1. AquaMate is a 29 clone synthetic variety. Fifteen parents were selected out of saturated soils near Marshfield, WI. Plants were selected for the branch rootedness, resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora root rot, Aphanomyces root rot(Race 1or2), crown health and herbage growth. Source material trace back to 5373, 5472, Nordic, Zenith, Quest, 645, Precedent, Legacy, Blazer XL, Magnum III-Wet and Dairyland experimentals. Fourteen parent plants were selected out of forage yield trial plots near Clinton, WI for resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, leaf disease, crown health and herbage growth. This source material trace back to the germplasm MNB-P1, Webfoot and Dairyland experimentals. The percent of germplasm sources are: M. falcata(5), Ladak(10), M. varia(8), Turkistan(20), Flemish(35), and Unknown(22).
2. AquaMate is adapted in the North Central Region of the United States and intended for use in the Northern half of the United States. The state where it has been tested is Wisconsin.
3. AquaMate is a dormant, fall dormancy 3 variety. Flower color in the Syn. 2 generation is 85% purple, 12% variegated, 1% cream, 1%white and 1%yellow.
4. AquaMate has high resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora root rot; resistance to anthracnose(Race 1), Aphanomyces root rot(Race 1), Verticillium wilt, northern root-knot nematode(M. Halpa) and moderate resistance to stem nematode. It has not been tested for pea aphid, blue alfalfa aphid and spotted alfalfa aphid.
5. Breeder seed was produced from bulking seed of parent plants planted in field isolation to produce Syn.1 seed near Sloughhouse, CA in 1993. Foundation seed (Syn.2) was produced from Breeder seed and Certified seed (Syn. 3) from Foundation seed. One generation each of Breeder, Foundation and Certified seed classes are recognized. A maximum of three harvest years each is permitted on stands producing Breeder and Foundation seed with five years for Certified seed. Sufficient Breeder seed for the projected life of the variety will be maintained by Dairyland Research International.
6. Certified Seed was available fall of 1998.
7. Application for the Plant Variety Protection is undecided.
8. Information in the NAVRB application can be forwarded to the PVP office.
9. Variety name: AquaMate Date submitted: November 25, 1998
Experimental designations: DS9553