Baron
1. Baron is a 654 plant variety with 50% of the percentage tracing to 29 clones obtained from Dr. Bill Melton. These clones traced to El Unico (9), Mesa Sirsa (3), Mesilla (3) Zia X Turkistan (3), Acco 765 (2), Miller Synthetic (2), WL 504 (2) with one each from WL 501, AT 530, Acco 657, Hayden and Kanza. The other 50% of the parentage traces to WL 318. Source materials were screened from 1 to 4 cycles for resistance to Phytophthora root rot, anthracnose, spotted alfalfa aphid and blue alfalfa aphid.
2. Baron is adapted to the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys of California and high desert valleys of southern California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico for hay, greenchop and dehydration purposes. It has been tested in California, Arizona and New Mexico.
3. Baron is a moderately nondormant variety. Flower color is predominantly purple with some blue variegated. Growth habit is upright.
4. Baron has a high 1evel of resistance to pea aphid, spotted alfalfa aphid and blue alfalfa aphid, resistance to Phytophthora root rot and Fusarium wilt and moderate resistance to anthracnose and bacterial wilt. Reaction to stem nematode has not been adequately tested.
5. Breeder seed (Syn I) was produced on the parent plants near Nampa, Idaho, with sufficient seed for the life of the variety held in controlled storage. One generation each of breeder, foundation, and certified seed classes is recognized. Certified seed may be produced from either breeder or foundation seed. A maximum of three and five years is permitted on stands producing foundation and certified seed, respectively. Foundation seed production is limited to the southern region of adaptation.
6. Certified seed will be available in 1983.
7. Plant Variety Protection has been granted. The certification option was not requested.