TY - JOUR
T1 - Nitrogen Fixation by Hybrids of White Clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Trifolium nigrescens
AU - Abberton, M. T.
AU - Macduff, J. H.
AU - Marshall, A. H.
AU - Michaelson-Yeates, T. P. T.
PY - 1999/7/1
Y1 - 1999/7/1
N2 - Development of hybrids between white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Trifolium nigrescens provides a novel route for genetically improving the reproductive capacity of white clover, provided the hybrids are agronomically viable, particularly with respect to N
2 fixation. A comparative study of growth and rates of N
2 fixation over 21 days was conducted with the parental species, F
1 hybrids and backcross hybrids, in flowing solution culture, without a supply of mineral N to the plants. T. nigrescens was unable to fix N
2 in association with the strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar, trifolii selected for inoculation. Rates of N
2 fixation per plant increased in the order T. nigrescens < F
1 hybrid < T. repens < backcross L. Specific rates of N
2 fixation (days 0-21) increased in the order T. nigrescens < F
1 hybrid < backcross l < T. repens. Dry matter production and nodule biomass per plant increased at a higher rate in backcross l hybrids than in T. repens. The results suggest that the potential for N
2 fixation by backcross 1 hybrids is at least as great as that by T. repens.
AB - Development of hybrids between white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and Trifolium nigrescens provides a novel route for genetically improving the reproductive capacity of white clover, provided the hybrids are agronomically viable, particularly with respect to N
2 fixation. A comparative study of growth and rates of N
2 fixation over 21 days was conducted with the parental species, F
1 hybrids and backcross hybrids, in flowing solution culture, without a supply of mineral N to the plants. T. nigrescens was unable to fix N
2 in association with the strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar, trifolii selected for inoculation. Rates of N
2 fixation per plant increased in the order T. nigrescens < F
1 hybrid < T. repens < backcross L. Specific rates of N
2 fixation (days 0-21) increased in the order T. nigrescens < F
1 hybrid < backcross l < T. repens. Dry matter production and nodule biomass per plant increased at a higher rate in backcross l hybrids than in T. repens. The results suggest that the potential for N
2 fixation by backcross 1 hybrids is at least as great as that by T. repens.
KW - Backcross
KW - F hyrids
KW - Nitrogen fixation
KW - Trifolium nigrescens
KW - Trifolium repens
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032805605&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1046/j.1439-037x.1999.00309.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1439-037x.1999.00309.x
M3 - Article
SN - 0931-2250
VL - 183
SP - 27
EP - 33
JO - Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science
JF - Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science
IS - 1
ER -