A study of some seedling characters and the effects of competition on seedlings in diploid and tetraploid red clover ( <i>Trifolium pratense</i> L.)

Abstract

Abstract The seed weight of tetraploid red clover was significantly greater than that of diploid in all experiments. Tetraploid seedlings had longer petioles and greater leaf area and accumulated more D.M. than diploid seedlings. The diploid in monoculture populations developed more expanded trifoliate leaves than the tetraploid. Two main effects of competition were:— (a) A significantly lower relative shoot growth rate of the diploid in mixed populations which resulted in significantly reduced D.M. production compared with monoculture populations. Conversely D.M. production in the tetraploid increased significantly in the mixed populations. (b) A significantly greater number of expanded leaves formed by the diploid in monoculture populations compared with the tetraploid was reduced to non‐significance in mixed populations. Competition had little or no effect on petiole length or leaf area. The results are discussed in relation to the competitive advantage tetraploid seedlings would have over diploid seedlings.