Combining ability, genotype x environment interactions and genotypic correlations of agronomic characters in Medicago sativa L.

Summary

A diallel cross population was created from five clones that were randomly selected from five commercial ultivars of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). It was planted out at Edmonton and was studied for forage yield, vigor, growth habit, days to flower, plant height and frost tolerance in 1972 and 1973. Results showed that genetic difference between the five parents were large since the general combining ability (GCA) was more important than specific combining ability (SCA) and reciprocal effects (RE) for all the six characters. Greater genetic variance for forage yield, vigor, growth habit and plant height were observed in the second year of growth rather than in the year of establishment. Thus selection for these characters in the second year would be most effective. Genotype x environment interaction was significant for all characters and was relatively more important in the case of vigor and plant height. A study of the GCA effects showed that this source of variation was due to changes in the order of ranking for GCA effects over the environments. Genotypic correlation of the six characters revealed strong genetic association between forage yield, vigor, growth habit, plant height and frost tolerance in this population of alfalfa.