Alfalfa is the major fodder crop of Sultanate Oman, but salinity is a major problem in its cultivation. Therefore, thirty-four alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) landraces of Oman were evaluated for morphology and forage yield response to different salinity levels viz. 1 (control), 3, 6, 9, and 12 dS m⁻¹ under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted under a completely randomized design. Different alfalfa landraces responded differently to the five salinity levels for plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, leaflet width, leaflet length, forage fresh weight, and forage dry matter yield. Salt stress caused a reduction in growth and dry matter yield of alfalfa landraces with exception of some, which responded positively to the salinity levels of 3 and 6 dS m⁻¹ compared to control for the number of leaves per plant. Moreover, some landraces had better forage fresh weight and dry matter yield at 6 dS m⁻¹ than 3 dS m⁻¹. Alfalfa landraces OMA 257, OMA, 245, OMA 270, OMA 315, OMA 211, OMA 117, OMA 56, OMA 239, OMA 148, OMA 131, OMA 95, OMA 263, OMA 262, OMA 289 and OMA 220 were designated as salt tolerant based on their overall performance across salinity levels of 6, 9 and 12 dS m⁻¹. However, the landraces OMA 305, OMA 100, OMA 211, OMA 148, OMA 60, OMA 248, OMA 9, OMA 88, and OMA 302 collected were sensitive to 6, 9 and 12 dS m⁻¹ salinity stress. The study showed the variation of alfalfa landraces potential for salinity tolerance, and their potential for cultivation in saline areas and/or use in breeding programs aimed to develop salt tolerant alfalfa genotypes.

中文翻译：

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不同盐分胁迫下阿曼本土苜蓿地方品种形态和牧草产量的评价。

苜蓿是阿曼苏丹国的主要饲料作物，但盐度是其种植的主要问题。因此，对阿曼34 种苜蓿 ( Medicago sativa L.) 地方品种的形态和牧草产量对不同盐度水平的响应进行了评估。1（对照）、3、6、9 和 12 dS m ^-1在温室条件下。实验是在完全随机的设计下进行的。不同的苜蓿地方品种对株高、分枝数、叶数、小叶宽度、小叶长度、牧草鲜重和牧草干物质产量这五个盐度水平的反应不同。盐胁迫导致苜蓿地方品种的生长和干物质产量下降，但对 3 和 6 dS m 的盐度水​​平有积极响应的一些地方品种除外^-1与对照相比每株植物的叶子数。此外，一些地方品种在 6 dS m ^-1比在 3 dS m ^-1具有更好的牧草鲜重和干物质产量。苜蓿地方品种 OMA 257、OMA、245、OMA 270、OMA 315、OMA 211、OMA 117、OMA 56、OMA 239、OMA 148、OMA 131、OMA 95、OMA 263、OMA 262、OMA 262 和 OMA 262耐盐性基于它们在 6、9 和 12 dS m ^-1盐度水平上的整体性能。然而，收集到的地方品种 OMA 305、OMA 100、OMA 211、OMA 148、OMA 60、OMA 248、OMA 9、OMA 88 和 OMA 302 对 6、9 和 12 dS m ^-1敏感盐分胁迫。该研究显示了紫花苜蓿地方品种耐盐性潜力的变异，以及它们在盐碱地区种植和/或用于旨在开发耐盐性紫花苜蓿基因型的育种计划的潜力。