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Population Characteristics of Advanced Generations of an Alfalfa Synthetic Increased from Selfed, Single-Cross, or Polycross Seed¹

An alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) synthetic, derived from four clones as selfed, single-cross, or polycross seed, was increased 1 to 4 generations at four western and two north central U.S. locations. Plant populations of each increase were compared for various characteristics when grown at Lafayette, Ind., the area of adaptation of the clones, to determine what method of breeder seed synthesis would result in minimum deviation of population characteristics among the seed increases from the various locations

Variations in fall regrowth height indicated a gradual population change toward taller plants and loss of winterhardiness with advancing generations of increase, regardless of method used to produce the breeder seed. Height of fall regrowth was greatest for populations derived from selfed seed and similar for populations derived from single-cross and polycross seed.

Percentage of plants with purple flowers increased in the advanced generations, particularly those made at the western locations. Breeder seed derived from polycross seed at the two north central locations had percentages of plants with purple flowers similar to those of the first generation increases of the selfed or singile-cross seed.

From a practical standpoint, these data indicate that seed multiplication of alfalfa synthetic cultivars can be accomplished using either selfed, single-cross, or polycross seed as breeder seed with equally satisfactory maintenance of cultivar characteristics.

Key Words: Fall regrowth • Winter survival • Genetic stability

² Agronomists, ARS, USDA, Lafayette, IN 47907; Beltsville, MD 20705; Prosser, WA 99350; Shatter, CA 93263; and Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55101, respectively.

Received for publication July 16, 1973.