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Historic,  Archive  Document 

Do  not  assume  content  reflects  current  scientific  knowledge, 
policies,  or  practices. 


pG9l£>f> 

THIRTY-NINTH   ANNUAL  REPORT 

OF 

FORAGE  RESEARCH 
IN  THE 

NORTHEASTERN    UNITED  STATES 

1975  S 


FOR   OFFICIAL  USE  ONLY 


1975 


Thirty-Ninth  Annual  Report 


of 


Forage  Research 


in  the 


Northeastern  United  States 


A  Joint  Contribution  of  the 
U.S.  Regional  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 

and  the 

Agricultural  Experiment  Stations 
of  the 

Twelve  Northeastern  States 


Beltsville  Agricultural  Research  Center 
Chesapeake- Potomac  Area,  and 
North  Atlantic  Area 
of  the  Northeastern  Region 


Agricultural  Research  Service,  U.S.   Department  of  Agriculture 


Agricultural   Experiment  Stations  of 


Participating  Agencies 


and  the 


Connecticut  (Storrs) 

De laware 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

New  Hampshire 

New  Jersey 


New  York 
New  York 


(Cornell) 
(Geneva) 


Pennsylvania 
Rhode  Island 
Vermont 


West  Virginia 


ii 


********************************* 


*  * 

*  This  annual  report  of  forage  research  in  the  12  Northeastern  * 

*  States  is  a  progress  report  and  as  such  may  contain  statements  * 

*  which  may  not  be  verified  by  subsequent  research.     The  fact  -a 

*  that  any  statement  has  been  made  herein  does  not  constitute  * 

*  publication.  Citation  to  particular  statements  should  not  be  -a 
■3*  made  in  publications  unless  permission  has  been  granted  by  the  ■?< 

*  contributor.  -x 

*  * 

*  This  report  is  prepared  for  the  official  use  of  forage  crop  * 

*  research  workers  in  the  region.     Copies  are  sent  to  all  * 

*  organizations  involved  in  the  forage  research  program  of  the  * 

*  12  Northeastern  States,  to  all  investigators  in  the  North-  * 

*  eastern  Region  and  to  some  interested  institutions  outside  the  * 

*  region.     Since  it  is  reproduced  in  limited  numbers  it  is  not  * 

*  available  for  general  distribution  to  individuals  outside  the  * 

*  region.     Requests  by  institutions  desiring  to  be  placed  on  the  * 

*  mailing  list  or  by  individuals  requesting  a  particular  copy  * 

*  should  be  addressed  to  the  Director,  U.S.  Regional  Pasture  * 

*  Research  Laboratory,  University  Park,  PA     16802.  * 

*  # 


*******************  **************# 


FOR  OFFICIAL  USE  ONLY 


l 


iii 


PREFACE 


This  Annual  Report  is  intended  primarily  for  use  by  forage 
research  and  extension  workers  in  the  Northeastern  United  States. 
It  contains  brief  reports  of  research  projects  conducted  on 
forages  at  most  of  the  State  Agricultural  Experiment  Stations 
in  the  region  as  well  as  research  on  forages  conducted  by  the 
Northeastern  Region,  Agricultural  Research  Service,  U.S. 
Department  of  Agriculture.     Our  appreciation  is  extended  to  all 
contributors  and  to  the  contact  person  at  each  station  who 
coordinated  the  collection  of  reports. 

We  attempted  to  have  this  report  coincide  with  the  writing  of 
CRIS  reports,  but  discovered  that  the  State  Experiment  Stations 
and  ARS  have  different  due  dates.     Thus,  a  few  projects  are  not 
represented  in  the  present  report.     After  the  changes   in  fiscal 
year  dates  are  completed,  we  will  set  a  new  due  date  for  the 
report  that  more  closely  coincides  with  the  writing  of  other 
research  reports. 

A  special  note  of  appreciation  is  due  Mrs.  Vicki  Meyer  and 
Mrs.  Amina  Birkenmayer,  members  of  the  Pasture  Laboratory  staff. 
They  carried  almost  all  of  the  responsibilities  in  getting  this 
report  assembled. 

Your  comments  and  suggestions  on  how  this  report  might  be 
improved  would  be  greatly  appreciated. 


Richard  R.  Hill,  Jr. 
Acting  Laboratory  Director 


iv 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Page 

Preface  .   „    .   .   .    ......    „   ...   .   .   .   .    .   .   .                       .  iii 

Table  of  Contents   .......................  iv 

Author  Index  ...............   ..^  *    x 

Roster  of  Research  and  Extension  Workers  in  the  Northeastern 
United  States  with  Some  Forage  Crops  and  Grasslands 

Orientation  .........................  1 

I.  BREEDING,  GENETICS,  AND  PLANT  INTRODUCTION  RESEARCH  ....  8 

Report  of  Northeast  Regional  Plant  Introduction  Station, 
Geneva,  NY;  and  Regional.  Project  NE-9--The  Introduction, 
Testing,  Multiplication  and  Preservation  of  Potentially 
Valuable  Plants  for  Crop  Improvement  and  Industrial  Use-- 
D.  D.  Dolan,  S.  W.  Braverman  and  W.  R.  Sherring  .....  8 

Breeding  for  Yield,  Quality  and  Disease  Resistance  in 

Alfalfa--R.  R.  Hill,  Jr.   ..............    .     .  12 

Breeding  and  Genetics  of  Bromus  inermis--G.  M.  Dunn  and 

H.  Z.  Lea    ...................  13 

Breeding  for  Improved  Forage  Quality--!.  S.  Shenk, 

M,  L.  Risius,  R.  W.  Cleveland  and  R.   L.  Cowan  ......  13 

Breeding  of  Improved  Varieties  of  Forage  Species  Adapted 
to  the.  Northeast--J.  S.  Shenk,  R.  W.  Cleveland,  and 
M.  L.  Risius   ................    14 

Breeding  of  Perennial  Forage  Grasses--!.  S.  Shenk,  R.  W. 

Cleveland,  and  M.   L.  Risius   ...    ...........  .  14 

Breeding  Crownvetch  for  Forage,  and  Slope  Stabilization 

Usage--M.   L.  Risius,  J.  S.   Shenk,  and  R.  W.  Cleveland   ..  15 

Breeding  and  Genetics  of  Corn--M.  W.  Johnson  .......  15 

Kentucky  Bluegrass.     Effects  of  Origin  of  Clones  and 
Latitude  of  Seed  Production  on  Frequency  of  Aberrant 
Progenies--A. . W.  Hovin,  C.  C.  Berg3  E.  C.  Bashaw, 
R.  C.   Buckner,  D.  R.  Dewey,  Go  M.  Dunn,  C.   S.  Hoveland, 
C.  M.  Rincker  and  G.  M.  Wood   ..............  16 

Breeding  and  Cytogenetic  Investigations  and  Improvement  of 
Cool  Season  Perennial  Forage  Species--R.   P.  Murphy  and 
C.  C.   Lowe  .......................  17 

II.  ENTOMOLOGY  RESEARCH  ...................  19 

Nutrient  Slant  Board  Technique  of  Rearing  the  Clover  Root 
Curculio,  Sitona  hispidulus   (F. )--P.  B.  Baker  and 
R.  A.  Byers   ......................  19 

A  Technique  for  Sampling  Eggs  of  the  Clover  Root  Curculio-- 

R.  A.  Byers  and  P.  B.  Baker  ..............  19 


V 


Page 

Toxicity  of  P-nitropropionic  Acid  to  the  Cabbage  Looper-- 

R.  A,  Byers ,  D.   L.  Gustine,  and  B .   G.  Moyer  20 

Nematicidal  Effects  of  Soil  Pesticides  When  Applied  to 
Alfalfa--E.  R.  Jones,  R.  H.   Swain,  K.  W.  Bell  and 
R„  B.  Carroll,  Delaware  .   .    .    .    .   .   .    „    .    .    .   .    .    .    .   .   .  20 

Impact  of  Alfalfa  Harvest  on  Microctonus  aethiopoides  a 

Parasitoid  of  the  Alfalfa  Weevil--A.  A.  Hower  .    .  .  .    . . . . .  21 

Control  and  Bionomical  Studies  of  Livestock  and  Animal 
Food  Crop  Insects  in  West  Virginia--Linda  Butler  and 
Joseph  E.  Weaver  .    .    ...   .   .   .   ...    .   .   ......    .  21 

Effect  of  the  Alfalfa  Weevil  on  the  Alfalfa  Crop--Gary  W. 

Fick,  Beverly  Wen-Yuh  Liu,  and  George  A..  Maybee   ....  22 

III.     PLANT  PATHOLOGY  RESEARCH  .................  23 

Mechanisms  of  Resistance,  of  Reed  Canarygrass  to  Leafspot 

Fungi--C.   P.  Vance  and  R.  T.  Sherwood  .........  23 

Phytophthora  Root  Rot  of  Alfalfa  in  Pennsylvania- -K.  T. 

Leath  and  J.  E.  Baylor  ................  24 

Interaction  of  Fusarium  Root  Rot  with  Pea  Aphid  and 

Potato  Leaf hopper  Feeding  on  Forage  Legumes- -K.  T. 

Leath  and  R.  A.  Byers   .................  25 

Resistance  to  Purple  Leafspot  in  Orchardgrass--K„  E. 

Zeiders,  C.  C.  Berg  and  R.  T.  Sherwood  ........  26 

Field  Reaction  of  Disease-Resistant  Smooth  Bromegrass 

Selections--K.  E.  Zeiders   ...............  26 

Fungi  Associated  with  Leaf  Disease  on  Reed  Canarygrass 

Irrigated  with  Municipal  Sewage  Effluent--K.  E. 

Zeiders   ........................  27 

Diseases  of  Annual  Grasses  at  University  Park,  Pa-- 

K.   E.  Zeiders   .....................  27 

Resistance  Mechanisms  Associated  with  Foliar  Infections 

of  Forage  Crops--R.  L.  Millar  .............  28 

IV.     GROWTH,  PHYSIOLOGY,  AND  CLIMATIC  EFFECTS   ........  30 

The.  Effects  of  Environment  on  Carbon  Dioxide  Exchange 
and  Assimilate  Distribution  of  Timothy,  Orchardgrass 
and  Alfalfa--D.  M.  Vietor  ...............  30 

Ecology  of  Grasses  and  Legumes --M.  A.   Sprague  ......  30 

Accumulation  of  Magnesium,  Calcium  and  Potassium  in  the 
Herbage  of  Some  Temperate-Orgin  Forage  Species  as 
Affected  by  Temperature  and  Magnesium  Fertilization-- 
C.   F.  Gross  and  G.  A.  Jung   ..............  31 

Biosynthesis  of  Medicarpin  in  Jackbean  Callus  Tissue 

Cultures--D.   L.  Gustine.  ................  32 


VI 


Page 

Nonstructural  Carbohydrate  in  the  Spring  Herbage  of 
Temperate  Grasses--G.  A.  Jungs  R.  E.  Kocher, 

C.  F.  Gross  and  Co  Co  Berg  ...............  33 

Morphology,  Physiology,  and  Cultural  Responses  of 
Perennial  Forages--G.  W.  Fick,  R.  R.  Seaney,  and 
C.  H.  Darrah,  III,   34 

V.     WEED  INVESTIGATIONS   ...................  35 

Annual  and  Perennial  Weed  Control  in  Corn  and  Forages-- 

N.  L.  Hartwig   35 

No-tillage  Establishment  of  Forages- -Dean  L.  Linscott, 

R.   F.   Lucey,  R.   R.   Seaney  ...............  36 

Improvement  of  Birdsfoot  Trefoil  Seed  Production 

Practices--D.   L.  Linscott,  H.  M.  Schaaf  .   .    .....   .  36 

Long-Term  Comparisons  of  No-Tillage  and  Conventional 

Corn  Production--R.  A.   Peters  .............  37 

No-Tillage  Forage  Crop  Seedings  in  Established  Sods - - 

R.  A.   Peters   ......................  38 

VI.     MANAGEMENT  AND  PRODUCTION  RESEARCH  ............  39 

Pasture  Management  on  Poorly  Drained  Coastal  Plain  Soils-- 

E.  R.  Jones  and  R.  H.  Swain  ..............  39 

The  Evaluation  of  Several  Alfalfa  Varieties,  Fertility, 

and  Cutting  Management  Treatments  in  Delaware-- 

E.  R.  Jones,  R.   H.  Swain,  K.  W.  Bell  and  R.  B. 

Carroll  ........................  39 

Establishment  and  Longevity  of  Birdsfoot  Trefoil 

Stands  Grown  for  Seed--G.  B.  MacCollom  and  A.  R. 

Gotlieb  ........................  40 

Evaluation  of  Perennial  Ryegrass-Tall  Fescue  Hybrids 

as  Forage  for  Northern  Areas--G,  M.  Wood,  W.  M. 

Sullivan  and  J.  G.  Welch  ...............  40 

Harvest  Schedules  for  Immature  Alfalfa  Forage  - - 

C.   S.  Brown  and  R.   F.  Stafford  ............  41 

The  Response  of  Alfalfa  to  Fertility,   Irrigation  and 

Cutting  Management--!.  H.  McNemar  and  N.  A.  Clark  ...  41 
Effect  of  Management  Factors  on  Alfalfa  Productivity 

and  Persistence--J.  B.  Washko,  K.  T.   Leath  and 

A.  A.  Hower  ......................  42 

Minimum  Tillage  Pasture  Renovation- -A .  M.   Decker  and 

R.   F.   Dudley   .....................  42 

Evaluation  of  Sod-Seeded  Pastures  Using  Dairy  Steers 

and  Heifers--A.  M.   Decker,  J.  H.   Vandersall,  N.  A. 

Clark  .........................  43 

Evaluation  of  Pastures  for  Dairy  Heifers--E.  M.  Kesler  and 

J.  B.  Washko   43 


vii 


Productivity  and  Quality  of  Fertilized  Perennial 

Forages--L.  F.  Marriott  .......  'i  .  44 

Development  of  Seeding  Techniques  and  Management 
Systems  for  Feed  Crops  in  Southwestern 
Pennsylvania- -W.  G.  Downs,  III.,  J.  B.  Washko  and 
L.  F.  Marriott  ...........    44 

Establishment  and  Management  of  Several  Grass  and 
Other  Species  for  Forage,  and  Ground  Cover- - 

J.  B.  Washko  .....................  45 

Evaluation  of  Permanent  Pastures  for  Species 
Composition,  Yield,  Ground  Cover,  Grazing 
Pasture,  and  Other  Management  Practices--B .  S.  Baker, 
and  R.  L.  Nestor    46 

Effectiveness  of  Use  of  Bluegrass-White  Clover 

Pastures--G.  C.  Anderson  ...............  46 

Evaluation  of  Organic  Preservatives  for  Stored  Forages-- 

C.  C.  Sheaf fer,  J.  H.  McNemar ,  and  N.  A.  Clark  ....  47 
Seed  Production  by  Ryegrass-Fescue  Hybrid  Derivatives 

in  Muslin-Covered  Cages  - -C .   C,  Berg  and  R.   R.  Hill,  Jr.  47 

VII.     ENGINEERING  RESEARCH  ..................  49 

Regional  Project  NE-70--Engineering  Systems  for  Forage 
Crop  Production  and  Use--W.   L.  Kjelgaard,  G.  F. 
Rehkugler,  R.  J.  Rowe ,  D.  R.  Mears  and  L.  F. 

Whitney  .......................  49 

Engineering  Systems  for  Forage  Crop  Production  and 

Use--R.  J.  Rowe   50 

VIII.     NUTRITIVE  EVALUATION  AND  UTILIZATION  ..........  51 

NE-24  -  The  Nutritive  Evaluation  of  Forages--J.  G. 

Welch,  A.  M.   Smith,  and  R.  T.  Wetherbee  .......  51 

Studies  on  Allelochemical  Properties  of  Crownvetch 

and  Their  Effect  on  Forage  Quality--J.  S.  Shenk, 

P.  J.  Wangsness,  R,  M,  Leach,  J.   L.  Gobble, 

D.  L.   Gustine  and  R.  F.  Barnes   ............  51 

The  Palatability  of  Crownvetch- -W .  A,  Kendall  and 

R.  T.  Sherwood  ...........    52 

Fermentation  to  Increase  Food  Protein  Yield-- 

R.  E.  Mudgett   53 

Forage  Soluble  N  Effects  on  Fiber  Digestion  by 

Rumen  Microorganisms- -W.  P.  Apgar  and  R.  E„  Goodnow  .  .  53 
Control  Measures  for  Winter  and  Spring  Tetany  in 

Beef  Cows - -R.   L.  Reid   .................  54 

Comparative.  Feeding  and  Balance  Trials  with  Lactating 

Beef  Cows  and  Lambs--R.   L.   Reid  and  Charles 

McCormick  .......................  54 


viii 


Page 

Effects  of  Roughage  Preparation- -E.  C,  Leffel 

and  S.  C.  Whelan    ..........   55 

Feeding  of  Alfalfa  Hay  Preserved  with  Ammonium 

Isobutyrate--J .  H.  Vandersall       .....    ......    .  56 

Ratios  of  Alfalfa  Hay  to  Corn  Stover  for  Growing  Dairy 

Animals--J.  H.  Vandersall  ...............  56 

Addition  of  Newspapers  to  Direct-cut  Alfalfa  Silage-- 

T.   L.  Horn  and  J.  H.  Vandersall  .......    57 

Infrared  for  the  Nutritional  Evaluation  of  Crops  and 

Miscellaneous  Feedstuff s--J .  S.  Shenk,  B.  R.  Baumgardt, 

and  R.  F.  Barnes   ...................  57 

Nutrient  Changes  of  Alfalfa  Forages  Submitted  to 

Protein  Extraction- -H,  Fenner  and  D.  M.  Vietor.  ...  58 
Factors  Affecting  Nutritive  Value  of  Alfalfa  Hay-- 

B.  R.  Baumgardt  and  P.  J.  Wangsness  .........  59 

Feeding  Behavior  of  Ruminants  Fed  Forage-Based  Complete 

Rations--P.  J.  Wangsness  .........    60 

Ultrafiltration  of  Alfalfa  Juice  for  Human  Protein 

Recovery--L.  F.  Whitney  .....    .....  60 

IX.     SILAGE  RESEARCH  ....................  61 

Corn  Silage  Yields  of  Several  Corn  Varieties  Having 
Different  Morphological  Characteristics--E.  R.  Jones 
and  R.  H.  Swain  ...................  61 

Wilted  Haycrop  Silage  Versus  Hay  for  Dairy  Cows ~ - 

J.  B.  Holter  ....................  61 

Silage  Investigations --Mo  A.  Sprague,  J.  Zublena  and 

J.  Adalla  ......................  62 

X.     ENVIRONMENTAL  RESEARCH  ................  63 

Hatch  233  Movement  of  Heavy  Metals  in  the  Environment: 
Pollution  and  Recycling  Schemes  (Plus  Water  Research 
Institute  Parallel  Project)--D.  J.  Horvath  and 
R.  Singh  .    .................  63 

Sewage  Sludge  Utilization  in  the  New  Jersey  Pine 
Barrens--R.  W.  Duell,  R.  B.  Alderfer,  D.  K.  Markus 
and  D.  W.  Piatt   63 

Effects  of  Sewage  Sludge  on  Soils  and  Yield  of  Corn 
and  Soybeans- -A.  M.  Decker,  R.   L.  Chaney,  and 

D.  C.  Wolf  ......................  64 

Disposal  and  Utilization  of  Dairy  and  Poultry  Manure 
by  Land  Application--H.  D.  Bartlett  and  L.  F. 
Marriott  .   64 


ix 


Page 

Monitoring  Effects  of  Land  Disposal  of  Sewage  Sludge  on 
Crops  Production  and  Minerals  in  Food  Chain--D,  E.  Baker, 
R„  M„  Leach  and  H.  Cole  .   .    .    .    .   .   .   .   .    .    .   .    .    .   .   .   .  65 

Using  Cropland  for  Sewage  Wastewater  and  Sludge  Disposal-- 

L.  To  Kardos ,  W.  £.  Sopper  and  Wo  R.  De  Tar  ........  66 

Influence  of  Sprinkler  Irrigation  with  Municipal  Sewage 
Effluent  and  Cutting  Management  on  Disease  Incidence 
and  Buildup  on  Reed  Canarygrass  Clones--Ko   E.  Zeiders 
and  Ro  T.  Sherwood  ....................  66 

LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS   .......................  68 


RECIPIENTS  OF  GRADUATE  DEGREES 


76 


X 


AUTHOR  INDEX 


Ada 11a,  J.  62 
Adams,  R.  S.     68,  72 
Adansi,  P.  M.     68,  76 
Addy,  T.  0.  68 
Alderfer,  R„  B.  63 
Alt,  F.  L.  72 
Anderson,  G.  C.  46 
Apgar,  W.   P.     53,  70 

Bae,  Dong-Ho     68,  76 
Baker,  B.  S.     46 ,  68 
Baker,  D.  E.     65,  68,  72,  75 
Baker,  P.  B.     19,  68,  76 
Balasko,  J.  A.     72,  74 
Barnes,  D.  K.  69 

Barnes,  R.  F.     51,  57,  68,  71,  74,  75 

Bartlett,  H.  D.     64,  73 

Bashaw,  E.  C.  16 

Baumgardt,  B.  R.     57,  59,  68,  71 

Baylor,  J.  E.     24,  68,  72 

Bell,  K.  W.     20,  39,  75 

Bennett,  0.   L.  33 

Berg,  C„  C.     16,  26,  33,  47,  69 

Bonde,  M.  R.     69,  77 

Brace,  N.  70 

Braverman,  S.  W.  8 

Brown,  C.  S.  41,  69 

Buckalew,  J.  M.  72 

Buckner,  R.  C.  16 

Burdette,  L.  A.  69 

Busbice,  T.  H.  69 

Buss,  G.  R.  69 

Butler,  Linda  21 

Byers,  R.  A.     19,  20,  25,  73 

Carroll,  R.  B.     20,  39,  69,  75 
Chaney,  R.   L.  64 
Chase,  L.   E.  69 
Chen,  C.  S.  68 
Clancy,  M.     68,  69 
Clark,  D.  B.  75 
Clark,  N.  A.  41 
Cleveland,  R.  W. 
Cole,  Ho  65 
Cook,  R.  W.  75 
Coppock,  C.   E.  69 


Cowan,  R.   L.  13 
Craven,  M.  M.     69,  76 
CYMMYT  69 


43,  47,  74 
13,  14,  15,  69 


Damon,  R.  A. ,  Jr. 


70 


Darrah,  C.  H. ,  III.     34,  69 


42,  43,  64,  69 
66 

69,  70 


Decker,  A.  M. 
De  Tar,  W.  R. 
Devine,  T.  E. 
Dewey,  D.  R.  16 
Dolan,  D.  D.  8 
Donker,  J.  D.  75 
Downs,  W.  G.   III.  44 
Dudley,  R.  F.  42 
Duell,  R.  W.     63,  70 
Duke,  W.  B.  70 
Dunn,  G.  M.     13,  16,  75 

Elgin,  J.  H. ,  Jr.  70 
Eshelman,  R.  M.  68 

Fenner,  H.     58,  70 

Fick,  G.  W.     22,  34,  69,  70,  73 

Fortmann,  H.  R.  70 

Fowler,  R.  E.  74 

Garrison,  C.  S.  69 
Gobble,  J.   L.  51 
Goodnow,  R.   E.     53,  70,  76 
Gotlieb,  A.  R.  40 
Graham,  J.  H.  70 
Gross,  C  F.     31,  33,  71 
Guss,  S.  B.  72 
Gustine,  D.  L.     20,  32,  51 

Hagin,  R.  D.     70,  73 
Hanson,  C.  H.     69,  70 
Harpster,  H.  W.  71 
Hartwig,  N.  L.  35 

Hill,  R.  R.  Jr.,  12,  47,  69,  71,  73 

Hinish,  W.  W.  72 

Holter,  J.  B.     61,  71 

Holthausen,  R.  S.  70 

Horn,  T.  L.  57 

Horvath,  D.  J.  63 

Hoveland,  C.  S.  16 

Hovin,  A.  W.  16 


Hower,  A.  A.     21,  42,  71 
Hwang,  Ming  Der  75 

Jones,  E.  R.     20,  39,  61,  69,  75 
Johns,  W.     III.  71 
Johnson,  M,  W.     15,  71,  74 
Jung,  G.  A.     31,  33,  71,  72,  74 


xi 

Murphy,  R.  P.  17,  73 
Muslih,  R.  K.     73,  77 

Naismith,  R.  W.  74 
Nestor,  R„  L.  46 
Norris,  K.  H.  74 

Olsen,  F.  J.  74 
Ostazeski,  S.  A,  69 

Pardee,  W,  D„  74 
Pearson,  Go  A.  74 
Peters,  R.  A.     37,  38 
Piatt,  Do  W.  63 
Post,  Amy  J.  74 
Potvin,  Wo     74,  76 
Powell,  Karen  74 


Kabuga,  J.  D,  71, 
Kalmbacher,  R.  S.     72,  76 
Kardos,  L.  T.     66,  72,  74 
Karth,  K.  M.     72,  76 
Kendall,  W.  A.     52,  72,  73 
Kesler,  £.  M.     43,  72 
Kjelgaard,  W.  L.     49,  72 
Klausner,  S.   D.  72 
Kocher,  R.   E.     33,  74 
Kradel,  D.  C.  72 
Krasnuck,  M.  72 

Lea,  H.  Z.     13,  72,  76 
Leach,  R,  M.     51,  65,  68 
Leath,  K.  T.     24,  25,  42,  71,  72,  73 
Leffel,  £.  C.     55,   73,  75 
Legg,  J.  0.  73 
Linscott,  D.   L.     36,  70,  73 
Liu,  Beverly  W.  Y.     22,  73 
Lowe,  Co  Co     17,  73 
Lucey,  R.   F.  36 

MacCollom,  Go  Bo  40 
Manosalvas,  L.  W.  72 
Markus,  Do  K.  63 
Marriott,  L.  F.     44,  64,  73 
Marten,  Go  Co  75 
Mason,  W.  N.     73,  77 
Maxwell,  R.  H.  68 
May,  Ro  G.  69 
Maybee,  G.  A.  22 
McCormick,  C.  54 
McGahen,  Jo  Ho  71 
McNemar,  J.  H.     41,  47 
Mears,  D.  R.     49,  74,  75 
Millar,  R.   L.  28 
Miller,  G.  A.     73,  76 
Mitchell,  D.  Mo  74 
Modgett,  R.   Eo  75 
Moore,  J.   E.  74 
Morrissey,  R.     73,  77 
Moyer,  B.  G.  20 
Mudgett,  Ro   Eo  53 
Mueller,  J.   P.     73,  77 
Muka,  Ao  A.  71 


Quade,  Mo   L.  72 

Ratcliffe,  R.  Ho  69 
Reese,  W.  H.  75 
Rehkugler,  C.  F .  49 
Reid,  R.   L„     54,  74 
Richendorf er ,  J.   L.  74 
Rincker,  C.  Mo     16 ,  69 
Risius,  Mo  Lo     13,   14,  15 
Roberts,  W.  J.  74 
Roemig,  J.  J,     74,  76 
Ro  s  enau ,  J .  R .  75 
Rowe,  Ro  J.     49,  50 
Rutledge,  Jo  J.  75 

Schaaf,  H.  Mo  36 

Schillinger,  J.  A.  69 

Schmit,  R.  Mo  70 

Seaney,  R.   R.     34,  36,  70 

Sheaf fer,  C,  Co     47,  74 

Shenk,  Jo   S.     13,   14,   15,  51,  57, 

74,  75 
Sherring,  Wo  R.  8 

Sherwood,  R.  T.     23,  26,  52,  66,  72 

Shipp,  Ro  Fo  75 

Singh,  Ro  63 

Singley,  Mo   E.  74 

Smith,  Ao  Mo     51,  75 

Sooper,  W.   E.     66,  74,  75 

Sprague,  Mo  A.     30,  62 

Stafford,  Ro  Fo  41 

Stevens,  L.   P.  72 

Sullivan,  Wo  M.  40 

Swain,  Ro  H.     20,  39,  61,  69,  75 


xii 


Tan,  Go  Y.  75 
Thomas,  W.  I.  74 
Thyfault,  H.  A.  75 
Tseng,  Wo  T.  75 

Urban,  W.  E.  Jr.  71 

Vance,  Co   P.  23 
Vandersall,  J0  H.     43,  56,  57 
Vaughan,  R„  Ho  73 
Vietor,  Do  Mo     30,  58 

Wangsness,  P.  J.  51,  59,  60,  69 
Washko,  JoB.  42,  43,  44,  45,  72,  75 
Weaver,  Jo  E.  21 


Welch,  Jo  Go     40,  51,  75 
Wetherbee,  R.  I.  51 
Whelan,  S.  Co     55,  75 
Whitney,  L.  F.     49,  60,  68,  75 
Williams,  R0   L»  71 
Witham,  F.  Ho  72 
Wolf,  Do  C.  64 
Wood,  G.  Mo     16,  40 


Zeiders,  K.  E.  26,  27,  66,  75 
Zublena,  J.  62 


1 


Roster  of  Research  and  Extension  Workers  in  the  Northeastern 
United  States  with  Some  Forage  Crops  and  Grasslands  Orientation 


Name. 


