Performing Department
Plant Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Dry bean production is relatively expensive compared to other crops due to high labor, equipment, and fuel costs. A typical dry bean grower may use five to nine field operations over each acre of dry beans. Planting dry bean directly into previous crop stubble reduces input costs, and has the added benefit of reducing soil erosion and protecting the crop from wind damage early in the growing season. Another way to reduce input costs is to direct-harvest the dry bean crop instead of undercutting and windrowing. Previous experience seeding into wheat stubble and using direct harvest in dry bean has shown high levels of harvest loss (beans left on the ground after harvest). In 2013, harvest losses were over 30% in some fields, resulting in a loss of over $200 per acre in potential revenue. Growing conditions in 2013 were particularly problematic (wet conditions in the fall during harvest), which resulted in much greater harvest loss than usual. Even in a good year, direct-harvest may result in harvest losses of 5 to 10%, which would result in a loss of $40 to $90 per acre in potential revenue. This high potential for lost revenue is one reason we think more dry bean growers are not adopting a reduced-tillage/direct-harvest production system. There is great potential to increase the profitability and sustainability of dry bean production by minimizing harvest losses in a reduced-tillage/direct-harvest system.Here, we propose a project focused on reducing harvest loss through residue management and cover crops, while minimizing yield loss. To accomplish this, we will plant dry beans into wheat stubble of various heights, or winter wheat cover crop terminated at various times. If successful, this production system could greatly increase profitability of dry bean production, while also providing environmental benefits. If we can reduce harvest losses by even 2% (a very conservative estimate of what we think is possible) we could increase revenue by over $17 per acre. The reduction in input costs could result in an additional savings of $65 per acre.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
80%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of this project is to increase the profitability and sustainability of dry bean production. We propose achieving this goal by developing practices that reduce harvest losses when direct-harvesting dry beans in a conservation tillage system. We feel that by developing solutions to the problem of harvest loss, more dry bean growers will be interested in adopting these practices.Based on our preliminary work, we propose two specific objectives for this 2-year research project:Specific objective #1: Determine the impact of previous crop residue on dry bean growth habit and harvest loss. Our working hypothesis for this objective is that by increasing the amount of previous crop residue at the time of dry bean planting, we can modify the growth habit of the beans to grow taller and set pods further off the ground. We predict this change will reduce harvest loss when the crop is direct-harvested, but with minimal effect on dry bean yield potential.Specific objective #2: Develop appropriate recommendations for killing a winter cover crop during dry bean production to minimize dry bean yield reduction while also reducing harvest losses. For some dry bean growers, leaving wheat stubble on the soil surface will not be possible (different crop rotations, newly obtained land, etc.). In these cases it may be possible to plant a cover crop such as winter wheat in the fall, then plant dry beans into the cover crop in the spring. We had some success doing this in 2013 but we also had a rather dramatic failure in one treatment, where the wheat crop was terminated too late and severe dry bean yield reduction was observed.
