HYBRID ALFALFA
BY PAUL SUN
I. HISTORY
Historically, for the past 100 years, genetic gain of crop breeding can be divided into two categories. Incremental improvement, and evolutionary changes. Incremental improvements were developed from recombination, and selection, which resulted in 1 to 5% genetic gain per year, or breeding cycle. Evolutionary changes were from new ideas in crop breeding, or conceptual changes of breeding, or hybridization. Which resulted in more than a 10% genetic gain.
All genetic gain of the alfalfa crop for the past 100 years was from new breeding ideas. Such as the development of Ranger alfalfa in 1940, to Vernal alfalfa in 1953 to, Magnum alfalfa in 1974. Each variety made more than 10% genetic gain in comparison with the most popular varieties growing at that period of time. Ranger alfalfa was developed by Dr. Tysdal of Nebraska. He recognized the importance of winter hardiness and bacterial wilt to forage production. Dr. Brink of the University of Wisconsin developed vernal alfalfa. He made the first inter species cross of M. Sativa with M. Falcata, to capture winter hardiness, and hybrid vigor. Dairyland Seed developed magnum alfalfa through the application of general combining ability for parental clone selections. In 1998 Wiersma et. Al. University of Wisconsin, reported no genetic gain for alfalfa yield in 17 years. In 1999, the U.S.D.A. reported alfalfa yield in recent years showed a slight decline. In contrast, hybrid corn showed 1.8 bushels of genetic gain per acre per year.
II. CURRENT ALFALFA
Current alfalfa are synthetic varieties by definition. They are similar to open pollinated corn of the1860’s. Open-pollinated corn (1860-1930) did not make very much progress in yield for 70 years. So are our current alfalfa varieties. Genetically, it is very difficult to make progress with random pollination. By design, current alfalfa relies on random pollination by bees over generations for seed increases. This random pollination results in inbreeding, and yield loss in the commercial seed generation.
In contrast, the hybrid seeds are the 1st generation seed of a cross from 2 different, and specifically selected genetic lines with controlled pollination.
III. WHY HYBRIDS
Over 100 years ago in 1907, Dr. George Shull, a brilliant scientist, discovered and established the concept of hybrid vigor during a study of the inheritance of corn kernel rows. He suggested hybrid vigor should be exploited for the benefit of agriculture. For the last 50 years, it was well documented that the hybrid is the most efficient biological unit to use sunlight, water, and nutrients to produce food.
IV. GUIDING LIGHT
Hybrid corn represents an extraordinary success. The modern hybrids targeted at 2 bushels yield increase per acre annually with virtually no additional input. The history of corn yield and corn hybrid development in U.S. provides a crystal clear guiding light for alfalfa breeders and alfalfa yield improvement. Farmers used open pollinated corn until 1930. U.S.D.A. data showed that total corn grain yield increased about 2.0 bushels per acre for a 70-year period (1860-1930) when double cross hybrid (4X) was introduced to the market in the 1930’s. Yield gain was about 1.0 bushels/acre/year. Single cross hybrids (2X) were introduced to the market in the 1960’s. Yield gain was about 1.8 bushels/acre/year from 1960-1995.
V. DEVELOP HYBRID ALFALFA
Dairyland Seed Co., a homegrown family Co. with a passion, vision and commitment to the development of hybrid alfalfa. Dairyland has spent more than 20 years in research of hybrid alfalfa and spent 15% in annual revenue trying to unlock the secret of developing Hybrid alfalfa.
VI. What are the challenges
1. Alfalfa flowers contain both male and female parts in close proximity in the same floret. For this reason one could not detassel alfalfa as is done with hybrid corn. Therefore, female plants, maintainer plants and pollenizer plants are needed to develop hybrids.
2. Pollination, corn pollens are carried by wind from tassels to silks for pollination. Alfalfa pollens are carried by bees for pollination. Bee attractiveness of the female plants and male plants, and inter relationships are very intricate.
3. Other challenges. Such as trying to develop a breeding system that can ensure incremental improvement as in hybrid corn.
VII. ADVANTAGES
There are numerous advantages of hybrids. Here I just want to mention a few that are beneficial to alfalfa growers.
1. Hybrid vigor is vivid.
v Hybrid alfalfa show 8 to 15% yield advantages over the best synthetics in University trials and showed higher percentage in the farmer’s field.
Example #1:
1997-2000 University forage Yield Trials.
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
Average |
|
Hybriforce™-400 |
106 |
107 |
109 |
108 |
* Percent advantage over mean.
|
|
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
Average |
|
Hybriforce™-400 |
115 |
115 |
124 |
117 |
* Percent advantage over Vernal
*Forage Yield Data from University Forage yield Trials in MI, MN, WI, IA.
Example #2
1998-2001 Arlington WI Forage Yield Trial
|
|
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
Average |
|
DS9809 Hyb Advantage |
120 |
127 |
131 |
127 |
*%Advantage over Vernal.
1998-2001 Arlington WI Forage Yield Trial.
|
|
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
Average |
|
DS9809 Hyb Advantage |
106 |
111 |
114 |
111 |
*%Advantage over test mean
Forage Yield Data Collected from University trial at Arlington WI.
Example #3
Strip Trials
On Farm Strip Trials.
Forage yield comparison
Plant spring 2000 and 2001
|
|
Seedling Year |
1st Production Year |
|
Hybrid-401 |
16.3% |
15.8% |
Hybrid
Locations Check Varieties
Evansville MN Ameristand 201+2
Rochester MN Geneva
Willmar MN 5454
2. Hybrid plants are more resilient, and can be harvested earlier providing improved forage quality with reduced risk of stand loss.
3. Hybrid alfalfa recovers faster after cutting.