Source: UNIVERSITY OF MAINE submitted to NRP
ADDRESSING EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES AND NEEDS FOR MAINE’S GRAIN SECTOR: NEW MARKETS AND A CHANGING CLIMATE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1013123
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2017
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2022
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
(N/A)
ORONO,ME 04469
Performing Department
School of Food and Agriculture
Non Technical Summary
Recent successes in building New England's supply of organic bread wheat for local markets have inspired and enabled new markets for other types of food grains (e.g. oats, barley and spelt) and end uses (e.g. brewing and distilling). Concurrently, the need for locally grown organic and non-GMO feed grains has continued to increase among New England's organic dairy, chicken, and other livestock producers. The synergy among these various markets and the infrastructure they represent creates the opportunity for local grains and organic grains to be important enterprises for individual farms and a major sector of our region's agriculture. To produce the quality grain that these specialty markets demand, farmers need region-specific crop management information.For organic grain farmers in Maine and elsewhere, supplying adequate nitrogen to grain crops in a cost-effective manner has proven to be a key challenge. This is especially true on farms with limited access to manure, such as those in Aroostook County. Legume green manures are an obvious solution, but the current standard practice (underseeding a forage legume in a preceding small grain crop) relies on medium red clover, which can grow too tall and interfere with crop harvest, and on fall plowing, which leaves the soil prone to erosion over the winter. Alternative green manure strategies need to be developed. Toward this end, we are investigating 1) alternative forage legumes and legume/grass mixtures for their suitability for undersowing and their ability to supply nitrogen to a subsequent grain crop, and 2) green manure termination strategies that maximize both soil cover and nitrogen supply.New markets and new crop opportunities for Maine agriculture must be addressed in the context of a changing climate and increasing weather variability. Measureable changes in temperature, precipitation, and the distribution of these variables are already well documented for the Northeastern U.S., as are impacts on crop production (Melillo et al., 2014). However, it is difficult to discuss and plan for change when the potential impacts are not well defined and the effectiveness of potential adaptation strategies to reduce risk is even less clear. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) is a cropping systems model program that has been widely used to investigate issues around climate change. I will use DSSAT to simulate crop performance for potato, wheat, and barley, as individual crops and as parts of a standard potato-grain rotation, to determine the likely impacts of projected climate changes, including increased weather variability, and the effectiveness of different risk reduction management strategies.
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
20524101060100%
Knowledge Area
205 - Plant Management Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
2410 - Cross-commodity research--multiple crops;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
Goal 1. Develop fertility and crop management strategies that improve the productivity, quality, and profitability of grains and legumes grown for high value markets (human food and beverage, organic feed, and seed).Objective 1.1. Evaluate green manure species and mixtures for their performance as an intercrop in spring barley and a source of nitrogen for a subsequent wheat crop.Objective 1.2 Evaluate methods of terminating green manures in terms of their effects on N production, over-winter ground cover, timely spring crop establishment, and N supply to a test crop.Goal 2. Identify the likely vulnerabilities of current grain and potato production systems to climate change and weather variability, and the potential strategies to reduce risk and increase resilience.Objective 2.1 Use the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop growth simulation program to evaluate the role of soil quality on yield stability in potato and grains under current and projected climate scenarios.
