The relationship between fall dormancy and germplasm source in North American alfalfa cultivars

Most of the genetic diversity of North American alfalfa cultivars has been accounted for by nine germplasm sources listed in descending order of winter hardiness as follows: Medicago sativa ssp. falcata, Ladak, M. sativa ssp. xvaria, Turkistan, Flemish, Chilean, Peruvian, Indian and African. In most instances, the breeder assigns a fall dormancy score and the relative proportions of each of the nine germplasm source for each cultivar at registration. The fall dormancy score (1 = dormant to 9 = non-dormant), determined by measuring plant height in October after harvest in early September, is used to indicate cultivar adaptation for different regions. This study examines the relationship between germplasm composition and plant height, the equivalence of fall dormancy. The signs on the partial regression coefficients of a multiple regression analysis of plant height on the proportional content of the nine sources of germplasm showed that the fall dormancy fell essentially into two classes, namely, a dormant ...