Abstract:
Slender leaf (Crotalaria ochroleuca and Crotalaria brevidens) are indigenous leafy
vegetables commonly cultivated in Kenya with high nutritive value and medicinal benefits. Despite
the benefits of the vegetable it is grown and consumed only in some parts of the world and has been
neglected in terms of research. Artificial pollination of any crop forms the basis of improvement
however, there is limited information on the breeding of Crotalaria. The study aimed to cross two
distinct species of Crotalaria using artificial pollination. Two landraces from two counties in Kenya
were crossed in a completely randomized design set up within the greenhouse. A six-day-old flower
bud of C. ochroleuca of, the female parent was emasculated. A fully opened flower of C. brevidens
was used as a pollen source. The pollen was rubbed on the stigma of the female parent and inserted
back into the keel petal. Data were collected on the total number of mature pods and seeds then
subjected to analysis of variance. The artificial pollination cross of C. ochroleuca and C. brevidens
showed a success rate of 75%. The time of crossing did not have significant effect on the success rate,
pod and seed production. The rubbing method was the best method of artificial interspecific
pollination of Crotalaria. Successful interspecies pollination is a foundation for the improvement of
edible Crotalaria through hybridization
