Clover "Poyannka" is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the legume family, reaching a height of 40 to 65 cm. It belongs to the group of bushy legume crops and is widely used as a forage and honey-producing crop. Due to its high content of protein, minerals, and vitamins, clover is a valuable feed for animals, second only to alfalfa in nutritional value. Hay contains 12-13% protein and a significant amount of carotene, making it an indispensable component of livestock rations. Its intense blooming from summer until early autumn attracts bees, providing high honey productivity of 1-1.3 centners per hectare.
Clover "Poyannka" is distinguished by increased resistance to diseases and low temperatures, allowing it to be grown under various climatic conditions, including the Polissia, Western Ukraine, and forest-steppe regions. To enhance yield and resistance to weeds, it is often sown under the cover of winter and spring cereal crops or in mixtures with other grasses such as alfalfa, timothy, and ryegrass. Seeds are small and require careful sowing at a depth of 1-3 cm; for successful growth, scarified seeds inoculated with rhizobial bacteria are recommended. Clover is usually grown for 2-3 years, with the highest yield in the second year, and is used for green feed, hay, silage, and grazing.
In addition to its forage and honey-producing value, clover "Poyannka" possesses medicinal properties. Flower heads are harvested during summer blooming, dried in the shade in thin layers, and stored in paper packaging. These flower heads are used in folk medicine. Moreover, clover contributes to soil nitrogen enrichment, improving its fertility, making it beneficial for crop rotation and increasing yields of subsequent crops.
