22 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2017 SUPPORTED BY: ENDORSED BY: and easily. It also has the benefit of being a reduced lignin alfalfa, mean- ing it has better digestibility than varieties with higher lignin levels. It’s not the only reduced lignin alfalfa on the market, though — in 2015, Alforex Seeds introduced its Hi-Gest 360 and Hi-Gest 660 alfalfa offerings, which contain a reduced lignin trait developed through con- ventional breeding. HarvXtra alfalfa with Roundup Ready Technology is FGI’s most recent foray into the Canadian alfalfa market, and contains both the Roundup Ready trait and a reduced- lignin trait also developed through transgenic methods. At this time, HarvXtra alfalfa with Roundup Ready Technology is available only to growers in Eastern Canada. Companies are not permit- ted to undertake HarvXtra alfalfa with Roundup Ready Technology seed production in Canada.  All seed production has taken place in the U.S., with only commer- cial sales for hay production allowed in Eastern Canada. “The reduced lignin trait is more important than the Roundup herbicide resistance, in my opinion,” says Mike Peterson, global traits lead for FGI. “The Roundup Ready trait is a nice add, but it’s not the main feature driving the sales of this product in Canada. The HarvXtra always comes first when we describe the product.” GE alfalfa isn’t the only alfalfa product FGI is working on. It’s also making strides with conven- tional alfalfa, an example being an attempt to offer stronger resistance to Anthracnose stem rot. ALFALFAMARKETASHIFTINGONE Todd Hyra remembers the days when the alfalfa seed market looked a lot different than it does now. “At one point in time, SeCan was quite involved with several forage crops, but the market has shifted over the last 10-15 years,” says Hyra, Western Canada business manager for SeCan, which is the largest supplier of certified seed to Canadian farmers. “Now, the industry has consolidated and there are fewer forage seed companies. The dominant ones have their own proprietary forage products.” Still, SeCan continues to offer a handful of conventional alfalfa seed varieties that Hyra says are worth noting: AC Blue J, a traditional trifoliate, tap rooted alfalfa variety; AC Dalton, which has improved verticillium wilt resistance compared to Beaver and Barrier; AC Yellowhead, which has a higher protein content than Beaver, Rambler or Heinrichs; and Peace, also high in protein. The latter two varieties are extremely winter hardy. “Trying to break the winter hardiness/fall dormancy split has been a major driver of innovation in alfalfa for awhile now,” Hyra says. “There’s been a huge shift in the alfalfa industry over the years, and while SeCan doesn’t play as big a role as we used to, it’s great to see the investment in the potential of the crop. It’s a fun crop to work with and it’s encouraging to see that innovation happening.” W E B I N A R Register today for the Strategy Session Webinar germination.ca/webinar/ Join us as we follow up on this very topic, and find out more about the latest advances in alfalfa. You'll get to interact with experts who will offer their knowledge and expertise on the alfalfa seed market, new products, and what researchers are doing to better understand and improve this valuable crop. LIVE WEBINAR Tuesday, August 15 1 p.m. ET | 10 a.m. PT LEARN MORE Anthracnose of alfalfa is caused by Colletotrichum trifolii. This fungus can attack leaves, but most character- istically attacks stems and crowns. While resistance has been built in to many varieties of alfalfa on the market, Peterson notes it’s beginning to break down in some lines. The disease is rare in Western Canada, but is more prevalent in the eastern United States and Eastern Canada. “Even with Aphanomyces root rot, which has been around for over 20 years, the industry is finding there’s still a lot to be gained by breeding new varieties resistant to additional races of this important disease,” he adds.