Life Sciences Commons^™

High Yielding Soybean: Genetic Gain And Nitrogen Limitation, O. A. Ortez, F. Salvagiotti, J. M. Enrico, E. A. Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The United States and Argentina account for more than 50% of the global soybean production. Closing yield gaps (actual on-farm yield vs. genetic yield potential) would require an improvement in the use of the available resources. Overall, 50-60% of soybean nitrogen (N) demand is usually met by the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) process. A scientific knowledge gap still exists related to the ability of the BNF process to satisfy soybean N demand at varying yield levels. The overall objective of this project is to study the contribution of N via utilization of varying N strategies under historical and modern soybean …

Timing And Positioning Of Simulated Hail Damage Effects On Wheat Yield In Kansas: 2015–2016 And 2016–2017 Growing Seasons, R. P. Lollato, A. De Oliveira Silva, R. E. Maeoka, G. P. Bavia, L. Bonassi, B. R. Jaenisch

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Hail events often decrease wheat yields in Kansas; however, estimates of yield loss due to hail event timing and position relative to the flag leaf are only available for older varieties. Our objectives were to quantify wheat yield losses as affected by timing of hail event relative to the crop development and positioning of the damage relative to the flag leaf. A total of 14 hail damage treatments including seven different timings during the growing season (boot, anthesis, watery ripe, milk, soft dough, hard dough, and ripe) and two different positioning relative to the flag leaf (above or below) were …

Wheat Development And Yield As Affected By Era Of Variety Release And In-Furrow Fertilizer, R. E. Maeoka, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nutrients play a major role in wheat yield determination; however, limited informa­tion exists on the differential responses of historical and modern varieties to in-furrow fertilizer. Our objectives were to estimate grain yield and differences in agronomic traits of historical and modern winter wheat varieties as affected by different fertilization programs. Two field trials were established during the growing season 2016–2017 (i.e., Ashland Bottoms and Belleville, KS). Seven winter wheat varieties released between 1920 and 2016–Kharkof (1920), Scout 66 (1966), Karl 92 (1988), Jagalene (2001), Fuller (2006), KanMark (2014), and Larry (2016)–were sown using one of two different fertilizer practices: either …

2018 Dairy Research, B. J. Bradford

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research on dairy foods and dairy cattle performed in 2018 at Kansas State University.

Timing Of Side-Dress Applications Of Nitrogen For Corn In Conventional And No-Till Systems, D. W. Sweeney, D. E. Shoup, Dorivar Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Environmental conditions vary widely in the spring in southeastern Kansas. As a result, much of the N applied prior to corn planting may be lost before the time of maximum plant N uptake. Side-dress or split applications to provide N during rapid growth periods may improve N use efficiency while reducing potential losses to the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of timing of side-dress N fertilization compared with pre-plant N applications for corn grown on a claypan soil.

Crop Production Summary, Southeast Kansas – 2017, G. F. Sassenrath, L. Mengarelli, J. Lingenfelser, X. Lin, D. E. Shoup

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Crop production is dependent on many factors, most notably, environmental conditions during the growing season. Here, we summarize the environmental conditions during the 2017 growing season in comparison to previous years and the historical averages. Information on crop yields is taken from reported values and yields from variety trials in southeast and east central Kansas.

Long-Term Nitrogen And Phosphorus Fertilization Of Irrigated Grain Sorghum, A. Schlegel, H. D. Bond

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was initiated in 1961 to determine responses of continuous grain sorghum grown under flood irrigation to N, P, and K fertilization. The study is conducted on a Ulysses silt loam soil with an inherently high K content. The irrigation system was changed from flood to sprinkler in 2001.

2012 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Tall Fescue Test: 2017 Data, Linda R. Parsons, Michael J. Shelton, Megan M. Kennelly, Jason J. Griffin, Jared A. Hoyle

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research efforts to improve cultivar quality include selecting for disease resistance and stress tolerance as well as finer leaf texture, a rich green color, and better sward density. Several cultivars included in the 2012 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Tall Fescue Test performed well and showed good brown patch resistance in south central Kansas during the 2017 growing season.

