Scientific name(s)
Trifolium glomeratum
Strengths
- Valuable self-regenerating annual legume for use in pastoral systems on granite and traprock soils in subtropics
- Drought resistant and persistent
- Prolific seeder
- High hard seed levels
- Suited to low fertility soils with fertiliser amendment
Limitations
- Later flowering than the subclovers used in subtropics
- Less productive than subclover in good seasons
- Preference for soils of moderate fertility
- Subordinate to subclover in temperate and Mediterranean regions
Plant description
Plant: Prostrate with slender trailing stems.
Stems: Green 20 to 30 cm long.
Leaves: Trifoliate, oval shape, smooth, slightly toothed, sometimes with a white crescent shaped mark.
Flowers: Solid greenish ball (7 mm) with white to pink flowers.
Pods: Contains 1 or 2 seeds.
Seeds: yellow, heart shaped, small, 2.6 million/kg.
Pasture type and use
Temperate, winter growing, self regenerating annual legume used in permanent grass pasture on soils of low fertility (granite and traprock) in the subtropics (southern border uplands of southern Queensland and north west slopes of New South Wales); not used commercially in farming systems in southern and Western Australia.
Where it grows
Rainfall
600-850 mm/ann (subtropics); not recommended in southern and Mediterranean Australia.
Soils
Adapted to acid to neutral, sandy and loamy soils
Temperature
Winter growing so can withstand frosts, produced higher DM when sown in early autumn.
Establishment
Companion species
Sown with sub clover, rose clover, and the summer growing grasses, Premier digit grass and Swann forest blue grass. Naturalised in sub clover pastures in southern Australia.
Sowing/planting rates as single species
1-2 kg/ha.
Sowing/planting rates in mixtures
Sow at a rate depending on the proportion in the mix with other legumes. Very small seeded so low sowing rates provide a good plant population.
Sowing time
Mid autumn to early winter.
Inoculation
Group B
Fertiliser
Where soils are low in nutrients, particularly P and/or S, apply 10-15 kg P and 10 kg S/ha initially, and Cu, Zn Mo if they are deficient. Soil tests will determine the need and appropriate rates.
Management
Maintenance fertliser
Ongoing applications of P and S as required, particularly in 'good' seasons. Soil tests will determine the need and appropriate rates.
Grazing/cutting
In the establishing year, delay grazing until plants are well established. Graze leniently until flowering then remove stock to maximise seed set. Produces better under rotational grazing. In subsequent years, will set seed under heavy grazing.
Seed production
Wide variation between 140 and 1640 kg/ha.
Ability to spread
Rate of spread slow though seed may be distributed through livestock owing to high hard seed levels.
Weed potential
Highly palatable, low weed potential. Regenerating seedlings could pose a problem if used as a ley in crop rotations though no more so than subterraneum clover. No weed potential in pastoral systems.
Major pests
None in the subtropics.
Major diseases
None in the subtropics.
Herbicide susceptibility
Not applicable in pastoral systems.
Animal production
Feeding value
High quality legume of similar value to other clovers.
Palatability
Readily eaten by livestock.
Production potential
Production less than subclover but is complementary, making its contribution after subclover in the subtropics.
Livestock disorders/toxicity
Bloat can be issue with lush growth in wet spring seasons.
Cultivars
| Cultivar | Seed source/Information |
| One cultivar known by the common name, cluster or ball clover | Public variety |
Further information
Pasture for the Eastern Garnite Belt
Author and date
B Johnson, D Lloyd
26 November 2008
