Armona
1. Armona is a 128 clone synthetic alfalfa cultivar developed by mass selecting old plants in established hay fields in the San Joaquin Valley (CA). The selections were made in 1982 in badly thinned fields that were 3 or more years old. The fields were reportedly planted with 3 released varieties in common use in the southwestern U.S. Based on grower testimony, the germplasm sources are M. falcata 1%, Ladak 1%, M. varia 9%, Turkistan 24%, Flemish < 1%. Chilean 18%, PeruvianTl%, Indian 26%, African 12%, and 10% unknown. The plants were potted and reselected in greenhouses in Sacramento and Woodland, CA, for good agronomic characteristics and lack of foliage diseases, eliminating 19.5% of the plants. Three cuttings of each clone were planted in a screened isolation cage (83C65) and pollinated with leafcutter and honeybees to produce breeder set (Syn. I). The plants were dug and transplanted in a new area in 1984 to produce 84C72. The 1983 and 1984 seed were not bulked.
2. Armona is adapted to the southwestern non-dormant alfalfa producing areas of the U.S. and other simliar regions. It will be used primarily for hay, greenchop, and dehydration. This variety is being tested in California.
3. Armona is non-dormant and the flowers are 90% purple and 10% variegated with a trace of green and yellow. The growth habit is erect in summer and moderately erect in late fall. The pods are tightly coiled and tan to brown in color
4. Armona has high resistance to spotted alfalfa aphid, pea aphid, and Fusarium wilt; resistance to blue alfalfa aphid, and stem nematode; moderate resistance to Phytophthora root rot and bacterial wilt; and low resistance to anthracnose. Its reaction to Verticillium wilt has not been determined.
5. Breeder seed (Syn. 1) of Armona was produced in isolation cages in Woodland, CA in 1983 and 1984. Foundation seed (Syn. 2) will be produced from fields for 2 years planted with breeder seed. Certified seed (Syn. 2 or 3) will be produced from fields planted for 4 years with either breeder or foundation seed. Foundation and certified seed classes will be produced in the San Joaquin Valley (CA). No other seed class or generation will be recognized as Armona. The stand duration for breeder, foundation, and certified seed shall be 2, 2, and 4 years, respectively.
6. Certified seed will be available in 1987.
7. Application for Plant Variety Protection is undecided.
8. Information may be given to the PVP office.