Plant Sciences Commons^™

Comparing Zoysia Experimental Genotypes Developed By Kansas State University, Texas A&M, And Purdue To Meyer In The National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Test, Jack D. Fry, Dani Mcfadden

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP) Zoysia Test was planted in 2019 at the Kansas State University Olathe Horticulture Center, Olathe, KS. Since planting, three experimental genotypes developed at Kansas State University (with cooperators noted below) have outperformed ‘Meyer’ in establishment rate, turf quality, drought tolerance, and fall color. Earlier research has demonstrated large patch tolerance in all three experimental genotypes.

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.

Weather Information For Garden City, 2021, E. Russell

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Summary of 2021 weather for research conducted at the Garden City Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station field location.

Firstact For Efficacy In Accase-Tolerant Grain Sorghum, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this study was to compare FirstAct with several tank mix partners for efficacy in herbicide-tolerant grain sorghum. FirstAct (quizalofop) alone or in tank mixtures controlled Johnsongrass 94% or more. However, tank mixing FirstAct with any broadleaf herbicide was generally antagonistic to Palmer amaranth control. Minor sorghum injury was 5% or less by four weeks after postemergence treatment. Sorghum yields increased with all postemergence treatments except with atrazine alone.

Industrial Weed Control With Plainview, Esplanade, And Method Application Timings, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this trial was to compare Plainview, Esplanade, and Method at three applications for season-long weed control in noncropland. Glyphosate alone provided no residual weed control. Plainview (indaziflam/aminocyclopyrachlor/imazapyr) at 64 oz/a applied in the early or late fall controlled kochia similarly to Krovar (bromacil/ diuron) late in the season. Either rate of Plainview, as well as the tank mixture of Esplanade (aminocyclopyrachlor) plus Method (indaziflam), provided complete woollyleaf bursage control regardless of application timing. No treatment of Krovar controlled woollyleaf bursage more than 60%.

2022 Kansas Fertilizer Research Report

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A summary of research conducted in 2018-2021 on fertilizer use 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/.

Intensification Of Sprinkler-Irrigated Corn Production, F. R. Lamm

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This corn intensification study was conducted under sprinkler irrigation from 2020 to 2021 at the Kansas State University Northwest Research-Extension Center near Colby, KS. Two corn hybrids (Pioneer 1197 and Pioneer 1089) were grown with advanced fertilization at three plant densities (42,000, 38,000, and 34,000 plants/a) using three irrigation levels (115, 100, or 85% of calculated well-watered ET minus rain). As anticipated, there was no additional need for irrigation above normal amounts (100% of ET - Rain), giving further evidence that crop intensification is possible without negatively affecting water resource use. Yields were excellent in both years, averaging 227 bu/a …

Historical Characterization Of Sorghum Grain Filling Dynamics, J. Grünberg, A. J. P. Carcedo, P. A. Demarco, L. Mayor, I. A. Ciampitti

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Understanding crop response to manipulations in source (number of leaves) and sink (panicle) during the growing season provides useful information to develop crop breeding strategies. In the present study, we assessed how source-sink manipulation can affect sorghum (Sorghum bicolorL.) yield and its components—grain number and grain weight (including grain filling dynamics)—for hybrids released in the past 60 years. The field experiment was conducted during the 2021 growing season in Wamego, KS (US), testing six commercially available grain sorghum hybrids released between 1963 and 2020. Grain weight significantly decreased from 28 to 21 mg in defoliation treatments among hybrids …

Aerification Effects On ‘Innovation’ Zoysiagrass In 2020-2021, Dani Mcfadden, Jack D. Fry

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

When a thatch layer accumulates on turfgrass it can be detrimental to the stand. A field experiment was initiated to investigate aerification treatments and their influence on thatch (organic matter level), quality, and color of ‘Innovation’ zoysiagrass that was sodded within the past year. Turfgrass that was intensely aerified had less organic matter content in the surface inch of the profile compared to turfgrass that was not aerified. Color was also enhanced in treatments receiving aerification compared to non-aerified turf, which may have been attributed to trending of higher nitrate content in aerified plots.

