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Kansas Field Research 2023

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2021-2023 on field production and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2023 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.https://www.ag.k-state.edu/

Grazing Cover Crops Improved Soil Health In Dryland Cropping Systems, Augustine K. Obour, John D. Holman, Logan M. Simon, Sandra K. Johnson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Integrating cover crops (CCs) in dryland crop production in the semiarid central Great Plains (CGP) can provide several ecosystem benefits. However, CC adoption has been slow in the CGP because CCs utilize water that otherwise would be available for the subsequent cash crop. Grazing CCs can provide economic benefits to offset revenue loss associated with decreased crop yields when CCs are grown ahead of a cash crop. Field experiments were conducted from 2015 through 2022 to quantify effects of grazing CCs on soil bulk density, aggregate stability, and chemical properties across western Kansas. At the Kansas State University HB Ranch …

Planting Green: Potential Benefits And Disadvantages Of Planting Corn Into Live Cereal Rye Cover Crop, A. Correira, P. Tomlinson, D. Presley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Although cover crops are typically terminated 2–4 weeks prior to cash crop planting, there may be situations where late-burndown or planting into a living cover crop (planting green) may be necessary or even beneficial. This experiment investigated the effect of cover crop termination date on corn (Zea mays) yield and the presence of beneficial insects. Three different termination dates were tested: 4 weeks prior to planting (brown), 7 to 14 days prior to planting (green-brown), and at planting (green), as well as a check treatment with no cover crop planted. The site year by termination date interaction was …

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 …

Spring And Summer Cover Crop Effects On Dryland Wheat And Grain Sorghum Yields In Western Kansas, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, S. K. Johnson, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Incorporating cover crops (CC) to replace fallow in traditional dryland cropping systems in the semi-arid conditions of western Kansas has the potential to enhance soil health, suppress weeds, and increase precipitation use efficiency. The returns from haying or grazing can help cover costs of CC establishment and any reduction in yield from the subsequent grain crop. Two studies were initiated in 2015 and 2016 near Brownell, KS, to investigate dual-purpose spring and summer CC management effects on subsequent grain yields in a three-year no-till (NT) dryland winter wheat-grain sorghum-fallow cropping system. Cover crops were planted in early spring between grain …

Using Cover Crops To Control Weeds And Improve Soil Health, J. Dille, A. Hewitt, G. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Herbicide-resistant weeds are challenging for producers to control in crop fields. This study explores the potential of cover crops to reduce weed pressure and improve soil health. Cover crops that had good canopy development, including grasses such as ryegrass and wheat, had the best weed control. Soybean yields were similar for all cover crops, though there was a trend towards lower yields for the brassica cover crops, Graza radish and forage collards. Soybeans grown after ryegrass had the highest yields.

Cover Crop Grazing Effects On Soil Compaction Indicators In Western And Central Kansas, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, S. K. Johnson, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Grazing cover crops (CCs) on no-till (NT) croplands in western and central Kansas could increase the profitability of crop production in these water-limited environments. However, little information exists about potential soil compaction associated with grazing CCs in these cropping systems. From 2019 to 2021, two studies investigated the effects of grazing CCs on soil bulk density and penetration resistance in NT cropping systems. At the Kansas State University HB Ranch near Brownell, KS, CCs grazed with yearling heifers were compared to ungrazed CCs and fallow under NT or occasional tillage (OT). In another study, CCs grazed with yearlings or cow-calf …

Kansas Field Research 2022

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2020-2022 on field production and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2022 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service.
https://www.ag.k-state.edu/

Using Cover Crops To Suppress Weeds And Improve Soil Health, J. A. Dille, L. I. Chism, G. F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Herbicide-resistant weeds are creating challenges for producers to control weeds in crop fields. This study explores the potential of cover crops to reduce weed pressure and im­prove soil health. Cover crops were planted after corn harvest in tilled and no-till fields, and included Graza radish, winter wheat, annual ryegrass, spring oats, winter oats, and forage collards. The control was fallow with herbicide application but no cover crop. Soil health was determined prior to cover crop termination. Graza radish and forage collards did not grow consistently in all plots due to poor germination and winter kill. Significant weed biomass was produced …

