Alfalfa Variety Trial R.L. Dovel and J. Raineyl

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1 R.L. Dovel and J. Raineyl =11 Introduction Alfalfa is a major forage commodity in the Klamath Basin. It is grown on over 40,000 acres in Klamath County alone. Major markets for Klamath Basin alfalfa are dairies, cattle ranches, and horse farms in Oregon and California. Premium quality hay suitable for the dairy hay market, requires timely cutting, good weed control, and an adequate stand. Little difference in forage quality has been seen between alfalfa varieties in the past. Breeding programs are striving to improve alfalfa quality. Varieties reportedly superior in quality are beginning to be marketed; however, management still appears to have more effect on forage quality than varietal differences. Few pests attack alfalfa in the Klamath Basin. The main diseases present are bacterial wilt and phytophthora root rot. Verticillium wilt has not been found in the basin, but it occurs in many surrounding areas. The main insect pest is the alfalfa weavil. Some breeding programs are beginning to select for resistance to this pest. Pest resistances are important variety selection criteria. Winter hardiness is important in selecting a variety for the Klamath Basin. Winter hardiness has been closely linked with fall dormancy ratings; however, less dormant varieties have experienced reasonable stand longevity in recent years, perhaps due to relatively mild winters. Local variety trials are being used to develop empirical winter hardiness and stand persistence measurements to supplement fall dormancy ratings as a measure of variety hardiness. Forage yield is a function of a complex set ofinteractions between the alfalfa plant and its environment. Variety trials conducted at the KES provide 1/ Associate Professor and Biological Sciences Research Technician III, respectively, Klamath Experiment Station, Klamath Falls, OR. Acknowledgments: Financial support ofthese studies from the following companies is appreciated: Allied Seed; DeKalb Seed; North American Plant Breeders; Northrup King Co.; Pioneer Hi Bred International; Plant Genetics; Union Seed Co.; and W-L Research. Klamath Experiment Station 167

2 alfalfa producers locally developed data on the yield potential and persistence of new alfalfa varieties. An alfalfa variety trial established at KES in 1991 is the main subject of this report. Procedures Atrial including 48 released and experimental alfalfa varieties was established in May, Varieties were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Soil samples from the field were analyzed and the appropriate fertilizer applied prior to planting. A tank mix of eptam (EPTC) and Benefin was applied prior to planting at 3 and 1.2 lb ai/acre, respectively. Immediately after application, herbicides were incorporated with a rototiller. Seed was drilled to a depth of 1/4 inch at a rate of 20 lb/acre using a modified Kincaid drill. Plots were 5 x 30 feet with 5-foot borders and alleyways. The crop was sprinkler irrigated with a solid set system. Plants were allowed to grow through the first growing season with only a fall cutting. Alfalfa was harvested in subsequent years when plants reached early bud stage. The crop was harvested using a flail harvester with a threefoot wide head. All yields are reported on a dry weight basis. Unusually warm spring weather in 1992 allowed four cuttings, one more than is normally obtained in trials at KES. In 1993, the growing season was cooler than normal. Three cuttings were taken and fall regrowth documented by a fourth harvest after plants had gone dormant. Three cuttings were also taken in Results and Discussion Forage yields in the establishment year ranged from 0.86 to 1.52 tons/ acre. Although there were significant differences between the highest and lowest yielding entries, forage yields of 16 entries were not significantly different than the highest yielding entry in the trial, DK 125 (Table 1). Forage yields of only 11 entries were significantly higher than Vernal, the long term standard included in the trial. Similar trends were seen in subsequent years where significant differences in yield were present but a large number of varieties were in the top yielding group (Tables 1 and 2). Average forage yield in 1992 was 7.44 tons/acre and only 5.02 tons/acre in 1933 (Table 1). This drop in yield was partly due to a cooler than normal year in 1993 and to 168 Klamath Experiment Station

3 moisture stress caused by irrigation scheduling conflicts. The trial average yield increased slightly in 1994 to 5.37 tons/acre. Identification of differences in forage yield between varieties was no better when three-year total forage production, 1992 to 1994 average production, and total four-year production were examined. Twenty four entries were in the top yielding group when the three-year average yield was examined. The relative ranking of varieties when examining three-year average yield and four-year total yield was essentially the same. It is interesting to note that the lowest yielding variety in the establishment year, Atra 55, was the highest yielding entry in the two subsequent years. Variety selection should be based on a number of criteria in addition to yield. Disease and pest resistance and winter hardiness are two very important factors. Varieties selected for the Klamath Basin should be resistant to bacterial wilt, phytophthora root rot, verticilium wilt, and in some areas stem nematode. Resistance to root-knot nematode may also be a factor when in rotation with potatoes. In the past, fall dormancy ratings of 2 to 3 have been recommended for the Klamath Basin; however, recent varieties in groups 4 and 5 have persisted over a four- year period. Klamath Experiment Station 169

4 Table 1. Forage yield summaries of48 alfalfa varieties grown at the Klamath Experiment Station, OR, Variety/ Entry selection Yield Total 4 - yr 3 - yr avg yr tons/a rank tons/a rank 1 DK DK DK DK Asset Centurion Multistar Majestic Sabre Webfoot MS UN Legend Apollo Supreme Arrow Agressor Archer Husky GS Ultra Expt Max WL WL WL WL Vernal Sparta Champ Klamath Experiment Station

5 Tab 1 e 1. Forage yield summaries of 48 alfalfa varieties grown at the Klamath Experiment Station, (continued) OR, Variety/ Entry selection Yield Total 4 - yr 3 - yr avg yr tons /A rank tons/a rank 31 Fortress Multileaf II Excaliber Blazer Belmont Cimmaron VR Columbo W Milkmaker II Flint PB SCO SCO Rancher Special Apollo Ii Atra Vector LM Mean CV (%) LSD (0.05) Klamath Experiment Station 171

6 Table thy matter yield of all three cuttings and total yield of alfalfa varieties established at Klamath Experiment Station in Variety/ Entry selection Yield Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Total Rank (ton/a) 1 DK DK DK DK Asset Centurion Multistar Majestic Sabre Webfoot MS UN Legend Apollo Supreme Arrow Agressor Archer Husky GS Ultra Expt Max WL WL WL _ WL Vernal Sparta Champ Klamath Experiment Station

7 Tab 1 e 2, 1994 dry matter yield of all three cuttings and total yield of alfalfa varieties established at (continued) Klamath Experiment Station in Variety/ Entry s election Yield Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Total Rank (ton/a) 31 Fortress Multileaf II Excaliber Blazer Belmont Cimmaron VR Columbo N Milkmaker II Flint PB SCO SCO Rancher Special Apollo Ii Atra Vector LM Mean CV (%) LSD (0.05) Klamath Experiment Station 173

IRRIGATED ALFALFA VARIETY TRIALS* Mylen Bohle and Steven R. James Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center Madras, OR

IRRIGATED ALFALFA VARIETY TRIALS* Mylen Bohle and Steven R. James Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center Madras, OR Abstract Twenty two alfalfa varieties were planted in 1987 at the Central Oregon