EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF AUSTRALIAN ANNUAL MEDICS IN SUB-TROPICAL AND SUB-HUMID ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF PAKISTAN

The study was conducted to test the performance of Medicago varieties in sub-tropical and sub-humid ecological zones of Pakistan on the basis of dry matter accumulation, root nodulation and nitrogen fixation. For this purpose, certified uninoculated seeds of Medicago varieties were sown in the first week of October 2005 at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad. The study reveals that Medicago blancheana, var. SA-3410 and Medicago rugosa Var.SA-5814 were densely covered with active nodules. Both varieties also had the highest N-content in their tissues. Medicago arabica var. SA-2355, var. SA 2041, M. liltoralis var „SA-2144‟ M. murex var. SA-4000, M. polymorpha var. SA-2167, var. SA-3836, M. rotata var-2145, M. Scutellata var. SA-2082 and var. SA-7620 yielded more than 5 t. ha^-1 dry matter. Hence, these varieties were regarded as promising for rangelands and marginal croplands located in sub-humid and sub-tropical ecological zones of Pakistan.