Berseem Clover

Berseem Clover

Trifolium alexandrinum
Berseem clover is an erect, annual with a short taproot; can grow up to 750 mm with slender, hollow, branched stems and plain, trifoliate, slightly hairy leaflets. Pods contain 1-2 seeds oval-shaped yellow/red-brown seeds; ~350,000/kg. Sow in spring or early autumn. Best with inoculation, Group B 
 
Pros
    	
  • 	
    highly nutritive 
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    free of oestrogen risks
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    suited to seasonal irrigation
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    great as a green cover crop
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    mainly used with irrigation
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    likes neutral soil pH 6-8
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    moderately tolerant of water-logging 
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    well suited to deep alluvial soils 
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    some tolerance of salinity
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    good heat tolerance
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    suited to cutting for hay or silage.
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    quick regrowth 
    	
    • 	
  • 	
     rotationally grazing when 15-20 cm tall; this stimulates tillering  
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    avoid overgrazing
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    high feed value - high protein content
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    palatable
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    low risk of bloat
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    low risk of estrogen 
    	
 
Cons
    	
  • 	
    poor regeneration; intolerant of heavy frost
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    low cold tolerance least winter hardy of the cultivated clovers
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    should not be grown where winter temperatures drop low as 6°C. regularly
    	
    • 	
  • 	
    damaged by most broad-leaf herbicides Glyphosate susceptibility
    	
 
Sowing rates
Single species sowing rates - 8-10 kg/ha (10-15 kg/ha if irrigated); sow at 15-20 mm 
mixtures sowing rates - 3-5 kg/ha