Four-leaved clovers may or may not bring good luck. What’s indisputable is that all white clovers, whether with three or four leaves, have many benefits.
Four-leaved clovers may or may not bring good luck. What’s indisputable is that all white clovers, whether with three or four leaves, have many benefits.
The United States Department of Agriculture calls white clover “one of the most important pasture legumes.” In New Zealand, it is one of the main species, along with ryegrass, grown in pastures.
On farms, white clover provides multiple services. Bacteria in clover root nodules ‘fix’ atmospheric nitrogen and make it available to crops. White clover is a great source of protein for farm animals. In cities, white clover often accompanies the grass used in lawns and playgrounds.
Despite its many uses, white clover breeders in New Zealand did not have access to a comprehensive map of the population structure or genetic landscape of white clover diversity in the country. Now, researchers in New Zealand have created the first detailed map of white clover ancestry and genetics.
Read more at American Society of Agronomy
Image: Dairy cows on a white clover and ryegrass paddock in the Taranaki region of New Zealand, with Mt. Taranaki in the background. (Credit: Valerio Hoyos-Villegas)
