scholarly journals The influence of patterns of flowering of some subterranean clover (Trifolium subterruneum L.) accessions and cultivars on total seed set and autumn germination in a cool temperate environment with sporadic summer rain

Author(s):  
M.L. Smetham ◽  
D.W. Jack ◽  
Sandy E.H. Hammond

Fifteen accessions and 3 cultivars of subterranean exnected for this site. It is concluded that lateclover (Trifolium subterranean L.) were sown in autumn in shallow stony soil south of Christchurch, New Zealand. The following growing season was atypical, with drought occurring briefly but one month earlier than usual, the rest of the season being wetter than usual. Contrary to previous results highest seed yields were given by mid- to lateseason flowering lines. Early flowering lines were severely disadvantaged by the early drought, resulting in seed yields of only 20-25 kg/ha. High seed yields were linked with the ability of lines to recommence flowering after drought and continue this for a prolonged period. Two late flowering accessions, 014454B and 014205B, yielded more than 200 kg/ha seed, outyielding the late flowering cv. Tallarook in spite of this cultivar having the same ability as the other two to reflower. Six highseed yielding lines gave naturally regenerated seedling numbers near to or exceeding 1000/m2. Apparent hardseededness at the time of autumn germination averaged 49% which was lower than expected for this site. It is concluded that late fldwering lines of subterranean clover should always be included in mixtures of this species for pasture to ensure adequate regeneration in wetter than normal seasons. Keywords: accessions, cultivars, flowering, hardseededness, regeneration, seed production, Trifolium subterraneum

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (71) ◽  
pp. 749 ◽  
Author(s):  
PG Ozanne ◽  
KMW Howes

The effects of four common fertilizers containing calcium on seed production in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) were measured at six locations over five years in a total of fifteen field experiments. Calcium as a sulphate, carbonate or phosphate salt was applied to subterranean clover pastures either at the start of the growing season (autumn) or at flowering (spring). Gypsum, plaster of Paris, or lime gave large increases in seed yield per unit area and also per unit weight of tops. Spring applications of superphosphate increased seed yields in only two out of four experiments. Gypsum applied in spring at 200-500 kg ha-1 was as effective as 2,000 kg ha-1 of lime applied in autumn. Applications of lime in spring were much less effective. Increased seed yields were due to increases in burr yield, seed number per burr, and mean weight per seed. They were usually accompanied by increases in calcium concentration in the seed. Responses in seed production to calcium applications were obtained in all three sub-species of Trifolium subterraneum. In two experiments, newly sown on a soil type on which subterranean clover regeneration and persistence is commonly very poor, applied calcium doubled or quadrupled seed set. In 13 experiments using soils on which subterranean clover had persisted as the major component of the pasture for several years, calcium in the year of application increased the total seed bank by 6 to 31 per cent, and the current seed set by a greater amount.


2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 1133 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. S. Dear ◽  
B. F. Hackney ◽  
G. M. Dyce ◽  
C. A. Rodham

Swards of four cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) were cut at three different times to determine the effect on forage yield and quality, seed set and seedling regeneration in two successive seasons in southern New South Wales. The four cultivars of subterranean clover (Seaton Park LF, Junee, Goulburn and Clare) were cut on 23–25 September (early cut), 8–10 October (mid cut) or 22–23 October (late cut), to simulate an early silage, late silage or hay cut. Additional treatments imposed included either grazing or leaving the regrowth after cutting and raising the cutting height from 3 to 6 cm. Forage yields ranged from 3.5 to 9.3 t dry matter (DM)/ha in the first year and from 2.0 to 5.9 t DM/ha in the second year. Herbage yield was influenced by both cultivar and harvest time with the highest yields achieved with the mid cut. Lower forage yields at the later cut were attributed to losses due to respiration and decay under dense leaf canopies. Changes in forage quality were consistent across both years, with in vivo DM digestibility declining from 76–79% to 69–70% as cutting time was delayed. Crude protein fell from 22–24% to 14–17% over the same period, depending on cultivar. Seed yields in both years were influenced by both cutting time and cultivar with a positive relationship (R2 = 0.45–0.61) between herbage present in late spring after a period of regrowth and subsequent seed yield. The early flowering cultivar Seaton Park LF had the highest seed yield in both years and the more erect cultivar Clare had the lowest. Seed yields declined with later cutting time but increased by an average of 39% when the cutting height was raised from 3 to 6 cm. Seedling regeneration reflected seed yield responses with the largest seedling regeneration occurring in treatments cut early. The study found that forage conservation in early October is likely to yield more and be of higher quality than swards cut later in the season. Seed set is greatly reduced by all cutting strategies to levels unprofitable for seed harvesting but may be adequate for pasture regeneration.