Kansas Soil Health Partnership, C. B. Pires, I. A. Ciampitti, D. A. Ruiz Diaz, M. V. Sarto, Charles Rice

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was part of a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health, benefitting farmer profitability, supporting a stable food supply, and preserving the environment. This study’s objective was to measure the effect of soil management strategies on the soil microbial community distribution and activity. Four farmers in Kansas were accepted into the program to conduct on-farm comparisons of a standard farm practice and an improved practice. This was ongoing research, and for this field research report, we are presenting the study at one of the selected farms. This site was located near Bucyrus, Miami County …

Forage Accumulation Of Spring And Summer Cover Crops In Western Kansas, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, S. K. Johnson, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Intensification of no-till dryland cropping systems in western Kansas with cover crops (CCs) may provide important ecosystem services while also supplying annual forage for livestock. Two experiments were initiated in 2015 and 2016 near Brownell, KS, to determine the forage production potential of spring and summer CCs in a winter wheat-grain sorghum-fallow crop rotation. Cover crops were mechanically harvested as hayed forage to a height of 6 inches or mob-grazed with yearling heifers (weighing approximately 1000 lb each) stocked at 3 head/acre/day. Forage accumulation was determined for the hayed treatment using a small plot forage harvester, and samples of the …

Dual-Purpose Cover Crop Effects On Soil Health In Western Kansas No-Till Dryland Cropping, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, S. K. Johnson, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Increasing interest in soil health has led producers in western Kansas to consider cover crops (CCs) for increased soil cover and improved soil properties. However, grain yield reductions following CCs in dryland cropping systems necessitate dual-purpose forage harvest to balance goals of environmental and economic sustainability. This study was initiated in 2015 near Brownell, KS, to investigate the effects of dual-purpose CC management in place of fallow on selected soil chemical and physical properties in a no-till winter wheat-grain sorghum-fallow cropping system. Mixed oat and triticale cover crops were either mechanically harvested as hayed forage to a height of 6 …

Kansas Field Research 2021

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2019-2020 on field production and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2021 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service https://www.ag.k-state.edu/

Long-Term Cover Crop Management Effects On Soil Health In Semiarid Dryland Cropping Systems, L. M. Simon, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, K. L. Roozeboom

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Growing cover crops (CC) in semiarid drylands may provide benefits to soil health. This study examined long-term CC management effects in a no-till winter wheat-grain sorghum-fallow cropping system in southwest Kansas. Objectives were to assess the impacts of CCs on 1) soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) stocks, 2) soil susceptibility to erosion, as well as to 3) quantify the effects of haying cover crops as annual forages. Treatments were spring-planted and included peas for grain as well as one-, three-, and six-species CC mixtures of oats, triticale, peas, buckwheat, turnips, and radishes compared with conventional chemical-fallow. Half of …

Dual Use Of Cover Crops For Forage Production And Soil Health In Dryland Crop Production, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, L. M. Simon, S. K. Johnson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Integrating a cover crop (CC) into dryland crop production in the semiarid central Great Plains (CGP) can provide several ecosystem benefits. However, CC adoption is slow and not widely popular in the CGP because CCs utilize water that other­wise would be available for the subsequent cash crop. Grazing or haying CCs can provide economic benefits to offset revenue loss associated with decreased crop yields when CCs are grown ahead of a cash crop. Objectives of the current research were to 1) determine forage production of CC mixtures, and 2) evaluate the impacts of removing CCs for forage on subsequent crop …

Soil Microbial Seasonal Community Dynamics In Response To Cover Crop And Phosphorus Fertilizer Usage In A No-Till Corn-Soybean System In 2018, C. L. Stewart, L. M. Starr, N. O. Nelson, K. L. Roozeboom, G. J. Kluitenberg, D. R. Presley, P. J. Tomlinson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study examined microorganism community composition in plots managed with and without cover crops and three contrasting phosphorous (P) fertilizer manage­ment techniques in a no-till corn-soybean system. This work was performed in the spring and fall of 2018 at the Kansas Agricultural Watershed Field Laboratory (KAW), Manhattan, KS. The study design was a 2 × 3 complete block factorial design with three replications, with cover crop presence or absence and three levels of P fertilizer management (control, fall broadcast, and spring injected). To examine microorganism community composition, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was used. Only the main effect of cover …

