PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY OF ALFALFA BREEDING POPULATION

The objectives of this research were to assess the variability of 10 phenotypic traits within and among of 21 alfalfa breeding populations, and to select the most promising populations regarding high values of important agronomic traits in order to develop new synthetic cultivars. The investigation was conducted at the experimental field of the Agricultural Institute Osijek. Field trial was arranged according to the randomized block design in three replications in two consecutive years (2008-2009). Studied alfalfa breeding populations were significantly different in yields of green mass and dry matter, number of stems, height and regeneration of plants, number and length of internodes, stem thickness and width of central leaflet. Significant variability was determined within and among populations for all observed traits, except for length of central leaflet. High yields and major yield components (number of stems, height and plant regeneration), as well as favorable values for other studied traits were found for breeding populations OPL-10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 20 and 21. Determined superior plants within the best populations are potential parental components for a new synthetic cultivars development