Key Points
- A clover grower’s demonstration consisting of 5 teams was conducted at the FAR Arable Site in 2005/06 and of four teams in 2006/07.
- The aim was to produce the most profitable yield and showcase a selection of grower management practices.
- The mean yield of the irrigated clover at 872 kg/ha was more than double the mean dryland yield at 395 kg/ha in 2005/06 and the mean yield in 2006/07 was 636 kg/ha.
- In 2005/06 the Ellesmere team was the overall winner with a combined margin of $4955/ha (dryland plot $1416/ha and irrigated plot $3539/ha). The Methven team did very well over the two years with the highest yield in 2006/07 and the highest margin for the irrigated plots in 2005/06 ($3650) and in 2006/07 ($2888). Thus over the three plots they achieved an average margin of $2576/ha.
- The major difference was in the herbicide use. The Methven team achieved very good weed control from one or two in crop herbicide applications. In both years the use of an early June application of Inter-row glyphosate and metsulfuron-methyl was a very effective weed control treatment. In year one no other herbicide was used but in the wetter second year paraquat was applied in late October.