Publication Date
1985
Description
A program designed to determine the productivity of nine middle eastern (ME) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) ecotypes and 17 alfalfa cultivars from California, Australia, and New Zealand, is described. Selected harvests, representing performance characteristics during different seasons of the year, and the 13 cuts taken between March 31, 1983 and February 15, 1984 indicate that all but one of the ME entries were higher yielding (P = < .05) than all but one western alfalfa. By the 17th harvest taken May 28, 1984, three ecotypes from Egypt were superior (P = < .05) to all other entries including those commonly used in Saudi Arabia. In orthogonal comparisons, the mean of 17 western alfalfas was inferior to the mean of nine mideast ecotypes by the third and all subsequent cuts through the 17th. Two Saudi Arabian check entries, Hasawi I and Hasawi II, were similar yielding throughout the 17 harvests, but were significantly inferior to the other seven ME ecotypes in orthogonal comparisons between the two groups. The annual productivity potential of superior entries exceeded 38 metric tons per hectare (T/ha) of dry matter. Seasonal distribution of yield varied among entries with most ME entries significantly superior to most western entries in all four seasons. Middle eastern ecotypes had greater (P = < .05) height at cutting than western alfalfas. As a group they flowered earlier, and showed lower incidence of enation virus. Based on 17 harvests over an 18-month period, middle eastern ecotypes were better adapted to growing conditions in central Saudi Arabia than introduced western cultivars.
Citation
Marble, V L.; Wilton, A C.; and Cook, A A., "Performance of Nine Mid-East Alfalfa Ecotypes and Seventeen Introduced Cultivars in Saudi Arabia" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 11.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session14/11
Included in
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Performance of Nine Mid-East Alfalfa Ecotypes and Seventeen Introduced Cultivars in Saudi Arabia
A program designed to determine the productivity of nine middle eastern (ME) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) ecotypes and 17 alfalfa cultivars from California, Australia, and New Zealand, is described. Selected harvests, representing performance characteristics during different seasons of the year, and the 13 cuts taken between March 31, 1983 and February 15, 1984 indicate that all but one of the ME entries were higher yielding (P = < .05) than all but one western alfalfa. By the 17th harvest taken May 28, 1984, three ecotypes from Egypt were superior (P = < .05) to all other entries including those commonly used in Saudi Arabia. In orthogonal comparisons, the mean of 17 western alfalfas was inferior to the mean of nine mideast ecotypes by the third and all subsequent cuts through the 17th. Two Saudi Arabian check entries, Hasawi I and Hasawi II, were similar yielding throughout the 17 harvests, but were significantly inferior to the other seven ME ecotypes in orthogonal comparisons between the two groups. The annual productivity potential of superior entries exceeded 38 metric tons per hectare (T/ha) of dry matter. Seasonal distribution of yield varied among entries with most ME entries significantly superior to most western entries in all four seasons. Middle eastern ecotypes had greater (P = < .05) height at cutting than western alfalfas. As a group they flowered earlier, and showed lower incidence of enation virus. Based on 17 harvests over an 18-month period, middle eastern ecotypes were better adapted to growing conditions in central Saudi Arabia than introduced western cultivars.
