Seedling recruitment response of New Zealand-naturalised annual clovers to superphosphate fertiliser in summer dry high country grassland

Pasture legume presence in low-input, extensively-grazed grassland areas is vitally important for provision of nitrogen inputs and quality herbage. Traditionally sown legume species such as Trifolium repens lack longevity in summer dry (90%) while sown species, Trifolium repens and Trifolium subterraneum, contributed the least (<10%) over two years. Autumn seedling recruitment of naturalised annual clover species was measured in response to low (75 kg ha⁻¹) and high (200 kg ha⁻¹) superphosphate application. The most prevalent naturalised annual clover species Trifolium striatum, T. dubium, and T. glomeratum showed greater mean seedling recruitment in response to low superphosphate application with 996, 978, and 227 seedlings m⁻² respectively compared to high superphosphate application with 635, 466, and 123 seedlings m⁻² respectively (P