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Combining Ability of Coumestrol Content and its Association with Uterotropic Activity, Yield, and Plant Height in Medicago sativa L.¹

Six alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) clones, selected for varying amounts of uterotropic activity (UA, increase in uterine weight of castrated female mice fed the plant material), were crossed in all combinations, keeping reciprocals separate. F₂s were produced by selling and intercrossing F₁ sibs. Backcrosses of F₁s to both parents were produced reciprocally. UA, coumestrol concentration, forage yield, and plant height were measured.

General combining ability variation among F₁ family means was hnportant for all characters. Specific combining ability variation was not important.

Uterotropic activity and coumestrol content were positively correlated, indicating that coumestrol concentration accurately reflects this biological activity of alfalfa in castrated female mice. Both UA and coumestrol were generally negatively correlated with yield and height.

Inbreeding significantly affected all characters except coumestrol content. Yield, in particular, decreased more rapidly than the coefficient of inbreeding increased. This inbreeding depression could not he adequately explained by present concepts of inbreeding.

Key Words: Isoflavones • Alfalfa • Estrogenic activity • Inbreeding coefficient • Inbreeding depression

² Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn.

³ Former Graduate Research Assistant, Professor of Agronomy, and Professor of Animal Sciences, respectively, Purdue Unversity Lafayette, lnd.

⁴ Assistant Director, Division of Sponsored Research, Purdue Research Foundation, Lafayette, Ind.

Received for publication March 20, 1971.

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