Preliminary Study Of The Biological Characteristics Of Leafy Alfalfa

The experiment was conduced to study biological characters of multifoliolate alfalfa(Medicago Sativa L.). Alfalfa cultivars in this study were three multifoliolate cultivars(Landmark2MF, IGS, 702) and five trifoliolate cultivars(KEY, WL-414, WL-612, Zhaodong, GongnongNo.1). It was for the first time that the relationship between multifoliolate expression on leaf dry weight basis and plant nutrient value were analyzed, and the genetic characters of mutifoliolate alfalfa was studied on isozyme level. It was showed:(1) The plants from multifoliolate plants after cutting expressed multifoliolate trait; meanwhile the plants from trifoliolate plants after cutting were all trifoliolate.(2) Five isozymes of two multifoliolate alfalfa(Medicago Sativa) cultivars and five trifoliolate alfalfa cultivars were analysed using polylamide gel eletrophoresis technique. Genetic similarity and euclidean coefficient between the cultivars, as well as cluster analysis result were worked out by SSPS(Scientific statistical program of society). The experiment showed: 1)PER, EST and AMY were polymorphic, meanwhile the isozymic chromatograph could identify the cultivars in this study; 2)Two multifoliolate cultivars had specific isozyme loci PER-4, and the level of PER activity of the internal cultivars was higher than the external cultivars; 3) Genetic similarity and euclidean coefficient between the cultivars were 0.826~0.952, 0.500~1.118, between the multifoliolate cultivars were 0.904, 0.500; 4)Multifoliolate cultivares were classified for one type, and others for two other types. (3) The field experiment of the 7 alfalfa cultivars in this study showed: 1) The proportion of the plants of two multifoliolate alfalfa cultivars (Landmark2MF and IGS) which expressed multifoliolate trait were respectively 54.81%, 50.38% and 83.76%, 80.37% in 8th July and 8th August. 2) There was no significant relationship in plant height, plant yield, percentage leaf, as well as divarication rate, and Landmark2MF and IGS had no higher values than the others. 3) In 10th August , the plants of Landmark2MF and IGS had higher percentage leaf , higher protein content, and lower crude fabric; the plant multifoliolate expression on leaf dry weight basis of Landmark2MF was positively relative with percentage leaf, meanwhile significant positive relation existed between leaf percentage and protein content; plant crude fabric content decreased, while percentage leaf and protein content increased, when the plant multifoliolate expression on leaf dry weight basis increased.