Optimal seeding rate for organic production of field pea in the northern Great Plains

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 455-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Baird ◽  
F. L. Walley ◽  
S. J. Shirtliffe
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Field Pea ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Post Harvest

Seeding rates have not been established for organic production of field pea in the northern Great Plains and producers must rely upon a recommended target stand of 88 plants m-2 for conventional production of this crop. This seeding rate may not be suitable as the two systems differ in the use of inputs and in pest management. The objective of this study was to determine an optimal seeding rate for organic production of field pea considering a number of agronomic factors and profitability. Field sites were established using a randomized complete block design with increasing seeding rates, summerfallow and green manure treatments. Seed yield increased up to 1725 kg ha-1 with increasing seeding rate. Weed biomass decreased with increasing seeding rate by up to 68%. Post-harvest soil phosphorus levels and soil water storage did not change consistently between treatments. Post-harvest soil inorganic nitrogen (N), however, was higher for the summerfallow and green manure treatments than for the seeding rate treatments. Field pea reached a maximum economic return at a seeding rate of 200 seeds m-2 and an actual plant density of 120 plants m-2. Organic farmers should increase the seeding rate of field pea to increase returns and provide better weed suppression. Key words: Pea (field), organic, seeding rate, weed suppression, profit, soil N

Optimal seeding rate for organic production of lentil in the northern Great Plains

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 1089-1097 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Baird ◽  
S J Shirtliffe ◽  
F L Walley
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Economic Return ◽  
Conventional Production

Organic lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) producers must rely upon the recommended rate for conventional production of 130 plants m-2, but this seeding rate may not be suitable, as organic and conventional production systems differ in management and inputs. The objective of this study was to determine an optimal seeding rate for organic production of lentil considering a number of factors, including yield, weed suppression, soil nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, plant uptake of phosphorus, and economic return. A field experiment was conducted for 4 site-years at locations near Saskatoon, SK. Treatments included seeding rates of 15, 38, 94, 235 and 375 seeds m-2. Seed yield increased with increasing seeding rate up to 1290 kg ha-1. Weed biomass was reduced by 59% at the highest seeding rate as compared with the lowest seeding rate. Post-harvest soil phosphorus and nitrogen levels were similar between seeding rate treatments. Economic return was maximized at $952 ha-1 at the highest density of 229 plants m-2, achieved with a seeding rate of 375 seeds m-2. Organic farmers should increase the seeding rate of lentil to achieve a plant density of 229 plants m-2 to increase profitability and provide better weed suppression.Key words: Lentil, organic, seeding rate, weed suppression, economic return

Progress towards no-till organic weed control in western Canada

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Shirtliffe ◽  
Eric N. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Faba Bean ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Field Pea ◽  
Western Canada ◽  
No Till ◽  
Green Manure Crops

AbstractOrganic farmers in western Canada rely on tillage to control weeds and incorporate crop residues that could plug mechanical weed-control implements. However, tillage significantly increases the risk of soil erosion. For farmers seeking to reduce or eliminate tillage, potential alternatives include mowing or using a roller crimper for terminating green manure crops (cover crops) or using a minimum tillage (min-till) rotary hoe for mechanically controlling weeds. Although many researchers have studied organic crop production in western Canada, few have studied no-till organic production practices. Two studies were recently conducted in Saskatchewan to determine the efficacy of the following alternatives to tillage: mowing and roller crimping for weed control, and min-till rotary hoeing weed control in field pea (Pisum sativum L.). The first study compared mowing and roller crimping with tillage when terminating faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and field pea green manure crops. Early termination of annual green manure crops with roller crimping or mowing resulted in less weed regrowth compared with tillage. When compared with faba bean, field pea produced greater crop biomass, suppressed weeds better and had less regrowth. Wheat yields following pea were not affected by the method of termination. Thus, this first study indicated that roller crimping and mowing are viable alternatives to tillage to terminate field pea green manure crops. The second study evaluated the tolerance and efficacy of a min-till rotary harrow in no-till field pea production. The min-till rotary hoe was able to operate in no-till cereal residues and multiple passes did not affect the level of residue cover. Field pea exhibited excellent tolerance to the min-till rotary hoe. Good weed control occurred with multiple rotary hoe passes, and pea seed yield was 87% of the yield obtained in the herbicide-treated check. Therefore, this second study demonstrated that min-till rotary hoeing effectively controls many small seeded annual weeds in the presence of crop residue and thus can reduce the need for tillage in organic-cropping systems.