Project Methods
The general approach for this project is to address the stated objectives through field research and the use of a crop growth simulation model to generate practical information for farmers in northern New England as well as contribute to the scientific knowledge base. Regular consultation with individual farmers, farmer advisors, and advisory groups (see Section IV) will provide guidance for active research projects and help define future ones. Outreach and outputs from these trials will include presentations to farmers and colleagues at field days, winter grower meetings, and professional meetings; Extension factsheets; peer-reviewed journal publications; and an assessment of project impacts. The following narrative describes three planned or ongoing research projects. Additional projects will be added as funding allows.Objective 1.1. Evaluate green manure species and mixtures for their performance as an intercrop in spring barley and a source of nitrogen for a subsequent wheat crop.Seven legume species and six mixtures will be intercropped with barley and followed by a subsequent test crop of spring bread wheat. A control treatment with no intercropped GM will be included. The trial will be conducted on certified organic land at the University of Maine Rogers Farm on a Melrose fine silt loam soil. The GM treatments will be broadcast into spring barley at planting, and allowed to grow after barley until the first killing frost when they will be terminated by shallow plowing. Plots will be sowed the following spring to spring wheat.This experiment will be repeated twice, with plots established in 2017 and 2018. We will use a randomized complete block design with one factor, GM treatment. Single species GMs and mixes will be selected based on a screening trial conducted in 2016, but will likely include medium red clover (Trifolium pretense, RC), mammoth RC, New Zealand white clover (T. repense, WC), and clovers mixed with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L., PR). During the establishment year we will measure GM height at barley harvest, and biomass characteristics after the first killing frost. Above- and below-ground biomass will be collected separately from four 0.1 m quadrats per plot. Roots will be excavated with a shovel to a depth of 0.3 m and washed with a root elutriator. Both above- and below-ground fractions dried, ground (2mm), and analyzed for total carbon (C) and N concentration, and neutral-detergent fiber as a measure of recalcitrance.During the test crop year, crop N uptake will be determined as above-ground biomass x %N at two growth stages (boot and maturity). N uptake in excess of that in the control treatment will be attributed to N from the green manure treatment. Crop above-ground biomass will be from three 0.3 m sections of rows in each plot, bulked, dried, weighed, ground, and analyzed for total N concentration by combustion. Spike density will be determined. Wheat grain will be harvested at maturity using a small plot combine. Grain will be cleaned and test weight and grain moisture determined. A 350-g subsample of grain will be ground (2 mm mesh) and analyzed for total N concentration, from which grain protein and grain N yield will be determined. Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency and N Harvest Index will be determined as grain dry weight divided by total plant N (from biomass sampling), and grain N content divided by total plant N (Dawson et al., 2008).Objective 1.2 Evaluate methods of terminating green manures in terms of their effects on N production, over-winter ground cover, timely spring crop establishment, and N supply to a test crop.Five methods of terminating GMs will be compared: standard October moldboard plowing; shallow October moldboard plowing that leaves residue; August moldboard plowing followed by seeding oats or tillage radish; fall undercutting using a chisel plow with overlapping sweeps followed by spring disking; and early spring moldboard plowing. These will be tested for two GM treatments with different C/N ratios and degradability: RC and RC/PR. One additional treatment of relay-seeded chickling vetch will be included as a GM option that winterkills. Identical trials will be established in 2016 and 2017 in Maine at the University of Maine Rogers Farm on a Melrose fine silt loam soil and in Vermont at the Borderview Research Farm, Alburgh, on a Benson silt loam. The test crop will be spring bread wheat in Maine and spring malting barley in Vermont. The measurements and experimental methods are identical to those above. In addition, residual soil inorganic-N will be determined at crop maturity.Objective 2.1 Use the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop growth simulation program to evaluate the role of soil quality on yield stability in potato and grains under current and projected climate scenarios.DSSAT is a software application program, comprised of multiple crop and soil biophysical models, that simulates crop growth, development, yield, and soil carbon and nutrient dynamics. The minimum data set it requires includes daily weather data and information on soil characteristics, crop management, and cultivars. It has been widely used over the last 20 years, and has proved particularly useful for investigating issues around climate change (Jones et al., 2003).Data for calibration and evaluation will come from field trials conducted by myself and others, and soil and weather records from these trials and our research stations. I will assemble the minimum data set from a variety of sources including UMaine Research Station records, NOAA, NASA POWER, USDA-NRCS soil maps, and recent research.After model calibration and evaluation, I will use DSSAT to conduct a vulnerability analysis. I will compare crop performance and