Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of A Skip-Row Planting System Or Plant Run-Over As Management Practices On Full Season Soybeans In Narrow Rows, Todd W. Pfeiffer, Morris J. Bitzer, Jereme Orf, D. Pilcher

Agronomy Notes

In recent years there has been an increased interest in narrow row and solid seeded soybeans in Kentucky. Soybeans seeded in narrow rows have an earlier canopy closure which allows a longer time for the soybean plants to intercept the maximum amount of sunlight. The shading effect which results from earlier canopy closure also aids in weed suppression. More farmers are now seeding full season soybeans in narrow rows or solid seeded stands; because cultivation is eliminated, however, some are hesitant to adopt narrow row production practices for fear of inadequate chemical weed control. With the recent increase in effective …

Agronomic And Animal Performance Of Different Tall Fescue Varieties, Robert C. Buckner, James A. Boling, Paul B. Burrus Ii, Lowell P. Bush, Nelson Gay, R. W. Hemken, Garry D. Lacefield, M. R. Siegel

Agronomy Notes

The objective of the tall fescue breeding program is the development of varieties characterized by superior nutritive value (including reduced contents of perloline and loline alkaloids and minimal infestation of the fungal endophyte, Acremonium coenophialum), palatability, disease resistance, and adaptation through the utilization of intergeneric and interspecific hybrid derivatives of ryegrass and tall fescue species. Kentucky 31, Kenwell, and Kenhy were previously released from this breeding program. Johnstone tall fescue, developed cooperatively by the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and USDA-ARS, was released March 1, 1982 as a new variety. Johnstone is characterized as having low levels of perloline alkaloid and …

Mineralogy And Soil Productivity, Anastasios D. Karathanasis

Agronomy Notes

The soil that is often called "dirt" is not as dirty as many people think. If we remove the 5 to 10% of the soil material, composed of organic matter and amorphous Fe, Al and Si hydrous oxides, the remaining 90 to 95% is a mixture of crystalline or subcrystalline minerals. We are able to see and identify with the naked eye, the large crystalline particles of the sand fraction. For the smaller mineral particles of the silt and clay fractions microscopic or other more sensitive methods (x=ray diffraction, thermal) are needed for their identification and quantification. While little attention …

Effect Of Planting Dates Of No-Till And Conventional Corn On Soils With Restricted Drainage, James H. Herbek, Lloyd W. Murdock, Robert L. Blevins

Agronomy Notes

No-till corn is best adapted to well drained soils. It is on these soils that no-till has been most successful and the practice most widely accepted. On soils that are moderately well to somewhat poorly drained, no-till corn can also be successful but more management is required. Three areas which require more attention are weed control, nitrogen management and planting. It has long been recognized that no-tilling results in cooler soil temperatures which can delay and reduce seed germination and seedling emergence. Additional research also indicates that diseases which attack the corn seedling in the emergence stage are more prevalent …

Summary Of Alfalfa Variety Trials In Kentucky (1971-1983), Roy E. Sigafus

Agronomy Notes

This note shows comparable yields for 22 out of 100 alfalfa varieties which have been tested in at least three trials at Lexington or Princeton since 1971. Varieties not listed include many taken off the market, varieties known to be unsuited to Kentucky, or those which need further testing.

Yield results from seven separate trials are given in Table 1 as average annual dry matter yields (T/A) and as % relative yield (RY) as compared to Vernal. Vernal was used in each trial as a standard check and on the soils of limestone origin at Lexington and Princeton averaged over …

Performance Of Tall Fescue Varieties [1984], Robert C. Buckner, Paul B. Burrus Ii, Nelson Gay, James A. Boling, Garry D. Lacefield

Agronomy Notes

The objective of the tall fescue breeding program is the development of varieties characterized by superior nutritive value (including reduced contents of perloline and loline alkaloids and the fungal endophyte, Epichloe typhina, (Acremonium coenophialum), palatability, disease resistance, and adaptation through the utilization of intergeneric and interspecific hybrid derivatives of ryegtass and tall fescue species. Varieties previously released from the breeding program were Kentucky 31, Kenwell; and Kenhy. Johnstone tall fescue, developed cooperatively by the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and USDA-ARS, was released March 1, 1982, as a new variety. Johnstone is characterized as having low levels of perloline alkaloid and …

Fertilization Practices For Double Cropping Systems, John H. Grove

Agronomy Notes

Double cropping has become an important practice in the state of Kentucky. While the wheat-soybean grain intensive production system is the most widely used on an acreage basis (approx. 3/4 million acres per year) several other systems are being adopted by Kentucky growers. Most of these involve some silage production for beef and/or dairy cattle. The fall seeded small grain (wheat, barley, triticale) is harvested at an immature stage of growth and ensiled and a subsequent crop for silage (corn, grain sorghum) or grain (soybean, grain sorghum) is planted. The use of reduced and no-tillage management will speed up planting …

