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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (10): 91-105.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2025363

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An evaluation using multivariate statistical methods of suitability of 30 Chinese milk vetch germplasm lines for dual purpose vegetable and green manure use

Cai-ling LIU1(), Shui-zhen HUANG2, Yi-bin HUANG1, Hong-yun YE3, Chun-mei HE1, Shao-jie ZHONG1, Qing-hua LI1, Fei WANG1()   

  1. 1.Institute of Resources,Environment and Soil Fertilizer,Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Fujian Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer,Fuzhou 350013,China
    2.Nanping Institute of Agricultural Sciences,Nanping 354200,China
    3.Jiangsu Wuxi Environmental Monitoring Center,Wuxi 214121,China
  • Received:2025-09-08 Revised:2025-12-01 Online:2026-10-20 Published:2026-09-09
  • Contact: Fei WANG

Abstract:

Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus) is used both as a green manure fertilizer and a vegetable crop. Hence, we evaluated 30 representative Chinese milk vetch germplasm lines with different maturity dates and from different regions of China, to identify those best suited from an economic benefit perspective for dual purpose green manure and vegetable use. Harvests to determine nutrient status for green manure use and vegetable-use traits were carried out at the budding and post-cutting regrowth crop development stages. Data analysis involved integration of principal component analysis, membership function and cluster analysis. It was found that, with respect to vegetable-use quality traits, early-maturing varieties had higher contents of calcium, manganese, dietary fiber and protein. Medium-maturing varieties exhibited higher contents of zinc, selenium, soluble sugar and vitamin C. Late maturing varieties displayed higher levels of manganese, iron, copper and fresh herbage yield. The coefficients of variation for iron, selenium, vitamin C and fresh herbage yield all exceeded 20%. For fertilizer-use quality traits, early-maturing varieties exhibited the highest concentration for all of the measured nutrients, as well as for hay yield, while the coefficients of variation for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter and hay yield all exceeded 25%. Concerning suitability for vegetable use of germplasm lines of different origins, germplasm resources from northwest areas had higher contents of magnesium, iron, manganese, copper and dietary fiber; those from south China exhibited higher contents of calcium, soluble sugar; those from central China had higher zinc, vitamin C and protein, while those from east China had higher selenium content. The fresh herbage yield of accessions from the southwest area was relatively high. For nutrients of interest for fertilizer-use, germplasm resources from east China had higher phosphorus accumulation; those from south China exhibited higher accumulations of nitrogen, phosphorus, organic matter accumulation and hay yield. Cluster analysis based on a D value from multivariate data analysis classified the tested germplasm into five clusters (high-quality, excellent, medium, poor and low-grade). ‘Minzi No.1’ was a high-quality dual-purpose vegetable and green manure variety; ‘Xiangxiang’, ‘Jinsha’ and ‘Xinyangzi’ were excellent dual-purpose vegetable and green manure varieties. Six varieties including ‘Pucheng No.2’, ‘Xiangzi No.1’ and ‘Yijiangzi No.3’ were medium-quality dual-purpose vegetable and green manure varieties. In summary, ‘Minzi No.1’ and several other accessions were found to be suitable for two-stage utilization as vegetable and green manure.

Key words: Chinese milk vetch, germplasm line, vegetable production, green manure application, multivariate evaluation