The only commercially available hybrid of Caucasian and white clover is available right now for New Zealand farmers planning their autumn sowing in 2022.
This is not just an experimental scientific novelty. AberLasting from Germinal provides farmers with a robust clover that outperforms standard white clover varieties in drought and severe cold.
The resilience of AberLasting makes it an attractive and practical option for farmers looking to include clover in their pasture mix for its nitrogen-fixing properties – reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers.
Superior performance in drought and cold
As the world’s first commercial cross of white and Caucasian clover, AberLasting’s root system has both stolons (surface and underground runners), and rhizomes (larger and deeper underground stems).
The superior clover can withstand heavy grazing, and recover from that grazing, faster than conventional white clovers. AberLasting production paddocks have also seen tolerance to the Clover Root Weevil during their second and third years under pressure.
It’s even effective in drought conditions. In trials, AberLasting has maintained its leaf water content for a week longer than traditional white clover when completely without water.
Add that to its exceptional resistance to the cold – with AberLasting withstanding overnight temperatures of -20°C, a temperature that will kill off 70% of even the most cold-tolerant white clover varieties.
Nitrogen-fixing with clover
Clover also offers farmers a natural solution to managing nitrogen in their soils: “The impact of nitrogen leaching on New Zealand’s freshwater quality is an important issue now and in the future for New Zealand’s pasture farmers,” says Germinal New Zealand sales manager Simon Larsen.
“That’s why clover is fast becoming an important environmental mitigation tool for local farmers, as they make changes to meet the Government’s 190kg N/ha cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.
“A recent cost analysis by Germinal suggests that farmers can economically reduce their synthetic nitrogen use by switching to a higher clover sowing rate – providing a natural, homegrown nitrogen source.”
Innovative science
What sets Germinal apart from other pasture plant breeders is its exclusive partnership with the world-renowned grassland research centre, the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) in Wales.
“This exclusive partnership means Germinal employs and directs a team of researchers at IBERS, who are focused solely on developing new pasture varieties to help farmers address current climate change challenges,” Simon says. “It’s cutting-edge science that will strengthen what Germinal is already doing on the ground here in New Zealand, providing farmers with access to world-leading advances in plant breeding.
“From lab to paddock, we advocate strategies that support efficiency and sustainability, while maintaining productivity.”
Learn more about Germinal’s story and its grass seed and clover products here.