Naturalized subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) in Western Australia: the strains, their distributions, characteistics, and possible origins

1966 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 329 ◽  
Author(s):  
JS Gladstones

Seventy-two previously undescribed strains of subterranean clover were collected around Perth and in older Western Australian farming districts during 1960-1962. These are briefly described and their observed distributions listed. A few of them could have arisen in situ by natural crossing and mutation, but the majority appeared to have been introduced. A study of their observed distributions, together with a consideration of historical factors, suggests that many of the strains were introduced as early as the 1830's or 1840's. Because this was before the opening of the Suez Canal, it seems likely that they originated in England, Portugal, Madeira, or the Canary Islands, rather than throughout the Mediterranean as has been previously suggested. The commoner strains showed distinct patterns of colonization in one area, followed by varying amounts of spread along transport routes, probably by stock as undigested seeds. Indirect evidence suggested, however, that this mode of transport could not have accounted for the original transport of strains from the coast to inland areas, where many of them appear first to have become established. It is concluded that most of these must have been carried inland directly in imported hay or similar materials.

1985 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC Rossiter ◽  
WJ Collins ◽  
Y Haynes

Single plants of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) were grown from seed of 13 commercial Seaton Park seed samples and of five pastures sown to Seaton Park at least 8 years previously. Most populations had several variants of Seaton Park, though the predominant genotype was that usually considered to be the Seaton Park strain - herein differentiated as Western Australian Seaton Park (W.A.S.Pk). The original Seaton Park - from the Royal Adelaide Golf Course in South Australia - differed slightly but clearly in several characters, including some seed isozyme patterns, from W.A.S.Pk. It was present in half of the populations, but at low frequencies (1-6% of the total). One genotype (strain S) comprised 20% or more of the populations from three commercial seed samples; it contained significant levels of the oestrogenic isoflavone formononetin. The origin of W.A.S.Pk remains unclear. The present commercial strain (cv. Seaton Park) is being re-built, based on W.A.S.Pk alone.


1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1033 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Thompson ◽  
I. R. P. Fillery

Nitrogen (N) mineralisation from mature subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) shoots and roots and from sheep urine and faeces, and N uptake by wheat from the shoots, urine, and faeces, were determined with 15 N in a field study in the Western Australian wheatbelt. Treatments were applied to the soil surface of confined micro-plots in autumn and incorporated into soil immediately before wheat was sown in winter. Mature subterranean clover shoots containing 18 kg N/ha were applied to the soil surface, and root material containing 17 kg N/ha was mixed into soil. 15N-labelled urine and faeces were obtained from housed sheep fed 15N-labelled wheat straw and grain. Urine was applied at the rates of 151 and 301 kg N/ha, and faeces was added at the rate of 47 kg N/ha. There was a loss of 14% of shoot 15N in the 2 months this residue was on the soil surface, although very little mineralisation occurred. On the assumption that wind-blow caused the initial loss of 15N, 28% of shoot N mineralised in 6 months following incorporation of shoot residues into soil, and crop recovery was 11% of the 15N applied. N mineralisation from the mature roots was 26% in 6 months. NH3 volatilisation from urine, estimated by difference, was 25% for high urine (0·517 mL/cm2) and 33% for low urine (0·258 mL/cm2) application rates, the loss occurring in the first 2 weeks. Wheat uptake was 23% of the high urine 15N and 22% of the low urine 15N. Leaching losses from unplanted micro-plots were approximately 25-30% of urine 15N. In contrast, leaching losses from planted micro-plots were estimated to be approximately 10% of urine 15N. Approximately 30% of faecal N was mineralised and recovery of faeces N by wheat was 1% of applied 15N. The relative contributions of these components to N turnover in the ley pasture wheat rotation are discussed. It is concluded that assessments of the potential turnover of N in pastures to cropping phases need to consider the low rates of N mineralisation of above-ground herbage, the potential for supply of N from the total root system, the effect of grazing on NH3volatilisation, and consequent loss of N fixed by legumes.


