Turkish Journal of Field Crops

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2. Beyler İş Hanı, No: 313 Kat: 3 Konak-İzmir

AGRO-MORPHOLOGICAL AND FORAGE QUALITY TRAITS OF SELECTED ALFALFA POPULATIONS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN BREEDING

Marijana TUCAK, Svetislav POPOVIĆ, Tihomir ČUPIĆ, Goran KRIZMANIĆ, Valentina ŠPANIĆ, Branimir ŠIMIĆ, Vladimir MEGLIČ

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to evaluate agro-morphological and forage quality performances of selected alfalfa populations and to predict the genetic potential of this populations as a source of the material for breeding programs and/or commercial use. Twenty selected alfalfa populations and two control cultivars were tested over three consecutive years (2008, 2009, 2010) at the experimental field of the Agricultural Institute Osijek in Croatia. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replications. The plot size was 6 m2 at the sowing rate of 15 kg ha-1 . A total of fifteen traits were measured/analysed on all plots and/or individual plants of all populations and cultivars. Significant differences were determined between alfalfa populations/cultivars in all investigated traits, except for content of crude protein in dry matter. The highest three-years average yields (from 86.32 to 101.12 t ha-1 for green mass, from 17.45 to 20.46 t ha-1 for dry matter, from 3657 to 4289 kg ha-1 for crude protein) and favourable values for the most of the investigated morphological and forage quality traits were obtained in populations MSP 16,8,1,9,20,11,10. Seven superior alfalfa populations were identified which could represent a valuable source of genetic material for further selection and improvement of our breeding program and/or application for plant cultivar registration.

Keyword: Alfalfa, agro-morphological traits, breeding, forage quality, population ,

Effects of Different Water Stress Levels on Biomass Yield and Agronomic Traits of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) Varieties under Semi-Arid Conditio

Erdal GONULAL, Suleyman SOYLU, Mehmet SAHIN

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the Wielkopolska region at the Gorzyń Research Station, Poland (52.34°N, 15.54°E) in Central Europe. The study was conducted over a 3-year period (2017, 2018, 2019) as a two-factorial design with four replications in the RCBD. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of the cultivar (‘Bolero’, ‘Tytan’) and the inoculation (Nitragina–seeds inoculation, Nitroflora I–seeds inoculation, Nitroflora II–soil inoculation, HiStick® Lupin–seeds inoculation) on plant development, seeds chemical composition and yielding of narrow-leaved lupin. The weather conditions and experimental factors significantly influenced on productivity of narrow-leaved lupin ‘Tytan’. Drought during the growing season reduced seeds and protein yields. After inoculation of HiStck the seeds yield was significantly greater by 12.4% (p < 0.01) and the protein yield after application of Nitroflora I or HiStick by 13.9% (p < 0.01) and 19.2% (p < 0.01), respectively. Correlation coefficients showed strong relations between number of pods and seeds per plant in both cultivars regardless of the inoculation variant, however the strongest relations in both cultivar were proved on HiStick treatment.
Keyword: Biological nitrogen fixation, chemical composition, legumes, protein efficiency, yielding