Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Develop adaptive management practices and document their benefits to optimize yield and enhance ecosystem services for CGPR dryland agricultural systems most vulnerable to adverse changes in climate. 2. Extend the applicability of adaptive management practices across the CGPR using the development and evaluation of site-specific technologies and process modeling for field scales. 3. Develop and evaluate practices for remediation/restoration of degraded soils in the CGPR. Approach (from AD-416): There are 27 million acres of cultivated dryland in the Central Great Plains region (CGPR). The primary limitation for cropping in the CGPR is a variable drought dominated climate. Despite system improvements toward more intensive cropping, 58% of the region�s dryland is still winter wheat-summer fallow (WF). Unfortunately, WF is not economically / environmentally sustainable. Our objective is to develop sustainable dryland systems for the CGPR. A central research theme is adapting the region�s cropping systems to the ever-changing semi-arid climate. The unit works to achieve that objective using a long-term �core experiment,� the Alternative Crop Rotation (ACR) study. This field study compares 23 rotations for their economic,agronomic, and drought-mitigating effects and their effects on soil quality. In support of the core experiment, several satellite experiments evaluate the agronomic and economic potential of alternative crop species; quantify crop water use; evaluate changes in soil quality; develop management for remediating degraded soils; and evaluate nutrient use efficiency in these systems. The combined efforts of the �core� and �satellite� experiments will result in sustainable, climate- adaptive cropping systems for the region and will provide a quantitative knowledge of production limitations of the CGPR to climate change. Introducing biological and market diversity with broadleaf bio-diesel/oilseeds will reduce pest pressures inherent to the current grass-dominated rotations. Economic savings from improved cropping systems, reductions in agri-chemical use, and reductions in soil loss resulting from this research are estimated at $6-$35 per acre annually. Assuming 25% adoption of this technology will result in annual regional savings of $40 -$236 million. Progress of �bridging project� approved March, 2015: Sustainable Dryland Cropping Systems for the Central Great Plains. Scientists at the USDA-ARS Central Great Plains Research Station (Akron, CO) with ARS and University Collaborators in several experiments are achieving objectives of the project. Objective 1: Develop adaptive management practices to optimize yield and enhance dryland systems vulnerable to changes in climate. The unit is continuing experiments dealing with various aspects of adaptive management strategies for enhancing yield in dryland cropping systems vulnerable to climate change. These include research focused on cover crop adaptation in dryland systems, crop residue removal and how that affects long term soil productivity, organic amendment as a means for remediating eroded hill top soils and improvements in simulation models for use in limited irrigation and semi-arid dryland environments. Objective 2: Extend the applicability of adaptive management practices across the CGPR using site-specific technologies and process modeling for field scales. Critical cuts in funding have tabled this project. The sequestration cuts have made it difficult to move forward with this project simply because we don�t have the technician hours available. Objective 3: Develop and evaluate practices for remediation of degraded soils in the CGPR. Preliminary analyses of yields and soil parameters have been summarized in station annual reports. Three manuscripts have been published and three are in various stages of preparation. During this three month time we continued to work on data sets. One paper on remediation of hilltop soils was submitted for publication. Also, submitted two papers to Agronomy Journal on composted beef manure effects on dryland winter wheat yields, nutrient uptake, soil c and p; and another on quanitification of soil permanganate oxidizable c (poxc) using infrared spectroscopy. Bridging project 3010-12210-002-00D was replaced with project number 3010-12210-003-00D beginning January 1, 2016. Accomplishments 01 Identified organic matter most readily decomposable in natural systems. This study shows that infrared spectroscopy can be used to quickly and accurately predict soil POXC, which represents the soil organic matter that is relatively easy to decompose. This is important, because POXC is one of the soil properties that is most affected by agricultural practices and is also a good indicator of soil fertility and quality. This study also shows that soil organic C and N amounts can be predicted with infrared spectroscopy, but soils which have received compost or biochar might not calibrate as well.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Margenot, A., Calderon, F.J., Parikh, S. 2015. Limitations and potential of spectral subtractions in fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of soil samples. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 2015.
- Nielsen, D.C., Lyon, D.J., Higgins, R.K., Holman, J.D., Hergert, G.W., Vigil, M.F. 2015. Cover crop effect on subsequent wheat yield and water use efficiency in the central great plains. Agronomy Journal. 108:243-256.
