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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/

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage / Year 10, E. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 have shown no clear differences between tillage systems for either corn or soybeans in lighter soils under irrigation. One year out of eight years has shown a yield advantage for either corn or soybeans for any tillage system, which appears to be related to environmental conditions experienced during the season. Averaged across all years of the study, the treatments with deep tillage either every or every-other year had about 4.5% higher corn yields, and soybeans had up to a 3.2% yield increase with some form of tillage.

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/

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage, E. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 have shown no clear differences between tillage systems for either corn or soybeans in lighter soils under irrigation. One year out of eight years has shown a yield advantage for either corn or soybeans for any tillage system, which appears to be related to environmental conditions experienced during the season. Averaged across all years of the study, the treatments with deep tillage either every or every-other year had about 4.5% higher corn yields, and soybeans had up to a 3.2% yield increase with some form of tillage.

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage, E. A. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 have shown no clear differences between tillage systems for either corn or soybeans in lighter soils under irrigation. One year out of eight years has shown a yield advantage for either corn or soybeans for any tillage system, which appears to be related to environmental conditions experienced during the season. Averaged across all years of the study, the treatments with deep tillage either every or every-other year had about 3.5% higher corn yields, and soybeans had up to a 2.9% yield increase with some form of tillage.

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/

Kansas Fertilizer Research 2021

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2018-2020 on fertilizer use 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/

Effect Of Burning And Tillage Options On Yields In A Continuous Wheat-Double-Crop Soybean Rotation, D. W. Sweeney, D. R. Presley, D. A. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Double-cropping soybeans after wheat is common in southeastern Kansas and yields of double-crop soybean during the three years of this study were not affected by manage­ment of previous wheat straw practices such as burning or tillage done before plant­ing. However, in the second and third year of the study, subsequent wheat yields were increased by 30% or more when the wheat residue had been burned the previous year.

Kansas Fertilizer Research 2020, D. A. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2018-2020 on fertilizer use and management practices for crops in Kansas. Published in 2020 from the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service https://www.ag.k-state.edu/.

Effect Of Burning And Tillage Options On Yields In A Continuous Wheat-Double-Crop Soybean Rotation, D. W. Sweeney

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Double-crop soybean yields during the first two years of this study have not been affected by management of previous wheat straw practices by burning or tillage done before planting. However, by the second year of the study, subsequent wheat yields were 41% greater where the wheat residue had been burned the previous year.

Timing Of Side-Dress Applications Of Nitrogen For Corn In Conventional And No-Till Systems, D. W. Sweeney, D. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Corn yield and yield components were affected by tillage and nitrogen (N) side-dress application options in 2019. Average corn yields were 15% greater with conventional tillage than with no-till. Yields were improved by either splitting N rate between pre-plant and side-dress at the V10 growth stage or adding additional side-dress N as compared with applying 150 lb/a pre-plant.

Southwest Research-Extension Center Field Day 2020

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Report of agricultural research from southwest Kansas, published 2020.

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage, E. A. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 have shown no clear differences between tillage systems for either corn or soybeans in lighter soils under irrigation. One year out of seven years has shown a yield advantage for either corn or soybeans for any tillage system, which appears to be related to environmental conditions experienced during the season. Averaged across all years of the study, the treatments with deep tillage either every or every-other year had about 3% higher corn yields, and soybeans had up to a 3% yield increase with some form of tillage.

Southwest Research-Extension Center Field Day 2019, R. Gillen

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Agricultural research was conducted at the Southwest Research-Extension Center in Kansas. Topics include cropping, tillage, soil fertility, and weed science.

Response Of Soybean Grown On A Claypan Soil In Southeastern Kansas To The Residual Of Different Plant Nutrient Sources And Tillage, D. W. Sweeney, P. Barnes, G. Pierzynski

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The residual from previous high-rate turkey litter applications, which were based on nitrogen (N) requirements of the previous grain sorghum crop, increased 2018 soybean yield more than that obtained from the residual of phosphorus (P)-based turkey litter applications (low rate), commercial fertilizer, or the control. Even though early soybean growth was sporadically affected by residual treatments, the dry matter production at the R6 growth stage tended to be where the N-based litter was applied.

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 2018, adding nitrogen (N) greatly improved average wheat yields with about a 10% increase with knife compared to broadcast application methods. Even though tillage did not affect wheat yields, soybean yield was about 10% greater with no-till.

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.

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 …

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 …

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybeans: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage, E. A. Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Trends from a tillage study conducted since 2011 are beginning to show that corn yields are greater when there is an occasional deep tillage. The yield of soybeans have not been affected significantly by tillage systems ranging from no-till to conventional tillage every year.

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 …

Long-Term Tillage And Nitrogen Fertilization Effects On Soil Surface Chemistry, A. Obour, J. D. Holman

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Long-term crop management practices can affect nutrient cycling and availability to crops. This study examined the long-term effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer application (N rates of 0, 20, 40, and 60 lb N/a) and tillage intensity (conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and no-tillage (NT)) on soil phosphorus (P), micronutrients, and soil acidity in a dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)–fallow cropping system. Results showed soil organic matter (SOM), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) concentrations were greater under NT compared to CT or RT. Similarly, NT ( 32 ppm) increased P accumulation in the upper …

Irrigation And Tillage Management Effects On Canopy Formation In Corn, R. M. Aiken, F. Lamm, A. A. Aboukheira

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Effects of canopy formation and function are frequently represented in irrigation management models by crop coefficients, which can be used to calculate expected crop water requirements. Soil tillage alters the micro-environment of a developing corn canopy. The objective of this study was to evaluate irrigation capacity and tillage effects on seasonal changes in maize canopy and above-ground biomass productivity. Leaf area index (LAI) and above-ground biomass (AGB) were quantified by non-destructive methods during four growing seasons for corn under two irrigation capacities (1 in./4 days or 1 in./8 days) and three tillage regimes (no-tillage (NT), strip tillage (ST), or conventional …

Timing Of Side-Dress Applications Of Nitrogen For Corn In Conventional And No-Till Systems, D. W. Sweeney, D. E. Shoup

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Corn yields were affected by tillage and nitrogen (N) side-dress options in 2016. Corn yields were 12% greater with conventional tillage than with no-till. Side-dress applications of N at V10 resulted in greater corn yield than side-dress N applications at V6.

Tillage Study For Corn And Soybean: Comparing Vertical, Deep, And No-Tillage, Eric Adee

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A tillage study comparing no-tillage, shallow tillage, and deep tillage in alternate or every year for corn and soybeans in annual rotation was conducted at Kansas River Valley Experiment Field for five years. The influence of tillage system on corn yield appears to be increasing with time, soybean yields appear to perform equally well with any of the systems. As the study progresses, the corn yields were increased with deep tillage occurring sometime in the cropping rotation.

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

In 2016, adding nitrogen (N) greatly improved average wheat yields, but the response to tillage and different N placement methods was minimal. Double-crop soybean yields were unaffected by tillage or the residual from N treatments that were applied to the previous wheat crop.

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

Soybean yields measured from 2014 through 2016 were more than 50% greater from the residual from N-based turkey litter applications during 2011 through 2013 than in the control where no nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) was applied. However, residual from P-based turkey litter applications or fertilizer-only did not result in soybean yield different from the no N-P control. This residual effect on yield was largely due to increased pods per plant.

Southwest Research-Extension Center Reports: Field Day 2017, R. Gillen

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Full report of agricultural research for 2017 for the Kansas Southwest Research-Extension Center. Field Day 2017.