Show alfalfa winter injury winter injury and disease the two main causes for losses of alfalfa stands frequently work hand in hand band according to the division of plant pathology university farm st paul re be cent studies have shown that the extent to which alfalfa may be injured by bacterial disease depends largely upon the degree of winter injury freezing causes splits or cracks in the alfalfa roots through which tally may enter the bacteria causing various wilts rots blight or other diseases this emphasizes the importance of preventing freezing injury so far as possible it has been found that the amount of cold the alfalfa roots can stand without injury depend upon the hardiness of the variety carbohydrate reserves contained in the plants and soil conditions |