Show red clover crop to make comeback plant breeders bleeders Bre eders developing new possibilities for improvement by dr C M woodworth chief in plant genetics university ot of illinois WU ice what was once the principal and about the only lecura crop in illinois may be headed for a comeback as a result of new experiments being conducted by plant breeders bleeders bre eders df at the college of agriculture university of illinois red clover is the crop the alie plant breeders bleeders bre eders are an uncovering covering new possibilities tor for improving it so that it can withstand the hazards which have slowly been killing it out illinois was once one of t the he greatest states in the production of red clover but plant diseases insects and adverse weather have cut production so severely that the state hardly ever has even enough seed to meet its own needs red clover failures also have brought on feed shortages with subsequent losses to dairymen and stockmen stoc kmen preliminary work by plant breed ers has revealed that there are extreme differences among red clover plants in characters that are important in from the standpoint of successful production of the crop hardly any two plants have been found to be alike also the difficulties in red clover improvement work have been more clearly recognized however it Is believed that plants can be selected and new dew s strains built up that will be superior and useful in overcoming present hazards in the past plant breeders bleeders bre eders have avoided the red clover crop because it Is so hard to propagate under conditions of controlled pollination the plants are almost entirely self sterile insects being depended upon for pollination under field conditions hand pollination can be done on a small scale however evidence of neglect of tills this crop by p plant ant breeders bleeders bre eders Is seen isen in the few distinct strains now existing red clover seed la Is a conglomerate mixture as to color and will produce all types of plants when the plants are spaced so that their distinguishing characters can be observed they are seen to differ in leaf markings flower color growth habits winter hardiness resistance to disease and persistency |