economic returns under three different weather scenarios using historical weather distributions from the last decade (2004 to 2014) and from a more stable 20-year period (e.g., 1970 to 1990), as well as projected distribution for a future 20-year period (e.g., 2050 to 2070). For each of the historical weather data sets, I will use a stochastic weather generator (e.g., MarkSim) to create synthetic daily time series of precipitation, minimum and maximum temperature, and solar radiation that have the same statistical properties as the observed weather. This will allow me to run the model for multiple "realizations" of each decade's weather and to estimate probabilities for the different outcomes. I will use a similar approach to run the model for projected weather distributions using either the MarkSim (CGIAR-CCAFS) or DSSAT Perturb (CLIMsystems Ltd.) tool, both of which apply data from the 17 different climate models that were part of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC, 2014) to local historical weather data. I will investigate the sources of risk for crop production under these three scenarios.I will then calibrate and evaluate DSSAT for potato-grain rotations using crop growth, soil, and weather records from a 17-year cropping systems trial in Maine (Mallory and Porter, 2007). Once calibrated, I will use the program to conduct a vulnerability analysis similar to above, and to investigate the effects of soil quality on resilience to weather variability. The long-term trial included an amended soil management treatment that produced rapid and marked improvements in soil quality through the addition of composts and manure, as described above. I will calibrate and evaluate DSSAT using these and the additional years of data from the trial (1992 to 2008). I will then run the model for more recent weather (2004 to 2014) and projected weather (2050 to 2060) as above, to evaluate the potential of improved soil quality, through crop-livestock integration, as a strategy to increase resilience to current and future weather variability.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project includes farmers who grow small grains, grain legumes, and potatoes in Maine and northern New England and their crop advisors. Secondary audiences include regional grain processors (e.g. millers and maltsters), end users (e.g. bakers and brewers), and organic grain farmers, crop advisors, and researchers nationwide. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Project topics and research results were presented at a professional meeting and six other conferences, workshop, and field days, thereby providing professional development for farmers, processors, end-users, extension personnel, and other agriculture professionals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results from objectives 1 and 2 were presented in three journal articles, one poster and abstract at a professional meeting, two regional conferences, and four state agricultural conferences. As well, results were included in a presentation to the Maine Climate Council Natural and Working Lands Subcommittee.Two research reports were produced and made available at grower events and on the UMaine Extension website What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Analyze and summarize research results from the 2020 season, and write and post research reports. Write and submit a journal manuscript summarizing results from the sequence evaluation of green manure species and mixes. Write factsheets on organic weed management in the Northeast and selection and management of undersown legume green manures.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 2020 marked the end of a five-year, NIFA-funded, multistate project to help farmers in New England improve their skills and capacities to grow and handle grains for high-value specialty markets, and to build their network with other farmers and buyers. Collaborators included colleagues at UMaine and the University of Vermont. The 20 on-station and on-farm research projects that our team conducted produced actionable information for organic grain farmers in the Northeast including strategies to better manage weeds, diseases, and legume green manures. Our whole farm rotation budget tool gives farmers an easy way to evaluate the likely economic performance of different organic grain crops and rotations. We made over 2800 contacts with farmers, processors, grain end-users, crop advisors, and agricultural service providers throughout the Northeast region through 40 educational events. We also gave 14 presentations at grower conferences around the country, and developed extensive online resources. We expanded our regional organic grain farmer network to include our Canadian neighbors by forming the Northeast US and Eastern Canada Organic Grain Network (NEEOGRAIN). We produced 26 research reports, 1 budget tool, 7 videos, 10 abstracts and proceedings, 2 theses, 1 book chapter, and 7 journal articles. The end of project survey we conducted showed that farmers, processors, and commercial end-users in New England have made significant changes and improved the viability of their organic grain businesses as a result of participating in this project. All of the 18 farmers who responded said they had changed at least one practice, and on average four practices, based on what they learned over the last five years of our project. These included expanding crop diversity, changing a fertility, green manure, weed, or disease practice, and selecting varieties based on regional research reports. As a result of those changes, farmers reported improved weed management (92%), grain yields (60%) and quality (93%), and increased sales (80%) and profitability (80%). Of the 11 grain processors and commercial end-users who responded to the