Life Sciences Commons^™

Breaking Corn Yield Barriers: A Cropping Systems Approach, G. R. Balboa, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

During 2015, four corn research trials were conducted in dryland and irrigated environments. Two trials were at Scandia, KS and two were in Topeka, KS. The objective of these trials was to study the contribution of different farming management approaches for developing efficient and high-yielding corn production systems. Treatment layout consisted of five combinations: common practices (CP), comprehensive fertilization (CF), production intensity (PI), ecological intensification (CF + PI), and advanced plus (AD). Under dryland and irrigation scenarios, EI and AD treatments presented the highest yields relative to the other combinations. Under irrigation, absolute yield gap was larger in both locations …

High-Yielding Soybean: Genetic Gain × Fertilizer Nitrogen Interaction, I. A. Ciampitti, J. Kimball, Eric Adee, O. Ortez, G. I. Carmona

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The U.S. accounts for 35% of the global soybean production. Potential soybean yields are determined by the interaction of genotype, environment, and management practices (G × E × M). The question “Do high yielding soybean need to be fertilized with nitrogen (N)?” is still a valid one. The overall objective of this project is to study the contribution of N via utilization of varying N strategies under historical and current soybean genotypes. Two field experiments were conducted during the 2015 growing season at Ottawa (east central KS) and at Ashland Bottoms (central KS). Three soybeans varieties were used (1990s = …

Subsurface Drip Nitrogen Fertigation Of Corn, A. Aubert, K. Roozeboom, D. Ruiz Diaz, A. Gipps, T. Wolf

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The efficient management of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and irrigation is of utmost importance because they are two of the greatest expenses for corn production. This project was conducted to determine if yield and efficiency of fertilizer N in corn could be improved by applying N at later developmental stages through a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system. Experiments in 2014 and 2015 compared a Preplant Surface application that injected fertilizer in bands below the residue at planting, to four versions of SDI fertigation that differed in timing and total amount of N applied. The SDI Sidedress treatment concluded at corn tassel …

Soybean: Evaluation Of Inoculation, I. A. Ciampitti, Eric Adee, J. Kimball, G. I. Carmona

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A soybean crop can obtain up to 50 to 75% of its nitrogen (N) requirements from the air when the biological fixation is effectively established (Pedersen, 2007). The overall objective of this project was to quantify the response to inoculation for soybean in a field without previous history of this crop. Following this rationale, a field study was conducted during the 2015 growing season at Ottawa (east central Kansas). The treatments consisted in five different N management approaches: non-inoculated, inoculated × 1, inoculated × 2, inoculated × 3 and non-inoculated but fertilized with 300 lb N per acre as the …

Response Of Drought-Tolerant Hybrids To Environmental Yield Potential, T. Newell, K. Roozeboom, I. A. Ciampitti, Eric Adee, G. Cramer, J. D. Holman, A. Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Due to increasing non-irrigated corn acres, decreasing availability of irrigation water in some areas of western Kansas, and increasing water restrictions, producers are looking for more efficient ways to use available water. Drought-tolerant (DT) hybrid technologies are marketed for their ability to produce more stable yields in stress-prone environments. The objective of this research was to understand how DT and non-DT corn hybrids respond to a wide range of environmental conditions in terms of soil water status change, canopy indicators of stress, dry matter partitioning, and grain yield. Two DT hybrids, and one non-DT hybrid were compared in 2014 and …

Nitrogen And Sulfur Fertilization Effects On Camelina Sativa In West Central Kansas, E. Obeng, A. Obour, N. O. Nelson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Camelina sativais early maturing and possesses characteristics that make it a good fit as a rotation crop in dryland wheat cropping systems. Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) play very important roles in oilseed production, including camelina. This study was conducted over 3 years to determine N and S rates necessary for optimum camelina production in west central Kansas. The experiment was set up as randomized complete blocks with four replications in a split-plot arrangement. Treatments were two sulfur rates (0 and 18 lb/a) as the main plots, and four N rates (0, 20, 40, and 80 lb/a) as the …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Iron Chelates In Managing Iron Deficiency Chlorosis In Grain Sorghum, A. Obour, A. Schlegel, R. Perumal, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Grain sorghum production in alkaline or calcareous soils is frequently affected by iron (Fe) chlorosis. Soil conditions such as high pH, high free calcium carbonate (lime), and low organic matter favor development of Fe deficiency chlorosis (IDC), which can delay crop maturity and reduce yields. Field experiments were conducted in the summer of 2014 and 2015 to determine the effectiveness of Fe chelate application in alleviating IDC in grain sorghum. Treatments were four Fe chelate application rates (0, 3, 6, and 9 lb product/a) applied either in-furrow with the seed at the time of planting or 2 weeks after planting …

