Growth of legume varieties on a yellow-brown high country soil

Abstract

Seasonal growth WAS compared of 32 varieties of New Zealand, Russian, and Chilean red clover, lucerne, white clover, and lotus as simulated swards under 3 phosphate and 3 lime levels. N, P, K, Ca, and Mg contents, persistence, and early spring growth were also assessed. Annual dry-matter production was in the descending order: red clover, lucerne, alsike or white clover, and lotus. Lucerne production increased more than two-fold over the experimental period of 5 years. Phosphate fertiliser significantly increased production but lime did not. The best varieties were tetraploid and ‘Grasslands Hamua’ red clover, and Russian varieties of lucerne and alsike. No single white clover variety was superior on all counts.