Comparative characteristics of Medicago × varia and Medicago sativa cultivars of various ecological and geographical origin cultivated in the Northern Caspian

In order to restore heavily degraded unproductive natural fodder lands, increase fodder value, create perennial cultivated pastures and hayfields, prevent soil erosion in arid regions of Russia, it is necessary to study the adaptive potential of various species and varieties of alfalfa and use highly nutritious, high-yielding, drought-resistant, hardy varieties for reclamation that are able to grow in extreme conditions. The aim of the work was to conduct an adaptation assessment and selection of alfalfa varieties and species for use in the restoration of arid degraded pasture ecosystems in the semi-desert zone of southern Russia. In one-factor field experiment conducted in 20202021, 44 alfalfa varieties from the collection of Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources were studied. The eperiments were carried out in accordance with the methods of Ivanov A.I. et al., 1985; Dospekhov B.A., 1985; Gringof I.G., Lynov Y.S., 1991; Federal Williams Research Center of Forage Production and Agroecology, 2015. According to the results of the second year of competitive testing, 29 accessions of alfalfa which exceeded standard indicators for productivity of green mass and seeds were selected for further study. Only 6 accessions were identified as the best in green mass yield compared to the standard (hybrid alfalfa Pestraya 57, Priuralskaya, Kizlyarskaya; alfalfa Karakalpakskaya 37, Karakalpakskaya 15, Mex-Son). 19accessions exceeded seed productivity of the standard by 9.0154.9 g/m2, and 9 accessions had significantly higher indicators (alfalfa Kust, King, Zia, Karakalpakskaya 37, Irtyshskaya; hybrid alfalfa Karagandinskaya 1, Kizlyarskaya, Kizlyarskaya sinegibridnaya, Flora 2). Two accessionshybrid alfalfa Kizlyarskaya and alfalfa Karakalpakskaya 37significantly exceeded standard indicators (green mass and seed). In the future, we plan to continue studying the two accessions for use in breeding.