Variability and Correlation of Yield and Forage Quality in Alfalfa Varieties of Different Origin

Abstract

Alfalfa is the most important forage plant species. There are numerous alfalfa varieties in the world with improved yield potential and forage quality. Many of them have also been created in the region of Southeast Europe, using various breeding techniques. This investigation was carried out in central Serbia and it included 15 alfalfa varieties of different origin nine from USA and six from Europe . The objective was to determine their yield in each cut and total dry matter yield TDMY in the second A1 and third A2 year of exploitation, as well as forage quality: the content of mineral matter MM , crude protein CP , crude fiber CF , crude fat matter CFM and nitrogen-free extract NFE . Investigated varieties exhibited high total variability in dry matter yield DMY A1: CV= 13.19%; A2: CV= 9.33% . DMY variability was higher with the varieties from USA A1: CV= 13.65%; A2: CV= 9.92% than with those from Europe A1: CV= 6.67%; A2: CV= 8.01% . Varieties from USA also proved more variable in crude protein CP content than European varieties CV= 6.27% and CV= 2.68%, respectively . Differences between the investigated varieties genotypes also influenced total variability of forage quality parameters, with total CV ranging from 5.07% for CP to 10.48% for CF. Dry matter yield DMY had significant positive correlation with CP r= 0.344 , CF r= 0.342 and CFM r= 0.306 , and the strongest correlation, although negative, was between CF and NFE r= -0.917

Keywords

• alfalfa
• varieties
• dry matter yield
• forage quality
• variability
• yonca
• genotip
• kuru madde verimi
• ot kalitesi
• değişkenlik