PERSISTENCE OF GRASSLANDS HUIA WHITE CLOYER (Trifolium repens 1.) IN HILL COUNTRY PASTURES

Abstract

six hundred plants of a form of 'Grasslands Huia' white clover with a feathermark red mid-rib leaf marking were planted into north aspects on six hill country farms in southern North Island and their performance monitored over four years. Although the plants established well, numbers rapidly declined during the second year, particularly during the dry summer months. Only 12% of the plants remained at five of the six sites after three years. After four years, only one site still retained a significant quantity of the feathermarked Huia, this being a dry site grazed predominantly by cattle during spring. Few Huia plants appeared to be adapted to hill country pastures, Other possible reasons for the lack of persistence in Huia in this trial include livestock treading, especially at wet sites, and pasture pests porina caterpiller and nematodes. Keywords: white clover, persistence, hill country, grazing management, leaf mark, adaptation, pests.