1. BPR 368 is a 20 clone synthetic variety. Parent clones were selected out of forage yield plots and/or disease nurseries. These parents plants were progeny tested for one or more of the following traits: forage yield, forage quality, stand survival, resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora root rot, anthracnose(Race 1), Verticillium wilt, Aphanomyces root rot(Racal) and spotted alfalfa aphid. Parent plants trace back to Answer, Apollo, Thor, Tempo, Apollo Supreme and Dairyland Experimentals. Dairyland experimentals trace back to Ranger and Iroquois. Parent plant were planted in isolation and interpollinated by honey, leafcutter and bumble bees in Sloughhouse, CA in 1990-91 to produce Syn.1 as Breeder Seed. Seed from parent plants were equally bulked each year to produce Breeder Seed. Estimate of the percentages of germplasm sources are M. varia(10), Turkistan(30) and Flemish(60).
2. BPR 368 is adapted to the North Central and great Plains Regions of the United States. It has been tested in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Nebraska and intended for use in the Northern half of the United States.
3. BPR 368 is moderately dormant alfalfa similar to Saranac. Its flower color percentages are: purple(92), variegated(8) with trace amounts of cream, white and yellow in the Syn.2 generation.
4. BPR 368 has high resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora root rot, resistance to anthracnose(Racal), Verticillium wilt, spotted alfalfa aphid, blue alfalfa aphid, northern root-knot nematode, moderate resistance to Aphanomyces root rot(Racal) and pea aphid. It has not been tested for stem nematode.
5. Breeder Seed was produced from cuttings of parental plants in an isolation block to produce Syn.1 at Sloughhouse, CA in 1990-92. Seed from parental clones were equally bulked and seed lots were kept separate. Breeder Seed was produced in sufficient quantity for the expected life of the variety and maintained by Dairyland Seed Company. Certified Seed(Syn.2or3) may be produced from either Breeder or Foundation Seed. Length of stand allowed for Breeder and Foundation Seed is three years and five years for Certified Seed.
6. BPR 368 will be offered for sale in 1997.
7. Application for Plant Variety Protection is uncertain.
8. Information in the NAVRB application can be forwarded to the PVP office.
9. Variety name: . Date submitted: November 26, 1996 Experimental
designation: BPR 368