Kinman Guar: Noble Cover Crop Series

Kinman Guar is a legume that is better adapted to salty or high pH soils than other legumes. It tends to be a little slow to germinate and establish a stand, but, once it gets established, it is hardy and heat- and drought-tolerant. Guar is typically grown for the seeds, which are crushed to make guar gum for industrial uses. Guar is typically grown in the Middle East but has been grown as a crop in southwestern Oklahoma and North Texas. Seeding rate was 22 pounds per acre.

These plots were drill planted in 7.5 inch rows in a no-till seedbed on a Heiden clay soil May 15, 2017, at the Noble Research Institute Headquarters Farm in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Planting depth was about 1.5 inches. Seed was placed on top of soil moisture, and 2.33 inches of rain fell over the next three days. No fertilizers, insecticides or herbicides were applied to this crop. Rainfall was below average after establishment.

The Noble Research Institute is testing dozens of cover crop species with potential to help build soil health in the Southern Great Plains. This series features the cover crops we’ve grown on our Headquarters Farm in southern Oklahoma. These videos explore our results on establishment and growth, ground cover potential, and weed control for each crop.