Life Sciences Commons^™

Reducing Tick Populations Through Prescribed Burning, Andrea Salazar, Herman Griese, Victoria Pickens, Cassandra Olds

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:Explore the effect of prescribed fire on tick population dynamics in the Kansas Flint Hills.

Study Description:Ticks were collected from spring (April), summer (August), or fall (September) burned pastures as well as control, unburned areas. Burning had been carried out for four consecutive years prior to this study. Tick populations were sampled every other week from March to August using material dragging and dry ice bait sampling methods. Tick species, sex, and life stage were identified morphologically and the total numbers for each burn treatment were calculated.

The Bottom Line:Consecutive burning of grazing pasture could be considered …

The Effects Of Seasonal Prescribed Burning On Flint Hills Dung Beetle (Scarabaeinae) Populations, Herman Griese, Andrea Salazar, Victoria Pickens, Cassandra Olds

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:This study aimed to determine if the season of prescribed burning impacted dung beetle communities on pastures grazed by cattle in the Flint Hills.

Study Description:Dung beetle populations at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker unit were sampled biweekly for three months over the summer grazing period to determine if beetle populations varied between spring, summer, or fall burned pastures.

Results:At least eight species of dung beetles were identified with a total of 8,646 dung beetles collected. Dung beetle populations were not different (P>0.05) between spring, summer, and fall burned pastures although peak beetle populations …

Critical Soil Health Parameters To Improve Crop Production, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Bruno C. Pedreira, Carlos B. Pires

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil health is a critical determinant of plant performance. This manuscript describes how the physical, chemical, and biological components within the soil interact to create good soil health. Soil structure is important to provide support for plants, nutrient and water cycling, decreased compaction, and more efficient carbon storage. Measurements of soil properties are presented that can be done in the field on any soil.

Annual Summary Of Weather Data For Parsons - 2022, Matthew Sittel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This report includes the annual summary of precipitation and temperatures from 2022 at the research locations represented in the 2023 Southeast Research and Extension Center Agricultural Research Report.

Effect Of Defoliation At Different Stages On Grain Sorghum, K. L. Roozeboom, B. Owuoche

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Loss of leaf area usually results in yield loss in grain crops, but the amount of yield loss varies with extent and timing of defoliation. Grass crops, such as corn and grain sorghum, are particularly sensitive to leaf area loss near the time of seed set because there is little opportunity for the plant to compensate. An experiment to quantify yield reductions associated with various levels of defoliation imposed at different stages of grain sorghum development was conducted at Manhattan, KS, in 2022. Target defoli­ations of 0, 33, 66, and 100% were imposed at 5-leaf, flag-leaf-appearance, half-bloom, and hard-dough stages. …

Weaning Method Evaluation For Beef Cattle, Jaymelynn K. Farney

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Weaning is a stressful event for calves. Various management practices have been suggested to reduce weaning stress. The purpose of this study was to evaluate three different weaning management practices on calf gains at weaning. Eighty-eight bull and heifer calves were assigned to one of three weaning treatments at two research locations. The weaning management options were abrupt weaning, fence-line weaning, and use of a nose-flap weaning device. Calves were weighed at the start of the measurement period and then two weeks later after weaning was completed. Calves that were weaned using the nose-flap method had significantly lower gains than …

Early Soybean Planting In A Water-Limited Growing Season, Sylvia R.G. Moraes, Bruno C. Pedreira, Vaishalai Sharda, Rodrigo B. Onofre, Gretchen F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Appropriate management, with a longer growing season during reproductive growth stages, can increase biomass and yield in soybean. Our objective was to determine the impact of three planting dates, two seed populations, and three maturity groups on grain yield in southeast Kansas. However, due to the severe drought in 2022, with a total rainfall of 18.84 inches during the soybean growing season (55% lower than the 10-yr average), the growing conditions were very limited, resulting in an average yield of 1.7 bu/a.

Increasing Winter Wheat Grain Yield By Replicating The Management Adopted In High-Yielding Commercial Fields In Kansas During 2021–2022, L. Ryan, L. Haag, J. D. Holman, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Large winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield gaps between actual yields from farmers and yield potential in the U.S. Great Plains indicate the need to improve recommendations of best management strategies to profitably bridge these gaps. Many studies have compared individual management factors pre-determined by the individual researcher, but we are not aware of studies comparing combination of practices that producers are currently using, which would be more relevant for real-world scenarios. Our objective was to determine the yield gains resulting from management intensification using the combination of practices currently adopted in commercial wheat fields. Four management intensities (i.e., …

