First Year Field Evaluation of Nine Alfalfa Varieties Planted October 1997 on the Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation

Abstract

Nine alfalfa varieties, most not previously tested under field conditions in Arizona, were planted October 29, 1997 using the same setting on a Great Plains Solid Stand 13 End Wheel drill. Varieties differed in lbs. of seed/acre planted, ranging from 28.0 for CUF 101 to 21.3 for Alto. Five cuttings were obtained through August 1998. The variety Alto yielded the most hay in the first and fourth cuttings and had the highest total yield from the first five harvests. Varieties with fall dormancy class ratings of 8 usually had higher yields than varieties of dormancy 9 during the spring and early summer growing season, which was below normal in temperature, resulting in class 8 dormancies having the highest total yields thus far.