Soft Red Winter Wheat Replant Decision Aid Based on Spring Nitrogen Recommendations and % Winterkill

Transcription

1 Soft Red Winter Wheat Replant Decision Aid Based on Spring Nitrogen Recommendations and % Winterkill Relevance: Shawn P. Conley Cropping Systems Specialist University of Missouri, Columbia Winter wheat stand loss due to winterkill can be a serious problem for Missouri wheat growers. Environmental conditions delaying crop establishment in the fall, in conjunction with abnormally cold winter temperatures, standing ice on winter wheat fields, or poor snow cover may increase winter wheat stand loss. A visual reduction in winter wheat stand in the spring often leads to questions from growers concerning whether to keep the wheat crop or to establish another crop such as corn, soybeans, or grain sorghum. An elevated commodity price coupled with an increase in base funding in the current farm bill has encouraged Missouri growers to increase winter wheat acreage in the 2002 to 2003 growing season (Estimated > 1,000,000 acres of winter wheat was planted). Objectives and Goals: The objectives of this research are: 1) To quantify the affect of spring nitrogen rate and % winterkill on soft red winter wheat yield and quality. 2) To develop a procedure to accurately assess early season stand reduction in wheat due to winterkill The goal of this research is: 1) To develop an on-line, predictive replant decision aid to assist growers in managing winterkill in wheat. Procedures: The experiment will be located at three sites: o Bradford Research and Extension Center o Lamar o Portageville

2 Experimental Design: Randomized complete block design o Five nitrogen rates: 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 lbs. N acre -1 Nitrogen treatments applied at greenup o Five winter wheat % winterkill treatments: 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 % winterkill treatments will be established by planting a mixture of spring wheat and winter wheat in the fall. Spring wheat will senesce over the winter thus establishing the correct %winterkill treatments at greenup. o Four replications: o Data collected: Tiller number, head number, and spikelet number per head Leaf area index measurements and digital image analysis Grain yield, test weight, 1000 kernel weight Current Status: Research was initiated in 2001 and continued in 2002 to quantify the affect of soft red winter wheat winterkill on crop yield and weed crop interference. Preliminary data indicated that as % winterkill increased crop yield decreased (Figure 1). These results were used to develop the objectives for this research proposal. Several experiments have been conducted to quantify the affect of spring nitrogen application timing on soft red winter wheat yield and quality (Makowski et al. 1999; Scharf et al. 1993; Vaughan et al. 1990; Weisz et al. 2001). Few experiments however, have quantified the impact of % winterkill and spring nitrogen rate on yield and have used this information to develop a replant decision aid for growers. Figure 1. Yield (bu a -1 ) Affect of % Winterkill of SRWW Yield % Winterkill

3 Timetable and Strategy for Application: October: 2003 Initiate experiment February to March: 2004 Apply treatments March to July: 2004 Record growth data June to July: 2004 Harvest plots and analyze grain quality. July: 2004 Analyze data, develop initial state recommendations, and post results on website October: 2004 Initiate experiment January: 2005 Present first year data to the PFC. January to February 2005 Schedule and complete meetings with growers, regional agronomists, and state faculty, to promote and implement research February to March: 2005 Apply treatments March to July: 2005 Record growth data April to May: 2005 Field days to promote research June to July: 2005 Harvest plots and analyze grain quality. July: 2005 Analyze data, develop initial state recommendations, and post results on website August: 2005 Submit manuscript to Agronomy journal for publication and develop a MU guide January: 2006 Present second year of data to the PFC. References: Makowski, D., D. Wallach, and JM. Meynard Models of yield, grain protein, and residual mineral nitrogen responses to applied nitrogen for winter wheat. Agron. J. 91: Scharf, P.C., M.M. Alley, and Y.Z. Lei Spring nitrogen on winter wheat: I. Farmerfield validation of tissue test-based rate recommendations. Agron. J. 85: Soon, Y.K. and G.W. Clayton Eight years of crop rotation and tillage effects on crop production and N fertilizer use. Can. J. Soil Sci. 82: Vaughan, B., D.G Westfall, and K.A. Barbarick Nitrogen rate and timing effects on winter wheat grain yield, grain protein, and economics. J. Prod. Ag. 3: Weisz, R., C.R. Crozier, and R.W. Heiniger Optimizing nitrogen application timing in no-till soft red winter wheat. Agron. J. 93:

