THE EFFECTS OF PHOTOPERIOD AND NIGHT TEMPERATURE ON FLOWERING AND GROWTH IN SOME AFRICAN TRIFOLIUM SPECIES

Summary Thirteen species and varieties of African Trifolium were used in a glasshouse and a phytotron experiment to determine their flowering behaviour. T. baccarinii, T. pseudostriatum and T. usambarense behaved as sensitive short‐day plants and T. burchellianum var, burchellianum and T. africanum behaved as sensitive long‐day plants. The other species were either day‐neutral or could not be clearly classified because of strong eflfects of night temperature on flowering. Conditions favourable for flowering were usually also best for growth except in the case of some species which did not flower at certain photoperiods.