Aridity shapes cyanogenesis cline evolution in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Adaptive differentiation between populations is often proposed to be the product of multiple interacting selective pressures, although empirical support for this is scarce. In white clover, populations show adaptive differentiation in frequencies of cyanogenesis, the ability to produce hydrogen cyanide after tissue damage. This polymorphism arises through independently segregating polymorphisms for the presence/absence of two required cyanogenic components, cyanogenic glucosides and their hydrolysing enzyme. White clover populations worldwide have evolved a series of recurrent, climate‐associated clines, with higher frequencies of cyanogenic plants in warmer locations. These clines have traditionally been hypothesized to reflect a fitness trade‐off between chemical defence in herbivore‐rich areas (warmer climates) and energetic costs of producing cyanogenic components in areas of low herbivore pressure (cooler climates). Recent observational studies suggest that cyanogenic components may also be beneficial in water‐stressed environments. We investigated fitness trade‐offs associated with temperature‐induced water stress in the cyanogenesis system using manipulative experiments in growth chambers and population surveys across a longitudinal precipitation gradient in the central United States. We find that plants producing cyanogenic glucosides have higher relative fitness in treatments simulating a moderate, persistent drought stress. In water‐neutral treatments, there are energetic costs to producing cyanogenic components, but only in treatments with nutrient stress. These fitness trade‐offs are consistent with cyanogenesis frequencies in natural populations, where we find clinal variation in the proportion of plants producing cyanogenic glucosides along the precipitation gradient. These results suggest that multiple selective pressures interact to maintain this adaptive polymorphism and that modelling adaptation will require knowledge of environment‐specific fitness effects.     

Rapid evolution of an adaptive cyanogenesis cline in introduced North American white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

White clover is polymorphic for cyanogenesis (HCN production after tissue damage), and this herbivore defence polymorphism has served as a classic model for studying adaptive variation. The cyanogenic phenotype requires two interacting biochemical components; the presence/absence of each component is controlled by a simple Mendelian gene (Ac/ac and Li/li). Climate-associated cyanogenesis clines occur in both native (Eurasian) and introduced populations worldwide, with cyanogenic plants predominating in warmer locations. Moreover, previous studies have suggested that epistatic selection may act within populations to maintain cyanogenic (AcLi) plants and acyanogenic plants that lack both components (acli plants) at the expense of plants possessing a single component (Acli and acLi plants). Here, we examine the roles of selection, gene flow and demography in the evolution of a latitudinal cyanogenesis cline in introduced North American populations. Using 1145 plants sampled across a 1650 km transect, we determine the distribution of cyanogenesis variation across the central United States and investigate whether clinal variation is adaptive or an artefact of population introduction history. We also test for the evidence of epistatic selection. We detect a clear latitudinal cline, with cyanogenesis frequencies increasing from 11% to 86% across the transect. Population structure analysis using nine microsatellite loci indicates that the cline is adaptive and not a by-product of demographic history. However, we find no evidence for epistatic selection within populations. Our results provide strong evidence for rapid adaptive evolution in these introduced populations, and they further suggest that the mechanisms maintaining adaptive variation may vary among populations of a species.     

Ovule abortion in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Plants of white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) cv. Olwen were grown in an open glasshouse maintained at a mean temperature of 20^oC and ovule growth and seed production measured. Differences in the rate of growth of ovules within ovaries were observed as early as 2 days after pollination. Ovules reached a maximum size after 8 days with the smallest only half the size of the largest. After 8 days, the smallest ovules became flaccid and shrivelled. Ovule position within the ovary had little effect on the frequency of seed set and although there was an apparently higher probability that central ovules produced a seed than those nearer the peduncle or style this was not statistically significant. Inflorescence position and floret position on the inflorescence had a significant effect on the number of seeds per floret and seed weight; the first formed inflorescences and the first florets to be pollinated on each inflorescence had more seeds per floret and heavier seeds and fewer florets with no seed than later pollinated florets. There were also differences between florets within the same whorl. The role of a number of factors which may influence floret site utilisation are discussed.     

Inheritance of phosphorus response in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Genotypes of white clover that exhibited divergent responses to P were identified in a glasshouse pot trial. Six high P-responding genotypes were selected from previously identified high P-responding cultivars and 5 low P-responding genotypes were selected from previously identified low P-responding cultivars. These were crossed in a full diallel design without selfing and reciprocals were kept separate. The P-response of progeny lines was compared with parents. High P-response was dominant over low P-response with progeny from crosses between high and low P-response genotypes being similar to the high P-response parent. Reciprocal effects were not significant. The general combining abilities of high P-response genotypes were generally greater than that of the low P-response genotypes, although there were significant specific combining abilities. Narrow sense heritabilities for P response were moderate, 0.46 based on the linear coefficient and 0.33 based on the quadratic coefficient of the fitted response curves.The mode of inheritance, feasibility of manipulating differences in P response by breeding and future directions of this work are discussed.Deceased.Deceased.     

