Seed Production of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.) under Danish Field Conditions

Abstract

High and stable seed yield is critical for red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) seed production and the commercial exploitation of the crop. A three-year experiment was conducted from 2013 to 2015 under Danish field conditions to explore the influence of precipitation during peak flowering on the seed yield of three red clover cultivars. We investigated the flowering duration and intensity based on a visual scale assessment, seed yield, and thousand seed weight in all three experimental years. In 2014 and 2015 we measured the seed yield components of floret number per flower head, seed number per flower head, and seed set. During the experimental period, high seed yields of more than 1000 kg ha−1 were obtained for the diploid cultivars ‘Rajah’ and ‘Suez’. Although a relatively high seed yield of 500 kg ha−1 was obtained in the tetraploid cultivar ‘Amos’, this was only around half of the seed yield and seed set of the diploid cultivars. Precipitation during peak flowering positively influenced the seed yield and thousand seed weight for the three cultivars. We conclude that observations of flowering phenology are required to determine the impact of environmental conditions on seed yield in red clover cultivars. Further, adequate water supply during peak flowering is important to obtain the high seed yield of red clover.