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Little River, TX | As I understand FD, the higher numbers will recover quicker from cutting and have a edge on total production.
Some years ago FD correlated well with winter survival. In most cases now this is less true. Where you before needed a FD 4 for winter survival now at least some varieties of FD 5 & possibly even a FD 6 will survive your winters.
To find FD in a variety they plant them together in one of the Northern Tier States. Then come fall they note when each variety goes dormant. The first is a FD 1 and on till they find some that do not go dormant at all. True non dormant are FD 9 or 10. They call the FD 7 & 8 varities also non dorment. Those with a FD of 5 or 6 are considered semi nondorment. Now there is less of a coorilation between FD & winter survival. I beleive some FD 5 varieties do well in the Midwest and maybe even in Southern Michigan.
Here in Central Texas I believe a FD 8 is presently close to the ideal compromise. Whenever there is a FD 9 or even FD 10 with the pest resistance I feel I need I will try one of them.
Again Here, I have had good stands of FD 3 varieties, and for a along time the only varieties that had the better pest resistance were mostly FD 4s with a few FD 5s.
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Dormancy ratings in alfalfa
