Crop Rotation Plan: Legume Species for Soil and Wildlife

This report outlines a detailed plan for legume crop rotation, emphasizing the benefits of using legumes to improve soil fertility and create wildlife habitats. It begins by explaining the role of legumes in nitrogen fixation, a symbiotic relationship that enriches the soil. The rationale for selecting legumes is provided, highlighting their ability to provide food and cover for wildlife, improve soil health, and suppress weeds. The report then delves into the planning phase, including considerations for site selection, soil characteristics, and preparation. It discusses the selection of appropriate legume species based on factors like wildlife needs and desired habitat. The report also covers season timing for planting, inoculation of seeds, and various seeding methods. Furthermore, it explores organic methods for soil fertility improvement, such as the use of animal waste and cover crops. Companion crops and legume maintenance practices, including mowing, are also discussed. Finally, the report includes an appendix with a table summarizing warm-season legume species, their characteristics, and preferred conditions.

Legume plots crop rotation plan
Overview
Legumes family species have the ability of removing nitrogen from air and
transforming into usable form by the plants in the soil. Legumes are known to fix nitrogen
using Rhizobium bacteria. Some of the examples of legumes that can be used in the farms are
Clovers, alfalfa, soybeans or vetch. The process of nitrogen fixation in the soil is referred to
as symbiotic relationship. Rhizobium bacteria are key in providing the nitrogen while the
legume itself gives the bacteria enough carbohydrates and energy source, (Athanase et al,
2013).
Forage legumes are known to provide an addition of 50-100 lb/acre of nitrogen into the
soil. It possesses a high nutritive value due to its ability to be digested and having high
protein, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus content. Over seeding in warm season perennial
grass and cool season ensures an extension in the growing season and thus reduces cost and
labour linked with winter feeding. On the other end cool season legumes and grass provide
spring weed control through the usage of plant competition techniques which minimises the
use of herbicides and mowing, thus reducing costs, (Ampofo & Massomo, 1998).
Rationale for selection
Establishment and decision to introduce legumes as part of crop rotation scheme is an
effective way of ensuring that there is provision of food and cover nesting for wild life and
most importantly to improve soil fertility of the soil. Legumes have been found to be rich in
highly absorbable sources of protein and green browse. Legumes are good in harbouring
insects which are essential in ensuring that good protein for both the birds and non birds
animals in the farm. The characteristic growth further provides effective intercrop cover of
grounds which are bare. Legumes grow in early spring, when the grasses are in dormant state,
thus providing additional food resources after the elapse of most food sources.
Further legumes improve soil fertility through their ability to incorporate more nitrogen
in the soil. Many legumes are often tolerable to drought as they have deep roots, which is key
in ensuring that soil erosion is minimised. They further suppress weeds and add additional
organic matter into the soil. Legumes further can be essential when used as cover crops.
Winter annual planted legumes often produce high biomass content and increased nitrogen in
spring season. They are planted earlier than any other cereal crops which offer good survival
in winter. Depending on the climatic conditions, spring management in legumes crop
management offers a balancing act of cash crops which offers more time in allowing more
biomass and high nitrogen content, (Bartlett, 2008).
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Biennial legumes on the other hand offer an opportunity to fit in many different niches.
They can suit short season growth in between cash crops. These forages are essential in as
they can be used for more time in a year. Summer annual legumes incorporate the use of
winter annual crops which can include warm season legumes like cowpeas. They can be
grown in summer; they provide good source of nitrogen and provide good grounds cover for
erosion of weeds control. Its establishment and care is often dependent on the climatic
condition, the cropping system and the type of legume itself, (Allen, Sigh & Dalal, 2011).
Finally legumes are generally lower in carbon and produces higher amounts of
nitrogen. The reduced ration of C:N ensures that there is faster breakdown of legumes
residues. The nitrogen contained in legumes residues often undergoes faster release.
Planning phase
Legumes have specified requirements which need adherence. For production of
effective legume farm, the following critical questions should be used as baseline;
i) Where do we want to place our legumes farms
- Legumes planting provide an effective transition zone in between the
habitats available. The farm often gives an opportunity for provision of
food production, nest cover and weather protection
ii) Consideration of soil characteristics is critical towards ensuring drainage of fertility
and ph of the soil.
o Best critical agronomy decision to incur at this phase is to conduct soil
tests. This will be done through random sampling of soil in the farm.
o Soils that are dark or grey in colour have poor drainage, while brown soil,
yellow or red has good drainage.
