Chemical mutagenesis method efficiency in the red clover breeding

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the productivity of red clover varieties created by the method of chemical mutagenesis in order to determine its effectiveness in comparison with the polycross method. Field experiments were carried out at the Research Institute of Agriculture of the Northern Trans-Urals - a branch of the Tyumen Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2015-2020, located in the Tyumen District of the Tyumen Region. The objects of observation were 8 late-ripening, single-cut varieties of red clover of our own selection, of which 5 varieties were created by the method of chemical mutagenesis, 3 varieties - by the polycross method. Observations were carried out on plants of the 2nd year of life (1st year of use) in the nursery of competitive variety testing (KSI), Rodnik Sibiri was taken as the standard variety. The vegetative period of all varieties from the beginning of spring regrowth to cutting maturity was 70-80 days, until seed ripening - 145-155 days. According to the complex of traits, 3 varieties obtained by the method of chemical mutagenesis (Saldo, Hephaestus, Sudar) and the variety Atlant obtained by the polycross method were distinguished. In terms of green mass productivity, the noted varieties exceeded the indicator of the standard variety Rodnik Sibiri by 12-19 % (43.4 t/ha); for the collection of hay by 12-17 % (St - 12 t/ha); for the collection of seeds by 8-15 % (St - 0.26 t/ha); for the collection of crude protein by 13-22 % (St - 1.82 t/ha). The method of chemical mutagenesis, along with the traditional polycross method, showed high efficiency in the breeding of red clover; varieties Saldo, Hephaestus, Sudar in terms of productivity and product quality are competitive with varieties created by the polycross method.