A deep rooted white clover for South African conditions

Abstract

In the summer rainfall regions of South Africa the presently available cultivates of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) are typically short-lived when grown on dryland. They have shallow root system, which in part may be due to their intolerance of the characteristically acid subsoil conditions, and are thus susceptible to drought killing.
Accordingly, white clover breeding at Cedara has been directed towards a type tolerant of dry and acid conditions, in soils with a high aluminium content. The main objective has been to develop a strain which has both deep and shallow roots, which can therefore utilize available nutrients and water in the lower as well as the upper soil layers.
A type has been selected which has a root system which penetrates the soil to depths greater that 60cm. As selections were made on acid soils with a high aluminium content, tolerance of high levels of soil aluminium is also indicated
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African Journal of Range and Forage Science Vol. 18 (1)1983: pp.50_52