Fodder beet is an important crop for animal nutrition, and improving it can help achieve higher yields and genotypes that are better adapted to climate change. The aim of the research was to evaluate and compare the main agronomic traits of some fodder beet genotypes in the breeding process, in order to identify those with superior performance. The biological material included seven fodder beet genotypes and one control variety (CV), analyzed for four traits: root weight, leaf weight, maximum root length and maximum root diameter. The genotypes were followed in a comparative culture at SCDA Lovrin. Biometric measurements were statistically analyzed using boxplots, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The results indicate that genotypes V104, V106 and V108 showed higher root weights compared to the control, while the leaf weight was higher in V106 and V108. Genotype V106 stood out for its root length and diameter, having clear advantages to all the characteristics analyzed, suggesting a high agronomic potential. ANOVA analysis indicated significant differences between varieties for root weight (p < 0.001), leaf weight (p = 0.035) and maximum root diameter (p < 0.001), but not for root length (p = 0.054). Correlations between the analyzed traits indicate positive associations between root weight and leaf weight, as well as between root weight and length. The PCA analysis highlighted the differences and similarities between genotypes, highlighting groups of varieties with similar characteristics and outlining directions for genotype selection in breeding programs. Research has shown that there are differentiations between the genotypes of fodder beet analysed that can be exploited in breeding, and high-performance genotypes, such as V106, have a high potential for improving production. The results support the importance of detailed evaluation of morphological characteristics in the selection and breeding process

fodder beet, genotypes, comparisons, breeding, agronomic traits

agronomy

Presentation: poster