Progress 07/01/15 to 06/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The efforts of these projects are primarily targeting the producers and students in the southwestern Colorado region. This area is characterized by rural populations including multiple Native American tribal lands. Annually the research center holds an advirory meeting to disseminate results and a field day for hands-on learning and tours of projects. Additionally, a graduate student and technician have worked on cover cropping research that holds annual workshops to give interested growers updates on progress and results. Changes/Problems:The primary changes for these projects would be the transition from a full-time technician to a supported graduate student. Additionally, COVID-19 caused the cancellation of workshops in 2020 per CDC guidelines on meetings particularly without the current vaccines being available. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?These projects have allowed the training for one graduate student, several workshops across years, field days at the research center and farmer advisory meetings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Both a report across applicable projects and a seperate report specifically looking at objective 3 have been published and made available to project participants and via web access. In-person activities have focused on sharing results and findings from the projects of interest for participants (i.e. workshops and field days). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The main goal of this project is to provide research-based information to agricultural producers in southwestern Colorado to diversify their farming operation, optimize the use of available resources, and enhance the productivity and sustainability of the soil-water-plants-climate ecosystem. Specific objectives are: 1. Test the performance and adaptation of existing and alternative crops. Projects included evaluating various dry beans, indusrial hemp, dryland cover crops, quinoa, and buckwheat. 2. Develop management strategies to improve water conservation and use efficiency. Projects included a deficit irrigation study across 3 years in an established alfalfa stand. Additionally, an ongoing dryland cover crop project both on station and in multiple farmer fields. 3. Determine the agronomic and economic feasibility of cover crops in dryland cropping systems. This project has supported both a technician and a graduate student. The project is ongoing and included producer support. 4. Disseminate the project results to the public via publications, meetings, workshops, field days, and the media (newspapers, radio and TV stations, and the Internet). Project results have been shared through internal reporting, workshops, field days, advisory meetings and peer-reviewed journal articles.
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers, Extension agents, USDA-NRCS, agricultural businesses (e.g., seed dealers), Water Districts, Conservation Districts, peer scientists, students (K-12, community college, undergraduate and graduate), policy makers (e.g., county commissioners), media outlets. Southwestern Colorado (the Four-Corners area in general) has a significant population of Native Americans and a growing population of Hispanics. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Several field days and workshops were completed in 2019 including a research center field day, cover crop field day, cover crop workshop, grass and insect identification, drone demonstrations, pruning and grafting workshops, soil test educational session, sprayer calibration educational session and native plants class. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The research center website was updated and improved. On the website there are now links for each crop that is included in various trials and these results are posted on the website. Additionally, social media pages have been created and updated often to include advertisements for all applicable events and workshops including the results of research trials. Newspaper articles have also been published to highlight events and specific trials. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next reporting period, we expect to expand and continue a number of research trials to meet the listed goals. We want to continue to implement feedback from stakeholders to guide the relevancy of both research trials and outreach efforts. We plan to expand efforts in evaluation of crops adapted to arid environments and improved management techniques for improved water use.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Ten research trials were completed or on-going at the Southwestern Colorado Research Center with an additional 6 off-site/on-farm locations. These trials include evaluations of alternative crops for the region, assessment of management practices and emerging technologies, and continuation of the evaluation of dryland cover crops.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Collin Pound, Matt Yost, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, Kathleen Russell, Deric Despain, Jody Gale, Kevin Heaton, Boyd Kitchen, Mike Pace, Steven Price, Chad Reid, Matt Palmer and Mark Nelson. 2019. Nitrogen Requirements for Small Grain Forage After Alfalfa. Western Society of Crop Science
|
Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Agricultural producers and professionals in SW Colorado and SE Utah Colorado State University Extension USDA-NRCS and Soil Conservation Districts in Montezuma and Dolores counties in Colorado and San Juan Basin County in Utah Peer scientists Graduate students Agriculture businesses (e.g., seed suppliers) The advisory committee for the Southwestern Colorado Research Center Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training consisted of giving technical advice and assisting newly hired personnel and a graduate student assigned to the cover crops project conduct measurements and collect soil and plant samples. Meetings were also held to go over the project's details and plan for the continuation project. Members of the project team and project participants attended the 2018 Soil Health & Crop Workshop in Monticello, UT. The project's PI gave an oral presentation at the 2018 ASA-CSSA Annual Meetings in Baltimore, MD and attended several sessions on cover crops and soil health and the USDA-ARS Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory tour. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?At the 2018 Soil Health & Crops Workshop in Monticello, UT, all the respondents gained knowledge about cover crops and soil health by attending the workshop. The gain was 62%, as measured on a scale of 1 to 10. 76% of the respondents stated that they would use the information learned at this workshop often, while 24% would do so occasionally. The information learned included cover crops, nutrient cycling and management, compost, and herbicide drift management.Nine of the respondents or 53% would not consider growing cover crops after attending this workshop, although eight of them already had a strong interest in cover crops prior to this workshop. Three respondents were more willing and three were less willing to try cover crops after attending this workshop. The main reason was because in 2015-2018, cover crops reduced soil water and N availability and wheat yield. One respondent wrote that he 'would hold off on using cover crops pending further information on long-term benefits'. Others suggested looking at forage-type cover crops, using compost or increasing residue cover to improve soil health. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Similar goals will be pursued in the continuation project SW18-500entitled "Examining Cover Crops for Soil Health Restoration in Dryland Cropping Systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah" with addedemphasison measuring the impacts of cover crops on soil health and associated ecosystem services. Additionally, a field trial was established in late summer-fall of 2018 to "understand the potential of perennial species mixtures to contribute towards longer-term soil restoration on low productivity and/or degraded soils." Furthermore, cover crop management techniques such as termination methods and the effectiveness of legume inoculation will be examined. Field trials from project SW15-008 will be continued and a new trial/collaborator was added in Dolores County, CO.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Our focus in 2018 was on objectives 3 and 4. More specifically, under the project entitled "The Feasibility of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah" (Western SARE Project SW15-008) our aim was to (1) evaluate the performance of several cover crop mixtures (CCMs), (2) assess the impacts of cover crops on soil health and quality, soil moisture, cash crop, and profitability; and (3) disseminate project results and contribute to improved soil health management in the region. To date, we conducted 10 field trials and tested 19 CCMs. These trials encompassed two crop rotations (winter wheat-fallow and winter wheat-safflower-fallow), two tillage practices (conventional tillage and no-till), and conventional and organic crop production. CCMs were planted in late summer or in the spring and consisted of three to ten species of legumes, grasses, brassicas, and other plants. Two of the three growing seasons had below average precipitation. The 2017-2018 season was especially dry (42% of normal) and resulted in crop failure at six of the nine sites that had a cover or cash crop. Hence, the results are not conclusive yet but some trends have emerged. Late summer-planted cover crops produced significantly more biomass than the spring-planted ones. However, in general, the greater the biomass, the less soil moisture and soil NO3-N was available to the cash crop. Moreover, when cover crops were planted too early after wheat harvest, volunteer wheat tended to dominate plant canopy and biomass. This can be mitigated somewhat with no-till and timely rainfall, and by minimizing wheat harvest losses. Some cover crop species performed poorly (e.g. teff, flax, sunn hemp, balansa clover) and the notion that the more species (i.e., greater diversity) in the mix, the better may not hold true in the project area due primarily to water limitations. Hence, the climate in the region (semi-arid with short growing season), in addition to seed cost and proper management (i.e., planting date, seeding depth, inoculation) are key considerations for developing high performance cover crop mixtures. Winter wheat yields were lower following cover crops than after fallow and this is likely due to temporary immobilization of soil nitrogen and reduced soil moisture at planting. No fertilizer was applied to the wheat crop and this will be reconsidered moving forward. Input costs were higher and the returns were lower for the cover crop treatments, but we feel that with continued management refinements and the expected benefits (e.g., reduced soil erosion and improved soil health and quality) from cover crops, the costs will go down in the medium to long-term. Further testing and analysis will be done in 2018-2021 due to continued funding by Western SARE-Project SW18-500. Detailed results for 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 were published in CSU-AES Technical Bulletin TB18-1. Project concepts and highlights were presented at multiple events including: two field tours, one field day, and over 20 workshops, conferences, and meetings. Many of these presentations, along with project announcements, interviews, and useful links are available on the project website athttp://drylandcovercrops.agsci.colostate.edu. Attendance to the outreach events was generally good. Moreover, the attendeesappear to have gained knowledge on cover crops, soil health, and management practices. These and other indicators bode well for the adoption of cover crops and other soil health improvement practices in the region.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