4 Proposed Budget and : Budget Proposal Plot establishment and harvest 300 total $30.00 per plot $ 9,000 Salary and benefits Pre-baccalaureate student worker $ 4, hours per week x 15 weeks x $7.00 per hour Travel (meals, mileage, hotel) $ 1,400 Total $ 14, Budget Proposal Plot establishment and harvest 300 total $30.00 per plot $ 9,000 Salary and benefits Pre-baccalaureate student worker $ 4, hours per week x 15 weeks x $7.00 per hour Travel (meals, mileage, hotel) $ 1,400 Total $ 14,600 Total proposal request $ 29,200 Plot establishment and harvest charges include: seed, fertilizer, planting, pesticides as needed (herbicide, insecticide, and or fungicide), machinery maintenance, fuel, and harvesting costs.

5 FACULTY APPOINTMENT Shawn Paul Conley Assistant Professor, September 2001 Present 70% extension and 30% research appointment Agronomy (Cropping Systems) University of Missouri, Columbia Applied extension and research program focuses on small grains production, alternative crops, and cropping systems management. The objectives of the program are to increase the economic and environmental sustainability of current Missouri production practices through value added activities and diversified cropping systems. Specific research and extension focus areas include: EDUCATION 1. Quantify baseline information for the development of an integrated crop decision aid for small grains production. Projects will range from improving current crop management and integrated pest management strategies to modeling crop and pest interactions. 2. Development of alternative crops and cropping systems. Projects will range from the development of best management practices for alternative crops to quantifying the agronomic, economic, and ecological impact of alternative crops and cropping systems on current production systems. Ph.D. August 2001 Horticulture (Weed Science) University of Wisconsin, Madison M.S. May 1999 Horticulture (Weed Science) University of Wisconsin, Madison B.S. May 1996 Agronomy (Business & Industry) University of Wisconsin, Madison PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Extension Programs Grower and Commodity Meetings: Year Number of Programs Participation Number attending speaker speaker 210

6 Conferences, Short Courses, Workshops, and Clinics: Year Training Program Number trained 2002 Crop Management Conference TBD 2002 Winter Wheat Crop Injury Clinic Crop Injury Clinic Crop Management Conference 100 Field Days and Demonstrations: Year Number of field days Number attending my presentation Extension Publications: Year Title 2002 Winter Wheat Crop Injury Clinic Manual 2002 IPM Series: Missouri Soft Red Winter Wheat Handbook: in development National Winter Canola Variety Trial 2002 Integrated Pest and Crop Management Newsletter Articles: 6 REFERRED JOURNAL ARTICLES 1. Conley, S. P., L. K. Binning, and T. R. Connell Effect of cultivar, row spacing, and weed management on weed biomass, potato yield and net crop value. Am. J. Potato Res. 78: Conley, S. P., L. K. Binning, C. M. Boerboom, and D. E. Stoltenberg Estimating giant foxtail cohort productivity and fecundity in soybean based on weed density, leaf area, or volume. Weed Sci. 50: Conley, S. P., D. E. Stoltenberg, C. M. Boerboom, and L. K. Binning Predicting soybean yield loss in giant foxtail and common lambsquarters weed communities. Weed Sci. In press. 4. Conley, S. P., L. K. Binning, C. M. Boerboom, and D. E. Stoltenberg Parameters for predicting giant foxtail cohort effect on soybean-yield loss. Agron. J. In review. 5. Conley, S. P. and W. J. Wiebold Response of Grain Sorghum Yield to Planting Date. Crop Man. In review.