Pierce
1. Pierce was developed by using a combination of phenotypic selection and line crossing. The final procedure consisted of intercrossing approximately 500 blue alfalfa aphid resistant selections. Two hundred selections were taken from each of the experimental line C-78-524 and C-78-525. The other 100 selections were taken from each of the experimental line PX-75-61. The three experimental lines were developed by combining selections for forage yield, blue alfalfa aphid and Phytophthora root rot resistance from the cultivars CUF 101 (40%), WL 318 (20%), WL 512 (20%), MSF-6 (3%), Exp 47 (3%), Aphidor (3%), Lahontan (3%), Caliverde (3%), Moapa (3%), and Sonora (3%).
2. Pierce has been tested for forage yield and persistence in California and Arizona. It will be used for hay, greenchop, haylage and grazing in the Southern Region of the US (primarily California and Arizona).
3. Pierce is similar to Moapa 69 in dormancy. Flower color at full bloom is approximately 24% dark purple, 47% medium purple and 29% light purple.
4. Pierce has high resistance to Fusarium wilt and blue alfalfa aphid; it has resistance to spotted alfalfa aphid, pea aphid, stem nematode and Phytophthora root rot, it has low resistance to bacterial wilt. Reaction to anthracnose is unknown.
5. Adequate breeder seed (Syn I) has been produced for the life of the variety. Seed classes will be breeder, foundation and certified. Limitation on age of stand for producing breeder, foundation and certified. Limitation on age of stand for producing breeder, foundation and certified will be one, three and five years, respectively.
6. Certified seed will be available in 1982.
7. Application for plant variety protection is being considered.