Summary

Clover (Trifolium) is a genus of the legumes family which comprises around 300 species of plants which grow on moderate and warm areas of the northern hemisphere, and these plants include many fodder plants. The most frequently cultivated clover species are white clover (Trifolium repens) and red clover (Trifolium pratense). The species of crucial meaning in biomass production is red clover. It is cultivated on soils which are not very rich, but have balanced hydrographic conditions and a neutral or weak alkaline reaction. Yield depends on the weather conditions. Light conditions, water conditions as well as the temperature are the main factors shaping the growth of the legumes. The rainfall which ensures good yielding amounts from 500 to 600 mm. Clover is cultivated in pure sowing, with a cover crop or in mixtures with various species of grass. Red clover seeds which are to be sown must posses a high germination capacity, purity, and must not be contaminated with weeds and seeds of other plants. In autumn, soil cultivation should ensure thorough weed destruction, soil opening and mixing with fertilizers. The sowing rate of seeds is 10-12 kg/ha for seed plantations or 15-18 kg/ha for green matter cultivation. In clover cultivation phosphorus fertilization is used pre-sowing in one dose 80-120 kg P₂O₅ per hectare. Pre-sowing and top-dressing fertilization with potassium is done in two doses, 50-70 kg K₂O each. In the sowing year the weed infestation should be minimized by mechanical methods of weed control. In the case of strong weed infestation herbicides might be used. The average yield of hay for red clover is around 12 t/ha, but when the water conditions are appropriate for the growth of the plants, the yield which can be obtained ranges from 14.5 to 20 t of hay per hectare. In analyses it was revealed that the total costs incurred during plantation establishment and obtaining silage from clover were 574.5 €/ha. On average, 45 bales weighing around 500 kg each were obtained from 1 ha. The production cost of one bale was around 12.8 € while the production cost of 1 t of silage in bales wrapped into foil was around 25.5 €/t.

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