Pneumatic applicators – new technology for applying fertilizer and seeding

Non-Peer Reviewe

Effect of time and rate of application of anhydrous ammonia and urea with or without a nitrification inhibitor on the yield and quality of a barley-wheat-canola rotation

Non-Peer ReviewedA project was initiated in the fall of 2006 to compare the effect of early (mid-September) and late (mid to late October) fall, and spring application of anhydrous ammonia and urea on the yield of barley, wheat and canola in barley-wheat-canola-wheat rotation. The experiment now in its third year is being carried out in two locations (Watrous and Lake Lenore) and involves four rates of N (0, 30, 80 and 120 kg N ha-1) with or without treatment with a nitrification inhibitor (N-Serve) annually applied on the same plots and four replicates for a total of 39 treatments. Consistent significant differences in all six-site years were responses to N and anhydrous vs. urea, the latter being a result of the inefficiency of the low N rate (40 kg ha-1) when applied as anhydrous ammonia. Overall, there were no differences due to time of application

Winter wheat production in central Saskatchewan

Non-Peer Reviewe

Liquid swine manure application to forage soil: effect on soil carbon and economic returns

Non-Peer ReviewedHog production has been on the increase in Saskatchewan for the past several years. This has lead to an increase in the environmental interest surrounding the application of liquid hog manure. The expected increase in swine production operations will lead to an increase in demand for suitable land area to properly dispose of this effluent within the economic transport distance of the collection site. Soil injection of liquid swine effluent into forage crops will produce two types of benefits: increased forage crop production and an increase in soil carbon. A three-year study was conducted to determine the effects on injecting different rates of swine effluent into three types of forage crops: alfalfa, Russian Wild Rye and brome-alfalfa The effluent treated plots were sampled to determine if there has been any significant increases in soil carbon compared to untreated control plots. The economic distance which hog manure can be transported depends on the cost of transport and application and the short-term returns to be realized from the additional yield produced by the fertilizing effect of the manure. Results showed that the yearly application of the low rate of liquid hog manure into the brome/alfalfa forage crop produced the greatest net return to the forage grower

Post-emergence application of liquid swine manure in east central Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedIn early 1997, the Prairie Protein Action Committee was established and one of its objectives was to identify ways to meet the increasing demand for wheat with specific protein quality and quantity (Fowler et al. 1998). The main areas of concern were low protein levels in western Canadian wheat and increased competition on the world market for high protein wheat. To address these concerns, one of the objectives was to identify research needs relating to the production and management of wheat protein. Protein quality can be enhanced by genetic improvement or by N fertility management. Among the main objectives in plant breeding programs are the need to increase yield and protein. However, the two traits have generally been found to be negatively related. This negative relationship may be as a result of dilution of the protein concentration as carbohydrates in the endosperm increase with yield. Thus, genetic improvement may have a small contribution toward enhancement of protein content in wheat. Hucl et al. (1998) found that less than 3% of variations in protein concentration in spring wheat was due to genetic variation, whereas over 80% of the variation was due to environmental effects, which include N fertility. Campbell et al. (1997) noted that in the Brown soil zone of Saskatchewan, 18% of the protein variation was due to N fertility. Within a cultivar, up to 99% of the variability in grain protein could be due to soil N variability (Fowler 1986). Hence, N fertility management is key to improving protein quality in wheat. Livestock manure application as a N source to boost yield and protein of wheat offers an alternative to chemical N fertilizers. There is opportunity to enhance protein levels in cereals and achieve protein premiums by delaying manure application and applying it post-emergent to cereals. Delayed manure application also helps widen the window of application and reduce manure application costs. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of low disturbance, post-emergent liquid swine manure injection on wheat protein and yield in east central Saskatchewan. This paper presents the results of the first two years of this three year study

Soil and canary seed yield response over three years to a single application of poultry manure on a heavy clay soil near Regina, SK

Non-Peer Reviewe

Crop response to liquid swine effluent and solid cattle manure over four years in east-central Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedDue to the advent of relatively cheap chemical N fertilizers, the use of livestock manure as a source of nutrients to crops was downplayed (James, et al., 1996). However, the expansion of the livestock industry, the need to utilize of the manure in an environmentally friendly and economically viable manner, and the desire to minimize the use of chemical N fertilizers have rekindled interest in the use of livestock manure as a fertilizer. Of particular interest is the need to utilize manure from large-scale intensive livestock operations (Chang and Janzen, 1996). This report is part of an on-going study initiated in 1996 to examine the soil and crop response to application of liquid swine manure and solid feedlot cattle manure at different rates and methods of application. Furthermore, the study seeks to evaluate nutrient forms and amounts in the manure and the effect of rate and method of manure application on soil fertility, nutrient utilization and crop yield. This paper puts together and summarizes the results of crop response to annual application of the two types of manure compared to that of urea fertilizer observed over the past four years, 1997 to 2000

Surface soil nutrient contents and crop yields after four to seven annual applications of manure

Non-Peer Reviewe

Comparsion of agronomic performance of N fertilizer placement and formulation on wheat, canola, and flax at four sites in Saskatchewan

Non-Peer Reviewe

Soil and crop response to injected liquid swine manure on two Gray Luvisols

Non-Peer ReviewedIntensive livestock production is increasing in western Canada, and so is the need to dispose of the manure produced. In the last six years or so, the Saskatchewan Centre for Soil Research at the University of Saskatchewan in conjunction with researchers at Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) have carried out studies in various areas of manure management. The overall aim of these studies is to determine the viability and sustainability of manure application to agricultural land. The impact of livestock manure application to land is influenced by various factors, among them: soil characteristics, climatic conditions, cropping systems, manure handling and application techniques. Thus, manure management is bound to be site-specific. In order to come up with viable site-specific manure management recommendations, studies have to be conducted in various regions representing the diverse agricultural zones of the province. Although there are various aspects of the impact of manure application to agricultural land, both long-term and short-term, the immediate impact of manure application is typically exhibited in enhanced availability of N in the soil, crop yield and plant N concentration. This is more so with swine manure which has a relatively high concentration of inorganic N. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of rate and frequency of swine manure application on crop performance and soil available N in the Gray and Dark Gray soil zones of Saskatchewan