The potential role of annual forage legumes in Canada: A review

Abstract

The need to reduce agricultural input costs while increasing soil fertility has prompted researchers to look for alternative crop production systems that include N fixing crops. Annual legumes can be used in rotations as forages and green manure crops to increase the organic matter and N content of soils and provide soil cover to control erosion and weeds. Despite the benefits of annual legumes, high production costs and scarcity of seed has hindered their use.