Grain Sorghum Response To Band Applied Zinc Fertilizer, A. Tonon Rosa, N. O. Nelson, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Zinc (Zn) is one of the micronutrients found to be deficient in Kansas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of grain sorghum to Zn fertilization using strip trials. The experiment was set up in Manhattan, KS, in 2015. The experimental design consisted of two strips, one with Zn fertilizer and the other without, with five replications. Zn fertilizer was applied as starter in combination with ammonium polyphosphate at the rate of 0.5 lb Zn/a. Plant tissue samples were collected to determine Zn content. Grain yield was recorded by combine equipped with yield monitor. No significant differences …

Evaluation Of Phosphorus Source And Chelate Application As Starter Fertilizer In Corn, C. L. Edwards, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The differences between common phosphorus (P) fertilizers as a starter in corn production have been studied for many years. However, little research has been conducted showing which P fertilizer sources are most effective with varying compositions of ortho- and poly-phosphate. The objectives of this study were to evaluate three commercially available P fertilizers, 0-16-19, 10-34-0, and 0-18-18 (N-P₂O₅-K₂O) as starter band with and without the addition Cee*Quest-70 (CQ-70), a glucoheptonate chelate. The study was conducted at two locations, Scandia and Rossville, in 2014 and 2015. Experimental design was a randomized, complete block with four …

Evaluating The Interaction Between Chelated Iron Source And Placement On Phosphorus Availability In Soybean, C. L. Edwards, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In agriculture, chelating agents are used to supplement micronutrients, such as iron (Fe). However, little research has been conducted at the field-scale level to evaluate chelating agent effects on phosphorus (P). The objectives of this study were to evaluate three commercially available chelated Fe sources on early soybean growth and nutrient uptake. The study was conducted at six locations in 2014 and 2015. The experimental design was a randomized, complete block with a factorial treatment arrangement. The two factors included fertilizer source and fertilizer placement. The fertilizer sources were P only, EDTA-Fe, HEDTA-Fe, and one glucoheptonate product, Cee*Quest N5Fe758 (CQ-758), …

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

(Abstract only. Link to: http://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr/vol1/iss4/1/) Article is nearly identical toNitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilization for Newly Established Tall Fescuepreviously published in Southeast Agricultural Research Center 2015, included in this PDF.

First-year production of tall fescue (Site 1 in 2013 and Site 2 in 2014) was affected by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), but not potassium (K) fertilization. Environmental conditions likely influenced the growth of the fescue and the response to fertilizer N and P in the first year of production at the two sites.

Tillage And Nitrogen Placement Effects On Yields In A Short-Season Corn/Wheat/Double-Crop Soybean Rotation, D. W. Sweeney

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

(Abstract only. Link to: http://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr/vol1/iss4/2/) Article is nearly identical toTillage and Nitrogen Placement Effects on Yields in a Short-Season Corn/Wheat/Double-Crop Soybean Rotationpreviously published in Southeast Agricultural Research Center 2015.

Overall in 2014, adding nitrogen (N) improved average wheat yields, but different N placement methods resulted in similar yields. Double-crop soybean yields were unaffected by tillage or the residual from N treatments that were applied to the previous wheat crop.

Response Of Soybean Grown On A Claypan Soil In Southeastern Kansas To The Residual Of Different Plant Nutrient Sources And Tillage, D. W. Sweeney, Philip Barnes, Gary Pierzynski

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

(Abstract only. Link to: http://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr/vol1/iss4/3/) Article is nearly identical toResponse of Soybean Grown on a Claypan Soil in Southeastern Kansas to the Residual of Different Plant Nutrient Sources and Tillage, previously published in Southeast Agricultural Research Center Reports 2015.