1961 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 578 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Thompson

In a series of field experiments on seven soils of pH 6.0 or higher, nodulation of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L. var. Tallarook) was improved by pelleting the seed with various glues and coating materials, prior to inoculation with dry peat inoculum. On these soils the responses were not related to the chemical properties of the pellet materials. The beneficial effect was apparently the result of physical separation of the seed coat and inoculum. It is postulated that pelleting of seed protects the inoculum from an antibiotic, whlch has been found in subterranean clover seed coats, and which is active against Rhizobium in culture. On a soil of pH 5.1 a nodulation response to two types of pelleting materials was apparently related to the chemical constituents of the coating materials. In this soil there was less evidence of the importance of physical separation of the inoculum from the seed coat. It seems likely that soils may differ considerably in their ability to inactivate the antibiotic. Nodulation was not improved by in situ fumigation, prior to sowing, of two soils of pH 6.0 and 6.6, which indicated that antagonism by soil microorganisms was not the cause of poor nodulation in these soils. Significant nodulation responses to pelleting were obtained in sowings in these fumigated soils.


1951 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC Rossiter

The results of pot-culture experiments and field trials designed to examine the effects of copper, zinc, and potassium on the growth of Dwalganup subterranean clover on a number of Western Australian soils are presented and discussed. Highly significant yield increases from application of one or more nutrients were observed on all soils examined. The effects of applied copper were greater in the second year than in the seeding year under deficiency conditions in the field. Significant interaction effects were observed only with copper and potassium. Maximum yields in two of the field trials were low even with application of all three nutrients. Reasons for this are suggested. Data on leaf area changes indicated that, in contrast to the increasing severity of potassium deficiency with age of the plant, both copper and zinc deficiency tended to diminish after the commencement of the flowering stage. The importance of such time trends in the interpretation of interaction effects is emphasized. The economic significance of the potassium problem is stressed and a number of aspects requiring investigation are outlined.


1964 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC Rossiter

The results of two long-term field experiments and two 1-year experiments are reported. In three of these, severe phosphate deficiency was present initially. At high phosphate supply, the annual total yield was not significantly related to age of pasture over periods of 10–13 years. At intermediate and low supply, yields relative to high phosphate supply increased significantly with time; these increases are believed to demonstrate residual effects of phosphate. Indirect evidence for nitrogen accretion from clover under severely phosphate-deficient conditions is presented. Sward components—in the long term—responded differentially to phosphate supply. With very low phosphate, erodium (Erodium botrys (Cav.) Bertol.) and flatweed (Hypochoeris glabra L.) were dominant; whereas with high phosphate, cape-weed (Cryptostemma calendula (L.) Druce) and ripgut brome grass (Bromus rigidus Roth)—or else barley grass (Hordeum leporinum Link)—were dominant. Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), though present under these extremes, was relatively more plentiful at intermediate levels of supply. However, at "steady state" conditions, the range in clover content was fairly narrow (from c. 20 to 40%). The significance of these findings to a sheep infertility problem ("clover disease") of subterranean clover-dominant pastures is discussed.


1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (27) ◽  
pp. 367 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Marshall ◽  
AJ Millington

The effect of flooding on several varieties of clover was studied in three separate experiments. In experiment 1 ten cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum), two of strawberry clover (T. fragiferum), two of white clover (T. repens) and Serradella (Ornithopus sativa) were subjected to two flooding treatments 77 days after planting. With the water table at ground level, herbage yields were not significantly less than those of unflooded plants in Yarloop, N2254, Yabba North, Wenijup, Palestine, and Salina and New Zealand white clovers, hut there were significant decreases in yield in N2167, N2168, Clare, Geraldton, Mt. Barker, Morocco, Ladino, and Serradella. When the water table was raised to three inches above ground level, all the cultivars had significantly lower herbage and root yields than the control plants. Overall, Yarloop appeared to be the most productive under both of the flooding treatments. In experiment 2 Yarloop and Geraldton clovers were flooded at three different stages of growth (one third eleven days after planting, one third sixty days after planting, and one third 86 days after planting). Flooding lasted 21 days then half of each group was harvested and the other half allowed to grow for a further 14 days under free drainage before harvesting. Both Geraldton and Yarloop were affected most by flooding sixty days after planting. Nodulation was delayed in the plants that were flooded eleven days after planting, but commenced once the soil was allowed to drain freely. In experiment 3, eight Yarloop crosses were flooded three inches above ground level for 21 days, 80 days after planting. The crosses were subdivided on seed colour. Flooding reduced yield in all crosses except Yarloop x Yabba Noah brown seed and Yarloop x Mt. Barker brown seed. The data suggest that breeding for greater tolerance to flooding may be practicable.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Dudchenko ◽  
Melanie Pham ◽  
Christopher Lui ◽  
Sanjit S. Batra ◽  
Marie Hoeger ◽  
...  

