The soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti establishes nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with its leguminous host plant, alfalfa, following a series of continuous signal exchanges. The complexity of the changes of alfalfa root structures during symbiosis and the amount of S. meliloti genes with unknown functions raised the possibility that more S. meliloti genes may be required for early stages of the s...

Sixteen Holstein cows in midlactation were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design to determine the effect of replacing alfalfa neutral detergent fiber (NDF), with NDF from a combination of whole linted cottonseed, dried distillers grains, and wheat middlings. The four diets were a basal control diet that was low in forage and fiber [(5.9 g of corn silage NDF and 6.1 g of alfalfa NDF/100 g of dry m...

The sericultural productivity could be effectively modulated by enriching the silkworm diet with exogenous factors like alfalfa, a widely used homeo medicine. The minimum effective concentration (MEC) that promotes optimal larval growth, activates metabolism and improves silk production has been determined in Bombyxmori, by a stepdown process starting from higher concentration (5%) to a lower c...

Sinorhizobium meliloti bacteria produce a signal molecule that enhances root respiration in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and also triggers a compensatory increase in whole-plant net carbon assimilation. Nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and ultraviolet-visible absorption identify the enhancer as lumichrome, a common breakdown product of riboflavin. Treating alfalfa roots with 3 nM ...

Understanding the temporal and spatial variability in a crop yield is viewed as one of the key steps in the implementation of precision agriculture practices. Therefore, a study on a center pivot irrigated 23.5 ha field in Saudi Arabia was conducted to assess the variability in alfalfa yield using Landsat-8 imagery and a hay yield monitor data. In addition, the study was designed to also explor...

The alfalfa weevil complex is the most severe insect pest of alfalfa in California. Because weevil larvae are the first insect pests of the production year to require management actions consideration of possible effects on pest management for the rest of the season must be made. Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides have provided acceptable weevil control in the past. However, the occurren...

Flavonoids play an important role in interactions of plants with the environment. Liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the flavonoid profiles (especially luteolin, tricin, and chrysoeriol glycosides), their total concentrations, and changes in the amounts of eight flavones found in the aerial parts of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (Fabaceae) Radius cv., uninfested and infested by t...

A slaughter experiment was conducted to determine the effects of alfalfa particle size on rumen morphology and performance of lambs. Twenty-four Balouchi lambs aged 21 days (9.1 ± 1.1 kg) were randomly fed control (diet without alfalfa hay; CON) and mixed rations containing 15% finely ground (FINE; 2 mm) and 15% coarsely chopped alfalfa hay (LONG; 3 to 4 cm). After a 63 days feeding period, nin...

Four experiments involving 16 pens of 8 to 10 crossbred steer calves each were conducted at Yuma, Arizona. Initial and final weights were approximately 170 and 275 kg, respectively. The experimental design was a 2 x 2 x 4 factorial replicated over 2 yr with main effects for season (summer, winter), diet (H = ground alfalfa hay, H + G = 50% ground alfalfa, 47.5% dry-rolled wheat and 2.5% molasse...

22 A GPS-based method is presented to measure vegetation water content. Commercially available 23 geodetic-quality GPS receivers and antennas are used. The method is tested using GPS 24 measurements collected over three field seasons. The GPS data are compared with in situ data 25 for three plant types: desert grass, wheat and alfalfa. The GPS retrievals or vegetation water 26 content are based...