Comparison Of Sensitivity To Fusarium Head Blight In Soft Red And Hard Red Winter Wheat Varieties, G. Sassenrath, K. Andersen Onofre, J. Lingenfelser, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Fusarium head blight (scab) is a problem for wheat production in high rainfall areas. This is a report of research examining the response of wheat varieties on disease susceptibility and wheat yield and quality. Hard red wheat varieties had more disease than the soft red wheat varieties in 2021. Wheat yield was correlated with disease severity.

2021 Creeping Bentgrass Putting Green National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Trial, Dani Mcfadden, Jack D. Fry

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stoloniferaL.) is the most common cool-season grass used for putting surfaces in Kansas and other temperate regions of the world. Fine-textured and high-density cultivars (‘Penn A-1’, ‘Penn A-2’, and ‘Penn A-4’) released in the late 1990s are widely accepted throughout the transition zone. However, new cultivars with attractive characteristics continue to be selected, evaluated, and introduced to determine their long-term suitability for Kansas.

Simulation Of Nitrous Oxide Emissions In Zoysia Turfgrass Using Daycent And Dndc Ecosystem Models, Mu Hong, Yao Zhang, Ross Braun, Dale J. Bremer

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is an important greenhouse gas (GHG) implicated in global climate change. Process-based ecosystem models, such as DAYCENT and DNDC, have been widely used to predict GHG fluxes in agricultural systems. However, neither model has yet been applied to warm-season turfgrasses such as zoysiagrass. This study parameterized, calibrated, and validated the DAYCENT and DNDC models for N₂O emissions from Meyer zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonicaSteud.) using Bayes’ theorem and field data from Braun and Bremer (2018a, 2019) and Lewis and Bremer (2013). Results indicated DAYCENT, but not DNDC, reasonably simulated the impacts of irrigation …

Bermudagrass Under Different Fertility And Harvest Management Practices, B. C. Pedreira, D. Helwig, M. Haywood, J. K. Farney, G. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A second year of a bermudagrass fertility study was conducted at the K-State Research and Experiment Station outside of Columbus, KS, in 2021. The purpose of the study was to simulate forage producers’ practices of managing bermudagrass and determine how each practice affected forage production and quality.

Establishing Seeded Tall Fescue With Covers And Drip Irrigation Methods, Alex P. Bach, Dale J. Bremer, Cathie C. Lavis, Steven J. Keeley, Mu Hong

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The use of covers may improve establishment of seeded turfgrass but their use in combination with drip irrigation techniques has not been evaluated. We investigated the effects of two cover types and three irrigation methods on establishment of seeded tall fescue turfgrass. For spring seeding of tall fescue[Schedonorus arundinaceus(Schreb.) Dumort.], turf establishment was successful with subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and aboveground drip irrigation (AGD) in fine textured soil in the transition zone. With SDI, AGD, or sprinkler irrigation, both polyester mesh (Poly) and straw blanket (Straw) covers improved turf establishment in the order of Poly>Straw>No Cover, …

Efficient Irrigation Technologies For Corn—A Comparison, F. R. Lamm, D. M. O'Brien

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was conducted from 2016–2021 at the Kansas State University Northwest Research-Extension Center near Colby, KS. Two irrigation systems, subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and mobile drip irrigation (MDI) were compared for two irrigation capacities equivalent to 0.25 in./day and 0.167 in./day. Irrigation amounts were similar for the two systems when comparing the equivalent capacities, averaging 13.3 and 11.4 inches per acre. When averaged over the six-year period, SDI and MDI corn grain yields were 242.5 and 239.2 bu/a, respectively. Although irrigation amounts for the two systems at an equivalent irrigation capacity were similar, total crop water use was less …

Southeast Kansas Winter Wheat Variety Test Results - 2021, G. Sassenrath, L. Mengarelli, J. Lingenfelser, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This is a summary of the winter wheat production conditions in southeast Kansas in 2020-2021 and the results of the winter wheat variety testing. Wheat production in 2021 benefited from dry conditions at planting and harvest. Overall yields were above multi-year averages. As in previous years, soft red winter wheat out-yielded hard red winter wheat varieties.

