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361HY Hybrid Alfalfa
361HY, a hybrid alfalfa variety, is a product of the exclusive patented Sunstra® Hybrid Alfalfa techology. 361HY expresses its greatest forage yield advantage in more aggressive harvest regimes. 361HY strengths include its aggressive forage yield capabilities, high forage quality, and distinctive rapid regrowth after harvest with excellent winter survival abilities and solid persistence.
Agronomic Traits
Bacterial Wilt HR
Fusarium Wilt HR
Phytophthora Root Rot HR
Anthracnose (Race 1) R
Pea Aphid R
Spotted Alfalfa Aphid HR
Northern Root-knot Nematode HR
Stem Nematode R
Lepto Leaf Spot R
Powdery Mildew R
Winter Survival 2.0
Fall Dormancy 4.0
Maturity Medium
DRI 28
Root Type Tap
Features and Benefits
Feature Benefit
Increase spring vigor Allows for earlier cutting for increased quality with less risk of stress and stand loss
Faster regrowth with more vigorous plants Photosynthesis starts sooner, which increases yield due to better use of water and nutrient uptake.
More resilient plants Provides greater forage yield production in years 3-4
Fine stems Excellent potential for high quality forage. Herbage tends to dry faster than large stemmed varieties
Hybrid Yield Increase in forage yield capabilities. Greater than eight percent in state trials
Drought Tolerance Quick ground cover to reduce moisture loss. Deep rooted to capture moisture
Shade Tolerant Competes well with nurse crops
Traffic Tolerant Tolerates wheel traffic when soil conditions are wet
Forage Yield Summary
Location Year Rank
Mead, ME 2002-2005 2nd out of 17*
Garden City, KS 2002-2005 2nd out of 40*
Carrington, ND 2005 3rd out of 10*
Fargo, ND 2005 3rd out of 12*
Ames, IA 2001-2004 4th out of 24*
Highmore, SD 2005 6th out of 11*
Ithaca, NY 2002-2004 7th out of 22*
Rosemount, MN 2001-2004 12th out of 39*
Belleville, KS 2004-2005 13th out of 16
Landisville, PA 2005 14th out of 36
Arlington, WI 2001-2004 22th out of 35


Why Hybrid Alfalfa?
Alfalfa Forage Yield Trends
For the past 20 years, forage yield improvement has remained stagnant. This poor progress has been attributed to lack of pollen control of open pollinated varieties in seed production.

Historical Corn Yields
Historically corn yields showed no yield progress from the Civil War until the 1930s. Corn at that time inculded only open pollinated varieties. When hybrid technology was introduced, double cross hybrids began to provide yield increases of about 1.0bu/acre/year. During the 1960s, single-cross corn hybrids were introduced to farmers and increased yields by 1.8 bu/acre/year. Today, corn yields are three times greater than they were in the 1930s largely due to the introduction of hybrid technology.

Reasons for Yield Gains in Corn and not Alfalfa
Alfalfa's lack of yield gain was caused by the same problem in non-hybridized corn - lack of pollen control. Hybrid technology allows for the control of pollen movement. Since the introduction of hybridization in corn, grain yield has consistently increased.

Present alfalfa varieties up to the release of Hybrid Alfalfa
Until the release of hybrid alfalfa, all alfalfas have been open pollinated varieties similar to corn varieties prior to the 1930s.

Hybrid Alfalfa captures Heterosis and Climinates Inbreeding
Hybrid alfalfa seed is a first generation F1 cross, while conventional open pollinated varieties are two to four generations of seed increase beyond the original cross. During this seed increase with an open pollinated variety, inbreeding occurs, resulting in decreased forage yield potential. Seed of hybrid alfalfa is from the original cross, maximizing heterosis similar to hybrid corn.


Beginning of Hybrid Alfalfa
We searched the world to find parents for hybrid alfalfa. Parent plants with unique genetics are collected and bred into new hybrid alfalfa varieties.Alfalfa seed is collected from a wide source of backgrounds and locations to maximize genetic resources. Marked on the map with the gold stars.




Hybrid Parents
Hybrid Alfalfa consists of three parents:
  1. Female parent
    • Cytoplasmic male sterile
      • Female fertile, male sterile
  2. Maintainer parent
    • When the maintainer parent is crossed to a female parent, the seed from the female parent is male sterile.
      • Female * Maintainer     All female seed
  3. Restorer parent
    • Normal parent used to pollinate the female parent that restores fertility to the hybrid.
Hybrid seed production

Economy Blend Alfalfa
Forage Bank 100BL is a blend of high quality alfalfa seed. Forage Bank 100BL has excellent persistence, with an exceptional forage yield potential. Forage Bank 100BL is a good valued alfalfa that will give three to four years of production.
Agronomic Summary
Bacterial Wilt HR Stem Nematode R
Fusarium Wilt HR DRI 20
Phytophthora Root Rot R Root Type Tap
Anthracnose (Race 1) MR Persistence Good
Aphanomyces Root Rot MR Re-growth Fast
Verticillium Wilt MR Leaf to Stem Ratio Good
Deep Crowned Alfalfa
Forage Bank 380SC alfalfa is a deep crowned, high forage yielding variety. It carries the sunken crown trait, which helps insulate the crown in severe winter weather. The sunken crown also helps protect the crown from equipment wheel traffic and animal hoof damage. Forage Bank 380SC expresses quick regrowth after cutting with an upright growth habit. Forage Bank 380SC has exceptional forage quality capabilities along with excellent disease, insect and nematode resistance package.
Agronomic Summary
Bacterial Wilt HR Stem Nematode R
Fusarium Wilt HR Root Type Tap
Phytophthora Root Rot HR Crown Type Sunken
Anthracnose (Race 1) R Winter Survival 2.01
Aphanomyces Root Rot R Fall Dormancy 3
Verticillium Wilt HR DRI 28
Premium Alfalfa
Forage Bank 410FY alfalfa is a igh forage yielding, persistent alfalfa with exceptional forage quality. It expresses quick regrowth after cutting to maximize the growing season. Forage Bank 410FY performs best in high producing, well-drained soils. It has a solid disease, insect and nematode resistance package that helps defend itself in adverse environmnets. Forage Bank 410FY is an alfalfa variety for the dairy or beef producer that demands high tonnages of dairy quality forage.
Agronomic Summary
Bacterial Wilt HR Northern root-knot Nematode R
Fusarium Wilt HR Pea Aphid R
Phytophthora Root Rot HR Blue Alfalfa Aphid MR
Anthracnose (Race 1) R Root Type Tap
Aphanomyces Root Rot R Winter Survival 2.21
Verticillium Wilt HR DRI 28
Stem Nematode R Fall Dormancy 4
Branch Rooted Alfalfa
Forage Bank 450BR alfalfa is a branched rooted, high forage yielding, winter hardy variety designed for the poorly drained soils. Forage Bank 450BR root system has been genetically designed with a greater degree of the branched rooted trait. This trait helps keep more of the root system above the water table and better secures the plant in the ground when freezing and thawing occurs. The branch-rooted trait is indeterminate which means it will adjust as moisture stresses intensify. Forage Bank 450BR is a good companion alfalfa to Forage Bank 410FY, a highly productive tap rooted variety.
Agronomic Summary
Bacterial Wilt HR Verticillium Wilt HR
Fusarium Wilt HR Stem Nematode R
Phytophthora Root Rot HR DRI 30
Anthracnose (Race 1) HR Winter Survival 2.10
Aphanomyces Root Rot (Race 1) HR Root Type Branch
Aphanomyces Root Rot (Race 2) R Fall Dormancy 4

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