1. BPR358 is an eight clone synthetic variety. Parent plants were selected out of forage yield plots and/or disease nurseries. These parent plants were progeny tested for one or more of the following traits: Forage yield, stand persistence, forage quality, resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora root rot, anthracnose (Race 1), Verticillium wilt, Aphanomyces root rot (Race 1), spotted alfalfa aphid, and pea aphid. Parent plants trace back through several intermediate steps to: MSB, Apollo, Answer, Teweles Multistrain, and Dairyland experimental. Dairyland experimentals trace back to Vernal, Lahontan, Ranger and Iroquois. The percent of germplasm sources are Ladak (5), Turkistan (25), Flemish (40), and Chilean (30).
2. BPR358 is adapted to the North central United States and is intended for use in the Northern half of the United States. The states where it has been tested are Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Kansas.
3. BPR358 is moderately dormant and similar to the variety Saranac. Flower color in the Syn. 2 generation is 87% purple, 13% variegated, with trace amounts of cream yellow and white.
4. BPR358 has high resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora root rot, pea aphid, resistance to anthracnose (Race 1), Verticillium wilt, spotted alfalfa aphid, and moderate resistance to stem nematode, blue alfalfa aphid, and Aphanomyces root rot (Race 1). Its reaction to root knot nematode has not been tested.
5. Breeder seed was produced from cuttings of the parental plants in an isolation block as Syn. 1 in Sloughhouse, CA in 1988--90. Seed lots were kept separate. Foundation seed (Syn. 2) was produced from Breeder seed and Certified seed (Syn. 2 or 3) from either Breeder or Foundation seed. One generation each of Breeder and Foundation and two generations of certified seed (Syn. 2 or 3) classes are recognized. A maximum of three 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.
6. Certified seed will be available spring of 1993.
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.