Crop Assurance Strategies For Irrigated Grain Sorghum Production, F. R. Lamm

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This sprinkler-irrigated study was conducted from 2018 to 2021 at the Kansas State University Northwest Research-Extension Center near Colby, KS, to evaluate four different water management strategies that could provide assurance of adequateyielding grain sorghum. The grain sorghum was grown on sites with good initial soil water at planting (>70% of field capacity within the 8-ft deep silt loam profile). Strategies were 1) No seasonal irrigation; 2) Irrigation of 100% of ET minus Rain after the boot stage through remainder of season; 3) Irrigation of 100% of ET minus Rain up to a limit of 6 inches; and 4) …

Single And Split Herbicide Applications For Efficacy In Corn, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this study was to compare season-long weed control from single and sequential herbicide applications in corn. Control of all weed species was generally good (90% or more) early in the season regardless of preemergence (PRE) herbicide. However, Russian thistle and Palmer amaranth control was best later in the season when a PRE herbicide was followed by a postemergence (POST) treatment. While all herbicide treatments increased yields compared to the untreated control, yields were greatest when Lumax EZ PRE (atrazine/mesotrione/metolachlor) was followed by Acuron (atrazine/bicyclopyrone/mesotrione/metolachlor) and glyphosate POST.

Pyraflufen Tank Mixtures For Efficacy In Fallow, R. S. Currie, P. W. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this study was to compare Vida (pyraflufen) tank mixtures for glyphosate- resistant kochia control in fallow. Early-season kochia control was best with tank mixtures that included Sharpen (saflufenacil), but tank mixtures including dicamba provided the best control later in the season. No herbicide controlled kochia more than 80% late in the season. All herbicides controlled downy brome more than 90% within 14 days after treatment, and 100% by 21 days after application.

2022 Western Kansas Agricultural Research Report

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Summary of research conducted at western Kansas research stations, including Hays, Garden City, Tribune, and Colby. Topics include corn, cropping and tillage systems, insect control, irrigation, management practices, weather, weed science, and wheat.

Evaluation Of Soil Test Phosphorus Extractants And Tissue Analysis For Corn, G. A. Roa-Acosta, D. A. Ruiz Diaz

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of four different soil test phosphorus methods (Mehlich 3, Bray 1, Bray 2, and Haney H3A) for corn production, and determine critical P tissue concentration at different growing stages. The experiment was conducted at 12 locations, and the fertilizer treatments consisted of five phosphorus fertilizer rates applied by broadcast pre-plant. Soil samples were collected at 0- to 6-in. depth, then samples were collected before treatment application by block. Tissue samples were collected at the V6 and R1 growth stages. The relationship between the different soil test phosphorus methods and the …

Comparison Of Mehlich-3 And Dtpa Soil Tests For Analysis Of Micronutrients In Kansas Soils, B. Rutter, D. A. Ruiz Diaz, L. Hargrave

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Mehlich-3 (M3) was designed as a multi-nutrient soil test procedure and has become common at soil testing labs across the U.S. In Kansas, Mehlich-3 is predominately used as a soil test for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), but recent studies have also investigated the use of M3 for the extraction of base cations and cation exchange capacity estimation. However, data relating M3 to traditional methods for soil micronutrient extraction remain scarce. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between M3 and diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA) extractable copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) across a wide …

2021 Fertilizer Weather Station Report, M. Sittel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This report includes the annual summary of precipitation and temperatures from 2021 at the research locations represented in the 2022 fertilizer report.

