Plant Sciences Commons^™

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

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Producers are interested in growing annual forages, yet the region 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 2013 comparing several 1-, 3-, and 4-year forage rotations with no-till and minimum-till (min-till). Data presented are from 2013 through 2015. Winter triticale yields were increased by tillage. Double-crop forage sorghum yielded 23% less than full-season …

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 done from 2007–2016 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-till wheat-fallow, and in the second experiment (2012-2016) the rotation was no-till wheat-grain sorghum-fallow. This …

Integrated Grain And Forage Rotations, J. D. Holman, 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 …

Forage Sorghum And Corn Silage Response To Full And Deficit Irrigation, I. Kisekka, J. D. Holman, J. W. Waggoner, J. Aguilar, R. Currie

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

There is limited information on forage sorghum and corn silage yield response to full and deficit irrigation in Kansas. The objective of this study was to generate information on forage sorghum (brown mid-rib hybrids (BMR and non-BMR)) and corn silage yield response to different levels of irrigation as influenced by irrigation capacity in southwest Kansas. Preliminary results indicate the effect of irrigation capacity on forage yield was significant (P = 0.0009) in 2014 but not 2015, probably due to high growing season rainfall received in 2015. Corn silage produced significantly (p<0.05) higher biomass at all irrigation capacities compared to forage sorghum hybrids in 2015. BMR forage sorghum produced significantly lower biomass compared to non-BMR hybrid in both 2014 and 2015 (P<0.05). The highest amounts of forage produced for corn silage, BMR, and non-BMR forage sorghum were 24.6, 17.4, and 21.1 tons/a adjusted to 65%, moisture respectively. Water productivity ranged from 1.0 to 1.4 dry matter tons/a/in. More research is needed under normal and dry years to quantify forage sorghum and corn silage yield and forage quality response to full and deficit irrigation.

Mobile Drip Irrigation Evaluation In Corn, I. Kisekka, T. Oker, G. Nguyen, J. Aguilar, D. Rogers

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Mobile Drip Irrigation (MDI) involves attaching driplines to center pivot drops. MDI has potential to eliminate water losses due to spray droplet evaporation, water evapo­ration from the canopy, and wind drift. MDI also may reduce soil water evaporation due to limited surface wetting. A study was conducted with the following objectives: 1) compare soil water evaporation under MDI and in-canopy spray nozzles; 2) evalu­ate soil water redistribution under MDI at 60 inch dripline lateral spacing; 3) compare corn grain yield, water productivity, and irrigation water use efficiency; and 4) compare end-of-season profile soil water under MDI and in-canopy spray at …

Large-Scale Dryland Cropping Systems, A. Schlegel, L. Haag, D. O'Brien

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

This study was conducted from 2008 to 2015 at the Kansas State University Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, Kansas. The crop rotations evaluated were continuous grain sorghum (SS), wheat-fallow (WF), wheat-corn-fallow (WCF), wheat-sorghum-fallow (WSF), wheat-corn-sorghum-fallow (WCSF), and wheat-sorghum-corn-fallow (WSCF). All rotations were grown using no-till practices except for WF, which was grown using reduced-tillage. Precipitation capture efficiency was not greater with more intensive rotations. Wheat yields were not affected by length of rotation. Corn and grain sorghum yields were about 60% greater when following wheat than when following corn or grain sorghum. Grain sorghum yields were almost twice as great …

Wheat Stubble Height On Subsequent Corn And Grain Sorghum Crops, A. Schlegel

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

A field study initiated in 2006 was designed to evaluate the effects of three wheat stubble heights on subsequent grain yields of corn and grain sorghum. Corn and sorghum yields in 2015 were greater than the long-term average. When averaged from 2007 through 2015, corn grain yields were 10 bu/a greater when planted into either high or strip-cut stubble than into low-cut stubble. Average grain sorghum yields were 6 bu/a greater in high-cut stubble than low-cut stubble. Similarly, water use efficiency was greater for high or strip-cut stubble for corn and high-cut stubble for grain sorghum. Harvesting wheat shorter than …

Nitrogen And Phosphorus Fertilization Of Irrigated Grain Sorghum, A. Schlegel, H. D. Bond

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated grain sorghum in western Kansas. In 2015, N applied alone increased yields 66 bu/a, whereas N and P applied together increased yields up to 92 bu/a. Averaged across the past 10 years, N and P fertilization increased sorghum yields up to 76 bu/a. Application of 40 lb/a N (with P) was sufficient to pro­duce 88% of maximum yield in 2015 which is slightly above the 10-yr average. Applica­tion of potassium (K) has had no effect on sorghum yield throughout the study period. …

