Assessment of genetic variation in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) populations using Canonical Discriminant Analysis

This study was conducted to assess sources of genetic and phenotypic variability of eight different alfalfa populations. Thirteen morphological and agronomic traits were measured on studied populations. The traits included plant Height, leaf chlorophyll content, total fresh weight, total dry weight, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, stem wet weight, stem dry weight, number of stems, number of leaves, ratio of number of leaves to number of stem, ratio of leaf dry weight to stem dry weight and total dry weight: total wet weight ratio. Multivariate data set was analyzed by Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA) in combination with a clustering procedure. The first two canonical variables were significant and canonical variables indicated that leaf dry weight, total dry weight, total fresh weight, leaf fresh weight and stem fresh weight are the most differentiating traits among the studied traits of plant populations. The canonical variables were used for clustering the populations into three main groups. CDA was useful in identifying the genetic variation and the traits that better describe the variation among the alfalfa populations. Effective traits identified in the variation between populations included that leaf dry weight, total dry weight, total fresh weight, leaf fresh weight and stem fresh weight and plant height. Recognize the diversity of these traits among the cultivated alfalfa allow to plant breeders that focus on specific traits that contribute to variation. Cluster analysis was successful in differentiating the populations into similar main groups on the basis of the measured traits.