Moapa 69
1. The parent clones of Moapa were reconstituted in order to improve performance of the variety and to substitute two clones that were difficult to maintain. Seven parent clones of Moapa were tested in combinations with other clones of known progeny performance. Selection was based on yield, persistence, and reaction to spotted alfalfa aphid. The following nine clones were chosen as parents of Moapa 69: C904, C905, C906, C907, C908, C909, C910 from Moapa, C1026 from Mesa-Sirsa and C937 from Sonora. C1026 and C937 were also parent clones of El Unico.
2. Moapa 69 is intended for hay production in those areas of Utah, Nevada, and California where Moapa is presently adapted. Moapa 69 has been tested at Logandale in southern Nevada, Mesa in the Salt River Valley of Arizona, El Centro in the Imperial Valley of California and Davis in the Central Valley of California.
3. Purple flowers. Similar to Moapa in uniformity of growth and winter dormancy. Rapid recovery after cutting. Moapa 69 is more resistant than Moapa to biotypes ENT A, E and F of the spotted alfalfa aphid but only slightly more resistant to ENT C.
4. Breeder seed is a composite of equal amounts of seed from each of the nine parent clones intercrossed under isolation. Seed classes are breeder, foundation and certified. Foundation seed is the first-generation seed from fields planted with breeder seed in California, Nevada and Arizona south of the 40 parallel at elevations below 2500 feet. Certified seed is the production from fields planted with either foundation or breeder seed. No other seed class or generation is to be certified. Length of stand for foundation seed production shall not exceed 5 years from date of seeding. Breeder seed will be maintained by Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station.
5. 1971.