Volume 16, Issue 3 (9-2024)
J Crop Breed 2024, 16(3): 125-136 |
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Ghasemi A, Narouierad M R, Mohammad ghasemi M, Bakhshi B. (2024). Evaluation of the Yield and Agronomic Traits of Tropical alfalfa Cultivars in Sistan's Warm and Dry Climate. J Crop Breed. 16(3), 125-136. doi:10.61186/jcb.16.3.125
URL: http://jcb.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1529-en.html
URL: http://jcb.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1529-en.html
1- Department, Sistan Agricultural and Natural Resources, Research and Education Center, AREEO, Zabol, Iran
Abstract: (977 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: Alfalfa is one of the key fodder plants due to its species diversity and high stress-tolerance range. In addition to producing significant palatable fodder, this plant stabilizes air nitrogen through symbiosis with rhizobium and causes soil fertility in addition to meeting its own needs. For fodder production in the hot and dry region of Sistan as the hub of animal husbandry in the province, it is inevitable to investigate and introduce high-yielding alfalfa cultivars. Therefore, the present research aimed to evaluate tropical alfalfa cultivars and identify high-yielding and more compatible cultivars in terms of yield production and selection of stands with suitable potential for selection.
Methods: The phenological, morphological, and functional traits of 10 tropical alfalfa genotypes (Zabol local purified alfalfa, Zabol local mass, Baghdadi, two Afghani masses, Nikshahri, Omid, and lines 473, 472, and 471) were investigated in the Zahak Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Station, located 20 km from Zabol city. An experiment was conducted in a statistical design of randomized complete blocks with three replications during 2017-2018. The bed preparation, including plowing, disk, and leveling, was operated exactly the same for the replications. The distance between the plots in each block was 75 cm, and the distance between the blocks in each replication was 1 m. After preparing the bed on November 15, 2016, furrows were created at a distance of 30 cm (four lines of 6 m) in the plots, and seeds with 95-100% germination capacity were planted at a rate of 15 kg per hectare. Seeds were sown in a row manually by opening grooves to a depth of 1 cm using the method of Hiramkari. During the experiment, the operation consisted of irrigation every 15 days in winter, spring, and summer (once a week) according to the needs. Weeds were mechanically weeded in the early stages of growth. In each year, eight plants were harvested at the 20% flowering stage. Days to greening, days to flowering, plant height, leaf-to-stem percentage, stem diameter, stem number, dry matter percentage, and wet and dry fodder yields were the traits measured during the experiment. At the end of the experiment, data on the fodder yield and morphological and phenological traits of alfalfa cultivars were analyzed using MSTAT-C software. The correlation was calculated using SPSS 16 software. Analysis into principal components and the biplot were done using the Past software. The means of traits were compared with Duncan's test at the probability level of 5%.
Results: The fodder yields were significant among the genotypes at the 1% probability level. The highest average fodder yield (107.589 tons per hectare) was obtained in the Omid cultivar, with greater fodder yield than the other cultivars due to the number of stems, plant height, and stem diameter. Baghdadi alfalfa and Zabul purified alfalfa cultivars ranked next in terms of producing more fodder yield with averages of 103.513 and 102.463 tons per hectare, respectively. The lowest fodder yield was observed in the native mass of Zabul alfalfa with an average of 86.511 tons per hectare. The purified local alfalfa of Zabul showed an increase in yield by 18.43% compared to the native mass. The cultivars were significantly different in dry fodder yield at the probability level of 1%. The highest average dry fodder yield (28.323 tons per hectare) was obtained in the Omid variety. Baghdadi alfalfa and purified Zabul alfalfa ranked next with average yields of 26.419 and 27.322 tons per hectare, respectively. The increased dry fodder yield in alfalfa is considered an advantage because farmers store excess alfalfa in the form of dry fodder for their livestock in winter. The relationship between the examined traits showed that most of the traits were significantly correlated with each other. Fodder yield had a positive and significant correlation with the number of stems per plant and plant height, but there was a non-significant correlation with the number of days to flowering, leaf–to-stem ratio, and stem diameter. The dry fodder yield had a positive and significant correlation with the wet fodder yield, leaf-to-stem ratio, the number of stems, and plant height, and it showed a negative correlation with the number of days to flowering. Statistically significant differences were observed between the genotypes in terms of all studied traits. Based on the clustering, the genotypes were divided into two groups, and the first group, including Omid, Baghdadi, and the purified local alfalfa of Zabol, was superior to the others. In the mmean comparisons by Duncan's test, the Omid variety ranked first with the average wet and dry fodder yields of 107.589 and 28.323 tons per hectare, respectively. The Baghdadi variety and the local purified line of Zabol ranked second and third, with average yields of 103.513, 102.463, 26.419, and 27.322 tons per hectare, respectively. These genotypes were in good conditions in terms of other traits (plant height, the number of stems, and the leaf per stem percentage).
