POSSIBILITIES OF FAMILY SELECTION IN A CULTIVAR OF LUCERNE, MEDICAGO-SATIVA L, FOR RESISTANCE TO THE STEM NEMATODE, DITYLENCHUS-DIPSACI (KUHN) FILIPJEV

Half-sib families representing the lucerne cultivar Resis were tested for resistance to a stem nematode population, recovered from lucerne. The percentage resistance of the HS-families varied from 13 to 88%. Th e mean resistance for the cultivar was approximately 50%. Half-sib fam ily selection would be more efficient than recurrent mass selection. T he observed data suggest the action of a few genes with relatively lar ge effects.