Legumes for Resource Conservation Programs

Legumes play a major role in production agriculture and resource conservation. Legumes can serve to enhance conservation tillage systems, improve soil quality, reduce nitrogen requirements on row crop and pasture land, enhance wildlife habitat, enhance pasture and hay land quality and reduce soil erosion in cropland and critical areas.

In parts of the United States, legumes are planted with grasses to improve livestock performance and extend the grazing season.

Perennial native legumes are included in native mixtures to increase species diversity, restore range condition and enhance wildlife habitat. In a perennial grass and legume mixture, legumes not only supply their own nitrogen, but they also supply approximately one third of the nitrogen needs of the grasses growing with them. Other herbaceous legumes are used in critical area planting mixtures to revegetate disturbed sites such as roadsides and surface mined lands.

Legumes released by the plant materials program can be categorized under four major uses: conservation tillage; wildlife habitat; pasture, hay and rangeland; and disturbed site rehabilitation.

Legumes to address resource conservation concerns:

• Conservation Tillage, Green Manure and Cover Crops

• Wildlife Habitat
• Pasture, Hay and Rangeland
• Critical Area Planting