Selecting white clover (Trifolium repens L.) for sheep and cattle grazing environments

Abstract

Adaptation to different grazing systems is an important attribute in white clover breeding. A set of 41 white clover breeding lines and nine commercial cultivars were evaluated under two grazing systems, sheep and cattle, in Manawatu. The objective was to identify lines with either specific or broad adaptation to these two different grazing systems. The trials were established in late autumn 1997 and completed in autumn 2000. Visual scores of clover yield for spring, summer, autumn and winter of year 2 and spring, summer and autumn of year 3 were analysed. There was significant (P