Premium
Rate of Leaf Appearance in Crimson Clover
Author(s) -
Butler Twain J.,
Evers Gerald W.,
Hussey Mark A.,
Ringer Larry J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci2002.2370
Subject(s) - sowing , biology , growing degree day , forage , photoperiodism , horticulture , red clover , growth rate , agronomy , botany , mathematics , geometry
Understanding factors that affect growth and development of crimson clover ( Trifolium incarnatum L.) are important for the development of management practices to optimize forage utilization. In a 3‐yr field experiment at College Station, TX, we evaluated the effects of planting date on rate of leaf appearance of an intermediate‐ and late‐maturing crimson clover. We wanted to determine if growing degree days (GDD) or a photothermal index (PTI) could be used to predict growth. Leaf appearance rates (LAR) did not differ between ‘Tibbee’ and ‘Columbus’ crimson clover. Leaf appearance rate was primarily controlled by temperature or GDD, which accounted for 90 to 99% of the variability within each planting date. Photoperiod did not consistently influence the rate of leaf appearance under normal daylengths of 10 h 12 min to 14 h 6 min used in this study. Predictions of LAR were not improved when photoperiod was combined with temperature in a photothermal index than with predictions that used GDD alone. Leaf appearance rate of crimson clover was generally higher when planted in October, November, and December and lower when planted in September, February, and March.