Evaluation of alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.) germplasm using multivariat statistical analysis

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

To study genetic diversity of alfalfa germplasm and traits affecting yield forage, 30 populations alfalfa were assessed in research field of Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran during 2012. Cluster analysis was used based on all of the recorded characters, using Ward method, by which the populations were grouped into three clusters, and the maximum genetic distance was obtained between populations Zabo15 and Karaj 2122 that could be used to create optimistic hybrids. Minimum distance related to the cluster center of the second and third clusters. Factor analysis with varimax rotation was performed for ten traits and reduced them down to three common factors which were accounted for 70.65 of total variation among the populations. The first three factors were named as forage yield, resistance to the weevil and plant height.

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