Pollination behaviour among different breeding populations of Egyptian clover

ABSTRACT Pollination behaviour and the extent of self-compatibility were studied in Trifolium alexandrinum, commonly known as Berseem or Egyptian clover, an important fodder legume cultivated in Egypt, the Mediterranean basin and the Indian subcontinent. Four treatments were imposed on 16 populations comprising three diploid exotic, three diploid advanced breeding, five induced tetraploid and five diploid pentafoliate lines. The different treatments were open pollination, caging, hand tripping and controlled bee visits. Compared with the open pollinated condition, reduction in seed set in different populations ranged from 12.3 to 99.2% under caged condition. Eight of 16 populations registered more than 90% reduction in seed set. Hand tripping and/or controlled bee visits improved seed set considerably in a few populations, whereas, in one population, no significant effect of these four treatments was observed. The results indicated considerable variation for self-compatibility, together with a requirement of tripping for pollination and seed set, even in self-compatible lines.