Site preparation
Site preparation is key in legumes preparation; it can be done at the beginning or at the
end of food farm. Before seeding process, it is essential to ensure that any competing
vegetation has been removed from the farm. Various methods do exist for controlling present
vegetation through herbicides application and tillage.
Its seedbed preparation require fine and firm seedbed which allows for successful
germination to be implemented. Rolling the soil is essential before the planting process and
yields better establishment. Till drills cannot offer seed to soil contact and other compartment
related issued, however any seeding method used can entail to ¼ or ½ inch depth of seedbed
hole.
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Legume selection
Selection of appropriate legume for the farm is dependent on the wildlife species and
the desired habitat for the farm. Various legumes have different drainage systems with
differences in pH, soil fertility preference, drought tolerance and impact of growth on warm
or cool environment. Thus for this reason, there is need to seed more than one variety of
legumes seed in different plots on the farm so as to increase longetivity, success , nutrient and
increase value diversification of the plants, (Laker, 2005).
Season timing
Spring planting
Seed planting in the spring allows for more moisture and production of higher yielding
seeding in the year. Early planting of the legumes will be key in the growth development
phase before the onset of hot dry weather. Planting with good seed bed will be key for good
growth.
Late summer
Seeding in the late summer can lead to fewer seeding problems, however it can be
followed with different crop and this will impact on time and labour application in the spring
time. The success of planting late summer seeds often depends on getting adequate rainfall. It
is geared to be beneficial when applied in the field for one or two months before planting
season.
Seeding phase
Inoculation of legumes should be mixed well using proper fresh rhizobium inoculums
before the onset of planting. Pre inoculation requires treatment, small cost and time
management is key to ensuring seed treatment with inoculums. It is crucial for effective
nitrogen fixation on the legume itself, (Reid, Ferguson & Gressholf, 2011).
For this farm, this practice is essential as no other legumes have been planted here.
Inoculated seeds can be bought with already mixed inoculants, however if no inoculation has
not been implemented, there is need for purchase of the inoculants mix and prepare the seed
bed well enough. Inoculants time have variations depending on the type of legume to be
sown. Usage of proper inoculants is key for the legumes, (Morton, 2010).
Three types of seeding method are available; that is no till drilling, broadcasting tiling
and conventional tilling. Till drilling cannot be used in spring or fall areas where vegetation
has been destroyed using herbicide. No drilling method is applicable when converting grass
land to a legume farm or during the inter seeding of legumes from an existing wheat farm.
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Conventional drilling is applicable during the fall or spring on lands which have bare ground
and is applicable in areas of tillage application. This technique is prevalently being used in
the fall seeding sites that had been applied intercropping in the previous growing seasons,
(Kumwenda et al, 1996).
Till and conventional drilling done in the fall don’t allow seeding to have minimal
contact with less minimal moisture. In other case legume seeds are planted to a depth of 1/8th
inches deep. Broad casting method is key in ensuring more usage of seeds and development
of a good stand. It can be done physically by use of hands, spreader placed on the back of
pick car. Broadcasting is essential used on seeding on bare ground or placed having very light
cover crops. It is carried out in January till end of March to take key advantage of the frost
cover. Frost seeding application is key in ensuring seeding to work into the soil by utilizing
freezing and thawing methods. However application of these need to be done with caution, as
it should allow for slight dragging, harrowed seed land or disked farm to allow good seed
contact, (Bhatia et al, 2006).
Organic methods for soil fertility improvements
The soil management aspect in the farm is geared to retrieve the lost soil nutrients from
the soil. Thus in order to improve the farms nutrient soil quality, organic soil approaches will
be employed. Instead of applying harmful substances such as fertilizer and lime to the soil,
organic methods will be employed so as to ensure that focus of the organic farm is geared
towards enhancing and increasing health of the soil. A practical approach will be the use of
animal waste bacteria to keep the nutrients in the soil which ensures that soil remains
nutritive.