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Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 1. Develop adaptive management practices and document their benefits to optimize yield and enhance ecosystem services for CGPR dryland agricultural systems most vulnerable to adverse changes in climate. 2. Extend the applicability of adaptive management practices across the CGPR using the development and evaluation of site-specific technologies and process modeling for field scales. 3. Develop and evaluate practices for remediation/restoration of degraded soils in the CGPR. Approach (from AD-416): There are 27 million acres of cultivated dryland in the Central Great Plains region (CGPR). The primary limitation for cropping in the CGPR is a variable drought dominated climate. Despite system improvements toward more intensive cropping, 58% of the region�s dryland is still winter wheat-summer fallow (WF). Unfortunately, WF is not economically / environmentally sustainable. Our objective is to develop sustainable dryland systems for the CGPR. A central research theme is adapting the region�s cropping systems to the ever-changing semi-arid climate. The unit works to achieve that objective using a long-term �core experiment,� the Alternative Crop Rotation (ACR) study. This field study compares 23 rotations for their economic,agronomic, and drought-mitigating effects and their effects on soil quality. In support of the core experiment, several satellite experiments evaluate the agronomic and economic potential of alternative crop species; quantify crop water use; evaluate changes in soil quality; develop management for remediating degraded soils; and evaluate nutrient use efficiency in these systems. The combined efforts of the �core� and �satellite� experiments will result in sustainable, climate- adaptive cropping systems for the region and will provide a quantitative knowledge of production limitations of the CGPR to climate change. Introducing biological and market diversity with broadleaf bio-diesel/oilseeds will reduce pest pressures inherent to the current grass-dominated rotations. Economic savings from improved cropping systems, reductions in agri-chemical use, and reductions in soil loss resulting from this research are estimated at $6-$35 per acre annually. Assuming 25% adoption of this technology will result in annual regional savings of $40 -$236 million. Progress of �bridging project� approved March, 2015: Sustainable Dryland Cropping Systems for the Central Great Plains. Scientists at the USDA-ARS Central Great Plains Research Station (Akron, CO) with ARS and University Collaborators in several experiments are achieving objectives of the project. Objective 1: Develop adaptive management practices to optimize yield and enhance dryland systems vulnerable to changes in climate. The unit is continuing experiments dealing with various aspects of adaptive management strategies for enhancing yield in dryland cropping systems vulnerable to climate change. These include research focused on cover crop adaptation in dryland systems, crop residue removal and how that affects long term soil productivity, organic amendment as a means for remediating eroded hill top soils and improvements in simulation models for use in limited irrigation and semi-arid dryland environments. The N fertilizer requirements of forage triticale project has a manuscript in peer review. The four year canola rotation established in 2012 is in its fifth year with an objective to determine how to fit canola into wheat, corn and millet rotations. The wheat nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by wheat cultivar experiment established with university (CSU) collaborators has its first draft of a publication for peer review in preparation. The third year of the grant funded oilseed stress trial was harvested this spring 2015. The 2012 drought precluded the measurement of meaningful differences in cultivars but this year�s data set will be more meaningful with adequate precipitation. The organic wheat rotation experiment established 2011 provided no measurable treatment differences due to drought. Objective 2: Extend the applicability of adaptive management practices across the CGPR using site-specific technologies and process modeling for field scales. Critical cuts in funding have tabled this project. The sequestration cuts have made it difficult to move forward with this project simply because we don�t have the technician hours available. Objective 3: Develop and evaluate practices for remediation of degraded soils in the CGPR. Preliminary analyses of yields and soil parameters have been summarized in station annual reports. Three manuscripts have been published and three are in various stages of preparation. Accomplishments 01 The economics of nitrogen fertility for triticale forage is quantified and defined. Triticale makes excellent animal forage and also shows a dramatic yield response to nitrogen (N) fertilizer. ARS researchers at Akron quantified the N fertilizer requirement of this crop under dryland conditions and built an economic response model for farmers, extension and NRCS. The model calculates the economic optimum N rate based on both soil N and fertilizer N available to the crop. The model is flexible in that optimum N fertilizer amounts can be determined for low yielding dry years and high yielding wet years. Also the model takes into account price changes for N fertilizer cost and price of triticale hay price.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
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