AGRICOTE Clover

AGRICOTE Clover provides insect and fungal protection, plus key nutrients (molybdenum, phosphorous, nitrogen, zinc, manganese and lime) known to enhance clover seedling vigour and root development, for the best start in life.

AGRICOTE Clover is suitable for both white and red clover.

Bare clover seed, left, compared with coated seed.

 

Rhizobia

Based on research rhizobia are no longer included in AGRICOTE Clover. This is because in almost all situations rhizobia are no longer required, as resident levels of clover rhizobia in NZ soils are more than adequate to ensure good clover nodulation and establishment. These populations can be as high as 3 million rhizobia in a single teaspoon of soil.


Rhizobia have spread naturally throughout NZ since their introduction. They are freely distributed by the wind, and move in soil and dust attached to equipment, plant material, seed and stock hooves. They can survive in soils without host clover plants for 20+ years.


Use of clover seed inoculated with rhizobia should however still be considered in the following three uncommon situations as an insurance against nodulation failure:

  • Undeveloped grasslands with no evidence of resident clover;
  • Virgin pastoral land cleared directly from scrub;
  • Paddocks cropped with maize continually for over 10 years

 

Weight build up

AGRICOTE Clover has a 75% weight build up, as per the table below.

 

Key nutrients

AGRICOTE Clover contains the essential nutrient molybdenum which is used by both clover and rhizobia for the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and root nodulation. Phosphorous, nitrogen, zinc, and manganese all encourage clover germination by enhancing root development and photosynthesis.

 

Lime is incorporated to help correct soil pH, and improve root development.

 

Nematode protection

AGRICOTE Clover protects against clover root nematodes, improving establishment under high nematode numbers.

 

White clover shoot and root weight after 4 weeks, sown in soil inoculated with nematodes*

* Treatments with the same letter are not statistically different.

Witholding period

A 42 day stock withholding period applies for new pasture sowings; 21 days when undersowing AGRICOTE Clover into existing pasture.

 

Newly emerged clover seedling - at this stage they are vulnerable.

 

 

Withholding period

42 day withholding period applies. Pastures sown with clover should not be grazed within this period.