Trifolium pratense
Trifolium pratense, also known as red clover, is a species of dicotyledonous plant of the family Fabaceaesubfamily Faboideae, native to Eurasia and North Africa.
It is used as fodder for ruminants. When properly supplemented with cereals, it increases the protein content of milk production. Introducing red clover into the ration for beef cattle produces lower-fat carcasses.
Red clover is a perennial herbaceous plant that can grow up to 80 cm high and is widely grown as a forage crop in temperate regions across the world.
This botanical species is the origin of many cultivated varieties of red clover.
Common names
- Clover, common clover, red clover, cow grass, crimson clover, Spanish clover, pink clover, red clover, meadow clover.
Description
Red clover is a 5 to 50 cm high, hairy, upright or ascending herbaceous plant. It lives for 2 to 3 years.
Leaves
The leaves are made up of three elliptical to oval leaflets, with a whole margin, green with a characteristic whitish crescent. The upper leaves are opposite and subsessile. The stipules are broadly triangular and pointed.
Flowers
The flowers, which are pink at the top and whitish at the base, are arranged in large globular heads. The calyx consists of a 10-veined hairy tube extended by 5 ciliated teeth, one of which is longer than the others. Flowering extends from May to September and over an even longer period in the south of France.
- inflorescences du trèfle des prés
- Fichier:Trifolium pratense - Keila2.jpg
- Fichier:Trifolium pratenseRed cloverLamiotF5580.JPG
Détail
Fruit
The fruit is a small pod measuring 3 to 10 mm.
Distribution and habitat
Known and appreciated since ancient times, cultivated red clover probably originated in Spain. It is common in many European countries, particularly in mainland France. It is one of the main forage species in Scandinavia and Canada, but is also found around the Mediterranean basin. More recently, it has been extensively developed in wet temperate zones in America and Australia. The species can be found in open woods, margins, crops, meadows and forests. It is resistant to cold and can be grown at high altitudes.
Taxonomy
Synonyms
- Trifolium borysthenicum Gruner
- Trifolium bracteatum Schousb.
- Trifolium lenkoranicum (Grossh.)Roskov
- Trifoliumpratense var. lenkoranicum Grossh.
- Trifolium ukrainicum Opperman
List of varieties
- Trifoliumpratense var. americanum Harz
- Trifoliumpratense var. maritimum Zabel
- Trifoliumpratense var. sativum Schreb.
Cultivation
It is generally grown in association with a grass such as Italian ryegrass or hybrid ryegrass in temporary grassland on acid soils. In Northern Europe and Canada, it is usually grown in association with timothy.
It can be cut three or four times a year for silage, wrapping or hay, although it is difficult to dry.
Cultivated varieties
The main characteristics improved have been durability, notably through resistance to diseases such as sclerotinia (Sclerotinia trifoliorum), rhizoctonia(Rhizoctonia violacea),powdery mildew(Erysiphe trifolii), and stem nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci), yield and suitability for association with forage grasses. Tetraploidisation has played an important role in achieving these objectives.
Nearly 30 varieties are listed in the Official Catalogue of Species and Varieties.[1] created by 12 breeding companies and over 200 are registered in the European Catalogue [2].
Some old and recent varieties grown in France :
- diploids : Lucrum, Alpilles, Violetta RVP, ...Diadem, Dimanche, Diper, Divin, Formica, Jonas, Karim, Mercury ...
- tetraploids : Tetri, Temara, Tédi ... Amos, Atlantis, ...
Sowing
- Date : Spring : from 15 April / Late summer : 15-20 August after a cereal crop
- Depth : 1 cm maximum
- Tool : Cereal drill
- Density : 15-20kg/ha
Use
Fodder plant
It can be used for pasture, silage and hay, although it is difficult to dry. Meteoric, it must be grazed with care.
It is an excellent quality, highly digestible forage, very rich in protein.
Combining red clover with meslin in a forage system helps the herd to feed itself and ensures quality and volume. Here's an example: https://www.reussir.fr/bovins-viande/le-trefle-violet-pour-assurer-qualite-et-volume
Green manure
Red clover is also grown as a green manure to enrich the soil with nitrogen.[3].
Honey plant
Like most prairie legumes, it is very prolific in producing honey and flowers for a long time.
Edible plant
Clover is an edible plant. The leaves, without the tough stalk, are good raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable. They have a mild, pleasant flavour. The inflorescences can be added to salads or desserts. Children sometimes play at sucking on the flowers to enjoy the nectar they release in the sunshine. Dried and pulverised, the flowers were sometimes mixed with flour to make bread. The seeds can be ground into flour or sprouted for extra vitamins.
Advantages and constraints
Advantages
- Fixes atmospheric nitrogen
- Rich in protein
- Excellent precedent for straw crops
- Excellent mowing crop
- High yield
- Low soil requirements
Constraints
- Difficult to grow in damp, shallow soils
- Difficult to harvest as hay (loss of leaves)
- Weathering and poor grazing potential
- Durability limited to 2-3 years
Appendices
Bioagressor
