lts xii diiii'
iti
it'
rttIx'
ii u i c
,tiitl
Iiiii
Iiiiiitx
a
(1
prtrs
SI
iipl
Prote000cnt Dust
t0 iiic
peiodii i
iiI ' ted
x
)'i:)-Ix lit\
ti
lxti't
orx ba
i' cii
ii'ii.
tiN 'i' tiit itil
c xeliipi
it
c1
I iii ba
l liiot'a iii tiit
~iix!it'llxx i iiitit
i t)tIl
itoo i
t ldk i iitixl from
i
theit' ls
ix i
-i
'pi4xwx pt'x iiiit t'\ixtiiiginixect illlixstitti ixs. F l.tu' iij putposixt'
1)DT,
Insect
ontrolag
FmiaidT
111(thoxN
c
iio\t
li t
pIoti t
s
iiit iiicds
drii ed
Iix
't't
red
tt
't
iii
x
lit!
l
iiti iifll((
hl~
l\I
sitoredt't
St
\t
EIon
mil
h t'id
t
rt,the floSirbeii 1 SI)
s
x 1iii1
i
g\
Iu\li'tt'
Iia
emtiiulioxn lxiI iuijlx
i
rte
t it
cd
s
Iii
5ii
if2'(rix.
t'ei
Two important insect pests of stored peanuts, Above-red-rust flour beetle adults
at right, larvae at left; below Indian
meal math larvae, (Magnified 5 times.)
tt-
F~
I
F~FFI
k
"kWF77=
4ft
-
0
53
9 2
'F','-
'3---.-.-
ea lzeaotcaf4 &oo~rz,6alaozqeo?i
F
2
J. H-. YEAGER, Associate Agricultural Economnist
J. L. BUTT, Associate Agricultural Engineer
i At\ I I'S
'
t
\1
iF
I
tiiIiI s i Is III((
(I ( I; I
1 1I
iFl
s~
1
Fi.
rll
XI tiI
ld
w(,1
F
;1F(
Cit llit
FI
i
i Ii
()
IF
iC
i iiI
o
I,,
i o i ff tlilld
fIlo l i fiIfII11121 tIF)s i
I4F
I11iat if11
)I I
2
Iiii
1F
s'l' ill
X-l
I o,I \ Ilo l
"I
tdwiIa
II
I It'll
X
X\
I
II 1
i, FF' i('t'X
1 1. ( 1
il
(rI iI
I
I
tI
dsi
aeidmrkti
IFI
.
its
i' I
t s
oi i(,
Ill
tIl iiI
FRIA
2,
di.Fti
Iw t
Fwi
of
%i I
k
li s 2ii/
- eB-
idII
.9 I( li
1.**l la ld F \lt,
F i l
tIi
c
11 1 1 w
c
IIt
ii s
illXli IXI It
o
I
I
Ili
IFtio II -,
1(
hil.
l l lie
, II'.4t
(
)ltI 111
w tliit
i 1' Ill
tll'-
II IIiwc
Fev
FF1
ll'F
Im11 t
XiIIr
1I 1
t- tifi1 f1'. IFFXvpX
s
'
IXXi11
) III 1,iIFFF
tI
ill
(I'
tinI
IFiti
1
tt
o
I
IFIF~IIth it
i
off
oll
F.)1
aXtIIIPr
)x1 ii
it
111,1111it losstill
11'i'FI IFoFti;FIF IFIFI't
1111\
i2
tl
iitI
ll
X(I
%F
;1111, (1 li lo cFIFFFI
l S:1
FF11
F"'
1
ill
er
.
Y
it am
11
XXriw
II
I~~~~tI
()I
bi11llht
I t'fIF'I
\\ tl
p
I)(tw
ii
t~illJl~ii
-
F
Im
l
t(I
il l
I'
XXt'
l II',IiltcIFI pli
t ri'
li
l
I
AI'
,14 1
ls 'F
%(I.
