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Economics of Growing Verticillium Wilt‐Resistant and Adapted Alfalfa Cultivars in Western Canada
Author(s) -
Smith Elwin G.,
Acharya Surya N.,
Huang Henry C.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1995.00021962008700060028x
Subject(s) - cultivar , verticillium wilt , agronomy , biology , medicago sativa , verticillium , forage , resistance (ecology) , yield (engineering) , horticulture , materials science , metallurgy
Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) production with cultivars susceptible to verticillium wilt (VW) (caused by Verticillium albo‐atrum Reinke & Berthier) or those poorly adapted to the region causes significant losses in forage productivity in western Canada. This study estimated the economic benefits that could be obtained by growing VW‐resistant and adapted cultivars in this region. The analysis used irrigated forage yield data from a 7‐yr trial conducted near Lethbridge, AB. The yearly benefit of high resistance to VW over moderately high resistance was $21 ha −1 and over low resistance was $44 ha −1 . The potential yearly benefits to producers in western Canada from the development and adoption of high VW‐resistant cultivars were estimated at $2.2 million. The local benefits of growing adapted cultivars on irrigated land were $22 ha −1 yr −1 . The regional benefits to western Canada from using adapted cultivars were $26.6 million yr −1 . The greater potential benefit from growing adapted cultivars was attributed to benefits applied to all areas of western Canada, whereas benefits from VW applied to areas infested with VW.