Location: Vegetable Crops Research
Project Number: 5090-21000-068-024-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: May 15, 2021
End Date: Jul 31, 2023
Objective:
Identify glyphosate resistant populations of feral alfalfa populations in three counties in Kansas and evaluate pollinators, pests and disease in these populations.
Approach:
Feral alfalfa populations will be identified in three counties in Kansas; leaves will be collected and glyphosate-resistant populations will be identified. When available, one large feral population with approximately 50% glyphosate resistance (GR) will be selected in each county. Alternatively, in the absence of a large mixed population, one large GR and one large conventional population will be selected in a county.
Each plant in the selected populations will be marked and tested for the presence of glyphosate resistance. Direct pollinator observations will take place in each selected population. Pest and disease incidence will be recorded pre-flowering, at peak flowering and post-flowering on each plant of the selected populations. The size of each plant will be recorded together with the number of stems, racemes per stem and flowers per raceme on each marked plant. Fruit and seed set will be quantified at fruit maturity. New seedlings will be marked and recorded in the fall and the spring.
