Coumestrol content in alfalfabreeding populations

Aim. Alfalfa is a rich source of phytoestrogens, among them coumestrol which shows strong estrogenic activity that can adversely affect the health of domestic animals. The aim of the study was to determine the variation in coumestrol content in leaves of alfalfa breeding populations, present in the breeding program of Agricultural Institute Osijek in Croatia. Method. Twelve alfalfa populations were selected based on their high forage yield and good persistence. Coumestrol was extracted using acidifi ed methanol as an organic solvent from lyophilized and ground alfalfa leaves, while for detection and quantifi cation was used. Results. Signifi cant differences were observed between the studied populations with average coumestrol content of 435.67 mg/kg of dry matter (DM). The highest content of coumestrol was determined in breeding population Rs-21 (619.53 mg/kg of DM). Conclusions. Populations Rs-33 and Rs-20 had the lowest coumestrol content (82.18 and 86.58 mg/kg, respectively) and present a potential breeding source for creat- ing new contemporary cultivars with decreased coumestrol content