Field  of  Interest 


Department 


University  of  Connecticut 
Storrs  06268 


All  ins  on,  D.  W, 
Cowan,  W.  A. 
Dest,  W.  M. 
Griffin,  G.  F. 
Peters,  R.  A. 
Washko,  W,  W. 
Wengel,  R.  W. 


Forage  Management 
Animal  Nutrition 
Weed  &  Turf  Invest. 
Soil  Fertility 
Weed  Investigations 
Forage  Management 
Soil  Physics 


Plant  Science 
Animal  Industries 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science. 


University  of  Delaware 
Newark  19711 


Crittenden,  H.  W, 
Fowler,  R„  E. 

Haelein,  G.  F.  W, 
Jones,  E.  R. 


Mitchell,  W.  H. 

Morehart,  A,  L. 

Reitnour,  Co  M. 

Svec,   L,  V. 


Legume  Diseases 

Beef  Cattle  Nutrition 

Nutritive  Evaluation 
Forage  Management 


Forage  Management 
Phys  iology 
Horse  Physiology 


Phys  io logy 


Plant  Science 
Animal  Sci.  &  Agr . 
Biochemistry 

do . 

Dept  of  Agriculture 
Delaware  State 
College 

Dover,  DE  19901 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science 
Animal  Sci.  &  Agr. 

Biochemistry 
Plant  Science 


University  of  Maine 
Orono  04473 


Apgar,  Wo  Po 
Brown,  C.  S. 
Forsythe,  H.  Y 
Holyoke,  V,  H. 
Rowe,  R.  J. 


Jr. 


Forage  Utilization 
Forage  Management 
Forage  Insects 
Silage  Corn  Mgt 
Engineering  Harvesting 


Ani„  &  Vet„  Sci. 
Plant  &  Soil  Sci, 
Entomology 
Plant  &  Soil  Sci, 
Agr,  Eng. 


2 


Name 


Field  of  Interest 


Department 


University  of  Maryland 
College  Park  20742 

Clark,  N.  A. 
Decker,  A.  M.  Jr. 
Leffel,  E.  C. 
Vandersall,  J.  H. 


Forage  Mgt 
Forage  Mgt 
Animal  Science 
Dairy  Science 


Agronomy 
Agronomy 
Animal  Science 
Dairy  Science 


University  of  Massachusetts 
Amherst  01002 

Fenner,  Heinrich  Animal  Nutrition  Vet.  &  Ani.  Sci. 

Mudgett,  R.  Food  &  Agr .   Eng.  Eng  (Food  &  Agr) 

Vietor,  Donald  Plant  &  Soil  Sci.  Plant  &  Soil  Sci, 

Whitney,  L.   F.  Agr.  Eng.  Eng  (Food  &  Agr) 


University  of  New  Hampshire 
Durham  03824 


Byers,  Go  L. 

Dunn,  G.  M. 
Estes,  G.  0. 
Fairchild,  T.  P. 
Frick,  G.  E. 
Holter,  J.  B. 
Koch,  D.  W. 
Mitchell,  J.  R. 
Peirce,  L.  C. 


Agr.  Eng. 
Genetics 

Forage  Nutrition 
Animal  Nutrition 
Agr.  Economics 
Animal  Nutrition 
Forage  Plant  Phys . 
Forage  Mgt 
Genet.  Hort .  Crops 


Water  Resources  Res 

Center 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science 
Animal  Sciences 
E.R.S. 

Animal  Sciences 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science 
Plant  Science 


Rutgers  University,  The  State 

University  of  New  Jersey 
New  Brunswick  08903 


Duell,  R.  W. 
Evans,  J.  L. 
Halisky,   P.  M. 
Ilnicki,  R.  D. 
Mears,  D.  R. 
Race,  S.  R.  ,  Jr , 


Highway  Vegetation 
Nutritional  Value 
Plant  Pathology 
Weed  Control 
Agr.  Eng. 
Forage  Insects 


Soils  &  Crops 
Animal  Science 
Plant  Biology 
Soils  &  Crops 
Engineering 
Entomology  & 

Economic  Zoo, 


3 


Name 


Field  of  Interest 


Department 


Rutgers  University  (Continued) 
New  Brunswick  08903 


Ramage,  C.  H. 
Singley,  M.  E. 
Sprague,  M.  A. 
Vander  Noot,  G. 


W. 


Production  Util. 
Engineering  Util. 
Mgt  Preservation 
Forage  Util. 


Animal  Science 
Engineering 
Soils  &  Crops 
Animal  Science 


Cornell  University  (New  York) 
Ithaca  14853 


Campbell,  J.  K. 

Agr.  Eng. 

Agr.  Eng. 

Duke,  W.  B. 

Weed  Control 

Agronomy 

Fick,  G.  W. 

Forage  Phys .  &  Mgt. 

Agronomy 

Grunes,  D.  L. 

Soils  &  Plant  Nutr. 

U.S.   Plant,  Soil 

&  Nutr.  Lab.* 

Helgesen,  R.  G. 

Entomology 

Entomology 

Linscott,  D.  L. 

Weed  Control 

Agronomy 

Lowe ,  C .  C . 

Genetics  &  Breeding 

Plant  Breed.  & 

Biometry 

Millar,  R.  L. 

Plant  Pathology 

Plant  Pathology 

Murphy,  R.  P. 

Genetics  &  Breeding 

Plant  Breed.  & 

Biometry 

Reid,  J.  T. 

Animal  Nutrition 

Animal  Science 

Schaaf,  H.  M. 

Genetics  &  Breeding 

Plant  Breed.  & 

Biometry 

Seaney,  R.  R„ 

Forage  Mgt 

Agronomy 

Van  Soest ,   P.  J. 

Animal  Nutrition 

Animal  Science 

New  York  State  Agricultural 

Experiment  Station  

Geneva  14456 


Braverman,  S.  W. 

Dolan,  D.  D. 
Fiori,  Bo  J. 
Sherring,  W.  R. 


Plant  Pathology 

Plant  Introduction 

Entomology 

Seed  Technologist 


Seed  Investigation 
&  USDA-ARS 
do. 

USDA-ARS,  Ent. 
Seed  Investigations 


*USDA-ARS  Cooperative  Appointment 


4 


Name   Field  of  Interest  Department 


The  Pennsylvania  State  University 
University  Park  16802 


rlv_-  tr-  3     U  o      Lt  0 

Ti£3  1  "K^T       TTv  "f-  £1  Tt  C  "1  Tt 

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Hal  l  y  L-tiLiitL 

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Auauis  ,,   a.   o  o 

Da  iry  Ext  6iis  ion 

Da i ry  S  c 1 enc  e 

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Agr  o  Eng 

Agr.  hng 

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Pasture  &  Forage 

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rianc  racnoiogy 

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rig  lOUOLIiy 

Vjr  U  o  o  3      O  o      D  o 

V  C  L         O  <w  JL  o      Cj  A.  L  o 

V  C  U  o  OL-lo 

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vvccU  uoiiLrui 

rigi  onoiuy 

OllUCl  gCl    y         _L    t,         V  a 

Ani  mfll    ^Ji it~T"i  t*  "i  nn 

Animfl  1    ^pi  ptipp 

nOWcr  j    ri  0    Ao  j     Jx  . 

rordgc  mscCLS 

[?n  f~  r\m      \  f\  rr  tt 

Jinu  omo  logy 

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l> oi n  DiccQing 

A  rr  ~y  f~\  n  r-\  m  t  t 

rig  lonoiiiy 

JxcllUOb  5      Li  a      1  . 

ooil    Jriiy  b  i  u  b 

ri  g  l  on  oiny 

JJcLliy    DC  Iclltc 

Udll  y     OL1  C 11C  C 

"i  ol  rr<a  o  v  ri         TaT  T 

JXJ  c IgddX  U  j     We     J_i  • 

Agr .   tug . 

JS.I1  level  ,    JJC  ir« 

r  Uldgc     JTLiyb  o 

A  rrTnnn rri"\ 7 
rig  X  o  Liomy 

JXXclUcl5     JJ  e      Li  o 

Vc  L  ->    ncUlC  lllc 

V  c  L  o     O  t_  1  o 

T  Art  rr         T  A 

l>ong  5    1  0  Ac 

Animal  wucricion 

A  n  t  m  5  1      C;  r«  t  o  t~i  r*  r\ 

rininici  1    O  ClcIlC  c 

LUKcZLC  ,    i?o     li . 

roragc  iracnoiogy 

jrXcinL  JrdiLiioxogy 

riarriocc  ,  ii.  r  . 

ooii  rerciiicy 

A  fr  v          r\nm  t 

ngrononiy 

jyicjs.ee ,  (j  .  Wo 

Ecology,   Phys . 

Agronomy 

jxie  rricc,   l .  l. 

rinimai  science 

Allllucil  JLlcIlLc 

Partenheimer ,  E.  J. 

Agr.  Econ. 

Agr.   Econ.  & 

Rural  Sociology 

Risius,  M.  L. 

Genetics  &  Breeding 

Agronomy 

Shenk,  J.  S. 

Forage  Grass  Breed. 

Agronomy 

Starling,  J.  L. 

Genetics  &  Breeding 

Agronomy 

Thomas,  W.  I. 

Representative  NE 

Agr.   Exp.  Sta. 

Wangsness,  P.  J. 

Animal  Nutrition 

Animal  Science 

Washko,  J.  B. 

Forage  Management 

Agronomy 

Wilson,  L.  L. 

Animal  Science 

Animal  Science 

Yendol,  W.  G. 

Non- Pesticide  Insect 

Control 

Entomology 

5 


 Name   Field  of  Interest   Department 

University  of  Rhode  Island 
Kingston  02881 

Henderson,  B.  W. ,  Jr.  Animal  Nutrition  Animal  Science 

Wakefield,  R.  C.  Management  Plant  &  Soil 


University  of  Vermont 
Burlington  05401 


Gotlieb,  A.  R. 
MacCollom,  G.  B. 
Smith,  A.  Mo 
Welch,  J .  Go 
Wood,  G.  Mo 


Plant  Pathology 
Entomology 
Animal  Nutrition 
Nutritional  Value 
Forage  &  Turf  Met, 


Botany 
Entomology 
Animal  Sciences 
Animal  Sciences 
Plant  &  Soil  Sci. 


West  Virginia  University 
Morgantown  26506 


Anderson,  G.  C. 
Baker,  B.  So 

Balasko,  J.  A. 
Bennett,  0.  L. 

Butler,  Linda 
Diener,  R.  G. 
Elliott,   Eo  So 
Horvath,  D.  J. 
Keefer,  R.  F. 
Pohlman,  G.  Go 

Reid,  R,  L. 
Thomas,  R.  0. 
Toben,  Go  Eo 
Ulrich,  V. 
Veatch,  Collins 


Animal  Nutrition 
Forage  Mgt 

Forage  Phys . 
Forage  Mgt 

Entomology 
Agr«  Eng. 
Root  Diseases 
Animal  Nutrition 
Soil  Fertility 
Soil  Fertility 

Animal  Nutrition 
Dairy  Nutrition 
Agr.  Econ. 
Plant  Breeding 
Weed  Control 


Ani.  &  Vet.  Sci. 
Allegheny  Highlands 

Proj     Elkins  ,  WV 
Plant  Sciences 
Plant  Sciences 

&  USDA-ARS 
Plant  Sciences 
Resource  Mgt. 
Plant  Sciences  , 
Ani.  &  Vet.  Sci 
Plant  Sciences 
Plant  Sciences 

(Emeritus ) 
Ani.  &  Vet.  Sci. 
Ani.  &  Vet.  Sci. 
Resource  Mgt 
Plant  Sciences 
Plant  Sciences 

(Emeritus ) 


6 


Name 

Field  of  Interest 

Department 

Beltsville  Agricultural 

Research  Center 

Northeastern  Region,  Ag 

ricultural  Research  Service 

U.S.   Department  of  Agriculture 

Beltsville,  MD  20705 

Adams,  J.  R. 

Entomologist 

Insect  Path.  Lab. 

Arminger,  W.  H. 

Agronomist 

Biol.  Waste  Mgt .  Lab 

Barnes ,  R.  F. 

Forage  and  Range 

Nat.   Prog.  Staff. 

Bond,  J. 

Animal  Science 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Cantwell,  G.  E. 

Entomologist 

Insect  Path.  Lab. 

Carlson,  G.  £. 

Agronomist 

Light  &  Plant 

Growth  Lab . 

Chatterton,  N.  J. 

Plant  Physiol. 

do . 

Coulson,  J.  R. 

Entomologis  t 

Beneficial  Insect 

Intro.  Lab. 

Dinius ,  D .  A . 

Animal  Science 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Dub ley,  R.  F. 

Aerie .     Ene . 

Physical  Contr.  Lab. 

Elgin,  J.  H. ,  Jr. 

Agronomist 

Field  Crops  Lab. 

Faust,  R.  M. 

Ent  omologis  t 

Insect  Path.  Lab. 

Feldmesser,  J. 

Zoologis  t 

Nematology  Lab. 

Foote,  R.  H. 

Agric .  Admin. 

Sys .   Entomol.  Lab. 

Foy,  C.  D. 

Soil  Scientist 

Plant  Stress  Lab. 

Garrison,  C.  S. 

Agronomist 

Seed  Quality  Lab. 

Goering,  H.  K. 

Animal  Science 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Goodwin,  J.  S. 

Entomologist 

Insect  Path.  Lab. 

Graham,  J.  H. 

Plant  Path. 

Plant  Stress  Lab. 

He impel,  A.  M. 

Entomologist 

Insect  Path.  Lab. 

Hill,  K.  R. 

Chemist 

Ana „  Chem.  Lab. 

Hooven,  N.  W. ,  Jr. 

Animal  Scientist 

Ani.  Oper.  Unit 

Howell,  R.  K. 

Plant  Path. 

Air  Pollution  Lab. 

Hyland,  H.  L. 

Botanist 

Germplasm  Res.  Lab. 

Key es ,  J .   E.  ,  Jr . 

Animal  Scientist 

Gene.  &  Mgt.  Lab. 

Klingman,  D.  L. 

Weed  Control 

Turf grass  Lab. 

Kulik,  M.  M. 

Plant  Path. 

Seed  Quality  Lab. 

Lentz ,   P.  L. 

Botanis  t 

Mycology  Lab. 

Lindahl,   I.  L. 

Chemist 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Louloudes,  S.  J. 

Entonomogist 

Insect  Path.  Lab. 

Lynch,  G.  P. 

Animal  Scientist 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Marsh,  P.  B. 

Plant  Physiologist 

Nutr.  Microbio.  Lab. 

Moe,   P.  W. 

Animal  Scientist 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Murray,  J.  J. 

Agronomis  t 

Field  Crops  Lab. 

Neal,  J.  W. ,  Jr. 

Entomologist 

Field  Crops  Lab. 

Oakes ,  A.  J. 

Agronomis  t 

Germplasm  Res.  Lab. 

Oltjen,  R.  R. 

Animal  Scientist 

Runinant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Ostazeski,  S.  A. 

Plant  Pathologist 

Field  Crops  Lab. 

Owens,  L.  D. 

Plant  Physiologist 

Plant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Pearson,  R.  E. 

Genet.  Animal 

Genet .  &  Mgt .   Lab . 

Powell,  J.  B. 

Geneticist 

Field  Crops  Lab. 

7 


Name 

Field  of  Interest 

Department 

Ratcliffe,  R.  H. 

Entomologist 

Field  Crops  Lab. 

Redfern,  R.  E. 

Entomologist 

Bio.  Eval.  of 

Chemicals  Lab. 

Reynolds,   P.  J. 

Animal  Scientist 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Rumsey,  T.  S. 

Animal  Scientist 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Schechter,  M.  S. 

Chemist 

Chem.  &  Biophys . 

Control  Lab. 

Schroder,  R.  F. 

Entomologist 

Beneficial  Insect 

Intro.  Lab. 

Simpson,  M.  E. 

Plant  Pathologist 

Nutr.  Microbio.  Lab. 

Slyter,  L.  L. 

Chemist 

Nutr.  Microbio.  Lab . 

Smith,  L.  W. 

Animal  Scientist 

Bio.  Waste  Mgt .  Lab. 

Terrell,  E.  E. 

Botanist 

Plant  Taxonomy  Lab . 

Toole,  V.  K. 

Plant  Physiologist 

Seed  Quality  Lab. 

Tyrrell,  H.  F. 

Animal  Scientist 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Vaughn,  J.  L. 

Microbiologist 

Insect  Path.  Lab. 

Waldo,  D.  R. 

Animal  Scientist 

Ruminant  Nutr.  Lab. 

Walker,  J.  M. 

Soil  Scientist 

Biol.  Waste  Mgt.  Lab 

Yaklich,  R.  W. 

Plant  Physiologist 

Seed  Quality  Lab. 

U.S.  Regional  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 
North  Atlantic  Area,  Northeastern  Region 
Agricultural  Research  Service 
U.S.  Department  of  Agriculture 
University  Park,  PA  16802  

Berg,  C.  C.  Genetics  (Grasses) 

Byers,  R.  A.  Forage  Insects 

Fissel,  G.  W.  Chemist 

Gross,  C.  F.  Soil  Fertility 

Gustine,  D„   L.  Biochemistry 

Hill,  R.  R. ,  Jr.  Genetics  (Alfalfa) 

Hite,  R.   E.  Plant  Pathology 

Jung,  G.  A.  Forage  Management 

Kendall,  W.  A.  Plant  Physiology 

Leath,  K.   T.  Pathology  (Legumes) 

Sherwood,  R.  T.  Pathology  (Grasses) 

Zeiders,  K.  E.  Plant  Pathology 


8 


SECTION  I 

BREEDING ,  GENETICS,  AND  PLANT  INTRODUCTION  RESEARCH 


Title:  Report  of  Northeast  Regional  Plant  Introduction  Station, 

Geneva,  NY;  and  Regional  Project  NE-9--The  Introduction, 
Testing,  Multiplication  and  Preservation  of  Potentially 
Valuable  Plants  for  Crop  Improvement  and  Industrial  Use 

Leaders ;      D„  D.  Dolan,  S.  W.  Braverman,  and  W.  R.  Sherring,  New  York 
(Geneva) 


Promising  Forage  Legume  Introductions  -  1975 

1.     Alfalfa  (Medicago  sativa) 

The  1975  alfalfa  planting  consisted  of  60  introductions  and  the 
1974  planting  carried  over  consisted  of  50  introductions.  During 
1975,  evaluation  notes  were  taken  on  both  plantings  as  follows: 
uniformity,  habit,  vigor,  plant  size,  crown  width,  size  of  stems, 
leafiness,   leaf  size,   leaf  color,   time  of  blooming,  time  of  ripe 
pods,   flower  color,  pod  shape,  degree  of  damage  from  leaf spot, 
leafhopper  and  alfalfa  weevil,  recovery  after  summer  cutting, 
percentage  winter  survival  and  spring  recovery. 

The  following  notes  were  taken  on  individual  alfalfa  introductions. 

Notes  on  the  '74  Planting 

P.I.   162459    M.  sativa    Uruguay.      Vigorous,  nonspreading ,  crown  7", 
height  14",   large,   long  leaf,  good  recovery  after  cutting.  Noted 
on  Sept.  4. 

P.I.  173737  M.  sativa  Turkey.  Vigorous,  crown  width  13  1/2",  medium 
size  leaves,  going  dormant,  susceptible  to  leafspot. 

P.I.   196229  S    M.  sativa     India  (Dolan  selection).     This  is  an 
individual  plant  selection  from  the  original  introduction.     Very  large 
leaf,  4.5  cm  x  2.0  cm,  12"  tall,  variable  in  fall  recovery,  lacks 
winter  hardiness. 

P.I.  206575    M.  sativa  Greece.     Excellent  vigor,  height  14  1/2", 
crown  12",  large  broad  leaf  3.5  cm  x  1.5  cm,  good  fall  growth. 

P.I.   238147  M.   sativa    Turkey.     Prostrate  type,   excellent  vigor, 
height  7",  very  small  leaf,  very  susceptible  to  leafspot,  very 
susceptible  to  leafhopper,  poor  fall  recovery. 


9 


P.I.   268065  S  M.   sativa     Sweden.     Individual  plant  selection,  excellent 
vigor,  uniform,  excellent  fall  recovery.     Much  branched  at  base,  many 
stems,  spreads  by  rhizone,  height  12".     A  filled  out  row,  crown  13",  leaf 
large  4.0  cm  x  1.9  cm.     Possible  leaf  spot  tolerance,  and  possible 
leafhopper  tolerance. 

G-22868    M.  sativa    Geneva.     Individual  plant  selection  from  Vernal. 
Good  fall  recovery,  height  10",  small  leaf,  crown  9"  wide,  susceptible 
to  leafspot. 

P.I.  255962    M.  sativa    Canada.     Relatively  short,  height  7",  crown 
width  7",  fine  stems,   leaf  small  to  medium  size,  almost  a  clover  type 
leaf,  2.0  cm  x  1.4  cm.     Susceptible  to  leafhopper,  some  leafspot  but 
very    tiny    spots,   possible  tolerance.     Looks  like  it  has  germplasm 
from  M.  f alcata . 

P.I.   268065  S    M.   sativa     Sweden.     An  individual  plant  selection  labeled 
72-21-1.     The  original  selection  was  for  good  seed  set.     It  is  a 
vigorous,   strong  spreader  with  dark,  green,  small  leaves.     Height  8", 
crown  width  10",  spreads  by  rhizomes  underground  and  fills  in  row. 
Susceptible  to  both  leafhopper  and  leafspot. 

Notes  on  '75  Planting 

These  accessions  at  the  time  of  note  taking  were  in  their  first 
season  of  growth.     Consequently,  the  notes  are  rather  incomplete. 

P.I.   201864    M.   sativa     Iran.     Dark  green  leaves  with  purple  flowers. 

P.I.   199276     Port.     Dense,   leafy,  small,  dark  green  leaves.  Pale 
purple  flowers. 

P.I.   179702  India  and  211054  Afgh.     Very  susceptible  to  leafhopper. 

P.I.   179947  India,  183328  India,  180303  India  and  183060  India.  All 
four  excellent  seed  set. 

P.I.     172985  Tur.     Dense  growth,  dark,  green,  small  leaves,  pale 
purple  flowers.     Possible  tolerance  to  leafhopper. 

P.I.   182241  Tur.     Variable  from  plant  to  plant,  very  susceptible  to 
leafhopper . 

G-23168  Canada.     Short  plant,  height  14  1/2",  dense  growth,  small 
dark  green  leaves,  excellent  forage,  good  seed  set.  Possible 
resistance  to  leafhopper. 

G-23169  Canada.     Short,  dense  plant,  small,  dark  green  leaves. 
Excellent  seed  set. 


10 


G-22867  S  Nova  Scotia.     Individual  plant  selection  from  the  original  G 
number.     Long  stems,  small,  dark  green  leaves,  a  white  leaf  mutation  on 
leaves.     Excellent  seed  set. 

G-23170  Canada.     Excellent  forage  crop,  dense,  dark,  small  green  leaves, 
excellent  seed  set,  both  yellow  and  blue  flowers.     Very  definitely  has 
M.  f alcata  germplasm  in  it. 

P.I.  346908    USSR.     Very  tall,  40"  tall,  very  vigorous,  late  blooming, 
pale  purple  flowers.     Poor  seed  set,  possible  leafhopper  tolerance. 

P.I.  345647  USSR.  Medium  height,  22",  much  branched  at  base,  dense, 
late  blooming,  very  many  flowers,  pale  purple  to  violet  flower  color, 
small,  dark  green  leaves.     Possible  tolerance  to  leafhopper. 

G-22269  S    New  York.    An  individual  plant  selection  from  the  original 
G  number.     74-136-10.     A  f alcata  type  with  yellow  flowers.  Unusually 
tall,  24"  tall,  vigorous,  medium  leafy  with  small  leaves,  excellent 
seed  set.     Continues  to  bloom  after  there  is  already  a  heavy  set  of 
seed.     Possible  tolerance  to  leafhopper. 

2.  Red  Clover     (Trif olium  pra tense) 

The  1975  red  clover  planting  consisted  of  55  introductions.  During 
the  interval  mid-July  to  mid-August,  each  introduction  was  rated  for 
uniformity,  habit,  vigor,  size  of  plant,  number  of  stems,   size  of  stems, 
leafiness,  earliness  of  bloom,  number  of  heads  in  seed  production, 
susceptibility  to  both  powdery  mildew  and  virus  disease.     In  this,  the. 
first  year  of  growth,  the  introductions  most  promising  with  regard  to 
vigor,  plant  habit  and  leafiness  are  the  following:     P.I.  204502  Tur. , 
221523  Swe.,  235852  Swe. ,  235856  Swe„,  237731  Ger. ,  239700  Switz., 
257274  Swe. 