The residual effects of turkey litter and fertilizer amendments applied in previous years had little effect on the yield, yield components, and dry matter production of the following soybean crop grown in 2014.

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated corn in western Kansas. In 2015, N applied alone increased yields 70 bu/a, whereas P applied alone increased yields only 12 bu/a. Nitrogen and P applied together increased yields up to 129 bu/a. This is below the 10 year average, where N and P fertilization increased corn yields up to 144 bu/a. Application of 120 lb/a N (with P) produced about 98% of maximum yield in 2015, which is 5% more than the 10-year average. Application of 80 instead of 40 lb …

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated grain sorghum in western Kansas. In 2015, N applied alone increased yields 66 bu/a, whereas N and P applied together increased yields up to 92 bu/a. Averaged across the past 10 years, N and P fertilization increased sorghum yields up to 76 bu/a. Application of 40 lb/a N (with P) was sufficient to produce 88% of maximum yield in 2015 which is slightly above the 10-year average. Application of potassium (K) has had no effect on sorghum yield throughout the study period. …

Precipitation Data, M. Knapp

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Precipitation data for agricultural experiment stations in Kansas, 2014-2015.

Seeding Date Effects On Camelina Seed Yield And Quality Traits, E. Obeng, A. Obour, N. O. Nelson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

An alternative crop with potential for dryland crop production in the Great Plains is camelina (Camelina sativaL.Crantz). Time of planting is an important management consideration that can affect camelina production. A study was carried out in the spring of 2013, 2014, and 2015 to evaluate seeding date effects on spring camelina varieties grown under dryland conditions in western Kansas. Three spring varieties (Blaine Creek, Pronghorn, and Shoshone) were planted at three seeding dates: early (April 3, 2013; March 17, 2014; and March 18, 2015); mid (April 16, 2013; April 1, 2014; and April 1, 2015); …

The Effect Of Enhancement On Trained Panel Beef Palatability Scores Is Dependent Upon Usda Quality Grade, K. V. Mckillip, A. K. Wilfong, J. M. Gonzalez, T. A. Houser, E. A. Boyle, J. A. Unruh, T. G. O'Quinn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Quality grades are used to determine beef value. The U.S. Department of Agriculture grading system categorizes beef into levels of eating satisfaction with the highest being Prime and decreases until reaching the Canner quality grade. Currently the premium of Prime graded carcasses over Select is $16.73 (USDA, 2015). Traditionally, USDA Select cuts are known to have lower palatability ratings for juiciness, tenderness, and overall liking. Select steaks also fail to meet consumer eating expectations more than 33% of the time (Corbin, 2015). This failure rate represents a large cost for the industry. Product enhancement utilizing a water, salt, and phosphate …

Evaluation Of Dietary Electrolyte Balance On Nursery Pig Performance, A. Jones, J. C. Woodworth, S. S. Dritz, M. D. Tokach, J. M. Derouchey, R. D. Goodband

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A total of 2,880 pigs (PIC 327 × L42; initial BW 11.4 lb) were used in a 35-d growth performance trial evaluating the effects of dietary electrolyte balance (dEB) on growth performance of nursery pigs. There were 30 pigs per pen (60 pigs per double-sided feeder) and 12 replications (feeder) per treatment. Pens of pigs were allotted by BW and sex on arrival, and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments. Treatment diets were corn-soybean meal-based with dried whey and other specialty protein sources used in Phase 1 with decreased amounts in Phase 2. Dietary electrolyte balance was determined …

Diet Formulation Method Influences The Response To Increasing Net Energy For Growing-Finishing Pigs, D. Marcal, M. D. Tokach, S. S. Dritz, J. C. Woodworth, R. D. Goodband, J. M. Derouchey

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of increasing dietary net energy (NE) in growing-finishing diets with maintaining a standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys:NE ratio or not adjusting this ratio and keeping SID Lysine (Lys) constant across increasing NE density. A total of 150 pigs (Line 600 Duroc × Line 241, DNA, Columbus, NE) were used in a 91-d trial. Pens of pigs were blocked by gender and BW before being randomly assigned to treatments with 2 pigs per pen and 15 pens per treatment. Treatment diets included a low-energy negative control diet and a 2 × …

