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Grade A Alfalfas

Fri, 2002-11-01 12:00
Growers give alfalfa varieties top marks if they're high-yielding, persistent and provide good feed value. To get the information needed to make wise decisions, says Mike Peterson of W-L Research, Madison, WI, check not only university trials in your area, but also company data. The industry is probably generating twice the amount of data nationally as all the universities combined. You're ignoring

Growers give alfalfa varieties top marks if they're high-yielding, persistent and provide good feed value.

To get the information needed to make wise decisions, says Mike Peterson of W-L Research, Madison, WI, check not only university trials in your area, but also company data.

“The industry is probably generating twice the amount of data nationally as all the universities combined. You're ignoring a huge resource if you look only at university data,” he says.

But first turn the page and study the charts of data supplied by alfalfa seed companies. The top existing varieties — plus new ones for the 2003 planting season (highlighted in the charts in green) — are featured. Besides disease and insect resistance ratings, the charts offer fall dormancy, winterhardiness, and other information. Peterson suggests that Midwestern growers use the Wisconsin Disease Rating Index. “You should pick a 29 or 30 out of 30.”

In the West, look for high resistance ratings on spotted, pea and blue aphids as well as on phytophthora root rot, he adds.

University experts recommend planting certified seed. Most varieties on the following pages have been approved for certification by the National Alfalfa Variety Review Board.

