Research in white clover seed production

White clover seed yields from crops derived from pure autumn broadcast sowings harvested in the first year after sowing were improved by increasing sowing rate from 3 to 6 kg/ha. On moisture-retentive soils or where irrigation was available, mid-November closings gave highest seed yields for crops derived from either spring undersowings of cereals or as ryegrass mixtures taken for ryegrass seed in the first year from sowing. Closing a month earlier gave similar yields if 30 cm rather than 15 cm row spacings were used. Harvest should be no later than one month from main flowering to reduce the numbers of seedheads lost. General management should aim to promote good primary stolon growth rates over the month prior to mid-December if high flowerhead densities are to be obtained. Therefore excessive grazing before closing and poor timing of herbicide spraying for grass control should be avoided. Keywords: Trifolium repens, seed production, plant density, closing date, pollination, seed harvesting, management.