Life Sciences Commons^™

2020 Director's Report Of Research In Kansas, J. E. Minton

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The 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.

Assessment Of Soy-Based Imports Into The Us And Associated Foreign Animal Disease Status, Allison K. Blomme, Cassandra K. Jones, Jordan T. Gebhardt, Jason C. Woodworth, Chad B. Paulk

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soy-based products are known to pose a viable risk to US swine herds because of their ability to harbor and transmit virus. This study evaluated soy imports into the US as a whole and from foreign animal disease positive (FAD+) countries to determine which products are being imported in the highest quantities and observe potential trends in imports from FAD+ countries. Import data were accessed through the United States International Trade Commission website (USITC DataWeb) and summarized using R (version 4.0.2, R core team, Vienna, Austria). Twenty-one different Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes were queried to determine quantities (US tons, …

Director's Report Of Research In Kansas, 2018 And 2019, J. E. Minton

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The 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.

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.

Director's Report Of Research In Kansas, 2016, J. E. Minton

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The 2016 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.

Director's Report Of Research In Kansas, 2015, J. E. Minton

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The 2015 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 stations, and associated programs.

Effects Of Intensive Late-Season Sheep Grazing Following Early-Season Steer Grazing On Population Dynamics Of Sericea Lespedeza In The Kansas Flint Hills, J. Lemmon, W. H. Fick, J. A. Alexander, G. W. Preedy, C. A. Gurule, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata; SL) is a high-tannin, invasive forb in the Tallgrass Prairie ecosystem. In Kansas, sericea lespedeza infests 980 square miles of pasture, primarily in the Flint Hills region. Sericea lespedeza infestations reduce native grass production by up to 92% through a combination of aggressive growth, prolific reproduction, canopy dominance, and chemical inhibition (allelopathy). Herbicides retard the spread of sericea lespedeza, but application is laborious and expensive; moreover, herbicides are lethal to ecologically-important, non-target plant species.

Increased grazing pressure on sericea lespedeza by domestic herbivores may slow its spread and facilitate some measure of biological control. …

Assessing Training Methods To Educate Dairy Workers, L. Mendonca, B. E. Voelz, A. Scanavez

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Training employees is fundamental for dairy producers to achieve efficiency in order to increase profitability. Training videos offered online are becoming more common and recommended to train employees. The goals of this survey were to evaluate the comfort level of dairy employees in using computers and tablets, and preferred training delivery methods. A total of 71 employees from 6 dairies were interviewed. Interviews were conducted in the preferred language of the interviewee – English or Spanish. Of the respondents, 52 and 65.6% of employees consider computers and tablets easy to use, respectively. More than half of the employees reported that …

Value And Use Of Artificial Insemination By Beef Producers, S. K. Johnson, Garland R. Dahlke

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Artificial insemination and estrous synchronization remain underutilized by U.S. beef producers. The most recent National Animal Health Monitoring Survey (NAHMS 2007–08) reported that 7.6% of producers used artificial insemination and 7.9% used estrous synchronization. The most common reason cited for not using these reproductive technologies was time and labor, followed by cost and difficulty. Little information is available on actual management practices used by producers who do use these technologies and their value to such operations.

East Central Kansas Experiment Field Introduction, E. A. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The research program at the East Central Kansas Experiment Field is designed to keep area crop producers abreast of technological advances in agronomic agriculture. Specific objectives are to (1) identify top-performing varieties and hybrids of wheat, corn, soybean, and grain sorghum; (2) establish the amount of tillage and crop residue cover needed for optimum crop production; (3) evaluate weed and disease control practices using chemical, no chemical, and combination methods; and (4) test fertilizer rates, timing, and application methods for agronomic proficiency and environmental stewardship.

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

In 2013, late planting resulted in corn yields that were less than 100 bu/a. Nitrogen (N) placement did not affect yields in the higher-yielding conventional tillage system, but knifing tended to result in greater yield in reduced and no-till systems.

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

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.

Identification Of Yield-Limiting Factors In Southeast Kansas Cropping Systems, G. F. Sassenrath, X. Lin, D. E. Shoup

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Crop performance and yield within production fields varies as a function of growing environment and soil properties within the field. Components contributing to yield in corn, wheat, and soybean production were examined through on-farm measurements of soil properties in southeast Kansas. Additional tests in research plots explored components contributing to yield in greater detail. Environmental variability between the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons contributed to differences in yield. Additional variability in soil parameters influenced crop performance, particularly for soils high in clay content.

Improving Yield Stability And Resiliency Of Agronomic Production Systems In Southeast Kansas, G. F. Sassenrath, J. K. Farney, Deann Presley, C. Davis

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil health is a critical determinant of crop performance. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties can be modified through production practices such as tillage. Use of cover crops has been shown to benefit soil health and may improve productive capacity of soils. High rainfall and intense crop production practices limit the ability to implement cover crops in current production systems in southeast Kansas. This study explores potential management of cover crops and their contribution to soil health, crop productivity, and animal grazing.

