Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Mohammad ali Alizadeh ¹
• Aliashraf Jafari ²
• Farid Normand Moaied ³
• Saeed Davzdahemami ⁴
• Karam Sepahvand ⁵
• Behrooz Mohammadi ⁶

¹ Associated Professor, Natural Resources of Gene Bank Group, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

² Professor, Rangelands Research Division, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research Education and extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

³ Assistance – Professor, Department of Natural resource, 6Tabriz Agricultural & Natural Resources Research & Education Center, AREEO, Tabriz, Iran

⁴ Associated Professor, Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan Agricultural & Natural Resources Research & Education Center, AREEO, Isfahan, Iran

⁵ Researcher, Department of Natural Resources, Lorestan Agricultural & Natural Resources Research & Education Center, AREEO, Lorestan, Iran

⁶ Researcher, Department of Natural Resources, Zanjan Agricultural & Natural Resources Research & Education Center, AREEO, Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

Abstract
Background and objectives: Sainfoin is one of the important fodder plants that have a high value for feeding for livestock. This plant is cultivated for both irrigation and dry land farming systems. Many of local populations are sensitive to powdery mildew disease that decrease forage yields and quality. Feeding of infected plants with powdery mildew by livestock might cause livestock abortion. Sainfoin powdery mildew disease is caused by Leveillula taurica fungus, which appears as necrosis of the leaf tissue and symptom spots on the plants. Contamination of the plant with this disease, especially in its severe condition, leads to a slowdown in the growth of the plant, the small size of the inflorescence, and decrease in the forage yield. The main stage of its damage is in the second and third cuts. This project aimed to evaluate the forage yield and tolerance to powdery mildew of two populations of 15353 and 3001 compared to the native variety in 10 trail locations in the country.
Methodology: The seeds of two populations of 3001 and 15353 were sown along with the native population (susceptible to powdery mildew) as a control in 10 farms including Karaj and Taleghan (Alborz province), BostanAbad, Heris, Sarab, and Varzaghan (East Azerbaijan province), Nikpay and Saramsaghlo (Zanjan province), Dehpir (Lorestan province), and Faridan (Esfahan province) over two years (2018-2020). Data was collected for plant height and forage yield three cuts over two years, and the disease severity index of sainfoin to powdery mildew in the third cut. Since infection of sainfoin to powdery mildews happens in the third cut, so, the Disease Severity Index (DSI) of the two populations of 3001 and 15353 and (control) was evaluated in the third harvest in both years.
Result: According to the evaluation of the DSI of two populations of 3001 and 15353 compared to the native population across ten locations. It was confirmed that both populations of 15353 and 3001 had a DSI below 10%, and therefore they were considered to be tolerant to powdery mildew disease. The native populations in all 10 locations had a DSI with a level of 50%, and they were considered susceptible to powdery mildew. Both 3001 and 15353 populations were tolerant to powdery mildew coupled with higher yield of 1.2 and 1 ton/ha than the control in 10 regions.
Conclusion: According to the results, the two populations of 3001 and 15353 with DSI values lower than 10 % and higher yield were considered as tolerant to powdery mildew disease than to the native population (with a DSI of higher than 50%), in all locations. Then, the farms were visited by experts of the research Institute Seed and Plant Certification and Registration, Karaj, Iran. The two varieties were introduced as new cultivars known Bordbar 1 and Bordbar 2, by the authorities of the Institute. Finally, the two released varieties were suggested for cultivation in both irrigation and dryland farming systems.

Keywords

• Onobrychis sativa
• powdery mildew
• disease severity index
• forage yield