The Search for Source Material of Phacelia Tanacetifolia Benth for Breeding for Fodder Productivity

The genetic resources of wild populations of the valuable forage crop Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. in different ecological conditions of the southern Srednerusskaya Upland were studied. Selected source material for breeding for fodder productivity.In the Vorskla natural-territorial complex the individuals which on the average 6.9-27.7% exceeded the individuals in other cenopopulations by height and bush size. The forms with high potential fodder qualities are distinguished: low hairiness of leaves and stems, dry matter content - 20.9-21.6%, protein - 19.4-20.4%, crude fat - 2.1-2.3%, soluble carbohydrates - 34.6-36.5%, green matter yield - 2,32-2,44 kg*(m2)-1, seeds - 0,032-0,038 kg*(m2)-1. The seeds of the best forms were collected and transferred to the collections of Federal Williams Reserch Center for Forage Production and Agroecology, All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology, Belgorod State University for breeding of new disease resistant forage varieties.