Evaluation Of Calcium Hydroxide-Treated Stover (Second Crop) In Receiving And Growing Diets And Effects On Cattle Performance, T. Spore, S. Montgomery, C. Vahl, B. E. Oleen, W. R. Hollenbeck, J. W. Waggoner, J. Hill, D. A. Blasi

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Production of ethanol from corn as an alternative fuel source has significantly affected the pricing landscape for corn as an energy source for livestock. As ethanol usage has become more prevalent, corn prices have become more volatile, especially in critical corn-growing areas that have been affected by drought. Consequently, many beef cattle feeders have become interested in alternative energy sources in an effort to control cost of gain. Second Crop (ADM Corp., Decatur, IL) is a process in which calcium hydroxide is added to fibrous crop residues, such as wheat straw and corn stover. When applied to low-quality roughages, calcium …

Grain Sorghum Yield Response To Water Availability, J. P. Broeckelman, G. J. Kluitenberg, K. Roozeboom, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Yield effects of irrigation on sorghum and corn were compared, focusing only on the grain sorghum phase. Average water use for irrigation was 22 in., and dryland sorghum used 17 in. Average yields based on 12.5% grain moisture for dryland and irrigated sorghum were similar, with 138 bu/a for the irrigated and 142 bu/a for the dryland environment. Irrigated sorghum yields were similar, but in dryland, the Pioneer 84G62 hybrid yielded 149 bu/a, a 10 bu/a increase over Pioneer 84Y50 and DKS 53-67 hybrids, which yielded 139 bu/a and 138 bu/a, respectively. Although there was a difference in the yield …

Surface Runoff Characteristics From Claypan Soil In Southeastern Kansas Receiving Different Plant Nutrient Sources And Tillage, D. W. Sweeney, Philip Barnes, Gary Pierzynski

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Preliminary results show that two-year average total nitrogen (N) runoff losses and ortho-phosphorus (P) and total P runoff losses in the second year were greater with N-based turkey litter/no-till applications than P-based turkey litter or fertilizer-only applications. Incorporation of turkey litter applied based on N requirements resulted in N and P losses that did not differ from losses from P-based or fertilizer-only treatments. Chemical and statistical analyses of third-year samples will allow for final results and interpretation.

Soybean Planting Date × Maturity Group: Eastern Kansas Summary, I. A. Ciampitti, D. E. Shoup, G. Sassenrath, J. Kimball, E. A. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Optimum planting time for soybean depends on the interaction between genotype and environment (G × E). Four field studies were conducted during the 2014 growing season across eastern Kansas (Manhattan, Topeka, Ottawa, and Parsons). This study explores the impact of planting date (early, mid, and late planting times) on yield for modern soybean cultivars from a range of maturity groups (early, medium, and late groups).

Late-Season Nitrogen Fertilizer Application In Soybean, G. R. Balboa, D. R. Hodgins, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Field experiments were conducted at the North Central Kansas Experiment Field near Scandia, KS, in the summer of 2014 to evaluate effect of late-season nitrogen (N) fertilizer application on modern soybean genotypes under dryland and irrigated environments. The main objective was to determine if the N application late in the season has an agronomical benefit to soybean producers. A unique fertilizer N source (urea) was applied at five N rates (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 lb N/a) to soybean at the R3 growth stage. Overall soybean yields under dryland conditions ranged from 73 to 89 bu/a, whereas yield variation …

Corn Yield Response To Plant Populations, D. E. Shoup, E. A. Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Corn hybrid development with a focus on drought tolerance has emerged in recent years, and producers have questions about their yield performance across a range of plant populations. A two-year study was conducted to determine the yield of corn hybrids across several plant populations. Corn hybrids responded differently in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, a lower yield environment occurred. The hybrid with drought tolerance had the greatest yield of 95 bu/a at a plant population of 21,500 plants/a, whereas the non-drought-tolerant hybrid’s greatest yield was 90 bu/a at a plant population of 13,500 plants/a. In 2014, the yield environment was …

Seeding Rates And Fertilizer Placement To Improve Strip-Till And No-Till Corn, D. W. Sweeney

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 2013, late planting resulted in corn yields that were less than 110 bu/a. Yields were not increased with seeding rates above 26,000/a, but a small increase in yield was obtained with knife applications of fertilizer nitrogen (N) compared with dribble.

Genetic Variance And Covariance Components For Feed Intake, Average Daily Gain, And Postweaning Gain In Growing Beef Cattle, K. J. Retallick, J. M. Bormann, R. L. Weaber, M. D. Macneil, H. L. Bradford, Harvey C. Freetly, W. M. Snelling, Mark Thallman, D. Moser, Larry Kuehn

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Feed is the greatest cost for a beef cattle production enterprise. Data collection to determine feed efficiency of animals is also costly, because both gain and intake records are needed to calculate feed efficiency. Electronic intake monitoring systems such as GrowSafe or Insentec to collect feed intake data are expensive and thus limit the number of animals that can be tested. Scientists have worked to pinpoint optimal test durations for collecting both weight gain and feed intake records to lessen costs.

