Offered Papers Theme A: Efficient Production from Grassland

Description

Stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci (Kühn) Filipjev) is a major pest of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in UK pastures (Cook et al., 1992a) and in other parts of the world. In a previous trial, resistant and susceptible selections yielded the same in three years in the absence of the nematode but, on infested plots, the susceptible yielded the same as the resistant selection in year 1 but only 68 and 58% in years 2 and 3, as the nematode infestation increased (Cook et al., 1992b). We have now developed varieties with enhanced resistance to this pest by screening under controlled conditions (Plowright et al., 2002). We describe an experiment to test the hypothesis that stress imposed on the plant by grazing as opposed to cutting management would exacerbate the effects of nematode infestation and accentuate the advantages of resistance through longer survival of clover plants.

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Evaluation of a White Clover Variety With Increased Resistance to Stem Nematode (Ditylenchus Dipsaci) Under Sheep Grazing and Cutting

Stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci (Kühn) Filipjev) is a major pest of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in UK pastures (Cook et al., 1992a) and in other parts of the world. In a previous trial, resistant and susceptible selections yielded the same in three years in the absence of the nematode but, on infested plots, the susceptible yielded the same as the resistant selection in year 1 but only 68 and 58% in years 2 and 3, as the nematode infestation increased (Cook et al., 1992b). We have now developed varieties with enhanced resistance to this pest by screening under controlled conditions (Plowright et al., 2002). We describe an experiment to test the hypothesis that stress imposed on the plant by grazing as opposed to cutting management would exacerbate the effects of nematode infestation and accentuate the advantages of resistance through longer survival of clover plants.