348 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



be burned. By such means the ravages from this disease may be 

 checked. The patches should lie bare for at least three years, for the 

 fungus must be starved out of the soil. 



BACTERIAL STEM BLIGHT (Pseudomonas medicaginis) . Although this 

 disease was reported in Kansas some years ago, it has not been seen 

 lately, nor has it been brought to the writer's attention. The disease was 

 first reported in Colorado, where, according to the plant pathologist's re- 

 ports, it has caused considerable damage. Farmers should be on the 

 lookout for this disease as well as all other alfalfa diseases.* 



FIG. 294. 



Red or violet root rot of alfalfa during various stages, 

 off of the outer layers of the roots. 



Note the sloughing 



This blight may be recognized by the fact that it makes its appear- 

 ance on the first crop. The stems appear watery and semitransparent 

 during the early stages. Soon the affected stems assume a yellowish, 

 olive-green color, which transforms to amber color, due to the drying of 

 a thick, sticky liquid, which gives the stems a shiny or varnished 

 appearance. Later such stems blacken and become brittle, which fact 



* The department of botany desires to cooperate with all parties interested in plant 

 diseases. Specimens may be sent to the college free of postage if parties will write for 

 franked tags. 



