Alfalfa Variety Performance at the Dickinson Research Extension Center - Manning Ranch, ND |
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R.O.
Ashley, L.J. Tisor, G. Ottmar
Dickinson Research Extension Center |
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Abstract |
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Dry matter yields from 23 different alfalfa varieties grown
at the Dickinson Research Extension Center - Manning Ranch were compared under dryland
conditions. No significant differences in dry matter yield were detected at the 5% level.
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Introduction |
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In 1996, North Dakota counties south and west of the
Missouri River produced alfalfa hay on 778,500 acres with an average yield of 1.6 tons per
acre. New varieties with improved agronomic characteristics have been released. Producers
are questioning whether the new varieties will produce as much as Vernal, a common public
variety. Little information is available on performance of these new varieties under a
limited water environment such as that which is found in southwestern North Dakota.
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Procedure |
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Representatives from Cenex, Northrup King, Agri-Pro,
Interstate, Pioneer, and Cargill provided varieties that they thought to be adapted to
western North Dakota in 1995 (Table 1). In addition to the
commercial varieties seeded in 1995, three public varieties were included. In 1996,
DeKalb, Keltgen Seed, and Northrup King provided seed of additional varieties (Table 1). Varieties were seeded in a randomized complete block design
to evaluate potential difference in dry matter yield. Vernal, a public variety which is
commonly grown, was used as a check variety in both plantings. Plots were seeded into standing oat stubble that had been hayed the preceding year. Glyphosate (Roundup) was applied as a "burn down" herbicide to control early season weed growth prior to direct seeding with a John Deere 750 no-till drill. Forty pounds of 18-46-0 was placed with the seed. Two cuttings were made in 1997. Cutting dates were June 10, for the first cutting and July 25, for the second cutting. A flail forage plot harvester was used to cut samples from a measured area in each plot. Samples were then oven dried to determined the percent dry matter weight, yield and relative yield calculated.
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Results and Discussion |
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The 1995 entries produced a total average yield of 3.6 tons
per acre from two cuttings in the initial year of seeding (data not shown). In 1996, both
the 1995 seeding and the 1996 seeding produced one cutting. The 1995 seeding produced an
average yield of 1.5 tons per acre and the 1996 seeding produced less than 1.0 ton per
acre (data not shown). No significant differences between varieties were detected at the 5% level for first and second cutting and for total yield produced for 1997 (Table 2). Yield of first cutting alfalfa was affected by below normal precipitation in May and early June. First cutting was made when alfalfa plants were in 20% bloom, wilting, dropping leaves and going into dormancy due to the lack of stored soil water and precipitation. Toward the end of June and during July, above normal precipitation was received and helped produce and average yield of 1.3 to 1.5 ton per acre for the second cutting. Total yields of 1.9 to 2.1 ton per acre in 1997 exceeded 1996 yields. It is interesting to note that first cutting yield of Vernal in the 1996 seeding exceeded that of the same variety in the 1995 seeding. Probably the root system in the 1996 seeding would not have been as well developed in 1996 as the 1995 seeding and therefore would not have utilized as much stored soil moisture as the 1995 seeding. In 1997, root development continued and extracted moisture stored from previous years. Water is a limiting factor that my prevent improved alfalfa varieties from exhibiting superior performance. During growing seasons with above normal precipitation which fully meed the requirements of alfalfa and fertility is sufficient, improved varieties may out perform older varieties. |
Table 1. Agronomic characteristics of selected alfalfa varieties grown at the Dickinson Research Extension Center Ranch, Manning, ND.
