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Estimates of Genetic Variance in ‘Cherokee’ Alfalfa (Medicago sativa, L.)¹

Four blocks of clones (17, 18, 19, and 20 clones per block) taken at random from ‘Cherokee’ alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) were evaluated in a partial diallel mating design. Vegetatively propagated clones and four cross progeny from each clone were evaluated in three replications at two locations for 2 years in the upper coastal plain of North Carolina. Variance components estimated were interpreted in terms of autotetraploid inheritance with alpha = 0. Significant estimates of total genetic variance (²_c), general combining ability variance (²_g), and covariance of parent-offspring (_po) were obtained for yield, recovery after cuts 1 and 2, spring growth, and fall growth. Estimates of specific combining ability variance (²_s) were not significant for any character. However, estimates of ²_c were significantly larger than estimates of 2 _po or 4 ²_g for forage yield, recovery after cut 1 and spring growth indicating that either trigenic, quadrigenic, or epistatic genetic variance was important.

Predicted gain in yield from selecting the upper 10% of the clones and recombining them into a synthetic was 9.3%. Because both additive and non-additive genetic variance are important in Cherokee, additional gain might be made by producing hybrid varieties.

Key Words: Autotetraploid • Combining ability

² Associate Professor, Plant Genetics, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801. (Formerly Geneticist, Crops Research Division, ARS, USDA at Raleigh, N. C.); Agronomist, Alfalfa Investigations, CR, ARS, USDA; and Associate Professor of Genetics, North Carolina State University, respectively. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Dr. S. G. Carmer and Mrs. Jan Marceau of the Agronomy Department Statistical Laboratory, University of Illinois in writing the computer program and performing the statistical analysis of the data.

Received for publication September 25, 1968.

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