enable log_bin_use_v1_row_events in mysql 5.6
There is one thing that cannot work with MySQL Replication from 5.5 to 5.6 : DATETIME. Why ?

MySQL 5.6 DATETIME has a very different byte format because it accommodates microseconds. When the binlog_format is ROW, or when MIXED switches from STATEMENT to ROW, only a 5.6 Slave can unpack the row change from the relay logs. A slave running MySQL 5.5 cannot handle that.

I have two recent posts where I mentioned this


Jan 02, 2015 : mysql replication master 5.5 slave 5.1 error on create database
Jun 18, 2015 : mysql master slave replication scenario


The workaround I learned from my boss back in January was to switch binlog_format to STATEMENT and restart mysqld. 

If you enable log_bin_use_v1_row_events on a MySQL 5.6 Master to let a MySQL 5.5 slave read it, that sounds like it could work. I still worry about the DATETIME representation. If you set the option log_bin_use_v1_row_events to true and it stops MySQL 5.6 from writing microseconds with binlog_format ROW or MIXED, then you I think have something. Based on my two posts, I cannot guarantee other statements would be immune.

I would normally say "GIVE IT A TRY !!!" but I have never tried that log_bin_use_v1_row_events. So, go ahead and try and let us know.