A. COVER PAGE CALIFORNIA CROP IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION PROJECT PROPOSAL. Alfalfa Variety and Germplasm Adaptation and Evaluation (Continuing)

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1 A. COVER PAGE CALIFORNIA CROP IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION PROJECT PROPOSAL PROJECT TITLE: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: OTHER INVESTIGATORS: Alfalfa Variety and Germplasm Adaptation and Evaluation (Continuing) Dan Putnam, Dept. of Plant Sciences University of California, Davis, CA fax Chris DeBen, SRA, Plant Sciences, UC Davis Steve Orloff, Farm Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension-Siskiyou Co., Yreka, CA Francisco Maciel, Staff Research Associate, UC Research and Extension Center, El Centro, CA Oli Bacchi, Farm Advisor, El Centro, CA Rafael Solorio, Ag. Technician, UC West Side Research and Extension Center, Five Points, CA Darrin Culp, Superintendent, IREC, Tulelake, CA Dale Pattigan, Asst. Superintendent, Kearney Research and Information Center, Parlier, CA BUDGET REQUESTED: 7/1/17-6/30/18: $50,136 SUMMARY: We propose to continue conducting approximately 6 trials at 6 locations in California in , depending upon the level of support. This program includes both released lines and experimental cultivars, with more than 8,000 yield estimations/year. This includes Tulelake, Davis, Modesto, Parlier, Five Points, and El Centro. Three new trials are planned for 2017 (Tulelake, Five Points & Davis), to replace existing trials, depending upon level of funding. This alfalfa variety yield testing program, supported by CCIA, is the most comprehensive of any state in the US and this financial request is modest given its scope. As an ongoing set of trials of a perennial crop, it enjoys support by clientele (farmers) as well as seed companies, and the data is widely used. Funding requested this year funds 50% of an SRA at Davis most of the the remainder of the support is for field station charges, additional labor needs, travel, supplies, equipment, web management and data analysis will be borne by contributions by seed companies or other grants. Results of these trials will be reported at: and at field days and in end-of year publications. Partial budgets for variety choice (using UC data) indicate yield benefits worth potentially $500 to $2,000/acre and overall value to the California alfalfa industry of variety information is several hundred million dollars per year. Variety trials continue to be of vital interest to growers and seed marketers in California, and CCIA is the key supporter of this program and without this support, the trials would cease.

2 B. OBJECTIVES: Primary Objectives: 1. To evaluate certified cultivar differences in alfalfa forage yield and persistence, and to communicate these results to clientele. 2. To develop and provide forage yield and performance data on alfalfa experimental germplasm to public and private alfalfa scientists. Secondary Objectives: 1. To quantify the interactions between agronomic practices and factors such as salinity, nutrient deficiencies, cutting schedule and other factors on yield, quality, and stand life. C. PROCEDURES: Scope. The UC Alfalfa Cultivar trials are designed to test the performance of varieties adapted to the various production zones in California. Only certified or soon-to-be certified cultivars sold on the market are tested; not blends or uncertified cultivars. This includes advanced experimental varieties. Also included in the trial are both public and proprietary cultivars and experimental germplasm. At one location (West Side) we have the opportunity to test alfalfa lines under both high saline (EC of 9-10) and low salinity (EC of 0.5 to 1.0) conditions. This is linked to the CCIA request, but additional funding has been sought for the special requirements here. Varieties grown in these trials range from Fall Dormancy (FD) class 2-5 in the Intermountain areas (3 cut), to FD 3-8 in the Sacramento Valley (6-7 cut), FD 7-9 in the San Joaquin Valley (7-8 cut), and FD 8-11 in the Imperial Valley (9-11 cut). California is considered unique in the US due to the wide range of alfalfa cultivars that can be grown here. Summary of Variety Trial Sites to be managed in (name of the trial includes the year of planting): Regional cultivar and germplasm evaluation trials will be maintained at seven locations in California. These locations are representative of the different agro climatic zones in which alfalfa is grown in California (see sites below): Tulelake. Intermountain Research and Extension, Tulelake). A new trial will be established at Tulelake in April-May of This trial will be harvested in a 4-cut system and replaces the variety trial that was completed in UCDavis (UC Davis Plant Sciences Farm). A variety trial was established in September 30, 2014 with 36 varieties in 4 replications. We began data collection in This is typically a 6-7 cut system with FD ranging from 4 through 9. This will be the third year and final year of production with 7 harvests anticipated. This trial is being irrigated with subsurface drip irrigation UCDavis (UC Davis Plant Sciences Farm). If funding is forthcoming, a new variety trial will be established in September 2017 to replace the current variety trial at this location Modesto (Stanislaus Farm Supply). A variety trial was established in October 9, 2014 with 36 varieties in 5 replications and data collection began in