Nodulation of white clover (Trifolium repens) in the absence ofRhizobium

Summary Spontaneous nodules developed on the roots of white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Ladino) in the absence ofRhizobium. A small subpopulation of uninoculated clover plants (0.2%) exhibited white, single-to-multilobed elongated structures on their root systems when grown without fixed nitrogen. Clonal propagation using aseptic stolons confirmed the genetic stability of the observation. Few if any viable bacteria of unknown origin were recovered from surfacesterilized structures. Nodule contents were incapable of eliciting nodulation. Histological observations showed that these structures possessed all the characteristic features of indeterminate nodules, such as active meristem, cortex, endodermal layer, vascular strands, and a central zone with parenchyma cells. Infection threads, intercellular or intracellular bacteria were absent. Instead, numerous starch grains were observed in the central zone, a feature absent in normal nitrogen-fixing nodules. Our observation broadens the concept of spontaneous nodulation, believed to be restricted to alfalfa (Medicago sativa), to other legumes, and suggests a degree of generality among indeterminately nodulated legumes displaying natural heterozygosity.     

Detection of selection in populations of white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Seed populations of white clover polymorphic for the presence/absence of both ovariogenic glucosides and the hydrolysing enzyme linamarase, were introduced into three natural populations. Over the first six months of life a significant increase in the frequency of linamarase containing individuals occurred. Estimated selection coefficients against plants lacking linamarase were in the region of 0.3. This result may have been due to selection at the enzyme locus alone, or to selection favouring cyanogenic individuals which possess both cyanogenic glucosides and enzyme.     

Spectrophotometer-aided evaluation of cyanogenic potential in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

In comparison with ordinary methods of colorimetric evaluation of cyanogenic potential based on visual evaluation of the alkaline picrate reaction, a spectrophotometer-aided method could be more accurate (since it determines the exact amount of hydrogen cyanide released by the plant material), and less time-consuming as it can be performed on bulk material rather than on a number of individual plants. Ten white clover populations were evaluated by a spectrophotometer-aided method and by two visual evaluation criteria. All methods indicated the presence of large variation between populations. Visual methods gave almost identical results and allowed only for the distinction between cyanogenic and substantially acyanogenic populations. The results were only moderately consistent with those obtained by the spectrophotometer-aided method, which could detect the presence of variation also between cyanogenic populations. The effects of various incubation times (from 4 to 48 h) and of the addition of β-glucosidase on hydrogen cyanide release were also investigated. Comparable results for ranking of populations could be obtained over a range of incubation times, but at least 24 h were needed for a reliable estimation of the hydrogen cyanide produced by plants. The addition of enzyme did not increase the released cyanide. The effect of season and/or conditions of evaluation was marked on mean cyanogenic potential but limited on ranking of populations. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The inheritance of floral characters in white clover (Trifolium repens)

A diallel cross was carried out among seven varieties of white clover to investigate the inheritance of some of those characters which affect potential seed yield. Peduncle length and number of seeds/floret have low narrow-sense heritabilities, while peduncle length displays the added complications of heterozygosity and non-allelic interactions. Consequently, improvements in these characters will be difficult. Seed number m^-2 is a composite character which apparently exhibits heterozygosity. Higher seed yields will therefore be obtained by selection for its component characters, particularly floret number and floral density, both of which are apparently inherited in a comparatively straightforward manner. These results are discussed in the context of improving the potential seed yield of white clover.     

