scholarly journals Diversity within subterranean clover and biserrula for persistence traits with potential use in New Zealand hill country

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 299-307
Author(s):  
K. Ghamkhar ◽  
T. Faithful ◽  
P.G.H. Nichols ◽  
M.H. Ryan

As part of an investigation into the potential of alternative forage species and/or germplasm in New Zealand's hill country and the traits required for their success, two F2 populations, their original parents, and 34 cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterranean) were evaluated for hardseededness in Australia. The 34 cultivars were also screened for burr burial strength and flowering time. Microsatellite markers were also used to investigate their association with these traits. The polygenic nature of hardseededness was confirmed and markers associated with this trait were detected and traits for New Zealand's hill country were identified. Additionally, a core collection of 30 (two cultivars and 28 wild) biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus) accessions was screened for flowering time, growth habit and leaflet size. Also, a subset of five accessions of biserrula exhibited traits that are desirable for hill country, namely, mid-late flowering and adaptation to lowmedium rainfall. Keywords: biserrula, flowering time, hardseededness, hill country, subterranean clover

1981 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 793 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Halloran ◽  
AL Pennell

A number of Trigonella species were examined for their possible use in Australian environments. There was a wide variability in flowering time in Trigonella. Under an outdoor autumn sowing the range in flowering time was comparable with that found within early- to late-flowering Australian commercial cultivars of subterranean clover. The upper level of vernalization response was much lower in Trigonella than in subterranean clover. Good prospects exist within Trigonella for selecting genotypes with close adaptation (in terms of appropriate developmental patterns) to a range of Australian environments, a range at least as wide as that now occupied by subterranean clover and annual medic.


1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (29) ◽  
pp. 501 ◽  
Author(s):  
DF Cameron

The flowering times of 58 collections of Townsville lucerne from typical sites in northern Australia have been recorded in three spaced plant experiments near Townsville. Thirty-six collections were grown in 1963-64, 15 in 1964-65, and 17 in 1965-66. All the late flowering collections came from sites receiving at least 45 inches annual rainfall. The five collections from south of Rockhampton were all of the early or midseason type and all collections from the far northern areas were late flowering. Partial regression analysis was used to relate the flowering time of a collection to the rainfall (for the five months interval from January to May) and latitude of the collection site. In the first two experiments rainfall, latitude and (latitude)2 all contributed significantly to the regressions, but in the third experiment only rainfall was significant. Correlation coefficients for 1963-64, 1964-65, and 1965-66 were +0.83, +0.97, and +0.93 respectively. A selection was derived from a collection by bulking seed from single spaced plants selected for uniform flowering time and growth habit. The dry matter yields of some collections and selections were compared in two sward experiments near Townsville in 1964-65 and 1965-66. In 1964-65 there were significant yield differences between collections (experiment A, P<0.01) and between selections (experiment B, P<0.001). There were differences in the rates of vegetative growth and differences in the length of growing season, with late flowering types being able to make better growth late in the season when early types were flowering and seeding. Types with erect growth habit had the highest yields and seemed to compete better with sown grasses than the prostrate types. There were no significant yield differences in 1965-66, a very dry year, and the late flowering types failed to set seed.


1990 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 923 ◽  
Author(s):  
PS Cocks

Seven accessions of five annual medic species were grown in swards at low and high densities at Tel Hadya in north Syria. Flower shedding, seed size, and other components of seed yield were compared with data collected from spaced plants. Seed yield of the seven accessions, ranging from zero to 800 kg ha-1, was correlated with flowering time at high density but not at low density. Early flowering accessions of Medicago polymorpha and M. truncatula produced more seed at high density than at low density, but a late-flowering accession of M noeana failed to produce seed at high density. Flower shedding was greatest in dense swards and least in spaced plants. Shedding of the various accessions ranged from 70% to M. polymorpha at low density to 96% in M. rigidula and 100% in M. noeana at high density. Some accessions shed flowers uniformly from all nodes, but in other accessions late-produced flowers were more likely to be shed. The flower shedding observed here was less than found in many other legumes, but more than has been observed in subterranean clover. It seems unlikely that seed yield can be increased by selecting for increased flower retention, but it may be possible to increase seed numbers at the expense of seed size; this may be useful in pasturebased farming systems.


