WIS229 FORAGES - LEGUME 02/26/1990 08:01 AM D1 332 Lines Agriculture Science/Production Management Forages - Legume (10-20 days) This unit deals with legume forages. Topics include career opportunities; importance, distribution, and characteristics of legumes; soil and climatic requirements; seed selection; culture; management; diseases; insects; and plant quality. Objectives To acquaint students with employment information and career opportunities in the legume forage industry To help students evaluate the feed value of various forages To provide students with guidelines for selecting appropriate leguminous forage species and varieties given soil and climatic conditions To instruct students in how to identify leguminous forages common to the area To develop student understanding of proven management practices for raising leguminous hay crops To increase student understanding of the various uses of leguminous forages To help students recognize and treat disease and insect problems affecting leguminous hay crops To acquaint students with the various methods for harvesting leguminous crops To acquaint students with ways to reduce the risks of winterkill in leguminous crops To give students opportunities to examine ways to use forage analysis data to increase leguminous forage value Competencies At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to explain current employment information such as job descriptions, job availability, personal and educational requirements, working conditions, opportunity for advancement and other factors relative to employment in the leguminous forage industry and relate it to their personal needs and aspirations; contrast the plant characteristics of legumes grown in the area; examine the suitability of commonly grown leguminous crops for hay, pasture, silage, and green manure; discuss the varieties of legumes available to area farmers; select varieties of the various species of legumes with the best performance potential for the area; calculate correct seeding rates of the various legumes; discuss the climatic and soil requirements of legumes; discuss management practices that result in high yields and longevity of the crop; compare the protein content and yield of legumes and nonlegumes; demonstrate knowledge of the procedure of and benefits from innoculating legumes; describe the characteristics of a good seedbed; list and compare advantages of different seeding methods; explain the reasons for depth of seeding for different legumes; explain the fertility needs of the crop; describe the symptoms and measures used in controlling the diseases of leguminous hay crops; explain recommended management practices; describe the different methods of harvesting; contrast harvesting methods of legume crops; discuss the characteristics of leguminous crops, the damage insects cause and effective control measures; list and explain the causes and practices that can be used to reduce winterkill; and demonstrate awareness of the up-to-date forage analysis. Subject Matter (Basic skills integration areas are shown in brackets following title.) Careers - Current and future employment needs - Job descriptions - Training requirements - Working conditions - Opportunities for advancement - Other factors Importance and distribution - Origin of the crop - Area where grown - Present acreage and trends - Reasons for its popularity - Disadvantages of each species of legumes - Species common to local area Soil and climate requirements [Science] - Fertility needs - Type of soil, depth, drainage, sensitivity to acid - Range of climatic conditions - Moisture requirements Selecting the seed [Science] - Varieties of each legume species - Varietal differences with respect to yield, habit of growth, quality of hay, and resistance to cold, drought, and disease - Origin of seed and its importance - Characteristics of certified seed Culture of legumes [Mathematics, Science] - Reasons for innoculating legumes - Preparation of the seedbed Characteristics of a good seedbed Implements to use in preparing the seedbed - Soil acidity, its affect on the establishment and yields of legumes - Proper pH level and materials to use for correcting acidity - Soil sampling and testing - Kind and amount of fertilizer to apply - The importance of trace elements - Methods and time of sowing - Rate and depth of sowing - Plant food deficiency symptoms - Methods of harvesting and maintaining crop quality Management of legumes - Hay production - number of cuttings and when to cut - Plant maturity relationships - Pasture production - time and extent of grazing - Reducing the danger of bloat - The fertility program and its