Evaluation of the Potential to Improve Alfalfa for Production under Less Than Optimum Moisture Conditions

摘要

The use of alfalfa was explored as a means of conserving New Mexico's supplies of fresh water. Plant breeding procedures were used to increase alfalfa's yield potential when given limited quantities of irrigation. Field, greenhouse, and laboratory experiments were conducted to find techniques that would: identify germplasm sources for these traits; evaluate and identify individual genotypes within these sources; evaluate the potential of the techniques and the new populations developed; and evaluate irrigation management techniques that would maximize the yield potential of the selected populations with less than optimum amounts of irrigation. Germplasm sources, selection techniques, elite genotypes, and irrigation management techniques were developed.