Maternal influence in birdsfoot trefoil on the seedling vigor of the progeny.

Several hundred two-year-old nursery plants originating in the early-type trefoil cultivar Maitland were rated for flowering maturity, morphological features and growth pattern. Open-pollination seed was collected from these and 100-seed weight determinations were made.The experimental material was organized into two sections for testing purposes. In one, the effect of maternal maturity on the seedling vigor of the progeny was studied and in the other the effect of maternal morphology. Each section was made up of five classes, varying either in maturity or in morphology. Each class contained either nine or ten progeny lines. The range in seed size was similar for all classes. No relationship was found between maturity, morphological type or growth habit of the maternal parent on the one hand and the seedling vigor rating of their progeny at six and ten weeks of age on the other.The breeding implications of these findings are discussed.