Lucerna (Medicago sativa L.) je najraširenija i jedna od najznačajnijih krmnih leguminoza u Republici Hrvatskoj (RH). Na sortnoj listi RH nalazi se veliki broj domaćih i introduciranih sorti lucerne, od kojih je manji broj prisutan na tržištu. Njihove proizvodne mogućnosti, interakcija s okolinskim čimbenicima, posebno na manje povoljnim tlima za uzgoj lucerne, u RH su slabo proučavane. Stoga je cilj provedenog istraživanja bio 1. utvrditi utjecaj tipa tla na prinos i kakvoću domaćih i stranih sorti/populacija lucerne te 2. procijeniti vrijednost ispitivanog materijala za potrebe širenja proizvodnje na manje povoljna tla. Ispitivano je 12 sorti/populacija lucerne tijekom dvije godine (1999. i 2000.) na dva različita tipa tla: 1. eutrični kambisol neutralne pH reakcije na selekcijskom polju Poljoprivrednog instituta Osijek, 2. pseudoglej kisele pH reakcije na lokaciji Petrijevci. Na lokaciji Osijek ostvarene su značajno veće vrijednosti svih proučavanih svojstava, osim udjela lista u zelenoj masi, u odnosu na lokaciju Petrijevci. Visoki prinosi i povoljne vrijednosti ostalih ispitivanih svojstava ostvarenih u različitim agroekološkim uvjetima sortama Posavina, Elena i Os-88 te populacijom PCP ukazuju na mogućnost širenja proizvodnje i na manje povoljna tla za uzgoj lucerne. Dobri rezultati postignuti populacijom PCP na lokaciji Petrijevci potvrđuju vrijednost navedene populacije za razvoj sorte tolerantne na kiselost tla.Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most widespread and one of the most significant forage legumes in the Republic of Croatia (RH). A large number of domestic and foreign alfalfa cultivars are registered on the National Variety List, but just a few are available on our market. There is a lack of information on their capacity for production, on interactions with environmental factors, especially on interactions in less favourable soils for alfalfa production in RH. Therefore, the aim of the study was 1 to evaluate the effects of soil type on yield and quality of domestic and foreign alfalfa cultivars/populations, and 2 to estimate values of investigated materials which might contribute to the expansion of alfalfa production in less favourable soils. In two consecutive years (1999 and 2000), twelve alfalfa cultivars/populations were investigated at two different soil types: 1) eutric cambisol with neutral pH reaction at the field of Agricultural Institute Osijek, 2) pseudogleyic soil with acid pH reaction at the location Petrijevci. Significantly higher values of all investigated traits, with the exception of leaf share in total green mass trait was found at the location Osijek. High yields and performance of cultivars Posavina, Elena and Os-88 as well as the yield and performance of PCP population in different environmental conditions indicate that there is a possibility for expanding the production of these cultivars in less favourable soils for alfalfa production. Results of PCP population at the location Petrijevci confirm the value of created population for development of cultivars tolerant to soil acidity
