Biotic Stresses
Pursues and patents protection against insect diseases such as:
- Potato leafhopper (PLH), with greater than 70 percent PLH resistance
- Blue alfalfa aphid, many varieties with a High Resistance (HR) to impacts of aphid feeding
Integrates and patents high resistance to many important alfalfa diseases, including:
- Aphanomyces root rot races 1 and 2 (plus a new one suspected to be race 3) into elite performing, proprietary germplasm
- Patented protection for resistance to anthracnose race 5 in alfalfa, along with previously discovered race 1
Develops nematode-resistant alfalfa to protect yield and stand quality:
- Many varieties resistant to both stem nematode (SN) and root knot nematode (RKN), economically important pests in the Western US
Abiotic Stresses
Salt tolerance testing at germination performed in the greenhouse to ensure appropriate performance under salt stressed conditions.
Additional salt-stressed testing at our Garden City, KS and Nampa, ID locations to further select the best varieties for these challenging climates.
Marker-assisted breeding
A method incorporated with traditional phenotypic selection, marker-assisted breeding allows for quicker identification and selection of plants with desired genetic resistance.
This results in newer technology and varieties with improved resistance hitting the market quicker, while keeping new technology more affordable for growers, like:
UltraCut® Alfalfa Disease Package:
Delivers an advantage through improved agronomic performance and yield potential. Grow a healthy alfalfa crop in field conditions susceptible to evolving Aphanomyces and Anthracnose disease strains.
