K.F. LOWE, J.W. TURNER and T.M. BOWDLER

Abstract

Productivity, persistence and aphid resistance of ten American lucerne varieties and the Australian cultivar Hunter River were compared in rows under irrigation at Gatton in south-eastern Queensland. CUF 101 was the best cutivar over a 27-month period, producing 1.5 times as much as Hunter River, and can be recommended for short term lucerne stands. All cultivars except DK 185, AS 49, WL 451 and Amador were higher yielding than Hunter River in the first year but in the second year, Hunter River performance was equivalent to all except CUF 101. Hunter River always carried the highest or equal highest population of both spotted alfalfa and blue-green aphids. CUF 101 did not demonstrate any particular advantage over the other American varieties in terms of blue-green aphid resistance.