Now is the Time to Moo-ve Forward with Planting a New Alfalfa Field in the Valley

 Most growers have wrapped up the spring-to-summer alfalfa season by now.

But a few farmers are sticking it out and pushing for one more cutting this month, reports field scout Damien Jelen. These growers are determined to squeeze as much as they can from the crop to maximize their investment in time, water and chemicals.

New alfalfa fields should be planted in early fall.

It’s no surprise economics is a big driver.

Alfalfa, which can be cut for hay up to 11 times a year, ranks as the 10^th most valuable crop in California and generates more than $280 million in annual income for growers.  It supports the state’s largest ag industry, the $6 billion dairy market.

Good quality alfalfa brings in a premium. You might say good hay makes cows happy. That’s why about 1 million acres of alfalfa is grown statewide, yielding more than seven tons a year or 9 percent of the nation’s alfalfa hay production.

Alfalfa supports the state's giant dairy industry.

At the same time, alfalfa is a good rotational crop because it adds nitrogen into the soil. As a perennial crop, it grows for several years after planting.

Of course, there comes a time for growers to plant a new stand.

Dan Putman, an alfalfa extension specialist with the University of California Cooperative Extension in Davis, says early October is the best time for San Joaquin Valley growers to plant a new field. It takes 15 to 25 pounds of seed planted per acre.

Alfalfa plant roots go deep underneath the ground.

Putman says timing is everything. Planting in November runs the risk of encountering cold, wet weather. That’s not good for growth.

“It’s a slow growing seedling,” he says. It’s important for new alfalfa plants to establishdeep roots – usually five to six feet deep.

A deep root system allows alfalfa to withstand pest, weed and drought pressures. It also keeps the young alfalfa from being overwhelmed by winter weeds.

Planting a field even a couple of weeks too late can reduce yields by 1 to 1 ½ tons. Here’s what a1977-1978 field study in Yolo County and the Sacramento Valley found:

·         September 14 plantings yielded 17.2 tons per acre during the first two years

·         October 17 plantings yielded 16 tons per acre during the first two years

·         November 16 plantings yielded 14.5 tons per acre during the first two years

Putman advises growers to work with their pest control advisors to determine the best varieties to resist pest and plant disease pressures in their area. He also notes the deep root system helps alfalfa survive during dry years.

“It is a resilient crop,” he says. Even after growers stopped irrigating alfalfa during the drought, the crop was able to “come back another day to yield well.”

The Annual Cotton Tour remains popular as ever. The event provides a unique opportunity to get an inside look at cotton production – from the field to the gin. Set for Tuesday, October 24, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the cost is $40 a person, which covers bus transportation and lunch at the Cardella Winery in Mendota. For more information or to register go to the following link:  https://scpcottontour2017.eventbrite.com

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Some Growers Could Fetch Lower Returns for their Almonds This Season

There’s been a lot of chatter circulating on social media, in coffee shops and other gathering spots frequented by almond growers.

Some growers are surprised by crop reports on pest damage.

The talk around town centers on early reports from almond hullers that their crop experienced more pest damage than anticipated.

“They’re getting higher pest damage numbers than they thought. Growers don’t know what’s going on. It’s very puzzling to them,” field scout Jenna Mayfield reports. “It affects the price they get,” Jenna says.

Simply put: Greater pest damage means a lesser quality crop. That means growers will earn less money than expected.

Apparently, pest monitoring didn’t catch the actual number of pests prowling the orchard. They reason is unclear, Jenna says.

A pheromone mating disruption canister placed in a tree.

Of course, there’s plenty of speculation. Some cite the use of pheromone mating disruption devices – called puffers –designed to control male pests, especially the dreaded navel orangeworm (NOW).

Perhaps puffers from neighboring areas skewed the results in the grower’s pest traps. You might call it the almond version of a false positive report (meaning while pest control advisers and growers found fewer NOW eggs in the traps there were really a lot more crop damaging pests out in the orchard).

These puffers have been around for some two decades to control pests in tree crops across California. They are considered labor-saving technology.

The puffers are hung on tree branches and placed around the orchard. The canisters often will spray pheromone doses on a 12- or 24-hour schedule.

Navel orangeworm damage in almonds          (UC IPM photo)

Some studies indicate the puffers alone won’t significantly reduce NOW damage in almonds. They are most effective when combined with soft pesticide treatments. University of California researchers estimate mating disruption systems are used on more than 200,000 acres of almonds and pistachios across the state.