Author(s):  
K.H. Widdup

White clover populations from Europe and New Zealand together with ecotypes collected from old pastures in Southland-Otago were evaluated as spaced plants at Gore. Plants were screened for herbage production and morphological and flowering characteristics. The Southland ecotypes and North Island hill country material are adapted to active growth in spring and summer. Their dense growth habit ensures continued production of branched stolons from nodal meristems which is necessary for high clover yield and persistence under intensive sheep grazing. In this region flowering characteristics are unimportant in relation to agronomic performance. Some largerleaved Huia and French lines have high-yielding features which are evident during autumn under lenient grazing. Hybrids between superior plants showing adaptive and high yie!ding features are being screened in order to select new types with the desired characteristics. Keywords: White clover, Trifolium repens L., plant breeding, southern region, ecotypes, growth, morphology.


1987 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 791 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Archer ◽  
EC Wolfe ◽  
BR Cullis

The period from sowing to flowering was determined for 8 subterranean clover cultivars sown in late March, late April and late May at 9 environmentally distinct locations in New South Wales. The length of the period to flowering depended on cultivar (ranging from a mean of 1 12 days for Northam to 151 days for Larisa) and site (from a mean of 1 18 days at Grafton to 145 days at Canberra). There was a greater range in the period from sowing to flowering between cultivars at earlier flowering sites compared with late flowering sites. The period from sowing to flowering decreased with later sowings so that clovers sown late (May) flowered on average less than 14 days after those sown early (March). A relationship was developed between temperature and latitude and the period to flowering for each sowing date and cultivar. This relationship accounted for 95% of the variation in flowering time observed in this study and was used to predict with acceptable accuracy the flowering time of subterranean clover cultivars in a study undertaken in Western Australia in 1972 and 1973. We believe the relationship could be useful in predicting flowering time in subterranean clovers.


Author(s):  
Cd Meurk ◽  
J.D. Turner

Infertile hill country grasslands are a vastly under-utilised pastoral resource in New Zealand. Three years of trial results on this class of land in eastern Southland are summarised. Five grasses (Grasslands Nui ryegrass, Wana cocksfoot, Matua prairie grass, Roa tall fescue and Maru phalaris) were oversown together with Huia white clover and subterranean clover. These were compared with a resident pasture, all under two fertility levels and two rotational grazing managements, and with unimproved pasture. The use of fertiliser and rotational grazing doubled the productivity of the unimproved rangeland to ca. 10,500 kg DMlhalyear. The addition of white clover increased yield to 12,000 kg, and improved grasses increased this further to 14,000 kg. Keywords: agronomy, fertiliser, grasses, grazing management, hill country, oversowing, pasture composition, pasture yield.


2003 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 61-72
Author(s):  
M.L. Smetham

This review covers the history of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) and its present occurrence in New Zealand; a review of research and conclusions to be drawn from this; and examines past and future research directions. Subterranean clover has been important in terms of area of use in New Zealand since the late 1930's. Today it makes a significant contribution to pasture production on steep, north-facing North Island hill country where effective rainfall is low, and in other areas where soil moisture drops below wilting point for between 2 weeks and 5 months of the year. Research has identified the superiority of cultivars possessing a compact, ground-hugging habit of growth, and flowering late, in late October - early November, for use in North Island hill country. In drier areas, more research is needed to identify superior cultivars, although there is evidence that lines in the mid-season or early mid-season flowering groups may be appropriate. A major problem for the use of subterranean clovers in New Zealand is the slow breakdown of hardseededness. About 7 M ha of land in New Zealand is mapped as being subject to slight to severe moisture deficit (an area which could with advantage support subterranean clover), but further research is needed to identify appropriate cultivars for 4.8 M ha or more of this area. Key words: history, New Zealand, research, Trifolium subterraneum


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