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Potassium Fertilization For Newly Established Tall Fescue, D. W. Sweeney, J. L. Moyer, J. K. Farney

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Tall fescue is the major cool-season grass in southeastern Kansas. Perennial grass crops, as with annual row crops, rely on proper fertilization for optimum production; however, meadows and pastures are often under-fertilized and produce low quantities of low-quality forage. Even when new stands are established, this is often true. The objective of this study was to determine whether N, P, and K fertilization improves yields during the early years of a stand.

Best Management Systems To Intensify Soybean Production, G. R. Balboa, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The aim of this study was to evaluate different management systems to close the yield gap in soybean production. A soybean experiment was established in Scandia, KS, evaluating five management systems under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. For the 2017 season, dryland and irrigated average yields were similar (63–65 bu/a) due to herbicide injury on the irrigated phase. In both water scenarios, intensification (high input) increased yields compared with common practice (low input) systems. Under irrigation, a consistent response to a balanced nutrition program was documented.

Plant Population And Fungicide Treatment Reduce Winter Wheat Yield Gap In Kansas, B. R. Jaenisch, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Despite the large winter wheat yield gap in Kansas, limited research is available on integrated agronomic practices to increase grain yield. Our objective was to quantify the contribution of individual and combined management practices to reduce wheat yield gap. An incomplete factorial treatment structure established in a randomized complete block design was conducted in three locations in Kansas during 2016–2017 to evaluate the impacts of 14 treatments on yield and grain protein concentration of the modern wheat variety ‘Everest.’ We individually added six treatments to a low-input standard control or removed from a high-input intensive control, which received all treatments. …

Southwest Research-Extension Center Field Day 2018, R. Gillen

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Kansas agricultural research from the Southwest Research-Extension Center.

Effects Of Early Or Conventional Weaning On Beef Cow And Calf Performance In Pasture And Drylot Environments, G. W. Preedy, J. R. Jaeger, J. W. Waggoner, K C. Olson, K. R. Harmoney

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

During widespread drought, pasture availability and productivity are reduced. This, coupled with increasing land prices and lease rates, has prompted the evaluation of al­ternative management strategies that decrease grazing pressure on perennial pasture or reduce feed and pasture costs. Weaning early and moving cows from pasture to a drylot environment is used commonly for reducing grazing pressure on perennial pastures. A premature end to lactation reduces cow nutrient requirements and reduces grazing pressure. Removal of the calf further reduces grazing pressure, as calves are significant consumers of forage dry matter (DM) during mid and late lactation. The combina­tion can be …

Using Modified Intensive Early Stocking For Grazing Replacement Heifers, K. R. Harmoney, J. R. Jaeger

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Even though Kansas native rangelands often have steep slopes or shallow soils not conducive to many other uses other than livestock grazing, native rangeland and peren­nial grassland acres in Kansas have been declining. Cropland acreage over this same time frame has increased, and so has rangeland fragmentation into small ranchettes and urbanization. Producers may be looking to increase production efficiency on a shrink­ing forage land base. The use of intensive early stocking (IES) is one the most efficient stocking strategies to produce beef on rangeland acres. The IES strategy has been widely used in eastern Kansas and is capable of …

Electrical Resistivity Tomography Of Claypan Soils In Southeastern Kansas, M. A. Mathis Ii, S. E. Tucker-Kulesza, G. F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Claypan soils cover approximately 10 million acres across several states in the central United States. The soils are characterized by a highly impermeable clay layer within the profile that impedes water flow and root growth. While some claypan soils can be productive, they must be carefully managed to avoid reductions to crop productivity due to root restrictions, water, and nutrient limitations. Clay soils are usually resistant to erosion but may exacerbate erosion of the silt-loam topsoil.

Soil production potential is the capacity of soil to produce at a given level (yield per acre). The productive capacity is tied to soil …

2017 Kansas Summer Annual Forage Hay And Silage Variety Trial, J. D. Holman, A. Obour, A. Esser, J. Lingenfelser, S. Maxwell, T. Roberts, G. F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The 2017 summer annual forage variety trials were conducted across Kansas near Garden City, Hays, Mound Valley, and Scandia. All sites evaluated included hay and silage entries. Companies were able to enter varieties into any possible combinations of research sites, so not all sites had all varieties. Across the sites, a total of 61 hay varieties and 66 silage varieties were evaluated.