Red  clover  introductions  carried  over  from  1974  that  looked 
promising  in  their  second  season  of  growth  are  the  following: 
P.I.  229799  Fin.,  235849  Swe.,  236458  Fin.,  304294  Fin.,  304537  Tur., 
304779  Swe.,  and  384056  Pol. 

3.  White  Clover  (Trif olium  repens) 

Beginning  from  mid- June  and  continuing  to  July  10,  evaluation  notes 
were  taken  on  two  plantings  of  white  clover.     Each  introduction  was 
rated  for  type,  uniformity,  vigor,  plant  size,  degree  of  spread, 
leafiness,  time  of  bloom,  seed  set,  susceptibility  to  leaf spot, 
powdery  mildew,  rust  and  virus  infection.     Also,  degree  of  damage 
due  to  leafhopper  and  leaf miner. 

The  following  introductions  of  white  clover  in  the  1975  planting 
were  the  most  promising  with  regard  to  these  characteristics: 
P.I.   184936  Neth.,  234938  Swit . ,  245128  N.  Hamp. ,  251189  Yugo., 
255185  Pol.,  and  256733  Iran. 


11 


The  following  white  clover  introductions  carried  from  the  1974 
planting  appeared  promising  in  their  second  season  of  growth; 
P.I.  201214  Austral.,  204788  Italy,  206302  Tur. ,  232109  Ger.  , 
237291  Den.,  237292  Den.,  237735  Ger.,  381049  Iran,  and  384020  Pol. 

A  white  clover  from  Morocco  P.I.  384699  was  noted  to  be  relatively 
free  of  insect  damage  on  August  29. 

Promising  Forage  Grass  Introductions  -  1974 

P.I.   234467     Spain.     Arrhenatherum  elatius .     Vigorous,  very  leafy, 
filled  in  row.     Leaf  height  22",  no  wax  on  leaves,  variable  in 
susceptibility  to  rust. 

P.I.   287764    Spain.     Arrhenatherum  elatius .     Variable  in  both  vigor 
and  leafiness,   leaf  height  16",   leaves  dark  green  and  waxy.     Filled  in 
row,  some  plants  tolerant  to  rust  and  some  plants  tolerant  to 
Helminthos por ium  leaf spot. 

P.I.   381926     France.     Ph  1  eum  pratense.     Tall  and  erect,  soft,  drooping 
leaves,   leaf  height   12",  broad  tussock.     Rust  on  both  stems  and 
leaves . 

P.I.   383363      Wales,     Phi eum  pratense.     Low  pasture  type,  soft, 
drooping  type,   leaf  height  14",  crown  15"  wide,   light  green  leaves. 
Excellent  recovery  after  cutting.     Does  not  go  dormant  in  fall.  Free 
of  both  disease  and  rust. 

P.I.   383364    Wales.     Phleum  pratense.     Hay  type,   erect  and  leafy,  both 
basal  leaves  and  leaves  on  culms.     Leaves  large  and  dark  green, 
height  of  leaves  16",  crown  11".     Free  of  both  disease  and  rust.  Seed 
harvested  July  31,  1975. 

Promising  Forage  Grass  Introductions  -  1975 

P.I.   231758     NH.     Bromus  inermis .     Vigorous,  leaf  height   16",  large, 
dark  green  leaves,   spreading  by  rhizomes,  waxy  leaf  surface.  Crown 
10',  plant  width  27",   free  of  disease. 

P.I.  386325  Neth.  Phleum  pratense .  Pasture  type  with  soft  droopy 
leaves,  height  12",  crown  6",  late  blooming.  Leaves  brown  during  a 
dry  period  in  August. 

P.I.   388039     Belgium,     Phleum  pratense.     Hay  type,   leaf  height  18", 
dark,  green  leaves.     Relatively  short-broad,   tapering  leaf,  Seed 
harvested  Aug.  28,  1975. 

G-23199     USSR.     Good  vigor,  dark,  green  leaves,  height  of  leaves  18", 
leaves  waxy,   possibly  drought  tolerant.     Very  many  basal,  leaves  at 
center,  however  not  as  attractive  as   'Masshardy'   nearby.  Showing 
both  stem  rust  and  leaf  rust. 


12 


G-23200  Czech.     Dactylls  glomerata .     Vigorous  and  leafy,  leaf  height 
19" s  crown  width  7",  leaves  waxy  and  dark  green.     Individual  leaf 
measures  37  cm  x  1.1  cm.     Very  susceptible  to  drought,  otherwise 
excellent.     Showing  some  leaf  rust. 

P.I.  235455  Swit.     Arrhenatherum  elatius.     Vigorous  and  leafy,  leaf 
height  15",  leaves  dark  green  and  waxy.     Individual  leaf  31  cm  x 
1.0  cm.     Drought  tolerant  but  susceptible  to  leaf  rust. 


Title  °  Breeding  for  Yield,  Quality  and  Disease  Resistance  in 

Alfalfa 

Leader :        R.  R.  Hill,  Jr.,  U.S.  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 

Alfalfa  synthetics  derived  from  single  clones  exhibited  widely 
varying  responses  to  inbreeding  in  the  S^,  S-pSYN-1,  S2-SYN-I, 
S3,  and  S--SYN-1  generations.     Inbreeding  depression  for  spring 
growth  and  plant  height  at  harvest  time  was  practically  zero  for  two 
of  six  clones,  and  very  severe  in  three  of  the  six.  Statistical 
analysis  under  a  newly  developed,   two-allele  genetic  model  for 
autotetraploids  revealed  that  most  of  the  differences  could  be 
explained  by  additive  and  digenic  genetic  effects.     Parameter  values 
varied  from  clone  to  clone  in  the  same  population,  however. 

Comparison  of  different  methods  of  selection  for  disease  resistance 
(page  16  of  the  1974  Report)  continues.     The  most  recent  evaluations 
reveal  that  resistance  to  Leptosphaerulina  leafspot  may  be  good 
enough  to  warrant  a  germplasm  release.     A  satisfactory  level  of 
resistance  to  Phoma  leafspot  has  not  been  obtained. 

Survival  of  experimental  synthetics  with  1,  2,  4,  8  and  16  parental 
clones  was  very  poor,  and  the  experiment  was  abandoned.  Syn-2 
plants  of  these  synthetics  were  established  in  the  greenhouse  for 
production  of  another  sample  of  Syn-3  seeds. 


13 


Title;  Breeding  and  Genetics  of  Bromus  inermis 

Leaders :      G.  M.  Dunn  and  H.  Z.  Lea,  New  Hampshire 


Stomatal  index,  the  proportion  of  stomata  to  epidermal,  cells,  was 
calculated  for  three  ploidy  levels  of  bromegrass.    Mean  stomatal 
indexes  14.8,  15.6  and  15.0  for  4x,  6x  and  8x3  respectively,  did  not 
differ  significantly. 

An  inheritance  study  was  initiated  on  a  rolled  leaf  mutant  by 

crossing  it  to  normal  self-fertile  parents.     All  Fj  plants  were  normal, 

Backcross,  F2  and  F3  progenies  will  be  obtained. 

In  two  bromegrass  yield  trials,  significant  differences  were  generally 
not  obtained  except  for  the  relatively  poor  performance  of  Polar  and 
Carlton. 


Title ;  Breeding  for  Improved  Forage  Quality 

Leaders :      J.S.  Shenk,  M.  L.  Risius,  R.  W.  Cleveland,  and  R.  L.  Cowan. 
Pennsylvania 


An  infrared  light  reflectance  spectro/computer  is  being  designed  and 
built  to  analyze  forage  and  associated  feedstuffs  for  their  major 
chemical  constituents.     These  include  moisture,  protein,  cell  walls, 
hemicel lulose ,  cellulose,  and  lignin.    After  calibration  of  the 
instrument  with  forage  samples  containing  these  chemical  data,  the 
instrument  will  have  the  potential  to  simultaneously  analyze  for  these 
six  constituents  in  less  than  2  minutes  with  less  than  5  g  of  forage. 
This  new  technology  will  be  applied  to  our  forage  breeding  programs. 

This  first  year's  data  of  an  investigation  of  genotype  x  environment 
interactions  involving  crownvetch  clones  have  been  completed.  The 
objective  was  to  determine  whether  crownvetch  clones  selected  for 
high  or  low  in  vitro  dry  matter  disappearance  (IVDMD)  would  retain 
their  relative  ranking  over  other  environments.     Six  clones  were 
vegetatively  propagated  and  established  in  replicated  field  trials 
in  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  Wisconsin,  and  Georgia. 
Forage  samples  were  harvested  three  times  and  environmental  data 
collected  at  each  location.    Analysis  of  the  IVDMD  data  indicated 
that  clones,  harvests,  locations,  and  all  interaction  sources  of 
variation  were  significant;  however,  the  clone  mean  square  signifi- 
cantly exceeded  all  interaction    mean  squares  involving  clones.  Thus 
the  genotype  x  environment  interaction  among  clones  was  minimal  and 
real  clonal  differences  existed  among  these  clones  for  IVDMD  regard- 
less of  location  or  harvest. 


14 


Title :  Breeding  of  Improved  Varieties  of  Forage  Species  Adapted  to 

the  Northeast 

Leaders :      J.  S.  Shenk,  R.  W.  Cleveland,  and  Mo  L.  Risius,  Pennsylvania 

The  inheritance  and  potential  for  genetic  improvement  of  forage  quality 
in  orchardgrass   (Dactylis  glomerata  L.)  were  evaluated  in  a  spaced 
plant  study  involving  seven  synthetics.     The  offspring  of  the  27  parent 
clones  of  these  synthetics  were  harvested  over  2  years  in  first  and 
second  growth  and  grazed  by  sheep  in  third  growth.     Year  by  genotype 
interactions  were  significant  for  all  traits  except  second  harvest 
IVDMD.     These  interactions  were  found  to  be  predominantly  independent 
of  maturity  effects.     The  relative  magnitude  of  variance  estimates 
indicated  genetic  control  of  first  harvest  IVDMD  and  protein  was  both 
additive  and  nonadditive  before  and  only  nonadditive  after  adjustment 
for  maturity.     Control  of  second  harvest  IVDMD  and  protein  and  third 
growth  sheep  preference  was  found  to  be  additive. 

Heritability  estimates  for  IVDMD  and  protein  were  8  and  22% 
respectively,  in  the  first  harvest.     These  estimates  dropped  to  zero 
upon  adjustment  for  maturity  and  were  46%  for  both  traits  in  the 
second  harvest.     The  estimate  for  third  growth  sheep  preference  was 
34%.     The  results  indicated  that  breeding  for  improved  IVDMD  protein 
and  sheep  preference  would  be  feasible.     Replication  would  be  required 
to  reduce  variance  contributed  by  environmental  sources.  Maturity 
effects  were  major  contributors  of  first  harvest  variance  and  that  any 
breeding  program  would  require  precise  measurement  of  maturity  to 
distinguish  real  genetic  difference  from  stage  of  growth  differences. 


Title:  Breeding  of  Perennial  Forage  Grasses 

Leaders ;      J.  S.  Shenk,  R.  W.  Cleveland,  and  M.  L.  Risius 
Pennsylvania 


The  orchardgrass  recurrent  selection  program  was  continued  with  four 
populations   (A,  B,  C,  D)  to  increase  the  economic  yield  of  animal 
products /acre .     Medium  and  late  maturity  groups  are  being  developed 
in  each  population.     Seed  from  selected  A  clones  were  bulked  and 
planted  along  with  other  selections  and  commercial  cultivars  in  a 
replicated  trial  at  two  locations.     Progeny  from  150  individual  clones 
selected  from  population  B  were  planted  in  field  plots.     A  total  of 
119  clones  selected  from  population  C  were  evaluated  using  the  Dairy 
Herd  Simulation  Program  (DHSP  II).     This  program  requires  input  data 
of  yield,  protein  and  digestibility  with  output  in  terms  of  milk  $/acre. 
The  four  best  clones  in  this  selected  group  had  simulated  values  of 
$57  more  milk/acre  than  the  average  for  the  population.  Polycross 


15 


isolation  nurseries  were  established  with  selected  clones  from 
population  C. 

These  studies  from  populations  A,  B,  and  C  and  related  genetic  studies 
suggest  that  the  most  efficient  method  of  making  improvements  in  these 
complex  yield  and  quality  traits  would  be  to  (1)  select  plants  on  the 
basis  of  agronomic  traits  in  the  first  generation,  and  (2)  evaluate 
progeny  in  field  plots  with  the  DHSP  II  program  in  following  generations. 
Therefore,  population  D  was  only  evaluated  for  agronomic  characteristics. 
Clones  were  selected  on  the  bases  of  these  parameters  in  two  harvests, 
and  established  in  polycross  isolation  nurseries  for  seed  production 
next  year. 


Title :  Breeding  Crownvetch  for  Forage  and  Slope  Stabilization 

Usage 

Leaders :       M.   L.  Risius,  J.   S.   Shenk,  and  R.  W.  Cleveland, 
Pennsylvania 


In  the  first  harvest  year  of  a  forage  yeild  trial,   the  yield  of  the 
three  standard  crownvetch  varieties,   Penngift,  Chemung  and  Emerald, 
was  comparable  to  a  Pennsylvania  crownvetch  synthetic.     All  crown- 
vetch varieties  were  comparable  in  yield  to  birdsfoot  trefoil.  Yield 
of  crownvetch  significantly  exceeded  that  of  two  milkvetch  varieties 
and  diploid  Kura  clover. 


Investigations  into  the  seasonal  changes  and  genetic  variation  for 
levels  of  P-nitropropionic  acid  (BNPA)--a  compound  reported  to  be  an 
antiquality  constituent  in  crownvetch  forage--were  continued.  Seed 
was  produced  in  two  groups  of  plants  selected  for  high  and  low  levels 
of  BNPA . 


Title :  Breeding  and  Genetics  of  Corn 

Leader ;        M.  W.  Johnson,  Pennsylvania 


Work  is  in  progress  on  line  development,  development  and  improvement 
of  germplasm  pools,  hybrid  screening,  disease  and  insect  resistance, 
improvement  of  plant  type,  conversion  to  modified  endosperm  types  such 
as  waxy  and  opaque,   selection  of  genotypes  for  high  density  planting, 
selection  of  superior  forage  types  and  selection  studies  on  differential 
element  uptake  and  accumulation  in  various  genotypes.     Two  medium-short, 


16 


two  long-season  inbreds  and  four  hybrids  were  released.     Leaf  area 
studies  of  diallel  sets  of  single  crosses  and  their  inbred  parents 
have  shown  significantly  positive  relationships  between  leaf  area, 
grain  yield  and  plant  height  for  the  crosses  but  not  for  the  inbreds. 
In  these  studies  total  leaf  area  of  different  genotypes  appears  to  be 
controlled  primarily  by  additive  gene  action.     Magnesium  levels  of 
different  genotypes  are  inherited  quantitatively.     Hybrids  with  higher 
levels  of  total  plant  magnesium  can  and  have  been  selected.  The 
ability  of  selected  populations  to  take  up  higher  amounts  of  phosphorus 
continues  to  show  a  positive  association  with  yield  and  improved  stalk 
quality.     Selection  studies  for  resistance  to  leaf  blights  and 
bacterial  wilt  were  continued  with  significant  progress.     Two  short- 
season  and  two  long-season  synthetic  populations  involved  in  a 
reciprocal  recurrent  selection  program  for  improved  yield,  stalk 
quality  and  disease  resistance  have  shown  improvement  over  four  cycles 
of  selection.     Lines  are  being  selected  from  each  cycle.  Several 
other  populations  are  currently  being  improved  by  different  modified 
mass  selection  techniques. 


Title :  Kentucky  Bluegrass:     Effects  of  Origin  of  Clones  and 

Latitude  of  Seed  Production  on  Frequency  of  Aberrant 
Progenies . 

Leaders :      A.  W.  Hovin,  C.  C.  Berg,  E.  C.  Bashaw,  R.  C.  Buckner , 
D.   R.  Dewey,  G.  M.   Dunn,  C.  S.  Hoveland,  C.  M.  Rincker 
and  G.  M.  Wood 


The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to  determine  the  effects  of  geographical 
origin  of  clones  and  latitude  of  seed  production  on  the  frequency  of 
atypical  aberrant  progenies  of  clones  of  Kentucky  bluegrass  (Poa 
pratensis  L.).     A  high  frequency  of  aberrants  could  adversely  affect 
the  certification  of  seed  production  fields  of  apomitic  cultivars. 
Open-pollination  seed  was  produced  at  seven  locations.     The  progenies 
from  five  clones  were  grown  at  Beltsviile,  MD,  while  progenies  from 
four  other  clones  were  grown  at  Rock  Springs,  PA.     Plants  of  each 
progeny  were  classified  as  typical  apomictic,  aberrant  or  weak.  The 
frequency  of  aberrant  plus  weak  plants  (13.6%)  was  higher  at  locations 
(Alabama  and  Kentucky)  with  wide  overall  anthesis  range  (at  least  4 
weeks)  than  it  was  (7.2%)  at  locations  (Maryland,  New  Hampshire,  and 
Vermont)  with  narrow  anthesis  range  (6  to  9  days).     The  frequency 
of  aberrant  and  weak  plants  was  considerably  higher  for  4  clones 
(13.670)  than  for  the  remaining  5  clones   (5.0%).     Because  the  clones 
with  high  frequency  of  aberrant  and  weak  plants  trace  to  diverse 
origin,  we  concluded  that  clonal  source  did  not  affect  the  frequency 
of  aberrant  progeny  when  seed  was  produced  outside  the  area  of  origin. 


17 


Open-pollination  seed  was  used  to  further  examine  40  plants 
scored  as  weak.     Only  two  plants  produced  typical  progeny;  the  remain- 
ing 38  produced  segregating  apomictic  or  sexual  progenies-  We 
concluded  that  most  weak  plants  were  aberrant  but  would  probably  not 
become  established  under  competitive  conditions  with  typical  apomictic 
progeny.     However,  aberrant  plants  should  be  rogued  from  space- 
planted  fields  that  are  used  for  the  production  of  breeder  seeds. 

Cytological  examination  of  megasporogenesis  did  not  reveal  any 
influence  of  genotype  or  environments  on  the  initiation  of  aposporous 
nucellar  cells.     Examination  of  embryo  development  failed  to  distingui 
possible  effects  of  genotype  or  environment  on  frequency  of  apomictic 
and  sexual  reproduction  of  ovules. 


Title:        Breeding  and  Cytogenetic  Investigations  and  Improvement  of 
Cool  Season  Perennial  Forage  Species 

Leaders :     R.   P.  Murphy  and  C.  C.  Lowe,  New  York  (Cornell) 

The  comprehensive  study  of  yield  and  forage  quality  for  alfalfa  was 
continued  through  the  second  full  production  year.     Nine  varieties 
covering  the  range  of  growth  types  used  in  the  Northeast  are  being 
evaluated  under  three  systems  of  intensive  management  in  each  of 
three  distinct  production  environments.     The  purpose  is  to  identify 
combinations  for  producing  most  usable  feed  per  acre  and  to  indicate 
most  promising  directions  for  future  breeding  effort.  Protein 
content,   leaf  percentage  and  in  vitro  digestibility  are  quality 
parameters  being  used  with  yield  to  measure  usable  feed  potential. 

From  data  collected  to  date,  no  differences  of  practical  value  exist 
between  current  varieties  for  average  feeding  value  over  a  range  of 
production  environments.     Growth  types  and  several  genetic  traits  do 
affect  yield  potential,  survival  and  distribution  of  production,  but 
do  not  produce  any  average  forage  quality  differences  on  a  total- 
season  basis.     Dry  matter  yield  potential  for  varieties  is  therefore 
the  primary  determinant  of  usable  feed  per  acre  and  utilization  of 
varieties  capable  of  sustained  highest  dry  matter  production  under 
cultural  and  cutting  managements  that  assure  high  average  feed 
quality  is  the  most  probable  means  of  improving  usable  feed  per  acre. 

Breeding  effort  has  been  directed  to  use  of  new  germplasms  to  broaden 
the  genetic  base  in  alfalfa.     Preliminary  efforts  show  several  diploid 
species  not  in  cultivated  alfalfas  can  be  utilized  to  produce  new 
combinations  at  different  ploidy  levels.     This  appears  to  be  a  logical 
approach  for  creating  source  populations  which  might  have  a  greater 
range  for  forage  quality  parameters. 


18 


The  multif oliolate  character  has  been  studied  extensively  and  found 
highly  heritable.     Synthetics  have  been  produced  with  a  high  incidence 
of  expression  for  this  character.     Comparisons  of  these  with  current 
cultivars  showed  them  5-10%  higher  in  average  leaf  fraction  of  forage 
but  only  slightly  higher  in  average  protein  (up  to    2%)  and  not 
different  at  all  in  average  in  vitro  digestibility.     The  multif oliolate 
synthetics  also  averaged  12-257o  lower  in  forage  yield  and  had 
unexplained  difficulties  in  seed  production.     One  multileaf  variety 
was  observed  in  1975  to  show  a  high  incidence  of  frost  heaving 
relative  to  standard  varieties.     In  total,  the  multif oliolate 
character  has  been  used  to  produce  highly  attractive,  unique  and 
distinctive  varieties  with  serious  deficiencies  that  must  be  corrected 
before  the  trait  can  be  successfully  exploited  for  alfalfa  improvement. 


19 


SECTION  II 
ENTOMOLOGY  RESEARCH 


Title :  Nutrient  Slant  Board  Technique  of  Rearing  the  Clover  Root 

Curculio,  Sitona  hispidulus  (F.) 

Leaders :       P.  B.  Baker  and  R„  A.  Byers ,  U.S.   Pasture  Research  Laboratory 


A  Nutrient  slant  board  technique  (Kendall,  W.  A.  and  K.  T.   Leath.  1974. 
Crop  Sci:317-320)  was  modified  to  rear  the  clover  root  curculio, 
S itona  hispidulus  (F.).     This  technique  allows  plants  to  grow  without 
soil  to  provide  frequent  and  noninjurious  access  to  the  roots,  Half- 
strength  Hoagland's  solution  with  the  other  half  distilled  water  was 
used  to  furnish  nutrients  required  by  the  plant.     Penicillin  and 
streptomycin  additives  did  not  increase  survival  of  larvae,  but 
surface  sterilization  of  the  eggs  with  laundry  bleach  increased: 
(1)  larval  to  pupal  survival  by  307o,   (2)  egg  to    pupal  survival  by  20%, 
and   (3)  egg  to  adult  survival  by  107o.     Nine  out  of  40  eggs  reached 
adult  stage  on  Lahontan  alfalfa.     Emerging  adults  were  mated  and  laid 
viable  eggs.     The  nutrient  slant-board  is  a  potential  rearing  technique 
for  this  species  and  other  subterranean  insects. 


Title:  A  Technique  for  Sampling  Eggs  of  the  Clover  Root  Curculio 

Leaders :      R.  A.  Byers  and  P.  B.  Baker,  U.S.   Pasture  Research  Laboratory 


Eggs  of  the  clover  root  curculio,  Sitona  hispidulus   (F.),  were  collected 
by  a  modified  vacuum  sampling  machine  (D-Vac)  from  soil  at  the  base  of 
alfalfa  plants.     Samples  of  soil  and  plant  debris  were  dried,  sieved, 
and  the  eggs  were  separated  by  flotation  with  magnesium  sulfate 
solution. 

There  was  a  decrease  in  egg  density  from  the  October  to  the  December 
samples,  probably  due  to  hatching  of  the  eggs.     Thereafter,  egg  density 
remained  at  about  10-12  per  square  foot  until  spring.     No  significant 
differences  were  found  between  an  old  or  new  stand  of  alfalfa.  Eighty- 
five  percent  of  the  eggs  collected  hatched  after  an  incubation  period 
at  22-25  C. 

This  sampling  method  could  be  used  to  predict  when  to  apply  insecticides 
or  for  surveys  of  clover  root  curculio  abundance. 


20 


Title :  Toxicity  of  P-nitropropionic  Acid  to  the  Cabbage  Looper 

Leaders :      R.  A.  Byers,  D.  L.  Gustine,  and  B,  G.  Meyer ,  U.S.  Pasture 
Research  Laboratory 


The  cabbage  looper,  Trichoplus ia  ni  (Hubner) ,  was  reared  on  pinto  bean 
artificial  diet  (Shorey,  1963.     J.  Econ.  Entomol.  56:536-537)  to  which 
was  added  the  following:     P-nitropropionic  acid  (BNPA) ,  l-6-di-3- 
nitropropanoly- P-D- glucopyranos ide  (Di-ester  of  BNPA)  s  and  a  mixture 
of  tri-esters,   1,  2,  6- tri-3-nitropropanoyl- P-D-glucopyranoside  and 
1,  2,  6-tri-3-nitropropanoyl- (3-D-glucopyranoside „     BNPA  and  its  esters 
are  found  in  the  crownvetch  plant  and  may  act  as  feeding  deterrents  to 
insects . 

All  compounds  tested  increased  the  length  of  the  larval  period,  pupal 
period,  reduced  pupal  weight,  and  eggs/female/day,  but  increased 
adult  life  over  untreated  controls.     BNPA  was  the  most  toxic  followed 
by  the  tri-esters,  and  di-ester  in  descending  order.     Mortality  of  the 
cabbage  looper  increased  with  increasing  concentrations  of  the 
compounds.     The  concentrations  used  in  the  experiment  were  in  the 
range  of  those  found  in  fresh  crownvetch  leaves. 


Title :  Nematicidal  Effects  of  Soil  Pesticides  When  Applied  to 

~  Alfalfa 

Leaders ;       E.  R.  Jones,  R.  H.  Swain,  K.  W.  Bell,  and  R.  B.  Carroll, 
Delaware 


Nematicidal  effects  of  Furadan  and  Mocap  were  evaluated  on  5  x  20  ft 
plots  of  Saranac  alfalfa  seeded  April  22,   1975.     Each  material  was 
evaluated  independently  using  a  randomized  complete  block  design  with 
four  replications.     Data  were  not  normally  distributed;   therefore,  a 
logarithmatic  transformation  was  made  before  an  analysis  of  variance 
was  computed  on  populations  of  pin,   lesion,  and  total  parasitic 
nematodes.     Untransf ormed  means  are  reported.     Parasitic  nematodes 
were  determined  from  three  subsamples,  each  made  up  of  10  6-inch  cores 
taken  at  random  from  each  plot.     Mocap  10G  treatments  were  preplant 
incorporated  and  preplant  incorporated  plus  a  topdress  application 
four  weeks  later  using  a  Gandy  spreader.     Nematode  samples  were  taken 
preplant  and  at  4-week  intervals  throughout  the  growing  season. 
Furadan  treatments  were  10G  preplant  incorporated,  4F  at  the  first 
trifoliolate  leaf  stage,  and  4F  at  the  first  trlfoliolate  leaf  stage 
plus  a  second  application  on  first  harvest  stubble.     Flowable  treatments 
were  applied  with  a  wheelbarrow  sprayer.     Nematode  samples  were  taken 
preplant  and  6  weeks  after  treatment.     In  addition  to  soil  nematode 
analysis,   the  presence  of  lesion  nematodes  on  roots  was  determined  for 
Furadan  treatments . 