survey, 80% reported having increased purchases of local organic grains and 86% reported having increased sales and profitability. As a result of the changes they made, 78% of farmers and 86% of processors/end-users reported increasing or maintaining employment. The average economic value respondents placed on what their business gained from this project was $12,904 for farmers and $24,611 for processors/end-users. All seven crop advisor respondents reported having substantially increased their knowledge of grain growing, processing, use, and markets. Among all respondents, 86% reported having shared what they learned with others, and 100% said they had grown and strengthened their organic grain network as a result of participating in this project. Objective 1. Develop fertility and crop management strategies that improve the productivity, quality, and profitability of grains and legumes grown for high value markets (human food and beverage, organic feed, and seed). 1.1 Sequence evaluations of legume-based green manure species and mixes - We completed the final year of this four-year rotation trial. However, delayed planting due to COVID-19 restrictions followed by severe drought heavily impacted growth and development of the test wheat crop. Yields were 25-30% of normal. Results will be analyzed this winter. 1.3 Malting barley varieties for craft brewing - We completed the sixth year of a regional project led by North Dakota State University and involving 8 other universities to evaluate barley varieties for the burgeoning craft malting and brewing industry. We evaluated 25 varieties at two sites in Maine, one a farm field in Aroostook County that was managed conventionally and one at the Rogers Research Farm in Old Town that was managed organically. Objective 2. Identify the likely vulnerabilities of current grain and potato production systems to climate change and weather variability, and the potential strategies to reduce risk and increase resilience. 2.1 Evaluating soil quality as a climate change adaptation strategy - During this reporting period, a journal article summarizing the results from this project was written and submitted for publication. Results were also presented at two grower conferences and a meeting of the Maine Climate Council Natural and Working Lands Subcommittee.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Pickoff, M., J. Leahy, and E.B. Mallory. 2020. Challenges, strategies and research priorities in legume-based nitrogen management for organic small grain producers in the Northeastern US. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 1-10. DOI:10.1017/S1742170520000071
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Laffley, A., M.S. Erich, and E.B. Mallory. 2020. Evaluation of the CO2 flush as a soil health indicator. Applied Soil Ecology 154, 103594. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103594
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Carr, P.M., M.A. Cavigelli, H. Darby, K. Delate, J.O. Eberly, G.G. Gramig, J.R. Heckman, E.B. Mallory, J.R. Reeve, E.M. Silva, D.H. Suchoff, and A.L. Woodley. 2019. Nutrient cycling in organic field crops in Canada and the United States. Agronomy Journal 111(6):2769-2785. doi.org/10.2134/agronj2019.04.0275
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Carr, P.M., M.A. Cavigelli, H. Darby, K. Delate, J.O. Eberly, G.G. Gramig, J.R. Heckman, E.B. Mallory, J.R. Reeve, E.M. Silva, D.H. Suchoff, and A.L. Woodley. 2020. Green and animal manure use in organic field crop systems. Agronomy Journal 112(2):648-674. doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20082
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. 2019. Green manures for organic small grains: Can we do better than medium red clover? In Abstracts. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, November 11-14, 2019, San Antonio, Texas. Poster presentation
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Mallory, E. 2020. Our northeast grainshed: Maine highlights. The Northeast Grainshed Symposium, January 30, Canton, Massachusetts.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Noyes, T., K. Hanney, E. Mallory, and A. Lambke. 2019. Expanding Maines grain economy. The Northeast Grain Gab, October 7-8, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Mallory, E. 2020. Organic grain research updates: Green manures and cultivation. Maine Grain Conference, March 13, Bangor
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Griswold, E., A. Daignault, R. Kersbergen, E. Mallory, and J. Jemison. 2020. Maine agriculture and climate change. February 14, Maine Climate Council Natural and Working Lands Subcommittee Meeting, Augusta, Maine.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Mallory, E. 2020. Will we be growing potatoes and barley in 2065? Results from a crop growth model. 35th Annual Maine Potato Conference, January 22-23, Caribou, Maine.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2020 Citation: Mallory, E. 2020. Will we be growing potatoes and barley in 2065? Maine Agricultural Trades Show, January 14-16, Augusta, Maine.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. and T. Molloy. 2019. Addressing current and future weed pressure on organic grain farms with camera-guided cultivation and selective cutting. Northeast Mechanical Weed Control Expo, September 12, Orono, Maine.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Mallory, E. and T. Molloy. 2020. Spring wheat variety trial: 2020 results. Available online at https://extension.umaine.edu/grains-oilseeds/topics/ (accessed 1 Dec. 2020).
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Mallory, E. and T. Molloy. 2020. Malting barley variety trial: 2019 results. Available online at https://extension.umaine.edu/grains-oilseeds/topics/ (accessed 1 Dec. 2020).


