Characteristics of greater lotus (Lotus uliginosus) populations grown under low latitude conditions in eastern Australia

Abstract

A study undertaken in northern New South Wales characterised and assessed a collection of 10 greater lotus (Lotus uliginosus Schkuhr) cultivars and breeding lines, comprising diploid and tetraploid populations with a range of Mediterranean parentage. Vegetative characteristics and seasonal herbage growth were measured under glasshouse conditions and reproductive characterisation was undertaken in the field. Results show a high degree of variability between the lines in leaf and stem characteristics, and narrow but useful diversity in seed yield components. The diploid populations, Sharnae, LUX97 and BLG4704, which have high levels of Mediterranean parentage, expressed high year-round growth performance, and Sharnae was exceptionally high in cool-season growth. These lines set more seed than the cultivars Grasslands Maku and Grasslands Sunrise under the low latitude conditions tested. These findings indicate a potential for cultivar development to expand greater lotus usage into low latitude environments.