Life Sciences Commons^™

Interseeding Warm-Season Annual Grasses Into Perennial Cool-Season Western Wheatgrass Pasture, K. R. Harmoney, J. Guretzky

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Conversion of pastureland into cropland has occurred at a rapid rate on the central to northern Great Plains. A reduction in total acreage of pastureland from this conversion has resulted in a decline of total numbers of beef cows in the same region. One method to mitigate the decline in cow numbers is to increase carrying capacity of the remaining pastureland acres. Introducing warm-season annual grass species into perennial coolseason grass pastures to increase dry matter production during the mid-summer time period that perennial cool-season grasses would be most dormant is one strategy that may be able to boost production. …

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.

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 …

Effects Of Supplementation With Corn Or Dried Distillers Grains On Gains Of Heifer Calves Grazing Smooth Bromegrass Pastures, L. W. Lomas, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Distillers grains, a by-product of the ethanol industry, have tremendous potential as an economical and nutritious supplement for grazing cattle. Distillers grains contain a high concentration of protein (25 to 30%), with more than two-thirds escaping degradation in the rumen, which makes it an excellent supplement for younger cattle. Recent advancements in the ethanol manufacturing process have resulted in extraction of a greater amount of fat; therefore, creating distillers grains that may contain less energy than corn. This research was conducted to compare performance of stocker cattle supplemented with corn or DDG at 0.5% body weight per head daily while …

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).

Evaluation Of Tall Fescue Cultivars, J. L. Moyer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceumSchreb.) is the most widely grown forage grass in southeastern Kansas. Its tolerance to extremes in climate and soils of the region is partly attributable to its association with a fungal endophyte,Neotyphodium coenophialum; however, most ubiquitous endophytes are also responsible for production of substances toxic to some herbivores, including cattle, sheep, and horses. Endophytes that purportedly lack toxins, but augment plant vigor have been identified and inserted into tall fescue cultivars adapted to the United States. These cultivars, and others that are fungus-free or contain a ubiquitous endophyte (i.e. Ky 31 EF and …

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.

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Many crop rotation systems are used in southeastern Kansas. This experiment was designed to determine the long-term effect of selected tillage and N fertilizer placement options on yields of short-season corn, wheat, and double-crop soybean in a rotation.

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.

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

Increased fertilizer prices in recent years, especially noticeable when the cost of phosphorus spiked in 2008, have led U.S. producers to consider other alternatives, including manure sources. The use of poultry litter as an alternative to fertilizer is of particular interest in southeastern Kansas because large amounts of poultry litter are imported from nearby confined animal feeding operations in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Annual application of turkey litter can affect the current crop, but information is lacking concerning any residual effects from several continuous years of poultry litter applications on a following crop. This is especially true for tilled soil …

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.

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 …

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 …

Soil Health Profile In Claypan Soils, C. J. Hsiao, G. F. Sassenrath, C. Rice, G. Hettiarachchi, L. Zeglin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Healthy soil is the foundation of a sustainable agronomic production system. Microorganisms include bacteria (such as actinomycetes), fungi, and protozoa. Soil microorganisms, or microbes, exist in large numbers in soils and are critical for decomposition of organic residues and nutrient recycling. Soils with ample and diverse microbial populations can provide more essential nutrients for crop growth and development. Soil microbial properties are considered one of the major indicators of soil health.

Soil microbial properties can be measured by the activity and the composition of micro-organism populations. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) are the primary components of cell membranes, they can be …

Growth, Forage Quality, And Economics Of Cover Crop Mixes For Grazing, J. K. Farney, G. F. Sassenrath, C. Davis, Deann Presley

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Cover crops offer many potential benefits to crop production. They diversify the plant system, increase soil organic matter, and reduce erosion. However, they can be expensive to plant. By grazing the cover crops, farmers can recover some of the expenses associated with growing cover crops. Grazing also increases the nutrients to the field, further enhancing the productive capacity of the soil.

Many cover crop mixtures are currently available on the market. However, it is not clear how useful the multi-species cover crops mixtures are, or their potential impact on economics of production. Moreover, many of the cover crop mixes being …

Annual Summary Of Weather Data For Parsons – 2017, M. Knapp, L. W. Lomas

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Weather Data for Parsons – 2017

Research Center Personnel, Acknowledgments, L. W. Lomas

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

We thank the following individuals, organizations, and firms that contributed to this year’s research programs through financial support, product donations, or services.

Searc Agricultural Research 2018, L. W. Lomas

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Agricultural Research 2018, Southeast Agricultural Research Center, Kansas State University, April 2018

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 …

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, …

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 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.

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.

Seeding Rate And Nitrogen Application Effects On Spring Oat And Triticale Forage, A. Obour, J. D. Holman, A. Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Spring oat and triticale are important forage crops in dryland and limited irrigated crop production systems in western Kansas. Previous research in western Kansas showed that growing spring forages in place of fallow reduced soil erosion and increased fallow precipitation use efficiency compared to summer fallow, and increased profitability compared to fallow in years with average to above average rainfall. Despite the great potential of spring forages, information on seeding rate and nitrogen fertilizer recommendations are limited. These management practices can affect forage productivity and nutritive value.

Current N fertilizer recommendations for oat and triticale are based on a very …

Effect Of Drilled Seeding And Nitrogen Rate On Grain Sorghum Yield In Southwest Kansas, A. J. Foster, A. Schlegel, I. B. Cuvaca, J. D. Holman, I. A. Ciampitti, C. Thompson, D. Ruiz Diaz, R. Currie

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Drilled sorghum is normally done at the super-high population at row spacing between 7.5 and 10 inches, compared to rows planted at the spacing between 15 and 30 inches. Thompson (1983) growing super-thick sorghum at the Hays Research Station from 1974-1977, found that sorghum planted in narrow rows (12-18 in.) often produced higher yields than when planted in wide rows (24-40 in.). Norwood (1982) in Garden City repeated Thompson’s work and also came to the conclusion that yield of high population narrow row sorghum could exceed that of the low population-wide row when subsoil moisture and precipitation were adequate. The …

Integrating Half Rates Of Dicamba And Atrazine With Increasing Sorghum Density And Nitrogen Rate For Palmer Amaranth Control, I. B. Cuvaca, A. J. Foster, R. Currie

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sorghum is an important crop in Kansas. However, in-season weed control options for sorghum are limited. This limitation is exacerbated by Palmer amaranth season-long interference and resistance to multiple herbicide modes of action.

This 2-year study investigated the ability of a contrasting combination of cultural and chemical practices to control Palmer amaranth while maintaining or improving sorghum grain yield. Particular research emphasis was to evaluate the effect(s) of integrating half rates of dicamba and atrazine applied as PRE with increasing sorghum density and nitrogen rate on Palmer amaranth control and grain yield in an irrigated environment.

Field Station Weather Reports, E. A. Adee, M. C. Knapp

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Summary of weather for research locations for the 2018 Field report.

The research program at the Kansas State University 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. …

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 …

Effect Of Fungicides On Southern Rust Of Corn, E. A. Adee, S. Duncan

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The decision to apply fungicides to corn is not an easy decision in Kansas, especially when grain prices are low. Numerous factors determine what diseases are present, and whether the plants will be defoliated enough to reduce yield. Correctly identifying the disease, knowing what environmental conditions favor the development of an epidemic, and knowing the hybrid’s resistance to the diseases can be known before making the decision. However, knowing if the conditions will be favorable for the spread of the disease up the plant is very unpredictable. A situation like a ‘perfect storm’ for foliar diseases defoliating corn occurred in …

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 …