University of Minnesota Extension

SM-05963     2003

To Order


Forage Legumes

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TABLES

Table 1. Quantities of nitrogen fixed by various legumes. a
Legume
Nitrogen Fixed
(pounds/acre/year)
Alfalfa
Birdsfoot trefoil
Crownvetch
Cicer milkvetch
Crimson clover
Hairy vetch
Kura clover
Lentil
Red clover
Soybean
Sub clover
Sweetclover
White clover

70-200
44-150
98
140
57
99
17-158
149-168
60-200
20-200
52-163
120
115-180

a Source: Heichel (1987); Date and Brockwell (1978); Seguin, et al. (2000).

Table 2. Characteristics of forage legumes. a

Tolerance to

Legume
Heat/ drought
Wet
Winter Injury
Frequent cutting/ grazing
Soul salinity
Soil acidity
Soil alkalinity
Seedling vigor
Ruminant bloat inducing
Alfalfa
E
P
G
F
F
P
F
G
Yes
Alsike clover
P
E
P
P
F
G
G
G
Yes
Birdsfoot trefoil
F
E
F
G
F
G
G
P
No
Cicer milkvetch
G
F
E
F
F
F
E
P
No
Crownvetch
G
P
F
P
F
G
P
P
No
Kura clover
F
G
E
E
F
F
F
P
Yes
Red clover
F
F
F
F
F
G
P
E
Yes
Sweetclover
E
P
E
P
G
P
E
G
Yes
White clover
P
G
F
E
F
G
P
G
Yes
a E = excellent, G = good, F = fair, P = poor.

Table 3. Relative importance of insect and disease pests of forage legumes. a

 

Insect pests
Diseases
Potato leaf hopper
Plant bugs
Leaf feeders
Crown and root feeders
Damping off
Crown and root rots
Vascular wilts
Foliar disease
Viruses
Nema-
todes
Alfalfa
3
2
2
2
2
3
3
2
1
2
Alsike clover
2
1
1
3
2
3
1
2
3
2
Birdsfoot trefoil
1
2
1
2
2
3
1
2
1
2
Cicer milkvetch
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Crownvetch
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
Kura clover
3
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
2
3
Red clover
1
1
1
3
2
3
1
3
2
2
Sweetclover
1
1
2
3
2
3
1
1
2
1
White clover
2
1
1
2
2
3
1
2
3
3
a 1 = infrequent problem, 2 = occasional problem, 3 = frequent problem.


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