Cyanogenesis in Lotus and Trifolium species

Abstract

The occurrence of cyanogenic plants was determined in 48 <i>Trifolium</i> species, 12 <i>Lotus</i> species, in wild population as well as in varieties of <i>T. repens</i> L. and <i>Loins corniculatus</i> L. species. In the genus <i>Trifolium</i> only <i>T. nigrescens</i> Viv. proved to be high-cyanogenic, all the remaining species are acyanogenic or low-cyanogenic. In the <i>T. repens</i> species varieties and wild populations include an insignificant per cent of cyanogenic plants.The genus <i>Lotus</i> comprises both high-cyanogenic and acyanogenic species. In the <i>L. corniculatus</i> species varieties include much more high-cyanogenic plants than do wild populations. It seems that in <i>L. corniculatus</i> the breeding went in a wrong direction, because of lack of plant selection regarding the presence of toxic compounds.