Phenotypic Diversity of Alfalfa (medicago Sativa L.) Germplasm

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most important perennial forage crops on cultivated fields in the world. Agronomical interests for this crop are based on its numerous advantageous characteristics such as (1) high yield potential and suitable feeding value, (2) different methods of utilisation green mass, hay, silage, greenchop, briquette, pellets, etc., (3) favourable environmental impact – potentiality and no nitrogen fertilizer required, (4) growth over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions and the significance in crop rotation through its positive effects on soil fertility, soil structure and reduced soil erosion (Flajoulot et al., 2005; Tucak et al., 2008; Rashidi et al., 2009). Cultivated alfalfa is autotetraploid (2n = 4x = 32), open-pollinated species characterized by extreme heterozygosity and severe inbreeding depression. Current commercial alfalfa cultivars are mostly synthetic populations developed by intercrossing a number of superior selected parents to multiplying seeds through several generations of random mating. Therefore, utilizing the genetically diversified selection material is necessary for the improvement yield and quality alfalfa in our breeding programme as well as for producing high-yielding cultivars. Information about level and distribution of genetic diversity, relationship among material within a breeding programme is essential to better utilize available germplasm resources (Musial et al., 2002; Karuri et al., 2010; Tucak et al., 2010). ISSN 1330-7142 UDK = 633.31:631.524.02