Selection for persistence in red clover

To increase the persistence of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), phenotyp ic recurrent selection was conducted under field conditions. After three cy cles of selection, a strain designated as CRS-16, was developed. This strai n has better persistence than the check cultivars, Florex and Marine, and h as a more fibrous root system. Among 4-yr-old plants, about 10% initiated n ew shoots from below the crown.