Four annual clovers (Arrowleaf (Trifolium versiculosum), balansa (T. michelianum), Persian (T. resupinatum) and gland (T. glanduliferum)) were sown on five East Coast dryland farms and one moist Taranaki site. Hardseededness was measured at all sites and seed production and hardseededness was measured at three sites following different closing dates. There were no differences in seed size for any species between sites or closing dates. High levels of seed (500-700 kg/ha) were set by balansa and arrowleaf clovers after an early closing date (early September). Flowering and seed production decreased with later closings. Gland clover was the earliest to flower and with Persian clover was very susceptible to early grazing. Gland clover produced virtually no seed as flowers had already been grazed prior to the first closing. Arrowleaf clover produced very high levels (>92%) of hard seed and Persian very low levels (

There is scant information on nitrate-N leaching in East Coast hill country. Castlepoint Station, a focus farm in the Wise Use of fertiliser Nitrogen (N) project and in the face of potential restrictions on fertiliser N use, ran a 3 year trial focused on the impacts of N fertiliser on pasture and animal production as well as nitrate leaching.

Three on-farm sites where plantain was sown with legumes and/or perennial ryegrass were monitored for 2 years post-sowing. On two cultivated sites in Hawke's Bay, newly sown plantain/clover pastures produced 20% and 22% more dry matter, respectively, than newly sown ryegrass/clover or established pastures. On an uncultivatable site in coastal Wairarapa, aerially oversowing of plantain and clover resulted in 282% more dry matter than resident pasture on north faces. Plantain pastures had higher clover contents and lambs had faster growth rates and higher dressing-out percentages than lambs finished on traditional ryegrass/clover pastures. Plantain and a mix of annual and perennial clovers offer a promising alternative to ryegrass-based systems in dryland. As with lucerne, plantain and erect annual clovers need to be rotationally grazed to prevent damage to the crown and growing points. The success of these alternative forages in dryland farming systems will depend on farmer willingness to embrace new grazing management techniques. Keywords: forages, plantain, arrowleaf clover, Persian clover, balansa clover, white clover, red clover oversowing, live weight gain.