Yield potential and forage quality of annual forage legumes in southern Alberta and northeast Saskatchewan

Abstract

There is limited information on the adaptability of small and medium-seeded annual legumes in Western Canadian cropping systems. Pea (Pisum spp.), vetch (Vicia, Lathyrus spp.), medic (Medicago spp.), alfalfa (Medicago spp.), berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), arrowleaf clover (T. vesiculosum L.), Persian clover (T. resupinatum L.), balansa clover [T. michelianum Savi. var. balansae (Boiss.) Azn.], rose clover (T. hirtum All.), crimson clover (T. incarnatum L.) and black lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) were grown at Lethbridge and Brooks, Alberta, and at Melfort and Nipawin, Saskatchewan over a 2 or 3 yr period to assess their forage yield potential under irrigation and dryland conditions. Measurements included plant height, stand establishment, flowering date, forage yield and forage quality. Peas, winter and hairy vetch, and berseem clover were the top yielding species across locations (5452–6532 kg ha-1). Berseem clover, hairy vetch, winter vetch, Nitro alfalfa, and Persian clover yielded in excess of 9000 kg ha-1 under irrigation at Brooks. Hairy and winter vetches, Magnus pea, chickling vetch (Lathyrus sativus L.) and berseem clover yielded over 4300 kg ha-1 in dryland and rainfed locations at Lethbridge, Melfort and Nipawin. These entries had an upright growth habit, established quickly and were normally harvested twice. Crude protein concentration and yields were higher in legumes at irrigated locations in Alberta than rainfed locations in central Saskatchewan. Burr medic at the Brooks irrigated location produced the highest crude protein yield of 2495 kg ha-1. Berseem clover, Persian clover, Nitro alfalfa, hairy and winter vetches show promise as legumes in short term rotations, as green manures and intercrops for increasing forage quality in silage or late season grazing in Western Canada. Key words: Medicago, Trifolium, Vicia, Pisum, Lens, forage yield, forage quality