relationship to yield and longevity of stands - Winterkill - its causes and the management practices used to reduce losses Diseases [Science] - Types - Cause - Symptoms - Prevention - Control measures Insects [Science] - Characteristics of the insect - Method of injuring the plant - Symptoms of the injured plant - Control measures Forage Quality - Characteristics of high quality forage - Visual examination for quality factors - Infrared forage testing Motivational Activities Take field trips to local farms and test trial plots. Post bulletin board displays or create charts depicting the ways in which legumes are beneficial to the soil. View films, videotapes, and slides on topics related to this unit. Instructional Materials Participate in a Supervised Agricultural Experience program. Collect, identify, and prepare mounts of: - leguminous plant, leaf, root, and seed specimens; - leguminous plants damaged by insects; and - diseased legume plants. Conduct germination tests on legume seeds. Collect, prepare, and send samples of the following to a forage laboratory for evaluation: - hay - haylage - silage Textbooks and References Approved Practices in Crop Production by Elwood A. Brickbauer and William P. Mortenson. 2nd ed. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1978. Available from National Farm Book Company. Crop Production by Richard Delorit and Louis Greub. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1984. Available from National Farm Book Company. Crop Production: Principles and Practices by Darrel S. Metcalfe and Donald M. Elkins. 4th ed. New York: Macmillan, 1984. Forages by Maurice E. Heath et al. 3rd ed. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press, 1973. Producing Farm Crops by Lester V. Boone et al. 3rd ed. Danville, IL: Interstate, 1981. Available from National Farm Book Company. Bulletins and Pamphlets The following are available from the Cooperative Extension Service. Alfalfa Analyst. A2417. Alfalfa Diseases I & II. A700601, A7800602. Alfalfa for Beef Cows. A8MOAFBC. Characteristics of Forage Legumes and Grasses. A2906. A Complete Forage Plan for Wisconsin Livestock. A2550. Forage Tests and Computerized Balanced Rations Really Pay. A7780109. Managing Manure on Alfalfa. A3336. Winter Injury to Forages. A2905. The following are available from the Minnesota Extension Service. Alfalfa Disease in the Midwest. AG-BU-1925. 1984. Alfalfa Verticillium Wilt. AG-FS-2027. 1983. The following is available from the Ohio Agricultural Education Curriculum Materials Service. Approved Practices of Forage Production. 111X. Pennsylvania Instructional Materials Service, 1978. Periodicals Hoard's Dairyman Ford New Holland News (formerly Sperry New Holland News) Wisconsin Agriculturist Computer Software The following is available from Agri-Education, Inc. Forage Management. Apple. The following is available from Control Data. Forage Crop Production. IBM. The following is available from Hobar Publications. Grasses and Legumes and Related Review. Apple, IBM, TRS, Macintosh. The following is available from Mid States Agri-Technology Associates, Ltd. Micro-Tutor: Forage Production. Apple. On-line Computer Networks The following are available from Ag Ed Network, AgriData Resources, Inc. Computers for Crop Management. HS214 Computers for Crop Production. HS212. Computers to Keep Crop Records. HS213. Hay/Forage Marketing Decisions. HS363. Labor Needs: Crop Enterprise. HS138. Method of Alfalfa Harvest. CSU341. Films, Videotapes, and Slides The following is available from the Bureau of Audio Visual Instruction. Alfalfa Scouting in the Upper Midwest. 11347 (VHS videotape, color, 13 minutes). University of Wisconsin, Department of Agricultural Journalism, 1987. The following are available from Hobar Publications. Crop, Hay, and Silage Judging. D3 (53 slides with cassette, 19 minutes). Legume Crops. D26 (115 slides). Seedling Identification of Legume Plants. D6 (24 slides with cassette, 15 minutes). The following is available from Photocom. Forage Crop Harvest and Storage. 30-753 (VHS videotape, 45 minutes). The following are available from Teaching Aids, Inc. Forage Crop Production: Seeding and Establishing Forage Crops. CD15400751 (VHS videotape, 45 minutes). Managing the Established Crop: Harvest, Storage, and Management - Parts I and II. CD15400752 (Part I, VHS videotape, 40 minutes) and CD15400753 (Part II, VHS videotape, 45 minutes) The following are available from Vocational Agriculture Services. Diseases of Alfalfa. 113X (42-frame color filmstrip with script). 1978. Diseases of Clovers. 114X (40-frame color filmstrip with script ). 1978. Equipment and Facilities Variety of forage samples