EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF SOME ALFALFA GENOTYPES FOR HIGH FORAGE YIELD AND PROTEIN

Twenty five genotypes of alfalfa were evaluated for forage and dry yields and protein content at Nubaria Research Station. Planting was carried out at October, 5th 2011, and data were taken during the three years 2012, 2013 and 2014. Data of green and dry forage yields and protein content were collected for four seasons in each year during the three years. Results indicated highly significant differences among genotypes for all traits. Dry forage yield and protein content of the studied genotypes had a highly significant reliance on years and seasons. The values of genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV%) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV%) were 6.48 and 6.89% for green forage yield, 5.72 and 7.53% for dry forage yield and 1.43 and 1.73 % for protein percentage, respectively. Broad-sense heritability for green forage yield was 88.38% which was higher than that for dry forage yields and protein content (57.58% and 68.81%), respectively. The average of expected genetic advance value for total green forage yield, total dry yield and protein content were 8.52, 6.06 and 1.65%, respectively. The population G.15 showed common superiority over other populations (46.163, 48.163 and 55.939 t/ha, in the first, second and third year, respectively) in the summer season. In the context, G.5 showed common superiority in the autumn (24.233 and 26.233 t/ha in the first and the second years, respectively) While, G.3 was the best for previous trait (35.135 t/ha) in the third year in autumn season. It could be concluded that, the genotypes G.15, G.3, G.9 and G.14 are promising to improve green and dry forage yield and protein content and could be used to produce as available a new variety via further breeding programs