Effects of Legume Leaf Utilization on Overall Grain and Leaf Production.

Legume leaf and grain utilization for human consumption, as well as forage, may be a source of nutritional and harvest versatility that is rare with most other commonly grown vegetables. However, little is known about the potential for leaf harvesting from these crops, the nutritional and health benefits to both humans and animals that accrue to the harvested leaf nutrients and consumption or how plant defoliation would affect overall plant biomass, grain yield and nutritional composition of the leaves. More and better information about these elements would aid production and harvesting decisions.

The 2-year research study involved harvesting 25%, 50% and 75% of upper plant leaves at V₆ (six trifoliate leaves) just before flowering to determine optimum leaf harvesting percentages that will not compromise grain and leaf yield. The results also determined the chemical and nutritional composition of harvested leaves and seed oil-protein concentrations.   Soybean results showed significant differences between the different percentages of leaf harvesting. Plots in which 25% of the leaves were harvested from the plants had the highest yield per hectare. Thus harvesting of 2 leaves from soybean would be recommended. This is elaborate evidence of how leaves can be utilized as leafy vegetables or forage yet not have negative impact on yield but instead higher yield compared soybean plots where no leaves were harvested. The average amount of nitrogen and calcium in the leaves from all plots with different leaf harvesting percentages was found to be the same in the first year of the experiment.