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 …

Evaluating Teff Grass As A Summer Forage, J. M. Davidson, D. Min, R. M. Aiken, G. J. Kluitenberg

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objectives of this study were to determine the forage yield, nutritive value, and water use efficiency of teff grass (Eragrostis tef) under field conditions as compared to sorghum sudangrass and forage pearl millet. Water use efficiency was determined by regressing above-ground biomass on crop water use between sampling periods. Yield was determined by quadrat area clippings of above-ground biomass. Nutritive value was determined using wet chemical analysis. Cultivars showed significant differences in biomass production at all sampling dates in both years. Teff grass demonstrated potential to provide producers with a fast-growing and competitive forage crop by reaching …

Alternative Cropping Systems With Limited Irrigation, A. Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A limited irrigation study involving four cropping systems and evaluating four crop ro­tations was initiated at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS, in 2012. The cropping systems were two annual systems (continuous corn [C-C] and continuous grain sorghum [GS-GS]) and two 2-year systems (corn- grain sorghum [C-GS]) and corn-winter wheat [C-W]). In 2017, corn yields were greatest in the corn-wheat rotation and least with continuous corn. Grain sorghum yields were greater following sorghum than following corn. The wheat was destroyed by a severe infestation of wheat streak mosaic virus and not harvested.

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 2017, N applied alone increased yields by 70 bu/a, whereas P applied alone increased yields by less than 10 bu/a. Nitrogen and P applied together increased yields up to 130 bu/a. This is 10 bu/a less than the 10-year average, where N and P fertilization increased corn yields up to 140 bu/a. Application of 120 lb/a N (with highest P rate) produced 93% of maximum yield in 2017, which is similar to the 10-year average. Application of …

Weed Control And Injury With Non-Labeled Herbicides In Grain Sorghum, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier, W. Keeling, B. Bean

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Palmer amaranth control at Garden City, KS, was good with Acuron or Lumax EZ. At Lubbock, TX, Palmer amaranth control was excellent with all herbicides except Surestart II and Valor at 1 oz/a. Surestart II and Valor provided only fair control of kochia and Russian thistle late in the season at Garden City. No visible sorghum injury from any herbicide was observed at Garden City, and sorghum yields were not affected. Very dry conditions during the experiment at Garden City likely minimized sorghum injury and limited sorghum yields. At Lubbock, minor sorghum injury was observed early with Acuron and Valor. …

Effects Of Various Grazing Systems On Grazing And Subsequent Finishing Performance, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

MaxQ tall fescue, a wheat-bermudagrass double-crop system, and a wheat-crabgrass double-crop system have been three of the most promising grazing systems evaluated at the Kansas State University Southeast Agricultural Research Center in the past 20 years, but these systems have never been compared directly in the same study. The objective of this study was to compare grazing and subsequent finishing performance of stocker steers that grazed these three systems.

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.

Use Of A Fungicide To Reduce Stomatal Conductance For Production Of Sweet Corn Planted At Different Populations With Limited Irrigation, D. W. Sweeney, M. B. Kirkham

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sweet corn is a potential value-added, alternative crop for producers in southeastern Kansas. Corn responds to irrigation, and timing of water deficits can affect yield components. Even though large irrigation sources, such as aquifers, are lacking in southeastern Kansas, supplemental irrigation could be supplied from the substantial number of small lakes and ponds in the area. However, this may not be enough to improve the water use of the plant. Reducing stomatal conductance and adjusting seeding rate may also help reduce water stress and/or improve water use efficiency. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of limited …

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.

Precipitation Data, M. Knapp

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Precipitation for the 2016-2017 growing seasons for experiment stations in 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.

Evaluating Small Unmanned Aerial Systems For Detecting Drought Stress On Turfgrass, Mu Hong, Dale Bremer, Deon Van Der Merwe

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was conducted to evaluate early detection ability of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) technology for drought stress on turfgrass. Certain reflectances collected by sUAS and a handheld device declined more in less irrigated treatments before drought stress was evident in visual quality rating (VQ) and percentage green cover (PGC). The near infrared (NIR) band and GreenBlue vegetation index performed the best consistently for drought stress prediction among the other vegetation indices (VI) or bands from sUAS. Results indicate using ultra-high resolution remote sensing with sUAS can detect drought stress as well as, if not better than, a handheld …

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 Interseeding Ladino Clover Into Tall Fescue Pastures Of Varying Endophyte Status On Grazing Performance Of Stocker Steers, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Tall fescue, the most widely adapted cool-season perennial grass in the United States, is grown on approximately 66 million acres. Although tall fescue is well adapted in the eastern half of the country between the temperate north and mild south, presence of a fungal endophyte results in poor performance of grazing livestock, especially during the summer. Until recently, producers with high-endophyte tall fescue pastures had two primary options for improving grazing livestock performance. One option was to destroy existing stands and replace them with endophyte-free fescue or other forages. Although it supports greater animal performance than endophyte-infected fescue, endophyte-free fescue …

Including Legumes In Bermudagrass Pastures, J. L. Moyer, L. W. Lomas

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Bermudagrass is a productive forage species when intensively managed. However, it has periods of dormancy and requires proper management to maintain forage quality. Legumes in the bermudagrass sward could improve forage quality and reduce fertilizer usage; however, legumes are difficult to establish and maintain with the competitive grass. Clovers can maintain survival once established in bermudagrass sod and may be productive enough to substitute for some N fertilization. This study was designed to compare dry cow performance on a bermudagrass pasture system that included ladino and crimson clovers (Legume) vs. bermudagrass alone (Nitrogen).

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, …

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was initiated in 1961 to determine responses of continuous corn and grain sorghum grown under flood irrigation to N, P, and potassium (K) fertilization. The study is conducted on a Ulysses silt loam soil with an inherently high K content. No yield benefit to corn from K fertilization was observed in 30 years, and soil K levels remained high, so the K treatment was discontinued in 1992 and replaced with a higher P rate.

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 …