COMMERCIALISATION OF EARLY DISC MEDIC CV. TOREADOR WITH APHID RESISTANCE

South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), in cooperation with GRDC and Woolmark has conducted a plant breeding programme to produce a new disc medic. The new cultivar ##Toreador## has grown well on a range of soils from red brown earths to sandy soils but is specifically targeted at deep sandy soils for low rainfall environments (275mm to 400mm annual rainfall). Toreador has a high level of resistance to bluegreen aphids and some resistance to spotted alfalfa aphids. Toreador was developed from an interspecies cross of Medicago littoralis X Medicago tornata followed by selection for disc medic characteristics, aphid resistance and good agronomic performance. Toreador has PBR protection and is 10 to 15 days earlier than the aphid susceptible disc medic cultivar ##Tornafield##. 700 kg of breeders seed is available. A technical information document is available. Expressions of interest in commercialisation of ##Toreador## disc medic are sought from plant commercialisation organisations, in writing to: Dr. Philip Beale Turretfield Research Centre Rosedale, SA 5350 Phone: (08) 85 249 017 Fax: (08) 85 249 088