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Title: REGISTRATION OF "ARMADILLO" BURR MEDIC

Author
item OCUMPAUGH, W. - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item HUSSEY, M. - TAMU COLLEGE STATION
item GRICHAR, JR., W. - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item READ, J. - TEXAS AGR. EXPL STN.
item BADE, D. - TEXAS COOP. EXT.
item PINCHAK, W. - TEXAS AGR. EXPL STN.
item SMITH, G. - TEXAS AGR. EXPL STN.
item LANE, R. - S.HOUSTON STATE UNIV.
item PITMAN, W. - LSU-ROSEPINE, LA.
item MUIR, J. - TEXAS AGR. EXPL STN.
item Coleman, Samuel

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Germplasm Release
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/2003
Publication Date: 1/3/2004
Citation: Ocumpaugh, W.R., Hussey, M.A., Grichar, Jr., W.J., Read, J.C., Bade, D.H., Pinchak, W.E., Smith, G.R., Lane, R.A., Pitman, W.D., Muir, J.P., Coleman, S.W. 2004. Registration of "armadillo" burr medic. Crop Science.

Interpretive Summary: The predominant pastures of the southern Texas are composed of warm season perennial grasses. These pastures are often limited in both dry matter production and nutritive value, particularly deficient in crude protein. Legumes have not been well suited to the region, but burr medics were introduced and naturalized over 100 yr ago. 'Armadillo' burr medic was selected from a naturalized stand at the Texas A&M Univ. Agricultural Research Station near Beeville, TX and tested for freeze tolerance in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Armadillo reseeds well under grazing and can provide nitrogen for associated perennial warm-season grasses.

Technical Abstract: Burr medic is a winter annual legume native to the Mediterranean region and was introduced into Texas more than 100 yr ago and became naturalized. A burr medic cultivar was released in Texas in the 1950s, but seed is no longer available. With the exception of the lack of freeze tolerance, and inadequate hard seededness, many commercial annual medics from Australia are well adapted to the calcareous soils of the region. 'Armadillo' (Reg. no. CV-218, PI 612354) burr medic (Medicago polymorpha L.) was developed by the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 1998. Armadillo originated from a naturalized stand in pasture 18 on the Texas A&M Univ. Agricultural Research Station near Beeville, TX. Armadillo is the result of two cycles of rogueing of inferior plants. Armadillo was tested under the designation of BEPAS-18. Armadillo burr medic is intended to provide a winter annual legume that will persist and spread in pastures in the central region of Texas from about Interstate Hwy. I-20 southward. Armadillo will reseed even under grazing and provide much, if not all, of the nitrogen for the associated perennial warm-season grasses