Field evaluation of commercially pelleted clover seed

Abstract

Field trials were conducted for 7 years to evaluate the effectiveness of commercially pelleted seed for the nodulation of oversown white clover. Commercially pelleted seed was stored for various periods representative of those used in farming and was compared with seed inoculated and lime-pelleted in the laboratory 1 day before sowing. Large variations in nodulation were obtained from pellets prepared by different manufacturers and containing different numbers of rhizobia; some seedlings failed to nodulate owing to lack of viable rhizobia. However, large variations in nodulation were also obtained from pellets prepared by different manufacturers yet containing similar numbers of rhizobia, indicating the importance of field evaluation in relating the results of laboratory rhizobia counts on pelleted seed to field performance. In general, nodulation from effective commercially pelleted seed was similar to that from 1-day-old laboratory lime-pelleted seed, and was higher than that from slurry-inoculated seed, even when commercial pellets had been stored for at least 28 days at 20°C.

Keywords:

• Clover
• seed pelleting
• seed inoculation
• rhizobia