1. Magna 601 is a 48 clone synthetic variety. Parent plants were selected out of forage yield plots near Clinton, WI. Parent plants were selected from Sutter. These parent plants were evaluated for bacterial wilt, Fusarium wilt, leaf disease, crown health and herbage growth. The percent of germplasm sources are: Turkistan(12), Chilean(4), Peruvian(1) and Unknown(83).
2. Magna 601 is adapted in the Southwestern and Northcentral Region of the United States and intended for use in the Southern and Central regions of the United States. The states where it has been tested are California and Wisconsin.
3. Magna 601 is a moderately dormant, fall dormancy 6 variety. Flower color in the Syn. 2 generation is 95% purple, 5% variegated with trace amounts of cream, white and yellow.
4. Magna 601 has high resistance to Fusarium wilt, Phytophthora root rot, spotted alfalfa aphid; resistance to northern root-knot nematode(M. hapla), stem nematode, southern root-knot nematode(M. incognita), bacterial wilt, anthracnose(Race 1). It has not been tested for Aphanomyces root rot(Race 1), Verticillium wilt. pea aphid and blue alfalfa aphid.
5. Breeder seed was produced from bulking seed of parent plants planted in field isolation to produce Syn.1 seed near Sloughhouse, CA in 1991. Foundation seed (Syn.2) was produced from Breeder seed and Certified seed (Syn. 3) from Foundation seed. One generation each of Breeder, Foundation and Certified seed classes are recognized. A maximum of three harvest years each is permitted on stands producing Breeder and Foundation seed with five years for Certified seed. Sufficient Breeder seed for the projected life of the variety will be maintained by Dairyland Research International.
6. Certified Seed was available fall of 1999.
7. Application for the Plant Variety Protection is undecided.
8. Information in the NAVRB application can be forwarded to the PVP office.
9. Variety name: Magna 601 Date submitted: November 25,1998 Experimental designations: DS9855