1. Forecast 3000 is a 67 clone synthetic variety. One half of the germplasm was 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, forage quality, stand persistence, late maturity trait, resistance to bacterial wilt, Phytophthora root rot, anthracnose(Racal), Aphanomyces root rot(Race l),Verticillium wilt, and spotted alfalfa aphid. The other half of the germplasm was selected from space planted nurseries. These parent plants were selected for winter injury tolerance, vigor, forage yield and the late maturity trait. Parent plants trace back to Apollo, MNB1, Teweles Multistrain, Magnum, MultiKing 1, Trident II, WAPH-1, Thor, Tempo, Magnum III-Wet, MNDl(Syn.2), G2815, 5432, 5444, Magnum III, 5373, Impact, WL312, Tachiwakaba and Dairyland experimental Dairyland experimental trace back to Ranger and Iroquois. One half of the germplasm was planted in isolation and interpollinated by honey, leafcutter and bumble bees in Sloughhouse, California in 1992- 93 to produce Syn.l as Breeder Seed. Seed from parent plants were equally bulked each year to produce Breeder Seed. The other half of the germplasm was handcrossed in the greenhouse in Clinton, Wisconsin in 1992. Seed was bulk harvested to produce Syn.l as Breeder Seed. Both lots were equally blended together to produce Foundation Seed(Syn.2)Estimate of the percentages of germplasm sources are Turkistan(38), Flemish(26)and Unknown(36).
2. Forecast 3000 is adapted to the Northcentral Region of the United States. It has been tested in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan and intended for use in the northern half of the United States.
3. Forecast 3000 is moderately dormant alfalfa similar to Saranac. Its flower color percentages are: purple(90), variegated(l0), with trace amount of cream,white and yellow in the Syn. 2 generation. Forecast 3000 is a late maturity alfalfa compared to Magnum IV, WL322HQ, and Vernal. Forage quality is similar to the high forage quality checks.
4. Forecast 3000 has high resistance to bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, resistance to anthracnose(Racal), Verticillium wilt, Phytophthora root rot, stem nematode, northern root-knot nematode, pea aphid, blue alfalfa aphid, moderate resistance to spotted alfalfa aphid and Aphanomyces root rot(Racal).
5. One half of the Breeder Seed was produced from cuttings of parental plants planted in an isolation block to produce Syn.l at Sloughhouse, California in 1992-93. Seed lots were kept separate. The other half was produced by hand intercrossing parent plants in the greenhouse in 1992 to produce Syn.1 at Clinton, Wisconsin. Equal quantities of seed of both Breeder Seed lots were blended to produce Foundation Seed (Syn.2). Foundation Seed was produced in sufficient quantities for the expected life of the variety and maintained by Dairyland Seed Company. Certified Seed (Syn.3) will be produced from Foundation Seed. Length of stand allowed for Breeder and Foundation Seed is three years and five years for Certified Seed.
6. Forecast 3000 was offered for sale in 1996.
7. Application for Plant Variety Protection is anticipated.
8. Information in the NAVRB0application can be forwarded to the PVP office.
9. Variety name: Forecast 3000 Date submitted: November 26, 1996
Experimental designation: DS9481, DS9554