Inheritance of Flowering Date in Cicer Milkvetch1

Abstract

Flowering date is an important characteristic of cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.) because of its potential relationship to forage yield. Therefore, cicer milkvetch was evaluated in a 10‐parent diallel cross for flowering score (profuseness of flowering) in the seedling year and for flowering date in the seedling year and in two growth periods of the 2nd year. The F1 progenies and their reciprocals were grown under irrigation. Significant differences occurred among crosses for all traits. The variance for these traits was partitioned into general combining ability, specific combining ability, and reciprocal effects. Each of these components was significant for all traits. When plants from late ✕ early flowering crosses were classified as either flowering or nonflowering in the seedling year, flowering (vernalization not required) was partially dominant to nonflowering (vernalization required). In the seedling year, 73% of all FI plants flowered while 98% flowered in each of the two growth periods of the 2nd year. In general, plant vigor over all growth periods was poorly correlated with flowering date. It will be possible, however, to select vigorous plants which flower early in all three growth periods.