21 


Both  Mocap  treatments  significantly  reduced  total  parasitic  and  pin 
nematode  populations  at  the  June  19  sampling  date.     Populations  of 
lesion  nematodes  on  roots  were  not  significant  for  Furadan  treatments. 
No  clearly  defined  response  to  Furadan  or  Mocap  was  obtained. 


Title :       Impact  of  Alfalfa  Harvest  on  Microctonus  aethiopoides 
a  Parasitoid  of  the  Alfalfa  Weevil 

Leader :     A.  A.  Hower ,  Pennsylvania 


Studies  were  begun  in  1975  to  investigate  the  impact  of  alfalfa 
harvest  on  the  alfalfa  weevil  parasitoid  M.  aethiopoides .  Indications 
from  previous  studies  on  life  history  of  this  insect  suggested  adult 
parasitoids  were  most  prevalent  after  the  alfalfa  crop  would  normally 
have  been  removed  from  the  field  in  Pennsylvania.     Fields  not  harvested 
so  the  M.  aethiopoides  adult  activity  was  uninterrupted  contained  .31 
and  .81  immature  parasitoids  per  ft2  on  June  24  and  July  2, 
respectively  in  Centre  County.     On  the  other  hand,   in  fields  harvested  at 
a     recommended  harvest  date,   .002  and  0  larvae  per  ft^  were  found  on 
those  sample  dates,  respectively.        Apparently  M.  aethiopoides 
survival  is  severely  influenced  by  crop  harvest.     The  major  impact  from 
cutting  appears  to  be  the  removal  or  death  of  host  alfalfa  weevil  larvae 
which,  when  left  undisturbed,  develop  into  the  adult  host  stage  sought 
by  the  parasitoid  for  oviposition. 

Research  is  being  continued  to  determine  ways  of  implementing 
increased  M.  aethiopoides  survival  into  acceptable  crop  management 
systems . 


Title :       Control  and  Bionomical  Studies  of  Livestock  and  Animal  Food 
Crop  Insects  in  West  Virginia 

Leaders :   Linda  Butler  and  Joseph  E.  Weaver,  West  Virginia 


Studies  on  the  distribution  and  impact  of  parasites  in  bio-control 
of  the  alfalfa  weevil  were  continued.     Bathyplectes  curculionis  and 
Microctonus  colesi  remain  the  most  prevalent  parasites.  Bathyplectes 
anurus  was  recovered  from  10  of  14  farms  where  releases  were  made  in 
1974;   this  species  is  now  established  in  9  counties  of  the  state,  but 
is  not  yet  numerous  at  any  location.     Weevil  larvae  parasitized  by 
B.  anurus  were  collected  in  Pennsylvania  in  1975;  an  estimated 
36,000  parasites  were  released  in  8  counties  of  the  northern  panhandle 
and  extending  south  along  the  Ohio  river. 


22 


Insect  growth  regulators  Stauffer  R-20458  and  Thompson- Hazard  Dimilin 
and  6042  were  applied  for  alfalfa  weevil  and  leafhopper  control, 
R-20458  gave  many  larva-pupa  and  pupa-adult  intermediates  with  the 
weevil  and  reduced  the  number  of  normal  adults  by  6570.     Dimilin  and 
TH-6042  had  little  effect. 


Title:  Effect  of  the  Alfalfa  Weevil  on  the  Alfalfa  Crop 

Leaders :-      Gary  W.  Fick,  Beverly  Wen-Yuh  Liu,  and  George  A.  Maybee, 
New  York  (Cornell) 


Earlier  work  indicated  that  large  reductions  in  second  cutting  yields 
of  alfalfa  could  occur  when  larvae  of  the  alfalfa  weevil  fed  on  the 
stubble  following  the  first  harvest.     To  study  the  problem,  known 
populations  of  larvae  were  transferred  to  alfalfa  plots  with  low 
background  weevil  populations  after  the  first  cut.     The  larvae  fed 
on  the  basal  buds,  and  at  the  highest  population  (about  10,000/m2) 
they  completely  destroyed  active  growing  points  in  the  stubble  within 
two  days.     The  effect  was  to  delay  regrowth  so  that  after  40  days, 
each  increment  of  weevil  population  was  associated  with  younger 
herbage.     The  maximum  delay  in  regrowth  was  6  to  10  days,  and  up  to 
one  third  of  the  yield  potential  of  the  40-day  regrowth  period 
could  be  lost.     The  regression  equation  to  predict  percentage  of 
maximum  loss  (Y)  from  the  insect  population  in  larvae/m2  (X)  was  as 
follows:    Y  =  0.0531X.     R2  =  0=868.     When  stubble  spraying  is 
indicated,  it  should  occur  as  soon  after  harvest  as  possible. 

When  the  first  harvest  of  alfalfa  is  delayed  so  that  the  bulk  of 
weevil  feeding  occurs  on  the  developed  canopy  instead  of  the  stubble, 
the  resulting  defoliation  influences  root  reserves,  morphological 
rate  of  development,  and  canopy  structure.     Further  work  verified  our 
earlier  hypothesis  of  limited  influence  on  leaf  percentage  because  of 
concurrent  reductions  in  leaf  and  stem  growth.     However,  sampling 
techniques  that  reduced  variation  in  weevil  populations  within 
treatments  showed  statistically  significant  decreases  in  leaf  percent- 
ages in  early  June  at  populations  as  low  as  2  larvae/stem.     During  the 
post-defoliation  recovery  period,  such  moderately  damaged  plants 
actually  increased  in  leaf  percentage  and  produced  more  branches 
than  lightly  defoliated  plants.     Large  differences  in  canopy 
structure  resulted  and  could  be  important  in  altering  canopy  photo- 
synthes  is » 

A  first-generation  computer  model   (ALSIM  1  -  LEVEL  1)  has  been  used 
to  study  alfalfa  management.     Deficiencies  in  model  predictions  were 
traced  to  inadequate  understanding  of  regrowth  mechanisms.     A  series 
of  regrowth  models   (REGROW)  are  being  studied  to  identify  research 
priorities  in  the  area  of  regrowth  physiology. 


23 


SECTION  III 
PIANT  PATHOLOGY  RESEARCH 


Tit le :  Mechanism  of  Resistance  of  Reed  Canarygrass  to  Leafspot  Fungi 

Leaders :       C.  P.  Vance  and  R.  T.  Sherwood ,  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 

The  role  of  papilla  formation  in  resistance  of  reed  canarygrass  leaves 
to  fungi  was  extensively  investigated.     Reed  canarygrass  leaf-discs  were 
floated  on  water  and  inoculated  with  spore  suspensions  of  He lminthosporium 
catenarium,  H.  avenae ,  Stemphy lium  botryosum,  Leptosphaerulina  trif olii , 
Botrytis  cinerea  and  Ascochyta  sp .     Only  H.  catenarium  was  pathogenic  on 
reed  canarygrass.     With  the  noninfecting  species,  a  papilla  (host  cell 
wall  thickening)  formed  in  the  epidermal  wall  beneath  each  fungal 
appressorium  from  which  penetration  was  attempted ,  and  no  penetration 
occurred.     With  H.  catenarium  most  appressoria  induced  papilla  forma- 
tion and  did  not  initiate  penetration,  but  about  1%  of  appressoria 
initiated  direct  penetration  through  a  thin-walled,  poorly-formed 
papillar  swelling. 

When  leaf -discs  were  floated  on  aqueous  solutions  of  cycloheximide 
(10-25  (jg/ml),  protein  synthesis  was  inhibited,  papilla  formation  was 
prevented,  and  more  than  80%  of  appressoria  of  all  fungi  gave  rise  to 
direct  penetrations.     Primary  infection  hyphae  grew  well  and  invaded 
adjacent  epidermal  cells.     Transfer  of  leaf -discs  from  cycloheximide 
solutions  to  water  prior  to  appressorial  formation,  restored  protein 
synthesis,  restored  papilla  formation  and  prevented  penetration.  Thus, 
papilla  formation  appeared  to  be  a  defense  mechanism  against  fungal 
penetration  that  requires  response-dependent  protein  synthesis. 

Around  the  sites  of  attempted  penetration  and  papilla  formation  the 
epidermal  walls  became  histochemically  modified  in  disc-shaped  areas, 
up  to  60  p,m  in  diameter.     Any  lateral  epidermal  walls  beneath  the 
discs   (disc-shaped  areas)  became  swollen  and  histochemically  modified. 
Papillae  in  leaves  inoculated  with  He lminthosporium  avenae  gave  histo- 
chemical  reactions,  indicating  that  lignified  material  was  a  major 
structural  component  of  the  core  of  the  papillae  and  the  altered  lateral 
walls  and  a  minor  component  of  the  discs.     Histochemical  tests  indicated 
that  callose  was  present  in  the  papillae,  lateral  walls  and  discs,  and 
that  cellulose  was  a  significant  structural  component  of  the  discs,  the 
altered  lateral  walls  and  the    cover  layer  of  the  papillae.     Tests  for 
cut  in,  suberin,  tannins,  gums  and  pectic  compounds  were  negative. 

Lignin  content  and  enzymes  involved  in  lignif ication  were  measured  in 
leaf  discs  inoculated  with  He lminthosporium  avenae  and  floated  on  water 
or  cycloheximide  solutions.     Within  18  hr ,  inoculated  discs  on  water 
had  higher  lignin  content  and  higher  activity  of  the  enzymes 


24 


phenylalanine  ammonia  lyase  (PAL),  tyrosine  ammonia  lyase  (TAL)  ,  hydro- 
xicinnamate-CoA  ligase  and  peroxidase  than  noninoculated  discs  on  water. 
When  inoculated  tissues  were  floated  on  cycloheximide  solutions  in- 
creases in  lignin  content  and  enzyme  activities  associated  with  lignin 
biosynthesis  were  inhibited,  and  the  tissue  was  susceptible  to  fungal 
penetration.     We  concluded  that  lignin  biosynthesis  at  the  site  of 
attempted  fungal  penetration  may  play  an  important  role  in  the  resist- 
ant response  of  reed  canarygrass  to  leaf -infecting  fungi. 


Title:  Phytophthora  Root  Rot  of  Alfalfa  in  Pennsylvania 

Leaders :      K.  T.  Leath  and  J.  E.  Baylor,  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 
and  Pennsylvania 

Alfalfa  plants  in  a  field  in  Bradford  County,  Pa.  were  stunted,  chloro- 
tic  and  dying.     Their  roots  had  rot  that  was  typical  of  that  caused  by 
Phytophthora  megasperma  on  alfalfa  in  other  parts  of  the  U.S.  Fungi 
isolated  from  the  roots  and  soil  caused  typical  Phytophthora  root  rot 
symptoms  on  DuPuits  and  Saranac  alfalfa  in  greenhouse  tests.  Oogonial, 
oospore  and  sporangial  characteristics  of  the  Pennsylvania  isolate  were 
within  the  size  range  reported  by  other  workers  for  P.  megasperma 
pathogenic  on  alfalfa.     This  is  the  first  documentation  of  Phytophthora 
root  rot  of  alfalfa  in  Pennsylvania. 


Table  1.     Dimensions  of  oogonia,  oospores  and  sporangia  of  isolate  B-12 
of  Phytophthora  megasperma  from  diseased  alfalfa  roots  ob- 
tained in  Bradford  County,  Pa. 


Structures  Length  (|jm)        Width  (|j.m)        Diameter  (\±m)        Average  (|jm) 


Oogonia 

Oospores 

Sporangia 


26.2-39.4 
17.0-29.6 


31.5 
24.3 
37.0  X  30.2 


25 


Tit le :  Interaction  of  Fusarium  Root  Rot  with  Pea  Aphid  and  Potato 

Leafhopper  Feeding  on  Forage  Legumes 

Leaders :       K.  T.  Leath  and  R„  A.  Byers ,  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 


The  interaction  of  insect  feeding  and  Fusarium  root  rot  was  investigated 
in  greenhouse,  growth  chamber  and  field  insectary  tests  with  red  and 
white  clovers  and  alfalfa.     In  every  experiment ,  significantly  more  rot 
developed  in  plants  subjected  to  pea  aphid  feeding  and  inoculated  with 
Fusarium  than  in  plants  without  aphid  feeding  but  inoculated  with 
Fusarium.     More  red  clover  plants  died  in  the  combined  Fusarium-aphid 
treatment  than  in  any  other  treatment.     The  combination  of  potato 
leafhopper  feeding  with  Fusarium  root  rot  resulted  in  a  significantly 
higher  rate  of  alfalfa  plant  death  over  the  following  winter,  than 
occurred  in  the  untreated  control,  Fusarium  alone,  or  potato  leafhopper 
alone  treatments.     Significant  interaction  between  insect  feeding  and 
Fusarium  was  demonstrated  for  days  till  death  of  red  clover  and  alfalfa, 
winterkill  of  alfalfa,  and  internal  rot  incidence  with  all  forage 
species . 


Table  1.     Severity  of  Fusarium  root  rot  of  forage  legumes  grown  with 
and  without  the  stress  of  pea  aphid  feeding. 


Stress 
treatment 


Red  clover 


Root  rot  rating 
White  clover  Alfalfa 


All  species 


None  (control) 
Fusarium 
Aphids 
F  +  A 


2.3  a 

3.2  ab 
3.8  b 
5.0  c 


1.4  a 
2.1  b 
1.9  b 
3.1  c 


1.5  a 
2.1  b 
1.8  ab 
3.1  c 


1.7  a 
2.4  b 
2.3  b 
3.6  c 


Table  2.     Yield  and 

stand  counts 

of  alfalfa  j 

;rown  under  separate 

and 

combined 

stresses  of  Fusarium  root 

rot  and 

leafhopper 

feeding 

Dry  wt 

yield 

g/ 

row 

No. 

of  plants /row  

Stress  treatment 

7/26/74 

9/6/74 

7/26/74 

9/6/74 

4/1/75 

None  (control) 

29.7  a* 

18.8  a 

14.2  a 

13.0  a 

8.8  a 

Fusarium 

32.2  a 

22.4  a 

14.4  a 

12.6  a 

8.8  a 

Leafhopper 

21.6  b 

10.6  b 

13.8  a 

12.1  a 

7.4  a 

F  +  L 

22.8  b 

10.5  b 

14.1  a 

12.1  a 

3.5  b 

*  Values  followed  by  the  same  letter  within  a  column  are  not  signifi- 
cantly different   (P  =  0.01).     Duncan's  new  multiple  range,  test. 


26 


Tit le ;  Resistance  to  Purple  Leafspot  in  Orchardgrass 

Leaders :      K.  E.  Zeiders ,  Co  C.  Berg,  and  R„  T.  Sherwood,  Pasture 
Research  Laboratory 


The  second  cycle  of  recurrent  phenotypic  selection  for  resistance  to 
purple  leafspot  in  orchardgrass  was  completed.     About  12,000  progeny 
from  the  first  cycle  were  grown  in  greenhouse  flats,  and  were  screened 
twice  for  disease  resistance  by  artificial  inoculation  with  Stagonospora 
arenaria .     Clones  showing  resistance  to  purple  leafspot   (1824  selected) 
were  inoculated  a  third  time.     From  this  group  350  clones  which  had  least 
disease  and  good  vigor  were  selected.     Four  ramets  of  each  clone  were 
established  in  a  replicated  field  planting  in  July  1975  for  seed 
production  in  1976  and  to  evaluate  disease  reaction  and  agronomic 
traits . 


Tit le :  Field  Reaction  of  Disease-Resistant  Smooth  Bromegrass 

Select  ions 

Leader :         K.  E.  Zeiders,  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 


Single  plants  of  34  clones  selected  for  low  disease  ratings  after  two 
artificial  inoculations  with  Helminthosporium  bromi  were  transplanted 
to  the  field  in  the  spring  of  1974.     These  clones  were  selected  from 
five  commercial  cultivars ,  principally  Fox  and  Saratoga.     Plants  were 
rated  for  severity  of  brown  leafspot  in  August  1974,  and  in  July  and 
October  1975.     On  each  date,  ratings  ranged  from  resistant  to  highly 
susceptible.     In  artificial  inoculations,  28  of  the  34  clones  were 
rated  resistant,  5  susceptible,  and  1  intermediate.     Means  for  the  two 
1975  field  ratings  indicated  that  10  clones  were  resistant,   14  suscep- 
tible, and  10  intermediate  in  severity  of  brown  leafspot.     Nine  of  the 
10  clones  rated  resistant  in  the  field  on  all  dates  were  also  rated 
resistant  in  artificial  inoculations.     These  clones  possess  good 
potential  for  use  as  parents  in  breeding  for  resistance  to  brown 
leafspot  in  bromegrass. 


27 


Title i 


Fungi  Associated  with  Leaf  Disease  on  Reed  Canarygrass 
Irrigated  with  Municipal  Sewage  Effluent 


Leader : 


K.  E.  Zeiders ,  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 


The  prevalence  of  foliar  diseases  on  both  irrigated  and  nonirrigated 
reed  canarygrass  clones,  and  on  Common  reed  canarygrass  at  the  Pennsyl- 
vania State  Waste  Water  Renovation  and  Conservation  Project  was  moni- 
tored by  weekly  or  biweekly  surveys  from  April  to  November  1975. 
Numerous  isolations  were  made  from  diseased  leaf  and  stem  material 
collected  during  the  growing  season.     From  these,  25  new  isolates  from 
among  six  fungus  genera  were  added  to  the  working  collection  maintained 
at  the  U.S.  Pasture  Research  Laboratory.     The  genera  were:  Stagonospora 
(13  isolates),  Septoria  (3),  Fusarium     (3),  Epicoccum  (4),  He lmintho- 
sporium  (1),  and  Myrothecium  (1).     Seven  of  the  Stagonospora  isolates 
were  S.  f oliicola  which  causes  tawny  blotch,  the  most  prevalent  disease 
of  reed  canarygrass. 

Epicoccum  spp.,  which  are  associated  with  leaf  mold  and  secondary 
leaf spot  on  some  Gramineae ,  were  isolated  more  frequently  from  diseased 
leaves  collected  November  17,   1975  than  earlier  in  the  growing  season. 
It  was  isolated  more  often  from  irrigated  than  from  nonirrigated  reed 
canarygrass.     It  was  probably  growing  saprophytically  on  tissue  killed 
by  Stagonospora  f oliicola ,  which  was  also  isolated  frequently.  Among 
forage  grasses  Epicoccum  has  been  reported  only  on  tall  fescue,  where 
it  causes  a  secondary  leaf spot.     It  has  not  been  reported  on  reed 
canarygrass.     It  seems  significant  that  this  species  was  isolated  more 
frequently  (1)  late  in  the  growing  season  and  (2)  from  grass  irrigated 
weekly  with  sewage  effluent.     In  cultural  studies  of  11  Epicoccum 


isolates,  there  was  wide  variation  in  color  of  pigment  produced  in  the 
potato-dextrose  agar  medium,  ranging  from  lemon  yellow-brown-orange- 
deep  red.     The  cause  of  this  variation  is  not  known.     There  was  little 
variation  in  spore  size  and  morphology  among  isolates  of  Epicoccum. 


Leaders :      K.  E.  Zeiders,  Pasture  Research  Laboratory 

Disease  epiphytotics  occurred  on  two  annual  weed  grasses  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Waste  Water  Renovation  and  Conserva- 
tion Project.     The  area  under  observation  included  a  6.1  ha  field  of 
reed  canarygrass   (Common)  which  was  spray-irrigated  throughout  the  year 
with  5 . 1  cm  per  week  of  municipal  sewage  effluent,  and  an  adjacent  field 
of  row  corn  of  about  equal  size  which  was  irrigated  weekly  with  0  or 
5.1  cm  of  effluent  from  May  22  to  September  3,  1975. 


Title  : 


Diseases  of  Annual  Grasses  at  University  Park,  Pa. 


28 


Purple-brown  spotblotch  caused  by  Helminthosporium  monoceras  Drechs . 
was  observed  on  August  12 s  1975  on  barnyardgrass   (Echinochloa  cruss- 
galli ) .     Thick  patches  of  this  grass  were  growing  in  moist  soil  along 
the  border  of  the  reed  canarygrass  field,  including  one  irrigated  strip 
where  reed  canarygrass  was  not  established.     On  many  plants,  spotblotch  was 
severe  on  all  leaves;  it  was  often  most  severe  on  the  younger  (top) 
leaves   (unusual  on  grasses);  some  leaves  were  heavily  blighted  or 
destroyed.     There  did  not  appear  to  be  any  other  disease  on  the  grass. 
Barnyardgrass  is  cosmopolitan,  occurring  in  moist  habitats  throughout 
the  United  States.  It  is  a  coarse  annual,  sometimes  used  for  forage, 
but  is  a  weed  in  cultivated  ground.     Within  the  Northeastern  Region, 
H.  monoceras  on  barnyardgrass  has  been  reported  only  in  New  York. 

Panicle  smut  caused  by  Us til a go  rabenhorstiana  Kuehn  was  observed  in 
late  September  on  fall  panicum  (Panicum  dichotomif lorum  Michx.)  within 
the  field  of  corn.     An  estimated  70%  of  plants  was  affected.     The  dis- 
ease is  systemic  as  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  plants  were  either 
severely  infected  or  not  at  all.     On  infected  plants,  80-90%  of  panicles 
were  smutted;  on  one  stem,  26  smutted  panicles  were  counted.  Plants 
were  quite  large;  25  stems  were  counted  on  one  noninfected  plant.  No 
seeds  were  produced  on  smutted  panicles.     This  consequence  of  the 
disease  may  be  considered  economically  beneficial  in  that  the  quantity 
of  seed  for  propagation  of  this  undesirable  weed  grass  in  1976  will  be 
substantially  reduced.     In  the  Eastern  and  Central  United  States,  U. 
rabenhorstiana  has  previously  been  reported  only  in  Pennsylvania. 


Title :  Resistance  Mechanisms  Associated  with  Foliar  Infections 

of  Forage  Crops 

Leader:        R.  L.  Millar,  New  York 


The  location  of  P -glucos idase  activity  in  healthy  trefoil,  infected 
trefoil,  and  S.    loti  was  determined  histochemically  by  a  simultaneous 
coupling  technique  using  6-bromo-2~naphthyl-P-D-glucoside  (BNG)  and 
fast  garnet  salt.     Activity  was  localized  in  healthy  and  infected 
tissues  in  the  phloem,  guard  cells  and  other  epidermal  cells,  and 
palisade  and  spongy  mesophyll  cells,  and  in  S_.   loti  hyphae  growing 
either  on  the  surface  or  in  infected  tissue.     Both  host  and  pathogen 
p-glucosidases  were  located  at  the  infection  site. 

Host  and  pathogen  linamarases  from  white  clover  leaves  infected  by 
Stemphylium  sarcinif orme  were  separated  from  each  other  by  column 
chromatography  on  CM-sephadex  C-25  and  DEAE-sephadex  A-25  and  showed 
differential  specificity  for  the  substrates  linamarin,  amygdalin, 
salicin  and  p-nitrophenyl-P-D-glucopyranos ide .     Extracts  from  healthy 
HCN-positive  plants  contained  linamarase  and  cyanogenic  substrates. 
Pathogen  linamarase  was  obrained  from  diseased  leaves  of  HCN-positive 


29 


plants  and  from  S.  sarcinif orme  grown  in  liquid  medium.  Linamarase 
activities  for  pathogen  and  host  were  measured  at  0,  48  and  96  hr 
after  inoculation.     Pathogen  linamarase  activity  was  detected  in 
diseased  tissue  48  and  96  hr  after  inoculation.     Host  linamarase 
activity  was  present  but  did  not  change  with  time. 

The  significance  of  a  constitutive  cyanide-resistant,  alternate 
terminal  oxidase  in  S t emphy 1 ium  lot!  is  under  investigation  in  terms 
of  its  contribution  directly  to  the  cyanide  tolerance  of  the  pathogen 
and  indirectly  to  making  possible  the  synthesis  of  formamide  hydrolyase 
by  which  the  pathogen  transforms  cyanide. 


30 


SECTION  IV 

GROWTH,   PHYSIOLOGY,  AND  CLIMATIC  EFFECTS 


Title ;        The  Effects  of  Environment  on  Carbon  Dioxide  Exchange 
and  Assimilate  Distribution  of  Timothy,  Orchardgrass 
and  Alfalfa 

Leader:       D.  M.  Vietor,  Massachusetts 


The  initial  objective  of  the  experiment  was  to  determine  the  effect  of 
temperature  and  photoperiod  on  assimilate  distribution  in  alfalfa  and 
orchardgrass.     Plants  of  each  species  were  transplanted  from  field 
plots  to  pots  in  the  greenhouse  during  September,  Day/night 
temperature  regimes  of  33/29,  22/18  and  12/8  C,  each  with  a  14-hr 
day  length,  were  imposed  on  potted  plants  of  each  species  during 
early  November.     In  addition,  potted  plants  of  each  species  were 
selected  for  growth  under  a  10-hr  light  period  or  a  9-hr  light 
period  with  1  hr  of  light  during  the  dark  period  of  each  day. 

A  closed  system  was  used  for  labeling  the  potted  plants  of 
orchardgrass  and  alfalfa  with  radioactive  carbon.     Plants  of  each 
species  were  radioactive ly  labeled  at  an  early  vegetative  stage 
and  a  prebud  or  preflowering  stage  to  determine  the  relative  effects 
of  the  three  temperature  regimes  or  the  two  photoperiod  treatments 
on  assimilate  utilization. 

Plants  are  being  destructively  sampled  and  the  samples  assayed  by 
liquid  scintillation  techniques.     Plants  will  also  be  labeled  at 
the  bloom  stage. 


Title :        Ecology    of  Grasses  and  Legumes 
Leader:       M.  A.  Sprague,  New  Jersey 

A  planting  of  Saranac  AR  alfalfa  was  made  in  September  as  part  of  the 
microclimate  study  to  monitor  air  and  soil  temperature  and  solar 
radiation  during  fall  months  on  areas  cut  at  weekly  intervals*  The 
objective  is  to  establish  a  formula  relationship  between  climatic 
changes  during  fall,  progressive  cold  hardening  and  winter  survival. 
As  a  prediction  tool  this  will  aid  in  establishing  fall  cutting 
schedules  more  suitable  for  winter  survival  and  persistence  of  stand. 


31 


Plantings  were  made  at  Adelphia  and  Cream  Ridge  of  seven  strains  of 
berseem  clover  (Trif olium  alexandrium)  in  an  ongoing  search  for  a 
suitable  annual  legume  for  the  light  soils  of  southern  New  Jersey. 
None  were  sufficiently  well  adapted  to  be  promising. 


