Description
Invades the soil biosphere like no other creeping rooted alfalfa
Matrix is a new generation creeping rooted alfalfa that does not sacrifice yield or quality for a strong creeping habit that is second to none. This new alfalfa has a large, low crown that is well suited to grazing and being a creeping alfalfa it is winter hardy and can stand up to both ice sheeting and frost heaving. This trifoliate alfalfa is fine stemmed, medium to late maturing with a fall dormancy rating of 2. Since it is a high yielding variety, it will fit into hay rotations with earlier maturing varieties allowing a longer harvest window for optimum feed value. On lighter land and drier conditions Matrix can out yield tap-rooted varieties.
Matrix is highly resistant to bacterial wilt and anthracnose, resistant to phytophthora root rot, fusarium, and aphanomyces and moderately resistant to verticillium wilt. These are important traits that older creeping alfalfa varieties do not have. Its Wisconsin Disease Rating (WDR) is 19.
Matrix is a strongly creeping, synthetic variety bred in Minnesota. In a study conducted in central Minnesota, 35% of seedlings transplanted in June had already initiated the creeping habit by late fall. This was very high compared to the other varieties. In the same trial, Spredor 3 averaged 4 %. This long-term alfalfa will work well on marginal lands where a producer does not want to renovate the field every few years.
Yield data has been favorable. Private data in Minnesota has shown the same yield as tap rooted check varieties and in Canada, the data from the Western Forage Variety Tests are showing that Matrix out performing the creeping rooted check variety Rambler, but not significantly different from the tap rooted check variety.
Matrix works best under a rotational grazing system, however, under continuous grazing, it is best to graze to about a 6- inch stubble height. Pasture varieties like Magnagraze or Alfagraze do not creep. They have been selected under pasture conditions, and may last slightly longer than hay types, but they are not self-renewing. Older creeping types like Rangelander or Rambler have a small percent of weak creepers. Only “new generation” creeping varieties like Matrix will provide a high yielding, long term stand.