Source-Sink Manipulation And Its Impacts On Canola Seed Filling Period, D. Ricciuto, M. A. Secchi, A. J. P. Carcedo, L. Nieto, J. Lacasa, M. Stamm, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Canola yield production is driven by the balance between source (leaves) and sink (pods and seeds) activity during the reproductive period of a crop. However, previous literature has not reported the impact of source-sink limitations under different nitrogen (N) supplies, and its effect on seed filling. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to 1) explore the impact of source-sink manipulations during the seed filling period and its main parameters: duration and rate; and 2) understand the interactions between N supply and source-sink manipulations to explain variations in seed weight. With these objectives, a field experiment was conducted during 2019–2020 …

Assessing Corn Response To Cover Crops And Nitrogen Fertilization In A No-Till, Three-Year Rotation In Northeast Kansas, Jessica GrüNberg, Alexis Correira, Kraig L. Roozeboom, Deann R. Presley, Peter J. Tomlinson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A long-term cover crop experiment was established in 2007 at Ashland Bottoms near Manhattan, KS, to determine the effect of cover crops and nitrogen (N) rates on subse­quent corn growth and yield in a wheat-corn-soybean rotation. Treatments included chemical fallow, double crop soybean, different cover crops (cereal rye,crimson clover, a mix of cereal rye and crimson clover, and a diverse mix of seven species) planted in late summer after wheat harvest, and five N rates (0, 40, 80, 160, and 240 lb/acre) applied to the subsequent corn crop. Yield responded differently to N rate depending on cover crop …

Nitrogen And Phosphorus Rates’ Impact On Different Varieties Of Alfalfa In Central Kansas, Mariana O. Mota, Luiz O. Pradella, Wallas M. Da Silva, Romulo P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The United States is the largest producer of alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) in the world, with a vast area grown under rainfed conditions. Under these conditions, and especially in a transition state such as Kansas, the alfalfa crop often suffers from water deficit stress. Environments under water-limited conditions promote a decrease in crop yield when inadequate water leads to an nitrogen deficiency and reduces crop biomass. This research aimed to investigate the production of different alfalfa varieties under different nitrogen and phosphorus rates in a rainfed environment. Three nitrogen application rates (0 lb/a; 200 lb/a; 400 lb/a) and three …

Fungicide Efficacy On Fusarium Head Blight Of Hard Red Winter Wheat In Parsons, Ks, Sylvia R.G. Moraes, Bruno C. Pedreira, Gretchen F. Sassenrath, Erick De Wolf, Rodrigo B. Onofre, Kelsey Andersen Onofre

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 2022, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the efficacy of fungicide programs on Fusarium head blight (FHB) and deoxynivalenol (DON) levels. Fungicide treatments were evaluated in plots of the hard red winter wheat cultivar ‘KanMark’ inoculated withFusarium graminearumin Parsons, KS. Treatments consisted of a single application of Prosaro, Caramba, Miravis Ace, Prosaro Pro, or Sphaerex at early anthesis (Feekes 10.5.1), or dual application of Miravis Ace at early anthesis followed by (fb) Prosaro Pro, Sphaerex, or Folicur at 4 days after early anthesis. All fungicide programs numerically reduced FHB visual symptoms and resulted in …

Algorithm To Estimate Sorghum Grain Number From Panicles Using Images Collected With A Smartphone At Field-Scale, G. N. Santiago, A. J. P. Carcedo, L. Marziotte, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

An estimation of on-farm yield before harvest is important to help farmers make decisions about additional input use, time to harvest, and options for end uses of the harvestable product. However, obtaining a rapid assessment of on-farm yield can be challenging, especially for a sorghum (Sorghum bicolorL.) crop due to the complexity of counting the total number of grains in a panicle at field-scale. One alternative to reduce labor is to develop a rapid assessment method employing computer vision algorithms. Computer vision has already been utilized to account for the number of grains within a panicle, yet it …

Depth Of Moist Soil At Planting Affected Grain Sorghum Response To Nitrogen Fertilizer, Augustine K. Obour, John D. Holman, Yared Assefa Mulisa

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The depth of moist soil before planting is a critical factor for grain crop production in dryland cropping systems. We investigated depth of moist soil at planting and nitrogen (N) fertilizer application effects on continuous grain sorghum yields on a Crete silt loam soil over 32 years in western Kansas. Treatments were four N rates (0, 20, 40, and 60 lb/a) in a randomized complete block design with four replications and depth of moist soil at planting determined with a Paul Brown moisture probe. Grain sorghum yield response to N fertilizer application was -0.10, 14.4, 29.3, and 36.5 lb of …

Effects Of Prescribed-Fire Timing On Stocker Cattle Performance, Forage Biomass Accumulation, And Native Plant Species Composition, Z. M. Duncan, A. J. Tajchman, J. Lemmon, W. R. Hollenbeck, D. A. Blasi, K. C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective of this experiment was to document the effects of prescribed-fire timing on stocker cattle performance, forage biomass accumulation, soil cover, and plant species composition in the Kansas Flint Hills.

