Inheritance of growth habit and calyx marking in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum Linn.) : thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agricultural Science at the University of New Zealand, by

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AS i;y OftlCULTURA'- COLL.e:

l l'IY p L.MERSTON N0l'lTH, r-1.X.

.aturneo 1f recalled r

Thesis submitted f or the degree of

~.Agr.Sc. in the University of New Zealand. 1939.

INHERITANCE OF GROWTH HABIT ANTI

CALYX MARKING IN SUBT~RRAUEAN CI,OVER.

(Trifolium subterraneum inn.)

BY

..

Massey

University

Ubrary

l-A l

CONTBNTS.

SECTION I. INTRODUCTION. ( 1) Origin of the species.

(2) Varietal diversity and pure lines . (3) Growth habit.

(4 )

Calyx marki ng.

(5) Scope of Investigation. (6) 'ethod of Auproach.

SECTION II. TECHHQUE.

(1) Symbols used for Parent Types. (2) Culture of Parent Plant s.

(3) Scheme of Crossing.

(4)

Methoo of Emasculation.

(5) Other 1,,.ethods of Emasculation. (6) }Kethod of Pollination.

1 1 1 2 2 2 2

4 4 4 4 6

8 9 (7) Harvesting and So1ving t he Seed of' P.1 and F.1.10 (8) Germination of Hybrid Seed.

(9) Photography.

SECTION III. RESULTS. ( 1 ) Seed Set ting of the P.1.

(2) a. General Observations on the b. General Observatj ons on the (3) a. Growth Rabi ts of the F.1.

b. Gro ith Habits of the F.2. (4) a. Calyx J-l'arkings of the F.1 .

b. Calyx ¹'arkings of' the F.2.

F.1 • F.2.

11 15 16 16

1 9 19 19

20

21

22

SRr~TION IV. DISCUSSION. 24 (1) Emascu1ation, PoJ.J.j_n8ti0n and Seed

Setting. 2l~

(2) Germination.

25

(3) c+rovrth Hahi t. 2 6

(h) nalyx J.~arking. 28

SECTION V. SUHi'.TARY of RESULTS. 31

AS i;y OftlCULTURA'- COLL.e:

l l'IY p L.MERSTON N0l'lTH, r-1.X.

.aturneo 1f recalled r

Thesis submitted f or the degree of

~.Agr.Sc. in the University of New Zealand. 1939.

INHERITANCE OF GROWTH HABIT ANTI

CALYX MARKING IN SUBT~RRAUEAN CI,OVER.

(Trifolium subterraneum inn.)

BY

..

Massey

University

Ubrary

l-A l

CONTBNTS.

SECTION I. INTRODUCTION. ( 1) Origin of the species.

(2) Varietal diversity and pure lines . (3) Growth habit.

(4 )

Calyx marki ng.

(5) Scope of Investigation. (6) 'ethod of Auproach.

SECTION II. TECHHQUE.

(1) Symbols used for Parent Types. (2) Culture of Parent Plant s.

(3) Scheme of Crossing.

(4)

Methoo of Emasculation.

(5) Other 1,,.ethods of Emasculation. (6) }Kethod of Pollination.

1 1 1 2 2 2 2

4 4 4 4 6

8 9 (7) Harvesting and So1ving t he Seed of' P.1 and F.1.10 (8) Germination of Hybrid Seed.

(9) Photography.

SECTION III. RESULTS. ( 1 ) Seed Set ting of the P.1.

(2) a. General Observations on the b. General Observatj ons on the (3) a. Growth Rabi ts of the F.1.

b. Gro ith Habits of the F.2. (4) a. Calyx J-l'arkings of the F.1 .

b. Calyx ¹'arkings of' the F.2.

F.1 • F.2.

11 15 16 16

1 9 19 19

20

21

22

SRr~TION IV. DISCUSSION. 24 (1) Emascu1ation, PoJ.J.j_n8ti0n and Seed

Setting. 2l~

(2) Germination.

25

(3) c+rovrth Hahi t. 2 6

(h) nalyx J.~arking. 28

SECTION V. SUHi'.TARY of RESULTS. 31

Subterranean clover is an annual 1t:;gume which :perpetuates itself' j_n pasture by reseeding. After flrn•rering the peduncle turns downward, and the head enters the soil. ·r.irom this habit

the common and specif'ic names hRve been derived.

(1) Ori~in of the Suecie~.

The original home of the species :i.s stated to be Southern T<;u'.!'.'ope, Western Asia to India and ¹\:°,)rth Afr•ica (C¹1eese111an 1925).

An accnunt of' the accidental introductton of the species into Austra1ia gives the period as 1 Sfi0-1890 (Gardner t, Dunne~ 19:2i.3).

