Biodiversity in red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) collected from Turkey. I: Morpho-agronomic properties

Abstract

Sustainibility of plant production, may only be provided by preservation of wild plant species and local cultivars. Preservation of these genetic resources in Turkey, which has a rich genetic diversity, is essential for breeding program to improve new cultivars. The objective of this study was to compare 47 red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) populations and one cultivar as a control in terms of morpho-agronomic characters in the second production year (2010) in Samsun-Turkey. Using cluster analysis procedure, populations were classified into eight groups, based on morpho-agronomic properties. Results show that there was a high diversity among the populations and some populations could be used in breeding programs.