Farmers looking for ways to increase their profitability while limiting negative environmental consequences will be interested in research underway at Iowa State University.

Experimental plots of Illinois bundleflower*, a native perennial legume, were established in 2003 on an Iowa State research farm west of Ames.

Forage productivity and quality and seed yield were measured in 2004 and 2005. The data collected so far shows Illinois bundleflower, both by itself and in mixtures with cool and warm season grasses, can produce acceptable forage quality and seed yield in central Iowa.

This spring, two demonstration plots are being established on a private farm near Maxwell. The same monitoring used on the experimental plots will be done on the demonstration plots.

A field day will be held in 2007.

This project has three outcomes — scientific evidence of the feasibility of introducing a native legume species into a diverse perennial cropping system in Iowa; information on the management of Illinois bundleflower as a forage and/or grain crop; and increased awareness among producers of the benefits of perennial third crops.

Funding has been provided by the federal Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program and Practical Farmers of Iowa.

Contact
- Charles Brummer, agronomy, (515) 294-1415,
- Valentin Picasso, sustainable agriculture graduate student, (515) 294-6795, or
- Susan Thompson, agriculture communications, (515) 294-0705.

* Desmanthus illinoensis (Michx.) MacM. ex B.L. Robins. & Fern.