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Registration of ‘NuMex Bill Melton’ Alfalfa for Variable‐Soil‐Moisture Environments
Author(s) -
Ray Ian M.,
Pierce Christopher A.,
Currier Clifford G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of plant registrations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1940-3496
pISSN - 1936-5209
DOI - 10.3198/jpr2011.10.0561crc
Subject(s) - cultivar , irrigation , biology , agronomy , agricultural experiment station , medicago sativa , horticulture , agriculture , ecology
‘NuMex Bill Melton’ (Reg. No. CV‐206, PI 664299) alfalfa ( Medicago sativa subsp. sativa L.) was developed by the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station and released on 5 June 2009. This cultivar was tested under the experimental designation NM0307 and was developed by phenotypic recurrent selection for improved forage yield under reduced levels of irrigation and for enhanced resistance to Phytophthora root rot (caused by Phythophthora megasperma Drechs. f. sp. medicaginis Kuan and Erwin) and anthracnose (caused by Colletotrichum trifolii Bain & Essary race 1). NuMex Bill Melton is adapted to the USDA plant hardiness zones 7 and 8 of New Mexico and the southwestern portion of the Great Plains that lie between 31° and 35° N latitude. Under standard irrigation management practices in this region, NuMex Bill Melton ranked among the top‐performing entries in 11 of 15 New Mexico test environments. Under deficit irrigation management in 6 additional test environments, this cultivar consistently ranked equal to, or higher than, the drought‐tolerant check ‘Wilson’. These results indicate that NuMex Bill Melton should be useful for hay production in arid and semiarid environments of New Mexico that possess either optimum or limited irrigation capabilities.