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Oregon Annual Legume Trials - 1993 Preliminary Report
Randy Dove1 1, Mylen Bohle 2, and David Hannaway 3
INTRODUCTION
Annual legumes have been used for forage production in the Klamath Basin to a
limited degree in the past. There is increasing interest in their use for forage production
and as a green manure crop Annual legumes are often planted in mixtures with small
grains for hay and silage. Austrian winter pea is the most common annual legume
planted in the Klamath Basin. There has been little research done to compare
performance of species and varieties for this or other areas in Oregon. In view of
statewide interest in annual legumes, research was initiated at several locations in 1992.
In 1992 and 1993, field trials were conducted at Powell Butte and Klamath Falls to
evaluate the potential of annual legumes as forage and soil improvement rotation crops.
Nineteen small seeded and 19 large seeded legumes were planted in each location in
1992. In 1993, a 10-entry small seeded trial and a 12-entry large seeded trial were
planted at both sites. Objectives of the study were to evaluate forage yield and quality in
three Oregon locations, and nitrogen supplying capability for following crops at Powell
Butte. Due to similar environments in Klamath Falls and Powell Butte, data from both
locations are included in this report.
METHODS
Trials were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications.
Plot size varied by location, but was a minimum of 100 ft 2 . A preplant glyphosate
application was made to minimize grassy weed competition at KES. Seeds of each
legume were inoculated with an appropriate Rhizobium strain. Seeds were planted with a
cone-type seeder in early June at KES and Powell Butte. Plants were harvested when the
indicator species (Austrian winter pea) was in the 50 percent bloom stage. The harvested
swath was weighed and subsamples were taken for drying and calculation of plot dry
weight, which is reported as lb DM/A.
At Powell Butte, the crop was harvested and regrowth was disked into the soil. A
wheat crop will be planted on the experimental site to evaluate residual nitrogen benefit
from the annual legumes. A single harvest of the large seeded legumes was taken at KES
in 1992. The 1992 small seeded legume trial at KES experienced a stand failure and was
abandoned. Regrowth after the first cutting of both the large and small seeded legumes
was measured at Powell Butte in 1992, but regrowth was only measured in the large
seeded legumes in 1993. At KES, regrowth of the small seeded legumes was measured in
1993.
/ Associate Professor, Klamath Experiment Station, Klamath Falls, OR.
/ Crook County Extension Agent, Prineville, OR.
3 / Associate Professor, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
1
2
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Forage quality was determined for both first cutting and regrowth of small seeded
legumes and for first cutting of large seeded legumes at KES in 1993. Both crude
protein (CP) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were determined using standard laboratory
procedures.
RESULTS
1992 Large Seeded Legumes
Maple pea was the highest yielding entry in the large seeded trial at KES in 1992. It
produced significantly more forage than Austrian winter pea, the most commonly planted
annual legume in the area (Table 1). Sirius field pea produced yields equivalent to
Maple pea, but it was not significantly higher than Austrian winter pea. Species adapted
to cool environments, such as peas, vetches, and flatpeas, performed best at KES in 1992,
while warm-season legumes such as cowpea and pinto bean showed visible signs of
chilling injury. Faba beans were an intermediate group and may do well in the Klamath
Basin if planted earlier.
Hertz freya faba bean and Hairy vetch were the highest yielding entries at Powell
Butte in 1992 (Table 1). Maple pea, Sirius field pea, Miranda yellow field pea, and
Timeless aladin faba beans produced total yields of 2.0 tons/A or more. Yields of several
pea, faba bean, and vetch entries were higher at Powell Butte than at KES. However, the
average yield for all entries was about 30 percent higher at KES. The relative ranking of
legume species was similar at both locations, with peas the most productive, faba beans
and vetches intermediate, and cowpeas the least productive. This is not unexpected in
view of similar climatic conditions.
1992 Small Seeded Legumes
The small seeded legume trial at KES did not establish well and data were not
collected. However, one entry, Sava snail medic, established and grew well while the
other entries failed to thrive. Sava snail medic was the highest yielding entry at Powell
Butte in the first cutting (Table 2). Three other medics and two lentils were in the top
yielding group in the first cutting. Despite high first cutting yields, regrowth of Sava snail
medic was low, resulting in total production that was substantially lower than several
clovers included in the trial. The highest yielding entries at Powell Butte in 1992 were
Selection 1 berseem clover and Multicut berseem. Maral shaftal and Bigbee berseem
clovers also produced over 5,000 lb DM/A. Paraggio barrel medic was the highest
yielding medic, with yields not significantly different than Maral shaftal clover.
1993 Large Seededl Legumes
Both magnus pea and Miranda yellow field pea produced significantly more forage
at KES in 1993 than Austrian winter pea (Table 3). Magnus pea produced significantly
more forage than all other entries except Miranda yellow field pea, Trapper pea, and
Procon field pea. lie six top yielding entries in the trial were peas. Two chickpea entries
were the least productive entries in the trial. Chickpeas require a warmer environment
than the Klamath Basin experiences.
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Table 1. 1992 Large seeded annual legume trial. Forage yield of large seeded annual
legumes grown in 1992 at Klamath Falls and Powell Butte, OR.
