ESTABLISHMENT OF HILL COUNTRY WHITE CLOVER SELECTIONS FROM OVERSOWING

Abstract

The establishment characteristics of three hill country white clover selections were compared with 'Grasslands Huia' and Kent white clover after oversowing in spring and autumn on a low fertility, summerdrv hill country site near Palmerston North. The hill country selections gave 15-16% establishment of sown seed in spring. whereas in autumn two of the hill country selections established much higher seedling numbers than other clovers, one-third surviving at 6 weeks. Less than 5% of Huia seed established in autumn. Less than one-quarter of spring-sown seedlings survived dry summer conditions. Plant survival at one year after autumn oversowing was markedlv better and at this stage, two of the hill country selections had developed 6 times the stolon density of Huia and they were giving at least 3 times the herbage content in the pasture. Keywords: Legume establishment, white clover, hill country, seedling establishment, plant survival, slugs, oversowing, stolon density, nematodes.