Wether bioassay of annual pasture legumes. III. The oestrogenic potency of dry subterranean clover pastures, and of leaf blade and petiole in the green state

Abstract

Late summer pastures of nine strains of subterranean clover had very low oestrogenic activity as assessed by wether teat length bioassay. Only the Dwalganup variety had measurable activity which may have been due mainly to moderate levels of coumestrol in the various dry plant fractions. The activity of green leaf blade of the Yarloop strain was about nine times as great as that of the petioles. Possible agronomic implications of this finding are discussed.