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

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project includes farmers who grow small grains, grain legumes, and potatoes in Maine and northern New England and their crop advisors. Secondary audiences include regional grain processors (e.g. millers and maltsters) and end users (e.g. bakers and brewers), and organic grain farmers and crop advisors nationwide. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided training for 2 graduate students. Project topics and research results were presented at three professional meetings and nine other conferences, workshop, and field days, thereby providing professional development for farmers, processors, end-users, extension personnel, and other agricultural professionals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results were presented in two completed theses, two abstracts at professional meetings, and a regional webinar.The project produced one research report, which was made available at grower events and on the UMaine Extension website.Project topics and results were presented in nine talks to farmers, processors, end-users, extension personnel, and crop advisors. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Analyze and summarize research results from the 2019 season. Write and post research reports. Complete the final year of the green manure rotation study. Complete another year of malting barley variety trials. Finalize and submit journal manuscripts summarizing green manure termination and crop modeling project results. Write factsheets on 1. organic weed management in the Northeast and selection and 2. management of undersown legume green manures. Hold 2020 grain conferences, field days, and farm tours.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? IMPACT - The rapid expansion of the craft brewing and distilling industries in the Northeast has created demand for locally grown and malted barley, and the need for research-based information on which malting barley varieties are best adapted to Maine growing conditions and the craft malting process. Working with Maine's two malthouses, we have identified varieties that have better sprout tolerance and malting qualities than the current standard variety. In 2019, Maine Malt House of Mapleton grew replicated 10-acre blocks of two new varieties, both of which yielded 10% more than the standard, and will conduct malting and brewing evaluations this winter with collaborating breweries. Spring annual weeds remain organic growers' number one production problem for spring grains, limiting the viability of organic grain systems in the Northeast. In both on-farm and research station trials, we demonstrated that combining selective cutting with automated camera-guided cultivation reduces both current and future weed pressure by reducing the seed production of weeds that escape cultivation. Farmers will needs to adapt to the changes in weather resulting from climate change but it is difficult to make decisions based on general climate predictions. We used a crop simulation model to demonstrate that variety choice, enhanced soil organic matter, and irrigation are all viable adaptation strategies to reduce negative impacts of projected changes in weather on Maine potato and barley crops. Farmers, crop advisors, and colleagues learned about these and other research results through the variety of research reports, presentations, and educational events listed under Products and Other Products Objective 1. Develop fertility and crop management strategies that improve the productivity, quality, and profitability of grains and legumes grown for high value markets (human food and beverage, organic feed, and seed). 1.1 Sequence evaluations of legume-based green manure species and mixes - We completed the final year of this three-year rotation trial at one site and the second year at another site. Medium red clover (RC) is the standard green manure used for interseeding with small grains but other species may offer advantages. We evaluated mammoth RC, New Zealand white clover, alfala, and 2-species mixes with perennial ryegrass as alternative green manures interseeded in barley, grown for one or two years, and followed by a wheat test crop. Mammoth RC and white clover were shorter, reducing risk of interference with barley harvest. Medium RC produced the greatest above-ground biomass in the fall after seeding but when allowed to grow for two years, mammoth RC and alfalfa equaled medium RC. Mammoth RC had higher root %N and higher root:shoot ratio than medium RC. Despite lower biomass in many cases, all alternative GMs except 1-Yr alfalfa produced wheat grain yields equal to or greater than Medium RC. 1.2 Fall green manure termination strategies prior to spring grains - We completed the sample analysis, data analysis, and summary of a 2-year study to evaluate different methods of terminating a green manure. Skim plowing (SK) and undercutting (UC) increased over-winter soil cover relative to plow (PL), though UC resulted in low red clover kill efficacy in a wet spring. Plant N uptake and wheat N uptake were higher following PL and SK relative to UC, though yield was unaffected by termination method. Grain crude protein following PL was higher than UC in one of two years, indicating a more favorable delivery of N associated with PL. SK is particularly promising as an alternative termination method, offering a potential balance between soil cover, green manure kill efficacy, and N supply. We recommend using a different undercutting implement for future work. 1.3 Malting barley varieties for craft brewing - We completed the fifth year of a regional project led by North Dakota State University and involving 8 other universities to evaluate barley varieties for the burgeoning craft malting and brewing industry. We evaluated 25 varieties at two sites in Maine, one a farm field in Aroostook County that was managed conventionally and one at the Rogers Research Farm in Old Town that was managed organically. 