The inheritance of the cold induction response with respect to floral initiation in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Summary The inheritance of the cold induction response in the UK cultivar of white clover Menna, was assessed in controlled environments.Only 50% of the population flowered without prior cold induction. The cold period increased the number of stolons which became reproductive.All families from the crosses between induction and non-induction requiring genotypes produced progeny lacking a cold requirement for flowering.Heritability estimates for the number of flowers per plant, reproductive buds per stolon and stolon number were high.The necessity of eliminating the cold induction requirement in potentially valuable white clover cultivars in relation to seed production at lower latitudes is discussed.