Raised Bed Alfalfa Varietal Production in La Paz County, Arizona, 1993-1995

Abstract

Twenty alfalfa varieties grown in small plots on raised beds were evaluated for forage production beginning after planting in the fall of 1992. Data from eleven harvests were obtained in 1993 -1995, generally covering the summer months. No variety produced more forage than CUF 101 in each of the three years although Moapa had more tonnage than CUF 101 in two of the years. Moapa and Tillman (101.6% and 100.8% of CUF 101 respectively) had higher total production than CUF 101 during the study, although Tillman had the least production of varieties tested during the third year. The varieties Rio and WL 516 had least amounts of forage production over the three year period. Percentage bloom and plant height were very highly correlated from the July 1993 harvest. Total production from 1993-1994 were similar to the bloom and height of July 1993, as Tillman, Moapa and CUF 101 had the highest percentage bloom, while Rio and WL 516 had the least bloom. Cibola and CW 2981 had greater than 240, 000 crowns per acre following the 1994 season, followed by Tillman and Condor. WL 516, Madera, and ABI 9182 each had fewer than 180,000 crowns per acre. Tillman and Cibola had greater than 120,000 crowns /acre at the end of the third year; all other varieties had fewer. Hopperburn and associated yellows during the fall of 1995 was correlated with both crowns /acre and plant height, although crown numbers and height were not correlated.