Mesa-Sirsa
1. Thirteen parent clones were selected from an introduction from India, P.I. 235,736, for high resistance to the spotted alfalfa aphid and high general combining ability for forage production as determined by progeny tests.
2. Mesa-Sirsa is adapted to the lower desert valley areas of Southwestern United States where Moapa and Sonora are grown. Tested at locations in Arizona, California and Nevada.
3. Purple flowered with no variegation. Uniformly upright, nondormant -similar to Sonora. Much more resistant to both biotypes (Ent A and B) of the spotted alfalfa aphid than Moapa or Sonora as determined by seedling survival tests. More resistant to downy mildew than Moapa and Sonora.
4. Breeder seed was produced from a 0.4 acre planted near Yuma, Arizona, from plants obtained from inter-crossing 13 parental clones selected for a high resistance to spotted alfalfa aphid. Additional seed from these clones is available for establishing additional breeder seed fields as needed. Foundation seed will be produced from breeder seed. Production of foundation seed will be limited to the desert valley areas of the Southwestern alfalfa region. Certified seed will be produced from foundation seed. Seed generations beyond certified may not be called Mesa-Sirsa alfalfa.
5. Fall of 1966.