A. Berrada. 2018. Are Cover Crops Feasible in Dryland Cropping Systems in the Colorado Plateau? Oral presentation at the 2018 ASA-CSSA Annual Meetings, Nov. 4-7, 2018, Baltimore, MD.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Abdel Berrada & Courtney Roseberry. 2018. The Feasibility of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah. Oral presentation at the 2018 Soil Health & Crop Workshop on Feb. 8, 2018 in Monticello, UT.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
http://drylandcovercrops.agsci.colostate.edu
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
A. Berrada. 2018. The Feasibility of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah. CSU-AES Technical Bulletin TB 18-1, published in April 2018. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
|
Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Agricultural producers and professionals in SW Colorado and SE Utah Colorado State University Extension USDA-NRCS and Conservation Districts in Montezuma and Dolores counties in Colorado and San Juan Basin County in Utah Peer scientists Agriculture businesses (e.g., seed suppliers) The advisory committee for the Southwestern Colorado Research Center Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project PI and the project coordinator, along with other team members, have been busy refining the project methodology (e.g., on-farm trials plot layout, sampling and measurement methods) and analyzing and disseminating the project results. Concepts of soil health and best management practices to integrate cover crops in dryland cropping systems have been shared with the project participants and the public at several outreach and educational events. Knowledge has also been gained by attenting local, regional, and national meetngs and conferences. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The project's rationale, objectives, methods, and results were presented or highlighted at the CSU-AES Research Center Conference in Fort Collins, CO in January 2017; the Soil Health Workshop in Dove Creek, CO in February 2017; the ASA-CSSA-SSSA Meetings in Tampa, FL. in October 2017; The SW Ag Seminar in Cortez, CO in November 2017; the New Mexico Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Los Lunas, NM in December 2017; and at one field day, one field tour, and at growers' meetings in Dove Creek, CO; Monticello, UT; and Yellow Jacket, CO. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project economist, Jenny Beiermann, is in the process of assessing the economic feasibility of cover crops in dryland farming from the data collected so far. We will work with USDA-NRCS in the region to determine the impact of cover crops on soil erosion, using RUSLE2 and WEPS. A CSU-AES Technical is in preparation. It will include most of the project results to date. These results will be discussed with each individual participating farmer. The project concepts and results will be presented at the 2018 Soil Health & Crop Workshop in Monticello, UT on February 8, 2018. A tour of the field trials will be held in May 2018. Other educational events will be organized or attended as need be. We will continue to collect and analyze data through the end of the project. The project's final report will be issued by October 2018 and a manuscript will be prepared for review and publication in a refereed journal. The project website will be updated to include new and relevant information. A proposal was submitted to Western SARE to continue the project for another three years.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Dryland farming in SW Colorado and SE Utah is challenging due to low and erratic precipitation, low soil organic matter content, soil erosion, and relatively short growing season due to high elevation. Most crop rotations in the project area feature winter wheat as the lead crop and may include dry bean, safflower or sunflower. The fallow period between crops may last less than a month after a bean crop to 14 months between two winter wheat crops. "Clean" fallow whereby several tillage operations including moldboard plowing are performed to control weeds and prepare the seedbed is still the norm, although there is an increasing number of acres that are managed with no-till and mulch till. Conventional tillage exposes the soil to wind and water erosion, accelerates organic matter loss, and uses a great deal of energy. A western SARE project was started in 2015 to assess the feasibility of covers crops in dryland cropping systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah. By growing cover crops during part of the fallow period between two cash crops, the goal is to reduce soil erosion, suppress weeds, and enhance soil fertility and health with increased nutrient cycling and biological activity. The project objectives are to: 1) test the growth and performance of different cover crop species/mixtures across distinct site and management contexts; 2) assess the impacts of cover crops on soil fertility, soil moisture, cash crop yields, and overall farm profit; and 3) disseminate project results and contribute to improved soil health management in the region. In order to accomplish these objectives, we established two field trials at the Southwest Colorado Research Center (SWCRC) and eight research and demonstration trials on farmers' fields. These trials encompass two crop rotations (winter wheat-fallow and winter wheat-safflower-fallow), two tillage regimes (conventional tillage and no-till), as well as conventional and organic crop production systems. To date, 19 summer or early fall-planted and five spring-planted cover crop mixtures have been tested. Although it is too early to draw conclusions as to the feasibility of cover crops in dryland cropping systems in the project area, some key preliminary findings are: Late summer or early fall-planted cover crops