There are alfalfa varieties to resist these leafhoppers, and new varieties have improved enough to make them worthwhile.

Leafhoppers usually are a problem in this area only occasionally. In the past resistance levels were too low to be worthwhile. Resistant varieties yielded less when leafhoppers were not a problem, and seed cost was much higher.

The best varieties now have enough resistance to leafhoppers to make a big difference when leafhoppers are active.

In fact, it takes about three times as many leafhoppers to make it worth spraying these varieties as it does susceptible varieties. Plus, the yield drag has been practically eliminated.

Seed prices still are a bit higher for these varieties, so be sure to buy them only if problems with potato leafhoppers are frequent. In northwestern Nebraska, west of U.S. Highway 281 and north of Interstate 80, leafhoppers rarely are a problem. It is more likely that frequent leafhopper invasions will be a problem in fields east and south of northwestern Nebraska.

These newer varieties with higher leafhopper resistance should be valuable to many alfalfa growers in south and east Nebraska, especially growers who depend on alfalfa as a major source of income.

Tom Drudik is a Hall County Extension specialist in agriculture.