Effects of the following irrigation treatments on ladino clover seed production were studied over a four year period:(l)wet, irrigated when 50 percent of the available water in the top foot, of soil (upper one-half of rooting depth) was removed; (2) moderately wet, irrigated when 75 percent was removed; (3) dry, when very nearly 100 percent was removed and clover showed first signs of wilting in afternoon; and (4) very dry, irrigated when soil was so dry that plants remained wilted throughout night.
The wettest treatment produced the most and the driest treatment the fewest flower heads andflorets per head. The number of seeds per floret appeared to be unaffected by irrigation. Preharvest loss of newlyproduced seed by disintegration of heads followed by germination increased with greater frequency of irrigation.As a result, although the wettest treatment had the highest potential yield, the moderately wet treatment produced the greatest harvestable seed yield. The driest treatment hastened seed maturation but gave the lowest yield. By mid August 90 percent of both the potential and harvestable seed had been produced. After this date the harvestable seed yield declined. |
ChileanJAR
