White clover thrives very well in soils with good water capacity. The yield on sandy soils is very high provided there is sufficient moisture from rainfall or irrigation.
White clover is more persistent than red clover and forms many new shoots from the stolons. Winter hardiness is good.
White clover in grassland increases palatability and intake of cattle significantly. Digestibility, including flowerheads, is very high. The small leaved varieties are well suited for grazing whereas the large leaved types can be used for conservation as well. If a field is to be used for both harvesting and grazing, it is an advantage if the grass mixtures contain both big- and small-leaf varieties.
White clover has small seeds and must be sown carefully to obtain an optimal population. After establishment, the plants spread with the aid of their creeping stems, which can take root. This is one of the reasons why the species tolerates grazing. As white clover can also survive the winter and is susceptible to few serious diseases, it is a durable plant in the grass field. White clover therefore contributes a high level of flexibility to how, and for how long, the field can be used.
DLF breeding aims at improving the varieties’
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yield, with special focus on the spring period
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resistance to cup fungus (when infected artificially)
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qualities such as low content of cyanogenic glycosides
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survival in winter
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harmonious growth together with grass.