AbstractWe present a chromosome-length assembly of the genome of subterranean clover, Trifolium subterraneum, a key Australian pasture legume. Specifically, in situ Hi-C data (48X) was used to correct misjoins and anchor, order, and orient scaffolds in a previously published genome assembly (TSUd_r1.1; scaffold N50: 287kb). This resulted in an improved genome assembly (TrSub3; scaffold N50: 56Mb) containing eight chromosome-length scaffolds that span 95% of the sequenced bases in the input assembly.


2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Lodge

Seedlings of 3 perennial grasses, Danthonia linkii Kunthcv. Bunderra, D. richardsonii Cashmore cv. Taranna(wallaby grasses), and Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Sirosa,were each grown in replacement series mixtures with seedlings ofTrifolium repens L. (white clover),Trifolium subterraneum L. var. brachycalycinum (Katzn.et Morley) Zorahy & Heller cv. Clare (subterraneanclover), and Lolium rigidum L. (annual ryegrass). Plantswere sown 5 cm apart in boxes (45 by 29 by 20 cm) at a density of 307plants/m2. Maximum likelihood estimates were usedto derive parameters of a non-linear competition model using the dry matterweights of perennial grasses and competitors at 3 harvests, approximately 168,216, and 271 days after sowing. Intra-plant competition was examined inmonocultures of each species, grown at plant spacings of 2, 5, and 8 cm apartwith plants harvested at the above times.Competition occurred in all perennial grass–competitor mixtures, exceptin those of each perennial grass with white clover and thephalaris–subterranean clover mixture (Harvest 1) and those withD. richardsonii and phalaris grown with white clover(Harvest 2). For D. richardsonii (Harvests 1 and 2) andD. linkii (Harvest 1 only) grown with white clover andthe phalaris–subterranean clover (Harvest 1), the two species in themixture were not competing. In the phalaris–white clover mixture, eachspecies was equally competitive (Harvests 1 and 2). These differences incompetition and aggressiveness reflected differences in individual plantweights in monocultures where there was an effect (P < 0.05) of species ondry matter weight per box, but no significant effect of plant spacing.These data indicated that for successful establishment,D. richardsonii and D. linkiishould not be sown in swards with either subterranean clover or white clover,or where populations of annual ryegrass seedlings are likely to be high.Phalaris was more compatible with both white clover and subterranean clover,but aggressively competed with by annual ryegrass.


2004 ◽  
Vol 94 (5) ◽  
pp. 433-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.N. Johnson ◽  
P.J. Gregory ◽  
P.J. Murray ◽  
X Zhang ◽  
I.M. Young

AbstractThis study investigated the ability of neonatal larvae of the root-feeding weevil, Sitona lepidus Gyllenhal, to locate white clover Trifolium repens L. (Fabaceae) roots growing in soil and to distinguish them from the roots of other species of clover and a co-occurring grass species. Choice experiments used a combination of invasive techniques and the novel technique of high resolution X-ray microtomography to non-invasively track larval movement in the soil towards plant roots. Burrowing distances towards roots of different plant species were also examined. Newly hatched S. lepidus recognized T. repens roots and moved preferentially towards them when given a choice of roots of subterranean clover, Trifolium subterraneum L. (Fabaceae), strawberry clover Trifolium fragiferum L. (Fabaceae), or perennial ryegrass Lolium perenneL. (Poaceae). Larvae recognized T. repens roots, whether released in groups of five or singly, when released 25 mm (meso-scale recognition) or 60 mm (macro-scale recognition) away from plant roots. There was no statistically significant difference in movement rates of larvae.


1956 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 98 ◽  
Author(s):  
JN Black

Changes in the pre-emergence distribution of dry matter in subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) variety Bacchus Marsh were followed at 21°C, using three sizes of seed and three depths of sowing, ½, 1¼, and 2 in. Decreasing seed size and increasing depth of sowing both reduce the weight of the cotyledons a t emergence. Seed of the three sizes were sown a t three depths in pot culture a t staggered intervals so that emergence was simultaneous. Dry weight in the early vegetative stage was proportional to seed size, and total leaf area and leaf numbers showed similar trends. Plants of each seed size grew at the same relative rate. No effect of depth of sowing could be detected, and this was shown to be due to the cotyledon area a t emergence being constant for any given seed size, regardless of varying depth of sowing and hence of cotyledon weight. It was concluded that seed size in a plant having epigeal germination and without endosperm is of importance: firstly, in limiting the maximum hypocotyl elongation and hence depth of sowing, and secondly, in determining cotyledon area. Cotyledon area in turn influences seedling growth, which is not affected by cotyledon weight. Once emergence has taken place, cotyledonary reserves are of no further significance in the growth of the plants.


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