H1rom there, prol)ably, j_ t spread t,') N·ew 7iealand. 'L'hough the actual time of its arri. val cannot 1)e s ta tea., i t was recorded by Cheeseman in 1906 neal:> Auckland, v;r11 er•e for many yem•s it has ·1y.,en known as "Manp:ere" clover.

(2) Varietal Diversit and PnJ:>e Lines.

A considerable diversity exists wi. thin the species, numerous varieties or strains having l)een recognised. These strains have l)een named a~cording to districts and J.ocali ties i.n which they were found. AR a result the1"e are a number of svnon:vms.

That these stra tns are pure I ines has 1Jeen demonsti-•at ed both j_n Australia and New Zeal and. Ha~rison (1933) has recorded that the seed :from a single -plant o:f tl1e ''Burnerang" strain was mu1 tipl.ied to twenty pounds in two yea1 ... s without a single variant appearing.

Harrison (1935) also states that ¹¹ • • • • Tallarook has bred true to t:vpe over a periocl_ of yeax's in the Burnley PAst,u•e Plant :Research Field. The flowers are normally se1f-f'erti1ized and eacl1

generation of' 1)lants has gr•eat stabi1ity of' tyne, though i;;;rowing stde by s:lde with other strains^{11 ..} The 0rass1an~s Division of the Pl ant ~esearch Bu1"eau of' NRW ~~eaJ and l1as conducted large scale single plant tr:i.als and no vartants, :Ln numel:'ous strains

- 2 -

tested, have aJ)pea:red. That the strains are -pure lines is to

be expected as the florets of the s,,ecics are self-fertilized, j_n fact cleistogamous (Donald & Neal-Smith 1937: Hunter 1931).

Donald & Weal-811,ith consider that ¹¹ . . . . mutatton is the likely primary canse of the ranp-e of distinct ty:oes exi.stent".

( 3) Growth Halli t.

r•ost strain:::, of 81ibterranean CloveP possess a prostrate p:r-owth habit. This is typical of' Dwalganup, Nangeela, Ht.Barker and ¹rallarook strains, shown in Pigs. 1 - h. nne stra:i.n,

Burnerang (Fig. 5), has a cr-1aracter'ir-,tic erect, bunchy hallit.

The calyces of many strains possess a red band at the base of' the lo1)es. This banding is characteristtc o:f the Mt. Barker and Rurneranr:i: strains (Fj_rrn. 6 and 7). Other strains, such as Dwalganup, Nangeela and Tallarook, possess no mA.rldng on the

calyx tube. ¹r11ese un111arked types are sho°l'm in Fl ,o:s. 8, 9 and 1

o.

(5) §cone o:r. Jnvesti i:ration.

The :primary purposes the project have been to study - (a) The inhcrjtance nf growth habit.

(b) The inher:!. tance nf calyx "1a.rki:qg.

,'.f L~.1, .. ,.~•·•f,·~

As far as is known at nx·esent the two hard. ts are of ea.ual

- ~

value fr0m a pasture point of view. Presence or abRence of

calyx marking may armear of l:i.ttle moment, ·but for an underRtandtng of' the genetica1 make-up o-e a S1lecies such preliminary studi.es as these are necessary. ¹iVhichever r:rowth habit be found more

va1u.ab1e, lmowledp:e of its mode of inheri ta.nee must be obtained j_n any attempted building o:f new strains by 1)reedinrr,.. The value of knowledge of the inheritance of a qualitative character such as eal::1rx-marlzing 1 ies in t ts possible linkar-e v.1i th Jess eRsily recognised characters.

(6) Method of Anproach.

Hybri.dizat:lon of stra:lrn:i, followed ^1);1T a study o:f the P. ·1 and

- 3 -

F. 2 generations has been the method of' 13tudy.

emasculation and hand po11inntion.

TM.s tnvolved

The Parent Strains and their Growth Habits.

Fig. 1. Dwalganup. (S.1 ) • Typical prostrate habit.

Fig. 3. Mt.Barker.

(S.4).

TY'Pical prostrate habit.

Pig. 2. Nanreela.(S.3).

Typical prostrate habit.

Tallarook.

(s. 5).

Typical prostrate habit.

Fig.5. Burnerang; (S.2).

Typical erect habit.

The Parent Strains and their Calyx Markings.

Fig.6.Mt.Barker1.(s.4).

Distinct red bana at base of calyx lobes.

Fig.8.Dwalganup.(8.1 )-. -

No calyx marking.

Fig.7.Burnerang.(S.2).

Calyx marking paler than Mt.Barker but distinct.

Fig·,.9~mmgeela. (s. 3).

No calyx marking.

Fig.1¹0.Tallarook. (S.5).

No calyx marking.