Conclusion: Considerable variation was observed between genotypes in terms of the studied traits. The highest seed yield was observed in the genotypes of Omid, Baghdadi and the purified local alfalfa of Zabol. In favorable conditions, a significant area of land in Sistan and Baluchistan province and similar regions can be dedicated to alfalfa cultivation, including Omid, Baghdadi, and the purified local genotype of Zabol.
Background: Alfalfa is one of the key fodder plants due to its species diversity and high stress-tolerance range. In addition to producing significant palatable fodder, this plant stabilizes air nitrogen through symbiosis with rhizobium and causes soil fertility in addition to meeting its own needs. For fodder production in the hot and dry region of Sistan as the hub of animal husbandry in the province, it is inevitable to investigate and introduce high-yielding alfalfa cultivars. Therefore, the present research aimed to evaluate tropical alfalfa cultivars and identify high-yielding and more compatible cultivars in terms of yield production and selection of stands with suitable potential for selection.
Methods: The phenological, morphological, and functional traits of 10 tropical alfalfa genotypes (Zabol local purified alfalfa, Zabol local mass, Baghdadi, two Afghani masses, Nikshahri, Omid, and lines 473, 472, and 471) were investigated in the Zahak Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Station, located 20 km from Zabol city. An experiment was conducted in a statistical design of randomized complete blocks with three replications during 2017-2018. The bed preparation, including plowing, disk, and leveling, was operated exactly the same for the replications. The distance between the plots in each block was 75 cm, and the distance between the blocks in each replication was 1 m. After preparing the bed on November 15, 2016, furrows were created at a distance of 30 cm (four lines of 6 m) in the plots, and seeds with 95-100% germination capacity were planted at a rate of 15 kg per hectare. Seeds were sown in a row manually by opening grooves to a depth of 1 cm using the method of Hiramkari. During the experiment, the operation consisted of irrigation every 15 days in winter, spring, and summer (once a week) according to the needs. Weeds were mechanically weeded in the early stages of growth. In each year, eight plants were harvested at the 20% flowering stage. Days to greening, days to flowering, plant height, leaf-to-stem percentage, stem diameter, stem number, dry matter percentage, and wet and dry fodder yields were the traits measured during the experiment. At the end of the experiment, data on the fodder yield and morphological and phenological traits of alfalfa cultivars were analyzed using MSTAT-C software. The correlation was calculated using SPSS 16 software. Analysis into principal components and the biplot were done using the Past software. The means of traits were compared with Duncan's test at the probability level of 5%.
Results: The fodder yields were significant among the genotypes at the 1% probability level. The highest average fodder yield (107.589 tons per hectare) was obtained in the Omid cultivar, with greater fodder yield than the other cultivars due to the number of stems, plant height, and stem diameter. Baghdadi alfalfa and Zabul purified alfalfa cultivars ranked next in terms of producing more fodder yield with averages of 103.513 and 102.463 tons per hectare, respectively. The lowest fodder yield was observed in the native mass of Zabul alfalfa with an average of 86.511 tons per hectare. The purified local alfalfa of Zabul showed an increase in yield by 18.43% compared to the native mass. The cultivars were significantly different in dry fodder yield at the probability level of 1%. The highest average dry fodder yield (28.323 tons per hectare) was obtained in the Omid variety. Baghdadi alfalfa and purified Zabul alfalfa ranked next with average yields of 26.419 and 27.322 tons per hectare, respectively. The increased dry fodder yield in alfalfa is considered an advantage because farmers store excess alfalfa in the form of dry fodder for their livestock in winter. The relationship between the examined traits showed that most of the traits were significantly correlated with each other. Fodder yield had a positive and significant correlation with the number of stems per plant and plant height, but there was a non-significant correlation with the number of days to flowering, leaf–to-stem ratio, and stem diameter. The dry fodder yield had a positive and significant correlation with the wet fodder yield, leaf-to-stem ratio, the number of stems, and plant height, and it showed a negative correlation with the number of days to flowering. Statistically significant differences were observed between the genotypes in terms of all studied traits. Based on the clustering, the genotypes were divided into two groups, and the first group, including Omid, Baghdadi, and the purified local alfalfa of Zabol, was superior to the others. In the mmean comparisons by Duncan's test, the Omid variety ranked first with the average wet and dry fodder yields of 107.589 and 28.323 tons per hectare, respectively. The Baghdadi variety and the local purified line of Zabol ranked second and third, with average yields of 103.513, 102.463, 26.419, and 27.322 tons per hectare, respectively. These genotypes were in good conditions in terms of other traits (plant height, the number of stems, and the leaf per stem percentage).
Conclusion: Considerable variation was observed between genotypes in terms of the studied traits. The highest seed yield was observed in the genotypes of Omid, Baghdadi and the purified local alfalfa of Zabol. In favorable conditions, a significant area of land in Sistan and Baluchistan province and similar regions can be dedicated to alfalfa cultivation, including Omid, Baghdadi, and the purified local genotype of Zabol.
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