Characterization and Preliminary Evaluation of Hedysarum coronarium L. Ecotypes in Mediterranean Environment

The changes of cropping systems in the last decades have caused a strong reduction of perennial forage genetic resources, especially for landraces of legume species and where the agriculture is more intensive. The aim of our research was to characterize and preliminarily evaluate Italian genetic resources of sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.). The trial was carried out in south Sardinia (Italy) during 2007-2008. Thirteen ecotypes of sulla representative of the main regions of cultivation (Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Abruzzo, Marche) and three control varieties ('Carmen', 'Grimaldi' and 'Sparacia') were evaluated in a trial designed as a randomized complete block with three replicates. In each plot (1.26 x 1.80 m) 70 plants were transplanted at the end of November, and on 40 plants the following variables were observed: winter mortality; growth habit in spring; time of beginning of flowering; dry matter yield; leaf/stem ratio. These variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate methods, and the results were used to identify genetic resources useful for local breeding of sulla.