Registration of "Hidden Valley" Meadow Fescue

‘Hidden Valley’ (Reg. No. CV-100, PI 674472) meadow fescue [Schedonorus pratensis (Huds.) P. Beauv.; syn. Festuca pratensis Huds.; syn. Lolium pratense (Huds.) Darbysh.] is a synthetic population originating from 561 parental genotypes. The original germplasm is of unknown central or northern European origin, but is thought to have become naturalized to the Driftless Area of the Upper Mississippi River Valley over approximately 100 yr. Hidden Valley has forage yield approximately 9% lower than orchardgrass and tall fescue, but neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) approximately 9% higher than for these two species. Compared to the only other existing meadow fescue cultivar within this region, Hidden Valley has 2% higher forage yield and 1.4% higher NDFD. Hidden Valley is adapted to a wide range of pasture managements and conditions in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 5, especially the northern portions of this range.