Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T05:28:09.738Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Legumes: Their potential role in agricultural production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

James F. Power
James F. Power
Affiliation:
Soil Scientist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0915.
Get access

Abstract

The energy crisis of the late 1970's has raised the question of the wisdom of depending upon fertilizer nitrogen as the primary source of N input into crop production systems. While present and past price structures have favored fertilizer-N over biologically fixed N, there are a number of other benefits of legumes in a cropping system in addition to their effects on N availability. Among these are less potential for environmental degradation and improved soil physical conditions and water relations, but it is difficult to assign economic value to many such benefits. In addition to the economics of the present price structure, disadvantages of using legumes could include reduced total production and increased need for livestock in a farming enterprise (these could be considered assets from some aspects). Legumes are presently used in shortterm rotation, such as corn-soybean, or in continuous corn with a legume winter cover crop. These systems are finding widespread use and offer the producer many benefits, as well as helping to solve several major environmental problems associated with N use in agriculture.

Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 2 , Issue 2 , Spring 1987 , pp. 69 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Cook, R. J. 1984. Root health: Importance and relationship to farming practices. In Bezdicek, D. F. (ed.) Organic farming. Amer. Soc. Agron. Spec. Publ. No. 46, Madison, Wisconsin, pp. 111–127.Google Scholar
2.Egunjobi, O. A. 1984. Effects of intercropping maize with grain legumes and fertilizer treatments on populations of Protylenchus penetrans Godfrey (Nematoda) and on the yield of maize (Zea mays L.). Protection Ecol. 6:153–167.Google Scholar
3.Fahad, A. A., Mielke, L. N., Flowerday, A. D., and Swartzendruber, D.. 1982. Soil physical properties as affected by soybeans and other cropping sequences. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 46:377–381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Haas, H. J., and Evans, C. E.. 1957. Nitrogen and carbon changes in Great Plains soils as influenced by soil treatments. USDA Tech. Bui. 1164. 216 pp.Google Scholar
5.Hargrove, W. L. 1986. Winter legumes as a nitrogen source for no-till grain sorghum. Agron. J. 78:70–74.Google Scholar
6.Hargrove, W. L., Boswell, F. C., and Langdale, G. W. (eds.). 1985. Proceedings of the 1985 Southern Region No-Till Conference. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. 247 pp.Google Scholar
7.Heichel, G. H. 1987. Legumes as a source of nitrogen in conservation tillage. In J. F. Power (ed.) Role of legumes in conservation tillage. Soil Cons. Soc. Amer., Ankeny, Iowa (In press).Google Scholar
8.Hesterman, O. B., Shaeffer, C. C., Barnes, D. K., Lueschen, W. E., and Ford, J. H.. 1986. Alfalfa dry matter and nitrogen production, and fertilizer nitrogen response in legume-corn rotations. Agron. J. 78:19–23.Google Scholar
9.Hoyt, G. D., and Hargrove, W. H.. 1986. Legume cover crops for improving crop and soil management in the southern United States. Hort. Sci. 21:397–402.Google Scholar
10.Langer, D. K., and Randall, G. W.. 1981. Corn production as influenced by previous crop and N rate. Agron. Abstr., Amer. Soc. Agron., Madison, Wisconsin, p. 182.Google Scholar
11.Mielke, L. N., and Schepers, J. S.. 1986. Plant response to topsoil thickness on an eroded loess soil. J. Soil and Water Cons. 41:59–63.Google Scholar
12.Power, J. F., Doran, J. W., and Wilhelm, W. W.. 1986. Uptake of nitrogen from soil, fertilizer, and crop residues by no-till corn and soybeans. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 50:137–142.Google Scholar
13.Power, J. F., and Follett, R. F.. 1987. Monocultures: Advantages, limitations, and alternatives. Scientific Amer. 256(3):78–86.Google Scholar
14.Power, J. F., and Papendick, R. I.. 1985. Organic sources of nutrients. In Engelstad, O. P. (ed.) Fertilizer technology and use, third edition. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer., Madison, Wisconsin, pp. 503–520.Google Scholar
15.Voss, R. D., and Shrader, W. D.. 1984. Rotation effects and legume sources of nitrogen for corn. In Bezdicek, D. F. (ed.) Organic farming. Amer. Soc. Agron. Spec. Publ. No. 46, Madison, Wisconsin, pp. 61–68.Google Scholar