produced considerably more biomass than the spring-planted cover crops. For example, plant biomass of spring-planted mixtures averaged 713 lbs/ac in 2017, while fall-planted mixtures exceeded 4000 lbs/ac in 2016 at the SWCRC. We also found that if cover crops are planted too early after wheat harvest and before adequate moisture is available then volunteer wheat tends to dominate plant canopy and biomass. Some species performed poorly (e.g. teff, flax, sun hemp, balansa clover) and the notion that the more species (i.e., higher diversity) is always better may not hold true in the project area. We also note that climate in the region (semi-arid with short growing season), seed cost, and proper management (i.e., planting date, seeding depth, inoculation) are all key considerations for developing high performance cover crop mixtures. Preliminary results from the SWCRC indicated a 27% yield penalty for wheat following cover crops vs. fallow, and that this is likely due to temporary immobilization of soil nitrogen and reduced soil moisture at planting. We note that yield penalties werelower (19 & 22%) for two on-farm trials for which we have early results. No fertilizer was applied to the wheat and this will be reconsidered moving forward. While inputs costs were higher for the cover crop treatments, we feel that continued management refinements will help to reduce costs. More detailed results and analysis will be included in a CSU-AES Technical Bulletin that will be published in 2018. Project concepts and highlights have been presented at multiple events since the start of the project, including: three field tours, one field day, six workshops, two growers' meetings, two research center conferences, and two ASA-CSSA-SSSA annual meetings. Many of these presentations, along with project announcements, interviews, and useful links are available on the project website athttp://drylandcovercrops.agsci.colostate.edu. Attendance to the outreach events has been generally good. The attendeesappear to have gained knowledge on cover crops, soil health, and management practices. Moreover, there have been mor acres planted to cover crops since the start of the project. These and other indicators bode well for the adoption of cover crops and other soil health improvement practices in the region.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
A. Berrada. 2016 Research HighlightsAES Research Center Conference, 10-12 Jan. 2017, Ft. Collins, CO.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
A. Berrada and C. Roseberry. The dryland cover crops project in SW ColoradoSoil Health Workshop, February 9, 2017, Dove Creek, CO.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
A. Berrada. The feasibility of cover crops in dryland cropping systems in SW Colorado and SE UtahASA, CSSA & SSSA International Annual Meetings, 22-25 Oct. 2017, Tampa, FL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
A. Berrada & C. Roseberry. The feasibility of cover crops in dryland cropping systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah2017 SW Ag Seminar, Nov. 18, 2017, Lewis-Ariola, CO.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
A. Berrada. The feasibility of cover crops in dryland farmingThe New Mexico Sustainable Agriculture Conference, December 13, 2017, Los Lunas, NM.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
http://drylandcovercrops.agsci.colostate.edu/
|
Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Agricultural producers and professionals in SW Colorado and SE Utah Colorado State University Extension USDA-NRCS and Soil Conservation Districts in Montezuma and Dolores counties in Colorado and San Juan Basin County in Utah Peer scientists Agriculture businesses (e.g., seed suppliers) The advisory committee for the Southwestern Colorado Research Center Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A Research Associate, Courtney Roseberry, was hired in June 2016 to replace Brittany Cam Waschke who went back to college to pursue her education. Ms. Roseberry has an M.S. degree in agricultural science. The project P.I., Dr. Abdel Berrada, and other team members have been working with Ms. Roseberry to train her on how to take and process soil and plant samples and do other measurements that are an integral part of this project. Ms. Roseberry also maintains the project website and works with participating farmers and other team members to schedule events, collect data, map test sites, and assist with other project activities. Some of the team members participated in field data collection or in refining measurement methods. Others contributed to data analysis or interpretation. Team members attended project-sponsored and other events to learn or share information about soil health, cover crops, and how to enhance the sustainability of dryland farming in the project area. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project's objectives, methods, and preliminary results were presented at three seminars or workshops, one field tour, one field day, and at the 2016 ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meetings in Phoenix, AZ. On March 18, 2016, the project P.I., Dr. Berrada, Dr. David Nielsen of USDA-ARS in Akron, CO, Dr. John Holman of Kansas State University, and Kevin Larsen of Colorado State University gave a seminar at the Four States Ag expo in Cortez in which they presented research results on cover crops and soil and water management in dryland cropping systems in Colorado and the Central Great Plains. On June 9, 2016, several project team members and collaborators toured the cover crops field trials in San Juan County, UT and in Dolores and Montezuma counties in Colorado. On August 18, 2016 a field day was held at the Southwestern Colorado Research Center in Yellow Jacket in which the cover crops project was highlighted. Other topics included soil and water management and alternative crops. On August 24, 2016, Dr. Berrada gave a one-hour talk in Durango, CO about the