Abstract:

【Objective】 The purpose of this study was to provide academic references for the variety improvement and production of alfalfa by analyzing the main characters of hay yield between multifoliolate alfalfa and trifoliolate alfalfa. 【Method】 The growth characters and the net photosynthesis rate(Pn) were mea sured. The regression equation of characters related to the hay yield was established by principal components analysis and stepwise regression analysis. And then, significance test of difference and variance analysis were used for eigenvectors in principal component analysis. 【Result】 The results showed that the hay yield of multifoliolate alfalfa had significant correlation with density of branches, specific leaf weight, dry weight of branches, plant height, number of compound leaves, photosynthesis rate, stem/leaf ratio and fresh/dry ratio (P＜0.05). What significantly correlated with the hay yield of trifoliolate alfalfa includes plant height, density of branches, specific leaf weight, internode number, fresh/dry ratio and stem/leaf ratio (P＜0.05). The results of significance test of difference in the common characters between two different kinds of alfalfa showed that the density of branches, stem/leaf ratio and fresh/dry ratio in multifoliolate alfalfa were significantly lower than those in trifoliolate alfalfa, specific leaf weight in multifoliolate alfalfa was significantly higher than those in trifoliolate alfalfa (P＜0.05). There was no obvious difference in plant height between the two kinds of alfalfa. 【Conclusion】 As a whole, the hay yield of multifoliolate alfalfa was significantly higher than trifoliolate alfalfa. There is a difference in the characters between multifoliolate alfalfa and trifoliolate alfalfa. The same characters in the stepwise regression had different effects on different kinds of alfalfa. The hay produce can by improved by increasing the specific leaf weight and decreasing the fresh/dry ratio and stem/leaf ratio. The density of branches of multifoliolate alfalfa is lower than trifoliolate alfalfa, therefore, the hay yield of multifoliolate alfalfa can be enhanced by increasing the number of branches number and applying rational close planting.

Key words: multifoliolate alfalfa, hay yield, principal components analysis, regression analysis, growth character