A very non-dormant alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with high multifoliolate expression

Abstract

Besides forage yield and persistence, forage quality is also very important in alfalfa production. Alfalfa quality depends not only on the environment but also on cultivar and herbage leaf proportion (Lacefield, 2004). Alfalfa leaves have normally three leaflets, and leaves are more digestible and have higher nutritional value than stems. Therefore, one way of improving alfalfa quality can be to increase leaf/stem ratio (LSR) by selecting for a higher frequency of multifoliolate (MF) plants in the population, i.e., plants showing leaves with more than three leaflets (Etzel et al. 1988; Volenec & Cherney (1990). Main objectives of INTA´s alfalfa breeding program at Manfredi Exp. Station (Córdoba, Argentina) are forage yield, plant persistence, multiple pest resistance and forage quality.