A 70-day performance test is currently recommended for accurate calculation of efficiency, with growth data as the limiting factor. …

Comparing Standing Heat And Estrotect Heat Detection Patches, S. K. Johnson, J. R. Jaeger

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A recent survey showed that 66% of producers surveyed used some amount of heat detection in their artificial insemination program, and 74% of producers that used heat detection aids had tried Estrotect (Rockway, Inc.; Spring Valley, WS) heat detection patches. The peel-and-stick application made Estrotect more popular than types that required adhesive application. The patches are designed so that when the animal is mounted the top surface layer is removed, much like scratching a lottery ticket. After several mounts the entire layer is removed, leaving a bright-colored surface behind. A new type of patch, Standing Heat (Standing Heat, LLC; Dannebrog, …

Effects Of An Experimental Seed Treatment From Dupont On Sudden Death Syndrome Symptoms And Soybean Yield, E. A. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a soybean disease that perennially limits yields in the Kansas River Valley. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and saturated soils contribute to the severity of the disease. Selecting varieties with some degree of tolerance to SDS is the only cultural practice that can reduce the severity of SDS and improve yields. Variety selection alone, however, doesn’t necessarily make soybean production profitable; an added complication is managing irrigation scheduling to avoid saturated soils. A study with seed treatments applied to soybean was conducted at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field in 2014, with treatments applied to two …

Corn Yield Response To Water Availability, T. Newell, K. Roozeboom, G. J. Kluitenberg, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Drought-tolerant technologies have become popular in hybrids for low-yielding corn environments across central and western Kansas and are marketed for their ability to produce higher grain yields with less water. The objective of this study was to compare water use, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of two types of drought-tolerant (DT) corn hybrids and a high-yielding non-DT hybrid. Water use and yield of two DT and one non-DT, high-yielding hybrid were compared in both dryland and irrigated situations. The average yield for the irrigated corn was 217 bu/a, and the average was 127 bu/a in dryland, representing a yield …

Response Of Wheat To Residual Fertilizer Nitrogen Applied To Previously Failed Corn, D. W. Sweeney, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

When drought conditions result in poor corn growth and yield, the potential exists for carryover of fertilizer nitrogen (N) to wheat. Soil sampling at the wheat jointing stage showed that NO₃-N levels increased slightly as previous N rate increased up to 240 lb/a N, but did not appear sufficient for the wheat yield increase to previous N rate. The relationship between wheat normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) measurements at jointing and wheat yield was linear. The use of crop active sensors such as the GreenSeeker (Trimble Navigation Ltd., Sunnyvale, CA) may provide plant response data to supplement soil …

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

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.

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The need for tillage in corn and soybean production in the Kansas River Valley continues to be debated. The soils of the Kansas River Valley are highly variable, with much of the soil sandy to silty loam in texture. These soils tend to be relatively low in organic matter (<2%) and susceptible to wind erosion. Although typically well drained, these soils can develop compaction layers under certain conditions. A tillage study was initiated in the fall of 2011 at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field near Topeka to compare deep vs. shallow vs. no-till vs. deep tillage in alternate years. Corn and soybean crops are rotated annually. This is intended to be a long-term study to determine if soil characteristics and yields change in response to a history of each tillage system.

Late-Season Nitrogen Fertilizer Application In Soybean, D. R. Hodgins, E. A. Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Field experiments were conducted at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field, located near Rossville and Topeka, KS, in the summer of 2014 to evaluate effects of late-season nitrogen (N) fertilizer application on modern soybean genotypes. A unique fertilizer N source (urea) was applied at five N rates (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 lb N/a) to soybean at the R3 growth stage. The main objective was to determine if late-season N application has an agronomical benefit to soybean producers. Overall soybean yields ranged from 43.7 to 57.5 bu/a considering both experimental fields. At Rossville, sudden death syndrome (SDS) affected the …

Grain Sorghum Yield Response To Water Availability, J. P. Broeckelman, E. A. Adee, G. J. Kluitenberg, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Yield effects of irrigation on sorghum and corn were compared, but this report is merely focused on the sorghum phase of the crop rotation. Mean yield for irrigated sorghum was 168 bu/a, whereas dryland yield was 145 bu/a. The latter represents a yield improvement of 24 bu/a, an increase of approximately 2 bu/a per unit (in.) of water applied (considering a total of 11 in. of water applied in the irrigation block).

The irrigated sorghum used a mean of 7.8 in. more water than the dryland, which suggests that the dryland sorghum consumed 3.4 in. more water from the soil …