Establishment of Nine Forage Legumes in the Central Great Plains 1

Species used in range seedings must be relatively easy to establish in diverse environments. This study evaluated the ability of nine legumes to emerge and to become established from three depths of planting at five locations in the Central Great Plains. The nine species ( Medicago sativa L., Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop., Vicia tenuifolia Roth., Coronilla varia L., A. stragalus cicer L., A, falcatus Lam., A. galegiformis L., A. striatus Nutt., and an unidentified Astragalus sp.) were seeded in the spring at 1.3‐, 2.5‐, and 3.8.cm depths. Seedling emergence counts were taken in early summer and stand ratings were made in late summer. Seedling emergence was best from the 1.3‐cm depth at all locations except one where the soil was very sandy and the best emergence was from the 2.5‐cm depth. In general, V. tenuifolia, M. sativa, A. falcatus , and O. viciaefolia gave better seedling emergence than the other five species over all depths of planting at all locations. Although V. tenuifolia gave the best average emergence, it is probably not adapted to the sandy soils of the region, because by late summer most plants had died at the two locations with sandy soil. Emergence of A. cicer was relatively poor, but because of its rhizomatous characteristic, the stand of A. cicer was fair to good at the 1.3‐ and 2.5‐cm depths at most locations by late summer. The small‐seeded entries, A. striatus and Astragalus sp., were very sensitive to depth of planting. Seedling emergence of A. striatus was poor at most depths and locations. Emergence of Astragalus sp., however, was fair to excellent at most locations at the 1.3‐cm depth. Emergence of the large‐seeded species, A. galegiformis and C. varia , was poor at all locations.