Project Methods
To achieve Specific Objective #1, a replicated large-scale trial will be conducted on the Anderson farm near Albin, WY in 2014. Pinto beans will be planted directly into wheat stubble that, during the 2013 wheat harvest, Ty Anderson cut at 3 different heights. Target heights were 5-inches, 10-inches, and 15-inches. Each wheat stubble height is replicated 3 times in a randomized complete block design to ensure that appropriate statistical comparisons can be made between treatments. Pinto beans will be seeded at 150,000 seeds per acre. Plot sizes for the trial will be 35 feet wide (width of the combine header) by the length of the field, for a total trial area of nearly 10 acres. The large plot size will allow bean yield and harvest loss estimates to be measured accurately using farm-scale equipment.Data will be collected in order to measure the interactions of stubble height, bean development and yield, and harvest loss. Dry bean stand will be evaluated approximately 7 days after planting, and again at weekly intervals for 3 consecutive weeks to determine whether the wheat residue height effects dry bean establishment or speed of emergence. When the dry beans reach approximately the 3-trifoliolate stage, we will measure various growth attributes including number of leaves, plant height, and height to the first and second node. Height to the first and second nodes appeared to be well correlated to eventual pod height and harvest losses late in the season in previous work.When beans reach maturity, pod height will be estimated by measuring the height of the lowest and second lowest bean pods from the soil surface on 3 consecutive plants from 10 different locations within each plot (total of 30 plants per plot, 2 pods per plant). This level of sampling provided an accurate representation of the treatment effects in the 2013 research project. Bean pod height was also well correlated to harvest loss measurements. These measurements will provide useful data to farmers wanting to estimate harvest losses ahead of time.Whole plots will be harvested with field-scale equipment as done in 2013. After each plot is harvested, the beans from that plot will be dumped into a truck and the truck will be weighed at the Anderson farm. The Andersons have a custom trucking component to their farm operation and have a fully operational scale on site so that yields can be measured accurately. After beans are harvested, harvest loss will be measured. The number of beans remaining on the soil surface will be counted in one square meter quadrats. A total of 10 quadrats will be counted at random locations throughout each plot to obtain an accurate, unbiased estimate of harvest loss for each treatment. All of the data collection methods described above were used in 2013, so we feel confident they will provide accurate and useful data for analysis and communication of results.Weeds will be controlled with pre-plant herbicides (Prowl H2O + Outlook, plus Roundup to burndown emerged weeds) and a postemergence herbicide application (Raptor + Rezult). A harvest aid will be used to achieve uniform and timely crop dry-down if needed.To achieve Specific Objective #2, small plot research will be conducted at James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) near Lingle. The purpose of this small-plot research is to conduct a similar trial as was done at the Anderson farm in 2013, but under conditions that will allow for a wider range of treatment timings that will not result in large-scale yield losses. One treatment in the 2013 on-farm trial caused over 40% yield loss, and had additional quality issues due to delayed maturity. Since each plot was approximately one acre in size, the amount of lost revenue to the Anderson farming operation was significant. We hope to minimize the risk by moving this component of the research project to small scale plots at SAREC until we feel confident in our ability to minimize the risk of dry bean yield loss.In the fall of 2013, winter wheat was planted at SAREC. Beginning 4 weeks before dry bean planting, we will terminate the winter wheat cover crop by spraying glyphosate at 2 week intervals until the day of bean planting. After dry beans are planted we will use clethodim herbicide (SelectMax) to terminate the winter wheat cover crop at two week intervals until 6 weeks after bean planting. This will give 6 total treatments (4 wk before, 2 wk before, at planting, 2 wk after, 4 wk after, 6 wk after) to evaluate the best time to terminate the winter wheat crop to decrease harvest losses while minimizing the effect on bean yield. The SAREC experiment will be conducted as a randomized complete block with 4 replicates. Data collection will be similar to that in the large-scale trial at the Andersons.Plans for 2015 will be similar to that proposed for 2014. It is important to evaluate crop yield trials in multiple years to ensure that the results are generalizable, and not just a "fluke" due to a set of environmental conditions experienced in a single year. However, we plan to retain some flexibility in our plans so that if we find something that simply doesn't work in 2014, we will make necessary modifications for the 2015 trials to ensure that results are useful to other dry bean producers.Data analysis. All data will be analyzed statistically using methods appropriate to the experimental design. For the large-scale trials at the Anderson farm, we will analyze data using regression analysis to quantify the impact of wheat stubble height on the various growth parameters of dry bean, as well as yield and harvest losses. For the SAREC trials, data will be analyzed in a similar fashion. A partial budget analysis will be used to compare the economics of each treatment to determine the optimal production practice. Additional considerations such as the price of straw bales will be incorporated into the economic analysis to ensure any recommendations that make sense from a biological perspective are also economically sound.