EVALUATION OF CLOVERS IN DRY HILL COUNTRY .7. SUBTERRANEAN AND WHITE CLOVERS AT PORANGAHAU, HAWKES BAY, NEW-ZEALAND

Nine subterranean clover cultivars (Trifolium subterraneum L.) and 10 white clover lines (T. repens L.) were evaluated for 5 years under conditions of regular summer drought and winter water-logging. Grazing management initially allowed an assessment of growth potential; regenerative ability was more realistically assessed under typical farm management during the last 3 years of the experiment. Erect, open growing subterranean clover cultivars (e.g., 'Clare', 'Woogenellup') yielded the most under lenient cutting managements and where populations were artificially boosted by transplanting. After 3 years of farm grazing, 'Tallarook' had achieved the greatest seed and seedling numbers (7500 and 330/m2 respectively). All cultivars except 'Seaton Park', 'Trikkala', and 'Woogenellup' achieved pasture cover in excess of 30% by the end of the experiment. This indicates the general suitability of subterranean cover to these site conditions. Despite replanting and lenient defoliation management during late spring-summer, no white clover lines satisfactorily persisted after 3 years.