Why Add Legumes ? • ‘Fix’ Nitrogen from the Atmosphere Manage, Utilize and Maintain Legumes in Pastures • Increase Protein Grazing School Dr. David Lang • Increase Digestibility August 25, 2010 • Provides N to the Grass Nodules Nitrogen Fixed by Legumes Lb N /acre/year 300 250 200 Crimson Soybean 150 Red Clover 100 White Clover Alfalfa 50 0 Legume 1 Release of Nitrogen by Release of N to Grasses Legumes • N is not directly available 60 50 • Nodules must slough off and decay 40 30 N Fixation N Release • Slow release of N over Time 20 10 0 Sept Nov Jan March May July Pasture Legume Management Legume Weed Management • Legumes require higher soil pH • Grass Weeds – Soil Test and add Lime as Needed – Some grass is desired: reduces Bloat • Soil Fertility: High P and K • Bloat occurs with most clovers, alfalfa • Bloat will not occur with lespedezas, kudzu, soybean, cowpeas due to tannin • Insects can be a problem – Use Poloxalene (Bloat Guard) in Water or Salt/Mineral Blocks • Weed control is more difficult 2 Legume Weed Management Legume Establishment • Grassy Weeds – Poast (sethoxidim) will control grasses, if needed to reduce • Summer legumes competition – Annual Lespedeza and Alyceclover • Broadcast or drill in March • Broadleaf Weeds – Control problem weeds prior to legumes • Clip or graze closely • Horsenettle, Dogfennel, etc. with Grazon, Banvel, 2,4D. Note: these Kill legumes • Can be sown into ryegrass/small grains – Butyrac/Butoxone is 2,4-DB and can be applied to alfalfa to – Sericea Lespedeza and Alfalfa control seedling broadleaf weeds • Plant in fall (August/September) – Alfalfa has several herbicide options • Prepared seedbed or no-till Alyceclover Summer Legumes Alysicarpus vaginalis • Alyceclover • Lespedeza – Annual Kobe – Sericea • Kudzu • Soybean • Cowpeas • Lablab Summer annual • Alfalfa (has early spring growth) 3 Annual Lespedeza Sericea Lespedeza Kummerrowia stipulacea Lespedeza cuneata Summer annual Perennial Kudzu Sericea Lespedeza Pueraria montana var. lobata • Perennial; also know as Japanese clover • Contains high tannin levels • Low tannin varieties: AuLotan and AuDonnelly from Auburn University, • AuGrazer • Avoid High Tannin Varieties: Serala, Interstate • Parasite Control: Goats/Sheep Perennial (noxious weed) 4 Soybean Cowpea Glycine max Vigna unguiculata Tyrone Forage Soybean ---------- > Lablab Alfalfa Medicago sativa Lablab purpureaus 5 Alfalfa What is a Fragipan ? • Requires a deep, well drained soil • Soil pH of 6.5-7+ and High P and K levels • Expensive to Control Insects: Leafhoppers, weevils, blister beetles • Has potential on 10-20 % of MS’ soil • Limited by fragipans, poor drainage, and expense of growing alfalfa • Roundup Ready in 2011? Winter Legumes Annual Clovers • Plant in Fall • True clovers are Trifolium species – September to November • All are winter active/cool season • Annuals: • Yield is low 2-3 tons/acre – Crimson, Arrowleaf, Ball, Sub, Berseem • They add protein to the diet and .. Clovers • Nitrogen to the soil, after they decay – Plant with ryegrass/small grains – Overseed into summer pasture • Mature from March to June • Plant in Fall (August to November) 6 Arrowleaf clover Crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum Trifolium vesiculosum Subterraneum clover Berseem clover Trifolium alexandrinum Trifolium subterraneum 7 Ball clover Mis-named “clovers” Trifolium nigrescens • Burclover is an annual medic • Sweetclover is a Melilotus • Leaves are pinnate • True clovers have palmate leaves Burr medic (Burr clover) Sweet clover Medicago polymorpha Melilotus officinalis and M. alba Biennial Winter annual Toxin: Coumarin Bleeding Can have black spot in leaf 8 Other Winter Annual Field Pea Legumes Pisum sativa • Field pea (Common green peas) • Caleypea (Roughpea or singletary pea) • Hairy Vetch Caleypea (Roughpea or singletary pea) Hairy Vetch Lathyrus hirsutus Vicia villosa 9 Winter Legumes Perennial clovers • Plant in Fall • Red Clover – September to November – Short lived • Perennials: – Tall growing – White clover and red clover – Grows well with Johnsongrass and Tall – Plant into permanent grass pastures fescue – Graze or clip closely – Will re-seed if allowed to mature – Overseed or drill shallow Red clover Perennial clovers Trifolium pratense • White clover – Similar in appearance to Ball clover – Short lived 1-2 years – Good reseeder – Numerous stolons – Grows well with Dallisgrass, Tall Fescue – Can maintain some summer growth if “cool” and moist 10 White Clover with Bermudagrass lbs/acre White clover 10000 9000 8000 7000 Coastal 6000 Dixie 5000 Sumrall Tifton 44 4000 World Feeder 3000 LSD 0.05 2000 1000 0 BG Yld Clover Yld Total Yld ‘Durana’ White Clover with Any Questions ? ‘Coastal’ Bermudagrass Thank You 11.