2003 Alfalfa Guide
Top Alfalfa Variety Marketer Fall Dormancy (1-9) Winterhardiness (1-6) Wisconsin Disease Rating (1-30) Bacterial Wilt Verticillium Wilt Fusarium Wilt Anthracnose Phytophthora Root Rot Spotted Alfalfa Aphid Pea Aphid Blue Alfalfa Aphid Stem Nematode Aphanomyces Race 1 Southern Root Knot Nematode Northern Root Knot Nematode Potato Leafhopper Resistant Multileaflet Grazing Type Dual-Purpose (Haying & Grazing)
620 Garst 2 28 HR R HR HR HR MR MR LR R
Arrowhead3 Tri-West 2 2.3 27 HR R HR R HR R R MR X
Bale r Chop Shepherd 2.5 2.8 25 HR R R R HR MR X
Dynamic3 Grassland Central 2 1.9 30 HR HR HR HR HR MR X X X
FQ314 Mycogen 2.9 2.4 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R MR HR
Lactator Elk Mound 2 2.5 28 HR HR HR HR R R R
Leaf King Elk Mound 2 2.5 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR X
Multiplier 3 Mycogen 2.7 1.8 29 HR R HR HR HR R R MR HR X
Paramount II Chemgro 2.9 1.9 HR HR HR HR HR HR
UltraLac Elk Mound 2 2.7 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR X
WL 319HQ W-L Research 2.8 1.3 30 HR HR HR HR HR R HR MR HR X
300LH Seedway 3 HR HR HR HR HR X
340PLH Hytest 3.4 2.2 29 HR R HR HR HR R R MR HR X X
4A421 Mycogen 3.8 1.3 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R R HR X
410 Hytest 3.9 1 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR R R HR X X
4375LH Mycogen 3.8 2.3 29 HR R HR HR HR MR R MR HR X
53Q60 Pioneer 3 2 27 HR R R HR HR MR MR R R MR
6325 Garst 3 30 HR HR HR HR HR R MR HR X
9326 LG Seeds 3 2 29 HR R HR HR HR HR X
9558 Seedway 3 HR HR HR HR R
A 30-063 PGI Alfalfa 3 1.9 30 HR HR HR HR HR MR R HR X
Arapaho Tri-West 3 2.2 27 HR R HR R HR R R HR
Baralfa 32IQ Barenbrug 3 2 28 HR R HR HR HR R HR R R X
Complete Arrow 3 2.1 29 HR HR HR HR HR R MR R
Dura-Green3 Renk 3 1.5 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR X
EverGreen Syngenta 3.5 2.6 28 HR R HR HR HR MR R S R R X
Feast+EV AgriPro/Garst 3 29 HR HR HR R HR MR MR HR X
Focus3 J.R. Simplot 3.9 3.2 24 HR R HR HR HR HR R HR X
GH788 Sommer Bros. 3.1 2.2 29 HR R HR HR HR R HR MR MR HR
Hi-Guard Renk 3 2 29 HR R HR HR HR HR X
Hopper-Lopper Shepherd 3.5 2.8 29 HR R HR HR HR HR X
Ignite Jung 3.9 1.1 29 HR R HR HR HR R R HR X
KK 3000 Patriot 3 1.5 27 HR R HR R HR HR R
Kow Kandy Patriot 3 1.5 24 HR R R R R MR
LH 3200 Jung 3.5 2.8 29 HR R HR HR HR HR HR HR HR X
Leaf Guard3 Beck's 3 2 28 HR R HR HR HR R R X X
LegenDairy YPQ Croplan 3 2 29 HR R HR HR HR R MR HR X
Lightning II Jung 3.7 1.7 30 HR HR HR HR HR R HR HR X
MagnaGraze3 Dairyland 3 2.4 27 HR R HR R HR R R MR MR R LR X X
Magnum V-Wet Dairyland 3 1.9 27 HR R HR R HR R R MR R R HR
Maximizer3 J.R. Simplot 3.7 1.3 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R HR X
Multi 775 Geertson 3 24 HR R HR R R MR LR X
Nemesis Renk 3 2.5 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR
Paragon BR Chemgro 3 1.6 HR R HR R HR R MR HR R R
Phabulous Trelay 3.9 2.1 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R R HR X
Predator Doebler's 3.5 2.8 29 HR R HR HR HR R HR X
Prolific Doebler's 3 2.4 27 HR R HR R HR MR R R R HR
Rainier Syngenta 3.3 2.4 29 HR R HR HR HR HR HR S R HR R X
Rhino Geertson 3 25 HR R R R R HR R R
Somerset Syngenta 3.5 1.6 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R S R HR X
Sprint Specialty Seeds 3 2.5 26 HR R HR R HR HR LR LR MR MR MR MR X
ThoroughBred 3 Patriot 3 1.5 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR
WinterCrown Ampac 3 2 27 HR R HR R HR MR R X X
WL 327 W-L Research 3.9 2.8 29 HR R HR HR HR R R HR R HR
4-Traffic3 Kaltenberg 4.6 2.6 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR X X
5454 Pioneer 4 2 24 R MR HR HR HR R R S MR LR
54H91 Pioneer 4 3 28 HR HR R HR HR HR R S MR R MR X
54Q25 Pioneer 4 2 29 HR HR HR HR HR R R HR R HR
54V46 Pioneer 4 2 28 R R HR HR HR R R MR HR
54V54 Pioneer 4 2 28 HR HR HR HR HR R LR MR
6400HT3 Garst 4 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR X
6410 Garst 4 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R MR HR X
6420 Garst 4 27 HR R HR R HR R R R R HR
9429 LG Seeds 4 2 29 HR R HR HR HR HR X
Abundance Ziller 4 2.2 27 HR R HR R HR R R MR R R HR
Accelerate1 Specialty Seeds 4 2 25 HR R HR R R R LR LR MR MR MR MR X
Affinity +Z3 America's Alfalfa 4 2.7 29 HR HR HR HR HR R R R
AlfaStar Shepherd 4 2.4 28 HR R HR HR HR HR R X
AmeriStand 403T3 America's Alfalfa 4 2.1 30 HR HR HR HR HR MR R MR HR X
Awesome LG Seeds 4 3 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR
Baralfa 42IQ3 Barenbrug 4 2 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR R MR HR X
Cimarron 3i Great Plains 4 HR R HR HR R R R MR R MR R
Cimarron SR Great Plains 4 HR HR HR HR HR R HR MR R MR R
Dakota Great Plains 4 R MR R R HR MR MR MR
Dura 400 Farm Valley 4 HR HR HR HR HR MR HR MR HR MR
Enhancer Arrow/Fontanelle 4 3 26 HR R HR R HR R R MR MR MR MR
