Selecting alfalfa varieties with high forage yield potential and persistence is fundamental to obtaining high levels of economic return. Yield potential of public and privately developed alfalfa varieties has been continually evaluated in research trials at the University of Minnesota over the past 80 years.
Since participation from alfalfa marketers and developers declined, 2021 was the final year of the 2018 trial and of the variety testing program. Yield results for alfalfa varieties tested at Rosemount, MN are listed in Table 1. Varietal yield difference tends to increase with stand age. To choose a variety for short-term stands, consider yield performance the first and second years after seeding.
There are many other alfalfa variety traits important for growers to consider in selecting a variety. These include winter survival, disease resistance, and leafhopper resistance.