Creation of Competitive Varieties and Hybrids of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) from the BR22884393 Gene Pool Under Arid and Saline Soil Conditions of Southern Kazakhstan

The purpose of the study is to breed competitive alfalfa varieties adapted to the conditions of soil salinity and the arid climate of Kazakhstan. The methodology includes field trials at an experimental site in the Turkestan region, where 104 samples with the BR22884393 gene pool code are examined in five nurseries: collection, breeding, control, competitive, and breeding nursery. Hybridisation is conducted by the method of free pollination, followed by repeated selection of the most productive and resistant plants to adverse conditions. The evaluation of the samples includes indicators of foliage, plant height, yield of green and dry mass, weight of 1,000 seeds, winter hardiness, and seed productivity. The results show that 14 samples surpass the standard Damu-12 variety in foliage (by 3-4%), 9 samples in plant height (by 6-11 cm), and 30 samples in green mass yield (by 13-29%). The dry weight yield of 20 samples is 10-23% higher than the standard, and the weight of 1,000 seeds exceeds 2.1 g in 13 varieties. In the competitive variety testing, 6 varieties (M-2572, M-2501, M-2566, M-2537, M-2582, M-2553) demonstrate yields of 141.9-149.5 kg/ha, which is 17-24% higher than the standard. In the control nursery, 7 varieties showed winter hardiness of 85-95%, and 13 varieties provided a 25-30% increase in yield. The economic analysis confirms that the introduction of new varieties increases profitability due to increased productivity, reduced costs for agricultural measures, and improved feed quality. The cultivation of these varieties helps to increase the profitability of farms and reduce dependence on imported feed. The most promising varieties are prepared for transfer to the State Variety Testing in 2026. The results obtained confirm the possibility of creating high-yielding and adaptive varieties for various agro-climatic zones of Kazakhstan, which contributes to the development of animal husbandry and feed production in the region.