VARIABILITY IN FORAGE AND SEED PRODUCTION AND SEEDLING GROWTH IN ASTRAGALUS CICER
Forage and seed yield, percentage seed germination, speed of germination index, and 1,000-seed weight were determined for a population of 170 plants selected from Oxley cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.). Seedlings from open-pollinated seed from the selected plants were measured for leaf weight and leaf area, and specific leaf weight was calculated. Most of the characters studied were asymmetrical in distribution. The correlation coefficient between forage and seed yields of mature plants was positive and highly significant. Seedling leaf weight was positively and closely related to seedling leaf area, but seedling leaf area was a more reliable indicator of photosynthetic efficiency. The variability in the characters studied in the selected population suggests that further improvement in forage yield, germination percentage, speed of germination, and seedling vigor may be obtained through a breeding program.