Legume species-specific bacteria form a symbiotic relationship with the legume roots. The resulting nodules contain the bacteria. These bacteria can biologically fix nitrogen (N) from the air, making it available to the plant.

Steps to follow that will help improve your chances for successful forage establishment in the spring.

Frost seeding can be an effective and inexpensive method to improve the quality and quantity of forage.

Following harvest of winter wheat or other small grains, fields are often left fallow. But with more than 40% of the growing season remaining, planting a cover crop may be a good option, says University of Wisconsin Extension.

A no-tiller asks an important question about weed stewardship and what to do when your neighbor uses all his bullets early.

One expected benefit of using legumes as a cover crop is to provide a source of nitrogen (N) to the cropping system, but in certain situations the amount of fixed N may be lower than anticipated, says University of Nebraska Extension.

One of the Agricultural Research Service's more unusual germplasm collections is devoted to Rhizobium, bacteria that form symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationships with soybeans, alfalfa, peanuts, beans, and other legumes to convert nitrogen gas from the air into fertilizer for the plants.

Dormant seedings succeed as long as your soil is relatively dry and soil temperature is too cold for seeds to germinate, says University of Nebraska Extension