article · Genes
This study assessed 21 alfalfa genotypes over two years (2019/2020 and 2020/2021) at Ismailia Agricultural Research Station to evaluate their yield components, forage yield, and quality traits. Researchers used statistical methods including analysis of variance, genetic variability, heritability, cluster analysis, and principal component analysis. Significant differences were found among genotypes for all traits, with overall higher values in the second year. Genotype F18 showed the highest plant height, tiller number, fresh yield, and dry yield, while F49 had the best leaf-to-stem ratio. P13 and P5 exhibited the highest crude protein percentages. High genetic variability and heritability were observed, indicating strong potential for selection. The genotypes were grouped into five sub-clusters, demonstrating considerable genetic diversity, and superior genotypes were identified for future crop improvement.
This research helps identify superior alfalfa varieties that can provide better nutrition for livestock. By understanding the genetic diversity and performance of different alfalfa types, farmers and breeders can develop more productive and higher-quality forage crops, ultimately supporting more efficient animal agriculture and food security.
This early-stage research identifies superior alfalfa genotypes with desirable yield and quality traits. These findings can be directly utilised by plant breeders and agricultural researchers in future breeding programmes to develop improved alfalfa varieties. Such varieties would benefit livestock producers by providing more effective and nutritious forage for animal diets.
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Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) is one of the most important perennial forage crops to build effective diets for livestock producers. Forage crop improvement depends largely on the availability of diverse germplasms and their efficient utilization. The present investigation was conducted at Ismailia Agricultural Research Station to assess twenty-one alfalfa genotypes for yield components, forage yield and quality traits during 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. The genotypes were evaluated in field experiments with three replicates and a randomized complete block design, using analysis of variance, estimate of genetic variability, estimate of broad sense heritability (h<sub>b</sub><sup>2</sup>) and cluster analysis to identify the inter relationships among the studied genotypes as well as principal component analysis (PCA) to explain the majority of the total variation. Significant differences were found among genotypes for all studied traits. The general mean of the studied traits was higher in the second year than the first year. Moreover, the combined analysis showed highly significant differences between the two years, genotypes and the year × gen. interaction for the traits studied. The genotype F18 recorded the highest values for plant height, number of tiller/m<sup>2</sup>, total fresh yield and total dry yield, while, the genotype F49 ranked first for leaf/stem ratio. The results showed highly significant variation among the studied genotypes for crude protein %, crude fiber % and ash %. Data revealed that the genotypes P13 and P5 showed the highest values for crude protein %, whereas, the genotype F18 recorded the highest values for crude fiber % and ash content. The results revealed high estimates of genotypic coefficient and phenotypic coefficient of variation (GCV% and PCV%) with high hb2, indicating the presence of genetic variability and effective potential selection for these traits. The cluster analysis exhibited considerable genetic diversity among the genotypes, which classified the twenty one genotypes of alfalfa into five sub-clusters. The genotypes F18, F49, K75, S35, P20, P5 and P13 recorded the highest values for all studied traits compared with other clusters. Furthermore, the PC analysis grouped the studied genotypes into groups and remained scattered in all four quadrants based on all studied traits. Ultimately, superior genotypes were identified can be utilized for crop improvement in future breeding schemes.
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DOI: 10.3390/genes13091521
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