Cover Crop Management Effects On Soil Water Content And Winter Wheat Yield In Dryland Systems, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, J. R. Jaeger

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Integrating cover crop (CCs) into dryland crop production in the semiarid central Great Plains (CGP) can provide several ecosystem benefits. However, CC adoption is slow and not widely popular in the CGP because CCs utilize water that otherwise would be available for the subsequent cash crop. Grazing or haying CCs can provide economic benefits to offset revenue loss associated with decreased crop yields when CCs are grown ahead of a cash crop. Objectives of the current research were to 1) determine forage production of CC mixtures, and 2) evaluate the impacts of removing CC for forage on soil water content, …

Effects Of Spring-Planted Cover Crops On Weed Suppression And Winter Wheat Grain Yield In Western Kansas, A. K. Obour, J. D. Holman, J. A. Dille, V. Kumar

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Herbicide resistant (HR) weeds pose a major challenge to continuous no-tillage (NT) dryland crop management systems. Integrating cover crop (CCs) in dryland crop rota­tions could suppress weeds and provide a weed management option for HR weeds in NT systems. Field experiments were conducted to investigate weed suppression poten­tial of spring-planted CCs and their impacts on subsequent winter wheat grain yields. The CCs were oat/triticale, oat/triticale/pea, spring pea, and chem-fallow (standard) over 3 years and 2 locations in western Kansas. A weedy-fallow check was added to compare weed suppression of CCs in 2 out of the 3 years. Results showed CC …

Using Cover Crops As An Effective Weed Control Method In Southeast Kansas, L. I. Chism, J. A. Dille, G. F. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Weed control is important to optimize crop production. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of different methods of fall-implemented weed control strategies. These strategies included different cover crop mixes, chemical control, and mechanical control. The cover crop mixes included four different commonly-planted winter cover crops. The chemical control was a fall-applied burndown, and the me­chanical control was vertical tillage. We found cover crop mixes that contained cereal rye provided the most weed control, with the chemical control being a close second. Spring oats die during the winter because of the low temperatures. The three cover crop mixes containing …

Controlling Soil-Borne Disease In Soybean With A Mustard Cover Crop, G. F. Sassenrath, C. Little, K. Roozeboom, X. Lin, D. Jardine

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Charcoal rot is a soil-borne disease that is prevalent in southeast Kansas. The disease infects multiple crops, including soybean, and causes yield reductions. A high-gluco­sinolate mustard with biofumigant properties reduced the population levels in soil and in soybean plants of the fungus (Macrophomina phaseolina) that causes charcoal rot. In this study, management practices that incorporate use of mustard as a cover crop in soybean production systems were tested. Results indicate that tillage increases the char­coal rot fungus. The mustard cover crop was tested in field studies for its impact on soil health, fungal disease and propagules, and soybean …

Planting Date And Maturity Group Interaction For Soybean Productivity And Seed Quality In East Central Kansas, L. P. Pott, L. H. Moro Rosso, W. D. Carciochi, J. Kimball, E. A. Adee, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soybean seed quality is an important component for soybean meal. Different factors affect seed quality, such as genetics, environment, and management (G × E × M). The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate the effect of planting date and maturity group in soybean seed quality (protein and oil concentrations) and 2) investigate the relationship between soybean seed quality and productivity (seed weight and yield). Three field experiments were conducted during the 2018 growing season evaluating the combination of two factors, planting date and maturity group, with three levels of each one (early, medium, and late). Field measurements included: …

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 …

Exploring The Physical, Chemical And Biological Components Of Soil: Improving Soil Health For Better Productive Capacity, G. F. Sassenrath, K. Davis, A. Sassenrath-Cole, N. Riding

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

“Soil health” is a term that is used to describe soil quality. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has defined soil health as “The continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans (NRCS 2018).” For a farmer, soil health is the productive capacity of the soil, or the capacity of the soil to produce a crop or pasture. Healthy soils produce more and with better quality.

