Research develops forage that fixes nitrogen in the soil

One of the most cultivated forage legumes in the world, red clover now has a new cultivar selected and improved, with good adaptation to the climate and soil conditions of the southern region of Brazil. This is the URS BRS Merger, developed by Embrapa and Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), within the scope of the agreement with the South-Brazilian Association for the Promotion of Research in Forages (Sulpasto) and which will be officially launched at the 21st edition of Expodireto Cotrijal, in the Rio Grande do Sul municipality of Não-Me-Toque, at the beginning of March.

The newly developed cultivar is recommended for the formation of intercropped cultivated pastures and for overseeding in natural pastures in the southern region of Brazil, presenting good establishment and initial plant competitiveness. In general, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), when intercropped with grasses (ryegrass, oats, etc.) or overseeded in natural fields, increases the quality of these pastures as it has a high nutritional value (good digestibility and high protein content).

Furthermore, as it is a legume, through symbiosis with bacteria of the genus Rhizobium, fixes atmospheric nitrogen, reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers over time. This characteristic can be enhanced through intercropping with the winter forage grasses most commonly used in southern Brazil.

“These grasses also have good quality, however, as the vast majority of them are annual species, they present a fluctuation in this quality and productivity throughout their cycle, which can be compensated by the production of red clover, which is a perennial species of life. short,” explains the forage researcher from the forage area of Embrapa South Livestock, Daniel Montardo. Therefore, he believes that the use of the URS BRS Mesclador cultivar in consortium with these winter grasses is capable of promoting greater total production and higher forage quality. He reports that the new material allows for better distribution of production and quality over time. “Not to mention the lower costs of nitrogen fertilization for the pasture. In addition to savings, these characteristics contribute to improving soil quality”, highlights Montardo, who is also the general head of that research unit.

The cultivar URS BRS Mesclador was selected for forage production and persistence, being recommended for well-drained areas with medium to high soil fertility.

Result partnership The first red clover cultivar launched by cooperative work between Embrapa, UFRGS and Sulpasto, URS BRS Mesclador reinforces the partnership between the institutions, which has been generating good results in recent years, such as, for example, oat cultivars BRS Centauro; of oats BRS Madrugada; millet BRS 1503; in Ryegrass BRS Integration; and white oats URS F Flete.

Result partnership

The first red clover cultivar launched by cooperative work between Embrapa, UFRGS and Sulpasto, URS BRS Mesclador reinforces the partnership between the institutions, which has been generating good results in recent years, such as, for example, oat cultivars BRS Centauro; of oats BRS Madrugada; millet BRS 1503; in Ryegrass BRS Integration; and white oats URS F Flete.

Developed in Brazil for national conditions

Red clover is one of the most cultivated forage legumes in the world. Its cultivation was introduced to Rio Grande do Sul by European immigrants, in the Serra and Planalto region of the state, and showed good suitability for use as forage.

However, there are still few red clover cultivars registered for use in Brazil. “Today there is no material of ours developed for our conditions, it is logical that when we bring material from abroad it has some adaptation, but this new cultivar is our product, more adapted to our conditions and will generate resources that will remain in Brazil . A material that is produced in Argentina or Uruguay, for example, generates income there, because the seed is produced there”, highlights UFRGS professor, Miguel Dall’Agnol.

Red clover is a short-lived biennial or perennial species. However, the species, in general, suffers from high summer temperatures in most regions of southern Brazil. “The URS BRS Mesclador cultivar comes from plants selected for forage production and persistence since 1995, with a good level of persistence in regions with milder summers in southern Brazil, as long as they are well managed and have a good level of fertility. In other regions, it also makes a good contribution to forage production in intercropped pastures until the end of spring, when it can be postponed to allow natural reseeding and, thus, greater longevity in the area”, highlighted Montardo.

“These materials were selected with the main focus on persistence, and secondly on forage production. Therefore, it produces a lot of forage and also persists, without forgetting that it also generates seeds, because materials that do not generate them have no commercial appeal for seed producers. Basically, the cultivar has these three characteristics: persistence, forage and seed production”, adds Dall’Agnol.

The red clover Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) originates from southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is currently distributed throughout most of the world's temperate climate regions: practically throughout Europe; in most of North America; from southern South America to northern Chile and Argentina and elevated regions in Peru; in New Zealand and Australia; in northern China and Japan. In North America, the species has great economic importance, standing out in isolated crops or intercropped with grasses for hay production in the northeast of the United States. In addition to being present in large areas of pastures and producing hay in large quantities, it also has great economic importance due to seed production, especially in the northwestern region of the United States. Red clover was introduced to Brazil by Italian immigrants in Rio Grande do Sul, where several scientific studies over time considered the species to be a good producer of forage in practically all regions, especially those with milder summer temperatures. and good quantity and distribution of rainfall.

The red clover

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) originates from southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is currently distributed throughout most of the world's temperate climate regions: practically throughout Europe; in most of North America; from southern South America to northern Chile and Argentina and elevated regions in Peru; in New Zealand and Australia; in northern China and Japan.

In North America, the species has great economic importance, standing out in isolated crops or intercropped with grasses for hay production in the northeast of the United States. In addition to being present in large areas of pastures and producing hay in large quantities, it also has great economic importance due to seed production, especially in the northwestern region of the United States.

Red clover was introduced to Brazil by Italian immigrants in Rio Grande do Sul, where several scientific studies over time considered the species to be a good producer of forage in practically all regions, especially those with milder summer temperatures. and good quantity and distribution of rainfall.