Forage Conference at GCA Convention Selecting & Establishing the Best Clovers for Your Farm

Use Legumes to the Extent Possible

Legumes and Their Optimum Soil pH &"&$

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Always Use Recommended Varieties

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Cool Season Annual Legumes

The Highlights

Arrowleaf Clover Adaptation

Coastal Plain & lower Piedmont. Requires well drained soil, not tolerant of soil acidity or low fertility.

Maturity

Late

Cold Tolerance Bloat Potential Reseeding Establishment

Good Low High Drill: 5-7 lbs/A Broadcast: 8-10 lbs/A Apache. Better virus resistance but susceptible to crown and stem rot. Yuchi is disease prone.

Varieties

Bottom photo: Dr. Ray Smith, TAES

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Agronomist

Forage Conference at GCA Convention Selecting & Establishing the Best Clovers for Your Farm Ball Clover

Ball Clover

Photo: G. Evers

Adaptation

Coastal Plain & lower Piedmont. Loam - clay soils. Tolerates poor drainage. Excellent honey producer.

Maturity

Medium

Cold Tolerance Bloat Potential Reseeding

Good High High

Establishment

Drill: n/a Broadcast: 2-3 lbs/A AU Don, Common

Varieties

White clover

Ball clover

Bottom photo: Dr. Ray Smith, TAES

Preferred soil characteristics and management traits of selected cool season annual legumes.†

Crimson Clover

Species

Adaptation

Maturity

Early

Cold Tolerance Bloat Potential Reseeding Establishment

Good Medium Low Drill: 15-20 lbs/A Broadcast: 20-30 lbs/A AU Robin produces well & early. Dixie, Tibbee, & Chief may give satisfactory results.

Varieties

Soil Min. pH‡

Coastal Plain & lower Piedmont. Fairly tolerant of soil acidity but does not tolerate poor drainage.

arrowleaf clover ball clover berseem clover crimson clover medics, annual Persian clover red clover§ rose clover sub. clover vetch, hairy winter pea † ‡ §

6.0 6.5 6.5 6.0 7.0 6.0 6.5 6.0 6.0 5.5 6.0

Texture sand, loam sand, loam, clay loam loam, clay sand, loam sand, loam, clay loam, clay loam, clay sand, loam, clay loam clay sand, loam, clay loam, clay loam

!

x

Drainage good fair poor good fair poor good good fair good good

Adapted from Evers, 2005. Minimum soil pH value for acceptable yields. Red clover is a perennial clover species, however it is often used as a late maturing cool season annual legume.

Preferred soil characteristics and management traits of selected cool season annual legumes.†

arrowleaf clover ball clover berseem clover crimson clover medics, annual Persian clover red clover rose clover sub. clover vetch, hairy winter pea † Adapted

Cool Season Perennial Legumes

Management Traits

Species Maturity late medium medium early early medium late medium medium medium medium

Cold Tolerance

Bloat Potential

Reseeding Potential

good good poor good poor fair good good fair good poor

low high low medium high high low low medium low low

high high low low high medium low high low low low

from Evers, 2005.

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Agronomist

The Highlights

Forage Conference at GCA Convention Selecting & Establishing the Best Clovers for Your Farm Alfalfa

Red Clover

Adaptation

Well-drained soils statewide, if fertile soil and with good management. Best if irrigated.

Adaptation

Lifespan

4-7 3-5 4-6 5-8

Statewide, if good soil and management. More forgiving of soil conditions than alfalfa.

Lifespan

1-2 years in LVM & Pied; 1 spring in Coastal Plain 2-3 tons/A (LVM & Pied); 1-2 tons/A (Coastal Plain)

Yield Soil Considerations Bloat Potential Uses Establishment

years in LVM & Pied; years in Coastal Plain tons/A (dry); tons/A (irrigated)

Soil pH > 6.5 (4-6 in. depth) Subsoil pH > 5.5 (down to 4 ft.) Well-drained, deep, and fertile High 1) Hay, 2) Grazing, 3) Silage Drill: 20-25 lbs/A Broadcast: 22-25 lbs/A North GA – Bulldog 505 South GA – Bulldog 805 Highest quality forage. Best for dairy or horse hay.

Varieties Comments

White Clover Adaptation Lifespan

Statewide, except for very sandy sites. If adapted variety, it may survive for many years (esp. if allowed to set seed).