3 2015. This is typically a 7 cut system with FD ranging from 6 through 10. This will be the third and final year of production at this location WestSideSalinity. (West Side Research and Extension Center, Five Points). An existing trial will be conducted for one more year at this site. Trial includes water applications of 8-11 ds/m salinity (quite saline) and compared with low salinity (1.0 ds/m) WestSide Salinity. A new variety trial will be established in March 2017 with 35 varieties in 4 replications. This trial will use drip irrigation to provide better application uniformity of saline water. This is also repeated in entirety with low vs. high salinity Imperial. (UC Desert Research and Extension Center, El Centro). This trial was established in the fall of 2016 with 30 varieties in 6 replications. This trial will be harvested at least 9 times per year starting in early This trial will have fall dormancies ranging from 9 through 10. Management Methods: A standardized approach to field testing of alfalfa varieties will be used, utilizing a Randomized Complete Block Design with generally 4-6 replications. Field crop measurements have been developed over many years, and have been approved via national discussions during American Society of Agronomy meetings, and published by the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference (NAAIC). Trials are harvested using a flail chopper experimental-type harvester at most locations, and a sickle-bar harvester at Davis. Trials are typically harvested for 3 years, with the exception of the intermountain trials, which are harvested for longer periods. It is estimated that 3 years is sufficient to estimate the relative yield potential over years. The above primary objectives are combined within the same experimental protocol, so that emerging new breeding lines may be evaluated concurrently with established cultivars. Eligibility of Varieties. Varieties from private seed companies and public agencies (UC, other land-grants) are eligible for entry into these trials. This includes released varieties as well as cultivars which are sufficiently advanced to be eligible for released within a few years of completion of the trial. Both Roundup-Ready alfalfa varieties and experimental lines and conventional lines are eligible, with the exception of Imperial Valley locations there are prohibitions on planting Roundup-Ready alfalfa lines at that location. Plot Size and protocol: All of these trials have been established according to a standardized protocol. These protocols have been discussed at American Society of Agronomy meetings, and have been worked out over the years to accommodate statistical and experimental standards as well as practical considerations. It is highly desirable to standardized plot technique across national locations, since both growers and seed companies use multiple-location data across states. Size of plot is approximately 3 x 18-20, or 4 X 20, depending upon specific field location and harvesting system. After long discussion about the virtues of various plot designs, and the advantages and disadvantages of different designs, we have settled on a design which includes harvesting the entire plots. This has the advantage of smaller block size, and also more efficiency in the handling of excess material.

