Life Sciences Commons^™

Corn And Soybean Yield As Affected By Cover Crop And Phosphorus Fertilizer Management, Megan A. Bourns, Elaheh Khosh Manzar, Nathan O. Nelson, Kraig L. Roozeboom, Gerard J. Kluitenberg, Ganga M. Hettiarachchi, Elizabeth A. Yeager, Peter J. Tomlinson, Deann R. Presley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Phosphorus (P) fertilizer additions are often required to meet crop nutrient demands, but over-fertilization can have economic consequences, as well as environmental consequences from agricultural P loss. Therefore, we require management strategies that balance crop P demand and the need to minimize environmental P loss. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cover crop addition and P fertilizer management strategy [build and maintain (BM), sufficiency (SF), and a zero-P control (CN)] on crop yield of a no-till, corn-soybean system for 2020, 2021, and 2022 crop years for a site near Manhattan, KS. The addition of a …

Wheat Yield Response To Nitrogen Rate Depends On Foliar Fungicide Application, R. P. Lollato, L. O. Pradella, N. Giordano, L. Ryan, L. M. Simão, J. R. Soler

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nitrogen (N) and fungicide are among the most important factors impacting wheat yields in Kansas. However, there is limited information on whether foliar fungicides interact with N rates in wheat yield determination. Thus, our objectives were to evaluate wheat yield as impacted by different N rates with or without the use of foliar fungicide. One field experiment was established using a factorial structure of five N rates (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 pounds of N per acre) by two fungicide management practices (either absent or 13 fluid ounces per acre of Nexicor) in a split-plot design near Hutchinson, KS, …

Corn Tiller Yield Contributions Are Dependent On Environment: A 17 Site-Year Kansas Study, R. L. Veenstra, D. Berning, P. Carter, S. Wallace, M. Legleiter, L. Currie, C. D. Messina, P. V. Vara Prasad, T. J. Hefley, L. A. Haag, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Historic breeding efforts in corn (Zea mays L.) have resulted in uniform, single-stalked phenotypes with limited potential for environmental plasticity. Therefore, plant density is a critical yield component for corn, as corn is unable to successfully compensate for a deficit of plants. Other grass crop species can overcome plant density deficits via vegetative branching (tillering), but this trait is historically undesirable in corn. Improving corn flexibility across plant densities has potential benefits, particularly considering diverse yield environments and seasonal weather uncertainties due to climate change. The present study evaluated tiller presence with two hybrids in a range of plant …

Corn Tiller Yield Contributions And Ear Development In Low Plant Densities, R. Veenstra, C. D. Messina, D. Berning, S. Wallace, M. Legleiter, L. Haag, P. V. Prasad, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Research in modern corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids investigating tiller contributions and ear development at low plant densities is scarce, particularly in water-limited environments. To fill this research gap, a second season of replicated experiments was conducted in 2020 at 7 sites across Kansas (Keats, Buhler, Greensburg, Garden City, Goodland, and two sites in Colby) evaluating two common, tiller-prone corn hybrids (P0805AM and P0657AM) at three target plant density levels (10000, 17000, and 24000 plants/a). Five of the listed sites also considered a tillering factor (tiller removal at development stage V10 [tenth-leaf] or tiller maintenance). Seasonal phenology, partitioned grain …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Timing And Phosphorus And Potassium Fertilization Rates For Established Endophyte-Free Tall Fescue, D. W. Sweeney, J. K. Farney, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Tall fescue production was measured during the second year of a study with locations started in fall of 2016 and fall of 2017. In the second year at both sites, phosphorus (P) fertilization rate did not affect harvest yields. Applying nitrogen (N) in late fall or late winter resulted in greater spring yields than applying N in spring or not applying N. However, fall harvest yields at Site 1 in 2018 were greater without N, but were greater with spring N application at Site 2 in 2019. In both site-years, the second-year tall fescue total yield rank as affected by …

Fertilizer Source And Rate Affect Sulfur Uptake And Yield Response In Corn, T. E. Husa, D. A. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

With sulfur deficiencies being found throughout Kansas, the evaluation of sulfur fertilization and plant uptake are vital to optimize corn production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of application rates of sulfur on yield and uptake in corn. Nutrient concentrations in corn biomass and grain were evaluated at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field at Rossville, KS, in 2019. Five treatments were evalu­ated, including a control with no sulfur and no nitrogen (N), and four fertilizer treat­ments with 180 lb of nitrogen and four rates of sulfur fertilizer (0, 30, 50, and 200 lb S/a). The …

Tiller Contributions To Low-Density Corn Biomass And Yield, R. Veenstra, C. Messina, L. Haag, P. V. Vara Prasad, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Tillers (commonly termed “suckers”) have lower overall yield contributions in corn (Zea mays L.) than in other Poaceae species. Current research evaluating the value of tillers in corn is scarce, particularly under water-limited conditions. This study aims to quantify relationships between tiller, main plant, and full (considering both tiller and main plant fractions) plant aboveground biomass and yields of corn under low plant density scenarios. Experiments were conducted in the 2019 growing season at three sites across Kansas (Garden City, Goodland, and Manhattan) evaluating two tiller-prone corn hybrids common in this region (P0805AM and P0657AM) at two plant densities …

