White clover selected for enhanced competitive ability widens the compatibility with grasses and favours the optimization of legume content and forage yield in mown clover‐grass mixtures

Abstract

White clover-grass mixtures should provide swards with a high dry matter (DM) yield with a clover proportion of at least 0AE30. This study assessed the compatibility of one white clover variety selected for competitive ability (Giga) and four other large-leaved clover varieties (Aran, Espanso, Fantastico and Regal) in mown binary mixtures with each of four grass companions (cocksfoot cv. Padania, hybrid ryegrass cv. AberExcel, Italian ryegrass cv. Crema, and tall fescue cv. Magno) over 3 years in northern Italy. On average, the mixtures including Giga had at least a two-fold greater clover proportion in the total harvested DM (P < 0AE01) and contained fewer weeds (P < 0AE10) than those with other clover varieties, and also tended to have the highest total DM yields. On average, mixtures containing AberExcel had clover proportions of >0AE25 but gave the lowest total DM yields, whereas those of Magno maximized total DM and had a higher proportion of clover than Padania or Crema. No clover · grass interaction was detected (P > 0AE05). The association with Giga allowed the tall fescue-based mixture to attain a clover proportion of 0AE331 along with a top-yielding total DM. This mixture, compared with the only one without Giga that displayed a near-sufficient clover proportion (Espanso with AberExcel), exhibited a 21AE7% higher total DM (P < 0AE05) and had far fewer weeds.

Combining Ability in Mixtures of Prairie Grass and Clovers

“…Diallel design or factorial combination experiments, such as those performed by [37] with white clover cultivars, would provide valuable information to develop forage mixtures on more solid foundations.…”

An economic assessment of drought effects on three grassland systems in Switzerland

“…Also the clover varieties used affect the competitiveness of clover under stress (e.g. Annicchiarico and Proiett 2010). For instance, if some clover varieties have deeper roots and improve soil structure, this could confer an advantage in drought conditions.…”

Achievements and Challenges in Improving Temperate Perennial Forage Legumes

“…Even highly-competitive medium-leaved clover varieties are unlikely to be compatible with vigorous grass companions, especially in mown, environmentally-favorable environments. Actually, even large-leaved clover material may be severely outcompeted by very vigorous cocksfoot varieties in these conditions (Harris, 1987;Annicchiarico and Proietti, 2010).…”

“…In general, white clover has lower ability to compete for light and nutrients than most grass companions (Haynes, 1980), and its selection for competitive ability against associated grasses has proved to be a valuable strategy to obtain compatible clover-grass mixtures (Annicchiarico and Proietti, 2010). A compatible mixture maintains a clover content large enough to optimize the benefits of its nitrogen fixation and superior forage value within a high-yielding grass background (Rhodes et al, 1994).…”