Cimarron VL400 and Cimarron SR offer Resistance to Sclerotinia Crown Rot
Sclerotinia crown rot causes patchy stand loss in the spring of the year. It primarily attacks late summer and fall planted alfalfa in the spring following establishment. The disease establishes itself late in the fall and grows throughout the winter especially in areas with wet winters and moderate to heavy snowfall. As a result it has become a serious problem in the Ohio Valley and the East Coast. Two new Cimarron varieties, Cimarron VL400 and Cimarron SR offer resistance to this disease.
Symptoms: Sclerotinia crown rot can be hard to identify since it often totally digests the seedlings that it attacks by spring. The only calling cards that the disease leaves are small black pellets called "sclerotia. " However, when patchy stand loss occurs in the spring on alfalfa planted the previous fall, Sclerotinia may be suspect.
Resistance: Spring planting has traditionally been used to reduce the risk of sclerotinia damage. However, spring planting in many areas does not afford the growers an optimal crop rotation. Cimarron VL400 and Cimarron SR, our newest sclerotinia resistant varieties offer protection against this disease. Resistance is not perfect, but in most cases it will provide the protection that growers need against this disease.