Variety | Company | FD | BW | VW | FW | AN | PR | SA | PA | SN | AP | NR |
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120 | DeKalb | 3 | hr | r | lr | r | r | |||||
5262 | Pioneer Hi-Bred | 2 | hr | lr | mr | r | r | r | mr | |||
5364 | Pioneer Hi-Bred | 4 | r | mr | r | mr | mr | hr | hr | r | ||
5454 | Pioneer Hi-Bred | 4 | r | mr | hr | hr | hr | r | r | mr | lr | |
Allegiance | Keltgen Seed/Lynks Seed | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | hr | r | r | r | r | ||
Avalanche +z | Americas Alfalfa | 2 | hr | hr | hr | hr | hr | r | mr | r | ||
Blazer XL | Cenex/Land O Lakes | 3 | r | r | hr | hr | hr | hr | r | r | r | |
Cenex 740 | Cenex/Land O Lakes | 3 | r | r | r | r | ||||||
Cenex MG | Cenex/Land O Lakes | 2 | 1 | lr | 2 | 3 | ||||||
200 | Lakes | |||||||||||
Crown II | Cargill | 3 | hr | r | hr | hr | ||||||
Cut/Graze | Agri-Pro | 3 | r | lr | hr | mr | r | r | mr | r | ||
Defiant | Agri-Pro | 2 | hr | hr | hr | r | hr | r | mr | r | ||
DK 127 | DeKalb | 3 | hr | r | r | hr | hr | hr | hr | r | hr | r |
Ladak 65 | Public | 1 | mr | s | s | s | ||||||
LegenDairy | Cenex/Land O Lakes | 2.5 | hr | hr | hr | hr | hr | |||||
NK 919 Rangeland | Northrup King | blend | ||||||||||
NK 919-10 | Northrup King | blend | ||||||||||
Proof | Keltgen Seed | 3 | hr | r | hr | hr | hr | r | r | r | ||
Rainier | Northrup King | 3 | hr | r | hr | hr | hr | hr | hr | r | hr | r |
Ranger | Public | 3 | ||||||||||
Spreador III | Northrup King | 1 | hr | mr | hr | r | mr | s | mr | mr | s | |
Sterling | Cargill | 2 | hr | r | hr | hr | hr | r | r | r | ||
Vernal | Public | 2 | r | mr | mr |
Column headingsFD = Fall Dormancy |
Pest resistance ratings
% Resistance Plants Resistance Class 0-5% Susceptible (s) 6-14% Low Resistance (lr) 15-30% Moderate Resistance (mr) 31-50% Resistance (r) < 50% High Resistance (hr)
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Fall Dormancy Ratings
Check Variety Dormancy Rating
Norseman = 1 |
Table 2. 1997 dry matter yields of alfalfa varieties at Manning, North Dakota.
Entry | Cutting Date |
Relative Yield |
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6/10 |
7/25 |
Total |
6/10 |
7/25 |
Total |
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-----tons dry matter/acre----- |
-------% of Vernal------ |
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1995 Planting | ||||||
Sterling | 0.52 |
1.74 |
2.26 |
124 |
123 |
123 |
Ranger | 0.58 |
1.61 |
2.19 |
1.38 |
114 |
120 |
Blazer XL | 0.71 |
1.41 |
2.12 |
169 |
100 |
116 |
Defiant | 0.49 |
1.58 |
2.07 |
117 |
112 |
113 |
NK919 Rangeland | 0.57 |
1.50 |
2.07 |
136 |
106 |
113 |
5364 | 0.50 |
1.50 |
2.00 |
119 |
106 |
109 |
Spreador III | 0.32 |
1.63 |
1.95 |
76 |
116 |
107 |
5262 | 0.33 |
1.61 |
1.94 |
79 |
114 |
106 |
740 | 0.45 |
1.44 |
1.89 |
107 |
102 |
103 |
MG 2000 | 0.38 |
1.47 |
1.85 |
90 |
104 |
101 |
Vernal | 0.42 |
1.41 |
1.83 |
- |
- |
- |
NK919-10 | 0.37 |
1.45 |
1.82 |
88 |
103 |
99 |
Avalanche + z | 0.40 |
1.37 |
1.77 |
95 |
97 |
97 |
Cut/Graze | 0.29 |
1.40 |
1.69 |
69 |
99 |
92 |
LegenDairy | 0.30 |
1.34 |
1.64 |
71 |
95 |
90 |
Crown II | 0.35 |
1.28 |
1.63 |
83 |
91 |
89 |
Ladak | 0.29 |
1.27 |
1.56 |
69 |
90 |
85 |
Mean | 0.43 |
1.47 |
1.90 |
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LSD .05 | NS |
NS |
NS |
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CV% | 38.5 |
12.6 |
15.4 |
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1996 Planting | ||||||
120 | 0.94 |
1.49 |
2.43 |
108 |
108 |
108 |
Vernal | 0.87 |
1.38 |
2.25 |
- |
- |
- |
Proof | 0.81 |
1.31 |
2.12 |
93 |
95 |
94 |
Rainier | 0.84 |
1.28 |
2.12 |
97 |
93 |
94 |
5454 | 0.83 |
1.25 |
2.08 |
94 |
91 |
92 |
Allegiance | 0.71 |
1.23 |
1.94 |
82 |
89 |
86 |
DK 127 | 0.65 |
1.16 |
1.81 |
75 |
84 |
80 |
Mean | 0.81 |
1.30 |
2.11 |
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LSD .05 | NS |
NS |
NS |
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CV% | 14.0 |
9.3 |
10.7 |
April -- 2.89; May -- 0.95; June -- 5.02; July -- 5.41
May 8, 1997 - 1.80"
1st cutting ~ 20% bloom and wilting due to dry soil conditions; 2nd cutting ~ 40% bloom.
1 Roger Ashley, Agronomist; Lee Tisor, Research Specialist; Garry Ottmar, Research Specialist; Dickinson Research Extension Center, Dickinson ND.