Combining ability of alfalfa collection accessions by components of feed and seed productivity on increased soil acidity

Abstract

Assessment of the combining ability of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L., M. varia L.) collection accessions of different eco-geographical origin by components of feed and seed productivity in diallel crosses on increased soil acidity (pH 5.2–5.3) was carried out in the Department of Forage Crop Breeding of the Institute of Feeds and Agriculture of Podillia of NAAS (2012–2014).The aim and tasks of the study. Estimation of the combining ability of alfalfa collection accessions by components of feed and seed productivity in diallel crosses on increased soil acidity.Materials and methods: Forty two hybrid (F2) alfalfa populations derived by complete scheme of diallel analysis from collection accessions (Syniukha (UJ0700134, Ukraine); Regina (UJ0700031, Ukraine); Yaroslavna (UJ0700225, Ukraine); Vika (Denmark); Mega (UJ0700365, Sweden); Grіlys (Sweden) and variable Zhidrune (UJ0700699, Lithuania) were used as the study material. Effects of the general combining ability and variances of specific combining ability were determined by statistical methods of genetic analysis.Results and discussion. We selected alfalfa accessions with strong effects of the general combining ability: by stem length and dry matter yield – Grilys and Regina; by foliage amount – Syniukha, Zhidrune and Vika; by fertile tiller number – Zhidrune, Yaroslavna and Mega; by raceme number per stem – Regina and Vika; by pod number per raceme – Syniukha and Zhidrune; by seed number per pod – Yaroslavna and Vika; by 1000seed weight – Regina and Mega; by seed yield – Zhidrune and Regina. High levels of variance of the specific combining ability were inherent to: Grilys and Regina – for stem length and dry matter yield; Yaroslavna and Mega – for fertile tiller number; Regina – for raceme number per stem; Zhidrune – for pod number per raceme; Yaroslavna – for seed number per pod; Regina and Mega – for 1000seed weight. It was found that the best components of pair crosses were Zhidrune and Vika – by foliage amount; Zhidrune – by fertile tiller number; Vika – by raceme number per stem and seed number per pod; Syniukha – by pod number per raceme; Zhidrune and Regina – by seed yield.Conclusions. We assessed the combining ability of the test alfalfa collection accessions of different eco-geographical origin by the traits of feed and seed productivity in complete diallel crosses on increased soil acidity.Regina and Zhidrune were noticeable for by strong effects of the general combining ability by the majority of traits.We selected promising hybrid populations with high and medium levels of variance of the specific combining ability of parents by the majority of economically valuable traits: Zhidrune/Regina, Yaroslavna/Mega, Zhidrune/Grilys, Vika/Mega and Mega/Grilys