Premium
Recurrent Selection for Seed Size in Birdsfoot Trefoil, Lotus Corniculatus L. 1
Author(s) -
Draper A. D.,
Wilsie C. P.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1965.0011183x000500040003x
Subject(s) - lotus corniculatus , trefoil , geneticist , biology , agricultural experiment station , library science , selection (genetic algorithm) , computer science , agronomy , artificial intelligence , genetics , agriculture , ecology
BIRDSFOOT trefoil, Lotus corniculatus L, is a perennial forage legume of increasing importance in the United States. In Iowa, it is valued for its high level of productivity and persistence in pastures, but it does lack seedling vigor. The poor competing ability of young seedlings often has caused difficulty in obtaining good stands. Considerable research with this crop has been directed toward methods of reducing weed competition, and some measure of success has been realized by grazing new seedings and by using herbicides. Another approach to the problem is to increase seedling vigor of birdsfoot trefoil by breeding. Investigators have shown certain advantages for large seed in many crop species. Black (1) summarized a number of inferences drawn from studies of seed size. Seed size exerts an influence on germination, emergence, early vegetative growth, and productivity. In general, the incidence of hard-seededness tends to be higher in small seeds. Large seeds have a greater emergent force and are able to emerge from greater depths. Early vegetative growth is proportional to seed size, and this is attributed to larger cotyledonary or photosynthetic area. Henson and Tayman (3) examined seedling growth of six strains of birdsfoot trefoil in the greenhouse. Three were erect, 'Cascade', 'Tana', and 'Viking', and three were prostrate, 'Empire', 'Iowa Empire', and 'North Dakota Empire'. Seedlings from large seeds produced more top growth, more root growth, and earlier basal shoots. Also, erect strains were superior to the prostrate strains in all characters measured. Shibles and MacDonald (7) studied the cause of differential growth rate of seedlings of the erect and prostrate