“MD (mating disruption) can work, but needs careful monitoring and large-scale cooperation between neighbors to work well across an entire area,” according to a 2012 article by Franz Niederholzer, a UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Colusa, Yuba and Sutter counties.

“Upwind portions of an MD block can have high NOW damage at harvest if neighboring blocks have high pressure. MD is not a stand-alone practice under high pressure.”

This is where the good neighbor policy comes in handy.

Harvest Thunders Ahead After Storm Roars Through Valley

Summer ends in four days.

You would have thought autumn had already arrived last week after fall-like weather roared through the northern San Joaquin Valley, knocking down power lines, trees and fences – as well cotton bolls in the fields and almonds in the trees. Toss in a bit of rain and you have yourself some weird weather.

 

Despite the thunderstorm and gusty winds, almonds and cotton emerged pretty much unscathed, according to field scouts Jenna Mayfield and Damien Jelen.

“There was a lot of rain in Firebaugh. Some bolls came off the cotton plants,” Damien says. 

Jenna points out almond trees are used to being jostled. Mechanical shakers roughhouse trees more than a little wind, she says.Still, some nuts were blown off the trees. But in a way, Mother Nature helped some growers with orchard sanitation by knocking off would-be mummy nuts.

For certain, the thunderstorm generated a little coffee shop talk and a small diversion from the daily chores. Now back to reality.

“We’re still full blown with the harvest,” Jenna says. “I’ve collected nut samples and put them in cold storage.”

 Later this fall, Jenna will get cracking on examining the samples to check on the amount of pest damage experienced in project orchards. This evaluation will help growers with their pest management plans next season.

Right now, spider mites have exploded in orchards. Mites reproduce quickly during the warm summer months and produce eight to 10 generations each season. The pests will damage the foliage, butthe problems show up next season – reduced crop yield and vegetative growth.

In cotton, growers continue to ramp up defoliation activities, Damien says. Fields are treated twice before the plants dry out enough for harvest. About two weeks after the final treatment, the cotton is ready to be picked. October certainly will be a busy month for harvesters.

 Meanwhile, Damien reminds growers to stay vigilant for aphids, white fly and mites, which can lead to sticky cotton. “You continue to worry about these pests until the plants are defoliated.”

By land and By Air: Cotton Growers Start Defoliating Fields Across the Valley

These days, you might see spray rigs driving through green cotton fields. Or you might find airplanes buzzing over the fields around the Valley.

A tractor rig applying defoliants in a cotton field.

 

These sights, says field scout Damien Jelen, are the defoliation of the cotton fields.

While some began the process last week, Damien says more growers are ramping up this week and spraying defoliates on their cotton fields.

This flurry of activity signals that the fall harvest is around the corner.

Damien expects some harvesters to start picking cotton by the end of this month. “We can expect the harvest to go through Halloween.” 

Why do growers defoliate their cotton fields?

Some fields are defoliated by an airplane.

Defoliation is the last major field management decision that will affect the financial outcome of the crop. This process is necessary to prepare the crop for mechanical picking.

Defoliants are used to boost leaf drop and drying of the plant, which increases the timeliness and efficiency of the harvest. Growers that terminate their crop early are often trying to head off potential sticky cotton damage caused by growing white fly or aphid populations.

Here is a cotton field 12 hours after defoliants were applied..

Successful defoliation can improve cotton grades by lessening staining and trash from the leaves, make harvesting faster, speed up drying, delay boll rot and even boost boll opening.

 

Some experts consider the proper timing for defoliation more of an art than a science. Crop maturity, field conditions, and the environment are factors that go into deciding when to defoliate.

  

Here’s what UC IPM considers the best conditions for defoliation:

• Moderate to high air temperatures (daytime greater than or equal to 80 degrees, nighttime greater than 60 degrees)
• Relatively low plant and soil nitrogen levels
• Moderate soil water levels (plants not water stressed)
• Relatively uniform crop development; plants at vegetative cutout with limited or no regrowth
• Weeds, insects, and diseases under control
• Ability to get good chemical coverage and penetration of the chemicals into the plant canopy

Growers can ask their pest control advisors and UC extension specialists for recommendations about defoliant products and application rates.