PERENNIAL GRASSES IN ROTATION WITH CORN SILAGE FOR MAINTAINING LONG TERM PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: SPECIAL GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0204348
• Grant No.: 2005-34135-16035
• Proposal No.: 2005-04528
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2005
• Project End Date: Aug 31, 2006
• Grant Year: 2005
• Program Code: [AH]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
G022 MCCARTY HALL
GAINESVILLE,FL 32611

Performing Department
NORTH FLA RESEARCH & EDUCATION CENTER, QUINCY

Non Technical Summary
Main production limitations in the Southeast are infertile, compacted, droughty soils and pests. A low cost way to markedly reduce the impact of each of these limitations is by using a sod based rotation of bahia or bermuda grass in the cropping system. Bahia or bermuda grass adds organic matter to infertile soils for better nutrient and water holding capacity, while grass roots grow through the compacted soil layer allowing subsequent row crop roots to move through the compacted layer for access to more water and nutrients. These grasses also reduce nematode population and other pests. Water in the soil profile is conserved and utilized by subsequent crops, since rooting depth of row crops is often 10 times deeper following bahia or bermuda grass as in conventional cropping systems. Most growers will agree that sod based rotations with bahia or bermuda grass will increase yield of crops by 50-100%. When economics analyses are done on cotton and peanut in a sod based rotation, profits are about 4 times greater as in a conventional peanut-cotton rotation. Including perennial grasses in corn rotations is expected to have a positive impact as well. The increased farm profitability would create jobs in smaller rural towns making them a viable place for young people to stay and live and work. The project examines the many aspects oof benefits of perennial grasses in rotation with corn including impacts on soil and water quality, impacts on yield and quality of corn grain and silage and economics of the whole farm system.

Animal Health Component

75%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

5%

Applied

75%

Developmental

20%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
205	0110	1010	20%
205	1510	1060	70%
205	1620	1120	10%

Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
1510 - Corn; 1620 - Warm season perennial grasses; 0110 - Soil;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1120 - Nematology; 1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Keywords

perennial grasses

silage

soil compaction

soil moisture

soil infiltration

bulk density

sod

crop rotation

corn

crop yields

long term

crop productivity

profitability

sustainable agriculture

continuous cropping

panicum maximum

paspalum notatum

cotton

peanuts

Goals / Objectives
OBJECTIVES: 1. To evaluate perennial grasses (quinea grass and bahia grass) in rotation with corn and its positive effects on corn silage yield as compared to continuous or multiple crops of corn. 2. To quantify the perennial grass rotations reduction in pesticide usage as well as the positive impact on soil health components (soil carbon, bulk density, soil compaction, water holding capacity, etc.), and economic benefits of the system. 3. To determine silage quality in relation to planting date and farming system (perennial grass vs. continuous cropping).

Project Methods
RESEARCH METHODS: Research plots were established in Florida in 2001, and will be in Puerto Rico in 2003, and on a new dairy in the Dominican Republic. Cropping systems will be replicated 4 times in research plots in Puerto Rico and Florida. Farm trials will have areas planted to bahia or guinea grass for a minimum of two years and rotated with corn silage. Each location will be managed with standard IPM practices, conservation tillage, and established BMPs. The type and degree of pest pressure and the type and cost of control measure utilized will be quantified at each location. Soil quality: Soil samples for quality analysis will be done at the beginning of the study and at the end of the three year study to determine the change in bulk density to a depth of 45 cm, soil carbon at depths to 30 cm, soil penetrometer measurements to a depth of 50 cm. Soil moisture measurements will be determined for each crop to a depth of 1 meter, indicating rooting depth and crop removal of water deep in the soil profile (using a TDR probe). Readings have already been taken at one of the Florida locations. Moisture measurements (TDR) will be monitored on the corn crop in both the conventional cropping system and in the grass/row crop system. Silage Yield: Silage yields will be taken at approximate 35% dry matter. Silage dry matter for all hybrids will be adjusted to a standard 35% dry matter. Grain Yield: Grain yields will be taken at harvest maturity when grain moisture is 25% or less. Yields will be adjusted to a standard 15.5% moisture. Silage Quality Analyses: Corn fresh matter at silage harvest in each system and planting date will be sampled at harvest for IVOMD and protein analyses. Pest Analyses: Nematodes will be monitored along with soil carbon, bulk density and other soil health components. Nematode samples will be taken in the fall to determine buildup with continuous corn as compared to bahia and guinea grass, which is resistant to sting, stubby root and root knot nematode. Levels will be correlated with silage and grain yield. Statistical Analyses: Experimental design will be a randomized block design in a split plot arrangement of treatments, with perennial grass or standard cropping system as the main effect and planting date as the split. All data will be analyzed according to a randomized block design, split plot arrangement of treatments, with means separated according to the Waller-Duncan multiple range test or orthogonal contrasts where appropriate. Our research in Florida (NFREC) with the B.t. subtropical corn shows potential for high silage yields when planted in late June and July. Two silage crops in a single season add greater flexibility to farming operations, by decreasing storage needs and spreading the risk from unfavorable weather. Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic: Areas of bahia or guineas grass sod will be established to enhance soil organic matter, water holding capacity, reduce soil compaction, and pest problems and compared to continuous corn system. Grass will be maintained for at least two years prior to planting corn and systems monitored for silage yield, economic sustainability, and soil quality.

