Phenotypic variation and association between morphologic traits and geographic characteristics (latitude, longitude and elevation) were investigated for fifteen wild birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) populations collected from diverse natural stands in Slovakia. Considerable variation between populations was observed for morphological characteristics. According to principal component analysis, the attributes that appeared to be the major sources of diversity between these populations were growth habit, number of internodes, stem length, stem thickness, number of stems per plant and leaf length. The populations were classified into five morphologic cluster groups, corresponding to collecting sites with similar geographic characteristics. This study showed that most populations from locations with lower elevation tended to produce semi-prostrate plants with high number of long stems and with later flowering. The number of stems, number of internodes and stem length increased as the population collecting-site location moved west and south. The results may be useful for planning more effective collection and utilization of several wild populations.

The hypothesis of the possible therapeutic potential of selected species of forage crops is discussed. Extracts from genotypes of Anthyllis sp., Astragalus sp., Coronilla sp., Lotus sp., Medicago sp., Melilotus sp., Onobrychis sp. and Trifolium sp. were prepared and tested for proteinase inhibition and antioxidant activities. We found that Trifolium pratense accession POLKIE99-3 expressed the highest relative trypsin inhibition activity (80.0%) compared to standards. The highest thrombin inhibition activity (81.4%) was detected in the Medicago sativa old cultivar Hodonínka, whereas the highest relative urokinase inhibition activity (62.5%) was expressed by the local population Nitranka. Relatively high antioxidant properties of Trifolium sp. accessions, Trifolium pratense genetic resources SVKZAH98-40, were of interest. Results of this study confirmed that there are significant differences in proteinase inhibition and antioxidant activity among important selected agricultural crops. The present paper may also be the starting point of the research aimed for development of new functional food and nutraceuticals, and/or of the research focused on new secondary metabolites with potential as bioactive compounds.Key words: trypsin; thrombin; urokinase; inhibition; antioxidant; activity; forage crops.Abbreviations: AOX, antioxidant activity; BBI, Bowman-Birk inhibitor; DMSO, dimethyl sulphoxide; Rel%BT, relative percentage value of activity to standardized black tea extract; Rel%Q, relative percentage value of activity to standard quercetin; SHE, sunflower oil hydrolysate ethanol; SITh, selectivity index of thrombin; SIU, selectivity index of urokinase; ThIA, thrombin inhibition activity; TrIA, trypsin inhibition activities; UIA, urokinase inhibition activity.

A field trial was conducted to determine the nutritive value of eight Slovak and Czech red clover varieties and to quantify the effects of variety, cut and year on red clover forage quality. The differences between forage quality of the evaluated red clover varieties were significant for protein supplied when energy is limited in the rumen (PDIE), intestinal digestibility of rumen non-degraded protein (dsi), net energy values and ash content (P < 0.01). The achieved results show that the surpassing forage quality was given by diploid Viglana variety with high protein and energy values. The forage of tetraploid varieties Javorina and Dolina was outstanding in protein content, but had the lowest energy values. The nutritive value was significantly affected by cut. The first cut provided forage with a significantly lower (P < 0.01) crude protein (CP) content, CP digestibility, degradability of CP (degNL), protein supplied when nitrogen is limited in rumen (PDIN), PDIE and with a significantly higher crude fibre content and energy values (P < 0.01). The differences between varieties were more pronounced in the second and in the third cut. Significantly higher (P < 0.01) PDIE, PDIN, degNL, net energy values and ash contents were found in the first production year.

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