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Stem Rot Appears
On Clover and Alfalfa
Complaints concerning clover and alfalfa dying in the fields have been received from several Virginia farmers and county agents, and S. B. Fenne, plant pathologist at VPI, this week had some suggestions on control.
He explains that the stem rot fungus lives over in the soil for most of the year on decaying plant tissue. The disease may be started by sowing seed that has small sclerotia mixed with it. The fungus also may be spread from field to field with infested soil, or carried to clean fields in drainage water. Manure from livestock which have been fed clover or alfalfa hay from infested fields also may spread the disease.
Rotating crops so clover and alfalfa do not grow on the same land in succeeding years will reduce the amount of fungus in ^the soil. At the present time, there are no resistant varieties.
Stem rot is one of the most common diseases of alfalfa and clover, especially in the eastern part of the state. Many farmers feel that stem rot is chiefly responsible for early killing of these crops. Dam. age is often severe in the early spring when temperature and moisture conditions are most
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