Leaf area, competition with grass, and clover cultivar: Key factors to successful overwintering and fast regrowth of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in spring
A. Luscher et al., Leaf area, competition with grass, and clover cultivar: Key factors to successful overwintering and fast regrowth of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in spring, ANN BOTANY, 88, 2001, pp. 725-735
The greater sensitivity of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to low temper
ature compared with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a major probl
em in sustaining the relative contributions to yield of the two species in
mixed swards. The objectives of this investigation were to examine the dyna
mics of leaf development of two white clover cultivars, AberHerald and Gras
slands Huia. under field conditions, and to determine the significance of l
eaf area in winter, and of competition by perennial ryegrass. for the overw
intering and regrowth of white clover in spring. Undefoliated white clover
plants developed 3.8-6.6 new leaves between late autumn and early spring, a
nd stolon dry matter and total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) content i
ncreased by 262 and by 68 % respectively. In contrast, white clover plants
that were defoliated frequently during the winter showed a 28 % decrease in
stolon dry matter and an 82 % decrease in the content of TNC. Frequent def
oliation in winter caused severe reduction in the rates of emergence of nod
es (by 60 %) and of buds (by 67 %), and the rate of death of nodes and buds
increased by a factor of 10, leading to small stolon systems of individual
plants in spring. Competition had similar, but weaker, effects to those or
winter defoliation, presumably caused by shading of white clover leaves. A
berHerald had a higher cumulative leaf emergence (by 22 %). a higher mean l
eaf number (by 23 %), a higher stolon DM (by 36 %) and a higher TNC content
per plant (by 115 %) than Grasslands Huia. Results demonstrate the crucial
positive role of leaf area during winter, the negative effect of grass com
petition, and the importance of the clover cultivar, for the overwintering
and subsequent spring regrowth of white clover. (C) 2001 Annals of Botany C
ompany.