POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITS OF BREEDING FOR ALFALFA QUALITY

The paper presents an attempt to resume the existing level of knowledge, procedures and realised achievements and to define trends and needs of breeding for alfalfa quality. As alfalfa is the most sowed protein voluminous forage crop on arable land, the importance of quality state, breeding improvement possibilities and real limits is huge and analysis by itself is one of prerequisite conditions for successful realisation of breeding program. Breeding of alfalfa quality comprises questions of chemical, morphological and physiological plant composition, digestibility, forage energy and utilisation as well as protein value. Ultimate goal of all the breeding programs is to alternate chemical constituents content. That will result in the improvement of animal performance. Along with the selection methods based on phenotype plant value evaluation use of molecular-biological and genetic techniques is more and more frequent. Prior the final decision of genetic modified plant introduction and consuming, it is important to emphasise the necessity to acquaint all advantages and risks of alfalfa genetic engineering