Registration of ‘Lucky’ Multiple‐Leaflet Red Clover

‘Lucky’, a multiple-leaflet red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) cultivar (29-L-38-1801) (Reg. no. CV-28, PI 638509) was developed by the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 2004. It is an increase with further selection of the GP-9 multiple-leaflet gene marker registered by Crop Science in 1982 (Taylor, 1982). During 1998 to 2002, five cycles of selection were conducted in greenhouses and fields to increase the expression of the character. The 2002 population consisting of 76% multiple-leafleted plants was interpollinated under field conditions to produce the seeds being released. Leaves of plants of the cultivar vary from three to eight leaflets (rarely more) and occasionally produce “cornucopia-shaped” leaflets varying up to three (rarely more). Plants vary in number of multiple-leafleted leaves from 0 to 10 depending on size and number of leaves per plant. If multiple-leaflets as small as 1 cm are desired they may be expressed in month-old seedlings spaced in stands of approximately one plant per 2.5 cm2 At this spacing 50% of plants have multiple-leaflets and 33% have two or more multiple-leaflets per plant. This cultivar is intended for ornamental plantings and for four-leaf clover charms. Seeds of ‘Lucky’ will be maintained by the Foundation Seed Project, Agricultural Experiment Station, and the University of Kentucky. Commercial companies interested in purchasing this cultivar should apply to the corresponding author.