Aim of this research was (1) to study morphological characteristics (germination, flowering, the height of the plants, leaf share), health condition, lodging and overwintering of six red clover cultivars (Croatia, Reichersberger, K-17, Marino, Viola and Nada) grown in the lowland and hilly-mountain region, (2) to determine the interaction of cultivar and location characteristics tested, (3) to determine most appropriate cultivars for hilly-mountain region growth, and 4) to find out those cultivars which would serve as genetic base for breeding improvement of red clover. The trial was set up in spring 1995 in Maksimir (123 m above sea level) and on Medvednica (650 m above sea level) as a latin square design. The poorest germination was noted for K-17 and Reichersberger cultivars. The cultivars flowered at about the same date except for Nada which flowered 5 to 20 days later, depending on the cut. The highest plants height in Maksimir had K-17 (61.82 cm) while the highest leaf share was found in Nada cultivar (52.03%). Both characteristic values on Medvednica were the highest for Nada (66.36 cm, 44.37%). Nada was also the least affected by pathogens (mostly by Erysiphe communis). The degree of infection depended on the cut, year and location. The strongest lodging was noticed for K-17 cultivar. In the third year the highest coverage was found for Croatia (37.1%) in Maksimir and Nada (60.8%) on Medvednica. Significant interaction genotype x location was found for leaf share while for the plant height the same interaction was very near the level of significance (P

Trifolium pratense; morphological characteristics; disease; lodging; overwintering

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia