Gage County
1115 West Scott St.,
Beatrice NE 68310
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News Column

Paul C Hay, Extension Educator

Kansas State Agronomy Research

I attended the Field Day for the Kansas State University Belleville last week. Some of the research projects being conducted by Dr Barney Gordon and others at the station have some direct application for our Southeast Nebraska farmers.

One research project is studying the impact of strip-till and crop yield. They have measurements on soil temperature effects from the strip-till versus no-till wheat stubble. Their numbers are very similar to the data we have from the Plymouth weather station comparing bare soil and 50% corn residue cover. During the heat of the day the bare soil can be 7-9 degrees warmer. During the nights the temperatures narrow to 1-2 degrees warmer. Our Plymouth weather station shows a 2 degree warmer average soil temperature for bare soil if the air temperatures are stable. The corn in the entire research plot was 3 ears deep, i.e. on the edge of the field there were a few ears, but the field yield was near zero. It's dry in Belleville also.

They have been conducting a long term starter fertilizer trial at the station. The trial compares starter placement location, rate of application, and starter analysis. Early dry matter accumulation (early growth) is higher for all starter fertilizer applications. Best yields were obtained when starter fertilizer placement were 2x2 followed by dribble on the soil surface 2 inches to the side of the row, followed by row band directly over the row, followed by in-furrow placement with the seed. The best responding starter analysis were those higher in nitrogen and phosphorus (45or 60 # N/A with 15 # P /A). The early growth rate in these studies is similar to University of Nebraska results. The yield response is larger than similar Nebraska results. Total applied nitrogen and phosphorus were the same for all fields.

Soil compaction is minor in dry soil but increases to a peak when we reach field capacity (all the water a soil can hold) then decreases in super wet soils. We of course can't till in super wet soils because it violates RULE # 1. Which is - - Don't get the big tractor stuck. Compaction is best measured in a soil by digging a trench with a tile spade or backhoe or by using a soil moisture rod to find dense soil areas when the soil is moist. Reduce compaction by reducing tillage traffic. If tillage is done do it below field capacity when soil formed in a ball breaks apart when dropped from waist level. Reduce pressure of tires when in the field. Reduce axle loads of equipment. Use no-till, erosion control measures, manure, and a crop rotation plan adapted to reduce loss of organic matter or even increase organic matter. Do deep tillage in dry soils, then no-till. Tillage operations and field passes done in set traffic patterns like in ridge till can be significant at reducing erosion in the vast majority of field area.

Dr Gordon has worked with a economic analysis of corn versus milo profitability using the Belleville station dryland yields. It shows that in that area corn yield average would have to exceed 135 bushels per acre to be more profitable than milo. Looking at the data set and my data from farmer fields I suspect that our balance point would be more like 110-120 bu/ac of corn.

View other Gage County News Columns & News Letters: http://gage.unl.edu/news/news.htm

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