Intra-species variations in yield and quality determinants in Vicia species: 4. Woolly-pod vetch ( Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa Roth)

Abstract

Intra-species variations in phenology, yield and quality determinants of hay, grain and straw were examined in woolly-pod vetch ( Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa), and accessions were selected based on yield and quality attributes. Twenty-five woolly-pod vetch accessions were grown over four cropping seasons in a Mediterranean environment in north-west Syria. Days to flowering and pod maturity, hay yield at flowering, as well as yields of grain and straw, and harvest index were determined at maturity. Concentrations of hay and straw crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADFom), neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom), in vitro organic matter (OM) digestibility (IVOMD), and grain CP were analyzed. Accessions varied (P<0.05) in days to flowering (85–89 days) and pod maturity (131–134 days), harvest index (0.18–0.23), as well as yields (kg/ha) of hay (3310–4855), straw (3224–3746) and grain (820–1099). Concentrations (g/kg DM) of hay CP (174–183), ADFom (264–278), aNDFom (417–433) and IVOMD (683–708 g/kg OM); straw CP (107–122), ADFom (330–388), aNDFom (457–484) and IVOMD (384–435 g/kg OM); and grain CP (280–303) also differed (P<0.05) among accessions. Grain yield and harvest index ( r = 0.64, P<0.001), hay IVOMD and ADFom ( r = −0.68, P<0.001), and straw IVOMD and aNDFom ( r = −0.73, P<0.01) were correlated. Our series of papers on Vicia species show intra-species variations in phenology, as well as yields and quality determinants of hay, grain and straw in bitter vetch, narbon vetch, common vetch, and woolly-pod vetch, implying that promising accessions could be identified based on these criteria. Bitter vetch accessions 508, 2510, 2511, 2514, 2515, 2517, 2519, 2520 and 2522; narbon vetch accessions 2386, 2389, 2390, 2382, 2392, 2463, 2470, 2472, 2561 and 2704; common vetch accessions 2023 and 2567; and woolly-pod vetch accessions 2438, 2439, 2443 and 2445 have better potential for production of hay and grain in Mediterranean environments. Overall, accessions of bitter vetch, narbon vetch and common vetch show better potential for production of grain than accessions of woolly-pod vetch.