Floral biology studies of Egyptian clover, Trifolium alexandrinum L.

Abstract

Floral biology studies of Egyptian clover, Trifolium alexandrinum was studied at Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2012 and 2013. T. alexandrinum flower head of cultivar HB-2 consisted of numerous yellowish-white flowers that measured 22.7+1.3 mm in length and consists of a mean of 70.5+1.70 florets. The mean length of a floret, sepals, petals and stamen were 12.3±1.9, 4.4+0.6, 4.1+2.2 and 3.4+0.5 mm, respectively.  On an average a floret, remained in bud stage (A+B+C) for a longer period of 80.4+1.2 hours during 2012 than in 2013 (69.7+7.7 h). The overall mean duration of bud stage A (petals concealed in bud) was the longest (35.6+5.4 h) as compared to stage B when petals became visible but not expended (26.2+3.0 h) and C (24.8+2.0 h) when petals expended but anthers were not visible. The bud stage (A+B+C) lasted for a mean duration of 75.1+3.9 hours. The overall mean duration of the anthesis stage (D₁+D₂) was 63.1+5.6 hours (range 45-87 hours) and that of post anthesis at 37.8+6.9 (range 30-51) hours. The life cycle of T. alexandrinum flowers on an average was completed in 186.8±7.0 hours.