Earth Sciences Commons^™

Soybean Response To Fertilization, Monroe Rasnake

Soil Science News and Views

When can you expect soybeans to respond to fertilization? How large is a response likely to be? How much fertilizer will be needed to obtain the maximum economic response? These are questions that College of Agriculture personnel must answer in making recommendations. Farmers should also consider these questions when deciding how much fertilizer to use.

Movement Of Bacteria Through Macropores To Ground Water, M. Scott Smith, Grant W. Thomas, Robert E. White

KWRRI Research Reports

Effects of soil type, flow rate, antecedent soil moisture and other factors on transport of E. coli through soils was measured on disturbed and intact columns 20 cm in diameter by 25 to 30 cm in depth. Added E. coli were distinguished from indigenous microbes using an antibiotic resistance marker. Transport of Cl^- and ³H₂O was also measured. Up to 96 percent of the bacteria irrigated onto the surface of intact columns were recovered in the effluent. Soil structure appeared to be related to the extent of transport. Columns prepared from mixed, repacked soil were much …

Effects Of Surface Application Of Dairy Manure On The Infiltration Rate And Quality Of Surface Runoff, Joseph L. Taraba, I. J. Ross, John D. Bottom, Bill J. Barfield

KWRRI Research Reports

Dairy manure was surface spread on 12 ft x 12 ft plots on an established fescue pasture in the summer and fall of 1981 and 1982. The soil was a Maury silt loam. A simulated rainfall was applied to plots to test the effects of nitrogen loading rate (75, 150, and 300 #N/acre) time delay between manure application and the simulated rainfall events (0, 3, 6, 24, 48, 96 hours and a 120 hour test repeated on 0 hr plot with 300 #N/acre), and type manure (semi-solid - 1981 and liquid - 1982) on the concentrations of pollutants in the …

Nitrogen Placement For No-Till Corn, Kenneth L. Wells

Soil Science News and Views

An estimated 18 to 20 percent of all corn grown in Kentucky is no-till planted. This 400 to 500 thousand acres is directly planted into sod, residues from the previous year, or a winter cover crop. Many field trials have been conducted by University of Kentucky agronomists during the past 15 years to determine nitrogen fertilization practices best suited for this kind of corn production. These recommendations are published annually in "AGR-1 Lime and Fertilizer Recommendations," and call for 25 lbs more actual fertilizer N per acre than conventional corn. This is largely justified by: (1) a greater potential for …

Anhydrous Ammonia Use For Corn, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

Anhydrous ammonia is the most concentrated form of nitrogen fertilizer available to corn producers in many areas of Kentucky. It is a simple chemical compound made up of one part nitrogen and three parts hydrogen (NH₃), existing as a gas at normal outdoor temperatures. This makes it necessary to store and handle the material in closed containers under pressure. The product contains 82% nitrogen, making it one of the highest analysis and most economical fertilizers available for corn production.

Current Research On Band Application Of Fertilizer To Burley Tobacco, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Present Status: Generally, past research conducted in the United States has shown that only one-half to two-thirds as much fertilizer is required to produce maximum crop yields when the fertilizer is properly banded as when it is broadcast. However, the magnitude of plant response to banding compared to broadcast applications varies widely with soil nutrient levels, soil temperature, soil pH, and the mobility of the nutrient being applied. Greatest benefits from banding result from (a) applications to soils having low or very-low soil test levels of the nutrient in question, (b) applications to crops grown in cool climates, (3) applications …

Quality Of Legume Inoculants In Kentucky, M. Scott Smith

Soil Science News and Views

Successful and profitable production of legumes requires nodulation by Rhizobium bacteria which supply the crop with fixed N. The appropriate strains of bacteria are often absent from soils, since they do not persist without a suitable host plant. Under these conditions, that is when the specific legume crop has not been planted in the field for more than 3 or 4 years, it is necessary to inoculate the seed (or sometimes the soil) with Rhizobium.

Forage Moisture Testers, George Turner, Doug Overhults

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The quality of forage used for feed is affected by the moisture content at which it was harvested and stored. To guess moisture content from experience or by hand squeezing and wadding is not accurate enough for today's methods of putting up hay, haylage or silage.

There are several very accurate and rapid types of sophisticated moisture indicators used in various industries, but these are too complex and costly to be considered for portable use by farmers. Other smaller instruments are also available that do a less accurate but acceptable job of determining moisture content of forage. One of these …

Alfalfa Production And Marketing — Producer Story, Reeves Davie, Alfred Davie, Gene Davie

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Our decision to plant a hundred acres of alfalfa in the late summer of 1981 was not made hastily. Past experiences of others in the area who had grown alfalfa commercially, an economic study of the alfalfa hay situation and the declining prices of corn, wheat, and soybeans all had their affect on our decision. However, we did not anticipate the price of corn, wheat and soybeans sinking to the levels they did this past year of 1982.

An Economic Examination Of Kentucky's Potential For Alfalfa Production, W. Donald Shurley

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In managing a farm successfully, a major decision faced by the farmer is the choice of enterprises and the level of production for each of the enterprises chosen. For each enterprise or combination of enterprises, an initial investment in land, buildings, and machinery is required. The enterprises chosen and the production levels of each enterprise must be sufficient to reward investments above their cost. Once the choice of enterprises is made and investment incurred, little flexibility exists in making changes among enterprises unless some investments are liquidated and new investments made.

Chemical Preservation Of Alfalfa Hay And Silage, Charles T. Dougherty, J. Kenneth Evans

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

A wide range of substances are being marketed throughout the forage world to enhance, preserve and otherwise modify hay and silage. Some of the products are ineffective, while the benefits of others depend on the correct application and some are used at rates far below that which is effective. Alfalfa can be made into high quality hay and silage without the use of additives if recommended practices are employed, however, when the use of best management practices is not enough, additives may make economic sense. Such is the case in N.W. Europe where the weather prevents haymaking, and the high …

Harvest Management, Harold Vaught

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Harvest management is not an easy topic to address. Every farm or field may present a different situation, thus, decisions must be made by the grower as to the harvest schedule he uses. Most everything I will discuss has research to back it up but I will not reference it. I must say that some of my comments have come from experience and observation over a period of many years.

Managing Leaf Spot Diseases Of Alfalfa, William C. Nesmith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Approximately 25-30 diseases attack and reduce the yield, quality or stand longevity of alfalfa in Kentucky. The largest number of these diseases are leaf spot. Generally, the leaf spots diseases are more important in reducing quality due to leaf loss than direct killing of plants. Some of the leaf spots are severe enough to warrant specific controls aimed directly at them while others are managed through more general practices.

Weed Management In Alfalfa, William W. Witt

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Weeds compete with alfalfa for water, nutrients, light, and space. This competition can decrease yields, lower forage quality, increase disease and insect problems, create harvesting problems, and initiate or poison the animals which will consume the forage. Premature loss of alfalfa stands is usually the result of the interaction of the pest complex - diseases, insects, and weeds.

Kentucky's Ipm Program For Alfalfa, Chris M. Christensen

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a concept that encourages the use of a variety of strategies in the management of crop pests. It is very important to have an indepth understanding of the crop production system when implementing an IPM program. An IPM program is dynamic requiring a continual evaluation of the status of the crop, the associated pest complex, the effects of the pests and the biological deterrents to those pests. If a pest population gets "out of hand" and begins to cause economic damage, pest management techniques may need to be applied. These pest management measures may be …

Soil And Fertility Management, Lloyd W. Murdock

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa is a high producing, labor intensive, high cost and high return crop. Therefore, it only makes sense not to limit its production or longevity by establishing it on unsuitable soil or by the use of unsound fertility practices. It is the aim of this paper to propose practices which will not limit the production of alfalfa, but, also allow it to be done as efficiently as possible with only the necessary inputs.

Kentucky Alfalfa Variety Testing Program, Roy E. Sigafus

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

In the 1950's and 60's alfalfa variety trials were conducted by the Lexington staff at 5 to 7 locations. Trials are now limited to Lexington and Princeton, but numerous demonstration seedings are established by the Extension Service personnel throughout the state.

Establishment And Early Management Of Alfalfa Stands For Hay And Silage Production, J. Kenneth Evans, Charles T. Dougherty

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

To achieve high levels of productivity and long-lived alfalfa stands, farmers must treat alfalfa as a crop and not as a pasture on the back forty. In this paper we present current recommendations for establishment and early management of alfalfa stands in Kentucky. See AGR-76, Alfalfa-The Queen of Forage Crops, and AGR-64, Establishing Forage Crops, for more detailed information.

Alfalfa In Kentucky — Situation And Challenge, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa is one of the most important forage crops in the United States. Of all commonly grown forages, it is among the highest in feeding value and has the highest yield potential of all adapted perennial forage legumes. Alfalfa is grown over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions and can play an important role in soil conservation. Alfalfa is a versatile crop which can be used as pasture, hay and silgage. As a result of its versatility, yield potential and quality, it can be used successfully in all livestock feeding programs.

Foreword [1983], Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This is the front matter of the proceedings.

Effect Of Fertilizer Salts On Crop Production, V. P. Evangelou

Soil Science News and Views

Soil consists largely of mineral and organic matter, air, and water. Plants obtain nutrients from mineral and organic matter, oxygen from air, and they use water as a carrier of nutrients from the soil into the root and to the above ground portion of plants.

