The use of biological fabaceae resources of the cretaceous south of Russia in breeding on the example of the species Melilotus albus medik

Abstract

The morpho-biological traits of the breeding sample POD 17/13, created on the basis of genetic material of wild populations of M. albus of the Cretaceous south of the Central Russian Upland, were evaluated in comparison with the well-known zoned variety “Obskoy gigant”. The purpose of breeding work is to obtain a combination in one genotype of high yield traits of feed mass and leaf coverage; high protein content and low fiber content while maintaining seed productivity at the standard level. Three sets of field experiment were carried out: in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The setting years were the first years of life for the biennial M. albus crop. Individuals of the POD 17/13 breeding sample tend to increase the length of the growing season: by an average of 3.7 days in the first year of life, and by 7.3 days in the second year. According to the seed yield, the breeding sample M. albus POD 17/13 is at the standard level. In terms of protein content, the POD 17/13 variety significantly exceeds the standard in the first year of life by 6.8…9.2%, in the second - by 15.1…19.2%. At the same time, its herbage is more tender, since the fiber content in the aboveground mass is lower than that of the standard – in the first year of life – by 2.1…7.1%, in the second year of life - 6.9…9.9%. Thus, the POD 17/13 variety sample, created on the basis of the source material of wild populations of M. albus, is promising for obtaining a new variety based on it.