Progress 09/01/05 to 08/31/06

Outputs
Studies in Florida indicate that bahiagrass had an important positive impact on soils and the potential for increased corn yields. Earthworms were found to be 8 and 2 times higher in the system with bahiagrass in two different years as compared to annual crops only. It was also found that 3 times more earthworms were found with irrigation than without. Since perennial grass roots, when decayed, leaves channels through the soil compaction layer as well as earthworms, water infiltration was observed to be as much as 5 times higher in the top 15 cm of the bahiagrass system, 9 times higher in the 15-40 cm soil depth layer in some years to no difference in other years. This infiltration difference led to a higher subsoil moisture content in the bahiagrass rotated corn. The sites with the highest earthworm population had the greatest water infiltration rates. However, yields of corn silage and grain were not different when grown after corn or after bahiagrass. Corn grown after bahiagrass required about 60 kg/ ha more nitrogen the first year to help decompose bahiagrass roots to get the same yields as corn grown after corn. Where peanuts and other legume crops are grown after bahiagrass 30-50% higher yields are often recorded. Positive impacts of bahiagrass on soils will last for 2 years as noted with cotton and peanuts. Because of the higher nitrogen requirement of corn after bahiagrass either peanut or cotton were grown after bahiagrass the first year and compared to first year corn or second year of corn. Corn silage yields were highest when grown after peanut after bahiagrass with corn after bahiagrass being the lowest yielding. Corn after corn was similar to corn after cotton in silage yields. A second crop of tropical corn has been planted after early corn for silage. It is expected that yield will be highest after the temperate corn that was planted directly into bahaigrass in the spring. This was the tendency in the previsous years with on significant different between any of the cropping systems. Yields of the double cropped Bt tropical corn have averaged about 1/2 of the early crop of corn silage. Total silage production from the double crop system has ranged from about 37 tons/A to 40 tons/A which is about 50-100% more than the average silage producer yields in Florida. This information has been delivered at scientific meetings as well as silage field days and short courses. The results of this project will be delivered through the same manner as well as the internet, hard copy and oral presentations for scientific and growers. A business management model for the perennial grass rotation is already in use and is available for downloading from the web at http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/sodrotation.htm. This program is modified and updated as research information becomes available. Proceedings from a conference on integrating perennial grasses into cropping systems is posted on this website as well as Power Point presentations of those talks. This project will be highlighted at the Southern Conservation Tillage Conference in 2007. Further information can be found on that website.

Impacts
It is expected that corn silage yields will be improved and produced at a lower cost. Many dairy farmers are already looking at tropical corn as a second crop and have started using peanut in rotation as well as perennial grasses. Growers are interested in more information on best rotations. Milk production is expected to increase rapidly as dairy herds are fed better forage. The perennial grass rotation is a sound farming system that will increase yields of legume crops while enhancing environmental health.

