Growth responses of cultivars of subterranean clover to temperature, plant density and nitrate supply

Abstract

Six cultivars of subterranean clover were compared for growth as swards under controlled conditions in six separate experiments. Conditions common to all experiments were: 400 8mol quanta m-2 s-1 and 12 h day: 12 h night. The variable regimens were: 2 000 or 12 000 plants m-2 ('low' and 'high' density), 10 to 20¦C; and no mineral N (0 mM) or N supplied as a 7.5 mM NO3- solution. Growth responses to these conditions were tested by sequential harvesting for dry matter and the fitting of linear and quadratic regression models. Special attention was given to testing for differential responses by cultivars to temperature. All cultivars except 'Woogenellup' grew about 20% faster when NO3- was supplied in the nutrient solution than when the N was derived entirely from N2 fixation under the 0mM treatment. Crop growth rate at 20¦C was about double that at 10¦C at low density, but at high density the rate at 20¦C was 90-95% of that at 10¦C. Cultivars differed significantly in growth rate but over all conditions, there was a hierarchical order from the highest to the lowest of: 'Clare', 'Woogenellup', 'Yarloop', 'Mt. Barker', 'Daliak' and 'Geraldton'. There was very little evidence of any cultivar by temperature interaction except for 'Woogenellup, which responded to a low temperature of 10¦C compared with a 'high' of 20¦C better than the other cultivars. The importance of seed size as a factor influencing the early growth of a subterranean clover sward was emphasized where swards established from large seeds of 'Mt. Barker' grew faster than where small seeds were used. 'Clare' was a highly productive cultivar under all growth conditions. It is concluded that the growth rates of swards of subterranean clover established at seedling densities in excess of 5000 plants m-2 are less sensitive to a low temperature of 10¦C than are those established at more conventional densities.