1.4 Farmer assessment of legume-based nitrogen management for organic small grains - Farmer assessment of legume-based nitrogen management for organic small grains - We conducted interviews with organic small grain farmers and their advisors in six states throughout the Northeast region to assess the challenges encountered by Northeast U.S. organic small grain producers with regard to nitrogen fertility, with a particular focus on legume green manures. Farmers and advisors identified cost, overdependence on external N sources, N source access, diversifying rotations, weed management, and predicting N mineralization of organic residues as major challenges in N management. Farmers also consider additional factors, such as weed pressure and long-term soil health effects, when choosing N sources or practices. 1.5 We applied for and received funding from the Northeastern IPM program to purchase a farm-scale cultivator to pair with our automated camera-guidance system for on-farm evaluations of the tool. The grant also allowed us to evaluate, in on-farm and research station trials, the potential for a selective cutting implement (e.g., CombCut®) to reduce weed seed production. In the research station trial, cultivation alone reduced weed density by 54% and weed biomass by 30%, as compared with the standard practice (tine harrowing), but had no effect on weed reproductive biomass, whereas adding selective cutting reduced reproductive biomass by 50%. Objective 2. Identify the likely vulnerabilities of current grain and potato production systems to climate change and weather variability, and the potential strategies to reduce risk and increase resilience. 2.1 Evaluating soil quality as a climate change adaptation strategy - During this reporting period we calibrated and evaluated the DSSAT crop simulation model for one additional variety of potato (the early-season variety 'Atlantic') and two varieties of barley (a six-row variety 'Robust' and a two-row variety 'Newdale'). We also recalibrated the model for contrasting soil organic matter status. One set of simulations compared crop yields across multiple planting dates under a baseline period (1989-2018) and under four future weather scenarios (two emissions scenarios, RCP 6.0 and 8.5, with and without elevated CO2). Russet Burbank and both varieties of barley performed best with the earliest possible planting date, while Atlantic yielded higher with later planting. Increased variability in weather negatively impacted Atlantic, and positively impacted Robust with Newdale and Russet Burbank relatively unchanged. Results suggest changes in climate may favor longer season or more robust varieties such as Russet Burbank potato or Robust barley, while elevated CO2 boosted crop growth and development across all varieties. A second set of simulations compared two adaptive management strategies, irrigation and increasing soil organic matter (SOM), across the future weather scenarios. Both strategies produced higher average crop yields than the control regardless of crop or weather scenario. The irrigation strategy produced higher yields than increased SOM but also had higher N leaching.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Roche, E.H., E.B. Mallory, and S.K. Birthisel. 2019. Using farmer storytelling to build understanding of our new weather reality. Journal of Extension 57(5), Article 18165IAW. Available at https://joe.org/joe/2019october/iw3.php
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E.B., T.L. Jackson, and L. Forstadt. 2019. How forming a cooperative network improved services and outcomes for farmers. Journal of Extension 57(4), Article 18108IAW. Available at https://joe.org/joe/2019august/iw3.php
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kissing Kucek, L., N. Santantonio. H. Gauch. J. Dawson, E. Mallory, H. Darby. M.E. Sorrells. 2018. Genotype x environment interactions and stability in organic wheat. Crop Science 59(1):25-32. doi:10.2135/cropsci2018.02.0147.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Tooley, B. 2019. Predicting response of potato and barley to climate change in Maine using the crop model DSSAT. Masters of Science, Plant, Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Pickoff, M. 2019. Optimizing legume-based nitrogen fertility for organic small grain systems. Masters of Science, Plant, Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Pickoff, M., E. Mallory, and H. Darby. 2018. Alternative methods for terminating green manures in organic small grain systems. In Abstracts. ASA-CSSA International Annual Meetings, November 4-7, 2018, Baltimore, Maryland. Oral presentation
