Annual Medic Forage and Seed Evaluations for the Semiarid Regions of the Great Plains

Abstract

Annual medics (Medicago spp.) may have forage potential in the southern Great Plains. Twenty-two accessions selected from 1231 total accessions were evaluated for freeze tolerance, forage production, nutritive value, flowering date, seed production, and hard seed percentage. Selected accessions exhibiting these desirable characteristics from Tifton burr medic [M. rigidula (L.) All.], rigid medic (M. rigiduloides E. Small), button medic [M. orbicularis (L.) Bartal], and little burr medic [M. minima (L.) Bartal] were evaluated at Vernon, TX, and Ardmore, OK. Dry matter (DM) yields ranged from 2189 to 3866 lb/acre, and nutritive values were considered high quality for all classes of livestock. Seed yield averaged across years ranged from 291 to 529 lb seed/acre, which should be adequate for self-regeneration. Percent hard seed ranged from 11 to 75%. Based on DM yield, seed yield, and hard seed percentage, button medics may be best suited to produce adequate forage, regenerate, and persist in the southern Great Plains.