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Seed Weight Effects upon Emergence, Leaf Development, and Growth of the Sainfoin (Onobrychis spp.) Seedling¹

Selection of legume seedlings with high ratios of cotyledon area to seed weight could result in increased vigor. We studied this relationship and the effect of seed size upon leaf development and seedling growth in 10 sainfoin (Onobrychis spp.) accessions. The accessions did not vary in their ability to distribute seed weight into cotyledon area. Larger seed size was associated with larger embryo axis, leaf primordia, and cotyledon area. Seedlings from large seeds emerged and developed more rapidly than those from small seeds and had larger first and second leaves. Seedling weight at 17 days of age was proportional to seed size. Second leaves, which were all trifoliolate, were larger for seedlings with unifoliolate first leaves than those with trifoliolate first leaves. Frequency of first leaf type was not affected by seed size. We conclude that little progress can be made in selecting plants within a species for greater cotyledon area to seed weight ratios.

Key Words: Seed size • Cotyledon area • Leaf primorida • Leaf area • Seedling growth

² Former graduate student at Montana State University, now Forage agronomist at Kansas Agric. Exp. Stn., Mound Valley, Kans. and Agronomist, Western Region, ARS-USDA, Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT 59715.

Received for publication September 24, 1975.