Title :        Accumulation  of  Magnesium, Calcium  and  Potassium  in  the 
Herbage  of  Some  Temperate-Origin  Forage  Species  as 
Affected  by  Temperature  and  Magnesium  Fertilization 

Leaders :     C.  F.  Gross  and  G.  A.  Jung,  U.S.   Pasture  Research  Laboratory 


Twenty-two  temperate  origin  grasses  and  legumes  were  grown  in  the 
greenhouse  under  natural  daylength  at  cool  (12-15  C) ,  intermediate 
(15-20  C)  and  warm  22-26  C)  ambient  temperatures  in  a  Mg-deficient 
Hagerstown  silt  loam  (a  typic  Hapludult)  fertilized  with  0  and 
672  kg  Mg/ha  at  pH  6  and  7  to  ascertain  their  response  to  temperature 
and  identify  Mg  accumulator  species  and/or  cultivars. 

Supplemental  fertilizer  was  N  as  NH4NO3  on  grasses  and  K  as  K^SO^ 
to  grasses  and  legumes.     Plants  cut  to  5-cm  at  2-week  intervals 
assured  vegetative  tissue  for  mineral  analysis  for  11  legume  and  13 
grass  harvests.     Clippings  were  oven  dried  (70  C) ,  ashed   (475  C), 
acid-solubilized  in  1:5  HNO3  +  CH3COOH  and  analyzed  for  Mg2+,  K+  and 
Ca2+  by  atomic  absorption  spectrophotometry. 

Adding  672  kg  Mg/ha  to  the  soil  significantly  (P=0.01)  increased 
herbage  Mg .     Absolute  maximum  Mg  responses  were  0.33  for  grasses 
and  0.40  for  legumes.     Under  cool  spring  temperatures,  smooth 
bromegrass   (Bromus  inermis  Leyss.)  and  tall  fescue  (Festuca 
arundinacea  Schreb.)  increased  herbage  Mg  by  71  and  367o,  respectively. 
Corresponding  legume  increases  were  77,  53  and  497o  for  ladino  clover 
(Trif olium  repens  L. ) ,  Saranac  alfalfa   (Medicago  sativa  L. ) ,  and 
birdsfoot  trefoil   (Lotus  corniculatus  L. ) .     Some  species  responded 
differentially  to  Mg  fertilizer  at  cool  spring  vs.  warm  summer  or 
cool  autumn  temperatures.     Significant  differences  occurred  in 
herbage  Mg  among  three  orchardgrass   (Dacty lis  glomerata  L.)  and  two 
timothy  ( Phleum  pratense  L. )  cultivars  under  cool  spring  and  autumn 
temperatures  in  response  to  Mg  fertilizer;  response  of  four  alfalfa 
and  two  crownvetch  (Cornilla  varia  L.)  cultivars  was  inconsistent. 

Under  cool  spring  temperatures  herbage  Mg  levels  reached  0.37  and 
0.517<>  for  grasses  and  legumes,  respectively,  exceeding  the  0.20% 
critical  Mg  value.     Warm  temperatures  and  high  Mg  accumulation  were 
concomitant.     Marked  differences  occurred  in  herbage  Mg  within  species 
in  response  to  temperature.     At  cool  spring  temperatures  a  difference 
of  0 .  157o  Mg  between  timothy  cultivars  was  noted.  Temperature 
influenced  (P=0.01)  grass  K/Ca  +  Mg  (meq )  ratios  at  each  harvest  and 


32 


reached  2.5  under  cool  spring  temperatures „     Cool  autumn  temperatures 
were  associated  with  low  grass  ratios.     Temperature  affected 
(P=0.01)  legume  K/Mg  ratios.     Under  cool  spring  temperatures  higher 
ratios     prevailed  from  greater  accumulation  of  K  than  Mg;  at  warm 
temperatures  the  reverse  was  true. 

Timothy  and  orchardgrass  cultivars  differed  in  Mg  and  K  under  cool 
spring  temperatures;  K/Ca  +  Mg  ratios  were  2.0  for  timothy  and  2.2  to 
2.5  for  orchardgrass  but  under  cool  autumn  temperatures  lower  ratios 
prevailed.     Herbage  Mg,  K  and  Ca  concentrations  and  mean  K/Mg  ratios 
were  similar  for  Saranac,  Team  and  Iroquois  alfalfa.     Vernal  alfalfa, 
however,  had  lower  Mg  and  K  levels  and  a  higher  mean  K/Mg  ratio  than 
the  other  cultivars.     Herbage  Mg  concentration  differed  by  0.137o 
among  alfalfa  cultivars  at  cool  spring  temperatures.  Crownvetch 
herbage  had  low  K/Mg  ratios  and  large  differences  in  Mg ,  K  and  Ca 
concentrations  at  elevated  temperatures. 

Temperature  significantly  affected  (P+0.01)  herbage  DM  yields. 
Gombi  perennial  ryegrass  (Lolium  perenne  L.)  was  the  most  productive 
grass;  no  grass,  however,  was  the  highest  yielder  at  all  temperatures. 
Total  DM  yield  among  orchardgrass  and  timothy  cultivars  was  similar. 
Alfalfa  cultivars,  particularly  Vernal,  had  the  highest  total  legume 
DM.     Crownvetch  cultivar  DM  yields  were  low.     Magnesium  fertilizer  did 
not  affect  herbage  DM  yields. 

Temperate-origin  forage  species  differ  markedly  in  Mg,  K  and  Ca  content 
and  in  their  response  to  temperature  and  Mg  fertilizer.  Utilization 
of  grasses  and  legumes  innately  high  in  Mg  and/or  response  to  Mg 
fertilization,  particularly  under  cool  temperatures,  and  species  with 
low  K/Ca  +  Mg  ratios  are  valuable  for  alleviating  grass  tetany. 


Title:  Biosynthesis  of  Medicarpin  in  Jackbean  Callus  Tissue  Cultures 
Leader ;      D.  L.  Gustine,  U.S.   Pasture  Research  Laboratory 

A  system  for  activating  production  of  fungitoxic  compounds  (phyto- 
alexins)   in  callus  tissue  cultures  was  developed  to  study  the 
biochemistry  of  phyto-alexin  formation.     Jackbean  (Canavalia 
ensif ormis  L.)  callus  tissues  synthesized  the  phyto-alexin, 
medicarpin  (3-hydroxy-9-methoxypterocarpan) ,  when  treated  with  HgCl2 
solutions  or  Pithomyces  chartarum     (Berk.  Curt.)  M.  B.   Ellis  spore 
suspensions.     Medicarpin  was  isolated  from  treated  callus  tissue  and 
identified  by  its  ultraviolet  (UV)  and  mass  spectra.     Medicarpin  was 
assayed  in  callus  tissue  by  thin-layer  chromatography  of  methyl  ethyl 
ketone  extracts  and  subsequent  UV  analysis  of  the  isolated  medicarpin. 
Maximum  production  occurred  at  3.15  mM  HgC^;  no  maximum  occurred  for 
up  to  10°  spores/ml.     In  HgC^- treated  tissues,  medicarpin  was  detected 


33 


with  12  hours  after  treatment,  reached  a  maximum  level  by  36  hours, 
and  remained  constant  for  an  additional  24  hours.     The  maximum  level 
was  560  ug/g  dry  tissue,  which  is  equivalent  to  that  reported  in  plant 
parts.     In  48-hour  incubations  of  spore- treated  tissues,  a  linear 
increase  in  medicarpin  production  was  found  from  0-106  spores/ml. 
The  concentration  of  medicarpin  at  10^  spores/ml  was  about  half  that 
found  in  tissues  treated  with  3.15  mM  HgCl2-     These  data  suggest  that 
the  concentration  of  the  spore  factor(s)  was  not  high  enough  to 
saturate  activation  sites  for  the  biosynthetic  system. 


Title :        Nonstructural  Carbohydrate  in  the  Spring  Herbage  of 
Temperate  Grasses 

Leaders :     G.  A.  Jung,  R.  E.  Kocher ,  C.  F.  Gross  and  C.  C.  Berg, 
U.S.   Pasture  Research  Laboratory;  and  0.  L.  Bennett, 
West  Virginia 

Nonstructural  carbohydrates  are  sources  of  readily  available  energy 
that  enhance  remen  microbial  activity  and  forage  utilization. 
Experiments  were  conducted  in  Pennsylvania  and  West  Virginia  to 
determine  the  effect  of  maturity  on  total  nonstructural  carbohydrate 
(TNC)  concentrations  in  spring  herbage  of  eight  grass  species  and 
determine  TNC  concentrations  in  herbage  at  immature  and  mature  growth 
stages  on  a  given  day.     The  grasses  were  fertilized  early  each  spring 
and  summer  with  0,  60,   120,  or  240  kg  N/ha. 

Determinations  for  TNC  were  made  using  the  Smith  takadiastase 
technique.     Mean  TNC  concentration  in  the  spring  herbage  of  Masshardy 
orchardgrass   (Dactylis  glomerata  L. ) ,  Climax  timothy  (Phleum  prat ens e 
L. ) ,  and  Sac  smooth  bromegrass   (Bromus  inermis  Leyss.)  decreased  7  or 
more  percentage  units  with  maturation  from  vegetative  to  full  bloom 
stage,  but  decreased  less  than  4  percentage  units  in  Fawn  tall  fescue 
(Festuca  arundinacea  Schreb.),  Kenblue  Kentucky  bluegrass  (Poa 
pratens is  L.),  and  redtop  (Agrostis  alba  L. ) .     Mean  TNC  concentration 
was  50%  higher  in  Pennfine  perennial  ryegrass   (Lolium  perenne  L. )  than 
in  Kenblue  Kentucky  bluegrass  or  redtop.     Concentration  of  TNC  was 
inversely  related  to  maximum  air  and  soil  temperatures  and  was  affected 
much  more  by  harvest  data  than  by  maturation  of  the  herbage.  Concentra- 
tion of  TNC  was  usually  lower  in  N-fertilized  herbage  than  in  unferti- 
lized controls  at  early  growth  stages,  but  N  had  little  effect  on  TNC 
concentration  of  herbage  at  full  bloom. 

Maximum  yields  of  TNC  were  obtained  at  the  stem  elongation  stage  with 
ryegrass,  at  flower-head  emergence  with  Pennmead  orchardgrass  and  Ky  31 
tall  fescue,  and  at  full  bloom  with  other  grasses.     N  fertilization 
increased  TNC  yield  of  orchardgrass,   tall  fescue  and  reed  canarygrass; 
decreased  TNC  yield  of  smooth  bromegrass  and  tedtop;  and  had  little 
effect  on  TNC  yield  of  ryegrass  and  timothy. 


34 


Title:  Morphology,  Physiology,  and  Cultural  Responses  of  Perennial 

Forages 

Leaders :      G.  W.  Fick,  R.  R.  Seaney,  and    C.  H.  Darrah,  III, 
New  York  (Cornell) 

Although  the  subject  has  received  a  great  deal  of  attention,  the 
primary  physiological  changes  conferring  cold  hardiness  are  still 
poorly    understood,,     Recently,  attention  has     focused  on  changes  in 
the  lipid  fraction  associated  with  cell  membranes.     Taproots  and 
crown  buds  of  field  grown  Iroquois  alfalfa  were  harvested  through  the 
fall  hardening  season  and  analyzed  for  total  lipids,  total  phospholipids, 
and  fatty  acid  constituents  in  the  major  lipid  fractions.     Total  lipids 
showed  no  significant  changes  throughout  the  sampling  period;  however, 
increasing  phospholipid  concentrations  were  observed.     No  major  shift 
in  the  percentage  of  saturated  and  unsaturated  fatty  acids  was  detected 
in  the  neutral  lipid  fraction,  but  polar  lipids  showed  an  increase  in 
the  percentage  of  unsaturated  fatty  acids.     Theoretical  considerations 
predict  that  the  increase  in  unsaturation  is  conducive  to  low-tempera- 
ture survival. 

Samples  of  taproots  collected  during  the  summer  of  1975  are  currently 
under  analysis.     Lipid  analysis  of  root  and  crown  buds  from  alfalfa 
grown  under  hardening  conditions  in  controlled-environmental  chambers 
is  also  in  progress,  and  alfalfa  ecotypes  expressing  three  degrees  of 
hardiness  are  presently  being  acclimated  for  similar  tests. 

Under  field  conditions,  heaving  is  also  a  major  reason  for  alfalfa  to 
fail  to  survive  the  winter.     In  1972,  Iroquois  alfalfa  and  a  mixture 
of  Iroquois  alfalfa  and  common  timothy  were  seeded  to  study  the  effects 
of  soil  drainage  and  cutting  management  on  yield  and  persistence.  At 
locations  where  heaving  has  been  a  problem,  more  heaving  of  alfalfa 
plants  has  occurred  in  the  clear  alfalfa  than  in  the  alfalfa-grass 
mixture.     In  1975,  yields  of  the  alfalfa-grass  mixtures  were  8  to  20 
percent  greater  than  the  yields  of  clear  alfalfa. 


35 


SECTION  V 
WEED  INVESTIGATIONS 


Tit le :  Annual  and  Perennial  Weed  Control  in  Corn  and  Forages 

Leader :        N.  L.  Hartwig,  Pennsylvania 

Fall  panicum  ( Pan i cum  dicotomif lorum)  was  best  controlled  in  no-tillage 
corn  on  a  silt  loam  soil,  2%  O.M.  and  a  pH  of  7.1  with  combinations  of 
atrazine  1  lb  ai/A  +  simazine  1  lb  ai/A,  atrazine  1  lb  ai/A  +  cyanazine 
2  lb  ai/A,  simazine  1  lb  ai/A  +  alachlor  2  lb  ai/A,  and  penoxalin  1.5  lb 
ai/A  +  cyanazine  2  lb  ai/A  applied  in  early  May  before  fall  panicum  had 
germinated.     Two  to  four  inch  fall  panicum  was  effectively  controlled 
with  these  same  treatments  except  for  atrazine  +  simazine;  which  was 
ineffective  when  applied  late. 

Yellow  nutsedge   (Cyperus  esculentus )  can  be  controlled  in  no-tillage 
corn  with  preemergence  treatments  of  atrazine  1  lb  ai/A  +  simazine 
1  lb  ai/A  or  cyanazine  3  lb  ai/A  followed  by  atrazine  1  lb  ai/A  with 
1  qt/A  of  nonphytotoxic  oil  post  emergence  after  nutsedge  has  6  to  8 
inches  of  growth.     Excellent  yellow  nutsedge  control  and  best  corn 
yields  were  obtained  with  a  granular  formulation  of  butylate  3  to  4  lb 
ai/A  with  safener  +  atrazine  1  to  1.33  lb  ai/A  disked  into  unplowed 
grain  stubble. 

No-tillage  legume  seedings     into  bluegrass  pastures  were  best  obtained 
when  early  fall  treatments  of  2,4-D  and  dicamba  were  used  to  eliminate 
broadleaved  weeds  followed  by  treatments  of  glyphosate  1  lb  ai/A  or 
paraquat  0.25   lb  ai/A  to  suppress  the  bluegrass   (Poa  pratensis ) .  Of 
the  legumes  seeded  the  following  spring,  red  clover   (Trif olium  pratense) 
was  the  easiest  and  quickest  to  establish  followed  by  birdsfoot  trefoil 
(Lotus  corniculatus ) ,  alfalfa   (Medicago  sativa)  and  crownvetch 
(Coronilla  varia)  in  that  order. 


36 


Title:  No-tillage  Establishment  of  Forages 

Leaders ;      Dean  L.  Linscott,  USDA-ARS ,  New  York  (Cornell) 
R.   F.  Lucey,  R.  R„  Seaney,  New  York  (Cornell) 


Investigations  on  the  no-tillage  seeding  of  legumes  for  forage  and 
pasture  with  emphasis  on  vegetation  control  were  continued  at 
several  locations  in  central  New  York,     Glyphosate  and  paraquat  were 
applied  separately  to  pastures  leavily  grazed  prior  to  treatment. 
Following  herbicide  treatment  birdsfoot  trefoil  was  seeded  with  a 
Midland  sod-seeder.     Additional  weed  control  treatments  across 
glyphosate-paraquat  main  blocks  included  2,4-D,  7-10  days  prior  to 
planting 5  and  2,4-DB  or  dinoseb  after  legume  emergence.  Legume 
emergence  was  satisfactory  on  all  plots  receiving  glyphosate  or 
paraquate.  However,  birdsfoot  trefoil  established  successfully  only 
on  plots  receiving  2,4-DB  at  1  1/2  kg/ha  in  addition  to  glyphosate 
or  paraquat  at  1  kg/ha  and  above.     This  was  because  only  2,4-DB 
satisfactorily  controlled  perennial  dicots  without  inordinate  damage 
to  trefoil. 

In  fields  heavily  infested  with  quackgrass,  glyphosate  at  1  kg/ha 
and  above,  glyphosate  plus  paraquat  at  1/2  kg/ha,  or  split  applications 
of  paraquat  gave  satisfactory  control.     Mid-summer  plantings  of 
alfalfa  with  John  Deere  Power-till  planter  following  weed  control 
were  very  successful.     Seedbed  preparation  and  seed  placement  by  the 
power-till  planter  was  excellent.     Establishment  was  directly  related 
to  quackgrass  control.     In  this  particular  study,  2,4-D  applied  10 
days  in  advance  of  seeding  for  broadleaf  weed  control  had  no 
damaging  effect  on  alfalfa.     However,   in  a  separate  study  with  2,4-D 
applied  21  days  in  advance  of  planting  alfalfa  and  birdsfoot  trefoil, 
the  herbicide  damage  prevented  successful  establishment.     It  is 
evident  that  emphasis  should  be  given  to  fall  applications  of  2,4-D 
prior  to  establishment  the  following  spring. 

Comparisons  of  no-tillage  establishment  vs  conventional  establishment 
of  alfalfa  and  birdsfoot  trefoil  in  one  study  showed  little  difference 
in  plant  numbers  in  October  but  a  highly  significant  advantage  for  the 
conventional  system  in  terms  of  top  growth  and  root  weights.     It  is 
questionable  whether  the  no-tillage  plants  in  this  trial  will  survive 
the  winter  because  of  limited  root  development. 


Title ;  Improvement  of  Birdsfoot  Trefoil  Seed  Production  Practices 

Leaders :       D.   L.  Linscott,  H.  M.  Schaaf,  USDA-ARS ,  New  York  (Cornell) 


Weed  control:  In  established  seed  fields,  quackgrass  was  controlled 
satisfactorily  by  pronamide  at  2  lb/A  applied  in  the  fall.  Fall 


37 


applications  of  metribuzin  controlled  many  annual  and  perennial 
weeds  including  dandelion,  chicory,  astor,  and  dock.  Spring 
applications  of  metribuzin  were  more  efficacious  but  also  damaged 
trefoil.     Combinations  of  pronamide  and  metribuzin  have  practical 
merit .     In  row  culture,  fall  treatment  of  pronamide-metribuzin 
followed  by  shielded  spray  applications  of  paraquat  controlled  weeds 
with  no  significant  damage  to  trefoil.     Pronamide-dalapon  combinations 
also  were  effective  in  controlling  a  wide  spectrum  of  weed  species. 
Postemergence  dalapon-2 ,4-DB  applications  gave  excellent  weed  control 
in  new  plantings  of  trefoil.     Insect  control:     Spittlebug  was  reduced 
by  burning  of  fields.     Insecticide  control  measures  for  tarnished 
plantbug  were  inconclusive.     Disease  control:     Methyl  bromide 
fumigations  increased  numbers  of  plants  established,  improved  vigor, 
increased  winter  survival.     Several  breeder  selections  of  trefoil 
showed  more  field  tolerance  to  rot  organisms  than  the  variety  Viking. 
Birdsfoot  trefoil  seed  fields  under  a  rotation  system  were  less 
affected  by  disease.     Fertilization:     Seedling  trefoil  responded 
positively  to  fertilizer  phosphorous  at  planting.  Phosphorous 
greatly  improved  seedling  vigor,  winter  survival  and  seed  production. 
Many  of  the  trefoil  establishment  problems  in  region  will  be  solved 
by  proper  use  of  phosphorous. 


Title :  Long-Term  Comparisons  of  No-Tillage  and  Conventional 

Corn  Production 


Leader ;        R.  A.   Peters,  Connecticut  (Storrs) 


Comparisons  of  no-tillage  vs  conventional  corn  production  has 
continued  at  Storrs  in  an  experiment  initiated  in  1969.  No-tillage 
yields  of  both  silage  corn  and  grain  corn  remain  comparable  to  those 
in  the  conventional  plots  after  7  years  of  production.     Soil  samples 
taken  at  0-3  and  3-6  inches  have  shown  some  stratification;   P,  Ca 
and  Mg  levels  in  lb/acre  at  the  0-3  inch  level  are  over  twice  as 
high  as  on  the  conventional  plots.     At  3-6  inches  there  is  a 
reversal  with  the  level  greatest  in  the  conventional  plots.  Levels 
of  K  have  been  less  consistent  with  a  higher  level  at  0-3  inches  in 
the  no-tillage  than  on  the  conventional  plots  in  some  samplings  but 
similar  in  others.     At  3-6  inches  little  difference  is  found.  The 
greatest  variation  in  K  is  associated  with  the  type  of  harvest  with 
the  grain  plots  with  all  corn  stalks  remaining  on  the  field  having 
1/3  greater  K  level  than  the  silage  plots. 


38 


Title:  No-Tillage  Forage  Crop  Seedings  in  Established  Sods 

Leader ;        R.  A.   Peters,  Connecticut  (Storrs) 

No-tillage  forage  seedings  using  a  Zip-seeder  from  the  Midland 
Manufacturing  Company  were  made  under  a  variety  of  conditions  in 
old  mixed  established  sods.     Paraquat  at  1/2  lb  ae/acre  gave 
erratic  control  especially  of  quackgrass  and  orchardgrass .  Glyphosate 
at  1  1/2  lb  ae/acre  gave  much  more  consistent  kill.    Alfalfa  seedings 
made  with  the  Zip-seeder  were  quite  variable  due  in  part  to  the 
variability  in  placement  of  the  seed  with  the  Zip-seeder.     If  the  old 
sod  was  not  quite  short  the  furrow  opener  on  the  seeder  tended  to 
push  vegetation  into  the  slit  which  prevented  soil-sod  contact. 
Penetration  of  the  planter  was  inadequate  on  uneven  or  hard  ground. 


39 


SECTION  VI 
MANAGEMENT  AND  PRODUCTION  RESEARCH 


Tit le :  Pasture  Management  on  Poorly  Drained  Coastal  Plain  Soils 

Leaders :       E.  R.  Jones  and  R.  H.  Swain,  Delaware 

Research  is  being  conducted  to  determine  if  poorly  drained  coastal 
plain  soils  that  are  too  wet  for  row  crop  cultivation  can  be  used  as 
improved  pastures.     Tall  fescue  and  reed  canarygrass  pastures  were 
established  in  1972  and  1973.     One  paddock  of  cleared  unimproved  land 
was  included  in  the  rotation.     Cattle  were  grazed  during  the  1973 
growing  season  and  continuously  since  May  24,  1974.     Carrying  capacity 
and  resistance  of  the  grasses  to  compaction  are  being  evaluated. 
Stockpiled  fescue  in  conjunction  with  fescue  in  small  round  bales  is 
being  used  for  winter  feed. 


Tit le :  The  Evaluation  of  Several  Alfalfa  Varieties,  Fertility,  and 

Cutting  Management  Treatments  in  Delaware 

Leaders ;       E.  R.  Jones,  R.  H.  Swain,  K.  W.  Bell,  and  R.  B.  Carroll, 
Delaware 


Studies  previously  reported  (1974  Report,  p.  45)  were  continued.  An- 
thracnose  resistant  material  had  a  much  lower  incidence  of  anthracnose 
than  parent  susceptible  material.     Although  the  stand  declined  signifi 
cantly  between  1974  and  1975,  varieties  were  not  significantly  differ- 
ent for  total  forage  production  during  the  second  year.     Response  to 
fertility  was  not  evident  in  incidence  of  disease  or  forage  production 

Sampling  of  forage  harvest  equipment  on  eight  farms  indicated  that 
Colletotrichum  trif olii  had  overwintered  under  Delaware  conditions. 
The  fungus  also  overwintered  in  hardware  cloth  envelopes  located  at 
several  heights  in  an  alfalfa  canopy.     Analysis  of  labeled  plants, 
both  anthracnose  infected  and  anthracnose  free,  indicated  100%  winter 
survival  of  anthracnose  free  plants  and  15%  winter  survival  of  plants 
having  stem  lesions  in  the  fall. 


40 


Tit le :  Establishment  and  Longevity  of  Birdsfoot  Trefoil  Stands 

Grown  for  Seed 

Leaders :       G.  B.  MacCollom  and  A.  R.  Gotlieb,  Vermont 

Sites  with  histories  of  poor  trefoil  stand  establishment  were  compared . 
Soil  surveys  were  made  of  sites  having  histories  of  normal  and  poor 
trefoil  stand  establishments.     This  survey  showed  a  distinct  correla- 
tion of  low  soil  pH,  and  low  phosphorus  availability  with  sites  having 
poor  stand  establishment . 

1975  seedings  of  birdsfoot  trefoil,  utilizing  a  number  of  different 
seed  treatments  will  be  evaluated  for  stand  establishment  after  winter- 
ing. 

Degradation  of  dimethoate  residues  on  trefoil  are  being  analyzed  at  the 
New  York  State  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  at  Geneva,  N.Y. ,  in 
cooperation  with  IR-4. 

The  studies  in  progress  will  continue  under  Hatch  project  #271. 


Title :  Evaluation  of  Perennial  Ryegrass-Tall  Fescue  Hybrids  as 

Forage  for  Northern  Areas 

Leaders :       G.  M.  Wood ,  W.  M.   Sullivan,  and  J.  G.  Welch,  Vermont 


Lack  of  cold  tolerance  has  been  in  the  past  the  limiting  factor  relative 
to  the  use  of  perennial  ryegrass  as  forage  in  northern  areas.     Now  that 
ryegrass  with  considerably  greater  cold  hardiness  is  available,  the 
first  task  is  to  identify  such,  so  that  further  evaluations  for  quality 
and  yield  can  be  made.     Methods  of  determining  cold  tolerance  in  these 
experiments  so  far  have  been  slow  and  largely  weather  dependent  (see 
1974  Report ,  p.  46).     Difficulty  in  obtaining  uniform  results  was 
experienced  in  earlier  artificial  freezing  trials   (see  1972  Report,  p. 
24).     A  refinement  which  uses  soil  as  a  buffering  agent  around  pots  of 
grasses  to  be  frozen  artificially  has  greatly  improved  uniformity  of 
results  and  created  new  confidence  in  this  quick  method  of  determining 
cold  tolerance.     A  number  of  perennial  ryegrasses  have  been  identified 
as  being  more  cold  tolerant  than  Pennmead  orchardgrass  and  Ky.  31  tall 
fescue,  approaching  the  hardiness  of  Kentucky  bluegrass. 

