Variability of Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) Natural Populations from Serbia

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the variability of natural populations of alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) from Serbia. The study included six populations of different geographic origin. Collected material was investigated in the fields of the Institute for Forage Crops, Kruševac, in 2009–2011. Morphological traits of individual plants: height, green mass, number of stems, leaf length and width were analyzed on 20 plants per population, and forage quality traits: crude protein, crude fibre and crude fat were analyzed. The highest values of observed morphological parameters were recorded in populations IS 037 (756 g green mass and 86.6 cm plant height, with a 100 % survival rate in the second year), IS 077 (52.2 stems per plant and also 100 % survivals) and IS 086 (2.97 cm leaf length with 75 % survivals). Green mass yield proved to be the most variable trait, where the CV ranged from 32 to 61 %. The importance of the studied traits was estimated using the method of principal components analysis. With regard to chemical composition of dry matter, crude protein content ranged from 18.64 mg kg⁻¹ in CS 072 to 20.47 mg kg⁻¹ in IS 059, crude fibre ranged from 17.78 mg kg⁻¹ in CS 072 to 25.24 mg kg⁻¹ in RO 100 and fat ranged from 1.91 mg kg⁻¹ in CS 072 to 2.51 mg kg⁻¹ in IS 086.