1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1095 ◽  
Author(s):  
BS Dear ◽  
DJ Conlan ◽  
MF Richards ◽  
NE Coombes

The tolerance of 6 cultivars of Trifolium subterraneum (subterranean clover) to simazine applied at 0.63 and 1.25 kg a.i./ha was determined under weedfree conditions in the field by measuring herbage and seed yields. Large herbage yield losses occurred as a result of the simazine in spring in the 2 years of the experiments. In 1989, spring herbage yield losses of the cultivars at the 0.63 and 1.25 kg/ha simazine rates averaged 56 and 82%, respectively. In 1990 the spring herbage yield losses were 27 and 51%. Significant variation in tolerance was observed between cultivars in both years, with Trikkala being the most tolerant and Karridale the most susceptible cultivar. Rate of herbicide had the greatest effect on herbage yield, with cultivar having a smaller effect. In 1989, with relatively favourable spring conditions, clover seed yields were depressed by simazine, but in 1990 when drier conditions prevailed during flowering and seed set, seed yields were unaffected or slightly increased by simazine in all cultivars except the early-flowering cultivar Dalkeith. Seed yields of simazine-treated swards were 196-1480 kg/ha in 1989 and 359-686 kg/ha in 1990. The seed yield response in 1990 suggests that herbicides which retard growth in winter help to conserve soil water and, therefore, may benefit seed filling later in the season. The presence of Lolium rigidum at spraying did not reduce the effect of the herbicide on clover herbage yield and had no effect on seed set. Although simazine may reduce herbage yields and, in some cases, seed yields, its use may be justified for the control of annual grasses when other factors such as disease control, pasture quality, and level of weed competition are considered.


1987 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 537 ◽  
Author(s):  
BS Dear ◽  
J Lipsett

There has been little research on the boron (B) status of subterranean clover, despite strong indications of deficiency of B in southern Australia where clover decline has been reported. This paper describes glasshouse experiments to vary the level of B supply to clover grown on soils low in B. On a soil farmed in a cereal clover rotation, herbage yields of clover increased by 25% with applied B, but seed yields, negligible without B, increased 21-fold. On two other acid soils, from pastures, there were also large responses to B in seed yield (1.5- and 5.1-fold respectively); liming increased the responses (8- and 55.2-fold). However, herbage production was less responsive to B (25% and 1.7-fold with liming); on the unlimed soils, application of B depressed yield (- 1 and -21%). This is attributed to there being enough B to sustain herbage growth, but inadequate for seed formation. These results show that herbage yield, conventionally employed in the past, is not a satisfactory index of B status for total performance in subterranean clover. The response to B in seed yield was associated with increases in: numbers of seed set (75% to 22.6-fold, depending on the particular combination of soil and liming); size of seed (10% to 1.2-fold); proportion of buried seed (20%-70%). It is suggested that these favour establishment and persistence of clover and that clover decline may well involve deficiency of B. It was shown that concentration of B in the plant does not necessarily relate predictably to yield of herbage and that reduction in seed yield may not be heralded by foliar symptoms, since seed requirement exceeds that of herbage.


