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Influence of Environment and Clipping on the Seed-Yield Potential of Three Red Clover Cultivars¹

Seed yields and components of seed yield of ‘Alaskland’ (single-cut), ‘Kenland’ and ‘Sapporo’ (double-cut) red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) cultivars were evaluated under clipping vs. no clipping treatments, at Prosser, Washington and at Shafter and Tehachapi, California to determine the influence of different environments on three different cultivars. These cultivars were grown in rows of 45 or 50 cm row width and irrigated when needed. Seed yields from undipped plants of these cultivars did not vary greatly at Prosser, whereas Kenland was superior at Shatter and Tehachapi. Clipping the first spring growth at 1/10 to 1/2 bloom significantly reduced seed yields and number of heads per m² for all cultivars except Kenland at Prosser. Clipping significantly increased the number of florets per head for Sapporo and Kenland at all locations except Shafter, while reducing the number of florets for Alaskland at Tehachapi. Clipping increased the number of seeds per head for Sapporo and Kenland at Prosser but not at Shafter and Tehachapi. Clipping decreased the number of seeds per head for Alaskland at all locations. Clipping reduced the weight of 1,000 seeds except for Alaskland at Shatter. We conclude that in western environments removing a hay crop in red clover resulted in reduced seed yields of all cultivars in all locations, and that cultivars tended to perform better in environments similar to their origin. The environment at Shatter tended to influence components of seed yield in a manner unlike that of the other two environments.

Key Words: Trifolium pratense L. • Components of seed yield • Seed weight • Florets • Seed heads

² Research agronomists, ARS-USDA, Prosser, WA 99350; Cheyenne, WY 82001 (formerly at Shafter, CA 93263); Beltsville, MD 20705; and Lafayette, IN 47907, respectively.

Received for publication June 24, 1976.