Stocker Steer Gains And Fly Numbers As Impacted By Burn Date And Type Of Mineral On Tallgrass Native Range – Year 3, J. K. Farney, M. Frahm

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study aims to evaluate effectiveness of two operational management systems for steer gains and fly control. The first strategy evaluated was pasture burn date of March (MAR) or April (APR). The second management strategy was free-choice mineral with spices (SPICE) or without spices (CON). Eight pastures (n = 281 steers; initial weight 572 ± 75 lb) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial treatment structure. Steers were weighed individually, randomly assigned to treatment, and grazed for 87 days. Weekly, 33% of steers were photographed to count flies and evaluated for hair coat score. Neither the date of pasture …

Evaluation Of Implants, Clover, And Fescue Variety On Stocker Steers – Year 2, J. K. Farney, M. Frahm, S. Strnad, T. Bottorff

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Sixty-four growing steers were used in a split-plot experiment, where the whole plot was pasture, and the split-plot was the implant level. Whole plot treatment was a 4 × 2 factorial with four levels of fescue (High Endophyte, Low Endophyte, Novel, or Endophyte Free) and two levels of legume (Legumes or No Legumes). The split-plot included four implant levels (No Implant, Synovex One Grass, Revalor-G, or Ralgro). Data collected were weights, hair coat scores, hair length, rectal temperature (every 28 days), and ultrasound carcass characteristics when steers were coming off grass. Steers on High Endophyte had the lowest average daily …

Southeast Research And Extension Center Agricultural Research 2022

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Report of agricultural research from Southeast Research and Extension Center, Kansas State University.

Effects Of Late Summer Prescribed Fire On Botanical Composition, Soil Cover, And Forage Production In Caucasian Bluestem-Infested Rangeland In The Kansas Smoky Hills: Year 3 Of 4, M. P. Ramirez, A. J. Tajchman, Z. M. Duncan, J. Lemmon, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective was to document the effects of late-summer prescribed fire on soil cover, botanical composition, and forage production in the Kansas Smoky Hills and associated effects on dense Caucasian bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii) stands therein.

Study Description:The study took place on a private ranch in Ellsworth County, in the Kansas Smoky Hills. Eighteen one-acre plots were assigned randomly to one of two prescribed-fire treatments: no burn (control) and burn (burned August 14, 2019). Soil cover, plant composition, and forage production were evaluated annually. These data represent plant community effects prior to treatment and one and two …

Effects Of Prescribed Fire Timing On Stocker Cattle Performance And Native Plant Composition: Year 3 Of 6, Z. M. Duncan, A. J. Tajchman, M. P. Ramirez, J. Lemmon, K. J. Suhr, W. R. Hollenbeck, D. A. Blasi, K C. Olson

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Objective:The objective of this experiment was to document the effects of prescribed-fire timing on stocker cattle performance, soil cover, and plant species composition over a six-year period.

Study Description:Yearling stocker cattle were assigned to one of three prescribed-burn treatments: spring (April 9 ± 5.1 days), summer (August 23 ± 4.9 days), or fall (September 29 ± 8.7 days). Calves were grazed from May to August for 90 days. Individual body weights (BW) were recorded at the beginning and end of the grazing season to determine total BW gains and average daily gains. Native plant composition and soil cover …

Impact Of Fertility And Mowing On Crabgrass Quantity And Quality For Hay Production In Southeast Kansas, B. C. Pedreira, D. Helwig, M. Haywood, J. K. Farney, G. Sassenrath

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A crabgrass variety trial comparing Quick-N-Big and Mojo crabgrasses was conducted in 2021 at the K-State Experiment Station outside of Columbus, KS. The trial evaluated forage quantity and quality under different fertilization and harvest management practices.

Crop Production Summary - 2021, G. Sassenrath, L. Mengarelli, J. Lingenfelser, M. Knapp, X. Lin

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soybean and corn varieties were tested in replicated field trials at the Southeast Research and Extension Center in Parsons through the Kansas State University variety testing program. In total, 26 corn varieties and 28 soybean varieties were tested. Weather during 2021 was near average for both rainfall and temperature, though there were periods of high rainfall and high temperatures. Corn and soybean production was also near average, both across the state and in the cultivar trials at Parsons.