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Cultivation and Utilization of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

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Medicinal Plants

Part of the book series: Sustainable Development and Biodiversity ((SDEB,volume 28))

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Abstract

The theoretical study provides an overview of current data on red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), its cultivation and breeding, other practical uses and future prospects. Particular attention is paid to this taxon as a fodder plant of global importance in traditional and modern animal husbandry systems. Evidence is presented that red clover is a leading component, influencing the pasture management on all continents due to its high biomass production, protein content and overall nutritional value associated with the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some considerations cover important agrobiological and agrotechnological issues (e.g., plant interseeding) related to increasing adaptability, sustainability and yield of red clover and other crops coexisting in the same biosystems. Interesting biotechnological approaches have been pointed out in relation to the introduction to cultivation of new varieties, which are breeding hybrids of red clover and other wild species, with greater durability and yield-forming capacity. A separate part of the review is the assessment of the phytochemical profile of red clover with particular reference to biologically active specialized metabolites. Recent data from preclinical and human studies on existing and potential applications of this taxon and individual polyphenolic components in traditional and official medicine are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacognosy, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodźki Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland

    Grażyna Zgórka & Magdalena Maciejewska-Turska

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  1. Grażyna Zgórka
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  2. Magdalena Maciejewska-Turska
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Correspondence to Grażyna Zgórka .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Jagiellonian University, Medical College, Kraków, Poland

    Halina Maria Ekiert

  2. Department of Botany, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

    Kishan Gopal Ramawat

  3. Department of Botany, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

    Jaya Arora

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Zgórka, G., Maciejewska-Turska, M. (2021). Cultivation and Utilization of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.). In: Ekiert, H.M., Ramawat, K.G., Arora, J. (eds) Medicinal Plants. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, vol 28. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74779-4_10

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