THE POTENTIAL VALUE OF BIRDSFOOT TREFOILS (LOTUS SPP.) FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF NATURAL PASTURES IN SCOTLAND. 2. Marsh birdsfoot trefoil (L. uliginosus L.)

A New Zealand selection of marsh birdsfoot trefoil proved more productive than white clover when oversown on wet upland pasture in the west of Scotland and exposed to close grazing during 1966–70. A number of introductions were assessed simultaneously at lowland and upland sites as spaced aggregate clumps in 1970–71 and showed variations in growth habit and time of flowering. These collections out‐yielded clover control varieties at the upland site during both harvest years, Chilean material being the most promising in terms of DM yield and recovery after defoliation. Three New Zealand selections were compared with local material in two new experiments sown on the same day at the same sites and in a spaced‐clump experiment at the upland site. Establishment was adversely affected by prolonged dry weather after sowing, but at the lowland site, probably aided by the germination of hard seed, the plants developed sufficiently to allow DM yields to be determined. The induced tetraploid variety Grasslands Maku was high in seedling vigour and subsequently yielded well at both trial sites, whereas normal diploid varieties established less rapidly, yet produced similar DM yields in the second harvest year. The species clearly shows promise as an oversown legume for improving livestock feed in wet upland pastures.