N:S Ratio Of Forages In Kentucky, Kenneth L. Wells

Agronomy Notes

Concern has been expressed during recent years that sulfur may have become more limiting for plant growth and subsequently ruminant animal nutrition than was expected. This likelihood is based largely on the fact that (a) the inherent sulfur content of fertilizer phosphates has greatly diminished with declining use of normal superphosphate in manufacture of mixed fertilizers, (b) increased regulatory effect on burning of high sulfur fuels, and (c) increased use of nitrogen fertilizers for production of animal feeds. Assumedly, any or all these factors could result in alteration of nitrogen and sulfur content of forages to the point that either …

Performance Of Tall Fescue Varieties, Robert C. Buckner, Paul B. Burrus Ii, Nelson Gay, Garry D. Lacefield

Agronomy Notes

The objective of the tall fescue breeding program is the development of varieties characterized by superior nutritive value (including reduced contents of perloline and loline alkaloids and the fungal endophyte, Epichloe typhina), palatability, disease resistance, and adaptation through the utilization of intergeneric and interspecific hybrid derivatives of ryegrass and tall fescue species. Varieties previously released from the breeding program were, Kentucky 31, Kenwell, and Kenhy. Johnstone tall fescue, developed cooperatively by the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and USDA-ARS, was released March 1, 1982, as,a new variety. Johnstone is characterized as having low levels of perloline alkaloid and the fungal endophyte, …

An Estimate Of The Soil Fertility Status Of Graves And Todd Counties In Kentucky, Kenneth L. Wells, D. E. Peaslee, Marvin Davidson, William Green

Agronomy Notes

Some concern has developed during recent years that fertilizer is being used by farmers on fields with residual levels of P and K high enough that such use is not justified as a means of increasing crop yields. This has been due to increased "average" soil test values for samples routinely submitted to college soil test laboratories.

For this reason, studies were conducted in Graves and Todd Counties in Kentucky during the period September, 1978 to September, 1980, to determine if soil samples routinely submitted to college test laboratories do or do not accurately reflect the average soil fertility status …

Red Clover Variety Trials Through 1982, Roy E. Sigafus, Norman L. Taylor, Garry D. Lacefield

Agronomy Notes

Care should be taken by growers to obtain red clover seed of known origin, variety, germination, and purity. Whenever possible, purchase of certified seed of adapted varieties is strongly advised. Varieties such as Altaswede, Norlac, and Ottawa from Canada; Arlington and Lakeland from Wisconsin; Pennscott from Pennsylvania; Chesapeake from Maryland; and Tensas from Louisiana are not as well suited for use in Kentucky as are Kenland, Kenstar, and a few other varieties developed for the general area of Kentucky.

Efficiency Of Nitrogen Use With Corn On A Tiled And Untiled Soil, Lloyd W. Murdock, John Kavanaugh, Harold F. Miller, Grant Thomas, Monroe Rasnake

Agronomy Notes

Excessive water is one of the largest contributors to the inefficient use of nitrogen in Kentucky. Because of this, nitrogen is often lost by both leaching and,denitrification. The amount, of these losses can be great depending on soil type and weather. Well-drained soils in Kentucky have been shown to lose less nitrogen than poorly drained soils. The nitrogen lost from well drained soils is usually due, to leaching. The nitrogen in the soil, even soon after applying non-nitrate forms of fertilizer N, is mostly in the water soluble nitrate form. When more water falls onto a well-drained soil than the …

Sucker Control Chemicals For Use On Burley Tobacco, W. O. Atkinson, Jones H. Smiley, Allen Wallace

Agronomy Notes

Maleic hydrazide (MH) formulations containing 3 pounds per gallon of active ingredient can no longer be manufactured for sale in the United States. However, all 3-pound MH formulations that were manufactured before October, 1981 can be sold until the supply of that formulation is exhausted. MH formulations containing 1.5 or 2.25 pounds of active ingredient (Potassium salt of MH) can still be manufactured and sold in the U.S. for controlling suckers on tobacco.

Response Of Soybean Cultivars To Postemergence Herbicides, James R. Martin, W. W. Witt

Agronomy Notes

The acreage of soybeans treated with postemergence herbicides for broadleaf weed control has increased over the past few years. This trend has occurred because of inconsistent control of cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr), giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.), jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L.), and morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq. and Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth) with soil applied herbicides.

