FORAGE CROPS BREEDING FOR IMPROVEMENT OF YIELD, QUALITY AND DISEASE RESISTANCE Svetislav Popović, Marijana Tucak, Tihomir Čupić, Goran Krizmanić, Vladimir Meglič* Department of Forage Crops Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural Institute Osijek, CROATIA *Crop and Seed Production Department, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Ljubljana, SLOVENIA ♣ Agricultural and environmental benefits of growing forage crops Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) are the most researched perennial crops in major forage legumes breeding programs. Agronomical interests for this crops are based on its numerous advantageous characteristics such as (1) high yield potential and suitable feeding value, (2) different methods of utilization grown alone or/and mixture with grasses - green mass, hay, silage, greenchop, briquette, pellets, etc., (3) favourable environmental impact – potentiality and no nitrogen fertilizer required, (4) numerous positive effects in preserving of humans and animals health, (5) the growth over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions and the significance in crop rotation through its positive effects on soil fertility, soil structure and reduced soil erosion. ♣ Breeding program of perennial forage crops at the Agricultural Institute Osijek Breeding program of perennial forage crops at the Agricultural Institute Osijek is existing and is continuously carried out for over than 50 years. In this period, the Institute has inscribed 19 varieties of alfalfa and two varieties of red clover and has as well a rich collection of genetic variability and diversity of domestic and introduced germplasm. The main objective of most breeding programs is the development of new varieties with high forage yield and quality, good persistence and multiple disease resistances. Recurrent Phenotypic Selection INTROGRESS NEW GERMPLASM Superior plants selected Common leaf spot Alfalfa Space Plant Nursery INTERMATING EVALUATION NEW BREEDING POPULATION Downy mildew Powdery mildew Red Clover Space Plant Nursery Sclerotinia crown and stem rot SELECTION Fusarium wilt Verticillium wilt Development of synthetic cultivars based on testing progenies from polycross nursery Alfalfa Variety Testing SEED INCREASE OF NEW CULTIVAR Alfalfa and red clover diseases ♣ Breeding methods Perennial forage legumes breeding programs are usually based on mass selection, phenotypic recurrent selection and synthetic development using polycross method. Development of new varieties is a very long-lasting and difficult process where in the first place all the available germplasm (local populations and ecotypes, population development by crossing, wild relatives domestic and introduced varieties) needs to be evaluated, by means of large number of individual plants/cuttings in breeding nurseries over multiple years. In the each of several cycles of selection, the superior plants are selected and intercrossed, to generate new populations with improved important agronomic traits (insects/diseases resistance, cold/drought tolerance, better persistence, higher forage yield and nutritional value). In climatic conditions of Republic of Croatia the major alfalfa and red clover diseases are Sclerotinia crown and stem rot (Sclerotinia trifoliorum), Verticillium wilt (Verticillium albo-atrum), Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. medicaginis), Common leaf spot (Pseudopeziza medicaginis, P. trifolii), Downy mildew (Peronospora trifoliorum) and Powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni). In our breeding program we are selecting alfalfa and red clover plants carrying natural resistance to the major pathogens occurring naturally in the field. These resistant plants are the basis for the development of new varieties. In sustainable plant production systems forage crops have an important place due to numerous agricultural and environmental benefits. „Plant health for sustainable agriculture” CONFERENCE, 11 – 12 May 2015, LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA