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Screening Subterranean Clover for Persistent Hard Seed
Author(s) -
Smith G. R.
Publication year - 1988
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/cropsci1988.0011183x002800060027x
Subject(s) - biology , trifolium subterraneum , ecotype , agronomy , horticulture , sowing , persistence (discontinuity) , heritability , botany , pasture , genetics , geotechnical engineering , engineering
Maintenance of hard seed through the summer is essential for reseeding of cool‐season annual clovers. ‘Mt. Barker’, Mississippi Ecotype, and 17 experimental lines of subterranean clover ( Trifolium subterraneum L.) were evaluated for hard seed production and persistence over 3 yr. Initial hard seed level was measured 10 d after harvest. Persistence of hard seed was evaluated 50, 90, and 130 d after harvest under two storage treatments. The check (CK) treatment consisted of placing seed in a laboratory cabinet with temperature range of 23 to 26 °C. In the high diurnal fluctuating temperature (HDFT) treatment, seeds were placed in an incubator at 38 for 12 h, followed by a 12 h cool down to 24 °C. The HDFT treatment simulated summer soil surface temperatures. Line ✕ yr interactions had large effects on initial hard seed percentage. In 1984 and 1985, most lines produced more than 60% hard seed. In 1986, possibly due to high rainfall during seed maturation, many lines showed a sharp decrease in initial hard seed level. Persistence of subterranean clover seed stored under simulated summer soil surface temperatures (HDFT) was influenced by both production year and plant genotype. Seed production environment set the upper limit for hard seed level, but genotype determined rate of seed softening. Heritability of hard seed percentage measured 90 d after harvest under the HDFT treatment was 80.7%.