Since soil water functions as a carrier of nutrients from solid fractions of soil into and through plants, it plays a very important role in plant nutrition. Because of this importance, correct chemical balance of the soil solution is necessary for best crop performance. This means that pH of the solution should be in the …

Seedbed Preparation For Pasture Renovation, Harold B. Rice

Soil Science News and Views

In Kentucky renovation has come to mean the re-establishment of legumes in grass pastures and meadows. Many acres of grassland do not contain enough legumes to fill the amount of nitrogen needed and to improve the nutritional value of the forage. A good stand of white clover, for example, has the capacity to fix about 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Because of this, pastures containing around 40 percent clover can produce about as much meat or milk as grass pastures fertilized with 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre. For best results in seeding clovers into grass sods, fields should …

Geologic Descriptions And Coal Analyses For 1982 Coal Drilling In The Daniel Boone National Forest, Eastern Kentucky, Raymond R. Bergeron, James C. Cobb, Ernie R. Slucher, Richard A. Smath

Information Circular--KGS

This report contains core descriptions, lithologic logs, and analyses of coal from 21 stratigraphic test holes drilled in 1982 in the Daniel Boone National Forest, including the Redbird Purchase Unit, in eastern Kentucky.

The test holes ranged in depth from 85 to 1,988 feet and averaged about 700 feet. A total of 89 coal samples were analyzed. Results of analyses (on the as-received basis) showed the following ranges: ash, 2.37 to 28.8 percent; sulfur, 0.3 to 8.4 percent; and Btu, 9,017 to 14,550 per pound.

Infiltration Through Reconstructed Surface Mined Spoils And Soils, A. D. Ward, Larry G. Wells, R. E. Phillips

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

An extensive series of tests involving reconstructed profiles of spoil and topsoil material from a Western Kentucky surface mine site was conducted with a laboratory infiltrometer system. Infiltration through the reconstructed spoil profiles was very slow despite the coarse nature of the material. Low infiltration rates could be attributed to the material having a well-graded texture and to the high densities of the profiles. Infiltration through topsoil horizons was controlled, for the most part, by conditions at the surface. Following wetting, infiltration rates were primarily controlled by the hydraulic characteristics of the less permeable sub horizon of the spoil material. …

Energy Conservation In Corn Production, Wilbur W. Frye

Soil Science News and Views

On-farm production of food and fiber uses about 3% of the annual U.S. energy consumption. About one-third of this energy is directly from fossil fuels used in farm tractors and trucks and for crop drying, while about one-fourth is used in manufacturing and transporting fertilizers. Tillage and N fertilizers are the two largest uses of energy in non-irrigated product ion of crops which are not dried artificially. Thus, the greatest effects of energy conservation can be achieved in these two areas.

Does No-Till Change Soil Management Practices?, Robert L. Blevins

Soil Science News and Views

Successful no-tilling requires a different approach to soil management practices. Since continuous no-tillage systems leave residues on the soil surface without mechanically mixing them into the plow layer and since lime and fertilizer are surface-applied, no-tilled soils have biological, chemical and physical properties contrasting with those of a plowed soil. For any crop production system to be widely accepted and used it must provide and maintain desirable physical properties of the soil, control erosion and replace nutrients removed by crops and other losses. This can be accomplished in a no-till system if proper management is used.

Soil Ph: What It Is, How It Is Measured, Why It Is Important, John H. Grove

Soil Science News and Views

Soil pH is related to the hydrogen ion (H⁺) activity of the soil-water system. The chemical definition of pH is as follows: pH=-log (H⁺). In other words, for a pH drop of 1 unit (e. g. from pH 6 to pH 5) there will be a ten~fold increase in H⁺ activity in the soil solution. If pH 1 rises by 1 unit, only one-tenth as much acidity will be present in solution. As such, pH is only a measure of the active acidity in the soil water solution bathing plant roots. This fraction of total …

Liming Tobacco Soils, J. L. Sims

Soil Science News and Views

Control of soil acidity by liming is very important in successful tobacco culture. Adding lime to an acid soil increases the availability of nearly all plant nutrient elements, increases the efficiency of added fertilizers, and prevents the toxic effects of high concentrations of soluble aluminum, manganese, and iron. It is a natural tendency for most Kentucky soils to become acid with time due to losses of bases (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium) from soil by rainfall, However, tobacco soils possess certain unique problems that warrant careful monitoring of soil pH every two to three years.

Groundwater In The Inner Bluegrass Karst Region, Kentucky, John Thrailkill, Lawrence E. Spangler, William M. Hopper Jr., Michael R. Mccann, Joseph W. Troester, Douglas R. Gouzie

KWRRI Research Reports

The hydrogeology of about 12% of the 5600 km² Inner Bluegrass Karst Region of central Kentucky was investigated by water tracing and other techniques. Using fluorescent dyes adsorbed on fabric and charcoal detectors, 96 traces (average length 2.7 km, maximum length 15 km) resulted in the identification of 38 groundwater basins (with areas up to 15 km²). Within the basins, subsurface flow is in a dendritic conduit system at depths up to 30 m below the surface, while in the interbasin areas which separate them flow is generally less than 5 m deep. Each groundwater basin discharges …

Fall Fertilization Programs, William O. Thom

Soil Science News and Views

Achieving recommended fertility levels for the next season's crop is important enough that it should not be subject to all the uncertainties of spring weather. Fall offers more time for careful planning of fertilizer and lime requirements based on good soil tests. Fields are generally in good condition to support application equipment without creating excessive soil compaction.