Red clover is a short-lived perennial legume grown for hay, silage, pasture and green manure crop. Red clover is better adapted than alfalfa to soils that are somewhat poorly drained and slight acidic; however, greatest production occurs on well-drained soils with high water-holding capacity and pH above 6.0. Red clover is not as productive as alfalfa in the summer. Red clover is one of the easiest legumes to establish using no-till interseeding or frost-seeding techniques. Most of the improved varieties are medium types and have good levels of disease resistance to northern and southern anthracnose and powdery mildew. These and other diseases can reduce stands quickly.
Red clover yields were lower than alfalfa yields at South Charleston in 2001. Significant stand loss was observed in all varieties over the season, as demonstrated by the dramatic change in stand density ratings from April to September (Table 16). Essentially complete stand loss was observed in some varieties. This trial will be harvested in 2002 if the remaining stands persist through the winter.
| Variety | Marketer |
|---|---|
| ZR9906R | Americas Alfalfa |
| ZR9908R | Americas Alfalfa |
| Royal Red | Land O’ Lakes |
| RC9803G | Land O’ Lakes |
| Solid Red | Caudill Seed Warehouse |
| NARN | CISCO Seed Co. |
| StarFire | Ampac Seed Co. |
| Impact | Speciality Seed Co. |
| CW5049 | Cal/West Seeds |
| BESKY | DLF Trifolium |
| Amos | DLF Trifolium |
| Dollna | DLF Trifolium |
| Vesna | DLF Trifolium |