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Tooley, B., E. Mallory, G. Porter, and B. McGill. 2018. Investigating soil health as a climate resilience strategy for potato in Maine using the DSSAT crop model. In Abstracts. ASA-CSSA International Annual Meetings, November 4-7, 2018, Baltimore, Maryland. Poster presentation.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Birthisel, S., E. Mallory, and E. Roche. 2018. Farming in a new weather reality: Farmer stories from Maine. In: Ozbay g., R. Ogutu, A. Hasan, E. Lane, and K. Kwasnik, editors, Proceedings of the Northeast Climate Hub 2018 Partners Meeting: Building Agricultural Resiliency through Adaptation. March 1415, New Brunswick, New Jersey. P. 10. Available at https://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Proceedings2018_FINAL_508tagged_June2019.pdf.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. and T. Molloy. 2019. Malting barley variety trial: 2018 results. Available online at https://extension.umaine.edu/grains-oilseeds/topics/spring-barley-variety-trials/malting-barley-variety-trial-2018-results/ (accessed 26 Nov. 2019).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. 2019. Soil health  Benefits and strategies for potato production. New Brunswick Potato Conference and Trade Show 2019. February 7, Woodstock, New Brunswick
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. and B. Tooley. 2019. Farming in a changing climate. Winter Ag School, Southern Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District, March 28, Littleton
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. and H. Darby. 2019. Organic grain research results mashup. Maine Grain Conference, March 1, Presque Isle.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. 2018. Soil health benefits and strategies. University of Maine Soil and Agronomy Workshop, December 5, Presque Isle.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. 2019. Barley and oat variety evaluations for northern Maine. Alternative Crop Field Day, Maine Potato Board, August 15, Mapleton.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. 2019. Finding the win-wins for farmers to address climate change. UMaine Earth Week, April 25, Orono.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2019 Citation: Mallory, E. 2019. Soil health  Benefits and strategies for potato production. New Brunswick Potato Conference and Trade Show 2019. February 7, Woodstock, New Brunswick.


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

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for this project includes farmers who grow small grains, grain legumes, and potatoes in Maine and northern New England and their crop advisors. Secondary audiences include regional grain processors (e.g. millers and maltsters) and end users (e.g. bakers and brewers), and organic grain farmers and crop advisors nationwide. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project provided training for 2 graduate students. Project topics and research results were presented at four professional meetings, one crop advisor training conference, and seven other conferences, workshop, and field days, thereby providing professional development for farmers, processors, end-users, extension personnel, and other agricultural professionals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results were presented in three abstracts at professional meetings and four invited talks in England, Montana, New Jersey, and a national webinar. The project produced two research reports, which were made available at grower events and on the UMaine Extension website, and was featured in the UMaine Today magazine.Project topics and results were presented in eight talks to farmers, processors, end-users, extension personnel, and crop advisors. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? IMPACT - Increasing demand for locally grown barley to supply a growing craft beer industry prompted us to evaluate malt barley varieties for production in Maine. Our results, showing that several European varieties offer greater sprout resistance and equal yields and malting quality as Maine's current standard variety, have inspired Maine's two malt houses to try new varieties for the first time in 2019. Organic grain farmers in our region are interested in growing soybeans because they are a good rotation crop for small grains with a relatively high pay price and strong demand, but weed control has proven problematic. In a research-station trial we demonstrated that no-till planting soybeans into mulch of winter rye produced substantially better weed control and higher yields than conventional planting with cultivation. Organic farmers are also interested in reducing soil disturbance associated with incorporating leguminous green manures like red clover to supply nitrogen to a following crop. We demonstrated over two years that farmers can implement shallow plowing, plowing to a depth of 3 to 4 inches instead of the standard 8 to 10 inches, increases over-winter soil cover (from 0 to 12%) without compromising weed control or grain yields in the following crop. An experimental undercutter implement produced even greater over-winter soil cover (84%) but was less effective at killing the green manure. Farmers, crop advisors, and colleagues learned about these and other research results through the variety of research reports, presentations, and educational events listed under Products and Other Products Objective 1. Develop fertility and crop management strategies that improve the productivity, quality, and profitability of grains and legumes grown for high value markets (human food and beverage, organic feed, and seed). 1.1 Evaluations of legume-based green manure species and mixes - We completed the second year of a three-year rotation trial to compare green manure species and mixes, and will move into the test crop year in 2019. We initiated a second repetition of the trial in a separate field. 