February 8, 2008
Contact: Michael E. Hunter, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of
Jefferson County, 315-788-8450; Joe Lawrence, CCE of Lewis County,
315-376-5270; Peter Barney, CCE of St. Lawrence County, 315-379-9192
Cornell Researcher Offers Info on Brown Root Rot at March Meetings
As if the Alfalfa Snout Beetle hasn�t done enough damage to North
Country alfalfa fields, here comes brown root rot. Cornell University
Professor of Plant Pathology Gary C. Bergstrom says the fungal disease
that plagues alfalfa and clover has the potential to seriously damage
production of the crops that are critical to the agricultural industry.
Bergstrom will speak about brown root rot and other diseases of alfalfa,
corn and soybeans at the 2008 North Country Crop Congresses on March 12
in Madrid, NY, and March 13 in Carthage, NY.
Dr. Bergstrom says, �Brown root rot is present in a majority of the
alfalfa fields tested in the Northeast with most lesions advanced into
the internal tissues of the plant roots and crowns.�
Bergstrom and Cornell graduate student Michael Wunsch have received
funding from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program to
work with Cornell Cooperative Extension educators in Clinton, Essex,
Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in 2008 to develop
management strategies for controlling brown root rot in alfalfa and
forage grasses.
The disease was detected in eight of 10 fields sampled in New York state
in 2005, including fields in Northern New York � in Clinton, Lewis and
St. Lawrence counties. Because the disease affects the internal tissue
of the plants, it can be difficult to identify brown root rot as present
in a farm field without laboratory analysis. What options do farmers
have for dealing with the difficult disease?
Bergstrom says, �Currently, there are no measures available to farmers
to control this difficult disease. But we hope our work will change
that. Our research is aimed at identifying the alfalfa and grass
varieties that perform better than others in the presence of brown root
rot fungus.�
Joe Lawrence, field crops educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of
Lewis County, says, �The March Crop Congresses provide the opportunity
for North Country farmers to get ahead of the curve on how to deal with
brown root rot and other crop diseases. Learning the latest science from
Dr. Bergstrom and our other panelists gives producers a head-start on
growing the best crops they can under North Country growing challenges
and opportunities.�
Also on the Crop Congresses� agenda are presentations for dealing with
field crop insect pests by Cornell entomologist Dr. Elson Shields, and
on new herbicides and weed control by Cornell weed scientist Dr. Russell
Hahn. Lawrence and Cornell Cooperative Extension Field Crop Educators
Michael E. Hunter of Jefferson County and Peter Barney of St. Lawrence
County will provide North Country Field Crop Research updates.
The registration fee for the 10 am to 3 pm Crop Congresses on March 12
at the Madrid Community Center and March 13 at the Carthage Elks Club is
$15 by March 7; $20 after; with lunch included. Register with Cornell
Cooperative Extension in Jefferson County at 315-788-8450 or in St.
Lawrence County at 315-379-9192. The annual Corn Congress at the William
H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy, NY, will be held on
March 4 with guest speaker Dr. Limin Kung, Jr. of the Dairy Nutrition
and Silage Fermentation Lab at the University of Delaware. Call
518-846-7121 x117 for more details. # # #