Eastern Black Nightshade, L. G. Rodrigue, W. W. Witt, Charles H. Slack, J. R. Martin

Agronomy Notes

The nightshade species of North America consist of black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.), American black nightshade (Solanum americanum Mill.), hairy nightshade (Solanum surrachoides Sendt.) and eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum Dun.). Eastern black nightshade is a problem weed in many soybean producing areas and is the predominant problem nightshade in Kentucky. In addition to field crops, the nightshades are also problem weeds in canning peas (Pisum sativum L.), field beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) and tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Previously, most nightshades in Kentucky have been referred to as black nightshade. It is now known that black …

Comparative Effectiveness Of Urea, Ammonium Nitrate, And Urea Ammonium Polyphosphate On Fescue Production, Lloyd W. Murdock

Agronomy Notes

In the past, nitrogen (N) fertilizers used on grass pastures in Kentucky have largely been ammoniated phosphates in mixed fertilizers and ammonium nitrate. Due to the economic advantage of producing solid urea as opposed to ammonium nitrate, availability of urea is becoming greater and, in some areas, is the only source of solid nitrogen. If urea is not incorporated into the soil immediately after application, some of the nitrogen may be lost as ammonia gas. The loss is called volatilization. The amount of loss depends on a number of conditions. High soil and air temperatures and a moist soil which …

Alfalfa, White Clover, And Red Clover Variety Trials, Roy E. Sigafus, Norman L. Taylor, Garry D. Lacefield, J. Kenneth Evans

Agronomy Notes

This note is a brief summary of results obtained in 1981 from one white clover, five alfalfa, and three red clover trials. Yields in the seeding year, and from the first full year of production thereafter, are not the best estimate of the full potential of most forage legumes. The third season stand and yield are a good measure of persistency with red clover and white clover. At times it may be the fourth or fifth season with alfalfa before stands begin to thin.

To supply information on the best varieties available there is a continuous monitoring of new varieties …

Use Of Molybdenum In The Transplant Water For Burley Tobacco, J. L. Sims, Jones H. Smiley, M. E. Suchy, A. M. Wallace

Agronomy Notes

The need for adding molybdenum to tobacco arises because contents in Kentucky soils generally are on the "borderline" of sufficiency and because amounts of available molybdenum in soil are low when soil pH is low. Soil pH in tobacco fields at midseason often is 0.5 to 1.0 pH unit lower than prior to fertilization. primarily because of the high rates of commercial fertilizers commonly applied to tobacco. This acidity greatly lowers the availability of molybdenum to tobacco plants. That is why we recommend the use of molybdenum when soil pH before fertilization is 6.4 or below.

Correction And Prevention Of Soil Compaction, Lloyd W. Murdock

Agronomy Notes

Soil can be compacted by both natural and man made forces. The most common cause results from tillage practices. These man induced compacted layers are often called a traffic pan, disc pan, plow pan, wheel compaction, hard pan, etc. Some compaction occurs in most soils that are tilled. If compaction is Severe enough, it may reduce plant growth and yield. Soil compaction can be corrected by subsoiling and deep plowing but they are expensive methods. Soil compaction may not be a problem if one understands compaction, its effects, and how to prevent it.

Corn Yields From Fertilizer Recommendations Made By Some Soil Testing Laboratories Serving Kentucky, Lloyd W. Murdock, William Hendrick

Agronomy Notes

One of the most economically important services available to Kentucky farmers is that of soil testing and fertilizer recommendations. Fertilizer purchases on the order of 150 million dollars per year are currently made by farmers in Kentucky. Until about 30 years ago there was no routine, rapid method for analyzing soils to determine fertilizer needs. Since then, as better methods were developed, soil testing laboratories have been set up for routine farmer use. For many years only the soil testing service provided through the University of Kentucky (UK) was readily available to farmers in Kentucky. Even though the University still …

A Cropping System For Intensive Grain Production On Sloping Land, Kenneth L. Wells, H. C. Vaught, Morris J. Bitzer, M. W. Russell

Agronomy Notes

From the beginnings of Kentucky Agriculture, soil erosion and related losses in productivity have been major problems for Kentucky farmers. Improved soil conservation practices during the past forty years have been especially significant in the recovery and progress of our agricultural industry. No-tillage methods for crop production, which were pioneered in Kentucky, have proven useful in controlling erosion and holding production at high levels. During recent years, the marketplace has strongly encouraged grain production, with the unfortunate effect that many Kentucky hillsides have been returned to grain production without sufficient erosion control measures. This report describes innovations in use of …

Soybean Inoculant Quality, J. L. Sims, E. C. Lacefield, Lloyd W. Murdock

Agronomy Notes

Research studies have shown that from 40 to 80 percent of the nitrogen required for a soybean crop comes from nitrogen fixed in the nodules, depending on the degree of nodulation and the level of soil nitrogen. Hence, it is important that soybean plants be well-nodulated for most efficient soybean production.

