JULY 2017 GERMINATION.CA 21 tions to other crops. Aphanomyces root root, caused by a pathogen very similar to Phytophthora, attacks both seedlings and adult alfalfa plants and can dramatically reduce yield and vigour of established stands. Boosting quality also remains the mission of alfalfa breeders like Claessens. “Our goal is to have cows pro- duce more milk from the alfalfa they consume, either by increasing alfalfa’s digestibility or energy content so the microorganisms in their stomach can have more energy to process the protein,” she says. “By increasing the energy content, we can increase milk production from forages, increase protein content of the milk, and reduce nitrogen loss in the environ- ment at the same time.” Exciting new alfalfa varieties don’t just appear overnight, though. Claessens notes that breeding pro- grams are expensive, and new sources of germplasm and funding are always being sought. It can take many years for a new alfalfa variety to hit the market. The GE Arena GE alfalfa often nabs headlines, and for good reason — FGI’s Roundup Ready alfalfa product introduced in Eastern Canada is the first herbicide- tolerant alfalfa to hit the market, and has made life easier for hay producers looking to eliminate weeds quickly Now we have a very high-quality alfalfa — dairy quality — that’s still at that 4 fall dormancy rating, but you have a winter hardiness below 2, which is as a good or better than any creeper on the market. This gives you lots of options as to your farming system, and it can be used in many different regions.” Regional differences are the key to knowing what alfalfa variety is best for Western Canada, Lutterotti adds. If the alfalfa crop is meant for short-term growth, moderate winter hardiness is usually adequate. For long-term stands, a lower winter hardiness rating is often a good idea, but it can depend on a couple factors, he notes. “In regions with more snow, a lower winter hardiness rating may not provide much additional protection, but you never know. You don’t want the grower to just assume that they’re going to get a lot of snow cover next winter. You might not get as much snow in a given year, so it might be a good idea to go with an alfalfa that can withstand exposure to the cold better.” He recommends retailers work with their customers to determine the variety that is the best fit for their specific situation. Popular varieties include Compass, with ultra-winter hardiness and fast regrowth. Improving Yield, Persistence and Quality The advances in alfalfa products like high-quality winter hardy varieties are due in part to the hard work of people like Annie Claessens, forage breeder at Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada’s Quebec Research and Development Centre. Claessens is part of a multidiscipli- nary team of researchers constantly working to improve the forage crop on a number of fronts. Like breeders of most other crops, alfalfa breeders are working to boost yields. The key to doing so is lower- ing the dormancy, but doing so can have unwanted effects on alfalfa persistence. It’s an interesting conun- drum that Claessens and her team are challenged with. “We’re trying to help growers extend the alfalfa growing season from late summer through to early winter, so we want less dormant cultivars. However, when they’re less dormant, they generally have lower winter survival.” Some significant gains have been made in recent years, like the kind Lutterotti refers to, where winter hardiness has been improved while keeping fall dormancy the same. But there’s a ways to go, Claessens notes. “Those two traits can be improved simultaneously. We’ve developed an indoor selection method to decrease dormancy but increase freezing toler- ance, which is one of the most impor- tant factors in lowering winter survival under our climatic conditions.” Breeding for better freezing toler- ance involves creating plants with perennial organs (crown and roots) that are able to withstand freezing temperatures. She reports that they have been able to increase the freez- ing tolerance of alfalfa by 5 C. Claessens and her colleagues are also working at disease resist- ance, which is the second most important factor lowering winter survival. Breeding efforts are focus- ing on Phytophthora root rot and Aphanomyces root rot, thereby help- ing alfalfa to be less affected by cold and wet soil conditions. Phytophthora root rot, caused by a fungus-like pathogen, is believed to survive for many years in the soil, and may attack alfalfa after long rota- Annie Claessens is a forage breeder at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Quebec Research and Development Centre. Mike Peterson, global traits lead for Forage Genetics International.