Seasonal plasticity is more important than population variability in effects on white clover architecture and productivity.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The drivers of white clover (Trifolium repens) architecture and productivity are still imperfectly understood. Our aim here was to investigate the impact of genetic background, neighbourhood and season on different architectural traits, clover and total biomass yield, as well as the relationship between those traits and yield.

Methods

We grew eight white clover populations in pure stands and in mixed stands with contrasting mixture partners. Over four consecutive regrowth periods within 1 year, we measured trait sizes and determined clover and total yield amounts.

Key results

The size of the architectural traits differed between populations and changed in response to neighbourhood and season. Population did not affect the sign or degree of those ch

SUBMITTER: Nolke I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8318104 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature