Comparing mating designs to restore seed production of interspecific hybrids between Trifolium repens (white clover) and Trifolium uniflorum. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Naeem, Muhammad; Verry, Isabelle Marjorie; Kemp, Peter D.; Millner, James P.; Williams, Warren Mervyn
• Editors: Rognli, O. E.
• Is Part Of: Plant breeding. Volume 136:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 420
• Page End: 426
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: interspecific hybrid -- backcross breeding -- recurrent selection -- Trifolium uniflorum -- Trifolium repens -- seed production; Plant breeding -- Periodicals; 631.52
• DOI: 10.1111/pbr.12481
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0179-9541

Abstract

Abstract: Interspecific hybrids between Trifolium uniflorum and cultivated white clover ( Trifolium repens ) have highly useful characteristics for temperate pastoral systems derived from both parent species. However, the early hybrids (F1 and BC1 ) also have unacceptably poor seed production for commerce. This study analysed the basis for the poor seed production and investigated breeding strategies for overcoming the problem. The BC1 F1 generation produced lower‐than‐expected numbers of heads per plant and seeds per floret. Backcrossing of selected hybrids to white clover corrected these deficiencies and created new variation. Seed numbers were also returned to near target levels by recurrent selection within the BC1 generation. Thus, it was possible to retain a theoretical average of 25% of T. uniflorum genome and still achieve high seed production per plant. The BC1 F2 and BC2 F1 generations produced high seed numbers per plant, along with reasonable variation. Both of these second‐generation hybrid forms have high reproductive potential and should be the focus for the selection of the desired combinations of agronomic and seed production traits.