Life Sciences Commons^™

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.

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 …

Determining Profitable Annual Forage Rotations, J. D. Holman, A. Obour, I. Kisekka, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing annual forages, yet western Kansas lacks proven recommended crop rotations such as those for grain crops. Forage production is important to the region’s livestock and dairy industries and is becoming increasingly important as irrigation-well capacity declines. Forages require less water than grain crops and may allow for increased cropping intensity and opportunistic cropping. A study was initiated in 2012 at the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Garden City, KS, comparing several 1-, 3-, and 4-year forage rotations with no-tillage and minimum-tillage (min-tillage). Data presented are from 2013 through 2016. Winter triticale yields were increased by tillage. …

Integrated Grain And Forage Rotations, J. D. Holman, A. Obour, T. Roberts, S. Maxwell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing forages in rotation with grain crops. Many producers are interested in diversifying their operations to include livestock or grow feed for the livestock industry. By integrating forages into the cropping system producers can take advantage of more markets and reduce market risk. Forages require less water to make a crop than grain crops, so the potential may exist to reduce fallow by including forages in the crop rotation. Reducing fallow through intensified grain/forage rotations may increase the profitability and sustainability compared to existing crop rotations.

This study was started in 2013, with crops grown in-phase …