4 Planting, Cutting Schedules, irrigation practices, and pest management: Most of our trials were planted using a grain drill type planter mounted with a cone-type distributor which provides optimum distribution of seed within an approximately 3 X 25 foot plot area (new trials at UC Davis have been planted with a 4 X 20 plot size, and some modification of this approach is used in different locations see discussion on plot size above). Practices for these trials follow as close as possible to the cutting schedules, irrigation practices, and pest management most common to the region where they are conducted. Data Analysis: A significant part of our expense is data management, computer hardware and software, labor, and statistical consulting necessary to manage such large amounts of data. Our yield results reports contain tables, each one with about means for yield or stand count data, and our forage quality results contain also a large group of data. Each year, we compile, enter, calculate, and analyze the data from over 8,000 individual yield observations. Each number is checked three times. These data are summarized in the fall of each year, typically within a one-month time frame.. Education and Outreach. These data are usually completed by November or early December, and placed as soon as possible on the Web as a preliminary report. Data from each of the locations is compiled at the end of the season and published annually in an Agronomy Progress Report. This is normally done the first week in December, or in January of the following year. Presentations on the results of these trials will be made at the annual Field days, which are planned for Davis (May), Kearney (August- September), El Centro (April), Tulelake (August), West Side (various) and other Intermountain areas (August). These variety trials provide a central focus for discussion of a number of other important management issues including pests, diseases, forage quality, irrigation methods, salinity issues and cutting strategy. Presentations of this data are also made at several winter meetings arranged by Farm Advisors or Specialists. In our view, an important component of the testing process is outreach. Internet Access. The cultivar trial reports are now available on the World Wide Web through the Alfalfa Workgroup Site. This should increase the visibility of the California Testing program nationally and internationally. The site is: and once at this site click on Alfalfa Varieties. Database. The continued maintenance and improvement of data management techniques and web-based variety selection tools, is an important goal of this project. Outreach. The alfalfa variety trials provide an important outreach tool for UC Cooperative Extension. We feature these variety trials at the UC Davis Field Day, field days at Kearney Ag. Center, West Side Field Station, Intermountain Research and Education Center, and the Desert Research and Education Center. These trials always are of strong interest to farmers and seed companies alike. Variety Response under higher EC conditions Salt Tolerance Trial. A variety trial was established in October 9, 2014 with 36

5 varieties in 5 replications at West Side Field Station. This trial enabled us to test a limited number of lines under both high and medium salinity conditions, and to provide yield data to the public on lines that have recently been developed by seed companies. The yield penalty from salinity in 2015 was approximately 2 t/acre (EC 9-10 vs. EC 0.5 to 1.0 ds/l). In 2016 data show a quite low yield penalty, around 1.0 t/a, suggesting alfalfa as a crop is tolerant of high-saline conditions. Very high CV% must be taken into consideration. We have less confidence in differences with varieties, and hypothesize these differences had more to do with the inability to provide sufficient water uniformity across a small trial. Long-term performance data is necessary. A future salinity tolerance trial is planned for March 2017, with plans to use subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) to supply water more uniformly. We have set up additional infrastructure of a new pump for a saline well, a reservoir (with a contributed high-quality liner), and distribution pumps and gated pipe to be used for this trial. We have also provided a site for the genetics companies, with an interest in this issue, to provide incentives for them to screen new lines. This is an integral component of the alfalfa variety evaluation program, in our view, since it begins to address a major issue for the state. This is being supported primarily through screening nurseries on the station, but the CCIA funding is critical to the whole effort, including this salinity trial. We are working closely with Bob Hutmacher and Merf Solorio at West Side, and Sharon Benes at Fresno State. D. JUSTIFICATION: Field evaluation is a critical aspect of variety improvement. The information we develop about the performance of these materials provides both growers and farm advisors with a realistic assessment of the potential of each cultivar. It provides an independent evaluation of proprietary and public varieties, and also provides a historical record of the progress in improving performance. Materials in each trial are all certified cultivars that are commonly sold in the region or cultivars likely to be certified in the near future. CCIA, in their continued support of this project, has aided greatly in the development of information on yield potential of alfalfa cultivars. The Intermountain California data is used throughout the Pacific Northwest and other cooler areas for variety adaptation information. The desert data from California is used in Arizona, and the desert Southwest, as well as an indicator for other non-dormant regions of the world, for example Argentina, South America, Australia and the Middle East. Growers depend on University data to help make variety choices, and to check on information supplied by companies. The California Alfalfa Variety Testing Program is probably the largest and most comprehensive of any western state, with locations to represent the widely divergent environments in California. Industry plant breeders enter experimental cultivars in the trials to obtain performance data for further breeding. These data can be used as documentation in applications for cultivar approval by the Alfalfa Variety Review Board and for Plant Variety Protection. Alfalfa cultivar selection sets the upper genetic potential for crop yield and other performance traits. What is the potential impact of variety, or the genetic component of crop performance for alfalfa in California? The average difference (top-to-bottom) due

