Specific features of the biochemical composition of life forms of black medic (<i>Medicago lupulina</i> L.)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Black medic is used as a pasture, cover, siderate, anti-erosion culture for fixing embankments along roads, on mining dumps and for phytoremediation. Mono-, bi- and polycarpic forms are distinguished within the species, differing in the number of fruitions during the plant life cycle. The presence of polymorphism of morphological features and features of ontogenesis suggests the presence of differences in biochemical parameters in the selected groups. AIM: The aim of the study was to study the polymorphism of biochemical parameters of various life forms of black medic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The material for the study was 20 accessions of black medic of various origins from groups of mono-, bi- and polycarpic plants of the VIR collection. For the study, a freshly harvested green mass of plants was used. The assessment was carried out according to the following biochemical parameters: the content of dry matter, protein, sugars, ascorbic acid, total acidity, chlorophylls, carotenoids, carotenes, -carotene, anthocyanins. Statistical processing of the results included calculation of the main parameters of variation, analysis of variance and discriminant analysis. RESULTS: The nutritional value of black medic was characterized by the content of crude protein and sugars. The range of protein variability ranged from 11,94 to 19,69 mg / 100 g of raw matter, sugars from 0,44 to 2,67%. Differences in the sugar content of plants of different groups were revealed. The content of ascorbic acid was the highest in five varieties from the polycarpic plant group presented in the study in comparison with wild-growing accessions and the monocarpic Bereginya variety. Monocarpics are distinguished by the content of anthocyanin (19,5 1,41 mg / 100 g); no significant differences were found in the content of other pigments. CONCLUSIONS: The results of in-depth biochemical analysis of accessions from the collection of plant genetic resources demonstrate the high variability of biologically active substances in the green mass of plants and will significantly improve the choice of the initial material for selection for forage usage.