RED CLOVER IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Legumes can make a very significant contribution to sustainable crop production systems. Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) has a potential contribution to sustainable production, due to its impact on increasing soil fertility. It is characterized by high biomass yields of excellent quality, high protein content and a high degree of nitrogen fixation. Since the middle of the last century, the area under red clover has been constantly decreasing globally, mainly due to cheap synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. However, interest in growing this legume is growing, due to the increase in the price of mineral fertilizers, especially recently, as well as the need to produce bulky animal feed on one's own farm. It is also very important in many organic production systems. The paper analyzes the importance of red clover in agricultural production systems, with the aim of reducing the negative impact of agriculture on the environment.