Seeds "" – ( 1 g )

This improved Egyptian Baladi berseem is the heart of the country's winter fodder — affectionately called the "green gold" of livestock farming. The multi-cut Miscawi (Miskawi) landrace prized in the Delta produces soft, leafy green growth crowned by round white to yellowish-white flower heads. As a nitrogen-fixing legume it builds soil while feeding animals, and its blooms are highly attractive to honeybees, making it a generous dual-purpose forage and bee plant.

Planting

Egypt is the native home of berseem, grown as the main winter crop. Sow late September to October in the Delta (October–November in the south); 1 October sowing gives the highest seed yield. The seed is small — broadcast or drill no deeper than 10 mm (USDA suggests ~6 mm) and roll the soil before and after for firm contact. Sow into warm soil of at least about 7°C; germination is rapid, around 7 days. Aim for roughly 1.5 g/m². Requires full sun and will not tolerate shade.

Fertilizing

Inoculate seed with Rhizobium trifolii so plants fix their own nitrogen (up to ~110–220 kg N/ha); avoid nitrogen fertilizer, which suppresses nodulation. Keep pH above 6.0 (ideally 6.5–7.5), liming acidic soils, and feed phosphorus, potassium and boron by soil test.

Care

Maintain steady moisture, especially at establishment; under irrigation about 10–15 waterings per season are typical. Take the first cut at 50–60 days, then re-cut every 30–40 days for 4–6 cuttings, leaving stubble each time. Watch for aphids, mites and fungal rots. Cold tolerance is only slight; hard frost ends the crop.