Effect Of Lime On No-Tillage Corn Yields, Robert L. Blevins, Lloyd W. Murdock

Agronomy Notes

The rapidly growing popularity and adoption of no-tillage systems of corn production have required us to re-evaluate some of our long established soil fertility practices and recommendations. Recent work by researchers at Kentucky and adjacent states show that the soil surface becomes very acid after a few years of continuous no-tillage corn production. This rapid decrease in soil pH is primarily associated with surface application of nitrogen fertilizers. Most lime recommendations and related research information for row crop production are based on plow-down application. Therefore, the effectiveness of surface-applied and unincorporated lime under no-tillage systems becomes a question of concern. …

Relationship Of Weed Control And Soil Ph To No-Tillage Corn Yields, J. J. Kells, C. E. Rieck, Robert L. Blevins, Charles H. Slack

Agronomy Notes

Atrazine and simazine are used for selective control of a broad spectrum of weeds in corn. Over 80% of the U.S. corn production is treated with one or the other of these two s-triazine herbicides. In Kentucky they are used annually on over 800,000 acres of corn, including over 200,000 acres of no-tillage corn. When added to the soil these compounds are ultimately degraded to non-phytotoxic compounds. The rate of degradation is dependent upon the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. Although atrazine and simazine are chemically similar, simazine is considered to degrade slightly slower than atrazine after …

Zinc Fertilization Of Corn In Kentucky, W. W. Frye, H. F. Miller, Lloyd W. Murdock, D. E. Peaslee

Agronomy Notes

Of the agronomic crops, corn is especially sensitive to zinc deficiency. The major symptom of zinc deficiency in corn is broad white stripes in the leaves at or near the growing point in the early growth stages of the plant. It has been referred to as "white bud" disease because of the characteristic whitish area on one or both sides of the midrib near the base of new leaves. It can be seen as a new leaf unfolds from the whorl. Growth is stunted resulting in shorter than normal internodes. The pith of the stalk may become darkened at the …

Foliar Fertilization Of Soybeans - 1977, Lloyd W. Murdock, Preeda Boon-Long, Dennis B. Egli, Kenneth L. Wells

Agronomy Notes

Field investigations on the effect of foliar fertilization were continued on soybeans during 1977. Results from our 1976 studies have previously been published.

In 1976 we tested a material produced by TVA. We used the same TVA-material in 1977 and in addition, included a commercially available product (Folian^tm, manufactured by Allied Chemical Corporation).

Response Of Different Crops To Various Rates Of Furnace Ash Applied As A Soil Amendment, Lloyd W. Murdock, George Everette

Agronomy Notes

Furnace ash from coal fired electrical generating steam plants has increased greatly in the last decade with the increased demand for electricity and increased restrictions on air pollution. The large volumes of ash are presenting disposal and containment problems for management of electrical generating plants. Property adjacent to the generating plants has been exposed to fly ash settling from the smoke stacks and ash over flowing from holding structures. The effects of the material on the land and its production are unknown and concern property owners.

Manganese Fertilization Of Soybeans, Lloyd W. Murdock, Harold F. Miller, Doyle Peaslee, Wilbur Frye

Agronomy Notes

Only a small quantity of manganese is essential for plant growth however under certain soil conditions even this is not available to the plant. Depending on severity, manganese deficiency will retard plant growth and may drastically decrease yields. A deficiency of manganese will affect the photosynthesis system of the plant. The visual symptoms of a manganese deficiency on soybeans is interveinal chlorosis of the leaves. The veins remains green until the chlorosis nears the white stage then they also lose their color.

Boron Fertilization Of Corn In Kentucky, Lloyd W. Murdock, Kenneth L. Wells, H. F. Miiller

Agronomy Notes

The need for use of boron (B) for alfalfa production has been recognized for many years in Kentucky and is presently recommended for general use as an annual topdressing on alfalfa fields. Use of B is also recommended in Kentucky for red clover fields which are to be harvested for seed. In recent years, there has been interest in use of fertilizer B for good corn production in Kentucky. Plant available B is greatly affected by soil pH and decreases with increasing soil pH. Because of this, some states recommend use of B on corn grown on soils with a …

Alfalfa Response To Varying Rates Of Phosphorus And Potassium Fertilization On Deep, Red, Limestone - Derived Soils Of The Pennyroyal Area In Kentucky, H. C. Vaught, Kenneth L. Wells, K. L. Driskill

Agronomy Notes

The Western Pennyroyal area of Kentucky consists largely of deep, well-drained limestone-derived soils occurring on an undulating to rolling landscape. A thin loess mantle overlies the limestone residuum in many areas. Soils on these landscapes are capable of good crop production, providing the basis of the rather intensive grain-hay- tobacco-livestock farming systems common to the Pennyroyal area. Because of the well-suited physical characteristics of these soils, alfalfa is a very important hay crop to this area.