Yield

< 1 ton/A

Soil Considerations Bloat Potential Uses Establishment

Soil pH > 5.8 (4-6 in. depth)

Varieties Comments

Medium

Yield Soil Considerations Bloat Potential

Soil pH > 6.0 (4-6 in. depth) Medium well- to well-drained

Uses Establishment

1) Rotational Grazing, 2) Hay

Varieties

Bulldog Red, Cimarron Plus & Redland Max (NGA), Cherokee, Southern Belle (SGA)

Comments

Late maturing “annual” in Coastal Plain

Low Drill: 6-8 lbs/A Broadcast: 12-15 lbs/A

Warm Season Perennial Legumes

The Highlights

Mixed with grasses for grazing Drill: 2-3 lbs/A Broadcast: 2-3 lbs/A Durana, Patriot Can be frost seeded in north GA

Perennial Peanut Adaptation

Areas south of south of 31.5°N parallel (roughly a line from Albany to Jesup).

Lifespan Yield Soil Considerations

Many years

Bloat Potential Uses Establishment

Low

Varieties

Florigraze, Arbrook

Comments

Best if irrigated. Long (18-24 months) establishment phase. Infection with Peanut Stunt Virus is widespread.

2-5 tons/A Soil pH > 6.0 (4-6 in. depth) Medium well- to well-drained 1) Hay, 2) Rotational Grazing Sprigged: 60-80 bu/A

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Agronomist

Perennial Peanut

(the alfalfa of the South)

•! High quality forage •! Tolerates relatively low soil pH •! Handles our environment well •! Long time to establish (~ 2 yrs) •! Vegetatively propagated •! Peanut Stunt Virus problems

Forage Conference at GCA Convention Selecting & Establishing the Best Clovers for Your Farm Peanut Stunt Virus

Sericea Lespedeza Adaptation Lifespan Yield Soil Considerations Bloat Potential Uses Establishment Varieties Comments

Peanut Stunt Virus

Warm Season Annual Legumes

Statewide. Tolerant of low pH, soil fertility, and drought. Many years 3-4 tons/A Soil pH > 5.8 (4-6 in. depth) for best results Low Hay, Grazing

The Highlights

Drilled: 15-20 lbs/a Broadcast: 20-30 lbs/a AU Donnelly, AU Lotan, AU Grazer High tannin content. Less palatable, but has demonstrated anthelminthic (deworming) properties.

Annual Lespedezas

Forage Soybeans

•! Striate, Korean, and common lespedeza

•! Essentially same as row crop soybeans.

•! Adapted to a wide range of soils and fertility levels

•! Adapted to a wide range of soils, but most productive on soil pH > 6.0 and fertile.

•! Yields are relatively low and easily crowded out

!! Some use of RR soybeans for weed control.

•! Yields range from 2-3 tons/a. •! Sometimes grown with summer annuals, but contributes little N or forage quality to the crop. •! Cut when pods are 90% full.

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Agronomist

Forage Conference at GCA Convention Selecting & Establishing the Best Clovers for Your Farm

Other Warm Season Annual Legumes

Cowpeas (“Iron & Clay Peas”) •! Similar to soybeans, but lower yields •! Adapted to a wide range of soils, but most productive on soil pH > 6.0 and fertile. •! Yields range from 1-2 ! tons/a. •! Sometimes grown with summer annuals, but contributes little N or forage quality to the crop.

Photo Credit: Dr. Twain Butler

•! More commonly grown as a wildlife attractant.

-!Alyceclover -!Annual peanut -!Hairy indigo -!Kudzu -!Lablab (sweet hyacinth bean) -!Velvetbean

Arrowleaf Ball Berseem Crimson Subterranean

Feb-Mar

Apr-May

Jun-Jul

Total

-------------- (dry lbs/acre) -------------425 2,525 522 3,472 530 2,099 134 2,763 1,359 2,327 589 4,276 1,871 1,698 3,568 646 1,214 1,860

Perennials Red White

254 407

2,188 1,612

1,455 1,202

3,896 3,221

•! Relatively expensive to establish, •! Difficult to establish, •! Provide relatively low yields, and/ or •! Are not very tolerant of grazing

Production generally relegated to specific niche situations.

Clover Yield Variability in the Coastal Plain

Clover Yields in the Coastal Plain Treatment Annuals

These species are:

Treatment Annuals Arrowleaf Ball Berseem Crimson Subterranean

Feb-Mar

Apr-May

Jun-Jul

Total

VVV V VV VVV VV

V VV VVVVV V V

VV V VVVVV -

V V VVVVV VV VVV

V V

VVV VV

VVVVV V

VVV VVVV

Perennials Red White

The number of “V”s indicates the amount of variability in yield that there was over the 3 years and 4 locations (i.e., more “V”s = more variable). Source: Pederson and Ball, 1991. AL Ag. Exp. Sta. Circular 307.

