Exploring Clover-Based Nurse Cropping for Birdsfoot Trefoil Establishment and Yield

Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), renowned for its persistence in challenging soil and climate conditions, serves as a valuable non-bloating forage legume in temperate regions. However, its slow establishment and low initial yields in the establishment year make it vulnerable to competition from companion and weeds species. Therefore, we investigated the effects of three legume species (red clover, Trifolium pretence L.; balansa clover, Trifolium michelianum L.; and berseem clover, Trifolium alexandrinum L.) as nurse crops at three seeding rates (target 60, 120 or 240 plant m²). These companions increased (p < 0.01) total forage accumulation by 37%–55% in the establishment year. The number of established birdsfoot trefoil seedlings was similar in monoculture and mixtures with annual legumes but lower (p < 0.01) when planted with red clover. Neither seeding rate nor legume species impeded birdsfoot trefoil growth in the second season. Notably, binary mixtures of birdsfoot trefoil and red clover outperformed (p < 0.01) the birdsfoot trefoil monoculture, yielding an additional 3260–5440 kg DM ha⁻¹. These findings highlight a practical strategy for farmers to sow birdsfoot trefoil with a suitable annual or perennial legume species, increasing total forage production without compromising the subsequent birdsfoot trefoil yield or nutritive value.