Scientific name(s)

Trifolium repens

Strengths

• High nutritive value and year round growth. 
• Well adapted to grazing. 
• Some Australian cultivars have relatively high heat tolerance.
  

Limitations

• Vigour limited by viral diseases. 
• Low tolerance to summer moisture stress.
  

Plant description

Plant: rhizomatous, prostrate perennial with stolons from crown rooting at nodes.  Some stolons may be buried.

Stems: smooth, hairless.  Stipules short, needle-point on bluntish end.  Spherical seedhead

Leaves: trifoliate, leaflets oval or heart shape may have light crescent mark on upper side. Smooth, hairless

Flowers: 30-40 white/seedhead; dense clusters on long stalk; globe shaped to 2.5 cm diameter; pale pink/white, fade to brown

Pods:  small, oblong pods containing 3-4 seeds

Seeds:  brown/yellow; egg/heart-shape; ~1.6 million/kg

Pasture type and use

Most productive perennial for high rainfall/irrigated pasture; can maintain presence through ability to recruit seedlings.  Vigorous growth in spring/summer can facilitate considerable nitrogen fixation by dominant stands

Where it grows

Rainfall

> 700 mm

Soils

Suited to a wide range of soil pH > 4.5; optimum 5.3.  Tolerates low exchangeable aluminium and poorly drained soils.  Well suited to peaty soil.

Temperature

Cold and frost tolerant. Optimum range, 18-30°C

Establishment

Companion species

Grasses:  most temperate and subtropical spp.  including perennial ryegrass, phalaris, tall fescue, kikuyu, paspalum, Rhodes grass and Setaria

Legumes: strawberry clover, red clover and sub. clovers

Herbs:  plantain, chicory

Sowing/planting rates as single species

2-4 kg/ha; sow at 5-15 mm into a clean, finely worked seed bed and roll

Sowing/planting rates in mixtures

0.5-2 kg/ha

Sowing time

Autumn or spring

Inoculation

Group B

Fertiliser

Correct any nutrient deficiencies, especially K, P, Mo, S, Cu, B

Management

Maintenance fertliser

For optimum growth Olsen soil P > 15

Grazing/cutting

Very suitable for silage/hay. Excellent cattle pasture.  Can be grazed hard but is susceptible to sustained heavy grazing by sheep in dry conditions; densely stoloniferous but varies with cultivars, small leaved cultivars are less susceptible.

Seed production

Prolific seeder.  Yields >1 t/ha but varies with cultivar.

Ability to spread

Recruits seedlings well; cattle effectively spread seed via dung

Weed potential

Moderate on disturbed land free of competitive species only. Prolific seed set and some hard seed dispersed by livestock

Major pests

Red legged earthmite, lucerne flea, corbies, cockchafers, webworm, nematodes, cutworms, budworms, reticulated slug

Major diseases

Fungal:  Clover rot (Sclerotinia trifoliorum)
              Wart disease (Physoderma trifolii)
Viral:      Alfalfa Mosaic Virus, White Clover Mosaic Virus,
                Clover Yellow Vein Virus                
Mycoplasma:   Phyllody

Herbicide susceptibility

A wide range of weeds may be encountered.  When choosing selective herbicides, consider the stage of growth of the white clover and what non-target companion species are present.  For detailed information consult local weed agronomists or visit NSW DPI - Weed control in Lucerne and Pastures 2007

Animal production

Feeding value

High; nutritive value decline with maturity is considerably less than for most other species

Palatability

Highly palatable

Production potential

Good autumn and spring/early summer vigour; good winter-active cvv are available for districts (eg coastal) with milder winter

Livestock disorders/toxicity

High bloat risk if dominant in spring. May contain cyanogenic glucoside compounds; the concentration is rarely sufficient to be  significant

Cultivars

Group	Cultivar	Seed source/Information
Large leaved	Braidwood	Seed Genetics Australia
	El Lucero	AusWest Seeds
	Emerald	AusWest Seeds
	Excel Ladino	Seed Genetics Australia
	Grasslands Kopu II	Wrightson Seeds
	Haifa	PlantTech
	Osceola	Wrightson Seeds
	Quest	PlantTech Seedmark
	RD 19 Taree Ladino	Seed Genetics Australia
	SuperHaifa	Seed Genetics Australia
	SuperHaifa II	Seed Genetics Australia
	Super Ladino	Seed Genetics Australia
	Tamar	AusWest Seeds
	Tamarmax	Seed Distributors
	Tillman II
	Waverly	PlantTech Seedmark
	Will Ladino	PGG Seeds
Large-Medium	Grasslands Bounty	Wrightson Seeds
	Grasslands NuSiral	AusWest Seeds
	Grasslands Pitau	AusWest Seeds
	Grasslands Sustain	Heritage Seeds
	Grasslands Trophy	PGG Seeds
	Tribute	PGG Seeds
Medium	Canterbury	Seed Genetics Australia
	Grasslands Challenge	AusWest Seeds
	Grasslands Huia	AusWest Seeds
	Grasslands Nomad	AusWest Seeds
	Irrigation	AusWest Seeds
	Mink	Heritage Seeds
	Storm	Heritage Seeds
	Trifol sweet	AusWest Seeds Blair Technology Pty Ltd
Medium-Small	Grasslands Demand	CropMark Seeds
	Grasslands Prestige	PGG Seeds
	Star	Seed Distributors
	SuperHuia	Seed Genetics Australia
Small	Grasslands Tahora	Wrightson Seeds
	Prop	AusWest Seeds

Further information

Acknowledgements

CSIRO, Departments of Primary Industry

Author and date

KFM Reed

August 2008