Publications

• Katsvairo, T. W., D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, D. L. Hartzog, and J. R. Rich and P.J. Wiatrak. 2006. Sod/Livestock integration into the peanut-cotton rotation: A systems farming approach. Agron. J. 98: 1156-1171
• Wiatrak, P. J., D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, and D. Wilson. 2005. Aflatoxin accumulation in Bt, non Bt, and tropical corn hybrids over planting dates. Agronomy Journal 97:440-445.
• Wiatrak, P. J., D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, and R. Sprenkel. 2004. Corn hybrids for sustainability in late planting in the Southeast. Agronomy Journal 96:1118-1124.
• Katsvairo, T.W., Wright, D.L., Marois, J.J. and Wiatrak, P.J. 2005. Corn yields in sod based cropping systems. Agronomy Abstracts.
• Rich, J., Katsvairo, T.W., Wright, D.L., Marois, J.J. Hartzog, D.L. and Wiatrak, P.J. 2005. Sustainable management of plant-parasitic nematodes using perennial grass rotations. Agronomy Abstracts.
• Marois J. J., T. W. Katsvairo, D. L. Wright, and P. J. Wiatrak. 2004. Peanut and cotton plant development in sod based cropping systems. Agron. Abstr. P 103.
• Katsvairo T. W., D. L. Hartzog, D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois., and P. J. Wiatrak. 2004. Integration of livestock into cropping systems. Agron. Abstr. P 187.
• Wright D. L., T. W. Katsvairo, J. J. Marois, and P. J. Wiatrak. 2004. Crop yields in sod based peanut/cotton cropping systems in the deep south. Agron Abstr. P 83.
• Tsigbey, F. K., J. J. Marois, D. L. Wright, T. W. Katsvairo, and P. J. Wiatrak. 2004. Impact of bahiagrass rotation on diseases of peanuts. Agron. Abstr. P 389.
• Katsvairo T. W., D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, D. L. Hartzog, and P. J. Wiatrak. 2004. Soil water nitrogen in sod based peanut/cotton cropping systems. Agron. Abstr. P 251.
• Wright D. L., T. W. Katsvairo, J. J. Marois, and P. J. Wiatrak. 2004. Introducing bahiagrass in peanut/cotton cropping systems-effects on soil physical characteristics. Agron. Abstr. P 330.

Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

Outputs
The 3rd year of this project has just started. The initial project brought together scientists from both institutions with some very good scientific information being gleaned from the studies. This information has been delivered at scientific meetings as well as silage field days and short courses. The results of this project will be delivered through the same manner as well as the internet, hard copy and oral presentations for scientific and growers. Each location will hold spring (planting) and fall (harvest) field days. We are in the process of developing pest management models based on spreadsheet applications that are interactive so that producers can adept the model to their particular situation. A business management model for the perennial grass rotation is already in use and is available for downloading from the web at http://nfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/sodrotation.htm. This program is modified and updated as research information becomes available. Proceedings from a conference on integrating perennial grasses into cropping systems is posted on this website as well as Power Point presentations of those talks.

Impacts
It is expected that corn silage yields will be improved and produced at a lower cost. Milk production is expected to increase rapidly as dairy herds are fed better forage. The perennail grass rotation is a sound farming system that will increase environmental health and reduce need for pesticides.

Publications

• Katsvairo, T.W., Wright, D.L., Marois, J.J. and Wiatrak, P.J. 2005. Corn yields in sod based cropping systems. Agronomy Abstracts. Rich, J., Katsvairo, T.W., Wright, D.L., Marois, J.J. Hartzog, D.L. and Wiatrak, P.J. 2005. Sustainable management of plant-parasitic nematodes using perennial grass rotations. Agronomy Abstracts.
• Wiatrak, P. J., D. L. Wright, and J. J. Marois. 2004. Tillage and residual nitrogen impact on wheat forage. Agronomy Journal. 96:1761-1764.
• Wiatrak, P. J., D. L. Wright, and J. J. Marois. 2004. Influence of residual N and tillage on white lupin. Agronomy Journal. 96:1765-1770.
• Wiatrak, P. J., D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, and R. Sprenkel. 2004. Corn hybrids for sustainability in late planting in the Southeast. Agronomy Journal 96:1118-1124.
• Katsvairo, T. W., D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, D. L. Hartzog, and J. R. Rich. 2005. Crop/Sod/Livestock diversification: A systems farming approach. Agronomy Journal. Submitted
• Wiatrak, P. J., D. L. Wright, J. J. Marois, and D. Wilson. 2005. Aflatoxin accumulation in Bt, non Bt, and tropical corn hybrids over planting dates. Agronomy Journal 97:440-445.