1ofii .tF Ca,I
I
"e IlillaiFF
Fi ( I
toll '
I
l (1fFill
1
t dl 'F
-ii
tI IttF11
tilt'
XI
it
of
111
XXIp
1
Ft
rX
F i
X IiFt(I
\
of
I
i I I ItIs.
'I
'
f
,,l.t
tolti
tillI'
11F Xs I Il lI
Ill 1p
t
li ik l
II
tit
tli
lF\
uF
pe
XFFil
I
111 it
111Fl
I.
XX
I i.IF
I
I' i wc
Xl
of11
111.
II p
t1111 tX I Iviw l-tX FIt 1)1 .if
fill
"'l si ttC
Ill.'I
till\
ri'. vit
gp~tic
IFFF
Ili] it(of fi 19
1 11 I t
iXI' I111I 1',
~
t
Iif
lI
'Fill. t'IXlI
t
Ic St)\(
Ii t]F
x d IIFX
I \Xi 1111 to 'Fill ill
i II 1fI
I lilt1111'I,k(iri ('IX
ofiti
.1
F' ('IF t C
o
I i I III, o \
11,d',
III 111FF litI Fil FF1
Far FFFIit
FX\\
Fd
1,1', I it i l il (
l p1111F X
* (tl i
FF
il 111,11
il
6
Iitw111
s Il 111.1
1.1mii
i111
III
(I
1 1111
i' 1Iii I', 11 t i
I X tIIs'
II
1111 FF1la
IX 111
141'
tI
t
livX Flt
(wI
('l~i
F
3
F
F ll
1.1FF
I-(
1 1if)
'IiI f,
FIt
i 'iII'
t Ii
',t F l
FF c I'
[i11)1111
l
I,,
( 1
d ItI
S
F
IiiF
IIII I4.11(fro IFit.
IFF'i
r1.I it 111',
I t'
fil 11i ('1,
( tI ji II iii
F~
(t
tIFI (111
~(
KIt
11Ft
a14tll'.
\xiiFII\t
ill]F'1
tI 1"i 1 Ft F Fiii il'twiiF s
.1111
it I
I
1)1 'It 111
S
S_
11111ttIF'it'iXtIlii
i'tiIF'
Fli
Fi,1ikF't11i1F
I1toll
ill
IwloF i
t
I ll
tIFFii
.ill
tI i
1'c
111'
Qy
F3l
1
FI
F~,
I
F
ii Iw
kIii
Ilt'l
IJ I
IFII itF s F
Xla,(
toil.Fit
FFI
F,
i )
I n )li
I
tFF X 111 F. \
l
'Ii\itI"F ti
t',F
p IiF'
Ilt'" t A IF
IFw(;.
I
d II t):5
Xts(
i 1I 1 fi
F
tIXr Fl l(_, 1F195F1
XtFi.FF4F
to)II
;I
(.FIF I F 1FF(FtIIrif
hF
I'1
lIi)
FPFt 1, N
t
I FI
I I; I I-F[
, IF
wrF F
A
.9
H-. S. WARD, Jr., Assciate Botanist
'I).itFI
b~S
I
-7
WHAT HAPPENS-
1F
*~,FS
IV*'-''.
-
I.
,FFF
C'hFiI'c
F
t
I~11.111'
.11'
lt F
.11
4
'Is llk
t
k1(
is I
t I.Ftt'F
tlill
c 'tFw
F
itIX
ia
(F
(11
i(
1
lit t
Iwtilll't (ii
Reseac
1Zeew 'aad 7&te4
PUBLICATIONS
iAata t arres
PLANT WORLD THUGS
76eatenin WHITE CLOVER
E. A. CURL, Assistant
Plant Pathologist
G ANG WARFARE can destroy white
clover. At least 15 species of parasitic
fungi are known to cause diseases of
clover in Alabama, and several of these
may attack the plant at the same time.
Some fungi attack the leaves; others
attack the stolons; still others attack all
parts of the plant.
