Description
Red clover is one of the most important forage legumes in the world. It is utilized extensively in European and North American farming systems. Approximately, 4 million hectares of red clover are grown globally each year for forage production, soil improvement, and as a pollen and nectar source for pollinators (Riday, 2010). In North America, red clover is widely used in temperate regions for pasture, hay, and silage in combination with grasses for soil improvement and as a pollen and nectar source for bumblebees (Bombus). In the northwest, it is also grown for seed production (Anderson et al., 2016) with Oregon farmers producing 89 % of the US total (USDA-NASS, 2019). Drought stress conditions negatively affect the productivity of red clover, therefore, developing red clover cultivars that are highly tolerant to drought is needed for changing climatic conditions. The main objective of this study was to select red clover germplasm with improved drought tolerance and to subsequently develop commercial cultivars with higher herbage accummulation and persistence when grown in low soil moisture conditions.
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Using Recurrent Phenotypical Selection to Improve Drought Tolerance of Red Clover
Red clover is one of the most important forage legumes in the world. It is utilized extensively in European and North American farming systems. Approximately, 4 million hectares of red clover are grown globally each year for forage production, soil improvement, and as a pollen and nectar source for pollinators (Riday, 2010). In North America, red clover is widely used in temperate regions for pasture, hay, and silage in combination with grasses for soil improvement and as a pollen and nectar source for bumblebees (Bombus). In the northwest, it is also grown for seed production (Anderson et al., 2016) with Oregon farmers producing 89 % of the US total (USDA-NASS, 2019). Drought stress conditions negatively affect the productivity of red clover, therefore, developing red clover cultivars that are highly tolerant to drought is needed for changing climatic conditions. The main objective of this study was to select red clover germplasm with improved drought tolerance and to subsequently develop commercial cultivars with higher herbage accummulation and persistence when grown in low soil moisture conditions.