The objectives of the Kansas Summer Annual Forage Variety Trial are to evaluate the performance of released and experimental varieties, determine where these varieties are best adapted, and increase the visibility of summer annual forages in Kansas. Breeders, …

2012 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Tall Fescue Test: 2012–2017 Summary Report, Linda R. Parsons, Michael J. Shelton, Megan M. Kennelly, Jason J. Griffin, Jared A. Hoyle

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research efforts to improve cultivar quality include selecting for disease resistance and stress tolerance as well as finer leaf texture, a rich green color, and better sward density. Several cultivars included in the 2012 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Tall Fescue Test performed well and showed good brown patch resistance in south central Kansas throughout the course of the study.

2013 National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Bermudagrass Test: 2017 Data, Linda R. Parsons, Michael J. Shelton, Jason J. Griffin, Jared A. Hoyle

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Kansas represents the northernmost region in the central United States where bermudagrass can be successfully grown as a perennial turfgrass. Historically, few cultivars that have both acceptable quality and adequate cold tolerance have been available to local growers. Because new introductions are continually being selected for improved hardiness and quality, both seeded and vegetative types need regular evaluation to determine their long-range suitability for use in Kansas.

Effect Of Late Nitrogen Applications On Grain Filling In Corn, J. A. Fernandez, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In order to evaluate the effect of nitrogen (N) with late-season fertilizer applications in corn, grain yield and grain filling parameters were evaluated for three genotypes under three N levels. Hybrids with different release years (3394, 1990s; P1151, 2000s; and P1197, 2016) and contrasting N application scenarios (zero-N, N at flowering, and N two weeks after flowering) were evaluated in two studies (dryland and irrigated) at the Ashland Bottoms Research Farm, Manhattan, KS, 2017 season. Results showed that under N stress conditions, the absence of N fertilization in corn significantly reduced yields, by affecting both grain number (GN) and grain …

Soybean Evaluation Of Inoculation: A Three-Year Summary, M. A. Secchi, T. M. Albuquerque, O. A. Ortez, G. I. Carmona, J. Kimball, E. A. Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The relationships between soybean (Glycine max) seed yield and response to nitrogen (N) fertilization have received considerable coverage in scientific literature. This project aims to quantify the response to inoculation for soybean in a field without previous history of this crop (20 years). To address this objective, field studies were conducted during the 2015, 2016, and 2017 growing seasons at the East Central Experiment Field, Ottawa, KS. The treatments consisted of five different N-management approaches: non-inoculated (NI), inoculation at the recommended commercial rate (I1), a double rate of inoculation (I2), a triple rate of inoculation (I3), and non-inoculated …

Wheat Variety Response To Seeding Rate In Kansas During The 2015–2016 And 2016– 2017 Growing Seasons, R. P. Lollato, G. Zhang, B. R. Jaenisch, R. Maeoka, L. Bonassi, A. K. Fritz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Plant density is among the major factors determining a crop’s ability to capture resources such as water, nutrients, and solar radiation; therefore, different wheat varieties might require different seeding densities to maximize yield. The objective of this project was to better understand the response of different wheat varieties to seeding rate. Two field experiments were conducted during 2015–2016 and repeated during 2016–2017, evaluating seven wheat varieties subjected to five different seeding rates (0.6, 0.95, 1.3, 1.65, and 2.0 million seeds/a). Crop was managed for a 70 bu/a yield goal and pests were controlled using commercially available pesticides. Final stand and …

Occasional Tillage In A Wheat-Sorghum-Fallow Rotation, A. Schlegel, J. D. Holman

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Beginning in 2012, research was conducted in 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. Grain yields of wheat and grain sorghum were not affected by a single tillage operation every 3 years in a WSF rotation. Grain yield varied greatly by year from 2014 to 2017. Wheat yields ranged across years from mid-20s to 80 bu/a at Tribune and about 10 (hail damage) to near 60 bu/a at Garden City. Grain sorghum yields ranged from less than 60 to greater than 140 …

