SHORT ON WATER ? Two Alfalfas in One

control nodule growth and the conversion of nitrogen to ammonia. Researchers hope the findings will allow for a more efficient symbiotic relationship between rhizobia and crops, leading to more effective production and decreasing the need for additional nitrogen to be purchased and applied.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America published the team’s recent study, in which they cloned a pair of receptors from the legume Medicago truncatula. The plant is a small annual legume native to the Mediterranean region, closely related to alfalfa, with receptors that stop a wide range of possible bacterial partners from making nodules. The team discovered a gene in bacteria needed to turn on this receptormediated restriction of nodulation, allowing for a way to control the symbiotic relationships between bacteria and their hosts.

“Nodulation capacity and nitrogen fixation efficiency can vary tremendously between different plant-bacterial partnerships,” Zhu said. “So, what we want to do is to help plants find their best microbial partners to maximize the potential of symbiotic nitrogen fixation, thus reducing the need for nitrogen input in the fields. Such knowledge could also contribute to engineering non-legumes such as cereal crops to acquire the ability to form symbiotic interactions with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia.”

Collaborators from the Plant Biology Institute of Hungary contributed to the study.

HERE’S WHAT GROWERS ARE SAYING:

"This is the fourth year we are planting 360-D. It works well both on Irrigated and dry land. Very good variety."

Al Renner - Beach, ND / Laurel, MT

"We love that alfalfa! We get 2 cuts on dryland, and we are ordering for the fourth time."

Skip Ahlgren, Rocking TS Cattle - Winnett, MT

"The 360-D stayed green in a very dry summer. For range dryland seeding the coating on Vavilov Siberian and 360-D dryland alfalfa made all the di erence in getting a good stand!"

Michael Kubacher - Moorcroft, WY "360-D is an excellent dryland variety! It is very tolerant to rough growing conditions. We will order again!"

Neil Turnbull - Culbertson, MT "We got 3 good cuts on 360-D. It did well, and we will order again!"

Al Miller - Allendale, ND

√ Will produce AT LEAST 80% of crop with 50% of water √ Will produce a subsequent cutting after water is gone

Plant on dryland/ guaranteed to out yield Ranger or Ladak under pivots that only pump 400 gal/ have only early season creek water

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 201467013-21573 and by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service under Agreement No. 5850428003. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Science Foundation under Award Number 1758037. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

#####

God, I love pretty Christmas seals I received, but I put them on envelopes were the postage stamps should be. And then I mailed them that way. When people have to pay the postage, please help them laugh good-naturedly at my mistake.

Reduce ice dam and icicle damage

The best way to avoid damage is to keep ice dams from forming.

This illustration shows the problems ice dams can cause. (NDSU illustration)

Ice dams and icicles are most common when snow is on the roof, heat is being lost through the roof and outdoor temperatures are just below freezing. Homeowners have a few steps they can take to reduce ice dams and icicles, according to Ken Hellevang, an engineer with North Dakota State University Extension.

“The key to limit or prevent the formation of ice dams is to ensure your roof is constructed properly with sufficient attic insulation and enough ventilation to keep the roof near outdoor temperatures,” says Hellevang. “Ice dams and icicles can also be reduced by removing snow on the roof, particularly near the bottom of the roof. All too often, homeowners try to treat the symptoms of ice dams with things like heat tape instead of preventing the problem in the first place.”

An ice dam forms when snow melts and the water runs downs the surface of the roof. As the melted snow water hits cooler parts of the roof near the eaves, it freezes. This process continues and eventually creates a dam of ice on the roof. As more snow melts, the dam stops the water, which freezes, making the dam bigger and backing up the melt water, allowing it to leak under the shingles into the attic or eaves. This can lead to water stains on the ceiling, structural damage and mold growth inside the home.

Ice dams are clearly visible once they form, but to find out what causes them, a homeowner needs to look inside the attic.

Heat loss from the home into the attic through openings and the insulation is a major cause of snowmelt on the roof forming ice dams. Heat from the house warms

Trucks For Sale

2) 2013 Freightliner Cascadia trucks, all highway miles, one owner, well maintained, have major maintenance records, drive tires 80%.