Fregat is an early-maturing variety of hybrid clover (Trifolium hybridum L.), included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. It is characterized by a vegetative period from the beginning of spring regrowth to flowering, which lasts 56-64 days, and to seed ripening — 106-117 days. The plant forms a sprawling rosette with a semi-prostrate bush and stems of medium coarseness with light pubescence. Leaves are elliptical in shape, green, without a waxy coating and pubescence, stipules are egg-shaped-lanceolate, light green. Inflorescences are spherical, loose, white-pink in color, and seeds have a heart-shaped shape and varied coloring — gray-green, black and yellow.
The variety is distinguished by high winter hardiness and resistance to soil acidity, as well as shows weak and medium degrees of infection by diseases such as anthracnose, ascochyta, powdery mildew, root rot, and sclerotinia. Yield of green mass reaches 109.3 c/ha, hay — 87.5 c/ha, and seeds — from 0.9 to 4.0 c/ha depending on growing conditions. Due to these characteristics, the variety is recommended for haymaking use.
Clover Fregat, like other representatives of the legume family, has the ability to form root nodules with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which contributes to the accumulation of nitrogen in the soil and improvement of its fertility. The plant reaches a height of up to 50 centimeters, develops quickly, requires regular watering and application of organic fertilizers. It flowers from July to August, during this period its flowers are especially valued in medicine for their content of vitamins C, B, and E, pigments, organic acids, essential oils, and other useful substances. Clover Fregat can be used not only as a fodder crop but also as a green fertilizer, contributing to soil improvement.