Split Applications Of Acuron, Halex Gt, Resicore, Balance Flexx, And Armezon Pro For Weed Control In Irrigated Corn, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Control of kochia, green foxtail, quinoa, and Palmer amaranth was excellent and did not differ among treatments. Common sunflower control was slightly less effective with Acuron (S-metolachlor + atrazine + mesotrione + bicyclopyrone) + atrazine applied PRE compared to other treatments early in the season but later in the season no differences occurred. Crabgrass control was excellent regardless of treatment early in the season, and remained high with all herbicides except Balance Flexx (isoxaflutole) + atrazine PRE followed by Diflexx (dicamba) + atrazine and glyphosate POST, which provided less than 89% control. All herbicide treatments resulted in grain yields that …

Can Modified Intensive Early Stocking Be Used In Cow/Calf Production?, K. R. Harmoney, J. R. Jaeger

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Intensive early stocking (IES) was introduced nearly a half century ago in eastern Kansas and has since been adopted as a major management tool to increase animal production, efficiency of production, and economic return on tallgrass rangelands. These increases have come almost exclusively by using IES with young stocker animals. Intensive early stocking and its gains have been proven effective repeatedly in published research. A similar modified IES (MIES) system has increased production efficiency of stocker animals on western Kansas rangelands. Perennial grassland acres for cattle production, as well as cattle numbers, are declining. Using management practices that mimic a …

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 are beginning to show that corn yields are greater when there is an occasional deep tillage. The yield of soybeans have not been affected significantly by tillage systems ranging from no-till to conventional tillage every year.

Effects Of Nitrogen In Soybean Seed Quality Definition During Seed-Filling Period, S. Tamagno, E. A. Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

During the seed filling period (SFP), parallel to the seed changes, translocation of assimilates and nutrients takes place from different plant organs to the seed in order to provide sufficient supply for the seed storage components (i.e., starch, oil, and protein) that ultimately will determine the seed quality. There are two processes that define the final seed weight in any crop: 1) the amount of dry mass deposited per unit of time (rate) and 2) the duration of this process from beginning of seed formation to physiological maturity. As seed number is defined, any source limitation during the SFP can …

Evaluation Of Different Vitamin Concentrations On Grow-Finish Pig Growth And Carcass Characteristics, L. Del Tuffo, S. S. Dritz, M. D. Tokach, J. C. Woodworth, J. M. Derouchey, R. D. Goodband

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Vitamins are generally added to swine diets in concentrations well above their requirement estimates to provide a generous margin of safety. However, with the increase in vitamin prices in 2017, there was a need to re-evaluate suggested vitamin additions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare two premixes with different vitamin concentrations on growth performance and carcass characteristics of grow-finish pigs reared in a commercial environment. A total of 1,188 pigs (PIC 359 × 1050; initially 35.5 lb) were used in a randomized complete block design with 27 pigs per pen and 22 pens per treatment. The experimental …

Soil Health Profile In Claypan Soils, C. J. Hsiao, G. F. Sassenrath, C. Rice, G. Hettiarachchi, L. Zeglin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Healthy soil is the foundation of a sustainable agronomic production system. Microorganisms include bacteria (such as actinomycetes), fungi, and protozoa. Soil microorganisms, or microbes, exist in large numbers in soils and are critical for decomposition of organic residues and nutrient recycling. Soils with ample and diverse microbial populations can provide more essential nutrients for crop growth and development. Soil microbial properties are considered one of the major indicators of soil health.

Soil microbial properties can be measured by the activity and the composition of micro-organism populations. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) are the primary components of cell membranes, they can be …

Weather Information For Garden City, 2017, J. Elliott

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Summary of weather for research conducted at the Garden City field location.

Director's Report Of Research In Kansas 2017, J. E. Minton

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The 2017 Director’s Report of Research in Kansas includes a list of journal articles, station publications, and other published manuscripts from scientists in our departments, research-extension centers, and associated programs.