New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Evaluation of aluminium-tolerant white clover (Trifolium repens) selections on East Otago upland soils

J. R. CARADUS

AgResearch
Grasslands Research Centre
Private Bag 11-008
Palmerston North, New Zealand

J. R. CRUSH
L. OUYANG

AgResearch
Ruakura Research Centre
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand

W. FRASER

AgResearch
Invermay Agricultural Centre
P.O. Box 50-034
Mosgiel, New Zealand

Abstract  Growth of 15 legumes was monitored for 3 years on 3 Otago upland soils with 11, 45, or 70 μg g^-1 extractable soil aluminium (Al). Lotus pedunculatus and L. corniculatus produced the greatest dry matter over the 3 years, with L. pedunculatus producing superior yields at intermediate and high soil Al sites. Within white clover, types selected for Al tolerance produced similar yields to types selected for Al susceptibility, and four commercial white clover cultivars and an alsike clover (Trifolium hybidum). Caucasian clover (T. ambiguum) spread by rhizomes at the high Al site, but neither Lotus species spread from the planted row. Some white clovers showed limited spread. It is concluded that optimising performance of Lotus and Caucasian clover on these soils will be a more productive strategy than breeding for Al-tolerance in white clover.

Keywords  aluminium tolerance; Lotus; Caucasian clover; soil acidity; Trifolium repens; white clover

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2001, Vol. 44: 141-150

0028-8233/01/4402&3-0141 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 2001

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (587K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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