White clover investigations. III. Effect of irrigation on seed production

Abstract

During 1962-65 investigation was carried out at Cambridge on the effect of irrigation combined with cutting treatments on vegetative growth, inflorescence formation and yield of seed of S184 white clover sown on gravelly loam of poor waterholding capacity.Under the conditions described, irrigation was beneficial for seed production when it was applied between the period of shutting-up and the start of clover flowering. An excess of water either from natural precipitation or irrigation during the flowering period had, however, a harmful effect on seed production.Apart from the first year, the effect of differential cuttings up to the early bud stage was insignificant on the seed yield. The interaction cutting x irrigation was not significant.The author is grateful to Mr F. R. Home, Director of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, for opportunities and facilities provided for this experiment.