Marathon
1. Two backcrosses were used in the development of Marathon with Glacier as the recurrent parent and two S1 Cardinal clones selected in the bacterial wilt nursery as the non-recurrent parents. Plants were selected on the basis of resistance to bacterial wilt, tolerance to leaf hopper yellowing and persistence. Following the second backcross 6600 plants were evaluated and 145 were selected for bacterial wilt resistence. This number was further reduced to 50 and polycross seed from these 50 plants was used to establish the breeders seed field.
2. Primary use will be for hay, haylage and green chop in the Central and N.E. U.S. and other areas where Flamande-type alfalfa are well adapted.
3. Flower color ranges from light to dark purple with an occasional variegated plant. Growth habit is upright. Marathon is similar to or slightly more dormant than Saranac and has a moderate level of resistence to bacterial wilt.
4. Seed generation sequence will be Breeders-Foundation-Certified. Breeders seed has been produced in the state of Washington and Foundation seed production will be limited to the states of Washington, Idaho, Northern Nevada and Utah.
5. 1975.
6. No decision on Plant Variety Protection Act.