Inheritance of an Apetalous, Male‐sterile Character in Crimson Clover, Trifolium incarnatum L. 1

Abstract

Inheritance of a male-sterile character in crimson clover was studied in the F1, F2, and F3 generations. Sterility in this mutant was caused by the absence of anthers and was associated with multiple ovaries and absence of petals. These characteristics are apparently controlled by the same recessive gene pair with pleiotropic effects. Segregation of male-sterility in the F2 and F3 from heterozygous F1 and F2 plants gave a satisfactory fit to a ratio of 3 normal, fertile plants with petals and single ovaries to 1 male-sterile plant without petals and with multiple ovaries. This demonstrated the simple recessiveness of these characteristics. The following genetic symbols are proposed for this single recessive gene pair: MslMs1 for the normal, fertile, petalous, single. ovaried allele and mslms1 for the male-sterile, apetalous, multiple-ovaried allele.