GO BAL 10

Clover

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Dixie Crimson', 'Border Balansa' and 'Bigbee'

Summary: The seed coat of 'GO BAL 10' is multi-coloured whereas the seed coat of 'Dixie Crimson' is yellow. In the year of sowing, the natural plant height of 'GO BAL 10' is taller than the natural plant height of 'Border Balansa' and shorter than that of 'Bigbee'. After flowering, the stem, including the flower head, of 'GO BAL 10' is longer than that of 'Dixie Crimson and 'Border Balansa'. The plant of 'GO BAL 10' has a dark green foliage whereas the foliage of 'Dixie Crimson' is light green and that of 'Border Balansa' has a medium green intensity. The plants of 'GO BAL 10' flower earlier than the plants of 'Bigbee' and flower later than those of 'Dixie Crimson' and 'Border Balansa'. The flower of 'GO BAL 10' is white whereas the flower of 'Dixie Crimson' is red purple. The stem of 'GO BAL 10' has sparse pubescence whereas the stem of 'Dixie Crimson' has very dense pubescence. The middle leaflet of 'GO BAL 10' is narrower than 'Dixie Crimson' and wider than that of 'Bigbee'. The leaf margin of 'GO BAL 10' is entire whereas the leaf margin is serrate for 'Border Balansa'. The lower side of the leaf of 'GO BAL 10' has dense pubescence whereas the leaf of 'Border Balansa' and 'Bigbee' have sparse pubescence.

Description:

COTYLEDON: short, very narrow

PLANT: annual type, erect growth habit at end of growing cycle, stolons absent, strong tendency to flower in year of sowing, flowers mid to late season, medium height in year of sowing, medium width

STEM: medium to thick, sparse pubescence, many internodes, long after flowering

FOLIAGE: medium to dense, dark green
LEAF: absent or very weak conspicuousness of markings, entire margin, dense pubescence on lower side
MIDDLE LEAFLET: elongated shape, medium length and width, large, large length to width ratio
PETIOLE: short

PEDUNCLE: thin to medium thick, medium length
INFLORESCENCE: few to medium number, medium sized diameter, ovoid to globose shape
FLOWER: white

SEED COAT: multi-coloured

Origin & Breeding History: 'GO BAL 10' originated from a plant that survived the winter of 2008 in an established nursery of Trifolium sp. from a private and public collection in Salem, Oregon, USA. In a greenhouse in Grassland Oregon, the plant identified as 'GO-08-54-3' was allowed to cross with two plants of unknown origin that exhibited a greater recovery from repeated cuttings. The resulting progeny was planted in a nursery in the fall of 2009 and subjected to further cycles of recurrent selection and testing. Final selection occurred in 2012 and was based on cold tolerance, biomass production and uniformity. 'GO BAL 10' was further propagated by seed.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'GO BAL 10' were conducted in Chilliwack, British Columbia during multiple growing seasons in 2020 and 2022. Trials were conducted in field plots and potted trials. All trials were arranged in a RCB design with 3 replicates. Field and potted plants were sown, maintained using drip irrigation and placed in rows measuring 5 metres in length and spaced 0.5 metres apart. Potted containers were thinned to 3 plants per 1 gallon pot. A minimum of 60 to 180 plants per variety were included in each trial year. Observations and measured characteristics reported from the potted trials were based on 60 plants or 60 parts of plants. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on Student's t-tests.

Comparison tables for 'GO BAL 10' with reference varieties 'Dixie Crimson', 'Border Balansa' and 'Bigbee'

Days to flowering (number of days from sowing)

Plant natural height (in year of sowing) (cm)

Stem length (including flower head) (cm)

Middle leaflet width of leaf (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Clover: 'GO BAL 10' (centre left) with reference varieties 'Dixie Crimson' (left), 'Border Balansa' (centre right) and 'Bigbee' (right)

Click on image for larger view

Clover: 'GO BAL 10' (centre right) with reference varieties 'Border Balansa' (left), 'Dixie Crimson' (centre left) and 'Bigbee' (right)