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Full-Text Articles in Agriculture
Forage Brassica Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Laura Madden, Conner Burke, Erica Cummings, Hannah Harwood, Susan Monahan
Forage Brassica Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Laura Madden, Conner Burke, Erica Cummings, Hannah Harwood, Susan Monahan
Northwest Crops & Soils Program
Forage brassica can provide a near-concentrate type diet late in the grazing season. This allows for an extra grazing opportunity after annual row crops are harvested, and establishes forage to fill a gap in feed quality and supply. These crops can provide a high-quality feed in a short period of time, fitting well into rotations of other crops, extending the grazing season, and reducing reliance on expensive commercial feed inputs. In 2013, the University of Vermont’s Northwest Crops & Soils Program conducted a forage brassica variety trial to evaluate yield and quality of this annual crop.
Brown Mid-Rib Corn Population Trial, Heather Darby, Laura Madden, Conner Burke, Erica Cummings, Hannah Harwood, Susan Monahan
Brown Mid-Rib Corn Population Trial, Heather Darby, Laura Madden, Conner Burke, Erica Cummings, Hannah Harwood, Susan Monahan
Northwest Crops & Soils Program
Brown mid-rib (BMR) corn hybrids are of interest to many growers in the Northeast who would like to maximize milk production on homegrown forage. BMR corn has a naturally-occurring genetic mutation that leads to less lignin in the stalk and makes corn silage more digestible. Corn yields can be highly dependent on population, and it is generally recommended to plant BMR corn at lower populations than conventional silage corn. BMR corn has always been considered to be more prone to lodging due to its lower lignin content, and lower populations allow for less stress on each individual plant. However, optimal …
Danish Barley Variety Trial, Heather Darby
Danish Barley Variety Trial, Heather Darby
Northwest Crops & Soils Program
With the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast and the strength of the localvore movement, craft breweries and distilleries have expressed an interest in local barley for malting. Malting barley must meet specific quality characteristics such as low protein content and high germination. Many farmers are also interested in barley as a feed source for livestock. Barley is a high energy and protein source, similar to corn and wheat. The Northwest Crops and Soils Team have been growing out spring barley varieties that were originally obtained from a colleague in Denmark. Over the last three years, the …
Impact Of High Glucosinolate Mustard Biomass And Meal On Black Bean Yield, Heather Darby, Hannah Harwood, Erica Cummings, Susan Monahan
Impact Of High Glucosinolate Mustard Biomass And Meal On Black Bean Yield, Heather Darby, Hannah Harwood, Erica Cummings, Susan Monahan
Northwest Crops & Soils Program
Brassicae crops (mustard family) contain chemicals called glucosinolates. These compounds are present in the leaves, stem, roots, and seed of the plants. When the plant biomass is incorporated into the soil these glucosinolates are broken down into a number of secondary compounds. The primary compound is isothiocyanate which can be biocidal to germinating seeds, insects, nematodes, and other microbes (fungi, bacteria, etc). In recent years, plant breeders have worked to develop high glucosinolate varieties of mustard to be used as biofumigants in crop production. These high glucosinolate mustards (HGM) are being used as cover crops and the entire plant biomass …