Publication Date
1989
Description
Adaptation of berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) beyond the coastal regions of the southeastern United States was limited by a lack of cold tolerance prior to the release of 'Bigbee', a selection from a stand of 'Sacromonte' subjected to temperature of -15 and -18 Con successive nights in 1972. The release of Bigbee in 1985 expanded the range of berseem clover adaptation to include the entire Southeast, as far north as Oklahoma (Knight, 1985). It is known that annual clovers do not rely on root reserve carbohydrates, but rather on residual leaf area and rapid leaf regeneration from active buds on basal branches for regrowth following defoliation (Kendall and Stringer, 1985). For this reason it is necessary to understand plant growth responses to defoliation in order to develop proper harvest and grazing management practices. Previous studies with non-dormant berseem clover cultivars have indicated that frequent clipping at stubble heights less than 7.5-cm resulted in yield reductions due to stand losses (Kretschmer, 1978 ; Hoveland and Andrews, 1962). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four levels of defoliation on growth responses of four genotypes of berseem clover differing in winter hardiness.
Citation
Joost, R E. and Mooso, J D., "Harvest Management and Regrowth of Trifolium alexandrinum" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 1.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session4/1
Included in
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Harvest Management and Regrowth of Trifolium alexandrinum
Adaptation of berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) beyond the coastal regions of the southeastern United States was limited by a lack of cold tolerance prior to the release of 'Bigbee', a selection from a stand of 'Sacromonte' subjected to temperature of -15 and -18 Con successive nights in 1972. The release of Bigbee in 1985 expanded the range of berseem clover adaptation to include the entire Southeast, as far north as Oklahoma (Knight, 1985). It is known that annual clovers do not rely on root reserve carbohydrates, but rather on residual leaf area and rapid leaf regeneration from active buds on basal branches for regrowth following defoliation (Kendall and Stringer, 1985). For this reason it is necessary to understand plant growth responses to defoliation in order to develop proper harvest and grazing management practices. Previous studies with non-dormant berseem clover cultivars have indicated that frequent clipping at stubble heights less than 7.5-cm resulted in yield reductions due to stand losses (Kretschmer, 1978 ; Hoveland and Andrews, 1962). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four levels of defoliation on growth responses of four genotypes of berseem clover differing in winter hardiness.