Field  plots  have  been  established  to  correlate  the  results  of  freezing 
trials  with  field  performance.     Yield  data  will  be  taken  and  plots 
grazed  with  sheep  to  determine  animal  preference  and  grazing  tolerance. 
In  vitro  artificial  rumen  digestion  and  standard  chemical  analyses  will 
be  used  to  measure  quality  differences. 


41 


i 

Title :  Harvest  Schedules  for  Immature  Alfalfa  Forage 

Leaders :       Co   S.  Brown  and  R.  F.   Stafford,  Maine 

A  study  was  initiated  with  a  pure  stand  of  Iroquois  alfalfa  to  deter- 
mine the  most  suitable  seasonal  schedule  to  produce  immature  (early 
bud  stage)  alfalfa  forage  for  possible  pelleting.     A  total  of  six 
different  schedules  was  studied,  with  most  of  these  including  at  least 
one  cut  at  bloom  stage  to  restore  root  reserves.     The  schedules  were 
as  follows,  with  regrowth  interval   (days)  approximating  30  to  early 
bud,  40  to  early  bloom  and  50  to  full  bloom. 

Schedule  Gut  1  Cut  2  Cut  3 


Early  bud 
Early  bud 
Early  bud 
Early  bud 
Early  bud 
Early  bloom 

Forage  yields  and  stand  persistence  are  being  determined.  Detailed 
studies  of  forage  quality  of  the  immature   (early  bud)  harvests  will  be 
carried  out  by  the  animal  nutritionists  participating  in  this  inter- 
disciplinary project. 


Title :       The  Response  of  Alfalfa  to  Fertility,   Irrigation  and  Cutting 
Management 

Leaders :  J.  H.  McNemar  and  N.  A.  Clark,  Maryland 

The  alfalfa  management  study  seeded  in  the  fall  of  1973  was  continued 
during  the  summer  of  1975.     This  study  is  comparing  an  old  reliable 
alfalfa  variety  with  a  popular  new  variety  under  three  conditions: 
(1)  irrigated  and  nonirrigated ;    (2)  current  soil  test  fertilizer  recom- 
mendations, one  half  recommendations,  and  twice  recommendations; 
(3)  four  levels  of  intensity  in  cutting  management. 

During  1975  two  of  the  cutting  managements  were  harvested  five  times 
and  two  were  harvested  four  times.     All  plots  were  allowed  at  least 
30  days  of  growth  prior  to  the  final  harvest,  which  was  taken  just 
before  the  first  killing  frost.     The  seasonal  yields  of  dry  matter 
ranged  from  0.58  T/A  to  5.20  T/A  of  weed-free  alfalfa.     The  plots 
are  also  being  evaluated  for  forage  quality. 


A  Early  bud  Early  bloom 

B  Early  bud  Full  bloom 

C  Full  bud  Early  bud 

D  Full  bud  Early  bloom 

E  Mid-bloom  Early  bud 

F  Mid-bloom  Early  bud 


42 


Tit le :  Effect  of  Management  Factors  on  Alfalfa  Productivity  and 

Persistence 

Leaders :       J.  B.  Washko,  K.  T.   Leath,  and  A.  A.  Hower ,  Pennsylvania 


Alfalfa  varieties  with  resistance  to  Southern  Anthracnose  were  the 
most  productive  in  the  third  year  after  seeding  in  an  experiment  with 
28  entries.     The  highest  yielding  variety,  WL311,  with  anthracnose 
resistance  yielded  1.04  tons/acre  more  hay  than  the  lowest  yielding 
nonanthracnose  variety,  Anchor.     The  losses  in  alfalfa  production  due 
to  anthracnose  is  illustrated  in  a  new  1975  seeding  comparing  varieties 
with  and  without  anthracnose  resistance.     Saranac-AR  incorporating  the 
anthracnose  resistant  gene  yielded  1/2  ton  more  alfalfa  hay  during  the 
seeding  year  than  its  counterpart,  Saranac,  without  resistance  to  this 
disease.     In  a  fertility  experiment  with  an  anthracnose  resistant 
variety,  WL  305,  on  a  Washington  silt  loan,  an  application  of  300 
lbs/acre  of  IC^O  at  seeding  increased  hay  yields  by  lolO  tons/acre. 
There  was  no  advantage  in  splitting  this  application,  1/2  applied 
after  the  1st  harvest  and  the  2nd  in  the  fall.     There  was  no  yield 
response  to  applications  of  ?2®5  or  to  sources  of  K^O,  muriate  of 
potash  and  sulphate  of  potash  carriers  yielded  the  same. 


Title:  Minimum  Tillage  Pasture  Renovation 

Leaders :      A.  M.  Decker  and  R.  F.  Dudley,  Maryland 


Three  sod-seeding  experiments  started  in  1974  were  continued  (38th 
Annual  Report,  page.  49).     Three  harvests  were  made  during  the  1975 
growing  season;  estimates  of  botanical  composition  were  made  on  the 
last  two  harvests. 

Red  clover  was  the  highest  yielding  sod-seeded  species  followed  by 
alfalfa,  birdsfoot,  crownvetch  and  tall  fescue,   in  that  order. 
However,  by  the  second  harvest,  crownvetch  was  contributing  more  than 
trefoil  and  nearly  as  much  as  red  clover.     Stands  of  red  clover  were 
declining  rapidly  while  those  of  crownvetch,  and  to  a  lesser  degree, 
trefoil  were  improving. 

Total  yield  and  yield  of  the  seeded  species  increased  as  paraquate  was 
increased  from  0.25  to  0.50  lb  per  acre;   there  was  no  improvement 
beyond  0.50.     The  use  of  roundup  was  never' better  than  paraquat,  and 
in  some,  cases   (particularly  when  broadcast)  was  inferior.     Total  forage 
yields  were  higher  when  herbicide  was  banded;   there  was  usually  higher 
legume  yields  with  broadcast  application,  especially  when  seeded  stands 
were.  weak. 


43 


Title:  Evaluation  of  Sod-Seeded  Pastures  Using  Dairy  Steers  and 

Heifers 

Leaders:      A.  M.  Decker,  J.  H.  Vandersall,  N.  A.  Clark,  Maryland 


Orchardgrass  pastures  that  had  been  abandoned  for  approximately  8 
years  had  reverted  largely  to  bluegrass  and  significant  amounts  of 
annual  weeds  and  perennial  woody  species;  many  of  the  wild  cherry 
and  pine  trees  in  the  area  had  stump  diameters  of  over  3  inches. 
The  area  was  cleared  with  a  bush  hog  and  a  few  larger  trees  were 
removed  where  necessary.     The  area  was  sod-seeded  in  the  early  fall 
of  1974,  using  alternate  rows  of  red  clover  with  crownvetch  for  one 
treatment  and  red  clover  and  spreading  alfalfa  for  a  second  treatment. 
The  remaining  pastures  were  not  treated  beyond  the  brush  and  weed 
removal.     All  pastures  were  uniformly  fertilized.     Two  dairy  steers 
and  two  dairy  heifers  were  used  as  test  animals  on  each  treatment 
and  grazers  were  added  as  needed  to  uniformly  utilize  all  pastures. 
The  pastures  were  grazed  rotationally  in  a  split-plot  design  with  two 
complete  replications  and  three  grazing  cycles  in  each  replication 
(whole  plots ) . 

It  was  not  possible  to  put  animals  on  the  pastures  until  June  12  after 
the  spring  flush  of  growth.     The  check  pastures  (cleared  and  fertilized 
only)  produced  only  62  lb  of  beef  while  crownvetch  and  alfalfa 
pastures  produced  167  and  144  lb,  respectively.     The  average  daily 
gain  was  more  than  doubled  on  the  sod-seeded  pastures. 


Title :  Evaluation  of  Pastures  for  Dairy  Heifers 

Leaders :       E.  M.  Kesler  and  J.  B.  Washko,  Pennsylvania 


Plots  originally  had  consisted  of  Iroquois  alfalf a-Pennmead  orchard- 
grass  or  Pennmead  alone.     One  of  each  was  combined  to  make  two 
larger  areas.     The  proportion  of  alfalfa  had  declined  but  the 
orchardgrass  stand  was  thrifty.     The  areas  were  grazed  rotationally 
by  yearling  dairy  heifers.     To  one  area,  56  kg/ha  of  nitrogen  were 
applied  after  first  and  third  grazings.     During  the  season  there  were 
four  grazings  from  each  area.     The  treated  plot  afforded  608  grazing 
days,  the  untreated  508.     Yields  of  dry  matter  were  5.8  and  5.2  metric 
tons  per  hectare,  respectively. 


44 


Title :  Productivity  and  Quality  of  Fertilized  Perennial  Forages 

Leader :        L.  F.  Marriott,  Pennsylvania 

Continued  annual  applications  of  50  and  100  lb  P2°5j   1°0  and  200  lb 
K2O/A  to  a  1970  seeding  of  crownvetch  again  resulted  in  no  differential 
yield  response  in  2  cuttings.     First  harvest  schedules  at  early  bud 
(6/5),  early  bloom  (6/19)  and  full  bloom  (7/2),  followed  by  a  second 
harvest  10  weeks  later  resulted  in  dry  matter  yields  of  3.8,  4.4  and 
4.6  T/A,  respectively.     The  early  bloom  schedule  provided  the  most 
uniform  distribution  of  forage.     The  1974  crude  protein  in  forage 
from  that  schedule  was  20.3%  and  19.27»  for  the  2  cuttings.  Herbicide 
treatments  have  been  necessary  to  help  control  Canada  thistle, 
dandelion,  grasses  and  other  weeds. 

The  grasses  established  in  2-year  old  crownvetch  in  1972  comprised 
65  to  75%  of  the  harvested  associations.     This  represented  no  change 
for  orchardgrass  or  tall  fescue,  but  an  increase  in  grass  component 
for  bromegrass  and  timothy.     Grasses  can  be  successfully  introduced 
into  a  crownvetch  stand  and  continue  to  thrive. 

Crownvetch  has  been  grown  in  association  with  orchardgrass,  bromegrass, 
tall  fescue  or  timothy  since  1972.     Where  crownvetch  comprised  20  to 
25%  or  more  of  the  harvested  forage,  dry  matter  yields  and  crude 
protein  contents  were  equivalent  to  or  greater  than  those  of  the 
grasses  fertilized  with  150  lb  N/A.     Where  crownvetch  comprised  10  to 
157o  of  the  harvested  forage,  the  N-fertilized  grass  equivalent 
received  100  lb  N/A.     Application  of  50  or  100  lb  N/A  to  the 
associations  generally  reduced  the  proportion  of  crownvetch,  but  did 
not  significantly  increase  yields. 


Title ;  Development  of  Seeding  Techniques  and  Management  Systems 

for  Feed  Crops  in  Southwestern  Pennsylvania 

Leaders ;      W.  G.  Downs,  III.,  J.  B.  Washko,  and  L.  F.  Marriott, 
Pennsylvania 

Efforts  were  made  to  develop  a  pattern  of  post-seeding  management 
for  sod-seedings  of  previous  years.     Weed  control  materials  showing 
greatest  promise  were  simazine  and  2,4-DB.     Limited  grazing  and 
clipping  were  most  effective  for  weed  control.     Removal  of  dandelion 
and  plantain  from  established  legume  stands  has  not  been  successful 
with  any  material  or  method.     Elimination  of  dandelion,  plantain  and 
bull  thistle  was  effective  when  2,4-D  plus  banvel  were  fall  applied 
previous  to  a  July  sod-seeding  of  birdsf oot- tref oil-timothy  into  a 
deteriorated  stand  of  orchardgrass.     This  6  acre  field  provided  1500 


45 


cow  grazing  days  before  and  after  a  highly  successful  sod-seeding  in 
which  the  field  was  out  of  production  for  6  weeks.     A  4-acre  field 
sod-seeded  to  alfalfa  or  birdsf oot-tref oil  by  various  methods  in  1974 
produced  over  14  tons  of  legume  hay.     This  field  was  primarily 
quackgrass  prior  to  no-till  corn  in  1973.     A  deteriorated  stand  of 
bromegrass  was  treated  with  1  lb  per  acre  of  glyphosate  April  28 
to  retard  growth  of  bromegrass  for  a  July  sod-seeding  to  birdsfoot- 
trefoil.     This  treatment  appeared  to  be  less  economically  and 
agronomically  sound  than  removal  for  hay  or  pasture.     Various  rates 
of  ammonium  nitrate  were  applied  at  planting  time  to  a  no-till 
cornfield  to  approximate  rate  applied  plow-down  to  a  conventionally 
planted  adjacent  field  of  the  same  imperfectly  drained  soil  type. 
As  in  previous  years  the  placement  or  rate  of  nitrogen  fertilizer 
did  not  overcome  the  effect  of  imperfectly  drained  soil  for  no-till 
corn.     Stand,  standability  and  production  were  reduced  in  the  no-till 
corn. 


Title:  Establishment  and  Management  of  Several  Grass  and 

Other  Species  for  Forage  and  Ground  Cover 

Leader :         J.  B.  Washko,  Pennsylvania 


Six  cool-season  grasses  were  grown  with  50/50/50  lb  per  acre  of 
nitrogen  applied  prior  to  harvest  for  dry  matter  production  and 
feeding  trials.     Of  the  grasses,  reed  canary,  Ky  31  tall  fescue, 
Pennlate  and  Pennmead  orchardgrasses ,  Saratoga  smooth  brome  and  Climax 
timothy,  the  reed  canary  produced  the  highest  dry  matter  yields, 
6.66  tons/acre,   in  3  harvests  and  Climax  timothy  the  lowest,  5.27. 
Of  the  summer  annuals,  Agway  44,  a  sudan-sorghum  hybrid,  was  highest 
yielding  when  compared  with  sudangrass  hybrids;  8.44  tons/acre  and 
7.05  and  6.74  for  S100X  and  RS  II  sudangrass  hybrids.  The 
management  work  scheduled  for  Blackwell  switchgrass  was  cancelled 
due  to  winter  killing  of  this  warm-season  grass.     Lathco  flat  pea, 
a  legume  developed  for  ground  cover  produced  4.91  tons /acre  of 
dry  matter  per  acre  so  is  useful  for  heavy  ground  cover.  Wild 
turkeys  found  ripened  seed  of  this  legume  much  to  their  liking. 
In  forest  clearings,  a  Viking  trefoil-Ky  31  fescue  mixture  was 
successfully  established  and  produced  up  to  1.3  ton/acre  deer 
forage  with  an  application  of  1  ton  of  limestone  and  30  lb  each  of 
P2O5  and  K„0  per  acre. 


46 


Tit le :  Evaluation  of  Permanent  Pastures  for  Species  Composition, 

Yield,  Ground  Cover,  Grazing  Pasture,  and  Other  Management 
Practices 

Leaders :      B.  S.  Baker  and  R.   L.  Nestor,  West  Virginia 


The  species  composition,  amount  of  available  forage,  ground  cover,  and 
grazing  pressure  were  estimated  in  selected  permanent  pastures  in 
seven  counties  in  central  West  Virginia  during  1975.     The  pastures 
varied  in  soil  type,  fertility  levels,  exposures,  and  other  factors, 
but  were  typical  of  the  study  area.     Some  pastures  were  grazed  closely 
throughout  the  year  and  in  others  an  abundance  of  forage  was  always 
present.     In  most  pastures  many  species  were  present.     In  most  cases, 
the  most  abundant  species  accounted  for  less  than  one  fourth  of  the 
available  forage  and  only  rarely  did  one  species  account  for  as  much 
as  50%  of  the  available  forage.     The  importance  of  most  species  as  a 
source  of  forage  varied  considerably  during  the  growing  season. 

The  evaluation  will  be  continued  to  determine  if  there  is  appreciable 
yearly  variation  in  the  same  pastures.     Data  will  be  examined  in 
relation  to  management  practices  and  animal  performance. 


Title :  Effectiveness  of  Use  of  Bluegrass-White  Clover  Pastures 

Leader :        G.  C.  Anderson,  West  Virginia 

Stocking  rate  and  method  of  grazing  effects  on  performance  of  pure 
stands  of  fescue  (K  31)  were  studied.     Initial  stocking  rates  were 
1460,  1240  and  1070  lb  animal  bodyweight  per  acre  representing 
8,  5,  9;   7,  4,  6;  6,  3,  5  heifers,  ewes  and  lambs,  respectively. 
Grazing  was  continuous  or  on  a  14-day  rotation  basis  beginning  May  2. 
Sheep  were  removed  157  days  later.     Grazing  under  high  stocking  rate 
was  ended  on  Oct.  27  (192  days).     Using  these  periods  for  evaluation, 
animal  bodyweight  gain  per  acre  for  the  rotation  systems  was  265,  296, 
245  lb  for  high,  medium  and  light  stocking  rates,  respectively. 
Corresponding  values  for  continuous  systems  were  172,  238  and  284  lb. 
With  performance  of  the  high  continuous  system  equivalent  to  100,  high 
rotation  is  154,  medium- continuous  139,  medium  rotation  172,  light 
continuous  165  and  rotation  143.     To  utilize  accumulated  forage, 
grazing  was  continued  in  the  medium  and  light  systems  as  long  as 
192-day  weights  were  maintained  or  for  203  and  210  days,  respectively. 
Animal  unit  grazing  days  for  high,  medium  and  light  rotation  systems 
were  272,  244  and  219  with  equivalent  values  for  continuous  systems 
being  270,  244  and  215.     Estrous  was  synchronized  and  the  heifers  were 
inseminated  on  days  11  and  12.     A  697o  conception  rate  at  day  56  was 
recorded  (high-rotation  87;  high-continuous  50;  medium-rotation  and 
continuous  50  and  light  rotation  and  continuous  83).     It  is  doubtful 
if  these  differences  relfect  controlled  variables. 


47 


Tit  le ;  Evaluation  of  Organic  Preservatives  for  Stored  Forages 

Leaders :       C.  C.  Sheaffer,  J.  H.  McNemar,  and  N.  A.  Clark, 
Maryland 

Application  of  ammonium  isobutyrate  (AIB)  to  alfalfa  hay  during 
baling  was  evaluated .     Four  nozzles  sprayed  the  preservative  on  the 
hay  as  it  was  lifted  from  the  windrow.     Hay  was  sprayed  with  the 
preservative  at  rates  of  0,   1,5,  2,0  and  3.07o.     Average  moisture 
content  of  the  hay  was  37.67Q  with  a  range  of  33  to  437».     The  hay  was 
stacked  according  to  treatment.     One  week  after  baling,  temperatures 
for  the  four  rates  of  preservative  were  44,  38,  34  and  28  C,  respectively. 
After  two  weeks  temperatures  were  16,  23,  20  and  18  C. 


Title:  Seed  Production  by  Ryegrass-Fescue  Hybrid  Derivatives  in 

Muslin-Covered  Cages 

Leaders:       C.  C.   Berg  and  R.  R.  Hill,  Jr.,  U.S.  Regional  Pasture 
Research  Laboratory 

Clones  of  ryegrass-f escue  (Lol ium-Festuca)     hybrid-derivative  origin 
were  used  to  produce  syn-1  generation  seed  of  eight  4-clone  synthetics 
under  muslin-covered  isolation  cages.     Cages,  about  1.5  m  wide  X  5.2 
m  long  X  1.5m  high,  were  constructed  over  plots  containing  16 
space-planted  ramets  of  each  of  the  four  clones  of  each  synthetic. 
The  cages  were  covered  with  muslin  a  few  days  before  anthesis. 

Very  large  differences,  which  could  be  attributed  to  cages  (or 
synthetics)  and  to  clones  within  synthetics,  were  observed  in  1966 
and  1968.     Some  clones  produced  very  little  seed.  Although 
differences  between  years  were  large,  the  correlation  between  seed 
production  in  1966  and  1968  was  highly  significant   (r  =  0.478). 

The  effects  of  several  cage  treatments  on  seed  production  were 
evaluated  on  plots  established  to  one  4-clone  synthetic.     The  cage 
treatments  were:     no  fan,   fans,  and  fans  plus  dehumidifier  in  1970; 
open  cage,  no  fan,  and  fans  in  1971;  and  open  cage,  no  fan,  one  fan, 
and  two  fans/cage  in  1972. 

The  presence  of  fans  in  the  cages  significantly  increased  seed  yields 
in  1970,  but  not  in  1971  or  1972,     Using  a  dehumidifier  did  not  increase 
seed  production  over  that  with  fans  alone.     Seed  production  outside 
cages  was  always  significantly  greater  than  production  in  cages, 
regardless  of  the  cage  treatment.     Although  smaller  than  variations  due 
to  cage  treatments  and  clones,  significant  clone  by  cage  treatment 
interactions  were  observed  each  year.     This  interaction     suggests  that 


48 


seed  produced  under  different  conditions  could  be  genetically 
different.     Seed  of  experimental  ryegrass-f escue  hybrid-derivative 
populations  can  be  produced  in  isolation  under  muslin-covered  cages. 
However,  more  research  is  needed  to  determine  the  effect  of  cage 
environments  on  the  genetic  composition  of  the  seed  produced  and  on 
techniques  to  reduce  interactions. 


49 


SECTION  VII 
ENGINEERING  RESEARCH 


Title:  Regional  Project  NE-70  --  Engineering  Systems  for  Forage 

Crop  Production  and  Use 

Leaders :      W.   L.  Kjelgaard  (Pa.),  Chairman,  Research  Committee; 

G.  F.  Rehkugler  (NY  );  R.  J.  Rowe  (Me.);  D.  R.  Mears  (N.J.) 
and  L.   F.  Whitney  (Mass.) 

Contributors :     The  Maine,  Massachusetts,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania 
Agricultural  Experiment  Stations 

Work  was  initiated  to  evaluate  the  potential  of  various  forages  as  a 
replacement  for  concentrate  feeds  in  dairy  production.  Harvest 
equipment  was  adapted  for  use  on  small  plots.     After  mowing  and  field 
drying,   forage  samples  were  carried  to  a  modified  field  chopper, 
avoiding  the  use  of  heavy  equipment  on  the  plots.     Grinding  and 
pelleting  runs  were  made  to  determine  the  best  particle  size  and 
techniques  for  pelleting  young  leafy  grass.     A  screen  size  of  1/8  inch 
seems  to  be  the  best  comprimise  between  free  feeding  and  pellet 
durability.  (Me) 

A  basic  thrust  was  to  increase  protein  yields  of  alfalfa  juice  extract 
for  human  food  with  minimum  energy  cost.     Physical  properties  of 
interest  for  alfalfa  juice  were  viscosity  and  specific  gravity. 
Increasing  viscosity  with  temperature  was  attributed  to  biochemical  and 
thermal-related  reactions  such  as  heat  coagulation.  Ultrafiltration 
pilot  studies  have  been  conducted  on  alfalfa  juice  as  affected  by  stage 
of  maturity  and  processing  parameters.     Approximately  50%  of  juice 
protein  was  recovered  in  the  precipitant  after  ultrafiltration.  Work 
began  on  effect  of  solid  state  fermentation  as  a  means  of  biologically 
releasing  protein  from  within  the  cell.     Early  indications  are  for 
increase  of  50%  over  mechanical  extraction.  (Ma) 

The  use  of  the  circular  dairy  barn  as  a  production  unit  was  discontinued 
during  September  1974.     Studies  of  the  barn's  ventilation  pattern 
revealed  that  restrictions  reduced  the  air  flow  to  approximately  half 
the  design  quantity .    The  records  maintained  during  operation  of  the 
barn  contains   information  regarding  labor  required,  cow  activities, 
milk  production  and  building  performance.     This  information  is  being 
compiled  and  organized  for  a  final  report.     A  mathematical  model  of  the 
flow  of  particulate  materials  was  developed  to  categorize  properties 
and  develop  the  shape  of  a  container  for  mass  flow.  (NJ) 


50 


A  linear  program  model  of  forage  movement  and  machine  activities  from 
field  to  storage  has  been  developed.     Factors  of  energy  use,  working 
rate,  capacity,  number  of  machine  units,  time  and  field  drying  were 
incorporated  in  model  structure  input.     Outputs  are  the  routes,  tonnage 
and  machines  needed  for  minimum  energy  use.     An  alternative  program 
which  includes  weather,  machine  and  storage  losses  is  being  prepared 
for  monitoring  feed  energy  retention.     These  programs  will  be  compared  f 
compatability  of  systems  for  minimum  mechanical  energy  use  and  require- 
ments for  maximum  feed  energy  output.     The  model  system  for  estimating 
capacity,  energy  and  labor  needs  for  forage  transport  and  handling 
has  been  completed  and  reported.  (Pa) 


Tit le :  Engineering  Systems  for  Forage  Crop  Production  and  Use 

Leader :         R.  J.  Rowe ,  Maine 

Work  was  continued  on  a  cooperative  project  (1974  Annual  Report,  p.  80) 
the  potential  of  pelleted  forages  as  a  replacement  for  concentrate 
feeds  in  dairy  production.     A  master  project  has  been  prepared  to 
coordinate  work  in  animal  science,  agricultural  engineering  and  plant 
science.     Harvesting  of  immature  alfalfa  for  engineering  studies  was 
initiated  in  1975. 

A  pilot-scale  cross  flow  dryer  was  tested  at  several  temperatures 
covering  the  planned  operating  range  of  60  C  to  140  C  to  establish 
feed  rate  settings  for  subsequent  runs.     Second  cutting  alfalfa 
samples  were  dried  at  each  of  two  temperatures,   60  C  and  140  C.  Part 
of  each  temperature  treatment  was  ground  and  pelleted.     Samples  of  both 
ground  and  pelleted  material  were  forwarded  to  the  Animal  Science 
Department  for  nutritive  analysis. 

A  low  cost  solar  air  heater,  10  ft  by  40  ft  in  area,  was  constructed 
and  used  to  heat  ambient  air  for  drying.     One  batch  of  second  cutting 
alfalfa  was  dried  over  a  period  of  several  days  using  solar  heated  air. 
Maximum  air  temperature  observed  was  46  C .     Samples  of  ground  and 
pelleted  forage  from  this  batch  were  also  prepared  for  nutritive 
analys  is . 

A  series  of  grinding  and  pelleting  runs  were  made  to  determine  the  best 
particle  size  and  techniques  for  pelleting  young  leafy  grass.     For  the 
pelleter  used,  a  screen  size  of  1/8  inch  seems  to  be  the  best  compromise 
between  free  feeding  of  the  pelleter  which  is  enhanced  by  small  particle 
size  and  pellet  durability.     The  standard  durability  test  index,  using 
1/8- inch  ground  grass,  was  about  90. 

Equipment  and  techniques  have  been  developed  sufficiently  to  permit 
harvest  and  preparation  of  samples  for  in  vitro  and  sheep  digestion 
trials  during  1976. 


