BIOMETRIC AND PRODUCTION CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME LOTUS CORNICULATUS L. GENOTYPES

Abstract

The Lotus corniculatus L. species is important from the point of view of its nutritional quality, used as animal feed, contributing to increased lactation in ruminants. It is also used due to its high adaptation to harsh weather conditions and resistance to acidic and arid soils, in this sense it is introduced for soil remediation and cover crop in orchards due to its nitrogen-fixing capacity. The study was conducted in the research fields of ARDS Lovrin, Romania within the laboratory for the improvement of fodder and protein plants, during 2022-2023. The purpose of the study is represented by 10 Birdsfoot Trefoil genotypes harvested from the wild flora in the plain area of Banat, Romania, on which were made quantitative measurements and determinations, of production evaluating the following characters: plant size, number of flowers, number of pods, number of seeds/pods. The results obtained from these determinations have highlighted four valuable genotypes that can be introduced in the breeding process as potential genitors for the creation of new varieties. Analysis of the studied genotypes shows that the number of flowers varies between 200 and 580 from a surface of 1 square meter, and the number of pods per square meter is between 70 and 2900, according to the study, the length of the pods is between 18.75 and 30.66 mm, the average number of seeds/pods differs between 18.3 and 22.90, and the length of the plant varies between 20 and 45 cm. The statistical analysis and interpretation of the results highlights genotypes Lc119, Lc108, Lc73 and Lc62 in terms of analyzed productivity characteristics.