Self-Fertility in Selected Populations of Alfalfa (\u3ci\u3eMedicago\u3c/i\u3e spp.)

The purpose of these investigations has been to provide basic information on self-fertility in alfalfa (Medicago spp.) which will be valuable in the development of synthetic varieties and hybrid combinations in a breeding program. This paper reports on the variability of self-fertility within and between representative populations which differ genetically and which have been produced by different breeding procedures. The studies were not designed to evaluate the inheritance of self-fertility on a factorial basis. Self-fertility is believed to be the result of the interaction of many hereditable sterility and fertility factors. These tests indicated that self-fertility may be satisfactorily appraised through the number of pods produced from 100 self-pollinated flowers. A correlation of 0.895 was found between the resultant numbers of pods and seeds. Twenty populations of alfalfa different in genetic constitution were grown in this investigation of the inheritance of self-fertility. These were especially selected to test the transmission of this character in six kinds of inbred and hybrid progenies. Considerable variation was found to exist within and between populations. Advisor: T. A. Kiesselbac