Tillage Study for Corn and Soybean: Comparing Vertical, Deep, and No-Till

The need for tillage in corn and soybean production in the Kansas River Valley continues to be debated. The soils of the Kansas River Valley are highly variable, with much of the soil sandy to silty loam in texture. These soils tend to be relatively low in organic matter (\u3c2%) and susceptible to wind erosion. Although typically well drained, these soils can develop compaction layers under certain conditions. A tillage study was initiated in the fall of 2011 at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field near Topeka to compare deep vs. shallow vs. no-till vs. deep tillage in alternate years. Corn and soybean crops are rotated annually. This is intended to be a long-term study to determine if soil characteristics and yields change in response to a history of each tillage system

Effects of Seed Treatment on Sudden Death Syndrome Symptoms and Soybean Yield

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a soybean disease that perennially limits yields in the Kansas River Valley. The presence of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and saturated soils have been implicated in contributing to the severity of the disease. Selecting varieties with some degree of tolerance to SDS is the only cultural practice that can potentially reduce the severity of SDS and improve yields. Variety selection alone, however, cannot improve the production of soybeans to make them profitable. The challenge of trying to manage irrigation scheduling to avoid saturated soils further complicates efforts to increase productivity with irrigation while still avoiding SDS. A study with seed treatments applied to soybean was conducted at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field in 2014, with treatments applied to a soybean variety with a high level of tolerance to SDS. The study was irrigated earlier and more often than normal to promote the disease. The most severely infested plots had more than 50% of the leaf area expressing symptoms of SDS by the R6 growth stage. Treatments with ILeVO from Bayer CropScience (Research Triangle Park, NC) reduced foliar symptoms and increased yields up to 12 bu/a, or more than 25%. These results are similar to those in a 2013 study of varieties with SDS tolerance ranging from very susceptible to more tolerant; the yield increase was up to 16 bu/a, or 40% with the ILeVO seed treatment

Effects of an Experimental Seed Treatment from DuPont on Sudden Death Syndrome Symptoms and Soybean Yield

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is a soybean disease that perennially limits yields in the Kansas River Valley. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and saturated soils contribute to the severity of the disease. Selecting varieties with some degree of tolerance to SDS is the only cultural practice that can reduce the severity of SDS and improve yields. Variety selection alone, however, doesn’t necessarily make soybean production profitable; an added complication is managing irrigation scheduling to avoid saturated soils. A study with seed treatments applied to soybean was conducted at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field in 2014, with treatments applied to two soybean varieties susceptible to SDS. The study was irrigated earlier and more often than normal for soybean to promote the disease. In the most severely infested plots, more than 50% of the leaf area expressed symptoms of SDS by the R6 growth stage. Treatments with an experimental seed treatment from DuPont (Wilmington, DE) reduced the amount of foliar disease in all varieties and increased yields up to 10 bu/a, or more than 25%

East Central Kansas Experiment Field Introduction

The research program at the East Central Kansas Experiment Field is designed to keep area crop producers abreast of technological advances in agronomic agriculture. Specific objectives are to (1) identify top-performing varieties and hybrids of wheat, corn, soybean, and grain sorghum; (2) establish the amount of tillage and crop residue cover needed for optimum crop production; (3) evaluate weed and disease control practices using chemical, no chemical, and combination methods; and (4) test fertilizer rates, timing, and application methods for agronomic proficiency and environmental stewardship

Kansas River Valley Experiment Field Introduction

The Kansas River Valley (KRV) Experiment Field was established to study management and effective use of irrigation resources for crop production in the KRV. The Paramore Unit consists of 80 acres located 3.5 miles east of Silver Lake on U.S. Highway 24, then 1 mile south of Kiro, and 1.5 miles east on 17th street. The Rossville Unit consists of 80 acres located 1 mile east of Rossville or 4 miles west of Silver Lake on U.S. Highway 24

Forage Sorghum Performance Trial

In our sorghum trials, production of forage was greater (P \u3c 0.05) for ‘FS 4’ and ‘AF 7401’ than for ‘AF 7202,’ possibly related to differences in maturity. Estimated grain production was greater for ‘AF 7401’ than for all others, except for ‘AF 7102.

Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome Influenced by Macronutrient Fertility on Irrigated Soybean in a Corn/Soybean Rotation

The effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization on a corn/ soybean cropping sequence were evaluated from 1983 to 2014, with corn planted in odd years. We observed a relationship between the P rate applied during the corn years and the severity of sudden death syndrome (SDS) in 2014 soybean

Macronutrient Fertility on an Irrigated Corn/Soybean in Rotation

Effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization on a corn/soybean cropping sequence were evaluated from 2013 to 2020 (corn planted in odd years) from a study initiated in 1983. Corn yield was near optimum at 160 lb/a N. Phosphorus and K fertilization alone increased corn yield 31 and 7 bu/a, respectively; and soybean yields 22 and 1.7 bu/a, respectively. As N fertilization increased, the response to P increased corn yield from 13 to 40 bu/a. The best return on fertilizer investment was when the N and P needs were met for both crops

Corn Yield Response to Plant Populations

Corn hybrid development with a focus on drought tolerance has emerged in recent years, and producers have questions about their yield performance across a range of plant populations. A two-year study was conducted to determine the yield of corn hybrids across several plant populations. Corn hybrids responded differently in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, a lower yield environment occurred. The hybrid with drought tolerance had the greatest yield of 95 bu/a at a plant population of 21,500 plants/a, whereas the non-drought-tolerant hybrid’s greatest yield was 90 bu/a at a plant population of 13,500 plants/a. In 2014, the yield environment was significantly higher. The hybrid with drought tolerance had the greatest yield of 174 bu/a at the greatest plant population of 35,500 plants/a, and the non-drought tolerant hybrid’s greatest yield was 169 bu/a at a plant population of 29,500 plant/a

Comparison of Static and Active Downforce on Corn at the Kansas River Valley Experiment Field in 2020

Uniformity of plant spacing and emergence have been shown to be significant contributing factors to increasing corn yields. Improved seed meters that offer very precise seed drop have been available on planters for a number of years. However, uniformity in plant emergence continues to be a challenge, especially with reduction of tillage and in fields with variable soils. Correct, consistent depth is critical for uniform corn emergence. By keeping the gauge wheels on the ground, consistent depth is achieved. An active downforce system, such as Precision Planting’s DeltaForce, applies hydraulic downforce or lift to the row unit. With a Precision 20|20 planter monitor, load sensor readings of the downforce on the gauge wheels can be monitored and the target pressure adjusted from the monitor. The 20|20 display detects the load cell readings and adjusts the applied downforce or lift to maintain the gauge wheels’ contact with the ground while also preventing compaction beyond what is necessary for creating a good furrow