Temperature responses of New Zealand, Spanish, and New Zealand × Spanish white clover populations

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Abstract
A Spanish white clover population was compared with New Zealand and Spanish .times. New Zealand populations over a range of temperatures in controlled environments. Dry matter production per stolon of Spanish material was superior to New Zealand at both low (12.5.degree./6.degree. C) and high (27.5.degree. /18.degree. C) temperatures. New Zealand material was superior at an intermediate temperature (22.5.degree. /14.degree. C). Spanish superiority at low temperature was associated with a greater proportion of total shoot wt partitioned into leaf material. Both leaf number and individual leaf size contributed to differential temperature responses of the populations. The Spanish .times. New Zealand hybrids inherited the New Zealand temperature response pattern for all parameters. Mean performances of the hybrids at each temperature were usually close to the better parent in each case. Differential stolon branching responses are invoked, to relate present results to observed seasonal growth patterns in the field.