Fallow Weed Control With Preemergence Applications Of Balance Pro, Corvus, Banvel, Atrazine, And Authority Mtz, R. Currie, P. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Atrazine alone applied in the fall was less effective for kochia and Russian thistle control than other fall- or spring-applied herbicides in early summer. In mid season, control of kochia and Russian thistle was 85% or less with all fall-applied herbicides. Banvel (dicamba) increased kochia control when added to Balance Pro (isoxaflutole), plus Autumn Super (iodosulfuron + thiencarbazone), plus atrazine applied in the spring at mid season. All other spring herbicides were similar for kochia control. Russian thistle control was similar among all spring-applied herbicides except atrazine plus Banvel.

Fallow Weed Control With Preemergence Applications Of Clarity, Atrazine, Spartan Guard, Sharpen, Zidua, And Corvus, R. Currie, P. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Kochia control at 8 weeks after spring application (WAST) was greatest when Clar­ity (dicamba) was included in the spring applications or when Corvus (isoxaflutole + thiencarbazone) was applied with atrazine and Clarity in the fall. The best kochia con­trol at 13 WAST occurred with spring applications containing Clarity. Only Clarity plus Atrazine, Sharpen, Zidua, Spartan Guard, or Corvus applied in the spring provided as much as 90% kochia control at 20 WAST. Only the spring application of Spartan Guard and Clarity controlled Russian thistle 90% at 20 WAST.

Weed Control With Postemergence Applications Of Status, Armezon, Atrazine, Corvus, Verdict, And Roundup Powermax In Irrigated Corn, R. Currie, P. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

All postemergence herbicides provided greater than 98% control of quinoa, common sunflower, Palmer amaranth, and green foxtail. Crabgrass and Russian thistle were more difficult to control. All postemergence herbicides except Roundup PowerMax (glypho­sate) alone controlled Russian thistle and crabgrass greater than 89%. Diflexx (dicamba) plus Roundup PowerMax was slightly more efficacious on kochia than Status (diflufen­zopyr + dicamba) plus Armezon (topramezone) with atrazine and Roundup Power­Max, and all other herbicides were intermediate for kochia control. Corn yields did not differ between herbicide treatments. However, all herbicides increased grain yields.

Efficacy Of Preemergence Or Early Postemergence Weed Control With Keystone Nxt, Hornet Wdg, Atrazine, Surestart Ii, Lumax Ez, And Resicore, R. Currie, P. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Control of buffalobur was complete regardless of herbicide used. Velvetleaf and punc­turevine control, although not perfect, was excellent by all herbicides. The premix of SureStart II (acetochlor + flumetsulam + clopyralid) with atrazine and Durango DMA (glyphosate) applied early postemergence and the preemergence herbicides Resicore (acetochlor + mesotrione + clopyralid) with atrazine and Lumax EZ (S-metolachlor + atrazine + mesotrione) provided excellent Palmer amaranth control. The early pos­temergence treatment of SureStart II plus atrazine and Durango DMA was the only treatment to provide excellent control of green foxtail.

Efficacy Of Anthem Maxx, Solstice, Cadet, Roundup Powermax, And Competitive Standards In Irrigated Corn, R. Currie, P. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Control of Palmer amaranth and green foxtail was generally best when herbicides were applied as sequential treatments of preemergence (PRE) followed by late postemergence (LPOST) or as postemergence (POST) alone. Velvetleaf and puncturevine control was 95 and 93% or more, respectively, regardless of herbicide or application timing. Corn receiving herbicide treatments yielded 42 to 72 bu/a more grain than non-treated corn.

Preemergence Weed Control With Fultime Nxt And Competitive Standards In Grain Sorghum, R. Currie, P. Geier

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

At 71 days after treatment, FulTime NXT (acetochlor + atrazine) at 2.5 or 3.0 qt/a and Lumax EZ (S-metolachlor + atrazine + mesotrione) at 2.0 qt/a were the only treatments to control Palmer amaranth at 90% or more. All treatments provided similar velvetleaf control. Green foxtail control was 75 to 83% with all rates of FulTime NXT or Lumax EZ. Sorghum receiving FulTime NXT at 2.5 or 3.0 qt/a or Lumax EZ yielded significantly more than the control treatments.

Southwest Research-Extension Center, Kansas State University, Staff, Acknowledgments, R. Gillen

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Cover page, staff, and acknowledgments for Southwest Research-Extension Center's Field Day Report 2016.