Key Points
The response of white clover seed yield to water was determined in a rainshelter that excluded rainfall.
- Moisture stressing white clover, particularly during reproductive development, increases seed yield.
- Highest seed yields were from treatments that were irrigated either at three week intervals to replace approximately ⅓ of the water used in those three weeks or irrigated with full water needs to early October then adding 20mm each time the soil moisture dropped to 20% available soil moisture, except over flowering when the crop received 20mm per week.
- The lowest seed yields were from treatments that were fully irrigated for the full season or from closing.
- Excluding the nil irrigation treatment the highest yielding treatments had the lowest dry matter production.
- Crops with the highest total water input had the highest dry matter production.
- The optimum Potential Soil Moisture Deficit for seed yield was in the 350-450mm range.