1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1117 ◽  
Author(s):  
PM Evans ◽  
EJ Hall

An experiment was set up in northern Tasmania with 7 cultivars of subterranean clover widely ranging in maturity and levels of hardseededness. They were planted as pure swards and in a mixture with perennial ryegrass. After seed set in the first year, all seedling regenerations were counted and then killed, and seed populations were measured each summer for 6 years. No significant differences in seed losses existed between the pure swards and the mixtures or between cultivars. Negative exponential functions of the relationship between seed banks and time fitted the data well with r2 ranging from 0.87 (Nungarin) to 0.998 (Trikkala). By mid-summer of the sixth year the percentages of the original seed left in the ground were: Enfield 12%, Woogenellup 19%, Trikkala 20%, Nungarin 21%, Larisa 24%, and Karridale and Mt Barker 31%. Seeds at higher latitudes were lost at about half the rates experienced at lower latitudes with drier, hotter summers. The higher percentages of seed remaining in plots with later maturing cultivars suggest that environmental conditions favoured the production of hard seeds while the reverse was the case with very early, hardseeded cultivars like Nungarin.


1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (24) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Taylor ◽  
RC Rossiter

Seed production and persistence of the Carnamah, Northam A, Dwalganup, and Geraldton strains of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) were examined in undefoliated swards in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. The early flowering characteristic of Carnamah was not always associated with higher seed yields. Only when there was a well-defined, early finish to the growing season, or when flowering was very much earlier in Carnamah (viz., following an early 'break' to the season), did this strain clearly outyield both Northam A and Geraldton. The seed yield of Dwalganup was generally inferior to that of the other strains. Factors affecting regeneration are discussed. Under low rainfall conditions, poorer germination-regulation of Carnamah, compared with Geraldton and Northam A, would be expected to result in poorer persistence unless offset by higher seed yields in the Carnamah strain.


1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
RR Young ◽  
KJ Morthorpe ◽  
PH Croft ◽  
H Nicol

The tolerance of 5 species of annual medics (Medicago spp.), Trifolium subterraneum cv. Nungarin, and hedge mustard (Sisymbrium orientale) to a range of post-emergence broadleaf herbicides was tested over 2 years. The least damaging to M. truncatula was 2,4-DB, which provided more consistent and effective control of hedge mustard than the other chemicals tested, including the less expensive tank mix of 2,4-DB + diuron. MCPA amine or sodium salt (300 g a.i./ha), bromoxynil (420 g a.i./ha), and tank mixes containing MCPA amine (150-175 g a.i./ha) severely damaged annual medics, particularly M. truncatula, with flowering delayed by up to 21 days, and dry matter and seed yields often significantly (P<0.05) reduced. Seed yields of most test plants indicated a degree of recovery from herbicide damage assessed visually after 10 days. Hedge mustard was not always as severely damaged by MCPA amine as was M. truncatula. Nungarin subterranean clover and M. aculeata SAD 2356 were more tolerant than the M. truncatula cultivars of MCPA amine, MCPA sodium salt, MCPA tank mixes, and bromoxynil, and less tolerant of 2,4-DB. Medicago littoralis, M. polymorpha and M. laciniata were severely damaged by bromoxynil but were more tolerant of MCPA than M. truncatula.


1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
PM Schroder ◽  
PJ Stapleton

The reduction in the net seed set by subterranean clover (mostly cv. Mount Barker), and hence the size of the seed reserve, was assessed at sites near Hamilton, Victoria, following the application of dicamba, 2,4-D amine, a mixture of dicarnba and 2,4-D amine, or glyphosate, applied at early, mid or late flowering. Similar measurements were made on pastures dominated by cv. Yarloop near Seymour, Victoria, where either 2,4-D amine or a mixture of dicamba plus MCPA amine was applied at mid flowering. The experiments were conducted in 1984 and 1985 in both districts. At Hamilton, the clover seed reserve was 147 kg/ha before the treatments were applied. By early summer, the average seed reserve was 511 kg/ha where no herbicide was used and 211, 343 and 318 kg/ha where dicamba, 2,4-D mine or glyphosate were applied. The average reduction in net seed set for these 3 treatments was 80, 46 and 39%, respectively. Applying 2,4-D arnine in addition to dicamba did not cause a further significant reduction in the seed reserve. The earlier in the flowering stage the herbicide was applied, the greater the reduction in net seed set, and so the smaller the final seed reserve. At Seymour, the Yarloop clover seed reserve was 246 kg/ha before the treatments were applied. The average Yarloop seed reserve by early summer was 754 kg/ha where no herbicide was used, 335 kg/ha where dicamba plus MCPA arnine was applied and 365 kg/ha where 2,4-D amine was applied. The average reduction in the net seed set for the 2 herbicides was 83 and 77%. This work indicates that no seed will be added to the seed reserve of Mount Barker or Yarloop subterranean clover if dicamba is applied at 1.0 L/ha before the clover reaches the mid flowering stage. As cultivars differ in their susceptibility to herbicides, extending these results to other cultivars needs to be done with caution.


