Possible Causes Of Yellowing Alfalfa

DR. KIERSTEN WISE

PRINCETON, KY.
   Alfalfa fields may periodically exhibit yellow foliage. This publication addresses several of the possible problems behind the yellowing, including leaf spot diseases, root rots, crown rots, potassium deficiency, poor nodulation, soil compaction, and potato leafhopper injury. Symptom descriptions and color photos can aid in diagnosis.
   Possible Causes of Yellowing Alfalfa (PPFS-AG-F-10) is available online at
http://plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/files/ppfs-ag-f-10.pdf.
   For additional publications on forage diseases, visit the UK Plant Pathology Extension Publications webpage http://plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/extension/publications. ∆
   DR. KIERSTEN WISE: Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Kentucky

























Figure 1. Leaf spotting diseases, such as Lepto Leaf Spot shown here,
cause foliage to yellow. These diseases can weaken plants.

Figure 2: Phytophthora Seedling Blight results in wilting, yellowing and plant death.