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Title: WATER UTILIZATION AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF FIVE SUMMER GRAIN LEGUMES IN SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS

Author
item Rao, Srinivas
item Williams, Robert

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2001
Publication Date: 11/1/2001
Citation: RAO, S.C., WILLIAMS, R.D. 2001. WATER UTILIZATION AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF FIVE SUMMER GRAIN LEGUMES IN SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRONOMY MEETINGS. v. 92. Abstract p. 171.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract Only.

Technical Abstract: Five summer grain legumes were evaluated as forage which can be grown during periods of the year when production of summer perennial grasses is declining and other forage is unavailable for grazing livestock. Pigeonpea, chinese red pea, mungbean, soybean and guar were seeded in June after winter wheat harvest at the rate of 25 kg ha-1. Soil water content was measured at 15 cm intervals to 60 cm every 8 to 10 d. Biomass samples were collected every 2 to 3 weeks. Eighty days after seeding, guar produced the greatest total biomass (814 g m-2). Chinese red pea and mungbean produced the lowest biomass, 386 and 256 g m-2, respectively. More soil water was utilized by mungbean, chinese red, soybean and guar at the 0-30 cm depth, than the fallow or pigeonpea treatements. Below the 30 cm soil depth, there was no difference in soil moisture among legumes and each of the treatments had significantly less soil moisture as compared to the fallow treatment. These results suggest that the fallow and pigeonpea treatments did not significantly affect soil moisture availability at the 0 - 30 cm soil depth for the establishment of a subsequent winter wheat crop, but sufficient soil moisture may not be available in most years to produce other legumes during the summer fallow period.