Esparcet "Veles" is a perennial bushy grass with a powerful branched root system, reaching up to 115 cm in height. The plants have an upright or semi-upright growth habit and are usually covered with long leaves. Flowers are gathered in loose racemes up to 20 cm long, colored with a pinkish-yellow hue; fruits are round pods of yellow-brown color with long teeth.
The variety is characterized by high protein and nutrient content, comparable to clover and alfalfa. Thanks to the presence of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root bulbs, the plant is able to fix atmospheric nitrogen, providing more than half the necessary amount for its growth. After harvesting, remaining seeds become a valuable fertilizer, increasing soil fertility.
The vegetative period is 60–70 days to cutting maturity. Mass of 1000 seeds – 21–23 g. Average yield of dry matter in the region reaches 87.4 c/ha and can reach 310 c/ha under optimal conditions. Esparcet is widely used as a cover crop to improve soil structure and increase its fertility, as well as as a feed crop for animals.
