GENETIC-VARIATION FOR SEASONAL HERBAGE YIELD, GROWTH HABIT, AND CONDENSED TANNINS IN LOTUS-PEDUNCULATUS CAV. AND LOTUS-CORNICULATUS L

Lotus pedunculatus (greater lotus) and L. corniculatus (birdsfoot tref oil) are perennial forages with potential to improve the legume conten t of pastures in south-eastern Australia. A collection of 39 accession s of each species was grown at 3 localities to assess the degree of ge netic and genotype x locality interaction components of variance for h erbage yield, plant height, and width, the rate of reproductive develo pment, and condensed tannin concentration as a prelude to forming stra tegies for genetic improvement. Rhizome development in L. pedunculatus and seed yields in both species were recorded at a single locality Th e genetic variance component for herbage yield, plant height, and cond ensed tannins was significant for all characters, whereas the genotype x locality variance component was generally of lower magnitude. Group ing of accessions by geographic origin revealed important associations between characters. These associations were supported by strong posit ive genetic correlations. In L. pedunculatus, Portuguese accessions co mbined high autumn herbage yield with a tall plant type, a sparsely rh izomatous growth habit, high seed yield, and high condensed tannins. I n L. corniculatus, prostrate growth habit was associated with high con densed tannins in accessions from Spain but was associated with low co ndensed tannins in Russian accessions. Principal components analysis o f data for geographic groups of L. pedunculatus showed a positive asso ciation between means and variances, suggesting that selection within groups should be effective in producing cultivars with high herbage yi eld and low condensed tannins. In L. corniculatus, the positive geneti c correlation between herbage yield and plant height suggested that hy bridisation and selection would be required to produce a cultivar that would be more persistent under grazing.