Study Description:A total of 1,416 yearling stocker cattle were assigned to one of three prescribed-burn treatments: spring (April 9 ± 5.1 days), summer (August 23 ± 4.9 days), or fall (September 29 ± 8.7 days) over a 4-year period. Calves were grazed from May to August for 90 days. Individual body weights were recorded at the beginning and end of the grazing season. Native plant composition and …

Kansas Field Research 2023

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2021-2023 on field production and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2023 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.https://www.ag.k-state.edu/

Tillering Potential And Stability Of Winter Wheat Varieties Commonly Grown In Kansas, L. O. Pradella, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The tillering potential and stability of winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) can be positive traits by conferring adaptation to distinct production environments. The literature demonstrates a high correlation between the tillering potential and many yield components. However, the actual impact of tillering potential on grain yield is not clear. Our goal was to quantify the tillering potential and stability of a range of winter wheat varieties. Field experiments were conducted in six locations in the state of Kansas during the 2021–2022 season. A complete factorial treatment structure of twenty-five winter wheat varieties by two seeding rates (400,000 seeds per …

Effects Of Late-Summer Prescribed Fire On Botanical Composition, Soil Cover, And Forage Production In Caucasian Bluestem-Infested Rangeland In The Kansas Smoky Hills: Year 4 Of 5, H. P. Giefer, K. R. Harmoney, M. P. Ramirez, A. J. Tajchman, Z. M. Duncan, J. Lemmon, K. C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:Our objective was to determine effects of late-summer prescribed fire on frequency of Caucasian bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii) in the Kansas Smoky Hills as well as changes in soil cover, botanical composition, and forage production associated with fire treatment.

Study Description:The study was in Ellsworth County, KS. Eighteen one-acre plots were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: no burn, one burn (August 14, 2019), and two burns (August 14, 2019, and August 11, 2021). Soil cover, botanical composition, forage production, and Caucasian bluestem frequency were measured annually beginning in 2019.

The Bottom Line:These data suggest …

Biomass And Nutrient Accumulation By Dual-Purpose Hemp And Concurrent Soil Profile Water Depletion At Manhattan, Ks, In 2021, Kraig Roozeboom, Jason Griffin, Lucas Haag, Gerard Kluitenberg, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz, Michael Shelton, Tami Myers, Clint Wilson, Andrew Euler, Ike Bahr, Brian Owuoche

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Hemp has garnered interest as a potential crop that is not constrained by the typical food, feed, and fuel market channels. Although hemp varieties are available for the production of either grain, fiber, or both (dual-purpose: both grain and fiber) markets, little research-based information is available on hemp growth and water use in Kansas environments. In 2019, Kansas State University researchers began conducting experi­ments to characterize hemp growth, nutrient uptake, and soil water depletion at three locations representing the precipitation gradient across Kansas. In 2021, one fiber and one grain variety were evaluated with and without fertilizer nitrogen. Soil water …

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage / Year 10, E. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 have shown no clear differences between tillage systems for either corn or soybeans in lighter soils under irrigation. One year out of eight years has shown a yield advantage for either corn or soybeans for any tillage system, which appears to be related to environmental conditions experienced during the season. Averaged across all years of the study, the treatments with deep tillage either every or every-other year had about 4.5% higher corn yields, and soybeans had up to a 3.2% yield increase with some form of tillage.

Field Station Weather Reports, E. Adee, M. Sittel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This report includes the annual summary of precipitation and temperatures from 2022 at the research locations represented in the 2023 Field Research Report and further details about the Kansas River Valley locations and the east central Kansas locations.

Imiflex Evaluation At Two Kansas Locations In Igrowth Grain Sorghum, P. W. Geier, R. S. Currie, S. H. Lancaster, C. M. Weber

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Herbicide-tolerant grain sorghums, such as Igrowth (imidazolinone-resistant) hybrids were recently commercialized in Kansas. Even though the active ingredient of the herbicide associated with these systems, imazamox, is used in other crops, data are needed to define best practices for use in grain sorghum. The objective of these studies was to evaluate ImiFlex (imazamox) herbicide in Igrowth grain sorghum at two Kansas locations in 2022. ImiFlex applied postemergence provided 93% volunteer corn control, and 90 to 95% johnsongrass control regardless of application timing at Garden City. At Manhattan, ImiFlex controlled Palmer amaranth 90 to 99%. Early season grain sorghum injury was …

Grazing Cover Crops Improved Soil Health In Dryland Cropping Systems, Augustine K. Obour, John D. Holman, Logan M. Simon, Sandra K. Johnson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Integrating cover crops (CCs) in dryland crop production in the semiarid central Great Plains (CGP) can provide several ecosystem benefits. However, CC adoption has been slow in the CGP because CCs utilize water that otherwise would be available for the subsequent cash crop. Grazing CCs can provide economic benefits to offset revenue loss associated with decreased crop yields when CCs are grown ahead of a cash crop. Field experiments were conducted from 2015 through 2022 to quantify effects of grazing CCs on soil bulk density, aggregate stability, and chemical properties across western Kansas. At the Kansas State University HB Ranch …

