Productivity and seedling recruitment of naturalised annual clovers versus sown clovers Trifolium repens and Trifolium subterraneum

Abstract

Abstract Naturalised annual clover (NAC) species (suckling clover, cluster clover, striated clover, and haresfoot clover) are commonly present to locally abundant in summer dry hill and high country areas where white and subterranean (sub) clover abundance is limited. This field trial investigated NAC species dry matter production and seedling regeneration compared to white and sub clover. Autumn seedling recruitment was measured in response to low (75 kg/ha) or high (200 kg/ ha) superphosphate (SP) application. Over two growing seasons, NAC species contributed >90% to pasture legume content while white and sub clover contributed