Variety performance review
WL Alfalfa Fall Dormancy 6 in the Upper Southeast.
- Good
- Forage Genetics International (WL)
- Fall Dormancy 6
Regional strengths
Fall dormancy 6 is the right balance for the transition zone — enough late-season growth to capture the long Upper Southeast growing season, with enough winter dormancy to survive a typical Kentucky / Tennessee winter. Strong Phytophthora package is essential here given humidity and rainfall.
Regional weaknesses
FD 6 alfalfa in northern Tennessee and Kentucky in unusually cold winters (e.g., 2014, 2018 polar vortex events) can suffer winter injury — request the variety's specific winter survival score, which is independent of fall dormancy. Persistence in this region is typically 3–4 years vs. 5+ years in the upper Midwest.
Yield data
Trial-verified performance.
Average yield
— tons/acre
Data quality
company reported
Agronomic ratings
Drought tolerance
good
Standability
good
Emergence
good
Winter hardiness
good
Disease resistance
- Phytophthora root rot:good
- Anthracnose:good
- Bacterial wilt:good
- Stem nematode:fair
Best for
- KY/TN dairy and horse hay acres
- 5-cut systems on well-drained limestone soils
Not recommended for
- wet bottoms (consider grass hay instead)
- extreme cold pockets at high elevation
Best soil types
limestone-derived loam (KY), silt loam, Cumberland Plateau bottoms
Seeding rate
18–22 lb/acre pure stand on prepared seedbed
Data quality & sources
Quality: company-reported · Last updated 2024.
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