Wheat Grain Yield And Protein Response To Nitrogen And Sulfur Rates, B. R. Jaenisch, R. P. Lollato

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Winter wheat is often double-cropped after soybeans in no-tillage systems. The soybean crop removes large quantities of sulfur (S), which might unbalance ratios of nitrogen (N) to S for the following wheat crop. Our objective was to evaluate the responses of two wheat varieties to three N and four S rates representing a range of N:S ratios. The experiment was arranged as a complete factorial with a split-split-plot design. Variety was the whole-plot, N the sub-plot, and S the sub-sub plot. Nitrogen rates were 50, 100, and 150% of the recommended rate for 60 bu/a, which corresponded to ~45, 87, …

Wheat Variety Response To Seeding Rate In Kansas During The 2018–19 Growing Season, R. P. Lollato, L. Molssato, C. Rapolla, G. Zhang, A. Fritz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Different wheat varieties might require different seeding densities to maximize yield. Thus, the main objective of this project was to better understand the response of different wheat varieties to different seeding rates. Three field experiments were conducted during the 2017-18 growing season evaluating six wheat varieties subjected to five different seeding rates (0.6, 0.95, 1.3, 1.65, and 2.0 million seeds per acre). Crop was managed from a 70 bu/a yield goal and pests were controlled using commercially available pesticides. We measured final stand and grain yield, and all statistical analyses were performed for relating emerged plants per acre to grain …

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.

Seed Yield And Biological Nitrogen Fixation For Historical Soybean Genotypes, S. Tamagno, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Seed yield formation and biological nitrogen (N) fixation (BNF) were evaluated during the seed filling period (SFP) for historical soybean genotypes under contrasting N strategies. Overall, seed yield increased with the year of release, primarily associated with increments in the seed number component. The study showed that seed weight factor was maintained across decades regardless of the improvement in seed number. Nitrogen factor, evaluated as zero-N application via inorganic fertilizers versus high-N added, influenced seed yield via impacting seed weight factor. The latter plant trait improved with the high-N treatment, which was related to changes in the duration of the …

Estimating Annual Forage Yields With Plant Available Water And Growing Season Precipitation, J. D. Holman, A. Obour, I. Kisekka, A. Schlegel, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Forage production is important for western Kansas region’s livestock and dairy industries and has become increasingly important as irrigation-well capacity declines. Forages require less water than grain crops and may allow for increased cropping intensity and opportunistic cropping. Being able to estimate forage production is important for determining forage availability versus forage needs. Data from several studies were used to quantify annual forage yield response to plant available water (PAW) at planting and growing season precipitation (GSP). In addition, water use efficiency was quantified. Forages evaluated included winter triticale, spring triticale, and forage sorghum.

Grain Sorghum Response To Water Supply And Environment, J. Broeckelman, G. J. Kluitenberg, K. Roozeboom, G. Cramer, Eric Adee, A. Schlegel, J. D. Holman, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Three grain sorghum hybrids were selected to compare under different water supply scenarios across Kansas. The environments ranged from dryland in western Kansas to dryland and irrigated in central and eastern Kansas. The three hybrids that were selected represent different sorghum genotypes used commercially. Looking at two situations from higher and lower yielding environments, hybrids 1 and 3 had different strategies to attain final yields. In the higher yielding environment, both grain harvest index (HI, expressed as the dry weight ratio of grain yield to plant biomass at maturity) and biomass were maximized for hybrid 1 and hybrid 2. In …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, 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 …

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 …

Balanced Nutrition And Crop Production Practices For Closing Grain Sorghum Yield Gaps, B. Mchenry, E. A. Adee, P. V. Vara Prasad, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A field experiment was conducted at the East Central Kansas Experiment Field near Ottawa, KS, and at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field near Rossville, KS, in the summer of 2014 to evaluate diverse cropping systems approaches on closing sorghum yield gaps. Yield gaps can be understood as the difference between maximum yield and attainable on-farm yields. The factors that were tested include narrow row spacing; plant population; balanced nutrition practices, including various timings of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) and micronutrient applications; crop protection with fungicide and insecticide applications; plant growth regulator effects; and the use of precision ag …

Balanced Nutrition And Crop Production Practices For Closing Grain Sorghum Yield Gaps, B. Mchenry, P. V. Vara Prasad, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A field experiment was conducted at the North Central Kansas Experiment Field near Scandia, KS, in the summer of 2014 to evaluate diverse cropping systems approaches to closing sorghum yield gaps. Yield gaps can be understood as the difference between maximum and attainable on-farm yields. The approach taken in this project is system wide, rather than focusing on one factor and its interaction. The factors that were tested include narrow row spacing; plant population; balanced nutrition practices, including various timings of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) and micronutrient applications; crop protection with fungicide and insecticide applications; plant growth regulator effects; …

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 …