51 


SECTION  VIII 
NUTRITIVE  EVALUATION  AND  UTILIZATION 

Title :  NE-24  -  The  Nutritive  Evaluation  of  Forages 

Principal  Leaders  and  Cooperating  Agencies:     J.  G.  Welch,  A.  M„  Smith, 
Dept  of  Animal  Sciences  and  R.   T.  Wetherbee,  Regulatory 
Service,  Vermont  Agriclutural  Experiment  Station 

Objectives :     The  objectives  are  to  determine  the  factors  that  limit 
rate  of  passage  and  intake  of  forages. 

Progress  of  Work  and  Principal  Findings:     (A)     Feeding  increasing 
levels  of  hay  to  sheep  resulted  in  increased  efficiency  of 
rumination    as  indicated  by  rumination  per  unit  of  hay  ingested.  Rate 
of  chewing  also  increased  with  increasing  hay  intakes.     (B)  Using 
cattle,  sheep  and  goats  of  different  sizes,  it  has  been  determined  that 
animals  with  larger  body  size  are  more  efficient  ruminators  as  indicated 
by  rumination  required  per  unit  of  CWC  intake.     Additional  data  from 
mature  cows  of  varying  body  sizes  reinforce  this  observation  and 
indicate  that  smaller  cows  require  more  rumination  time  per  unit  of 
CWC  ingested  than  do  larger  ones.     These  data  corrected  for  metabolic 
body  size  show  the  same  relationship.     (C)     Rumen  ingesta  consistency 
and  fecal  particle  size  have  been  measured.     A  device  has  been 
developed  to  measure  rumen  ingesta  consistency  in  fistulated  animals 
by  measuring  the  rate  of  assention  of  a  weight  under  constant  force, 
through  the  rumen  ingesta.     In  hay-fed  steers,   there  are  three 
identifiable  layers  in  the  ingesta.     The  hard  packed  layer  is  the  most 
variable.     Although  fecal  particle  size  has  been  variable  to  date, 
there  is  some  evidence  that  the  particles  derived  from  loose  rumen 
ingesta  are  coarser  than  those  derived  from  hard  packed  rumen  ingesta. 
Steers  fed  five  small  meals  per  day  ate  20%  more  than  steers  fed  only 
one  meal  per  day.     The  steers  fed  more  often  had  more  constant  rumen 
ingesta  consistency. 


Title:  Studies  on  Allelochemical  Properties  of  Crownvetch  and 

Their  Effect  on  Forage  Quality 

Leaders :       J.   S.   Shenk.   P.   J.  Wangsness,  R.  M.   Leach,  J.   L.  Gobble, 

Pennsylvania;  D.  L,  Gustine  and  R.  F.  Barnes,  U.S.  Pasture 
Research  Laboratory 


52 


Feeding  trials  were  conducted  to  establish  the  effects  of  feeding 
crownvetch  forage  containing  P-nitropropionic  acid  (BNPA)  to 
weanling  meadow  voles,  chicks,  and  young  pigs.     Various  degrees  of 
toxicity  were  observed  in  all  animals  when  the  diet  contained  >   .  157o 
BNPA,  either  as  naturally  occurring  BNPA  in  crownvetch  forage  or  as 
commercially  purified  BNPA  added  to  the  diet.     The  first  indication 
of  toxicity  was  a  60-70%  reduction  in  feed  intake,  accompanied  by 
reduced  weight  gains  or  weight  loss  and  the  onset  of  abnormal 
behavioral  symptoms.     The  main  symptom  was  ataxia  and  the  severely 
affected  animals  often  died.     The  study  with  young  pigs  substantiated 
that  reduced  feed  intake  was  not  the  cause  of  the  abnormal  behavioral 
symptoms.     These  experiments  demonstrate  that  crownvetch  forage  is 
toxic  to  young  growing  nonruminant  animals  and  that  the  toxic  response 
is  associated  with  the  concentration  of  BNPA  in  the  forage.     On  the 
basis  of  these  findings,  we  believe  that  crownvetch  forage  should  not 
be  used  as  a  component  of  nonruminant  diets  unless  the  BNPA  concentra- 
tion is  extremely  low. 


Title:  The  Palatability  of  Crownvetch 

Leaders :      W.  A.  Kendall  and  R.  T.  Sherwood,  U.S.   Pasture  Research 
Laboratory 


A  meadow  vole  bioassay  for  forage  palatability  was  used  to  identify 
factors  affecting  the  taste  of  crownvetch.     Normal  colored  green 
leaves  from  the  top  of  the  plant  were  less  palatable  and  had  higher 
levels  of    P-nitropropionic  acid  (BNPA)  than  yellow  leaves  from  the 
bottom  of  the  plants.     Plants  grown  with  low  levels  of  nitrogen  or 
minor  elements  had  less  BNPA  than  plants  grown  with  optimum 
nutrients,  however,  palatability  was  not  directly  related  to  concentra- 
tions of  BNPA.     Thus,  some  other  inhibitory  substance(s)   is  probably 
involved.     The  palatability  of  synthetic  diets  was  reduced  about  50% 
by  BNPA  at     concentrations  which  approximate  the  range  found  in  intact 
leaves . 


53 


Tit le :  Fermentation  to  Increase  Food  Protein  Yield 

Leader :         R.   E.  Mudgett,  Massachusetts 


Fermentation  is  an  effort  to  further  increase  protein  yields  beyond 
that  obtainable  by  mechanical  means  which  of  necessity  involve  relatively 
high  energy  inputs.     A  project  has  been  initiated  and  funded  by  NSF  to 
hvestigate  the  effects  of  solid  state  fermentation  as  a  means  of 
biologically  releasing  protein  from  within  the  cell.     The  work  is  in  its 
initial  stages,  but  early  indications  are  for  increases  of  50% 
improvement  over  mechanical  extraction.     Levels  of  697*  of  total  leaf 
protein  were  obtained  by  enzymatic  action  as  compared  to  457<,  by 
mechanical  extraction.     The  enzyme  employed  initially  is  Aspergil lus 
niger  Cellulast  obtained  from  Miles  Laboratoryo     A  large  library  of 
enzymes  is  available  from  the  US  Army  Laboratories  at  Natick  which  will 
further  enhance  the  investigation  and  expand  the  scope.     Two  levels  of 
enzyme  activity  were  investigated  initially,  but  the  work  will  continue 
as  an  NSF  funded  project  for  2  years. 


Title :  Forage  Soluble  N  Effects  on  Fiber  Digestion  by  Rumen 

Microorganisms 

Leaders :      W.   P.  Apgar  and  R0   E.  Goodnow,  Maine 


Artificial  rumen  incubations  using  purified  cellulose  as  the  substrate 
were  conducted  with  addition  to  the  media  of  soluble  N  extracts  from 
alfalfa,  red  clover,   timothy,  orchardgrass  and  reed  canarygrass.  The 
alfalfa  extract  had  a  significantly  greater  effect  on  ADF  disappearance 
than  any  of  the  other  extracts.     Orchardgrass  extract  resulted  in 
significantly  lower  ADF  disappearance  than  any  of  the  others,  with  no 
significant  difference  among  the  remaining  forage  extracts. 

Soluble  protein  N  content  of  the  forages  was  significantly  negatively 
correlated  with  in  vitro  ADF  disappearance  at  6-  and  21-hr  incubation 
times   (r  =  -0.68  and  4  =  -0.77,  respectively)  and  approached  signifi- 
cance for  3-  and  9-hr  incubations  (r  =  -0.45  and  4  =  -0„51,  respectively) 
In  contrast,   soluble  protein  N  was  significantly  positively  correlated 
with  ADF  digestibility  in  vivo   (r   -  0.55),     This  discrepancy  may  be 
associated  with  the  difference  in  carbohydrates  contributed  by  the 
artificial  substrate  in  vitro  as  compared  from  those  from  the  natural 
forage  substrate  in  vivo.     Among  the  amino  acids  present  in  the  soluble 
fraction,  proline,  isoleucine,   leucine  and  aspartic  acid  contents  were 
found  to  be  significantly  correlated  with  ADF  disgestibility  in  vivo 
(r  -  0.46,  4  =  0.52,  r  =  0.46  and  4  =  0.39,  respectively). 


54 


Title :  Control  Measures  for  Winter  and  Spring  Tetany  in  Beef  Cows 

Leader :        R.  L.  Reid,  West  Virginia 


Previous  trials  with  mineral  mixes  and  compressed  high  Mg  blocks  fed 
free-choice  to  beef  cows  indicated  (1)  that  consumption  is  variable 
during  the  winter  period  and  seldom  supplies  the  level  of  Mg  (10-15 
g/day)  desirable  as  a  supplement  for  beef  cows  in  late  pregnancy  or 
early  lactation;   (2)  that  use  of  the  blocks  or  mixes  by  individual 
cows  is  highly  variable  and  that  some  cows  use  the  supplements  only 
at  lengthy  intervals.     Cases  of  winter  tetany  have  been  noted  under 
such  conditions.     Present  trials  are  designed  to  examine  (a)  the 
feasibility  of  supplying  supplementary  Mg  in  the  water;   (b)  the  effect 
of  a  high  versus  a  low  plane  of  Mg  nutrition  during  the  winter  on 
serum  Mg  changes  when  cows  are  turned  on  to  fertilized  spring  pasture. 
Two  groups  of  16  cows  are  maintained  on  hay,  salt,  and  either  water 
or  a  dilute  solution  of  Epsom  salts  (3.78  kg/200  gal).     This  solution 
supplies  approximately  12-15  g  Mg  per  head/day.     Blood  Mg  values 
taken  at  2-week  intervals  in  the  control  group  have  ranged  from 
1.15-1.53  mg/100  ml,  compared  to  a  range  of  1.63-1.88  mg/100  ml  in 
the  treated  group.     Cows  in  the  treated  group  consume  the  same  volume 
of  solution  as  the  control  group,  and  there  has  been  no  indication  of 
scouring  or  metabolic  disturbances. 


Tit le :  Comparative  Feeding  and  Balance  Trials  with  Lactating 

Beef  Cows  and  Lambs 

Leaders:      R.   L.  Reid  and  Charles  McCormick,  West  Virginia 


Trials  were  run  in  1975  to  compare  the  digestibility,  intake  and 
mineral  utilization  for  four  perennial  grass  species  (perennial 
ryegrass,  orchardgrass ,  smooth  bromegrass  and  tall  fescue),  each  at 
two  growth  stages,  by  lactating  beef  cows   (3  per  treatment)  and 
growing  lambs   (6  per  treatment).     The  grasses  were  cut  daily,  chopped 
and  fed  ad  lib.     Fecal  output  by  the  cows  was  estimated  by  total 
collection  and  by  grab-sampling  using  chromic  oxide  impregnated  paper. 
As  in  previous  years,  dry  matter  digestibility  (DMD)  of  tall  fescue 
was  lower  than  that  of  the  other  species  at  an  early  growth  stage 
(early  heading)  but  not  later  in  the  season  (full  bloom),  and  this 
was  true  for  both  cattle  and  sheep.     Intake  of  fescue  by  cows  was 
lower  than  for  other  grass  species  in  both  trials,  but  this  was  not 
the  case  for  lambs.     Intake,  expressed  as  g/kg-^5,  was  markedly 
greater  for  mature  cows  than  for  lambs.     Mineral  balance  data  for  the 
trials  are  not  complete,  but  apparent  absorption  data  for  Mg,  Ca,  P, 
K  and  S  have  been  determined.     Absorption  data  for  Mg ,  S  and  K  are 
comparable  for  cattle  and  sheep,  while  availability  values  for  Ca  and 
P  are  much  higher  for  cattle  than  for  lambs.     Results  also  confirm 


55 


previous  findings  that  there  are  differences  between  grass  species 
and  growth  stages  in  mineral  availability,  and  this  seems  to  be 
particularly  true  for  Ca  and  P. 


Tit le :  Effects  of  Roughage  Preparation 

Leaders:       E.  C.   Leffel  and  So  C.  Wheland,  Maryland 


Application  of  propionic  or  acetic  acid  to  high  moisture  (30-35%)  hay 
before  baling  did  not  prevent  mold  growth  in  or  deterioration  of  the 
hay  in  storage.     When  ground  alfalfa  hay  was  reconstituted  to  20,  30 
or  40%  moisture,   the  addition  of  1.5%  propionic  acid  by  weight  did 
prevent  temperature  rise  during  storage  and  prevented  dry  matter  losses 
which  were  15,  28  and  30%,  respectively  from  the  20,  30  and  40%  moisture 
controls.     Ground  alfalfa  hay  reconstituted  to  3570  moisture  was  treated 
with  1  or  2%  propionic  or  stored  untreated  as  a  control  and  compared  to 
air  dry  ground  alfalfa  also  stored  without  treatment.     Both  acid  treat- 
ments prevented  temperature  rise  in  storage  while  the  high  moisture 
control  rose,  to  48  C  within  6  days  and  remained  above  48  C  for  54  days. 

Sheep  consumed  the  acid-treated  forages  more  readily  than  they  did  the 
untreated  control  and  failed  to  maintain  weight  on  the  latter  diet. 
Digestibilities  of  dry  matter  and  nitrogen  were  similar  for  the  air  dry 
control  and  the  acid  treated  forages,  while  digestibility  was  depressed 
in  the  untreated  high  moisture  material. 

Acid  detergent  fiber,  neutral  detergent  fiber,   lignin  and  pepsin 
insoluble  nitrogen  concentrations  were  all  higher  in  the  untreated  high 
moisture  forages,   indicating  that  the  more  digestible  fractions  of  the 
feedstuffs  were  lost  during  storage  of  the  high  moisture  material. 
Results  to  date  indicate,  that  the  most  important  single  effect  of 
organic  acid  treatment  of  high  moisture  feedstuffs  may  be  the  prevention 
of  dry  matter  loss  during  storage. 

A  rapid  and  simple  method  for  establishing  permanent  ruminal  fistulae 
has  been  developed.     A  frozen  cannula  is  forced  into  the  rumen  in  a 
manner  similar  to  the  use  of  a  trocar.     Minimal  equipment  is  required 
and  the  operation  can  be  performed  in  15  to  20  minutes  in  sheep  or  30 
minutes  in  cattle. 


56 


Title: 


Feeding  of  Alfalfa  Hay  Preserved  with  Ammonium 
Isobutyrate 


Leader : 


J.  H.  Vandersall,  Maryland 


Sixteen  Holstein  cows  were  paired  on  the  basis  of  production  of  470 
fat-corrected  milk  (FCM) ,  body  size,  stage  of  lactation  and  hay  intake 
during  a  2-week  preliminary  period.     One  member  of  each  pair  was 
randomly  assigned  to  be  fed  AIB-treated  hay  and  the  other  a  high 
quality  sun-cured  alfalfa  hay.     Concentrates  were  fed  on  a  3:1  FCM 
to  concentrate  ratio  according  to  the  production  of  the  higher 
producing  member  of  each  pair. 

When  adjusted  for  the  preliminary  period  there  were  no  differences 
between  the  forage  treatments  in  milk  production  (FCM)  22.6  kg; 
fat  percentage  (3.8%);  protein  percentage  (3.42%);  or  hay  dry  matter 
consumption  (13.4  kg).     There  was  a  slight  tendency  in  favor  of  the 
AIB  treated  hay.     This  indicated  that  if  heat  damage  and  mold  is 
prevented  by  AIB  the  forage  is  as  good  as  that  harvested  when  it 
could  be  fully  sun  cured. 


Tit le :  Ratios  of  Alfalfa  Hay  to  Corn  Stover  for  Growing  Dairy 


An  8-week  trial  with  nine  Holstein  heifers  and  six  Holstein  steers 
weighing  approximately  200  kg  each  is  being  conducted  to  compare  corn 
stover  to  alfalfa  hay  ratios  of  2:1,  1:1,  and  1:2.     The  animals  were 
blocked  into  groups  of  three  based  upon  their  sex,  weight,  age  and 
alfalfa  hay  intake  during  the  last  2  weeks  of  a  3-week  preliminary 
period.     The  forages  are  fed  ad.  libitum  and  the  concentrates  limited 
to  1.36  kg  per  head  per  day.     The  group  fed  the  stover  to  hay  ratio 
of  1:2  is  fed  ground  shelled  corn  plus  17G  each  salt  and  dicalcium 
phosphate.     Soybean  meal  (487o)  replaces  6%  of  the  corn  in  the  concentrate 
fed  the  1:1  ratio  and  16%  in  that  fed  the  2:1  stover-alfalfa  ratio. 

The  experiment  has  not  progressed  far  enough  to  tell  trends.     It  is 
hoped  that  by  the  use  of  younger  animals  and  limiting  the  concentrates 
the  replacement  value  of  corn  stover  for  alfalfa  hay  can  be  more 
critically  evaluated  than  in  trial  reported  last  year. 


Animals 


Leader : 


J.  H.  Vandersall,  Maryland 


57 


Tit le :  Addition  of  Newspapers  to  Direct-cut  Alfalfa  Silage 

Leaders :      1.   L.  Horn  and  J.  H.  Vandersall,  Maryland 


Newspapers  were  added  to  direct-cut  alfalfa  silage  to  reduce  the 
moisture  content  and  hopefully  get  a  desirable  fermentation.     At  the 
time  the  newspapers  were  selling  for  $3.00  per  ton  and  thus  offered  an 
inexpensive  forage.     In  glass  jar  silos  the  addition  of  newspapers  at 
the  rate  of  15%  of  the  wet  weight  gave  a  good  fermentation  and  appeared 
to  yield  a  better  silage  than  higher  and  lower  rates. 

Newspapers   (no  magazines)  were  collected  at  the  University's  recycling 
center.     Part  of  a  load  of  alfalfa  was  chopped  directly  into  a  wagon, 
then,  newspaper  was  chopped  through  the  field  chopper  on  top  of  the 
partial  load.     Finally,   the  load  was  finished  with  the  amount  of  fresh 
forage  to  give  the  rate  of  15%  newspapers  (300  lb/ton) .     The  silage 
was  blown  into  an  upright  silo  and  topped  with  direct  cut  silage. 

This  silage  was  not  satisfactory  for  steers  since  when  it  was  fed 
along  or  mixed  with  an  equal  weight  of  wilted  silage  from  the  same 
cutting,   the  amount  consumed  was  not  large  enough  to  maintain  weight 
of  the  steers.     The  fermentation  was  not  as  good  as  expected  and  the 
pH  was  near  7.     Fine  chopping  through  a  leaf  shredder  improved  intake 
but  not  enough  to  maintain  steer  weights.     The  use  of  newspapers  for 
forage  in  this  manner  is  not  advised  until  a  better  method  of  harvest 
and  a  method  to  obtain  better  fermentation  is  derived. 


Title :  Infrared  for  the  Nutritional  Evaluation  of  Crops  and 

Miscellaneous  Feedstuffs 

Leaders :       J.   S.   Shenk,  B.   R.   Baumgardt ,   Pennsylvania,  and 
R.  F.   Barnes,  U.S.   Pasture  Research  Laboratory 


One  of  the  important  objectives  in  forage  research  has  been  the 
development  of  rapid,  accurate,  and  inexpensive  laboratory  procedures 
to  determine  the  quality  or  feeding  value  of  forage.  Currently 
laboratory  procedures  in  use  do  a  satisfactory  job  of  describing 
forage  quality;  however,   if  progress  is  going  to  continue  in  this 
sector  of  agriculture,  new  and  more  rapid  techniques  will  be  needed. 

The  first  breakthrough  in  new  instrumentation  was  demonstrated  April 
28,   1975,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Hay  Marketing  Committee  sponsored  by 
the  American  Forage  and  Grassland  Congress  by  its  inventor,  Karl  H. 
Norris .     Norris  is  chief  engineer  of  the  Instrumentation  Laboratory, 
Beltsville.   These  initial  studies  of  the  near  infrared  spectra 
(1.4  to  2.4  urn)  were  conducted  with  87  samples  of  dry  ground  forage. 
Temperate  forage  species  analyzed  were  alfalfa,   tall  fescue,  smooth 


58 


bromegrass  and  alfalfa  bromegrass  mixtures.     These  forages  have  been 
preserved  as  hay,  silage,  and  fresh  frozen  forage.     Tropical  species 
included  bermudagrass  and  Pangola  digitgrass.     Correlations  for 
laboratory  measurements  of  chemical  composition  were  0.99  for  crude 
protein,  0.98  for  neutral  detergent  fiber,  0.96  for  acid  detergent 
fiber,  0.96  for  lignin,  and  0.95  for  in  vitro  rumen  digestion.  Animal 
response  correlations  were  0.88  for  dry  matter  digestibility,  0.80  for 
dry  matter  intake,  and  0.85  for  digestible  energy  intake.     Since  one 
of  the  key  components  of  the  infrared  analyses  is  a  computer,  data 
from  the  instrument  can  be  used  directly  for  ration  formulation,  forage 
management  or  plant  breeding  research. 

We  were  so  impressed  with  the  potential  of  this  device  that  Penn  State 
has  purchased  this  instrument  with  a  Specific  Cooperative  Agreement 
from  ARS-USDA.     The  instrument  is  currently  housed  at  the  U.S.  Pasture 
Research  Laboratory,  USDA-ARS.     Our  first  efforts  will  be  to  verify 
the  initial  discoveries  followed  by  assessing  the  potential  of  the 
instrument  to  determine  other  chemical  constituents  and  animal  response 
factors.     If  these  verification  studies  are  successful,  we  will  place 
the  instrument  into  routine  service  on  a  research  basis  as  part  of 
our  Cooperative  Crop  Quality  Laboratory  between  the  Pasture  Laboratory 
and  the  College  of  Agriculture.     Research  will  then  be  initiated  into 
the  basic  aspects  of  the  procedure  as  well  as  studies  into  new 
applications  of  the  technology. 


Title :  Nutrient  Changes  of  Alfalfa  Forages  Submitted  to  Protein 

Extraction 

Leaders :      H.  Fenner  and  D.  M.  Vietor,  Massachusetts 

Feasibility  of  extracting  protein  from  alfalfa  for  future  use  in 
human  diets  will  avail  the  residues  or  pulp  as  possible  cattle  feed 
of  a  lower  quality.     It  can  be  utilized  fresh,  dried  or  as  low 
moisture  silage.     In  its  physical  nature  the  roughage  is  reduced  by 
maceration  and  hydrolic  pressing  to  fibrous  light  green  mats,  which 
in  the  fresh  form  proved  to  represent  an  eagerly  consumed  supplement 
to  a  dairy  ration  based  on  corn  silage  as  the  only  roughage.     In  the 
present  experiments  the  amounts  of  roughage  from  each  cutting  used  for 
extraction  were  insufficient  for  complete  digestion  trials  with 
ruminants.     Of  the  11  cuttings  taken  from  first  and  regrowth  alfalfa, 
only  the  5  harvested  in  August  and  later  showed  most  uniform  and 
desirable  results.     Of  these  the  preprocessed  forages  ranged  from 
22-25%  in  crude  protein,  producing  a  pulp  containing  still  15-17%. 
The  corresponding  crude  fiber  values  for  the  fresh  forage  and  pulp 
were  24-28%  and  34.5-39.5%,  respectively.     Six  cuttings  taken  in  June 
and  July  proved  to  be  too  mature,  or  too  low  in  protein  and  too  high 
in  fiber  for  yielding  after  extraction  still  an  acceptable  feed  for  a 
productive  ration. 


59 


In  average  the  overall  changes  in  relative  proportions  of  original 
nutrients  in  the  11  alfalfa  samples  were  for  dry  matter,  crude  protein, 
true  protein,  NPN,  ether  extracts,  N-free  extracts,  crude  fiber  and 
ash:     +77.36%,  -25.75%,  -28.13%,  +13.91%,  -20.23%,  +1.63%,  +22.89%, 
-20.47%.     The  relative  increase  of  the  NPN  fraction  (water  soluble  N) 
in  the  alfalfa  pulp  can  be  explained  by  the  exposure  of  the  cell-wall 
proteins  to  the  released  proteolytic  enzymes  of  the  cell  content.  The 
reduction  in  the  proportion  of  mineral  matter  is  caused  mainly  by  the 
removal  of  the  dissolved  monovalent  cation  potassium  found  in  the  cell 
fluid  which  is  pressed  off  with  the  liquid. 

Aliquotes  of  the  pre-  and  post-extraction  forage  have  been  ensiled 
in  mason  jars  for  a  comparative  study  of  possible  changes  in  silage 
quality  caused  by  the  reduction  in  protein  and  mineral  matters.  The 
lowering  of  the  buffer  capacity  in  the  forage  pulp  should  result  in  a 
better  fermentation  of  this  product. 


Title :  Factors  Affecting  Nutritive  Value  of  Alfalfa  Hay 

Leaders :       B.  R.  Baumgardt  and  P.J.  Wangsness,  Pennsylvania 

To  optimize  the  use  of  forage-based  diets  for  ruminants,  it  is 
necessary  to  know  the  influence  of  physical  form  of  the  forage  and/or 
amount  of  concentrate  in  the  diet  on  animal  performance.     The  extent 
to  which  pelleting  a  portion  of  an  all-alfalfa  hay  diet  can  substitute 
for  grain  (ground  shelled  corn  plus  soybean  meal  to  make  diets 
isonitrogenous )   in  lamb  finishing  diets  was  estimated.  Dietary 
treatments  were:     (1)     100%  chopped  alfalfa  hay  (CAH) ;     (2)  75%  CAH, 
25%  grain;   (3)  50%  CAH,  50%  grain;   (4)  25%  CAH,  75%  pelleted  alfalfa 
hay;   (5)   100%  chopped  crownvetch  hay.     Crude  protein  (%) ,   in  vitro 
DDM  (%,)  ,  and  average  daily  gains   (g)  were:     (1)     19.4,   63.6,  136; 
(2)  20.2,  70.8,   166;   (3)  20.2,  75.9,  247;   (4)   19.1,  63.5,  180; 
(5)   18.4,  61.1,  83.     Pelleting  75%  of  an  all-alfalfa  hay  ration 
resulted  in  equal  or  slightly  greater  performance  compared  to  the 
ration  containing  25%  concentrate. 

Digestibility  of  forages  has  usually  been  determined  at  the  maintenance 
level  of  intake.     However,   it  would  be  useful  to  know  if  valid  estimates 
of  digestibility  could  be  obtained  at  higher  intakes,     An  experiment 
was  designed  to  compare  the  digestibility  of  alfalfa  hay  when  fed  at 
8570  ad_  libitum  or  at  maintenance.     Because  digestibilities  of  DM,  NDF , 
and  crude  protein,  at  the  two  levels  of  intake,  did  not  differ 
significantly,   it  was  concluded  that  a  valid  estimate  of  alfalfa 
digestibility  could  be  obtained  at  intakes  above  maintenance. 