FK4213 Arrow 4 2.1 30 HR HR HR HR HR R HR X X
Geneva Syngenta 4.1 2.2 30 HR HR HR HR HR R HR LR R HR X
GH700 Golden Harvest 4 1.4 HR HR HR HR HR R HR R HR X X
GH744 Sommer Bros. 4 1.4 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR R MR HR
GH750 JC Robinson 4 3 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R MR HR
Gold Plus Top Farm 4 2 28 HR R HR HR HR HR HR HR R
Goldrush1,3 Beck's 4 2 26 HR R HR R R R R MR R LR X
Harvestar 812HY Fielder's Choice 4 HR R HR R HR R R R R R R
HayGrazer Great Plns/Patriot 4 1.5 HR R HR R R R R R MR R MR X
Haymaker Supreme Kussmaul 4 1.9 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR MR X
HybriForce-4002,3 Dairyland 4 1.6 26 HR R HR R HR R R MR R MR HR
HybriGreen 412 Kelly Green 4 2 27 HR R HR R HR R R R R HR
Intrigue Deer Creek 4 2.3 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR R HR X
Jade II NC+ 4 3 26 HR R HR R HR R R MR MR MR
Journey 2042 Arrow/Fontanelle 4 2.4 28 HR R HR HR HR R R R R
KK 4000 Patriot 4 1.5 29 HR R HR HR HR HR HR
Laser Ampac 4 2 26 HR R HR R HR MR MR MR
Magnum V Dairyland 4 2 26 HR R HR R HR R R MR R MR MR
Masterpiece3 J.R. Simplot 4.6 3 24 HR R HR HR HR HR HR R HR R X
Monument 23 Geertson 4 R LR HR S R R
Mountaineer Croplan 4 3 29 HR R HR HR HR HR R HR HR X
Multi 5301 Geertson 4 26 HR R HR R R R R X
Ovation1 Fontanelle 4 2 26 HR R HR R R R R MR R LR
Perfect Grassland Central 4 1.8 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R R HR X X X
Persist Kaltenberg 4.8 4.3 28 HR R HR R HR HR
Phirst2 Doebler's 4 2.2 28 HR R HR HR HR R R R HR
Preferred Seedway 4 HR R HR R R
Pristine Doebler's 4 2.5 28 HR R HR HR HR HR HR HR R R MR X
Radiant Ampac 4 2 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R R HR
Rebound 4.2 Croplan 4 2 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R MR HR X
Reward II PGI Alfalfa 4 2.3 27 HR R HR R HR R R R R R HR
Ripin Ampac 4 3 27 HR R HR R HR R R X X
Root 663 Trelay 4 2.1 29 HR HR HR R HR R HR HR
SunDance1 Tri-West 4 2 27 HR R HR R HR R R R R X
Sustain1 Kussmaul 4 2 26 HR R HR R R R R MR R LR X
ThoroughBred 4 Patriot 4 1.5 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR
Trialfalon Chemgro 4 2.7 HR R HR HR HR HR X
Tribute Chemgro 4.6 2.3 HR HR HR HR HR HR X
Trophy Geertson 4 26 R R HR R HR HR R X
WL 342 W-L Research 4.1 1.7 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR R HR X
WL 346LH W-L Research 4.1 2.8 30 HR HR HR HR HR MR MR MR HR X
WL 357HQ W-L Research 4.6 2.1 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R R HR X
WinterGold3 Beck's/Renk/Seedway/Tri-West 4 2 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R HR X
512 Seedway 5 HR R HR HR HR
520 Hytest 5.1 2.3 29 HR R HR HR HR R R HR X X
55H05 Pioneer 5 3 26 R HR R HR HR HR HR HR HR MR HR
5-Star Croplan 5 2 25 R R R R R R R R R R X
6530 Garst 5 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR R HR
Archer II America's Alfalfa 5 4 R HR HR HR R R MR HR R MR R
Ascend 552 Kussmaul 5 2.1 30 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR R HR X
Attention1 Ampac 5 2.3 26 HR R HR R R R X X
Baralfa 53HR Barenbrug 5 3 30 HR HR HR HR HR R R R HR X
Baralfa 54 Barenbrug 5 4 R R HR HR HR R HR R X
Dura 512 Farm Valley 5 2.5 HR R HR HR HR R R HR R R X
Multi 777 Geertson 5 R MR HR MR R MR MR X
Cisco Fontanelle 6 3 R MR HR R HR HR R R R R
TruTest3 J.R. Simplot 6 6 22 MR R HR HR HR HR HR HR MR R R X
AL 700 UAP West 7 R HR HR HR HR HR HR HR R
AmeriLeaf 721 America's Alfalfa 7 R MR HR HR R HR R MR MR R
CW 704 Producer's Choice 7 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR X
Dura 765 Farm Valley 7 MR R HR HR HR HR HR HR R HR R X
Medalion3 Seed Resource 7 R MR HR HR HR HR R HR R HR R X X
SW 7410 S&W Seed 7 R HR MR R HR R R MR R LR X
WL 530HQ W-L Research 7.8 MR MR HR HR HR HR HR HR R X
13R Supreme America's Alfalfa 8 MR MR R MR HR R R MR MR R
AL 799 UAP West 8 MR HR MR HR HR HR HR R HR MR
AmeriStand 801S America's Alfalfa 8 R MR HR R R HR MR HR MR R HR
Dura 843 Farm Valley 8 MR LR HR MR HR HR HR MR R MR R
Pershing PGI Alfalfa 8 MR LR HR LR HR HR R R R R HR
Rio Grande Great Plains 8 HR HR HR HR HR HR HR R MR MR
SW 8210 S&W Seed 8 MR HR MR HR HR MR R MR R MR X
SW 8718 S&W Seed 8 R HR MR HR R R MR R X
Sequoia Syngenta 8.5 HR R HR R R HR R HR HR
AL 899 UAP West 9 R HR HR HR HR HR R HR
AL 999+ UAP West 9 MR LR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR HR
CW 907 Producer's Choice 9 MR MR HR R R HR HR HR HR HR MR X
Mecca III PGI Alfalfa 9 MR HR R HR HR R R MR R R
SW 9628 S&W Seed 9 LR R LR R HR R R HR X
SW 9720 S&W Seed 9 MR R R HR HR R MR HR X
WL 625HQ W-L Research 9.2 MR HR HR HR HR HR R HR
1 StandFast;
2 Hybrid;
3 Company trials indicate some tolerance to wheel traffic.
HR = High Resistance
R = Resistance
MR = Moderate Resistance
LR = Low Resistance
S = Susceptible

