Exploring sweetclover potential

Abstract

White sweetclover (Melilotus alba Desr.) is a high-quality annual or biannual forage species that is adapted to various environmental conditions. It tolerates water deficit, moderate flooding, soils with medium to low productive potential, both heavy and sandy soils -and even being able to thrive in saline, alkaline-sodium soils-, but it cannot stand shade. The species has been widely used for multiple purposes, such as forage, honey production, green manure, and cover crop. Belonging to the legume family, sweetclover plants are erect, more or less branched and can reach 1.5 m in height.