Fenugreek: Possible Future Forage Option

By Karen Lee, Managing Editor
Thursday, October 4, 2007 6:44 AM CDT

Fenugreek

There may be a new option on the horizon for anyone wanting to plant a quick forage crop after their alfalfa field fails early in the season. Mike Bertram at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station studied an annual legume called fenugreek this summer to find its potential for Wisconsin.

The name fenugreek translates to "Greek hay," he explained at a summer field day, noting its origin in the East Mediterranean and India.

It is known as the world's oldest medicinal plant and has been known to lower blood sugar and cholesterol. Overseas it has been used as a spice, dye, pharmaceutical, health food and flavoring similar to maple.

Fenugreek was first introduced to Western Canada in 1992 where 350 acres are currently seeded with it.

The plant grows 1 to 2 1/2 feet tall and is low in starch and high in dietary fiber. It takes 105 to 140 days to reach maturity and thrives in full sun and rich, well-drained soils. It grows best in temperatures between 46 and 80 degrees. It has also adapted to dry land and has been shown to respond to irrigation.

Bertram said he'd anticipate fenugreek becoming a part of short-term crop rotations. For example, if an alfalfa field is killed out early, fenugreek would be put in for one year before corn.

As a legume, fenugreek will fix nitrogen and responds to phosphorus and potassium if the field doesn't already have high enough levels.

Since 1992, five different varieties have been released out of Canada. They are Amber, Quatro, Canagreen, Canafen and Tristar.

Bertram said it's best to plant in early May. He recommended 7-inch row spacing, 5-6 plants per foot and 1-1 1/2 inches deep on light, well-drained soil. A seedbed similar to other pulse crops, like soybeans, he said.

Control issues

With this quick emerging plant, it is difficult to control weeds. He suggested selecting a clean field for the crop because there currently are no herbicides labeled for use on fenugreek. Hand weeding is another option.

As for diseases watch for pythium, rhizoctonia, fusarium, Cercospora leaf spot and powdery mildew.

Bertram said the plots this summer did get hit hard with potato leafhoppers. Because his test plots were not going into food or feed he sprayed an insecticide not labeled for this particular use and saw a crop response after spraying, indicting the leafhoppers' effect on the crop. He also suspects aphids may be a pest for fenugreek.

Harvest

If you're harvesting for seed, it should be done after the first hard frost. For forage, harvest after the first leaf loss, he said. Fenugreek maintains its quality after bloom, which occurs 12 to 16 weeks after it is planted. Its dry matter yield is equal to two cuttings of alfalfa and is at 16 to 18 percent protein.

"It's just a single planting crop," Bertram said. "There's some regrowth, but not enough for a second cutting."

Feeding

In feeding trials to steers, fenugreek was comparable to alfalfa. There was more nitrogen released in the rumen with fenugreek and Bertram sees it as a "niche as a high quality legume."

A steroidal compound biosgenin found in fenugreek is known to increase growth rate in cattle. Plus, its oxytocin-like activity improves milk letdown.

Yields

Fenugreek yields from test plots in 2006 were as follows:

* May 5 plant date - DM 0.67; CP 12.2; ADF 35.8; NDF 47.1; DNFd 38; TDN 43.4

* May 29 plant date - DM 0.72; CP 16.9; ADF 33; NDF 49.7; DNFd 35.4; TDN 43.7

* June 26 plant date - DM 1.43; CP 18.5; ADF 35.9; NDF 45.4; DNFd 46.7; TDN 54.6

His 2007 plots have been harvested, but Bertram hasn't been able to run the data yet. He reported the potato leafhoppers and drought this summer will certainly affect yields and he suspects the plants may have had Cercospora leaf spot although he didn't send it in for testing.

Bertram said he'd like to do one more trial with fenugreek next year on a lighter, sandier soil in hopes of better yields.

"Right now it doesn't have potential" as a short term legume fix, he said, adding there are too many issues with seed availability, herbicides and insect control. It is still an option for the future, "if we can work out the kinks."

It may also have organic potential, if the available seed would meet regulation requirements.

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