Ruminally-Protected Lysine (Safegain) Improves Performance Of Growing Beef Cattle, V. A. Veloso, C. L. Van Bibber-Krueger, J. S. Drouillard

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Lysine frequently is cited as the first-limiting amino acid for cattle diets. Synthetic lysine, while routinely added to pig diets, is ineffective in fulfilling lysine requirements of cattle due to extensive degradation by microbes within the rumen. Lysine can be encapsulated with compounds, such as saturated fats, that minimize degradation by ruminal microbes, thereby assuring that a greater proportion of the amino acid is available for absorption post-ruminally. The purpose of this experiment was to measure the impact of SafeGain (H.J. Baker & Bro. Inc., Little Rock, AR), an encapsulated form of lysine sulfate, on rate of gain and feed …

Adaptability Of Miscanthus Cultivars For Biomass Production, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 2015, miscanthus dry matter (DM) did not differ between cultivars, averaging 10,250 lb DM/a. Total three-year production for the cultivars was also similar, averaging 26,170 lb/a.

Evaluating Multi-Species Cover Crops For Forage Production, C. Davis, Deann Presley, J. K. Farney, Gretchen Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Cover crops offer potential benefits for improving soil health, but establishment and management costs can be expensive. One way for farmers to recover these costs is to graze the forage, which benefits producers by integrating crop and animal production. More information is needed on the potential forage quantity and quality for grazing livestock of cover crops and mixed species of cover crops. Researchers have suggested that different plant species complement each other, but additional work is needed to determine how best to balance forage production and how competitive the various species are when added to a mix. Sixteen treatments were …

Development Of Cold Hardy, Large Patch Resistant Zoysiagrass Cultivars For The Transition Zone, Mingying Xiang, J. Fry, M. Kennelly

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

TAES 5645, aZ. japonicagenotype that exhibited resistance to large patch in preliminary studies, was used as a breeding parent and crossed with 22 cold hardy zoysiagrasses, resulting in 985 progeny. These progeny were evaluated for cold hardiness and agronomic traits (establishment rate, overall quality, spring greenup, leaf texture, and genetic color) in Manhattan, KS; West Lafayette, IN; and Dallas, TX; from 2012 to 2014. From this work, 60 progeny were identified for further evaluation in larger plots. During the 2015-2016 establishment year, experimental line 6102-47 showed good vigor and spring green up rate, which is comparable to ‘Meyer,’ …

Determining Profitable Annual Forage Rotations, J. D. Holman, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell, I. Kisekka

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing annual forages, yet the region lacks proven recom­mended crop rotations such as those for grain crops. Forage production is important to the region’s livestock and dairy industries and is becoming increasingly important as irrigation well capacity declines. Forages require less water than grain crops and may al­low for increased cropping intensity and opportunistic cropping. A study was initiated in 2013 comparing several 1-, 3-, and 4-year forage rotations with no-till and minimum-till (min-till). Data presented are from 2013 through 2015. Winter triticale yields were increased by tillage. Double-crop forage sorghum yielded 23% less than full-season …

Forage Sorghum And Corn Silage Response To Full And Deficit Irrigation, I. Kisekka, J. D. Holman, J. W. Waggoner, J. Aguilar, R. Currie

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

There is limited information on forage sorghum and corn silage yield response to full and deficit irrigation in Kansas. The objective of this study was to generate information on forage sorghum (brown mid-rib hybrids (BMR and non-BMR)) and corn silage yield response to different levels of irrigation as influenced by irrigation capacity in southwest Kansas. Preliminary results indicate the effect of irrigation capacity on forage yield was significant (P = 0.0009) in 2014 but not 2015, probably due to high growing season rainfall received in 2015. Corn silage produced significantly (p<0.05) higher biomass at all irrigation capacities compared to forage sorghum hybrids in 2015. BMR forage sorghum produced significantly lower biomass compared to non-BMR hybrid in both 2014 and 2015 (P<0.05). The highest amounts of forage produced for corn silage, BMR, and non-BMR forage sorghum were 24.6, 17.4, and 21.1 tons/a adjusted to 65%, moisture respectively. Water productivity ranged from 1.0 to 1.4 dry matter tons/a/in. More research is needed under normal and dry years to quantify forage sorghum and corn silage yield and forage quality response to full and deficit irrigation.