Genetic traits within Ornithopus sativus Brot. make it suitable for breeding as a forage legume in agriculture. The breeding system of O. sativus must be understood to stabilize valuable traits once developed. Hybridization between white‐flowered and pink‐flowered genotypes of O. sativus revealed the white flower colour to be inherited recessively to pink, while early flowering showed genetic dominance over late flowering (d = 0.5). The pink flower colour was always associated with red pigmentation on seedling hypocotyls, which provided a pragmatic aid in the selection process. Pollination of O. sativus is largely autogamous, but examination of hypocotyl colour of seedlings from white‐flowered trap plants placed among pink‐flowered plants in a sward indicated a xenogamic cross‐pollination rate of 25% is possible. This significant level of cross‐pollination revealed opportunities for breeding desirable traits within the species, while providing a warning that shifts in population structure could occur in response to selection pressure.

中文翻译：

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虎眼万年青的繁殖系统。亚种 tiv

虎眼万年青Brot内的遗传性状。使它适合在农业中作为牧草豆科植物进行繁殖。栽培稻的育种系统一旦被开发，就必须使其稳定有价值的性状。栽培O. sativus的白花和粉红色花基因型之间的杂交显示，白花颜色隐性地遗传为粉红色，而早花显示出晚花的遗传优势（d = 0.5）。粉红色的花色总是与幼苗下胚轴上的红色色素有关，这为选择过程提供了务实的帮助。栽培稻的授粉杂草基本上是自交的，但是检查放在草地上的粉红色花朵植物中的白色花朵诱集植物的幼苗的胚轴颜色表明异种异花授粉率为25％。这种高水平的异花授粉揭示了在物种内繁殖理想性状的机会，同时提供了警告，种群结构的变化可能会因选择压力而发生变化。