PICKSEED Canada Inc. is pleased to announce the recent commercialization of a pair of significantly different and superior alfalfa varieties.

TRAILBLAZER 3.0: Trailblazer 3.0 is a pubescent (haired) variety with a high degree of resistance to the feeding of Potato Leafhoppers. This pest is significant in many areas of eastern Canada. The severity of an infestation appears to spread outside traditional areas in growing seasons such as those of 1998 and 1999. The warmer and longer the growing season the greater the outreach of the pest. Traditional Potato Leafhopper areas are those generally characterized as south and including the Highway 401 corridor, west of Toronto.

Some feeding trials have demonstrated that the pubescent varieties, while not specifically developed for feeding quality, do exhibit superior levels of ADF and NDF than conventional trifoliolate varieties.

Trailblazer 3.0 has produced yields equal to or superior to conventional varieties already in use in Ontario. Additionally, Trailblazer 3.0 has R or HR levels of resistance to a broad spectrum of alfalfa diseases.

PICKSEED CANADA INC. will have certified seed of Trailblazer 3.0 available for planting in 2000. Seed will be distributed as pure alfalfa or in combination with Richmond Timothy.

PICKSEED 2065MF ALFALFA: PICKSEED leaps into the new millennium with a revolutionary, new alfalfa aptly labeled "PICKSEED 2065MF". Why the excitement? PICKSEED 2065MF is a new generation alfalfa combining outstanding persistence with highly visible faster re-growth.

PICKSEED 2065MF was selected from germplasm that had been exposed to brutally demanding stress conditions that included frequent mowing throughout the "critical rest period". Surviving plants were then re-combined and tested in new cultivars. PICKSEED 2065MF was planted in a test located at Hickson, ON (Oxford County) in 1996. In the 1999 harvest PICKSEED 2065MF topped the trial in every cut of four harvests. It demonstrated a remarkably stronger, denser stand coming out of the 1998/99 winter. PICKSEED is confident that this new variety can be used aggressively (shorten the cutting interval) and still persist – providing that appropriate management is applied. In many 3-cut areas a fourth cut should be a reasonable expectation.

Additionally, PICKSEED 2065MF maintains high feeding quality standards (similar to PICKSEED 8920MF), as well as a broad spectrum of resistance to most alfalfa diseases.

PICKSEED 2065MF will be available for spring 2000 planting and testing.