Alfalfa SIRENA

The blue lupin variety "SIRENA" was created at the ESHO State Unit Enterprise of Agricultural Science and Production (GNE Eshovskaya OSOZ NIISKh) of the South-East and was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2013 for the Central Black Earth Region. The variety's lineage represents an individual selection from a hybrid population of Luna (Belgium) and Flora (Siberia). The plant is medium-height with a semi-upright bush, medium branching and foliation of 48-50%. Leaves have medium length and width, with green medium-intensity coloration. Inflorescences are represented by cylindrical racemes 2-4 cm long with petals ranging from blue to purple. The stem is of medium coarseness, weakly pubescent; height at seed harvest exceeds 100 cm, and at hay harvest is 60-70 cm. Seeds are bean-shaped and kidney-shaped, with a mass of 1000 seeds of about 2 g. The variety "SIRENA" belongs to the medium-maturing group and is characterized by high yield of both seeds and fodder mass. According to results of state variety trials, the average dry matter yield in the region is 60.8 c/ha, which is 2.7 c/ha higher than the average standard. Maximum dry matter yield reached 103.5 c/ha in the second year of crop life. With 3-4 cuts, dry matter yield varies from 96 to 188 c/ha, while seed yield reaches up to 5.6 c/ha. The variety demonstrates high drought tolerance and responsiveness to optimal moisture, making it promising for various growing conditions. One of the key advantages of the "SIRENA" variety is its high tolerance to blue lupin dwarfing — one of the most damaging diseases, which significantly exceeds the standard variety Eruslanka. This quality ensures crop stability and increases the commercial value of the variety in regions where this disease is prevalent. Due to the combination of high productivity, disease resistance, and adaptability to climatic conditions, the "SIRENA" variety is an effective choice for the production of blue lupin feed and seeds.