Sweet clover and sainfoin are used in mixes for perennial hay meadows and tannin-rich feeds. Agroscope completes the list of recommended forage plant varieties with two new clover varieties, while with sainfoin everything remains unchanged.
Der Schotenklee (Corniche lotus L.) is a persistent, frugal, drought-tolerant and rustic species, whose strengths are shown in hay meadows with two or three uses, for example in the standard mixes (SM) 450, SM 451 and SM 455. In more forage mixtures for intensive use, such as SM 481, over time it is replaced by white clover (Red clover L.) replaced.
The sainfoin (Onobrychis vicifolia Scop.), formerly used in hay meadows. Today this heat-loving species is mainly used to produce tannin-rich feed to help fight gastrointestinal parasites in ruminants, for example in SM 326. Sainfoin provides more than half of the annual yield in hay cuttings, while subsequent growth produces a lower yield.
Field-tested sweet clover and sainfoin
Five varieties of Schotenklee and four varieties of Esparsette were tested for their suitability for cultivation over a three-year period in small plots in five central plateau locations and two or one high altitude locations. Yield, quality (luxuriance, density and uniformity of the plant population), early development, competitiveness, persistence, tolerance to winter influences and resistance to leaf diseases were evaluated. Schotenklee was also suitable for cultivation at higher altitudes and sainfoin was more stable.
Assortment at Schotenklee supplemented with new breeds
Among the new breeds, ‘Lotella’ and ‘Maleják’ have attracted positive attention. The latter excelled in youth development, followed by «Lotella». In terms of quality and competitiveness, both new spokes convinced with solid performance. While ‘Lotella’ was ahead of ‘Maleják’ in terms of yield, hardiness and suitability for cultivation at higher altitudes, the latter was ahead of ‘Lotella’ in terms of tolerance to winter influences. Both new breeds also showed good resistance to foliar disease. However, they failed to get the edge they needed for a recommendation over the only recommended variety, ‘Lotar’, which took first place. However, as a single recommended variety is not enough to provide quality varieties, the range of recommended varieties is completed by ‘Lotella’ and ‘Maleják’. Unfortunately the other new breeds “Fabio” and “Altus” were not convincing.
No new sainfoin recommendations
The only new breed, «Ambra», came last in terms of performance and cannot be recommended. On the other hand, the already recommended varieties ‘Perly’, ‘Perdix’ and ‘Višnovský’ remain in the ‘List of recommended forage plant varieties’.
Variety recommendations from Agroscope
Agroscope regularly monitors the varieties and provides Swiss agriculture with up-to-date and reliable information in the “List of recommended forage plant varieties”. This forms the basis for the best seed mixtures and the variety reference for the Swiss seed industry. This ensures that breeding progress reaches the practice as quickly as possible.
Conclusion
- Sweet clover and sainfoin are legumes for low and medium intensity forage production.
- Between 2019 and 2021, Agroscope tested a total of five sweet clover varieties and four sainfoin varieties.
- In the case of Schotenklee, the new breeds ‘Lotella’ and ‘Maleják’ have performed solidly in all characteristics and are now recommended.
- In the case of the sainfoin, the only new breed, ‘Ambergris’, has not been convincing and is therefore not recommended.
- Already recommended varieties of both species will continue to be recommended. This means that there are three recommended strains available for both types.
- The use of the recommended varieties makes it possible to obtain the best possible forage mixtures for Swiss conditions and puts into practice the progress of animal husbandry, which directly benefits our agriculture.
