Evaluation of Some Promising Berseem Clover Populations for Yield , Quality , Genetic Variability and Pathcoefficient Analysis

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate seven berseem populations (selected for high auto-fertility and forage yield for several generations) with five check varieties and to estimate the relationships between dry yield and some characters in the experimental research station at Sids location across two growing seasons 2010/11 and 2011/12 The results could be summarized from the combined analysis of two seasons which indicated that the promising entry new Khadarawy recorded the highest yield for total fresh yield (72.50 ton/fed) and exceeded significantly the highest check variety Giza 6 (67.5 ton/fed) by 7.4 %. Same genotype (Khadarawy) gave the highest yield for total dry yield (9.79 ton/fed) and exceeded significantly the highest check variety Giza 6 (9.43 ton/fed) by 5.72 %. Percentage of crude protein and carbohydrate over cuts for the seven promising populations were higher than the check varieties. While Percentage of crude fiber and ash over cuts for the seven promising populations were lower than the check varieties. The estimates of heritability in broad sense (H 2 b) ranged from low to medium. Heritability (H 2 b) was high value for fresh yield (68.43%). Significant positive correlation values were detected between dry yield and each of the fresh yield and leaf/stem ratio. According to path analysis, Leaf /stem ratio through fresh yield proved to have the highest indirect effect to dry yield (25.09%) followed by direct effect of fresh yield (23.72%), indirect effect of crud protein % through fresh yield (11.46%), direct effect of leaf /stem ratio (9.85%) and indirect effect of crud protein% through leaf/stem ratio (9.29%).