Big Wheel Alfalfa

High yield

Very persistent

Improved standability

Traffic/grazing tolerant

High forage quality

Description

Big Wheel alfalfa is a high yielding variety that exhibits much improved yield and persistence over traditional varieties, even under wheel traffic pressure. Big Wheel alfalfa consists of elite varieties selected for high yield, traffic tolerance and persistence. Big Wheel features tall showy plants and a dense leafy canopy with medium dark green foliage. Big Wheel has very good forage quality.

Big Wheel components consistently test at or near the top of university and private trials for yield when under traffic or not. Big Wheel has exhibited a 12% increase in yield over ABI-403-T when not under additional traffic. Both components of Big Wheel have performed exceptionally well in trials across the Corn belt and NE, averaging 107% over the trial mean in a combined 18 university trials.The major component has outstanding yield and persistence under traffic tests in various trials showing nearly 15% increase in yield under traffic over ABI-403-T. The minor component has a 90% stand after 2 years of continuous cattle/sheep grazing. In the same test, check varieties ABI Alfa-Graze and WL 325HQ had 79% and 5% stand ratings respectively.

Other Info

Management Keys:
Big Wheel alfalfa is adapted across the US and Canadian fall dormancy 4 production zone and fits 3, 4 or 5 cut harvest systems. It demonstrates strong yield stability over the life of the stand when compared to many other fall dormancy 4 varieties that begin to thin during the 2nd and 3rd hay years. Big Wheel exhibits medium early maturity for the first crop harvest. The wide crowns recover fast after harvest. It is well adapted to hay/rotational graze management systems. No known soil type or management system limitations.