The health and environmental hazard associated with the use of chlorine for food processing has been documented previously. This study was conducted to determine if acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) could be used to replace calcium hypochlorite (Ca[OCl](2)) for disinfection of alfalfa seeds. Contaminated seeds containing approximately 1.5 x 10(7) CFU/g of Salmonella were treated with ASC or Ca(OC...

Four insects species have emerged as important pests of alfalfa in the Western United States during the past decade. Cowpea aphid has long been a resident insect of the Western United States, but became a significant alfalfa pest during the past two years. The silverleaf whitefly has been a serious pest of alfalfa since 1991. Silverleaf whitefly reduces hay yield and contaminates alfalfa hay wi...

Net release of degraded N as NH3 and total AA plus microbial protein synthesis, quantified from incorporation of 15NH3 into microbial protein, was used to estimate the rate and extent of in vitro degradation of protein fractions isolated from alfalfa hay and silage. Seven proteins (casein, alfalfa hay, alfalfa silage, extracts from alfalfa hay and silage, and residues from alfalfa hay and silag...

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a perennial and outcrossing species, is a widely planted forage legume for hay, pasture and silage throughout the world. Currently, alfalfa breeding relies on recurrent phenotypic selection, but alternatives incorporating molecular marker assisted breeding could enhance genetic gain per unit time and per unit cost, and accelerate alfalfa improvement. Many major qua...

Information on genetic diversity and population structure of a tetraploid alfalfa collection might be valuable in effective use of the genetic resources. A set of 336 worldwide genotypes of tetraploid alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa L.) was genotyped using 85 genome-wide distributed SSR markers to reveal the genetic diversity and population structure in the alfalfa. Genetic diversity ana...

Current Alfalfa Cultivation and Utilization ........................................................80 Development and Cultivation of Alfalfa for Biomass........................................82 Chemical Composition of Alfalfa.......................................................................83 Genetic Impacts on Composition ....................................................................

To gain perspective on alfalfa-annual crop rotations in the upper Midwest, USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service cropland data layers and Soil Survey Geographic Database layers were combined for six states (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin) and seven years (2006-2012). Soil texture and geographic location both significantly affected the length of the ...

Saltwort (Salicornia herbacea L.), a kind of halophytes in Japan, is under investigation as a feed source for livestock as well as potential oilseed crop in salt marshes and salt fields. The present experiment was undertaken to analyze the nutritive value of saltwort as feed for ruminants. To determine the apparent digestibility and nutritive value of saltwort, five Japanese native goats were f...

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of partial replacement of corn silage with long alfalfa hay and/or coarse chopped wheat straw on biochemical parameters in late lactating Holstein primiparous dairy cows. Twelve late lactating Holstein primiparous cows including four cows equipped with a rumen cannula, averaging 210 ± 20 days in milk and weighing 575 ± 50 kg were randoml...