LUCERNE GENOTYPES PERFORMANCE FOR FODDER YIELD AND ITS ATTRIBUTES WITH QUALITY PARAMETERS AT HISAR AND ALL-INDIA LEVEL

LUCERNE GENOTYPES PERFORMANCE FOR FODDER YIELD AND ITS ATTRIBUTES WITH QUALITY PARAMETERS AT HISAR AND ALL-INDIA LEVEL
Y. JINDAL*, R.N. ARORA, U.N. JOSHI AND A.K. MALL
AICRP on Forage Crops and Utilization, Forage Section Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004-2, India
Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi
*(email: yjindalhau@gmail.com)
(Received : 20 February 2015; Accepted : 15 May 2015)

SUMMARY

A varietal evaluation trial on Lucerne (perennial) (Medicago sativa) was conducted at 9 locations under three different agro-ecological zones viz., Northwestern (NW), Central (CT) and South (SO) zones of India during 2007-08 to 2009-10. Three entries of Lucerne (BAIF Lucerne-1, Anand- 21 and Anand 22) were evaluated along with two national checks viz., RL 88 and Anand-2 for assessing their fodder yield potential and quality parameters at CCS HAU, Hisar. The same set of entries was also tested at eight different locations distributed in the three zones for fodder trial. The highest green fodder yield pooled over three years (1067.3 q/ha) was recorded at Coimbatore in south zone followed by Rahuri (996.4 q/ha) and Urulikanchan (967.1 q/ha) in the central zone whereas, the highest pooled dry matter yield (216.7 q/ha) was recorded at Coimbatore in south zone followed by Rahuri (203.3 q/ha) and Urulikanchan (182.8 q/ha) in the central zone. Highest per day production of green fodder pooled over three years was recorded at Rahuri and Hisar (GFY, (q/ha/day – 4.8 and 3.0, respectively) followed by Ludhiana (2.6 q/ha/day). The genotype BAIF Lucerne-1 gave a slight increase of 3.1% for green fodder yield and 2.0% increase for dry matter yield as compared to the best check RL 88 over three years. The highest crude protein yield pooled over three years was obtained at Coimbatore (40.9 q/ha) followed by Rahuri (35.6 q/ha) and Urulikanchan (28.8 q/ha). Lucerne genotype Anand 22 gave high In vitro dry matter digestibility% (IVDMD%) pooled over two years (68.2%) as compared to the best check Anand 2 (67.7%). The Lucerne genotype BAIF Lucerne-1 gave NDF% (43.8%) as compared to the best check RL 88 (45.2%) whereas BAIF Lucerne-1 gave ADF% (33.5%) as compared to the best check RL 88 (38.3%). Genotype BAIF Lucerne-1 gave high DDM yield (81.5 q/ha) which was comparable to the best check RL 88 (80.5 q/ha). Data reveals that Southern zone represented by Hyderabad, Coimbatore and Mandya gave higher green fodder and dry matter yields, plant height and production efficiency thereby indicating that climatic and edaphic conditions are very suitable for Lucerne as compared to Central Zone and North West Zone.

Key words:Lucerne, alfalfa, green fodder, dry matter, quality parameters

23-29