Annual Clover Yields in the Piedmont Treatment

Average Yield By Mar 31

Total

Variability By Mar 31

663

3645

VVVV

The effect of annual clover addition on ‘Coastal’ bermudagrass yields.

Total

(dry lbs/acre)

Arrowleaf

Source: Pederson and Ball, 1991. AL Ag. Exp. Sta. Circular 307.

VV

Berseem

447

2745

VVVVV

VVVV

Crimson

1168

2974

VVV

V

Red*

257

3813

VVVV

VV

Subterranean

143

1987

VVVVV

VVVV

Treatment

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Agronomist

1967

1968

Crimson; 200 lbs N/Acre

22500

22300

17500

24500

Arrowleaf; 200 lbs N/Acre

24000

21600

16500

27100

No Clover; 200 lbs N/Acre

17100

19800

15400

21600

7700

6600

3500

6200

Location: Starkville, MS

Source: Hoveland et al., 1986. GA Ag. Exp. Sta. Res. Rep 510.

1966

-------------- dry lbs/acre --------------

No Clover; 0 N

The number of “V”s indicates the amount of variability in yield that there was over the 3 years and 2 locations (i.e., more “V”s = more variable).

1965

Source: Knight, W.E. 1970. Agron. J. 62:773-775.

Forage Conference at GCA Convention Selecting & Establishing the Best Clovers for Your Farm Nitrogen Fixation Legume plants and Rhizobium bacteria form a symbiotic relationship -! Rhizobia colonize nodules on the roots of healthy legumes -! Absorb nitrogen from the air (N2) -! Fix it into ammonia (NH3).

Legume-Rhizobium Specificity Legume plants have a relationship with specific rhizobia Groups and Types! Species! I.

II.

Relationship is mutually beneficial: -! Plant gets N from bacteria -! Bacteria get energy from plant

III.

Alfalfa Group Type A

Alfalfa

Type N

Annual Medics

Clover Group Type B

Ball, red, and white

Type O

Arrowleaf

Type R

Berseem, crimson, & Persian

Type WR

Rose and subterranean

Pea & Vetch Group Type C

Austrian winter pea and vetches

Nodules on crimson clover. (Photo Credit: Dr. Gerald Evers, TAMU)

Legume-Rhizobium Specificity Legume plants have a relationship with specific rhizobia

Bean Group

V.

Soybean Group

Type D Type S VI.

VII.

!! 1 bag of inoculant per bag of seed.

Soybeans

Cowpea Group Alyceclover, cowpeas, hairy indigo, partridge pea, lespedeza

Type P

Peanuts

Type GU

Guar

•! Use a “sticker” material. •! Some legume seed comes pre-inoculated. !! coated with an inert material, usually lime, !! saves time and helps to ensure inoculation

Lupine Group Type H

VIII.

•! Inoculate seed with fresh inoculant before seeding.

Garden beans, etc.

Type EL

Inoculate Legume Seed The population of the specific Rhizobium is likely to be very low in the soil.

Groups and Types! Species! IV.

Nodules on crimson clover. (Photo Credit: Dr. Gerald Evers, TAMU)

Lupines

Other Birdsfoot trefoil, Crownvetch, Sainfoin

Nodules on crimson clover. (Photo Credit: Dr. Gerald Evers, TAMU)

Seedbed Preparation

Planting Considerations

1.! Prepared seedbed 2.! No-till 3.! Broadcast •! Frost seeding (NGA) - Not for alfalfa

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Agronomist

Forage Conference at GCA Convention Selecting & Establishing the Best Clovers for Your Farm

Insect Damage at Establishment

Treated with Insecticide

Untreated Control Photo from Southern Forages, 4th Edition.

Dr. Dennis Hancock, Univ. of Georgia

Insect Control Tools

Insect Control Tools Sevin Dimilin Tracer Furadan 4F* Lannate*

Mustang Max Malathion Lorsban 4E* Warrior*

Plus many others

(for alfalfa)

Georgia Pest Management Handbook

Proper Cutting Management

http://www.ent.uga.edu/pmh/

* Alfalfa only.

7776A'*,A/$#*,$A'462*8% Value of Legume Establishment Species

Cost of Adding N Needed Legume to Ryegrass to BE*

Expected N Fixation

cost/lb

cost/acre

Arrowleaf

$2.00

$12

------ lbs N/acre -----17

50-110

Crimson

$1.80

$27

39

70-140

W. Clover

$6.50

$20

29

30-60

Red Clover

$3.00

$24

34

50-130

* Amount of N that the seed cost/acre would have purchased (e.g., $12 per acre / $0.70 per lb of N = 17 lbs of N fixed per acre)

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Agronomist

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