Soil health is critical for water and nutrient cycling. Soil captures rainwater and stores it for use by plants. Soil health is …

Effects Of Fallow Replacement Crops On Wheat And Grain Sorghum Yields, J. Holman, A. Obour, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Interest in replacing fallow with a cash crop or cover crop has necessitated research on soil, water, and wheat yields following a shortened fallow period. Fallow stores moisture, which helps stabilize crop yields and reduces the risk of crop failure; however, only 25 to 30% of the precipitation received during the fallow period of a no-till wheat-fallow rotation is stored. The remaining 75 to 70% of precipitation is lost, primarily due to evaporation. Moisture storage in fallow is more efficient earlier in the fallow period, when the soil is dry, and during the winter months when the evaporation rate is …

Cover Crop System To Control Charcoal Rot In Soybeans, Gretchen Sassenrath, C. R. Little, C. J. Hsiao, D. E. Shoup, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This research compares methods of controlling charcoal rot in soybean cultivars from three maturity groups commonly grown in southeast Kansas. The results indicate that a mustard plant that produces high levels of glucosinolates can be used as a cover crop to reduce the charcoal rot disease in soybeans.

Fallow Replacement Crop (Cover Crops, Annual Forages, And Short-Season Grain Crops) Effects On Wheat And Grain Sorghum Yields, J. D. Holman, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing cover crops and reducing fallow. Growing a crop during the fallow period would increase profitability if crop benefits exceeded expenses. Benefits of growing a cover crop were shown in high rainfall areas, but limited information is available on growing cover crops in place of fallow in the semiarid Great Plains. A study was conducted from 2007–2017 that evaluated cover crops, annual forages, and short season grain crops grown in place of fallow. In the first experiment (2007-2012), the rotation was no-tillage wheat-fallow. The second experiment (2012-2017) rotation was no-tillage wheat-grain sorghum-fallow. This report presents results …

Fallow Replacement Crop (Cover Crops, Annual Forages, And Short-Season Grain Crops) Effects On Wheat And Grain Sorghum Yields, J. D. Holman, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing cover crops and reducing fallow. Growing a crop during the fallow period would increase profitability if crop benefits exceeded expenses. Benefits of growing a cover crop were shown in high rainfall areas, but limited informa­tion is available on growing cover crops in place of fallow in the semiarid Great Plains. A study was done from 2007–2016 that evaluated cover crops, annual forages, and short season grain crops grown in place of fallow. In the first experiment (2007-2012) the rotation was no-till wheat-fallow, and in the second experiment (2012-2016) the rotation was no-till wheat-grain sorghum-fallow. This …

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 …

Fallow Replacement Crop (Cover Crops, Annual Forages, And Short-Season Grain Crops) Effects On Available Soil Water, J. D. Holman, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell, I. Kisekka, A. Obour

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing cover crops and reducing fallow. Limited information is available on growing crops in place of fallow in the semiarid Great Plains. Between 2012 and 2015, spring cover, annual forage, and grain crops were grown in place of fallow in a no-till wheat-grain sorghum-fallow (WSF) rotation in southwest Kansas. Growing a cover, hay, or grain crop in place of fallow reduced the amount of stored soil moisture at wheat planting. On average, cover crops stored slightly more moisture than hay crops, but this soil moisture difference did not affect wheat yields. Soil moisture after grain crops …

Cover Crop Impacts On Soil Water Status, M. Kuykendall, K. Roozeboom, G. J. Kluitenberg, P. V. Vara Prasad

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Water is a primary concern for producers in the Great Plains; as such, research is warranted to quantify how much cover crops affect the amount of soil water available to subsequent cash crops. Cover crop mixes have been marketed as a means to conserve water in no-till cropping systems following winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) harvest. The objectives of this study are to quantify changes in soil profile water content in the presence of different cover crops and mixtures of increasing species complexity, to quantify their biomass productivity and quality, and to quantify the impact of cover crops on …