Publication Date
1993
Description
Nodal root development of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) swards was monitored by harvesting marked nodes from late autumn to spring and by taking tiller plugs over 15 months. At a hill country site Grasslands Huia and a large-leaved French eultivar, Crau, had greater nodal root development, in terms of root length, than a smallleaved hill country ecotype. Compadson of the effects of rotational sheep and cattle grazing at both lowland and hill country sites showed greater nodal root development root length and lateral root production under cattle grazing. Percentage of nodes with roots was greater under rotational than set-stocked grazing in winter and early spring but differences were not apparent in late spring, summer or autumn. In late spring percentage of nodes with roots was greater under setstocked than rotational sheep grazing, Numbers of nodal roots per m2 were 75-140% greater under rotational grazing than set-stocked grazing in autumn and winter but similar in summer and spring. Reduced nodal development during winter under set-stocked sheep grazing was associated with reduced carbon export to young nodal roots developed on shaded stolons (simulating stolon burial) which were severely defoliated. Under more lenient defoliation which occurs under rotational grazing, carbon export to young nodal roots is greater on shaded compared with unshaded stolons.
Citation
Caradus, J R.; CHapman, D F.; and Skipp, R A., "Effect of Management and Cultivar on Nodal Root Development of White Clover" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 4.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1993/session8/4
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Effect of Management and Cultivar on Nodal Root Development of White Clover
Nodal root development of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) swards was monitored by harvesting marked nodes from late autumn to spring and by taking tiller plugs over 15 months. At a hill country site Grasslands Huia and a large-leaved French eultivar, Crau, had greater nodal root development, in terms of root length, than a smallleaved hill country ecotype. Compadson of the effects of rotational sheep and cattle grazing at both lowland and hill country sites showed greater nodal root development root length and lateral root production under cattle grazing. Percentage of nodes with roots was greater under rotational than set-stocked grazing in winter and early spring but differences were not apparent in late spring, summer or autumn. In late spring percentage of nodes with roots was greater under setstocked than rotational sheep grazing, Numbers of nodal roots per m2 were 75-140% greater under rotational grazing than set-stocked grazing in autumn and winter but similar in summer and spring. Reduced nodal development during winter under set-stocked sheep grazing was associated with reduced carbon export to young nodal roots developed on shaded stolons (simulating stolon burial) which were severely defoliated. Under more lenient defoliation which occurs under rotational grazing, carbon export to young nodal roots is greater on shaded compared with unshaded stolons.