cover crops project in particular and about best management practices in dryland farming in general. On October 22, 2016, Dr. Berrada and Courtney Roseberry discussed the project's rationale and results to date at the SW Ag Seminar in Dolores, CO. The seminar was organized by the High Desert Conservation District. The key speaker was Brendon Rockey who talked about his farming operation in the San Luis Valley in Colorado and how he uses environmentally friendly methods such as cover crops, pollinator plants, and trap plants to reduce the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and enhance the health and productivity of his land. On November 7, 2016, Dr. Berrada presented the cover crops project results at the ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Annual Meetings in Phoenix, AZ. Excerpts from some of these presentations as well as useful links, articles, videotaped interviews with project collaborators, and other information about the project can be found at http://drylandcovercrops.agsci.colostate.edu/. In November and December 2016, meetings were held with each participating farmer and with the USDA-NRCS representative from the County to explain and present the data that was collected from the farmer's test site since the start of this project and to answer questions he may have. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project team will meet on January 18, 2017 to evaluate progress to date and to plan for the next cropping season and beyond. Cover crops will be planted in three of the test sites in early spring and terminated in June. Winter wheat that was planted in the fall of 2016 after cover crops or fallow (check without cover crops) will be harvested in July. Other cash crops will be planted in the spring (safflower or sunflower) or fall (winter wheat) in ground that was planted to cover crops in the spring or early summer of 2016. Soil and plant samples and measurements will be taken as planned and in accordance with the protocol that was developed in 2015 and amended in early 2016. The results to date will be published in a CSU-AES Technical Bulletin. A soil health workshop is scheduled for February 9, 2017. The project team and invited guests will tour the field trials in June 2017 and possibly again in the fall. The project website will be updated on a regular basis. Data from 2016 and 2017 will be analyzed and presented at local and regional meetings.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The focus of this progress project is on objectives 3 and 4. Dryland farming in SW Colorado and SE Utah is challenging due to low and erratic precipitation, low soil organic matter content, rolling terrain and thus the potential for water erosion, relatively short growing season due to high elevation, and long distances from major population centers. Most crop rotations in the project area feature winter wheat as the lead crop and may include dry bean, safflower or sunflower. The fallow period between crops may last less than a month after a bean crop to 14 months between two winter wheat crops. "Clean" fallow whereby several tillage operations including moldboard plowing are performed to control weeds and prepare the seedbed is still the norm but there is more and more cropland that is managed with no-till and mulch till. Conventional tillage exposes the soil to wind and water erosion, accelerates organic matter loss, and uses a great deal of energy. A western SARE project was started in 2015 to assess the feasibility of covers crops in dryland cropping systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah. By growing cover crops during part of the fallow period between two cash crops, the goal is to reduce soil erosion, suppress weeds or enhance soil quality by increasing soil biological activity and biodiversity. Two replicated trials were initiated at the Southwestern Colorado Research Center in the fall of 2015 and fall of 2016 and six on-farm trials are at various stages of completion. These trials cover a range of crop rotations (e.g., wheat-fallow and wheat-safflower-fallow), management types (conventional tillage, no-till, and organic farming), and cover crop mixtures (one to 10 species) and planting dates (fall and spring). It is too early to draws conclusions on the effects of cover crops on soil quality or the cash crop but in at least two field tests cover crops increased soil infiltration rate and soil microbial mass. Conversely, soil water content and soil Nitrate-N were significantly lower after crop crops than in the fallow treatment, which could negatively impact the cash crop. Observations so far indicate that the choice of cover crop species and their management will be key to achieving a sustainable cropping system that incorporates cover crops in the rotation. The project was highlighted and preliminary results were presented at several events including a field tour and two workshops. The project website was developed and is updated on a regular basis.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
A. Berrada. Dryland Farming and Cover Crops. La Plata Conservation District, August 24, 2016, Durango, CO.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
A. Berrada. Assessment of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems in the Colorado Plateau. ASA, CSSA and SSSA International Annual Meetings (2016), Nov. 6-9, Phoenix, AZ. Oral presentation 112-3 in ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems, Session: Semiarid Dryland Cropping Systems.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
A. Berrada. The Feasibility of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah. Soil and Crop Management for Sustainable Farming in the Four Corners Region Seminar, March 18, 2016, Four States Ag Expo, Cortez, CO.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
A. Berrada and C. Roseberry. The Feasibility of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah. SW Ag Seminar, October 22, 2016, Dolores, CO.
|
Progress 07/01/15 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Agricultural producers and professionals in the Four Corners region Extension and USDA-NRCS Peer scientists Agricultural businesses(e.g., seed suppliers) Students Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project's team helped organize the Southwest Agricultural Seminar to raise awarness about soil health and water management. The team leader presented the project's goals, objective, and preliminary data. Twocooperators discussed the importance ofcover crops for their farming operation. Two USDA-NRCS conservationists and one crop consultant presentated information about various aspects of soil health and how cover crops can be used to enhance soil health and quality. Over 100 people attended the seminar. One research associate was hired and trainedon how to take soil and plant samples andwork with cooperators. She developed the project's website and interviewed a number of project participants for a video production to document the project's progress and main findings. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project'sgoals, objectives, and preliminary data were presented at the Southwest Agricultural Seminar in December 2015. Twocooperators discussed the importance ofcover crops for their farming operation. Thewebsitehttp://drylandcovercrops.agsci.colostate.edu/has been developed.Itcontains usefullinks andinformation. Articles highlighting the cover crops project were published in the Cortez Journal, the Durango Herald, and on Colorado State University's website (http://aes-swcrc.agsci.colostate.edu/abdelfettah-berrada-awarded-nearly-250000-grant-from-western-sare/) in 2015. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?I will meet with the project's team and cooperators to review and finalize plans for the 2016 crop season. Together, we will implement thoseplans, take soil and plant measurements, and record field operations and costs and returns. We will organize tours of the test plots, analyze the data, and present the results at local and regional meetings. We will update the project's website and post excerpts on social media and YouTube. We will organize a seminar at the Four States Agriculture Expo on March 17-19, 2016 to learn about cover crops research and results in eastern Colorado and western Kansas.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Dryland farming in SW Colorado and SE Utah is challenging due to low and erratic precipitation, low soil organic matter content, rolling terrain and thus the potential for soil erosion, relatively short growing season due to high elevation, and long distance from markets. Most crop rotations in the project area feature winter wheat as the lead crop and may include dry bean, safflower or sunflower. The fallow period between crops may last less than a month after a bean crop to 14 months between two winter wheat crops. "Clean" fallow whereby several tillage operations including moldboard plowing are performed to control weeds and prepare the seedbed is the norm, although some innovative farmers have begun practicing no-till and mulch till. Conventional tillage exposes the soil to wind and water erosion, accelerates organic matter loss, and uses a great deal of energy. A western SARE funded project was started in late spring 2015 to determine if and how cover crops can enhance the sustainability of dryland farming in SW Colorado and SE Utah. This project is a collaborative effort between Colorado State University, USAID-NRCS, and agricultural producers and conservation districts in three counties in SW Colorado and SE Utah. Covers crops will be grown during part of the fallow period to help suppress weeds, reduce soil erosion, and enhance soil fertility and biological activity. Measurements will be taken annually to monitor changes in these parameters and to determine the effects on the cash crop. Cover crop mixtures of up to nine species of legumes, grasses, brassicas and other broadleaves will be tailored to each cropping system. The cost and returns of each cropping system will be analyzed to identify cover cropping strategies that will result in a net benefit to the producer. Five on-farm and two research center trials were initiated in the summer or fall of 2015. All the test sites were mapped and the cropping history of each site was recorded. Several measurements were taken at each test site including soil water infiltration rate, soil moisture content, soil nutrient availability, earthworm count, and soil microbial biomass. Cover crop mixtures were planted at five of the sites, while the other sites or treatments were fallowed or seeded to winter wheat. On two of the sites, cover crop biomass was measured before the first hard freeze in late October. A workshop was organized in December of 2015 to raise awareness about soil health and water management. Theproject's website (http://drylandcovercrops.agsci.colostate.edu/)has been developed.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
The Feasibility of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping Systems in SW Colorado and SE Utah. Abdel Berrada (presenter), Southwest Agricultural Seminar, December 5-6, 2015, Cortez, Colorado.
|
|