Legume seed and forage species are valuable feed plants that have been providing significant contributions to agricultural and animal production. In vitro culture of plant cells, tissues or organs on a medium containing selective agents offers the opportunity to select and regenerate plants with desirable characteristics. The technique has also been effectively utilized to induce tolerance which includes the use of some selective agents that permit the preferential survival and growth of desired phenotypes. For this study we chose two varieties of Trifolium pretense L. (Select 2 and Rotrif) and two of Medicago sativa L. (Mihaela and Mădălina). Healthy seeds were selected for in vitro germination on agar medium and then transferred to nitrogen-free MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium to compare the growth rate between clover and alfalfa and which species resisted better on this medium. The biological material taken under study consisted of four varieties and for each variety was analyzed 30 seeds and was transferred into tubes passed into the growth chamber. First, the seeds were sterilized and then the germination rate of the four varieties studied was monitored. Rotrif variety had the highest rate of germination followed by Mihaela alfalfa variety. After three days from the inoculation, the seedlings formed were transferred to MS medium without nitrogen and also the growth rates were analyzed and what variety resist better on this medium was established. Between the four varieties there is no difference, however, the best development during the entire period was in the case of Rotrif variety, followed by cultivar Select 2. A slight increase was observed in Mădălina variety but as a general conclusion both varieties of red clover have resisted better than those of alfalfa.

in vitro, red clover, alfalfa, seed, germination, medium

Presentation: oral