Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, announced that it will be adding two new alfalfa varieties to its lineup for 2010.
These new varieties offer additional protection from yield-robbing pests and diseases and also are applicable to many regions across North America.
Pioneer brand 55V12 offers a strong defensive package, is highly resistant to Phytophthora root rot and Aphanomyces root rot race 1 and is resistant to Aphanomyces root rot race 2.
55V12 offers added value by combining high yield with the non-lodging trait, allowing for a high harvestable yield. Independent research shows that 6 inches of stubble, at minimum, would create a loss of one-half ton per acre.
“The non-lodging trait is important when harvest is delayed,” Smith says. “Growers don’t want brown, dead stems left in the field to be picked up in subsequent harvests, and this trait helps growers avoid that. The ability to maintain overall harvestable yield is what growers are looking for in an alfalfa product. They don’t want to lose their crop or have a decline in yield or quality due to field delays or hay that is lodged.”
Pioneer brand 54Q32 is categorized as a high-quality variety. Varieties in this group tend to be higher in forage quality by 10 to 15 relative forage quality (RFQ) points compared to other variety groups.
The high-quality attribute allows for a wider harvest window while maintaining the quality and digestibility of the crop. This variety also has a strong agronomic package with high resistance levels to Phytophthora root rot and Aphanomyces race 1. Additionally, this variety is highly resistant to wilting disease.
Source: Pioneer Hi-Bred