Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #193801
Title: THE ESTABLISHMENT AND SURVIVAL OF LEGUMES ON A BLACKLAND PRAIRIE SOIL

Author
item STEWART, B - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item Cassida, Kimberly

Submitted to: Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2005
Publication Date: 12/1/2005
Citation: Stewart, B., Cassida, K.A. 2005. The establishment and survival of legumes on a Blackland prairie soil. In: Arkansas Animal Science: Department Report 2005. Research Series 535. Ark. Agric. Exp. Station, Fayetteville, AR. p. 77-79.

Interpretive Summary: Blackland prairie soils are typically acid, poorly drained and flood-prone, presenting a challenge to establishment and persistence of legumes which could potentially provide yield and nitrogen fixation benefits to dallisgrass hay crops. Overseeding dallisgrass with berseem clover increased total and first-cutting hay yields in a two-cut system, especially when established by no-till drilling. Second-cut dallisgrass yields were slightly reduced by berseem clover competition. Alfalfa, persian clover, and white clover failed to establish. This work is useful because it identifies berseem clover as an alternative legume that appears ideally suited for use in water-logged Blackland Prairie soils. The work will benefit hay and pasture growers who require sustainable methods for adding nitrogen to these flood-prone soils.

Technical Abstract: Alfalfa, berseem, ladino, and Persian clovers were either drilled, broadcast, or disked/broadcast into a dallisgrass sod on a Blackland bottoms soil in October of 1998. Plots were harvested on May 20 and July 6, 1999. Data from each cutting date were analyzed separately. Alfalfa (6.4%), ladino clover (2.6%), and persian clover (5.3%) had poor establishment and survival. However, berseem clover made up 47.1% of the total hay yield (P = 0.0001) in the first cutting. In May, there was an interaction in legume percentages between planting treatment and legume species with berseem clover (P = 0.04). Planting method did not affect total dry matter yield (P = 0.30), grass yield (P = 0.22), or legume yield (P = 0.94) for the entire trial.