Reporting CAIC Variety Tests in Crop Management on the Web John Caddel-OK Dan Undersander-WI Julie Hansen-NY Robert Kallenbach-MO Dwain Meyer-ND Vance Owens-SD Kraig Roozeboom-KS Mark Sulc & John McCormick-OH Richard Todd-PA

VARIETY TESTS Evaluating new strains and varieties has been an important activity for several decades. It provides breeders with data to support decisions related to experimental strains or new cultivars.

VARIETY TESTS Evaluating new alfalfa varieties also provides photo opportunities and data to marketing and extension personnel for variety recommendations.

CAIC VARIETY TEST REPORT Purpose of this presentation is to - Describe the history of the CAIC Variety Test Report. Propose a new approach.

Central Alfalfa Improvement Conference CAIC has had two main activities – A biennial meeting for scientific exchange. The CAIC Variety Test Report, an annual report, open to all for distributing alfalfa variety test results.

CAIC VARIETY TEST REPORT -- History -- CAIC Variety Test Report was preceded by the Uniform Alfalfa Nurseries Report (UANR) in the 1930’s, 40’s, and early 1950’s. UANR included reports from 30+ states and 3 provinces about performance of new alfalfa strains and clones. Contributions from State and Federal stations in the USA and Canadian. In 1952 UANR decided to break into regional activities, creating the CAIC.

CAIC VARIETY TEST REPORT -- History -- The first CAIC Report was in 1955 1955-1982: assembled by Bill Kehr (USDA & Nebraska). 1983 to present: coordinated by John Caddel (Ok. St.) 1963-1985: public & private programs contributed data. 1984-2000: seed companies covered the costs for the report.

CAIC VARIETY TEST REPORT -- History -- 2001-2002: individuals purchased copies of the report Rules and policies for the Report were developed by the Central Alfalfa Improvement Conference Content has been primarily forage yield data. Also included pest and grazing tolerance, persistence, forage quality, and other traits and characteristics.

CAIC in 1957, 1990, & 2002

CAIC VARIETY TEST REPORT -- History -- Began as a report of performance of a uniform group of entries from multiple locations. Then yield tests included 3 to 5 common checks at all locations. Report formats have varied, but generally followed those developed by the CAIC participants at meetings.

VARIETY TEST REPORTS Increasingly, since 1995 alfalfa performance data has been published on the World Wide Web to servers at the various Universities. NAAIC web contains most states’ data (naaic.org/Resources/yields.html). Most states with alfalfa variety testing provide data as Microsoft Excel files.

CAIC VARIETY TEST REPORT More than 250 copies of the Report have been requested in a year. Recently only about 30 copies have been requested at $30/copy.

Crop Management, an e-journal In 2002, the peer reviewed e-journal, Crop Management, announced the inclusion of “Variety Trials” http://plantmanagementnetwork.org/cm/ Crop Management invites alfalfa variety tests and publication to a broad audience is targeted at 2 to 3 weeks after acceptance.

CAIC VARIETY TEST The proposed replacement for the CAIC Variety Test Report is the “Variety Trial” section of Crop Management The alfalfa variety testing coordinator for each state can work with the editor (Dan Undersander) to publish its data.

Crop Management The “Variety Trials”section of Crop Management is in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet form. Microsoft's free Excel 97/2000 Viewer can be downloaded. For a short time access is open to the public. Subscription is inexpensive; FREE if your organization is an official Plant Management Network partner.

Crop Management Details of format and data to be included will be worked out with the editors. The data will be readily available to more persons and will be more efficient than compiling hardcopies of data from many states and mailing.

CAIC VARIETY TEST REPORT Questions -- Comments