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CIDER MILKVETCH
Astragalus cider L., family Leguminosae

Cider milkvetch offers possibilities as a good pasture crop in the irrigated and dryland areas in the Great Plains and Western States. Apparently, it is not grown commercially, although Hafenrichter et al. (1968) considered it superior to alfalfa. Townsend (1970) pointed out that there is a scanty information on this crop.

Plant:

Cider milkvetch is a perennial legume, 2 to 3 feet tall, that spreads by rhizomes. In growth characteristic, it varies from decumbent to prostrate. Like most of the members of Astragalus, it is well adapted to arid conditions (Bleak 1969). Although little work has been done on Astragalus spp., it is known that some species are useful honey plants, whereas other species are poisonous to bees and livestock (McKee and Pieters 1 937).

Inflorescence:

The typical papilionaceous flowers of yellow or purple are in axillary racemes or heads with many ovules. At Fort Collins, Colo., flowering occurs during June and July (Townsend 1970).

Pollination Requirements:

Townsend (1971a) reported good seed-set on open-pollinated cicer milkvetch plants at Fort Collins but obtained no seed from 1,400 non- manipulated florets on plants in a growth chamber (1971b). Those that were manipulated set 5.29 seeds per raceme, whereas the open-pollinated racemes set 100 to 300 seeds each. In personal communication (1971), Townsend stated that in his opinion little seed would be set on A. cicer in the field without insect pollinators.

The Gifu (Japan) Agricultural Experiment Station (1954) conducted a test on the value of honey bees in the pollination and seed setting of a species referred to as A. sinensis. Seed production in cages where bees were excluded was only about 70 lb/acre; in cages with honey bees it was almost doubled, 130 lb/acre, and in open plots, 980 lb/acre. The reason for the great difference between caged and open plots was likely due to the cage effect. The relation between the pollination requirements of A. cicer and A. sinensis is not clear.

If A. cicer develops into a crop of importance, its need for and importance of insect pollination should be established.

Pollinators:

Honey bees appear to be satisfactory pollinators of A. sinensis. Their value on A. cicer is unknown but should be determined.

Pollination Recommendations and Practices:

None.

LITERATURE CITED:

BLEAK, A. T.
1969. GROWTH AND YIELD OF LEGUMES IN MIXTURES WITH GRASSES ON A MOUNTAIN RANGE. Jour. Range Mangt. 21: 259 - 261.

GIFU AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION [JAPAN].
1954. [HONEYBEES AND THE SEED PRODUCTION OF CHINESE MILK VETCH.] Gifu Agr. Expt. Sta., 11 pp. [In Japanese.] AA-66/59.

HAFENRICHTER, A. L., SCHWENDIMAN, J. L., HARRIS, H. L., and others.
1968. GRASSES AND LEGUMES FOR S0IL CONSERVATION IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND GREAT BASIN STATES. U.S. Dept. Agr. Agr. Handb. 339, 69 pp.

McKEE, R., and PIETERS, A. J.
1937. MISCELLANEOUS FORAGE AND COVERCROP LEGUMES. U.S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook 1937: 999 - 1031. TOWNSEND. C. E. 1970. PHENOTYPIC DIVERSITY FOR AGRONOMIC CHARACTERS IN ASTRAGALUS CICER L. Crop Sci. 10: 691-692.

______ 1971a. ASSOCIATION AMONG CHARACTERS RELATED TO SEED PRODUCTION IN ASTRAGALUS CICER L. Crop Sci. 11: 307-308.

______ 1971b. SELF-COMPATIBILITY STUDIES WITH ASTRAGALUS CICER L. Crop Sci. 11: 769 - 770.

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