Alfalfa Variety Marketers

America's Alfalfa 800-873-2532
Ampac info@ampacseed.com
Arrow jim@alltel.net
Barenbrug 800-547-4101
Beck's jherr@beckshybrids.com
Chemgro 800-346-4769
Croplan www.croplangenetics.com
Dairyland 608-676-2237
Deer Creek 877-247-3736
Doebler's willard@doeblers.com
Elk Mound 800-401-7333
Farm Valley Brand 800-323-0725
Fielder's Choice 800-321-3177
Fontanelle spike@fontanelle.com
Garst www.garstseed.com
Geertson 800-843-0390
Golden Harvest 800-421-1169
Grassland Central 877-560-5181
Great Plains Research alfalfa@GreatPlainsResearch.com
Hytest www.HytestSeeds.com
J.R. Simplot www.simplot.com
JC Robinson 800-944-7333
Jung pjung@centurytel.net
Kaltenberg ksfseeds@chorus.net
Kelly Green Kellygreen@plateautel.net
Kussmaul 866-Kussmaul
LG Seeds lgseeds.com
Mycogen www.mycogen.com
NC+ NC-Plus.com
Patriot jason@patriotseed.com
PGI Alfalfa 800-247-3967
Pioneer 800-247-6803
Producer's Choice m.fraley@producerschoiceseed.com
Renk agsup@tds.net
S&W Seed www.swseedco.com
Seed Resource wswink@seedresource.com
Seedway 800-836-3710
Shepherd gshepherd@seedfarm.com
Sommer Bros. 800-747-2127
Specialty Seeds 800-685-4521
Syngenta joe.waldo@syngenta.com
Top Farm ron@top.farm.com
Trelay jasonb@trelay.com
Tri-West 208-352-1188
UAP West 559-651-0560
W-L Research info@wlresearch.com
Ziller www.zillerseed.com
Syndicate
Source URL: http://hayandforage.com/mag/farming_grade_alfalfas