Archived standard tests to characterize stress tolerance and agronomic performance of alfalfa cultivars

<p>The dataset contains archived copies of the peer-reviewed standard test protocols used to characterize insect, disease, and agronomic responses of alfalfa cultivars, 3rd edition (amended 2004) published by the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference and made available at conference's site <a href="https://www.naaic.org/resource/stdtests.php">https://www.naaic.org/resource/stdtests.php</a>.  The dataset was supplemented with additional metadata found on the NAAIC webpage. These protocols were used to characterized alfalfa varieties and experimental lines included in the Alfalfa Variety Database (DOI: <a href="https://doi.org/10.4231/PHKH-4334" rel="external" target="_blank">10.4231/PHKH-4334)</a>, and are provided here as detailed supplemental information supporting the metadata document for Alfalfa Varieties and Experimental Lines 1986 to 1999 (<a href="https://doi.org/10.4231/FMY9-6966" rel="external" target="_blank">doi:10.4231/FMY9-6966</a>). </p>

<p>All standardized tests followed the format of the Third Edition of the Standardized Test to Characterize Alfalfa Culitvars, edited by Cheryl Fox, et al. and were published by the NAAIC. The standardized test included check cultivars, a list of scientists with expertise, references and in the case of diseases, insects, and nematodes, a distribution and severity U.S. map.</p>