Leaf diseases of white clover appear
in the form of spots or dead areas of
various sizes and shapes depending upon .the organism causing the disease.
These spots may range from numerous
tiny flecks over the entire leaf surface
to a few large, scattered, irregularly
shaped spots that eventually kill most
or all of the leaf tissue. Leaf diseases
lower the palatability of leaves and
cause excessive defoliation during
growth. Examples of the more common
leaf diseases of white clover are Pseudoplea leaf spot or pepper spot, Cuvularia leaf spot, Cercospora leaf spot,
Stagonospora leaf spot, black patch,
and Cymadothea leaf spot or sooty
blotch.
Stolon or stem diseases and root rots
may kill entire plants. Circular areas of
dead or dying plants can often be seen
in a field where these diseases are present. Such diseases are caused by a complex or group of soil-borne fungi such
as Rhizoctonia, Fusarium and Sclerotium. These organisms may live in the
soil for several years after death of the
plant and attack succeeding clover
crops.
Experiments conducted at the API
Agricultural Experiment Station during 1953 and 1954 showed that climatic factors affect the incidence and
severity of white clover diseases. Leaf
spots are most likely to be seen during
cool moist weather in May and June
and again in January and February.
Some of these diseases, however, can
be found throughout the year particularly in low wet pastures or during
periods of high humidity. Such environ-
mental conditions cause rapid growth
of the disease-causing fungi. Their
seed-like spores are spread rapidly from
diseased to healthy plants by wind and
splashing rains.
Stolon and root diseases get their
start in the early spring under conditions of high moisture when the plants
are recovering from winter injury. The
greatest damage to stolons occurs during the period of July to October when
temperatures are high and growth of
the plants are retarded. Experiments
have shown that disease damage to
stolons is greater than that to leaves.
Stolon diseases, being caused mostly by
soil-borne fungi, may be spread by the
trampling of cattle and by farm machinery.
Controlling diseases of clover poses
a difficult problem. At present, the
most promising is breeding for resistance to specific diseases. The use of
fungicides for leaf disease control has
not been shown to be practical. Rotations and deep plowing, such as used
in row croping, are not applicable for
clover in permanent pastures. Leaf diseases are sometimes less severe where
clover is mowed or grazed.
Ongoing investigations of the disease
problems of clover at this Station point
to developing more effective means of
control.
f~rrmnli~rr
Listed here are new and timely publications reporting results by the Agricultural Experiment Station:
Bul. 294. Merchandising Dairy Products in Alabama Retail Food Stores is a
report of efficiency of retailing dairy products in Alabama.
Bul. 295. Seasonal Variations in Prices
Received by Alabama Farmers reports
seasonal price changes for various Alabama-produced farm products.
Bul. 296. Economics of Pastures in
Feeding Systems for Dairy Cows discusses
cost and feeding value of selected grazing
crops in Piedmont area of Alabama.
Bul. 297. Production and Marketing of
Cage-Laid Eggs in Alabama covers production and marketing practices and costs
on Alabama farms.
Leaflet 41. Storing Shelled Corn in Alabama.
Progress Report 56. Caley Pea Silage
and Johnsongrass Hay in the Ration of
Dairy Cows.
Progress Report 57. Summary of Performance Tests of Small Farm Mixer-Grinder.
HIGHLIGHTS
of
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
Published Quarterly by
Agricultural Experiment Station
of the Alabama Polytechnic Institute
Auburn, Alabama
E. V. SMITH
COYT
......
WILSON-
CHAS. F. SIMMONS
KENNETH B. Roy ..
R. E.
STEVENSON
---------D irector
Assoc. Director
SAsst. Director
Editor
Asst. Editor
r\+ ~~+Cl~ rrnrl hrr Cr\~m v
FREE Bulletin or Report of Progress
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
of the ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
E. V. Smith, Director
Auburn, Alabama
Permit No. 1132--8/55-8M
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID
PAYMENT OF POSTAGE, $300