increasing green tonnage on Soybeans “Legumes”

We all know that Lugumes (soybeans, clover etc.) produce anywhere from 25-200 lbs of nitrogen per acre per crop year.So we normally use a 9-23-30 low nitrogen fertilizer when planting soybeans for a crop. One thing i have done in small plots of soybeans with heavy grazing pressure is to use a fertilizer with a high nitrogen level. (I know some of you are thinking why would i do this knowing that soybeans will produce their own nitrogen) when you fertilize a soybean plant with nitrogen it will promote leaf and stem growth giving you up to 25% more tonnage per acre giving the deer that much needed protien while they are nursing or growing antlers. there is a downfall… your soybean yeild will suffer because all the nutrients have gone to make greens and not much is left for the pod.
Again keep in mind that crop rotaion is very important as corn will burn 150 lbs per acre per year of nitrogen while soybeans will produce almost that much per year.

Excellent post Bob! I wish I would have known this last year!

Good stuff Bob!

Bob do you inoculate your beans infood plot settings? Also I have read that fertilizeing a first year bean feild is a waste as the plants will not utilize it? What are your thoughs on this? I have a few forage beans/pea/lab lab plots that are about 4 inchs high now when would be the best time for the fert?

I don’t inoculate my soybeans and seem to have had very good results. the only seed i inoculate is clover seed butt only when i buy from the seed company in large quantities. I don’t know how to answer your question about soybeans not being able to utilize fertilizer. I would think that unless your soil test showed that you didn’t need the fertilizer it would benifit the soybeans to fertilize them. I have turned many old pastures and hayfields into food plots and the only real failures were if i seeded to heavy or didn’t fertilize.