1. Jade is an 8 clone synthetic
variety. Parent clones trace back through several intermediate steps to
Teweles Multistrain, MSB, Tempo, Apollo, Answer, MNP--D1, Iroquois and
Dairyland experimentals. Dairyland experimentals trace back to Flandria,
Culver, Vernal and Ranger. Parent clones were selected out of forage yield
plots and progeny tested for one or more of the following traits: Forage
yield, stand persistence, winter hardiness, seed yield, and resistance
to bacterial wilt, Phytophthora root rot, Fusarium wilt, anthracnose, Verticillium
wilt and Aphanomyces. The percent of germplasm sources
are: M. falcata (10),
Ladak (30), M. varia (5), Turkistan, (10), Flemish (40) and Chilean
(5).
2. Jade has been designed for the upper midwest and northeastern region of the United States for hay, haylage, greenchop and dehydration. The states where it has been tested are Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois.
3. Flower color in the Syn. 2 generation is 80% purple, 20% variegated with trace amounts of cream, white and yellow. Growth habit in mid--summer is erect and semi--erect in the fall. Its fall dormancy is similar to the variety Saranac.
4. Jade has high resistance to bacterial wilt, Phytophthora root rot, resistance to Fusarium wilt, anthracnose (Race 1) and Verticillium wilt, with moderate resistance to spotted alfalfa aphid and low resistance to Aphanomyces. Its reaction to pea aphid, blue alfalfa aphid and stem nematode has not been tested.
5. Breeder seed has been produced from cuttings of the parental clones in an isolation block as Syn. 1. Enough Breeder seed (Syn. 1) was produced for the expected life of the variety. Seed lots will be kept separate. Foundation seed will be produced from Breeder seed and Certified seed from either Breeder or Foundation seed. One generation each of Breeder and Foundation and two generations of Certified seed classes are recognized. A maximum of three years each is permitted on stands producing Breeder and Foundation seed, with five years for Certified seed.
6. Certified seed will be available the spring of 1991.
7. Application for the Plant Variety Protection is undecided.
8. As a means of additional varietal
protection, information included with this application may be provided
to the PVP office.