2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 226 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. H. Nichols ◽  
G. A. Sandral ◽  
B. S. Dear ◽  
C. T. de Koning ◽  
D. L. Lloyd ◽  
...  

Izmir is a hardseeded, early flowering, subterranean clover of var. subterraneum (Katz. et Morley) Zohary and Heller collected from Turkey and developed by the collaborating organisations of the National Annual Pasture Legume Improvement Program. It is a more hardseeded replacement for Nungarin and best suited to well-drained, moderately acidic soils in areas with a growing season of less than 4.5 months. Izmir seed production and regeneration densities in 3-year pasture phases were similar to Nungarin in 21 trials across southern Australia, but markedly greater in years following a crop or no seed set. Over all measurements, Izmir produced 10% more winter herbage and 7% more spring herbage than Nungarin. Its greater hardseededness and good seed production, makes it better suited to cropping rotations than Nungarin. Softening of Izmir hard seeds occurs later in the summer–autumn period than Nungarin, giving it slightly greater protection from seed losses following false breaks to the season. Izmir is recommended for sowing in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. Izmir has been granted Plant Breeders Rights in Australia.


1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1427 ◽  
Author(s):  
RAC Jones

During 1989-92, subterranean clover ( Trifolium subterraneum L.) was grown in field experiments in which swards of six cultivars were infected with bean yellow mosaic potyvirus (BYMV) by transplanting small BYMV-infected subterranean clover plants into them. The swards were then grazed by sheep or mown to simulate grazing. The infected transplants were the primary virus source for subsequent spread by aphids. Spread initially centred on infected transplants resulting in circular expanding infected patches. Later, secondary patches, isolated affected plants and more generalized infection sometimes developed. The extent of spread within swards from the transplants varied with cultivar, BYMV isolate, site and year. Final BYMV incidence ranged from 12% of plants symptom-affected by isolate MI in cv. Junee in 1991 to 100% by isolate SMB in cv. Leura in 1992. BYMV spread mostly occurred in spring and was increased around the edges of areas of bare ground in swards. In two experiments at one site in which 'mini swards' of cvv. Green Range, Karridale and Leura were mown repeatedly, BYMV-infection decreased herbage yields (dry weights) by 12-16% while seed yields were decreased significantly (by 37-40010) in one experiment. In a grazing experiment at a second site with swards of cvv. Esperance and Karridale, BYMV-infection decreased overall yields of herbage by 18-39% and seed by 11-12%; herbage yield losses within symptom-affected patches were 28-49%. In a further grazing experiment at this site with swards of cvv. Junee and Karridale, BYMV-induced losses determined from symptom-affected patches were 21-29% for herbage and 15-25% for seed. In a grazing experiment with swards of cvv. Denmark and ~ e u r a ' at a third site, BYMV-induced overall herbage yield decreases of 8-12% were still recorded despite extensive BYMV spread to control swards; yield losses within symptom-affected patches were 18-25% for herbage and 35-47% for seed. Seed yield losses were due to decreased seed size (mean seed weight), fewer seeds being produced, or both. Estimates of the effects of different levels of BYMV infection on herbage yields in partially infected grazed swards were obtained for cvv. Denmark, Karridale and Leura by plotting individual quadrat data for herbage dry weights against % symptom-affected plants. Losses increased in proportion to the level of infection, but their magnitude also varied with cultivar and experiment. It is concluded that BYMV infection of subterranean clover pastures is cause for concern, not only as regards herbage yield losses but also as regards depletion of the seed bank, which, when compounded year by year, results in pasture deterioration. Early and prolonged aphid activity, reseeding the pasture with susceptible cultivars, heavy grazing and extended growing seasons are all likely to magnify BYMV-induced losses.


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