Phenotypic characterization of drought responses in red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

Introduction Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is a protein-rich, short-lived perennial forage crop that can achieve high yields, but suffers increasingly from drought in different cultivation areas. Breeding for increased adaptation to drought is becoming essential, but at this stage it is unclear which traits breeders should target to phenotype responses to drought that allow them to identify the most promising red clover genotypes. In this study, we assessed how prolonged periods of drought affected plant growth in field conditions, and which traits could be used to distinguish better adapted plant material. Methods A diverse panel of 395 red clover accessions was evaluated during two growing seasons. We simulated 6-to-8-week drought periods during two consecutive summers, using mobile rain-out shelters, while an irrigated control field was established in an adjacent parcel. Plant growth was monitored throughout both growing seasons using multiple flights with a drone equipped with RGB and thermal sensors. At various observation moments throughout both growing seasons, we measured canopy cover (CC) and canopy height (CH). The crop water stress index (CWSI) was determined at two moments, during or shortly after the drought event. Results Manual and UAV-derived measurements for CH were well correlated, indicating that UAV-derived measurements can be reliably used in red clover. In both years, CC, CH and CWSI were affected by drought, with measurable growth reductions by the end of the drought periods, and during the recovery phase. We found that the end of the drought treatment and the recovery phase of approximately 20 days after drought were suitable periods to phenotype drought responses and to distinguish among genotypes. Discussion Multifactorial analysis of accession responses revealed interactions of the maturity type with drought responses, which suggests the presence of two independent strategies in red clover: 'drought tolerance' and 'drought recovery'. We further found that a large proportion of the accessions able to perform well under well-watered conditions were also the ones that were less affected by drought. The results of this investigation are interpreted in view of the development of breeding for adaptation to drought in red clover.