Occasional Tillage In A Wheat-Sorghum-Fallow Rotation: 2022 Growing Season, John D. Holman, Augustine K. Obour, Lucas A. Haag, Mikaela A. Lawrence

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Beginning in 2012, research was conducted near Garden City and Tribune, KS, to determine the effect of a single tillage operation every 3 years on grain yields in a wheat-sorghum-fallow (WSF) rotation. Treatments included no-till, single tillage post wheat harvest in mid-August, and single tillage mid-June during the fallow phase. This study was revised with two additional more intensive tillage treatments since 2019. The two additional treatments were 1) two tillage operations during the fallow phase and 2) one tillage during fallow phase and one tillage post wheat harvest. Grain yield varied greatly by year and location. Wheat yields ranged …

Wheat And Grain Sorghum Sequencing For Three Crops In Four-Year Rotations, Lucas A. Haag, Dewayne Bond, Amanda Burnett, Jeffrey Slattery, Alan Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 1996, an effort began to quantify soil water storage, crop water use, and crop productivity on dryland systems in western Kansas. Research on 4-year crop rotations with wheat and grain sorghum was initiated at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS. Rotations were wheatwheat- sorghum-fallow (WWSF), wheat-sorghum-sorghum-fallow (WSSF), and continuous wheat (WW). Soil water at wheat planting averaged about 9.1 in. following sorghum, which is about 3.8 in. more than the average for the second wheat crop in a WWSF rotation. Soil water at sorghum planting was only about 1.5 in. less for the second sorghum crop compared with …

Observations On The Seasonal Abundance Of Sorghum Midge, Anthony Zukoff

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sorghum midge,Stenodiplosis sorghicola(Coquillett), is a major pest of sorghum production worldwide. Midge larvae develop within the sorghum spikelet protected from predation and chemical control. Feeding by larvae prevents grain development resulting in varying degrees of blank heads. Historically, sorghum midge has been considered a minor pest in Kansas. In recent years, significant midge infestations have been documented in several locations of the southwest and southeast portions of the state. Some basic information on sorghum midge seasonality in Kansas will help to refine some management recommendations if this pest becomes more prevalent. Sorghum midges were recovered from samples taken …

Could The Use Of Nitrification Inhibitor Optimize The Nitrogen Use Efficiency Of Corn Production?, Pedro Morinigo, Dorivar A. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for corn production, higher grain yields are depen­dent on N fertilizer application. Substances like the nitrification inhibitors (NI) were created to increase yields, promote nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and reduce N losses. The study was carried out in ten site-years in Kansas from 2017 to 2021, with the objec­tive of evaluating the nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE) in corn with and without the use of NI and comparing corn grain yield, grain N uptake, and soil mineral nitrogen content with the use of the NI. Nitrogen fertilizer at the rates of 100, 150, and 200 …

Evaluation Of Plant Tissue Analysis To Assess Phosphorus Nutritional Status For Corn And Soybean, Gustavo A. Roa, Edmond B. Rutter, Dorivar A. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Plant tissue samples can be used to assess nutrient concentrations and the response to phosphorus fertilization. This study aimed to identify critical phosphorus tissue concentrations for corn and soybean at different growing stages. The experiment was conducted at 23 locations for corn in 2021–2022 and 12 locations for soybean in 2017–2020 across Kansas. Tissue samples were collected from whole corn plants at the V6 stage, corn ear leaves at the R1 stage, and whole soybean plants at the V4 stage, and upper trifoliate leaves at the R2 soybean stage. Data from plots that received no phosphorus fertilization were used to …

Yield And Forage Quality On Native Meadows As Affected By Burn And Fertilization Management, Junior I. Yasuoka, Dale Helwig, Walter H. Fick, Bruno C. Pedreira

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Native meadows are widely used by producers in southeast Kansas. However, there are few studies about management practices to improve agronomic performance in southeast Kansas. This study evaluated the spring burn effect combined with the application of lime, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on yield and forage quality in native meadows. Yield and forage quality on native meadows were not affected by lime application, or P and K fertilization in the first year of the study. However, N fertilization increased yield, crude protein, and total digestible nutrients when associated with spring burn.

Impact Of Stubble Heights On Native Hay Meadows In Southeast Kansas, Junior I. Yasuoka, Wendie Powell, Walter H. Fick, Bruno C. Pedreira

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Management practices affect hay production in native meadows. The objective of this study was to evaluate how stubble heights affect forage yield and quality in a native meadow. Prescribed spring burns contribute to improving forage quality. Setting the stubble height at 3 inches resulted in high forage quality and had a low yield impact.