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The Noble Research Institute offers assistance, continues research for drought-stricken Southern Great Plains.

Alfalfa stands within the Southern Great Plains are often infested with cotton root rot, causing heavily affected fields to be taken out of production within two to three years.

The Plant Biology, Forage Improvement and Agricultural divisions of the Noble Research Institute have recently initiated an interdivisional program to improve the forage quality and stand longevity of alfalfa in order to deliver to farmers and ranchers a novel source of high-quality forage.

Alfalfa's value as a hay or feed supplement is well recognized, but its usefulness as a grazing forage is often overlooked.

To scientists, grass is never just grass. Countless species of plants comprise what the rest of us refer to as grass, some of which - like clover - aren't really grass at all, but pod-bearing legumes. To researchers who study them, grasses and legumes are a diverse and dynamic cornerstone of life and agriculture.

Most producers are trying to survive the winter by stretching forage and feed resources. This can be accomplished with careful thought and consultation with a nutritionist to ensure that each cow's nutrient requirements are still being met for the stage of production it is in. If corners are cut to save money now, it can have long lasting repercussions.

Alfalfa is a high quality, perennial legume forage that has potential to be a part of summer stocker grazing programs. However, most of the alfalfa that is produced is primarily harvested and marketed as high quality hay for dairy and equine enterprises.

For the past 12 years, Trammell has served as a plant breeder for the Noble Research Institute, learning from some of the industry's most renowned breeders and continuing a tradition that stretches back to the earliest years of the organization.

With high protein prices, many people are thinking about growing alfalfa, some for the first time ever. While alfalfa can be very profitable, there are some common mistakes that can take you from profitability to loss quickly.