Nitrogen application is not necessary in establishment of legumes. This application is a
hindrance on nitrogen fixation to legumes seeding and cause more competitive growth of
other weeds or plants on the farm. Application of cover crops and green manure techniques
will ensure that the soil fertility is replenished. Further crop residues will be applied to the
farm by ploughing back to the soil which ensures that nutrients are degenerated to the soil.
Further another approach of improving soil fertility to employ is the use animal manures. The
animal bacteria in the animal waste play key role in ensuring that there is break down of the
waste into productive nutrients employed by the manure and improves the arability of the
soil.
Companion crops
Planting of companion crops or nursing crops is key in ensuring that there is weed
control on the plants and proving high quality forage supplementation. However when they
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put perennial forage in a risky state, the can pose detrimental effects on the farm profitability.
Growth of small grain crops in the farm and attempting perennial forage is not a risky
practice.
Alfafa grass can be applied on the farm as companion crops. Small grains are effective
in ensuring that there is weed control and should be harvested early enough to provide quality
forage content. Small grains planting is effective in controlling the weed when planted before
May 1, harvesting of small grain crops needs to be undertaken before heading to give
adequate forage quality. Harvestation of the small grains later past maturity stage provides
beef storage, (Duc et al, 2011).
Legume maintenance
Legumes intercropping management is key to offer an opportunity to engage the farmer
on principles of diversification. Plants spatial, planting rates and maturity dates are key
parameters in planting legumes. Intercropping are beneficial in and offer productive produce
as well enriching the soil. Various forms of intercropping can be applied, which can include,
intercropping, strip cropping and traditional intercropping models. Key benefit is the
management of west and weeds control due to the diversification nature of the farm.
During the mowing period of used as part of management scheme, mowing can be done
once per year, lets say after August 1st and when the legume shave been placed. This gives
room for seed generation and mower dispersal. However depending on the legume selection,
mowing estimates of 6-8 inches is effective, too low mowing produces excess plant litter and
this could have an effect on existing plants.
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Appendix A
Warm season legumes species
key ; D-dry, WD-well drain, SPD- somewhat poor drain, PD- poorly drained, W- wet
B- broad casting , D- drilling rate, M-planted mix rate with other legumes.
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Species type Characteristics and
principal users Selected
Soil pH Moisture
tolerability
Drought
tolerability
Winter
preference
Seeding arte Period and
time
Annual laspedeza Good in low shade tolerance
Nesting and cover rooting
3.3-6.2 Wd-SPD fair - B 15-20
D9-12
M2-6
2/1-5/1
Soy beans annual Low shade tolerability
Food forage
6.2-6.8 WD-SPD Fair none B45-60
D30-45
5/1-7/1
Cow peas Moderate shade tolerance
preference
3.8-6.5 WD-SPD Fair - B 15-30
D 12-16
M 6-8
5/1-7/1
Patridge pea Moderate shade tolerability 5.5-7.0 D-WD fair - B 20-30
D 15-25
M 5-8
5/1-7/1
Marlon
Lespedeza
Low shade tolerance 5.3-6.2 WD-SPD Fair none B15-20
D 8-12
M 2-6
2/1-7/1

Appendix II
Cool season legume crops species
Species type Characteristics and principal
users Selected
Soil pH Moisture
tolerability
Drought
tolerability
Winter
preference
Seeding rate Period and
time
Alfafa Moderate shade tolerance 6.6-7.2 Wd good perfect B 15-20
D 12-15
M 4-6
3/1-5/1
Red clover Low shade tolerability
Food forage
6.2-6.8 WD-MD Fair Good B45-60
D30-45
1/1-5/1
Sweet clover Low shade tolerance
preference
6.8-7.2 D-WD Good Good B 8-12
D 6-10
M 3-6
2/1-5/1
Ladino clover
species
Low shade tolerability 6.0-6.5 WD-PD Poor Fair B 4-8
D -2-6
M 1-3
1/1-5/1
Alsike clover Low shade tolerance 6.0-6.5 WD-PD Fair good B 6-10
D 4-8
M 2-4
2/1-7/1
Key ; D-dry, WD-well drain, SPD- somehat poor drain, PD- poorly drainage, W- wet
B- broad casting , D- drilling rate, M-planted mix rate with other legumes.
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