Variation in Leaf Morphology and Agronomic Attributes of a Naturalized Population of <i>Medicago polymorpha</i> L. (Burr Medic) from New South Wales, Australia, and Relationships with Climate and Soil Characteristics
As one component of a study to improve <i>Medicago</i> spp. germplasm in eastern Australia, fifteen phenotypic and agronomic attributes were recorded for 4715 plants grown from the seed of 90 accessions of the widely naturalized pasture legume <i>Medicago polymorpha</i> from...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1737 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | As one component of a study to improve <i>Medicago</i> spp. germplasm in eastern Australia, fifteen phenotypic and agronomic attributes were recorded for 4715 plants grown from the seed of 90 accessions of the widely naturalized pasture legume <i>Medicago polymorpha</i> from 90 sites in eight regions of inland New South Wales. The species expressed wide polymorphism. However, many leaflet attributes were associated with specific climate and soil characteristics, which varied from east to west across the collection zone. Discriminant analysis showed that accessions from the four most northern (summer dominant rainfall) and western (arid–semiarid) regions (Group A) differed from accessions from the most southern, temperate (winter dominant rainfall) and eastern (higher rainfall) regions (Group B). Group A flowered earlier and had shorter pod spines. Group B had lower plant vigor. Regions from which Group A accessions were collected had higher soil pH, lower winter rainfall, and higher minimum winter temperature than Group B regions. The diversity in the population, particularly the difference in flowering times among accessions collected from drier, warmer regions and those from more mesic, cooler regions, and the wide variation in flowering time measured among plants grown from accessions within all collection regions, is likely to ensure the long-term persistence of <i>M. polymorpha</i> in a changing climate. Elite lines were subsequently identified and lodged in National and International Genebanks for future research. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2073-4395 |