Evaluation of Some Grass Pea Genotypes (Lathyrus sativus L.) for Forage, Seed Yield and Its Components Under Rainfed Conditions in Sulaimani Region

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the College of Agricultural Sciences Engineering/University of Sulaimani, during the winter season of 2016-2017 to study the evaluation of some grass pea genotypes for forage, seed yield and its components under rainfed conditions. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates was used. Six genotypes of Lathyrus sativus L., one of these is local named (Marble) and the fifth other (IF1344, IF1953, IF1346, IF1332, and IF1347) obtained from ICARDA, were included in this study. Means comparison were carried out using least significant difference test (LSD) at 0.05 significant levels. The results showed that the effect of genotypes on forage yield characters was significant for the character’s fresh forage yield and dry matter percent but the effects was not significant for the character dry forage yield. Marble (Local) genotype gave maximum yield of green forage, while genotype IF1953 recorded minimum green forage yield. But concerning dry matter percent, the highest value exhibited by IF1346 genotype, in which IF1332 gave the lowest value of dry matter. Concerning the effect of genotypes on forage yield components, which was significantly affected all characters with the exception of the character leaves/stem ratio was found to be not significant, IF1346 genotype recorded maximum values of plant height and dry leaf percent, while minimum value of plant height recorded by IF1332 genotype but minimum percent of dry leaf was exhibited by Marble genotype. Regarding the characters No. of branches.plant-1, fresh stem percent and dry stem percent, Marble genotype gave the highest values for these traits, in which the lowest value of the trait No. of branches.plant-1 recorded by IF1346 genotype, but minimum values of fresh stem and dry stem percent exhibited by IF1347 genotype respectively. a cluster analysis results of all grass pea genotypes based on forage yield and its components, showed that there were two major (K= 2) groups for studied grass pea genotypes, the first group consist of five genotypes were (IF1344, IF1953 , IF1346,IF1332 and IF1347) and the second group was one genotype (Marble). But regarding seed yield and its components, the highest values of these traits (biological yield, pods number.m-2, pod yield, and seed yield) were exhibited by genotype IF1344. Maximum values of (plant height, average of pod length and 100 seeds weight) acquired by genotype IF1332, on the other hand genotype IF1953 gave the highest values of (no. of branches. plant-1, pods weight.plant-1 and seeds number.plant-1), but concerning the both traits (pods number.plant-1 and seeds weight.plant-1), maximum values were recorded by genotype IF1346. These results indicate the presence of variability between genotypes used in this study.