1.2 Fall green manure termination strategies prior to spring grains - We completed the second repetition of a 2-year study in Maine and Vermont to evaluate different methods of terminating a green manure in terms of the kill effectiveness, soil cover, and the amount and timing of N supply to a subsequent wheat crop. Termination treatments were standard moldboard plow, shallow moldboard plow, undercutting with sweeps. In ME, over-winter soil cover was significantly higher with skim plowing (12%) and undercutting (84%) as compared with plowing (2%). Green manure kill efficacy with the skim plow and plow was about equal (94 vs 99%, respectively) but much lower for the undercutter (57%). Termination treatment did not affect wheat crop nitrogen uptake, grain yield, or grain protein. We recommend using a different undercutting implement for future work. 1.3 Malting barley varieties for craft brewing - We completed the fourth year of a regional project led by North Dakota State University and involving 8 other universities to evaluate barley varieties for the burgeoning craft malting and brewing industry. We evaluated 25 varieties at two sites in Maine, one a farm field in Aroostook County that was managed conventionally and one at the Rogers Research Farm in Old Town that was managed organically. We identified a number of varieties that had higher tolerance to preharvest sprouting, equal or higher yields, and excellent grain and malt quality characteristics as compared with 'Newdale' which is the state's current standard variety. 1.4 No-till organic soybeans - In a research-station trial we evaluated the no-till mulch system that has shown promise for organic soybean production in Wisconsin and the southeast. Winter rye (var. "Hazlet") was planted in October 2017. In early June, we implemented three no-till/mulch treatments (crimp-plant, plant-crimp, and plant-mow) in factorial combination with two planting methods (drill at 17cm and plant 76 cm row spacing). We collected data on soybean stand counts, weed density and biomass, soybean plant and lowest pod height, and yield Objective 2. Identify the likely vulnerabilities of current grain and potato production systems to climate change and weather variability, and the potential strategies to reduce risk and increase resilience. 2.1 Evaluating soil quality as a climate change adaptation strategy - During this reporting period we calibrated and evaluated the DSSAT crop simulation model for Russet Burbank potato using data from two decades of variety and fertility trials, including a long-term potato cropping systems trial that compared two contrasting soil management strategies. We successfully simulated the effects of soil quality on crop yield as well as the year-to-year variability in yield. Our next step is to investigate the impact of soil quality under current and future weather scenarios.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mallory, E. and H. Darby. 2017. Assessing and adapting in-season diagnostic tests to guide winter grain nitrogen topdressing for the Northeast U.S. In Abstracts. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, November 2225, 2017, Tampa, Florida.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Kissing Kucek, L., J. Dawson, H. Darby, E. Mallory, M. Davis, and M. Sorrels, 2017. Evidence of local adaptation in breeding wheat for weed-competitive ability. In Abstracts. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings, November 2225, 2017, Tampa, Florida.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. 2018. Cereal production in northern New England: Adding value and managing fertility. Transatlantic Workshop on Conservation and Organic Agriculture, John Innes Centre, January 31, Norwich, England.
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. 2018. Expanding organic grain and pulse production in Maine. Snapshots of the Food System  Ranking all 50 States from Farm to Fork, Union of Concerned Scientists, July 31. Webinar.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. 2018. Organic grain markets and management in Maine. 2018 Organic Principles Review, Montana State University Western Agriculture Research Center, July 11, Corvallis, Montana.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Pickoff, M. and E. Mallory. 2018. Improving legume-based fertility for organic small grains: An evaluation of green manure termination methods. Organic Farming Research Conference, Organic Farming Research Foundation, January 26, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. 2018. Can we do better than Aroostook and Newdale? Rye and barley variety trial results. New England Agricultural Service Providers In-Service Training, January 2425, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. 2018. Considering malt barley as a potential high value crop. Maine Potato Conference, January 1718, Caribou.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. and T. Molloy. 2018. Winter rye variety trial: 2017 results. Available online at https://extension.umaine.edu/grains-oilseeds/topics/winter-rye-variety-trial-2017-results/ (accessed 30 Nov. 2018).
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mallory, E. and T. Molloy. 2018. Malting barley variety trial: 2017 results. (One of the two evaluation sites was certified organic.) Available online at https://extension.umaine.edu/grains-oilseeds/topics/spring-barley-variety-trials/malting-barley-variety-trial-2017-results/ (accessed 30 Nov. 2018).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Birthisel, S., E. Mallory, and E. Roche. 2018. Farming in a new weather reality: Farmer stories from Maine. In Abstracts. Northeast Climate Hub 2018 Partners Meeting: Building Agricultural Resiliency through Adaptation. March 1415, New Brunswick, New Jersey.