Berseem Clover Seeds
WHAT IS BERSEEM?
Berseem Clover (Trifolium Alexandrinum) - Berseem is a fall-planted clover that does best in heavier soils that may stay wet for long periods. Good for wildlife, cattle forage and as a soil builder. Berseem thrives in loams and clays with a pH of 6.5 - 8.5 and tolerates poorly drained soils.
HOW CAN IT BE USED?
Hay Plantings - In the south, this extends the range of usage on fall plantings in to Tennessee and Southern Missouri. By fall planting instead of spring you can get at least one additional forage cutting. That can translate to more than $200 per acre in extra revenue.
In the north you can plant up to a month earlier than traditional berseem clover. As berseem greatly resembles alfalfa in appearance and quality, you can utilize it to seed into winterkilled areas in your alfalfa hay fields or fill in declining stands. You can also utilize berseem clover as a nurse crop for spring plantings. Research has shown that by adding 5 lbs of berseem clover to your spring alfalfa can increase yield and quality up to 25%!
Pasture Usage - Berseem clover has been shown to not cause bloat when directly grazed. Recently Mississippi State University analyzed daily live weight gains on cattle grazing with straight berseem plus annual ryegrass. That research will be presented shortly. Already noted was that berseem increased nitrogen in the soil and subsequent plantings of sorghum-sudan showed increased vigor and productivity due to the nitrogen created by the clover in the soil.
Emergency Forage - Berseem clover is quick to establish, non-bloating, and has a forage quality similar to alfalfa. In short-term applications, Frosty can out-yield alfalfa by 25% in a one-year rotation. Berseem clover is the perfect product for your short-term pasture needs.
Wildlife Plots - Berseem clover establishes quickly, immediately drawing deer and other wildlife to it. In research, berseem was preferred by deer over all other clover varieties. It is recommended for deer plot mixes in the southern U.S. and will provide forage thru April in most areas, improving the health of wildlife. Mississippi State forage team states that the healthier the birth the healthier the offspring, which promote a larger deer size later in life. Frosty's nutritional qualities contribute to a larger deer size!
Cover Crops - Berseem clover is excellent for cover crop usage in the South. The early season biomass production makes it the ideal legume for cotton and corn rotations. Frosty can contribute as much as 100 lbs of nitrogen per acre by early March. Not only are you improving the soil, but the nitrogen benefit offsets the seeding costs!
Final Thoughts - Berseem clover seeds have been long used in the South for forage. Berseem forage contains from 18 to 28 percent crude protein, which is very comparable with alfalfa. It is also gaining great popularity in the midwest as a cover crop. Berseem has tremendous potential for providing high quality forage and improving soil conditions as a green manure crop because of its fast growth characteristics and capacity to fix nitrogen. Although Berseem grows in a variety of soils, medium-loam soils that are slightly alkaline will produce the best crop. It is moderately resistant to saline conditions and appears superior to alfalfa and red clover in salt tolerance.
Inoculated Seed - Our Berseem clover seed has been coated with an inoculant for better establishment. Nitrogen fixation is a one of the key values found in legumes and can only occur with the proper inoculation. Although many strains or Rhizobium may be present in the soil, all are not equally beneficial. With Nitro-Coat® each seed is inoculated with the correct Rhizobium strains and coated through a proven process that ensures a very high level of successful inoculation. A key to any successful establishment and early seed development is moisture. Nitro-Coat® is naturally water absorbent and helps attract soil moisture to the seed, getting your stand established quickly. This coating process which Outsidepride utilizes, assures that only the top-performing and crop-specific rhizobia will be applied to ensure your clovers reach maximum nodulation, stand establishment, and yield potential. With Nitro-Coat® each seed is inoculated with the correct Rhizobium strains and coated through a proven process that ensures a very high level of successful inoculation. The weight of the clover seeds will contain approximately 34% coating material that contains the inoculant and water holding material for better establishment and viability of the seed. There is no difference in the seeding rates between the coated and raw seed due to the increased germination and viability of the bulk clover seeds that are coated and inoculated. This coating material is not OMRI certified.
Seeding - Berseem looks much like alfalfa and Berseem plants usually grow 20 to 30 inches tall. Berseem clover seeds will establish the best on a firm, well-prepared seedbed. Try to cover the seed 1/4 of an inch or cultipack prepared seedbeds to press the seed into the soil surface and to conserve moisture. The recommended seeding rate for Berseem clover seed is 15 - 20 pounds per acre.