6 to variety in these trials totaled 6 Metric tons/ha/year (2.6 tons/acre), or 30% of the trial means over about 400 location/years of testing. The differences between regions are seen, with greater differences in the Central Valley sites and fewer differences in the intermountain and desert regions. The average total economic and value of California alfalfa over 30 years was calculated be $1.065 billion dollars (in 2009 dollars) per year, using USDA and Economics Research data price data, so if 30% of potential alfalfa yield can be from genetic differences (data from our trials), $319 million of the potential value might be due to genetic differences. E. BUDGET BUDGET NARRATIVE AND JUSTIFICATION: These trials are highly dependent upon personnel for trial management, harvesting, field management, and reporting. Thus the key funding for this trial is for 50% of an SRA at Davis (Chris DeBen). All other funding for this project is coming from seed company donations and coupling with other grants. Additionally we are highly dependent upon the ANR Research and Extension Centers for support but this support requires recharge monies, which is included in this budget. The committee should know that large increases in the ANR charges are already here and more coming, and this might also make these trials unviable. The committee should be aware that though costs for this program require longer-term commitments (e.g. 3-year planting decisions, commitment to staff, and machines that must be amortized over a longer period), all sources of funding for this project are on a year-to-year basis. We must also anticipate major capital expenditures, particularly the experimental harvesters for this ongoing program. We were fortunate in 2016 to purchase a new $120,000 planter by combining funds from CCIA, Charlie Brummer, the department, and several others to support many crops. This funding supported this purchase in All other support for these trials must be borne by seed company donations or by other grant projects. The budget request for this year is not substantially different than previous year s requests.

7 2017 Alfalfa Variety & Germplasm Testing Budget July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018 Personnel: Staff Research Associate (C. DeBen 30% time) $ 17,935 SRA Benefits (30%) $ 9,326 Subtotal A $ 27,262 Operating Expenses: Travel (2) Field Station Charges (3) $ 3,500 Miscellaneous field supplies (4) $ 1,200 Equipment Maintenance and Repair (5) $ - Computer/Web Support/Outreach (6) $ - Total Budget $ 31,962 Notes and Justification: 1. Personnel (per year) SRA salary at 25% time. Remainder of their time will be covered by donations from seed companies and other funded projects. *SRA II Salary UC Davis (Chris DeBen) - per month $ 4, SRA Benefits (51.8% July '16-June '17) $ 2, Travel to and from sites for management will need to be covered by donations from seed companies. Note that a single trip to El Centro requires $500, and Central Valley trips cost $ We have been able to supplement these travel money with other sources (dept., ANR) when possible. 3. Field Station Charges (will likely be $2000/site, with 5 sites, so about $10,000 total) - so this is estimated to be 1/3 coverd by CCIA, remainder will need to be covered by seed company donations. 4. Field Supplies (stakes, flags, bags, misc. - Entire amount to be covered by donations from seed companies) 5. Equipment maintenance (all equipment is old and requires maintenance to be serviceable. We are currently making repairs and renovating these machines --to be covered partially by this grant, and by donations from seed companies) 6. Computer/Web Support (software to analyze data, student assistance for data entry, web design and maintenance, to be covered by donations from seed companies) F. APPROVALS:

8 3/21/16 Daniel H. Putnam Date Joe DiTomaso, Chair Date CE Agronomist Department Chair Plant Sciences, UCD Plant Sciences, UCD