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Kura Clover
Contributor: Norman L. Taylor
Copyright © 1995. All Rights Reserved. Quotation from this document should cite and acknowledge the contributor.
- Common Names
- Scientific Names
- Uses
- Origin
- Crop Status
- Botany
- Taxonomy
- Crop Culture
- Cultivars
- Production Practices
- Germplasm
- Collections
- Commercial Seed Sources
- Key References
- Selected Experts
USA: Pellet's clover,
honey clover,
kura clover
Australia & New Zealand: caucasian clover
Other languages: unknown
Species: Trifolium ambiguum Bieb
Family: Leguminosae (Fabaceae)
Cultivated as a forage legume for grazing. Formerly some usage as a source of
nectar for honey production.
Caucasian Russia, Crimea, and Asia Minor
A strong perennial spreading by rhizomes. It is receiving some interest in
USA, New Zealand, and Australia for use in pasture mixtures. It is apparently
quite nutritious and persists many years in mixtures with grasses. Persistency
is due in part to its heavy root biomass; up to 20 metric tons/ha. Root:shoot
ratios in a 13 -year old stand were reported to be up to 4.6:1. Little or no
domestic use occurs in countries of origin. In USA, livestock producers have
sown very few acres primarily because of seed limitations. The cultivar Rhizo
is being increased by commercial seed companies.
The species is classified by most authorities in section Lotoidea, subsection
VII Platystylium of the genus Trifolium. Three ploidies occur; diploid,
tetraploid, and hexaploid, which are reproductively isolated. Hexaploids are
generally, but not always, the most vigorous but cultivars have been developed
at each ploidy level. Kura clover is closely related to T. repens and
T. hybriduum with which it has been hybridized. Kura, like most
perennial clovers, is self-incompatible, requiring cross-pollination by bees
(honey, bumble, leafcutter, alkali) to produce seeds. The yellow brown seeds
are about 1.2 mm long and average about 670/g, roughly the same size as red
clover (T. pretense) and larger than white clover (T. repens).
Corolla is white to pale pink turning flesh colored after anthesis. Typical
legume inflorescences are grouped into heads, usually upright but with the
lower ones deflexed. Pods are 1 to 2 seeded.
Kura clover is adapted to about the same latitude as its origin, about 40 to 50
degrees. Consequently, it is very cold hardy and tends to be more productive
in cooler than in warmer climates. However, breeding efforts are being made to
extend its area of usage southward in the U.S., and northward in New Zealand.
The clover performs best on well drained, fertile soil but may survive
occasional swamping, and lower pH (5.0-6.0) than other forage legumes. During
droughts in southern U.S., it tends to go dormant in the summer producing very
little growth until moisture becomes available in the fall. The primary
difficulty of the crop is slow seedling establishment. It generally flowers
only once per season, but cultivars differ.
Cultivars or breeding populations (some not yet released) may be classified as
to ploidy and country of release. They include:
- Australia
- Alpine (2X)
- Summit (2X)
- Forest (2X)
- Treeline (4X)
- Prairie (6X)
- New Zealand
- Manaro (6X)
- KZ-2 (6X)
- USA
- Rhizo (6X)
- Cossack (6X)
In central and northern US., kura clover is usually sown in a similar fashion
as other small seeded perennial legumes, in the spring, on a well prepared seed
bed. Because of low seedling vigor it is mandatory to sow it without companion
grasses or small grains. Renovation sowings are not recommended. Optimally,
pH and fertility should be adjusted prior to sowing based on soil tests.
Special inoculation is required because only one Rhizobium strain
specific to kura clover is effective, and pains should be taken to assure that
inoculation is effective. Some investigators claim that special seed coating
techniques are helpful. Seeding rate probably should be 12 to 15 kg/ha. The
use of herbicides such as balan, treflan, preincorporated to control weeds is
necessary, and if weeds develop later it is necessary to control them with
appropriate herbicides (Poast, Basagran, or Fusilade). Failure to control
competition may result in stand failure. Very little growth is expected in
the first season and flowering in most cultivars does not occur until the
second season after induction by low temperature in the winter. Flowering in
the next season will occur in early May in central U.S. If seed is to be
produced, this flowering crop must not be removed as abundant flowering occurs
only once per season. If saved for seed, yields may be expected to be 100 to
200 kg/ha. The primary usage of the forage is for grazing, and it may be
desirable to sow grasses after the kura is established. In the central
bluegrass region of the U.S., bluegrass may invade the clover stand, ultimately
resulting in a mixture. Kura stands are slow to establish but, once
established, may be expected to last indefinitely, depending upon management,
because of its large root biomass. Rotational grazing may be more productive
than continuous grazing.
USDA Western Regional Plant Introduction Station, Pullman, Washington.
USDA Curator location: Department of Agronomy, University of Kentucky,
Lexington, KY.
Norfarm Seeds, Inc., PO Box 725, Bemidji, MN 56601, USA.
Peterson Seed Company, Inc., PO Box 346, Savage, MN 55278, USA.
- Dear, B.S. and M. Zorin. 1985. Persistence and productivity of Trifolium
ambiguum, caucasian clover in a high altitude region of southeastern
Australia. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. 25:124-132.
- Evans, A.M. and D.G. Jones. 1966. The response to inoculation of three
chromosome races of Trifolium ambiguum sown with and without a companion
grass. I. The effect of inoculation on yield of clover and grass. J. Agric.
Sci. 66:315-319.
- Speer, G.S. and D.W. Allinson. 1985. Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum):
Legume for forage and soil conservation. Econ. Bot. 39:165-176.
- Strachan, D.E., A.H. Nordmeyer, and J.G.H. White. 1994. Nutrient storage in
roots and rhizomes of hexaploid caucasian clover. New Zealand Grassl. Assoc.
Proc. 56:97-99.
- Taylor, N.L. and P.L. Cornelius. 1994. Influence of recurrent selection for
flowering on flowering and yields in kura clover. Euphytica 72:9-14.
Norman L. Taylor, Dept. of Agronomy. Agricultural Sciences Bldg. N., University
of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40546-0091. Tel. 606-257-5785; Fax 606-323-1952;
E-Mail:
AGRO79@UKY.EDU.
Richard R. Smith, Dairy Forage Research Center, University of Wisconsin,
Madison, WI. Tel. 608-264-5279; Fax 608-264-5275; E-Mail:
Clover@DFRC.WISC.EDU.
[Contributor: Norman L. Taylor, Department of Agronomy, University of Kentucky.]
Copyright © 1995. All Rights Reserved. Quotation from this document should cite and acknowledge the contributor.
Last update Tuesday, February 24, 1998 by aw