Characterisation of root amino acid exudation in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Lateral roots are crucial for the plasticity of root responses to environmental conditions in soil. The bacterivorous microfauna has been shown to increase root branching and to foster auxin producing soil bacteria. However, information on modifications of plant internal auxin content by soil bacteria and bacterivores is missing. Therefore, the effects of a rhizosphere bacterial community and a common soil amoeba (Acanthamoeba castellanii) on root branching and on auxin (indole-3-acetic acid) metabolism in Lepidium sativum and Arabidopsis thaliana were investigated. In a first experimental series, bacteria increased conjugated auxin concentrations in L. sativum shoots, but did not alter free bioactive auxin content nor root branching. In contrast, in presence of soil bacteria plus amoebae free auxin concentrations in shoots and root branching increased, demonstrating that effects of bacteria on auxin metabolism in plants were strongly modified by the bacterivorous amoebae. In a second experiment, A. thaliana reporter plants for auxin (DR5) and cytokinin (ARR5) responded similarly with increased root branching in the presence of amoebae. Surprisingly, in reporter plants cytokinin but not auxin responses were detectable, accompanied by higher soil nitrate concentrations in the presence of amoebae. Likely, increased nitrate concentrations in the rhizosphere led to an accumulation of cytokinin and interactions with free auxin in plants and finally to increased root growth in the presence of amoebae. Altogether, the results show that mutual control mechanisms exist between plant hormone metabolism and microbial signalling, and that effects on hormonal concentrations of plants by free-living bacteria are strongly influenced by bacterial grazers like amoebae.     

Activities and survival of endophytic bacteria in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

In this study, the genera, abundance, and activities of endophytic bacteria in field-grown white clover (Trifolium repens) and the fate of introduced antibiotic-tolerant bacteria in white clover tissues were investigated. Pseudomonas, Pantoea, and Corynebacterium were the most frequently isolated endophytic bacteria genera, whereas Xanthomonas, Microbacterium, and Cellulomonas occurred less frequently. The average bacterial populations in stolons and roots were approximately 100,000 colony-forming units (CFU) (g wet mass)-1. Of the 28 strains tested for activity, none were chitinolytic or able to inhibit the root pathogen Codinaea fertilis in vitro. However, Fusarium oxysporum and Cylindrocladium scoparium were inhibited by one and five strains, respectively. Four of seven strains tested depressed clover seedling growth. In pot experiments, colonization and recovery of spontaneous rifampicin-tolerant mutants (Rif+) of bacteria were studied in clover plants for periods up to 20 weeks. The strains used, sourced from white clover (endophytic and rhizoplane) and organic compost, had previously shown growth promotion potential of white clover seedlings by increasing plant mass and decreasing nematode numbers. In one experiment in this present study, five Rif+ strains were individually inoculated onto white clover seedlings, all five were re-isolated from shoots after 6 weeks and four strains were re-isolated after 20 weeks (numbers of Rif+ bacteria ranged from 51 to 200 CFU (g wet mass)-1). No Rif+ bacteria were isolated from root tissue at either time. In the second experiment, conducted with two strains of Rif+ bacteria, the population was highest in the shoots (range>500 CFU of Rif+ bacteria (g shoot fresh mass)-1) in weeks 2 and 3, declining to <200 CFU in week 5. Again, no Rif+ bacteria could be detected in roots. No Rif+ bacteria were recovered after 14 weeks for one of the strains. It appears that the main route of bacterial entry into seedlings was through stomata and that bacteria remained in the aerial parts of plants rather than migrating to the roots.     

The genetic location of the self-incompatibility locus in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a forage legume of considerable economic importance in temperate agricultural systems. It has a strong self-incompatibility system. The molecular basis of self-incompatibility in T. repens is unknown, but it is under the control of a single locus, which is expressed gametophytically. To locate the self-incompatibility locus (S locus) in T. repens, we carried out cross-pollination experiments in an F₁ mapping population and constructed a genetic linkage map using amplified fragment length polymorphism and simple sequence repeat markers. As the first step in a map-based cloning strategy, we locate for the first time the S locus in T. repens on a genetic linkage map, on the homoeologous linkage group pair 1 (E), which is broadly syntenic to Medicago truncatula L. chromosome 1. On the basis of this syntenic relationship, the possibility that the S locus may or may not possess an S-RNase gene is discussed.     

Influence of boron on the reproductive growth of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars

The effect of boron on the reproductive growth of four contrasting white clover cultivars was examined in a controlled environment and glasshouse experiment. Plants grown under a nutrient regime excluding boron and those receiving 0.5 mg/litre boron had fewer stolons, reproductive stolons and inflorescences than those receiving 1, 2 or 3 mg/litre. Inflorescences were also smaller and had fewer seeds per floret. A boron concentration of 1 mg/litre gave optimum reproductive growth, higher levels of boron giving no further increase. Peduncle length and nectar quantity, but not nectar quality, were also influenced by boron indicating a possible beneficial effect of this element on pollinator activity. Cultivars differed in both vegetative and reproductive growth. Cv. Gwenda, a small leaved cultivar, had more stolons but fewer inflorescences than cv. Menna and smaller inflorescences than cv. Olwen, a large leaved cultivar. Generally, these cultivars responded similarly to boron. The implications of these results for the reproductive growth of white clover are discussed.     

Response to soil aluminium of two white clover (Trifolium repens L.) genotypes

An aluminium (Al) tolerant genotype of white clover was compared with an Al susceptible genotype in artificial soil profiles in which exchangeable Al increased with depth. The tolerant genotype had a greater proportion of its root mass deeper in the soil than the susceptible genotype. Nitrogenase activity showed a similar pattern. Shoot Al concentration did not vary between the genotypes but root Al in the susceptible line was twice that in the tolerant genotype. Plant potassium content in the susceptible line was relatively less, probably in response to higher aluminium content.     

Ancestors of white clover ( Trifolium repens L.), as revealed by isozyme polymorphisms

Isozymes were used to study the putative ancestors of white clover ( Trifolium repens L.). Ten enzymes were examined, and 18 loci were resolved via starch-gel electrophoresis for accessions representing T. repens, Trifolium isthmocarpum, Trifolium nigrescens, Trifolium occidentale and Trifolium uniflorum, in addition to two more distantly related species, Trifolium alpinum and Trifolium purseglovei. Nei's genetic identities indicate that T. uniflorum and T. nigrescens are the closest relatives of T. repens. The isozyme data thus support a hypothesis that the two genomes of the tetraploid T. repens could have been derived from hybridization between T. nigrescens and T. uniflorum. This conclusion is further supported by shared alleles between T. repens, T. nigrescens and T. uniflorum. However, the origin of T. repens is somewhat obscured by the presence of shared alleles between T. repens and both T. occidentale and T. isthmocarpum, suggesting that introgression of genes from the latter two species into T. repens may also have taken place. High values of genetic identity are shared between T. occidentale with T. nigrescens and T. uniflorum, also indicative of introgression. Alternatively the presence of shared alleles among the five species may reflect their recent common ancestry.     

Status of self-pollen in bee pollination efficiency of white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

Flowers of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) are hermaphrodite and self-incompatible; their cross-pollination depends entirely on insect visitors, mainly bees (Apoidea). Because self-pollination of white clover occurs before flower anthesis, we determined whether selfing affected the pollination efficiency of a honeybee visit. We compared pollen deposition in emasculated and intact flowers following (1) a single honeybee visit, (2) open-pollination for a day and (3) enclosure in a cloth bag to prevent insect visits. In emasculated flowers, open-pollination resulted in more pollen deposited than after one visit (+30%) which is consistent with flowers being visited more than once by pollinators during the course of a day. On intact flowers, saturation of the stigma was achieved after the first visit of a honeybee (near 280 grains) because of self-pollination. Additional visits did not increase pollen deposits, but they improved pollen efficiency in terms of numbers of pollen tubes reaching the ovules. In such a context of easily saturated stigmas, self-pollen does not inhibit cross-pollen activity, but represents a constraint for pollination which demands multiple bee visits to each flower to achieve maximum fertilization. Received: 20 May 1997 / Accepted: 25 October 1997     

The effect of aluminium concentration on root hairs in white clover (Trifolium repens L.)

The effect of aluminium (Al) on root hair length and number is quantified using solution culture techniques with genotypes from white clover cultivar Tamar, that had previously been selected for long and short root hairs. The population differences were maintained in control (0 Al) treatments, with the long-haired population having hairs three times longer than the short-haired population. At an activity of 2.2 µM Al³⁺, root hair length decreased in both populations, the magnitude of the decrease being greater for the long-haired population. Root hair numbers decreased in a similar manner for both populations. At an activity of 4.4 µM Al³⁺ or higher, root hairs virtually disappeared and root growth was very stunted. The effect of Al on root hair development has not been previously quantified, however other workers have observed reduced root hair development in other species at activities of Al greater than 2.5 µM Al³⁺.     

Viruses occurring in white clover (Trifolium repens L.) from permanent pastures in Britain

The uptake of captan from aqueous solution by conidia of Neurospora crassa can be markedly reduced by pretreatment of the cells with thiol reagents such as iodoacetic acid (IOA). The nature of this reaction has been investigated and it is shown that IOA largely reacts with the soluble thiol pool of the spores. Captan, however, reacts with both soluble and insoluble thiols and it is suggested that whilst the former is a detoxication process the latter may provide the key to its toxic action. Using glutathione as a model soluble thiol the molar ratio and pH dependence of the captan detoxication process has been determined and compared with the cellular reactions. Assay of ³⁵S-labelled captan has shown that captan is almost completely decomposed by the spores and that one-third of the accumulated captan is converted to sulphur compounds fixed to insoluble cell entities.