Twenty four Iranian and foreign alfalfa cultivars, including six mixed Iranian cultivars, nine Iranian and nine foreign cultivars were studied in the field from 1986 through 1990, in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Traits studied were dry forage yield, flowering time, plant height, fall growth and percent protin of hay.
Stati.stical analyses of data showed that, out or 19 cuttings, cultivars were significantly different in 14 cuttings for dry forage yield.Flowering time and crude protein percentage showed significant differences in four years, however, plant height was significant only in two years. Fall growth which was studied only in one year, showed significant differences in the cultivars. Cuttings were significantly different for all traits. Significant cultivar x cutting interaction effects were found for all traits under study. Corralation coefficients, calculated between traits, showed that there are significant positive correlations between most traits.
This study showed that cultivar “Kerman” and two “Bami” cultivars outyielded all other cultivars. For flowering time, cultivar “Shiraz” was the earliest, and ‘Codi’ was the second earliest cultivar. Plant height was higher in “Kerman”,”Bami” and “Mahajeran” cultivars. However, crude protein percentage was highest in foreign cultivars, and cultivar “Lutèce” was the best in this respect. Fall growth was more in Iranian cultivars, compared to foreign cultivars.
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