Improvement of Single Cut Egyptian Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) By Mass and Family Selection Methods

Research Article
Improvement of Single Cut Egyptian Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) By Mass and Family Selection Methods

Asian Journal of Crop Science, 2013, 5(3), 304-311.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare response to mass and family selection methods for improving Fahl population of berseem. Thereby two cycles of modified mass (C1 and C2) and one cycle of family selection were applied on a population of the Fahl variety of Egyptian clover. Plants selected for C₁ were also raised as half sib families in second season and selection was practiced between and within families for the best 10 families. Seeds of selected half-sib families and both modified mass selection cycles C₁ and C₂ along with the base population were evaluated for forage and seed yields in third season. Gains realized from C₁ and C₂ mass selection, respectively were 13.6 and 8.5% for seed yield, 4.9 and 14.4% for fresh forage yield, 5.3 and 13.2% for dry forage yield and 9.1 and 13.2% for 1000-seed weight over the base population. While, gains from family selection as% of base population were 18.5, 8.9, 9.9 and 3.8% for these traits in order. Broad sense heritability among half-sib families were 76.8, 76.1, 98.2 and 84.3% for these traits, respectively. All studied traits were positively correlated but the correlation between seed yield and forage yield were weak. However, one half-sib family was 30.1% higher than base population in seed yield, 34.2% in fresh forage yield, 35.8% in dry forage yield and 16.4% heavier in seed weight. Results suggest that family selection may be more effective for improving seed yield than modified mass selection.

ASCI-ID: 4-112

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