COMPARATIVE STUDY ON CZECH CULTIVARS OF RED CLOVER (TRIFOLIUM PRATENSE L.) IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE CENTRAL NORTHERN BULGARIA

Tsvetoslav Mihovsky, Galina Naydenova

Abstract: Three diploid (Respect, Suez, Vltavin) and two tetraploid (Kvarta and Tempus) Czech varieties of red clover were studied and compared with Bulgarian diploid varieties Sofi a-52 and Nika-11 in three consecutive years under the conditions of the Central Northern Bulgaria. It has been found that red clover originating in the Czech Republic, grown in foothill conditions in Bulgaria, shows good growth and development, and is characterized by good ecological plasticity. There was no significant difference in dry matter yield between Czech and Bulgarian varieties in the second and third vegetation when the crop is fully
developed. Studied varieties were not significantly different both in growth rate and in seasonal productivity. Bulgarian variety Nika 11 is characterized by high leafi ness in spring growing, as for the tetraploid variety Czech Kvarta it was in summer regrowing. A tendency was observed for a lower total productivity of tetraploid germplasm compared to diploid.

Keywords: diploid; red clover; variety tests; yield

Date published: 2017-10-17