White clover (Trifolium repens):

• It is perennial legume having prostrate, stoloniferous growth habit.
• It is also called “Pyauli Ghans”.
• It is highly palatable and nutritious forage for all classes of livestock.
• Once cultivated, we can get forage upto 10-12 years.
• It was first grass introduced by Prime Minister Janga Bahadur Rana from Great Britain in 1917 B.S.

Climate and Altitude:

• It grows best in cool, moist climate in soils with ample phosphate and potash.
• It can be grown from Hills to Mountain (1500-4000 m asl) of country.

Soil:

• Fertile sandy-loam soil is best for cultivation (pH= 6-6.5)
• It grows successfully on sandy soils with higher water table.
• Best adapted to clay and silt soils in humid and irrigated areas.

Land preparation:

• Plain land are prepared by ploughing 2-3 times to get fine soils.
• In slopy land, digging is done. 1-2 m² bed are prepared and seed are sown.

Seed rate: 4-5 kg/ha; stolon/stem cuttings: 10 million/ha

Sowing season:

• In mountain Region: Chaitra-Baisakh (March-April)
• In Mid-Hills: Jestha-Ashad (June-July)

Method of sowing:

• Seeds are sown at or near soil surface at depth of not more than 1 cm.
• If stolon pieces are to be planted, 10-12 cm long slip is planted.

Fertilizer Dose:

• FYM: 10 MT/ha before sowing
• NPK: 25:40:30 kg/ha

Inoculation:

• It is done using rhizobium inoculants type ‘B’.
• Seeds are first treated with 5% salt solution to remove adulterants
• Inoculum is then made by adding 10 gm sugar per litre water and boiled. It is allowed to cool.
• Once cooled, seed are then added and mixed with inoculum solution and are kept undershed for 2-3 hours.

Irrigation:

• Irrigation at 10-15 days’ interval is good for better yield.

Harvesting Time:

• First cutting are obtained after 3-4 months of sowing.
• Second cutting are obtained after 30-40 days after first cutting.
• 3-4 cuttings can be obtained.

Production:

• Green fodder yield: 12-15 MT/ha
• Seed production: 20-30 kg/ha, under improved farming 400-500 kg/ha seed can be produced.

Nutrient Content of White Clover: