Trifolium medium L. is a wild polyploid relative of the agriculturally important red clover that possesses traits promising for breeding purposes. To date, T. medium also remains the only clover species with which agriculturally important red clover has successfully been hybridized. Even though allopolyploid origin has previously been suggested, little has in fact been known about the T. medium karyotype and its origin. We researched T. medium and related karyotypes using comparative cytogenomic methods, such as fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and RepeatExplorer cluster analysis. The results indicate an exceptional karyotype diversity regarding numbers and mutual positions of 5S and 26S rDNA loci and centromeric repeats in populations of T. medium ecotypes and varieties. The observed variability among T. medium ecotypes and varieties suggests current karyotype instability that can be attributed to ever-ongoing battle between satellite DNA together with genomic changes and rearrangements enhanced by post-hybridization events. Comparative cytogenomic analyses of a T. medium hexaploid variety and diploid relatives revealed stable karyotypes with a possible case of chromosomal rearrangement. Moreover, the results provided evidence of T. medium having autopolyploid origin.

• Keywords
• 26S rDNA, 5S rDNA, centromeric repeat, clover, fluorescent in situ hybridization, polyploidy, zigzag clover,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Trifolium L. is an economically important genus that is characterized by variable karyotypes relating to its ploidy level and basic chromosome numbers. The advent of genomic resources combined with molecular cytogenetics provides an opportunity to develop our understanding of plant genomes in general. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge on Trifolium genomes and chromosomes and review methodologies using molecular markers that have contributed to Trifolium research. We discuss possible future applications of cytogenetic methods in research on the Trifolium genome and chromosomes.

• Keywords
• chromosomal markers, clover, cytogenetics, genome size, interspecific hybridization, polyploidy, synteny,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH