REDUCING IMPACT FROM PROFITABLE SOYBEAN PRODUCTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1009636
• Project Start Date: May 25, 2016
• Project End Date: Feb 14, 2020
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
(N/A)
COLUMBIA,MO 65211

Performing Department
Plant Sciences

Non Technical Summary
Soybean is Missouri's most important crop. It ranks second in the USA for total cash receipts. There are more acres of soybean grown in Missouri than all other grain and vegetable crops combined. Because of Missouri's soils, weather, and crop management, Missouri has one of the highest soil erosion problems in the nation. Through efforts of Missouri's farmer the rank has dropped to 8th. But, conditions that lead to erosion are still present and soybean farmers need current information on best management practices to reduce erosion and improve soil health. This project will study soybean yield and how it is affected by tillage and rotation. The goal is provide farmers with information so that they can maintain profitability, but decrease the impact of soybean on the environment.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
205	1820	1020	100%

Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
1820 - Soybean;

Field Of Science
1020 - Physiology;

Keywords

soybean

conservation tillage

crop rotation

no-tillage

Goals / Objectives
The overall goal is to collect information that farmers can use to reduce the impact of producing soybean on the environment without sacrificing profitability. Specific objectives are1. Determine long-term yield comparisons of soybean produced with no-tillage and conventional tillage2. Determine long-term yield comparisons of soybean produced in continuous and rotation with corn cropping systems3. Determine soil heath attribute of soils under long term tillage rotation4. Determine if cover crops can overcome deleterious aspects of continuous soybean.

Project Methods
Yield: Treatments (tillage, rotation, cover crop) assigned to plots when each group was developed will continue for the length of the project. Plot size will be 9 by 30 meters. Crop management will be as recommended by University of Missouri extension. Grain will be harvested and yield adjusted to established norms. Data will be analyzed in SAS using Proc Mixed.Soybean growth and development: Soybean plots will be monitored every other day throughout the growing season. Growth stages for emergence (VE), beginning flowering (R1), beginning pod development (R3), beginning seed development (R5) and physiological maturity (R7) will be recorded as day of the year. Lengths, in days, of five phases of soybean development will be calculated using growth stage dates. Emergence is calculated as VE - planting date. Average maximum and minimum soil temperatures during each phase will be calculated.Soybean plant height will be recorded at each growth stage. Crop canopy coverage will be measured four times each year. Coverage will be estimated from images taken with a Pentax X-5 camera held above the plots on a 2.5 meter pole. Images will be analyzed using ImageJ 1.47v software.Soil characteristics: Soil CO2 efflux will be measured with a 6400-09 Soil CO2 Flux Chamber attached to a LICOR 6400XT Portable Photosynthesis System (LICOR Biosciences, Lincoln, NE). Three 6.35 x 7.62 cm PVC rings (48.39 cm2) will be positioned in between rows 2 and 3 of each plot. This area will be selected because soil isn't compacted by either tractor or planter tires. Insertion depth will be 2.5 cm. Rings will not be moved after the insertion to avoid flushes in gas released from the soil that may have occurred immediately after insertion of the rings. To begin data collection, soda lime will be used to scrub the initial CO2 concentration inside the chamber to below ambient conditions at the soil surface. The instrument records CO2 concentration as it increases inside the chamber in comparison to ambient conditions.Soil temperature and soil moisture will be determined on the same dates on which CO2 efflux will be measured. Soil temperature will be measured directly next to each PVC ring with a Type E soil probe. The probe will be buried approximately 5 cm below soil surface. Soil for moisture data will be sampled near the chambers. Approximately six soil samples from the top 5 cm at each plot were collected with a soil sampling probe. Soil samples were weighed in aluminum tins and oven dried at 41°C until constant weight. Soil moisture will be calculated on a dry soil basis.Soil samples will be collected for soil organic carbon (SOC) and active carbon (AC) analyses. A soil probe will be used to extract samples from the top 5 cm of soil in locations distributed throughout each plot. The combined soil cores will be mixed in a bucket, bagged, and delivered to the MU Soil Health Laboratory. Samples will be air dried and ground through a 2 mm sieve. A 0.5 gr subsample will be placed into a LECO C-144 for SOC. Samples will be analyzed for AC by the MU Soil Health lab. All data will be analyzed using the PROC MIXED routine in SAS.

Progress 05/25/16 to 02/14/20

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project consists of three long-term experiments to test soybean management practices that may reduce the effects of soybean production on our environment. Experiments conducted over multiple years help us understand year to year variability in yield response to treatments due to weather changes. Also, the treatments selected can enhance soil properties and these properties change slowly over time. The three experiments in this project involve studying tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops. The tillage study compared soybean yields of two treatments: no-tillage and conventional tillage. Conventional tillage consisted of primary tillage with a chisel plow followed by one pass with a field cultivator. The variety selected and the management practices used were consistent with on-farm choices. The first data were collected in 1992, so 2020 is the 28th year of data collection. No-tillage plots yielded 62.7 bushels per acre and conventional tillage plots yielded 61.5 bushels per acre. The two yields were nearly identical. Tillage is not necessary to maintain high yield potential on this poorly drained soil. The rotation study included the following treatments: continuous soybean (S, 100% soybean), two years of soybean followed by one year of corn (SSC, 67% soybean), one year of soybean followed by one year of corn (SC, 50% soybean), and one year of soybean followed by two years of corn (SCC, 33% soybean). The first data were collected in 2007, so 2020 is the 13th year of data collection. The two highest yielding rotations were SCC and CS, 46.4 and 44.8 bushels per acre. Continuous soybean only yielded 35.6 bushels per acre. Crop rotation is one of the better strategies to increase soybean production. The cover crop study had two treatments: no cover crop and cereal rye plus radish. These were added to either continuous soybean or soybean rotated with corn. Cover crop seed was broadcast applied just before soybean leaf drop. The cover crop treatment yielded 35.7 bushels per acre and the no cover crop treatment yielded 34.4 bushels per acre. These two yields did not differ and illustrate than this cover crop can be used in a soybean cropping system.

Publications

Progress 10/01/19 to 02/14/20

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project consists of three long-term experiments to test soybean management practices that may reduce the effects of soybean production on our environment. Experiments conducted over multiple years help us understand year to year variability in yield response to treatments due to weather changes. Also, the treatments selected can enhance soil properties and these properties change slowly over time. The three experiments in this project involve studying tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops. The tillage study compared soybean yields of two treatments: no-tillage and conventional tillage. Conventional tillage consisted of primary tillage with a chisel plow followed by one pass with a field cultivator. The variety selected and the management practices used were consistent with on-farm choices. The first data were collected in 1992, so 2020 is the 28th year of data collection. No-tillage plots yielded 62.7 bushels per acre and conventional tillage plots yielded 61.5 bushels per acre. The two yields were nearly identical. Tillage is not necessary to maintain high yield potential on this poorly drained soil. The rotation study included the following treatments: continuous soybean (S, 100% soybean), two years of soybean followed by one year of corn (SSC, 67% soybean), one year of soybean followed by one year of corn (SC, 50% soybean), and one year of soybean followed by two years of corn (SCC, 33% soybean). The first data were collected in 2007, so 2020 is the 13th year of data collection. The two highest yielding rotations were SCC and CS, 46.4 and 44.8 bushels per acre. Continuous soybean only yielded 35.6 bushels per acre. Crop rotation is one of the better strategies to increase soybean production. The cover crop study had two treatments: no cover crop and cereal rye plus radish. These were added to either continuous soybean or soybean rotated with corn. Cover crop seed was broadcast applied just before soybean leaf drop. The cover crop treatment yielded 35.7 bushels per acre and the no cover crop treatment yielded 34.4 bushels per acre. These two yields did not differ and illustrate than this cover crop can be used in a soybean cropping system.

Publications

Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project consists of three long-term experiments to test soybean management practices that may reduce the effects of soybean production on our environment. Experiments conducted over multiple years help us understand year to year variability in yield response to treatments due to weather changes. Also, the treatments selected can enhance soil properties and these properties change slowly over time. The three experiments in this project involve studying tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops. The tillage study compared soybean yields of two treatments: no-tillage and conventional tillage. Conventional tillage consisted of primary tillage with a chisel plow followed by one pass with a field cultivator. The variety selected and the management practices used were consistent with on-farm choices. The first data were collected in 1992, so 2019 is the 27th year of data collection. Yields were 61.2 and 62.9 bushels per acre for no-tillage and conventional tillage treatments. This difference was not significant. Tillage is not necessary to maintain high yield potential on this poorly drained soil. The rotation study included the following treatments: continuous soybean (S, 100% soybean), two years of soybean followed by one year of corn (SSC, 67% soybean), one year of soybean followed by one year of corn (SC, 50% soybean), and one year of soybean followed by two years of corn (SCC, 33% soybean). The first data were collected in 2007, so 2019 is the 12th year of data collection. The SCC rotations yield more than all other treatments. The advantage over S was 30%. Soybean cyst nematode may be limiting yields in the continuous soybean. Adding corn to the rotation may decrease the effects from this pest. The cover crop study had two treatments: no cover crop and cereal rye plus radish. These were added to either continuous soybean or soybean rotated with corn. Cover crop seed was broadcast applied just before soybean leaf drop. The yields of the two cover crop treatments differed by less than 3%. As in previous years, cover crops did not reduce soybean yield.

Publications

Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project consists of three long-term experiments to test soybean management practices that may reduce the effects of soybean production on our environment. Experiments conducted over multiple years help us understand year to year variability in yield response to treatments due to weather changes. Also, the treatments selected can enhance soil properties and these properties change slowly over time. The three experiments in this project involve studying tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops. The tillage study compared soybean yields of two treatments: no-tillage and conventional tillage. Conventional tillage consisted of primary tillage with a chisel plow followed by one pass with a field cultivator. The variety selected and the management practices used were consistent with on-farm choices. The first data were collected in 1992, so 2018 is the 26th year of data collection. Yield for no-tillage treatment was 42.0 bushels/acre; whereas, yield from tilled plots was 44.2 bushels per acre. This difference was not statically different. Yield was reduced somewhat in both treatments because of reduced summer precipitation. The rotation study included the following treatments: continuous soybean (S, 100% soybean), two years of soybean followed by one year of corn (SSC, 67% soybean), one year of soybean followed by one year of corn (SC, 50% soybean), and one year of soybean followed by two years of corn (SCC, 33% soybean). Unfortunately, we were unable to establish adequate stands due to weather so no data were collected in 2018. The cover crop study had two treatments: no cover crop and cereal rye plus radish. These were added to either continuous soybean or soybean rotated with corn. Cover crop seed was broadcast applied just before soybean leaf drop. Yields for the cover crop and no cover crop treatments were 41.6 and 39.3 bushels per acre. These two yields did not differ. Some farmers are concerned about the effects of cover crops in dry years. We found no affect.

Publications

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project consists of three long-term experiments to test soybean management practices that may reduce the effects of soybean production on our environment. Experiments conducted over multiple years help us understand year to year variability in yield response to treatments due to weather changes. Also, the treatments selected can enhance soil properties and these properties change slowly over time. The three experiments in this project involve studying tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops. The tillage study compared soybean yields of two treatments: no-tillage and conventional tillage. Conventional tillage consisted of primary tillage with a chisel plow followed by one pass with a field cultivator. The variety selected and the management practices used were consistent with on-farm choices. The first data were collected in 1992, so 2017 is the 25th year of data collection. No-tillage plots yielded 55.0 bushels per acre and conventional tillage plots yielded 53.5 bushels per acre. The two yields were nearly identical, which is great news because no-tillage reduces soil erosion and other impacts on the environment. Tillage is not necessary to maintain high yield potential on this poorly drained soil. The rotation study included the following treatments: continuous soybean (S, 100% soybean), two years of soybean followed by one year of corn (SSC, 67% soybean), one year of soybean followed by one year of corn (SC, 50% soybean), and one year of soybean followed by two years of corn (SCC, 33% soybean). The first data were collected in 2007, so 2017 is the 10th year of data collection. The largest yield (53.1 bushel/acre) was from the SCC rotation and the smallest yield (41.4 bushel/acre) was from S rotation. As we found most other years, soybean yield responds positively to rotations containing corn. The cover crop study had two treatments: no cover crop and cereal rye plus radish. These were added to either continuous soybean or soybean rotated with corn. Cover crop seed was broadcast applied just before soybean leaf drop. Yield difference between the no cover crop and rye + radish treatments was less than 1.2 bushels per acre. This is evidence that cover crops are an appropriate practice for soybean production and do not reduce yield.

Publications

Progress 05/25/16 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project consists of three long-term experiments to test soybean management practices that may reduce the effects of soybean production on our environment. Experiments conducted over multiple years help us understand year to year variability in yield response to treatments due to weather changes. Also, the treatments selected can enhance soil properties and these properties change slowly over time. The three experiments in this project involve studying tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops. The tillage study compared soybean yields of two treatments: no-tillage and conventional tillage. Conventional tillage consisted of primary tillage with a chisel plow followed by one pass with a field cultivator. The variety selected and the management practices used were consistent with on-farm choices. The first data were collected in 1992, so 2016 is the 24th year of data collection. No-tillage plots yield 4.5% less than conventionally till plots. This difference was significant, but the small difference in yield was encouraging. No-tillage reduces soil erosion so protecting soil is a long-term goal. The rotation study included the following treatments: continuous soybean (S, 100% soybean), two years of soybean followed by one year of corn (SSC, 67% soybean), one year of soybean followed by one year of corn (SC, 50% soybean), and one year of soybean followed by two years of corn (SCC, 33% soybean). The first data were collected in 2007, so 2016 is the 9th year of data collection. Yields for the four rotations were 54.8, 55.8, 57.3, and 62.3 bushels per acre for S, SSC, SC, and SCC. The SC rotation, typical for the Midwest, yielded 5% more than continuous soybean. Adding and additional year of corn increased the advantage to 13%. About 30% of Missouri soybean crop is at least two years of continuous soybean. Those Missouri farmers could benefit from adding additional years of corn to their rotation. The cover crop study had two treatments: no cover crop and cereal rye plus radish. These were added to either continuous soybean or soybean rotated with corn. Cover crop seed was broadcast applied just before soybean leaf drop. Averaged across the two rotations, yields were 54.5 bushels per acre for the cover crop treatment and 52.8 bushels per acre for the no cover crop treatment. These two yields were not different. This is good news because there have been several reports of soybean yield reduction by rye. Farmers can use cover crops to protect soil without experiencing a loss of soybean yield.

Publications