xt7c2f7jrg35 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7c2f7jrg35/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1959 journals 080 English Lexington : Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Kentucky Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Progress report (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n.80 text Progress report (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n.80 1959 2014 true xt7c2f7jrg35 section xt7c2f7jrg35 ` STATUS OF THE CREEPING ALFALFA BREEDING PROJECT
By Norman L. Taylor and W. H. Stroube
The objective of the alfalfa improvement program at the Kentucky
Y Agricultural Experiment Station is to transfer by breeding the creeping habit
from a Canadian variety, Rambler, to vigorous Kentucky recommended alfalfa
varieties.
Present alfalfa varieties in use in Kentucky, Certified, Narragansett,
Atlantic, Ranger, Buffalo, Vernal, Williamsburg, and DuPuits are well adapted
for use as hay, but under grazing condition are rapidly depleted in stand. The
incorporation of the creeping-rooted habit into these varieties should be ex-
pected to lengthen the life of the stand under grazing, in mixtures with grasses,
and to provide high yields. No available alfalfa variety will fill all these needs
in Kentucky. Other benefits from the program include the possibility that the
spreading—crown plants will be more resistant to heaving in low areas or in
areas where a hard pan is close to the surface. It also may provide hay types
which will be much longer lived due to the continuous production of new plants.
Description of The Creeping—Root Characteristic
Plants which possess this potentiality may be expected to develop lateral
roots about 6 to 8 inches below the ground surface. This lateral root may be
only l/8 to l/4 inch in diameter but usually in the second year of growth will
, develop slight enlargements which give rise to a stem and a new tap root.
_ The stem grows to the surface while the tap roots grows downward developing
the new plant. The old lateral root may eventually disintegrate and the new
plant when sufficiently enlarged also may be expected to develop new plants.
` Soil and climate conditions will of course modify the somewhat ideal situation L.
described above.
I Breeding Methods _
In 1955 seed related to the variety Rambler was secured from the Swift
Current Experiment Station, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. This material
was quite low in vigor. Plants were spaced in the field and overseeded with
bluegrass; after which the field was clipped to simulate grazing. At the end
of two seasons, six of the more vigorously creeping plants were dug and
brought into the greenhouse along with 6 plants from each of the varieties,
Progress Report 80
(Filing Code: 1-l)
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
Lexington

 Narragansett, Vernal Atlantic, and Rhizomal. All plants of these varieties were E
crossed with the creeping plants in the winter of 1956»57. ln August 1957, all 7
plants were spaced planted into the field and overseeded with bluegrass., In A
August 1958, about 3. 5% of the plants of the F1 population lcrosses) were ob-
served to be creeping. Vigor, while variable. was approximately an average
of the two parentsn These creeping plants were brought into the greenhouse
in the winter of 1958-59 and backcrosses to the original plants and selfs of the _
F1 plants were made. These populations were transplanted to the field, again l
overseeding with bluegrass, in August 19591.
Future
i Selections of creeping plants in the backcross and F2 progenies will be
made in 1960 so that another backcross generation may be produced. It is
expected that in 1960 the plants will possess about 75 percent of the vigor of _
the non-creeping hay—type varieties and rnanyl of course, will possess the
creeping habit, Additional backcrosses should increase the vigor still further.
After backcrossing is completed it will be necessary to test the material ,
on a field basis, studying such factors as forage and seed production and disease
resistance. No seed will be available even for testing for some time. Conse-
quently it is at present too early to estimate even an approximate date for A
release of a varietyg _
9--59-3M
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