Alfalfa plants having improved standability and/or fast recovery after harvest and methods for producing same

Abstract

The invention provides alfalfa plants having improved standability and/or fast recovery after spring green-up or after harvest and methods for producing such plants. Such alfalfa plants provide increased annual yield of high quality forage.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An alfalfa variety that has on average about 8% or greater faster recovery after spring green-up or after harvest compared to an adapted commercial variety grown under the same field growing conditions in North America, wherein the adapted commercial variety is selected from the group consisting of ‘WinterGold’, ‘WL325HQ’, ‘WL319HQ’ and ‘Hybri-Force 400’.  
     
     
         2 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 1  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 10% or greater faster recovery after spring green-up or after harvest.  
     
     
         3 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 1  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 20% or greater faster recovery after spring green-up or after harvest.  
     
     
         4 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 1  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 30% or greater faster recovery after spring green-up or after harvest.  
     
     
         5 . An alfalfa variety that has on average about 15% or greater more erect stems at late bloom compared to an adapted commercial variety grown under the same field growing conditions in North America, wherein the adapted commercial variety is selected from the group consisting of ‘WinterGold’, ‘WL325HQ’, ‘WL319HQ’ and ‘Hybri-Force 400’.  
     
     
         6 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 20% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         7 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 25% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         8 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 30% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         9 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 35% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         10 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 40% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         11 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 45% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         12 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 50% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         13 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 55% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         14 . The alfalfa variety of  claim 5  wherein the alfalfa variety has on average about 60% or greater more erect stems.  
     
     
         15 . An alfalfa variety with the following characteristics: 
 a) on average about 8% or greater faster recovery after spring green-up or after harvest compared to an adapted commercial variety grown under the same field growing conditions in North America, wherein the adapted commercial variety is selected from the group consisting of ‘WinterGold’, ‘WL325HQ’, ‘WL319HQ’ and ‘Hybri-Force 400’; and    b) on average about 15% or greater more erect stems at late bloom compared to an adapted commercial variety grown under the same field growing conditions in North America, wherein the adapted commercial variety is selected from the group consisting of ‘WinterGold’, ‘WL325HQ’, ‘WL319HQ’ and ‘Hybri-Force 400’.    
     
     
         16 . Seed of the alfalfa variety of  claim 1  or  claim 5  or regenerable parts of said seed.  
     
     
         17 . Pollen of the alfalfa variety of  claim 1  or  claim 5 .  
     
     
         18 . Seed of an alfalfa plant pollinated by the pollen of  claim 17  or regenerable parts of said seed.  
     
     
         19 . An alfalfa plant produced by the seed of  claim 16  or regenerable parts of said seed.  
     
     
         20 . Seed of alfalfa germplasm designated ‘CW 75046’ and having ATCC Accession No. PTA-5346.  
     
     
         21 . Seed of alfalfa germplasm designated ‘CW 83201’ and having ATCC Accession No. PTA-5347.  
     
     
         22 . Seed of alfalfa germplasm designated ‘CW 85029’ and having ATCC Accession No. PTA-5348.  
     
     
         23 . Seed of alfalfa germplasm designated ‘CW 95026’ and having ATCC Accession No. PTA-5349.  
     
     
         24 . A method for producing first-generation synthetic variety alfalfa seed comprising crossing a first parent alfalfa plant with a second parent alfalfa plant and harvesting resultant first-generation (F1) hybrid alfalfa seed, wherein said first or second parent alfalfa plant is selected from the alfalfa variety of  claim 1  or  claim 5 .  
     
     
         25 . A tissue culture of regenerable cells, the cells comprising genetic material from an alfalfa plant of ‘CW 75046’, wherein the cells regenerate plants having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of a plant of ‘CW 75046’, the seed of which have been deposited and have ATCC Accession No. PTA-5346.  
     
     
         26 . A tissue culture of regenerable cells, the cells comprising genetic material from an alfalfa plant of ‘CW 83201’, wherein the cells regenerate plants having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of a plant of ‘CW 83021’, the seed of which have been deposited and have ATCC Accession No. PTA-5347.  
     
     
         27 . A tissue culture of regenerable cells, the cells comprising genetic material from an alfalfa plant of ‘CW 85029’, wherein the cells regenerate plants having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of a plant of ‘CW 85029’, the seed of which have been deposited and have ATCC Accession No. PTA-5348.  
     
     
         28 . A tissue culture of regenerable cells, the cells comprising genetic material from an alfalfa plant of ‘CW 95026’, wherein the cells regenerate plants having all the morphological and physiological characteristics of a plant of ‘CW 95026’, the seed of which have been deposited and have ATCC Accession No. PTA-5349.  
     
     
         29 . An alfalfa variety having high yield, persistence, multiple pest resistance, fast recovery after winter, improved standability and fast recovery after spring green-up or after harvest when compared to an appropriate check variety grown under the same field growing conditions in North America.