Entry
Yield
Klamath Falls
Powell Butte
Total
Harvest one Harvest two
Total
lb DM/A Maple pea
Sirius field pea
Austrian winter pea
Trapper pea
6600
5560
5080
4800
4050
3240
3930
0
0
0
0
4040
4050
3240
3930
Chickling vetch
Ackerperle faba bean
Tingata tangier flatpea
Miranda yellow field pea
4580
4460
4380
4020
2620
3210
2650
4080
650
0
0
0
3270
3210
2650
4080
Hertz freya faba bean
Hairy vetch
UI 114 pinto bean
Timeless aladin faba bean
4020
3860
3720
3660
5220
1880
1730
4000
0
2690
0
0
5220
4570
1730
4000
Sacramento It. red kidney bean
Dianna faba bean
Cahaba white vetch
Green mung bean
3380
3210
3020
2970
1440
3620
2100
1080
0
0
1470
0
1440
3620
3570
1080
Mississippi cream cowpea
Victor cowpea
Mississippi pinkeye cowpea
2690
2440
1930
1120
1430
1160
0
0
0
1120
1430
1160
Mean
CV(%)
LSD(.05)
3910
23
1300
2610
14
500
250
27
744
2860
4040
125
Table 2. 1992 Small seeded annual legume trial. Forage yield of small seeded
annual legumes grown in 1992 at Powell Butte, OR.
Entry
Harvest 1
Yield
Harvest 2
lb DM/A
Total
Selection 1 berseem clover
Multicut berseem clover
Maral shaftal clover
Bigbee berseem clover
2600
2440
2440
2090
3840
3760
3410
3300
6440
6200
5850
5390
Paraggio barrel medic
Santiago polymorpha medic
Ascot barrel medic
Moapa alfalfa
3080
2820
2720
1830
2130
1900
1910
2250
5210
4720
4630
4080
Jemalong barrel medic
Nitro alfalfa
Sava snail medic
Boning barrel medic
2050
1730
3280
2550
1970
1930
330
1030
4020
3660
3610
3580
Mt. Barker subterranean clover
Timeless T-2000 green lentil
Indianhead lentil
Youchi arrowleaf clover
1300
2850
2650
1050
2230
660
700
1870
3530
3510
3350
2920
Parabinga barrel medic
George black medic
MTB MB black medic
Check (weeds, no legumes)
2300
1490
1320
1270
550
870
820
320
2850
2360
2140
1590
Mean
CV (%)
LSD(.05)
2190
24
734
1790
3
593
3980
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Table 3. 1993 Large seeded annual legume trial. Forage yield of large
seeded legumes grown in 1993 at Klamath Falls and Powell Butte,
OR, and forage crude protein (CP) and acid detergent fiber
(ADF) at the Klamath Falls site.
Entry
Powell Butte
yield
Yield
Klamath Falls
ADF
CP
lb DM/A Magnus pea
Miranda yellow field pea
Trapper pea
Procon field pea
5880
4410
3140
3620
9010
7530
7260
6900
36.4
36.0
35.5
37.9
16.8
15.7
14.3
15.5
Latah pea
Maple pea
Tinga tangier flatpea
WWII pea
6410
5930
4640
4830
6510
6390
6040
6030
35.4
36.9
31.3
31.6
17.4
16.5
15.2
16.8
Chickling vetch
Austrian winter pea
Kabuli chiclq)ea
Desi chickpea
5720
5300
4130
2430
5980
5350
4790
4410
36.1
33.5
32.4
34.9
15.8
16.4
14.5
16.8
Mean
CV(%)
4710
14
974
6350
12
2149
34.8
7
3.7
16.0
9
1.9
LSD (.05 )
127
Table 4. 1993 Small seeded annual 'legume trial. Forage yield of small seeded annual
legumes grown in 1993 at Klamath Falls and Powell Butte, OR.
Entry
Yield
Klamath Falls
Harvest 2
Harvest 1
Total
Powell Butte
Total
lb DM/A Paraggio barrel medic
Sava snail medic
Ascot barrel medic
George black medic
Indianhead lentil
8400
7730
6290
5300
5020
0
8400
7730
6290
5310
5020
2630
1620
900
1370
3290
Selection 1 berseem clover
Multicut berseem clover
Nitro alfalfa
Hairy vetch
MTBM-5 black medic
5000
4590
4510
4400
3730
620
1520
1980
70
10
5620
6110
6490
4470
3740
1620
1500
790
3010
1190
Mean
CV(%)
LSD(.05)
5490
9
1400
420
92
270
5910
12
1410
1790
330
859
0
0
0
10
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Table 5. Forage Quality of Small seeded annual legumes. Crude protein (CP) and
acid detergent fiber (ADF) of small seeded annual legumes grown in 1993
at Klamath Falls, OR.
Entry
Harvest 1
ADF
CP
Harvest 2
ADF
CP
Paraggio barrel medic
Sava snail medic
Ascot barrel medic
George black medic
Indianhead lentil
37.6
33.0
36.3
36.4
34.8
16.7
15.4
16.7
17.4
15.1
21.8
26.1
24.6
26.1
26.0
22.9
Selection 1 berseem clover
Multicut berseem clover
Nitro alfalfa
Hairy vetch
MTBM-5 black medic
36.0
36.5
34.6
40.5
31.8
16.7
15.5
16.0
14.4
22.1
22.5
25.2
Mean
CV(%)
LSD(.05)
35.8
7
3.5
16.6
7
1.7
23.8
8
3.1
25.1
4
1.7