60 


Title :  Feeding  Behavior  of  Ruminants  Fed  Forage-Based  Complete 

Rat  ions 

Leader :        P.  J.  Wangsness,  Pennsylvania 


Physical  and  chemical  constituents  of  forage-based  rations  have  been 
shown  to  be  related  to  diurnal  feeding  behavior  in  ruminants .  Studies 
continue  on  defining  the  dietary  effects  on  spontaneous  feeding 
behavior  in  180  kg  steers.     An  electronic  system  was  developed  to 
monitor  number  of  meals,  size  of  individual  meals,  time  spent  eating 
and  eating  rates.     Diurnal  feeding  patterns  were  evident  with  most 
activity  between  0600  and  1800  hours .     Average  meal  size  was  414,5  g 
but  the  range  in  meal  size  was  large.     With  increasing  meal  size,  both 
eating  rate  and  time  spent  eating  increased.     Eating  rate,  however, 
plateaued  while  time  spent  eating  continued  to  increase  with  the  large 
meals.     Results  indicate  that  steers  consume  discrete  meals  and  that 
both  eating  rate  and  total  time  spent  eating  influence  size  of 
individual  meals.     Studies  are  in  progress  to  evaluate  feeding  behavior 
of  sheep  fed  grass  forages. 


Tit le :  Ultrafiltration  of  Alfalfa  Juice  for  Human  Protein  Recovery 

Leader :        L.  F.  Whitney,  Massachusetts 


Ultrafiltration  pilot  studies  have  been  conducted  on  alfalfa  juice  as 
affected  by  stage  of  maturity  and  processing  parameters  such  as  flow 
rate,  pressure  and  flux.     The  membrane  cutoff  is  approximately 
15000  m.Wo     Fresh-cut  alfalfa  was  commuted  three  times  through  an 
open  hammer  mill  (Fritzmill  T.  M. ) ,  then  subjected  to  pressures  of 
125  psi  in  a  platen  press.     The  press  cake  (50%  m.c),  as  well  as  the 
forage  (80%  m.c.)  before  pressing,  were  subjected  to  ensiling  tests 
for  suitability  and  palatability .     Protein  analyses  of  both  fractions 
were  determined  with  about  507o  of  the  protein  retained  in  the  press 
cake  forage  fraction. 


Approximately  50%  of  juice,  protein  was  recovered  in  the  precipitant 
after  ultrafiltration,  not  yet  sufficient  for  commercial  acceptance. 
Also,  a  membrane  is  not  yet  commercially  available  for  the  first-stage, 
upper-cutoff  range  which  would  remove  chloroplasts  while  allowing 
protein  fractions  to  pass  through.     This  phase  of  the  work  has  been 
completed  and  is  in  the  process  of  final  analysis.     The  search  for 
proper  membranes  continues. 


61 


SECTION  IX 
SILAGE  RESEARCH 


Title :  Corn  Silage  Yields  of  Several  Corn  Varieties  Having 

Different  Morphological  Characteristics 

Leaders :       E.  R.  Jones  and  R„  H.  Swain,  Delaware 

Research  is  being  conducted  to  determine  if  corn  varieties  having 
different  morphological  characteristics  would  have  significantly 
different  amounts  of  stem,   leaf,  and  ear  components  in  total  dry  matter 
production.     In  vitro  digestibility  is  being  measured  to  determine  if 
total  digestible  material  can  be  maximized  by  selection  of  silage  corn 
hybrids  having  larger  leaves  or  shorter  smaller  stalks. 


Title :  Wilted  Haycrop  Silage  Versus  Hay  for  Dairy  Cows 

Leader :         J.  B.  Holter,  New  Hampshire 


In  a  4-year  continuous  trial  (97  lactations),  lactating  cows  were 
fed  forage  dry  matter,  5670  as  urea-treated  corn  silage  and  4470  as 
either  wilted  haycrop  silage   (HCS),  equal  amounts  of  hay  and  HCS 
(HCS-H),  or  hay  (H) .     A  single  concentrate  mixture  (18%  CP,  dry 
basis)  was  fed  to  production.     Dry  cows  received  limited  forage  plus 
about  2  kg  concentrate  daily.     Intakes  of  forage  and  total  diet  dry 
matter  were  more  for  H  than  for  HCS  or  HCS-H,  but  milk  yield  was  not 
significantly  more  for  H.     Income-over-feed  cost  per  year  was  similar 
among  forage  treatments,  being  slightly  more  for  HCS-H.  Reproductive 
performance  and  herd  health  were  similar  among  groups.     Decision  about 
harvesting  first-cutting  haycrop  as  wilted  silage  or  hay  depends  on 
earlier  harvest   (16  days)  and  quicker  regrowth  with  HCS  and  on  its 
adaptability  to  mechanized  handling  and  blended  complete  rations. 
Cows  which  commenced  gaining  body  weight  <.  56  days  post  partum  exhibited 
higher  reproductive  efficiency  than  those  remaining  in  negative  energy 
balance>  56  days. 


Findings  have  immediate  application  to  dairy  farmers  in  Northeast  U.S. 
About  2000  cow-month  records  were  incorporated  with  similar  data  at 
the  Virginia  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  to  form  a  data  bank  to 
predict  maximum  feed  intake  under  various  conditions. 


62 


Tit le :  Silage  Investigations 

Leaders ;    M.  A.  Sprague,  J.  Zublena,  and  J.  Adalla,  New  Jersey 

Experiments  were  continued  to  determine  hydrolyzable  carbohydrate 
and  protein  contents  of  alfalfa  forage  while  drying  in  the  swath. 
Samplings  in  May,  July,  August  and  October  indicated  no  losses  up  to 
24  hr  as  a  function  of  time  after  cutting,,     CHO  contents  were  least 
on  July  11,  slightly  greater  on  May  24,  much  greater  on  August  27 
and  highest  on  October  18.     Protein  analyses,  now  being  completed, 
indicate  much  less  variability  between  seasons  than  CHO. 

Plots  of  Vernal  alfalfa  were  cut  at  intervals  of  3,  4,  6  and  7  weeks 
from  April  4  to  August  22,  1974.     Yield,  tillers,  stand,  and  size  of 
roots  were  determined.     Four-  and  six-week  intervals  between  harvests 
were  superior  in  all  criteria  to  either  more  or  less  frequent  cuttings. 
Number  of  tillers  per  plant  the  following  spring  on  4-  and  6-cut  plots 
was  double  that  on  plots  cut  at  3-  and  7-week  intervals  the  previous 
season.     More  than  half  the  plants  were  lost  from  plots  cut  every  3 
weeks  from  April  to  September. 


63 


SECTION  X 
ENVIRONMENTAL  RESEARCH 


Title :  Hatch  233  Movement  of  Heavy  Metals  in  the  Environment 

Pollution  and  Recycling  Schemes   (Plus  Water  Research 
Institute     Parallel  Project) 

Leaders :       D.  J.  Horvath  and  R.  Singh,  West  Virginia 


Addition  of  sewage  sludges  to  several  West  Virginia  soils  supporting 
several  crops  indicates  that   (1)  sludges  are  variable  among  cities 
with  respect  to  both  plant  nutrients  and  heavy  metals,   (2)  plant 
growth  and  composition  responses  to  a  given  sludge  vary  appreciably 
among  soils,  and  (3)  while  only  a  few  observations  are  available, 
it  appears  that  the  availability  of  nutrients  in  sludge  may  be 
severalfold  greater  than  that  of  the  same  nutrients  in  chemical 
fertilizers  and  this  could  have  important  effects  upon  the  economics 
of  recycling,  for  example  P. 

The  paper  reporting  the  animal  (vole)  tissue  responses  to  seasonally 
elevated  fescue  Pb  will  appear  in  the  proceedings  of  the  1975 
University  of  Missouri  Annual  Conference  on  Trace  Substances  and 
Environmental  Health. 


Title :  Sewage  Sludge  Utilization  in  the  New  Jersey  Pine  Barrens 

Leaders :       R.  W.  Duell,  R.   B .  Alderfer,  D.   K.  Markus  and  D.  W.  Piatt, 
New  Jersey 

After  3  years  of  applying  secondary  digested  sludge  to  3  low 
productivity  soils,  yields  of  Midland  bermudagrass  and  overseeded 
rye  are  improving  where  rate  of  application  is  10T  dry  matter/A/Y. 
The  20T  rate  often  produces  the  highest  yield.     The  40T  rate  is 
potentially  higher  yielding,  but  harvestable  grass  is  sometimes  lost 
because  of  occasional  applicator- induced  lodging  and  spotty  stands 
resulting  from  smothering.     A  yield  of  4 . 7T  dry  matter/A  obtained 
with  sludge  is  far  short  of  that  obtained  with  proper  management 
including  commercial  fertilizers  in  earlier  trials.     There  has  been 
no  evidence  of  heavy  metal  toxicity  although  heavy  metal  content  in 
tissues  increased  appreciably  above  base  status  with  each  increment 
of  sludge.     Available  nutrients  and  heavy  metals   (North  Carolina 
extractant)  accumulate  in  the  surface  soils  and  reflect  loading 
rates.     Most  elements  decrease  sharply  with  depth  beyond  4  inches. 


64 


Nickel,  however,  appears  to  accumulate  in  the  12-  to  24-inch  depth. 
Increased  organic  matter  extends  at  least  to  the  2-foot  depth,  and 
increased  water  retention  extends  to  the  3-foot  depth.  The 
accumulated  surface  mulch  of  dried  sludge  may  also  contribute  to 
improved  moisture  retention  of  these  sandy  soils. 

Heavy  midsummer  inundation  of  a  cool-season  pasture  grass  mixture 
shortly  after  harvest  did  not  cause  appreciable  loss  of  stand,  but 
did  stimulate  regrowth.     Rabbits,  deer  and  cattle  utilized  sludge- 
treated  grass  even  when  residues  were  conspicuous  on  the  foliage. 


Title :  Effects  of  Sewage  Sludge  on  Soils  and  Yield  of  Corn 

and  Soybeans 

Leaders :      A.  M.  Decker,  R.  L.  Chaney,  and  D.  C.  Wolf,  Maryland 


Corn  and  soybeans  were  grown  for  the  fourth  season  on  field  plots 
that  had  received  0,  25,  50  and  100  dry  tons  of  digested  sewage 
sludge  in  1972.     The  pH  dropped  to  an  average  of  5.5,  so  lime  was 
added  to  bring  the  pH  up  to  6.5  prior  to  planting  the  1975  crops. 
As  in  past  years,  80  lb  each  of  P205  and  K2O  were  applied  to  all 
fertilized  plots;   in  addition  all  fertilized  corn  plots  received 
160  lb  NIA. 

Corn  grain  yields  were  significantly  higher  where  sludge  had  been 
applied.     Fertilizer  application  also  increased  grain  yield 
regardless  of  the  sludge  rate.     Fertilized  plots  without  sludge 
produced  80  bushels  of  grain  while  yields  at  the  25-,  50-,  and 
100- ton  rates  were  103,  120  and  124  bu,  respectively.     Corn  silage 
yields  were  similar  but  yield  differences  were  much  smaller.  In 
contrast  to  past  years,  there  was  no  soybean  yield  response  to 
either  sludge  or  fertilizer  application. 


Tit le :  Disposal  and  Utilization  of  Dairy  and  Poultry  Manure 

by  Land  Application 

Leaders :      H.  D.  Bartlett  and  L.  F.  Marriott,  Pennsylvania 


Liquid  dairy  manure  was  injected  under  orchardgrass  sod  in  November 
1974  (fall)  or  in  April  1975  (spring)  at  rates  to  supply  300,  400 
or  500  pounds  N/acre  for  the  second  consecutive  growing  season.  A 
check  treatment  of  100  pounds  N/A  as  urea  was  also  repeated. 


65 


Measurements  recorded  included  NO3-N  and  CI  in  soil  water  samples 
collected  periodically  from  1  to  4-foot  soil  depths,  and  forage 
yields  in  3  cuttings .     Soil  samples  were  taken  in  June  and  November 
for  Kjeldahl  N,  NO3-N  and  CI  analyses. 

Nitrate  N  levels  in  water  samples  were  generally  much  higher  than  in 
1974,  reflecting  2  years  of  manure  application.     The  concentration 
was  also  higher  in  water  from  the  fall-applied  manure  plots  than 
from  the  spring-applied  manure  plots.     At  the  4-foot  depth,  NO3-N 
values  throughout  the  season  for  fall-applied  manure  were  in  the 
10  to  20  mg/1  range,  while  all  values  at  that  depth  for  the  spring- 
applied  manure  were  below  10  mg/1.     Water  samples  from  urea  plots 
consistently  contained  less  than  10  mg/1  of  NO3-N  at  all  sampling 
depths.     Dry  matter  yields  in  3  cuttings  were  2.4  T/A  for  urea 
(insufficient  N  after  the  first  cut),  and  3.3  and  3.5  T/A  for  fall 
and  spring  manure,  respectively.     There  was  no  significant  difference 
for  rate  or  time  of  application  of  the  manure.     The  water  and  yield 
data  would  suggest  that  the  lowest  rate  used  (300  lb  N/A)  supplied 
adequate  N  for  the  orchardgrass  and  provided  the  least  pollution 
potential . 

No-till  corn  was  grown  a  second  year  on  orchardgrass  plots  which 
had  received  dairy  manure  injections  to  supply  700  to  3500  lb 
N/A/year  during  1969  -  1971.     Yields  ranged  from  93  to  114  bu/A 
of  15.57o  moisture  grain. 


Title:  Monitoring  Effects  of  Land  Disposal  of  Sewage  Sludge  on 

Crops  Production  and  Minerals  in  Food  Chain 

Leaders  :       D.   E.  Baker,  R„  M.   Leach  and  H.  Cole,  Pennsylvania 


Biweekly  sampling  of  six  sewage  treatment  plants  for  one  year  was 
completed  on  July  1,   1975.     All  results  have  not  been  summarized, 
but  the  indications  for  several  elements  are  that  sludge  composition 
varies  much  more  among  plants  than  over  time  within  plants.  Thus, 
it  will  be  possible  to  predict  sludge  composition  over  time  from 
relatively  few  samples.     Experiments  are  continuing  to  determine  the 
relationship  of  Cd  within  diets  of  chicks  and  meadow  voles  on  Cd  in 
body  tissues.     Small  increases  in  dietary  Cd  cause  substantial 
accumulation  of  Cd  within  liver  and  kidney  over  a  relatively  short 
time.     Adding  3  ppm  Cd  to  the  diet  of  broiler  chicks  and  laying  hens 
caused  an  increase  in  Cd  concentration  of  from  260  to  2250  percent 
of  background  levels.     Activities  of  microorganisms  and  plant  pathogens 
have  not  been  affected  significantly  by  sludge  application  causing 
excessive  amounts  of  Cd  within  the  food  chain.     While  conclusions  are 
not  possible  at  this  time,  the  importance  of  monitoring  waste  disposal 
with  respect  to  water  quality  and  animal  and  human  health  is  evident. 


66 


Tit le :  Using  Cropland  for  Sewage  Wastewater  and  Sludge  Disposal 
Leaders ;     L.  T.  Kardos ,  W.   E.  Sopper  and  W.  R.  De  Tar,  Pennsylvania 

A  sod,  no- till  management  system  was  incorporated  in  the  sewage 
effluent  treated  corn  area.     Six  grasses  and  two  legumes  which  were 
established  in  1974  were  suppressed  by  herbicide  treatment.  The 
latter  varied  in  effectiveness  from  virtual  elimination  of  the 
birdsfoot  trefoil  to  nonsuppression  of  the  tall  fescue.     The  other 
grasses  were  Kentucky  bluegrass,  orchardgrass ,  perennial  ryegrass, 
reed  canarygrass  and  smoothbrome,  the  other  legume,  crownvetch.  The 
crownvetch  appears  to  show  the  best  promise  of  adequate  cover  with 
least  competition  with  the  corn.     The  NO3-N  concentration  in  the  soil 
water  at  120  cm  depth  in  the  irrigated  5  cm  per  week  area  did  not 
appear  to  be  affected  by  the  various  sods  during  the  June  period,  the 
period  of  maximum  concentration.     NO3-N  concentration  in  the 
fertilizer,  unirrigated  area  was  substantially  higher  than  in  the 
unfertilized,  sewage  effluent  irrigated  plots.     A  reed  canarygrass 
area  irrigated  with  5  cm  per  week  of  sludge  injected  effluent 
received  almost  900  kg  N/ha.     At  this  high  nitrogen  loading  mean 
monthly  NO3-N  concentration  in  the  soil  water  at  120  cm  peaked  at 
17.5  ppm  in  May  but  mean  annual  concentration  was  11.5  ppm. 
Canarygrass  dry  matter  yield  was  10,900  kg/ha  from  three  cuttings. 
At  the  end  of  the  second  year  hybrid  poplar  planted  in  close  spacing 
and  irrigated  with  sewage  effluent  has  attained  a  height  of  8  feet 
compared  to  4  feet  on  an  unirrigated  plot. 


Tit le :         Influence  of  Sprinkler  Irrigation  with  Municipal  Sewage 
Effluent  and  Cutting  Management  on  Disease  Incidence  and 
Buildup  on  Reed  Canarygrass  Clones 

Leaders :     K.   E.  Zeiders  and  R.  T.  Sherwood,  U.S.   Pasture  Research 
Laboratory 

On  May  1,  1974,  a  replicated  field  experiment  was  initiated  to 
determine  the  impact  of  irrigation  with  municipal  sewage  effluent  on 
disease  development  in  12  reed  canarygrass  clones  which  varied  widely 
in  palatability ,  and  in  reaction  to  S tagonospora  f oliicola  and 
Helminthosporium  catenarium.     The  plots  were  located  within  a  14-acre 
field  that  is  planted  each  year  in  rows  of  corn,  and  irrigated  weekly 
with  0  or  2  inches  of  sewage  effluent.     In  1975,  the  corn  was  planted 
without  tillage;   irrigation  began  May  22  and  was  terminated 
September  3,   1975.     Half  of  the  plants  of  each  clone  were  clipped 
only  once,  on  June  4;  the  other  half  were  clipped  3  times,  on  June  4, 
July  31,  and  October  1.     The  severity  of  tawny  blotch,  which  was  the 
predominant  disease,  was  rated  on  July  31  and  September  30.     A  scale 
of  1  to  9  was  used,  where  1  =  no  disease,  9  =  very  severe,  about  90 
of  leaf  tissue  killed. 


67 


Because  the  irrigated  and  nonirrigated  clones  were  in  separate 
locations  of  the  field,  the  data  were  analyzed  as  separate  experiments. 
A  t-test  of  irrigated  versus  nonirrigated  means  indicated  that  tawny 
blotch  (caused  by  S_.  f oliicola)  was  significantly  more  severe  (0.01 
level  of  probability)  on  irrigated  than  on  nonirrigated  plants  on 
both  rating  dates.     A  similar  result  was  observed  in  September  1974 
ratings . 

For  clones  under  irrigation,  analysis  of  variance  indicated  there 
was  no  significant  influence  of  cutting  frequency  for  the  July  31 
reading;  however,  on  September  30,  disease  severity  was  significantly 
greater  (0.05  level)  on  plants  under  1-cut  than  on  those  under  3-cut 
manatement.     There  was  a  s ignificant . difference  in  reaction  of 
clones  to  tawny  blotch  for  both  rating  dates. 

For  nonirrigated  clones,  there  was  no  significant  influence  of 
cutting  frequency  for  July  31,  but  for  September  30,  there  was 
significantly  more  tawny  blotch  (0.01  level)  on  plants  cut  once 
than  on  plants  cut  3  times.     There  was  no  significant  difference  in 
disease  reaction  of  clones  for  July  31  because  only  trace  amounts  of 
disease  were  present;  however,  for  the  September  30  ratings,  there 
was  a  highly  significant  difference  in  reaction  of  clones  to  tawny 
blotch.     The  interaction  of  cuts  X  clones  was  not  significant  for 
either  the  irrigated  or  nonirrigated  treatments. 

Results  indicate  that   (1)   irrigation  was  a  primary  contributing 
factor  to  the  increased  incidence  of  disease  in  both  1974  and  1975, 
(2)  disease  incidence  will  be  greater  on  plants  cut  less  frequently, 
and   (3)  there  is  considerable  variability  among  the  clones  in  their 
field  reaction  to  tawny  blotch.     This   latter  conclusion  agrees  with 
results  obtained  in  artificial  inoculations.     Clones  which  exhibit 
good  resistance  will  be  valuable  as  parents  in  breeding  for 
resistance  to  tawny  blotch. 


68 


LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS 


Adams,  R.   S.     1975 .     Forage  festing  and  feeding  research.     East.  Forage 
Impr.  Conf.,  Proc.   1st   (Guelph,  Onto)  p.  19. 

Adansi,  Prosper  Mawulom.     1975.     Conserving  hay-crop  as  wilted  silage 

with  or  without  a  commercial  additive--possible  applications  to  Ghana. 
Univ.  New  Hampshire.     M.S.  Thesis. 

Addy,  T.  0.,  L.  F.  Whitney,  and  C.  S.  Chen.     1975.     Mechanical  param- 
eters in  leaf  protein  production.     Preprints  Amer.  Soc.  Agric.  Eng. 
(St.  Joseph,  Mich.)  Presented  at  Annu.  Meeting,  Univ.  California, 
Davis.     Accepted  for  publication. 

Addy,  T.  0.,  L.  F.  Whitney,  and  C.   S.  Chen.     1975.     Plant  juice  protein: 
the  promise,  the  problems.     Agric.  Eng.  56:14-17. 

Apgar,  W.   P.,  and  R.  E.  Goodnow.     1975.     Repeatability  of  artificial 
rumen  fiber  digestion  estimates.     J.  Anim.  Sci.  41:437  (Abstr.) 

Bae ,  Dong  Ho.     1975.     Effect  of  hay  intake  levels  on  rumination  patterns 
in  sheep.     Univ.  Vermont.     M.S.  Thesis. 

Baker,  B.   S.     1975.     The  Allegheny  Highlands  Project.     East.  Forage 
Impr.   Conf.,  Proc.   1st   (Guelph,  Ont . )  p.  20-21. 

Baker,  B.   S.,  and  R.   H.  Maxwell.     1975.     Allegheny  Highlands  Project -- 
a  forage-livestock  program  for  economic  development  in  West 
Virginia.     J.  Agron.  Educ.  4:20-23. 

Baker,  D.  E. ,  R.  M.  Eshelman,  and  R.  M.   Leach.     1975.     Cadmium  in  sludge 
potentially  harmful  when  applied  to  crops.     Sci.  Agric.  XXII  (4): 
14-15. 

Baker,  P.  B.     1975.     An  adult  preference  test  and  a  nutrient  slant-board 
technique  for  rearing  the  clover  root  curculio,  Sitona  hispidulus 
(F.)     Pennsylvania  State  Univ.     M.S.  Thesis. 

Barnes,  R.  F.     1975.     Alfalfa  protein--its  value  in  livestock  nutrition, 
Annu.  Alfalfa  Symp .  5th  (Hershey,  Pa.)  p.  22-37. 

Barnes,  R.  F.     1975.     The  forage  research  program  for  the  Northeast. 
East.  Forage  Impr.  Conf.,  Proc.   1st   (Guelph,  Ont.)  p.  47-48. 

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ings.    Massachusetts  Agric.  Exp.  Sta. 

Zeiders,  K.   E.     1975.     Stagonospora  f oliicola ,  a  pathogen  of  reed 

canarygrass  spray-irrigated  with  municipal  sewage  effluent.  Plant 
Dis.  Reptr.  59:779-783. 


76 


RECIPIENTS  OF  GRADUATE  DEGREES  -  1975 


M.   S.  Degree 


Name / Ins ti tut ion/Advisor 


Thesis  Title 


Adansi,  Prosper  Mawulom 
University  of  New  Hampshire 
J.  B.  Holter 


Bae ,  Dong  Ho 
University  of  Vermont 
J.  G.  Welch 


Conserving  hay-crop  as  wilted 
silage  with  or  without  a 
commercial  additive—possible 
applications  to  Ghana. 

Effect  of  hay  intake  levels  on 
rumination  patterns  in  sheep. 


Baker,  Paul  B 

Penn  State  University 

R.  A.  Byers 


Craven,  M.  M. 
Cornell  University 
R.   P.  Murphy 

Goodnow,  R.  E. 
University  of  Maine 
W.   P.  Apgar 


Karth,  K.  M. 

West  Virginia  University 
R.  L.  Reid 


Lea.  H.  Z. 

University  of  New  Hampshire 
G.  M.  Dunn 


Miller,  G.  A. 
University  of  Maryland 
J.   H.  Axley 


Potvin,  W. 

University  of  Connecticut 
D.  W.  Allinson 


An  adult  preference  test  and 
a  nutrient  slant-board  technique 
for  rearing  the  clover  root 
curculio,  Sitona  hispidulus  (F.) 

Reaction  of  several  cultivars 
of  alfalfa,  Medicago  sativa 
to  Phytophthora  megasperma. 

Relationship  of  forage  nitrogen 
fractions  with  in  vivo  forage 
utilization  and  in  vitro  fiber 
disappearance . 

Comparative  nutritive  value  of 
tall  fescue,  perennial  ryegrass, 
smooth  bromegrass  and 
orchardgrass . 

Stomatal  diffusion  resistance 
and  stomatal  behavior  in 
tetraploid,  hexaploid  and 
octoploid  plants  of  Bromus 
inermis  Leyss. 

Influence  of  poultry  wastewater 
on  drainage  through  Sassafras 
sandy  loam  and  nutrient  removal 
by  forages  from  this  soil. 

Nonstructural  carbohydrate 
fluctuations,  yield,  and  winter 
survival  of  ryegrass  cultivars 
as  affected  by  fall  management 
treatments . 


77 


Name /Institution/Advisor 


Thesis  Title 


Roemig,  J.  J. 

West  Virginia  University 

R.   L.  Reid 


Mineral  utilization  in  Lambs 
and  guinea  pigs  fed  magnesium 
fertilized  forages. 


RECIPIENTS  OF  GRADUATE  DEGREES  -  1975 


Bonde,  M.  R. 
Cornell  University 
R.  L.  Millar 


Ph.D  Degree 


Induction,  identification,  and 
role  of  sativan  and  vestitol  as 
phytoalexins  in  Lotus  corniculatus 
L. 


Kalmbacher,  R.  S. 
Penn  State  University 
J.  B.  Washko 


Mason,  Wesley  N. 

Penn  State  University 

J.  S.  Shenk  and  R.  F.  Barnes 

Morrissey,  R. 

University  of  Connecticut 

J.   S.  Koths 


Management  factors  affecting 
establishment  and  productivity 
of  birdsfoot  trefoil-- tal 1 
fescue  in  woodland  clearings. 

The  inheritance  of  forage 
quality  traits  in  orchardgrass 
(Dacty lis  glomerata  L. ) 

The  influence  of  heavy  metals 
on  microbially  mediated  nitrogen 
transformations  in  soil: 
nutrif ication  and  ammonif ication. 


Mueller,  J.  P. 

Penn  State  University 

J.  B.  Washko 

Muslih,  R.  K. 
Cornell  University 
D.   L.  Linscott 


Chemical  preservation  of  high 
moisture  hay. 


Lipid  biosynthesis  and  the 
effects  of  2 ,4-dichloro-3- 
nitro  and  2 ,4-dichloro-3-amino 
benzoic  acids.