scholarly journals Cold Climate Winegrape Cultivar Sensitivity to Sulfur in the Northern Great Plains Region of the United States

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-239
Author(s):  
Nagehan D. Köycü ◽  
John E. Stenger ◽  
Harlene M. Hatterman-Valenti
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
The United States ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Injury Incidence ◽  
The North

Elemental sulfur is commonly applied for powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) protection on winegrape (Vitis sp.). The product may be used in a diversified, integrated disease management system to help prevent fungicide resistance to products with other modes of action. Additionally, sulfur may be used as a control option in organic systems. Applications of sulfur have been known to cause phytotoxic injury to susceptible winegrape cultivars, particularly those stemming from fox grape (Vitis labrusca) parentage. To improve recommendations to producers in the northern Great Plains region of the United States, a comparison of injury incidence and severity, as well as effects on yield characteristics was undertaken for 13 regional cultivars exposed to three sulfur rates (0, 2.4, and 4.8 lb/acre a.i.) at a North Dakota State University Research Station near Absaraka, ND. Overall, four cultivars (Bluebell, Baltica, Sabrevois, and King of the North) of the 13 cultivars tested showed phytotoxic symptoms. Injury severity and incidence of these cultivars differed between years and across rates. ‘Bluebell’ showed consistent and severe sulfur injury symptoms. Injury to the other three susceptible cultivars tended to vary by the given environment, with King of the North generally showing the lowest injury response. Injury symptoms were not found to be associated with the overall yield or cluster weight. Results suggest that alternative spray programs that exclude sulfur-based fungicides should be recommended for ‘Bluebell’, ‘Baltica’, ‘Sabrevois’, and ‘King of the North’, whereas sulfur-based fungicides may be applied to ‘Alpenglow’, ‘ES 12-6-18’, ‘Frontenac’, ‘Frontenac Gris’, ‘La Crescent’, ‘Marquette’, ‘Somerset Seedless’, ‘St. Croix’, and ‘Valiant’. Observations on fruit ripening in 2014 suggest that future research is needed to determine if a reduction of fruit quality may occur in some seasons with repeated sulfur applications or with successive annual sulfur applications for susceptible cultivars if used in an organic production system.

Agro-morphology and forage nutritive value of white prairie clover [Dalea candida(Michx.) Willd.] populations native to the Canadian prairies

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1234-1244
Author(s):  
Nityananda Khanal ◽  
Michael P. Schellenberg ◽  
Bill Biligetu
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Nutritive Value ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Forage Crop ◽  
Randomized Complete Block Design ◽  
Acid Detergent Fibre ◽  
Provincial Park

White prairie clover [Dalea candida (Michx.) Willd.] is native to the dry prairies and hillsides of the Northern Great Plains. A study was initiated in 2012 with six white prairie clover populations collected from the Canadian Prairies. Plant growth characteristics, forage biomass, seed yield, and forage nutritive values were evaluated using a randomized complete block design in a field near Swift Current, SK. Three populations from Argyle, Carlowrie, and Big Grass Marsh (NCP588) in Manitoba displayed erect-type growth while those from Douglas Provincial Park and Stewart Valley in Saskatchewan and Writing on Stone Provincial Park in Alberta exhibited prostrate growth. The populations did not differ for mean biomass yield (79–104 g plant−1, p = 0.54) and mean seed yield (6.6–9.1 g plant−1, p = 0.69); however, they differed for bloom stage nutritional parameters such as acid detergent fibre (25%–30%, p = 0.04), neutral detergent fibre (34%–41%, p < 0.01), crude proteins (15%–18%, p < 0.01), phosphorus (0.24%–0.29%, p = 0.02), and iron content (144–360 ppm, p = 0.01). To our knowledge, this is the first report of comparative phenotypic, nutritional, and propagation study of native white prairie clover populations of Canada. The constraints and opportunities for successful domestication of white prairie clover as a forage crop are discussed.

scholarly journals Response of Wetland Taro Yield and Weeds to Preplant Establishment of Azolla in Hawaii

HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 912F-912
Author(s):  
Joseph DeFrank
Keyword(s):  
Phosphoric Acid ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Symbiotic Relationship ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Azolla Filiculoides ◽  
Blue Green Algae ◽  
Nursery Pond ◽  
Flooded Rice

Azolla (Azolla filiculoides) is a floating fern that maintains a symbiotic relationship with an N-fixing blue-green algae. In many parts of Asia, azolla is used as a green manure in flooded rice cultivation. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) grown under flooded conditions is used to produce a traditional Hawaiian staple, poi. Azolla has been present in Hawaii for many years, but is not used in a controlled way for either nutrient augmentation of production sites or weed suppression. In this experiment, azolla was removed from a stream on the island of Kauai and multiplied in a nursery pond. Phosphoric acid was added to the nursery pond as a nutrient (P = 5 ppm) at 5-day intervals to accelerate azolla growth. Azolla was moved from the nursery pond and added to taro production plots at a seeding rate of 488 kg·m–2. Phosphoric acid was used in production plots to hasten coverage of the water surface by azolla. Ten days after azolla inoculation, production plots were covered and taro seed pieces were planted. Weed dry weights from conventional and azolla covered plots were recorded 91 days after taro planting. Taro corms were harvested 315 days after planting. Weed dry weight in azolla plots was 86% less than conventional plots. Azolla delayed taro maturity, causing a 41% reduction in marketable corm yield.

Impact of tillage on field pea following spring wheat

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. Carr ◽  
G. B. Martin ◽  
R. D. Horsley
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Field Pea ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
N Fixation ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

Tillage is being reduced in semiarid regions. The impact of changing tillage practices on field pea (Pisum sativum L.) performance has not been considered in a major pea-producing area within the US northern Great Plains. A study was conducted from 2000 through 2005 to determine how field pea performance compared following spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in clean-till (CT), reduced-till (RT), and no-till (NT) systems arranged in a randomized complete block at Dickinson in southwestern North Dakota. Seed yield increased over 1600 kg ha-1 in 2000 and almost 400 kg ha-1 in 2003 under NT compared with CT, and by 960 kg ha-1 in 2000 under NT compared with RT (P < 0.05). Differences in seed yield were not detected between tillage systems in other years. Plant establishment was improved as tillage was reduced, averaging 66 plants m-2 under NT and RT compared with 60 plants m-2 under CT management. The soil water conservation that can occur after adopting NT may explain the increased seed yields that occurred in some years. These results suggest that field pea seed yield can be increased by eliminating tillage in semiarid areas of the US northern Great Plains, particularly when dry conditions develop and persist. Key words: Zero tillage, field pea, cropping system, N-fixation, legume

scholarly journals Effect of green manure crops, termination method, stubble crops, and fallow on soil water, available N, and exchangeable P

2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 867-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.P. Mooleki ◽  
Y. Gan ◽  
R.L. Lemke ◽  
R.P. Zentner ◽  
C. Hamel
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Available N ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Systems ◽  
Lathyrus Sativus L ◽  
Nitrogen Phosphorus ◽  
Green Manure Crops ◽  
Exchangeable P

Green manure crops may have a role to play in the development of sustainable agricultural systems in the semiarid northern Great Plains of North America. This study determined the benefits of different green manure crops, seeding dates, and termination methods on soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and moisture, as well as the performance of durum wheat following green manures the following year. Field experiments were conducted at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, from 2006 to 2009. Three green manure crops [forage pea (Pisum sativum L.), chickling vetch (Lathyrus sativus L.), and black lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)] were seeded in May, June, and July, and terminated at full bloom using glyphosate, rototilling or by frost. Other treatments included summerfallow and stubble of selected crops harvested for grain or silage. Different green manure crops, seeding dates or termination methods had similar effects on soil moisture, available N, and exchangeable P at termination or the following spring. These effects of green manure management on soil residual characteristics were comparable to those observed under summerfallow, but higher than those on grain or silage stubble. Therefore, green manure is a viable alternative to summerfallowing and could be seeded any time during the growing season. If seeded late, green manure could be terminated by frost, thus saving on costs.

Long-Term Lentil Green-Manure Replacement for Fallow in the Semiarid Northern Great Plains

2011 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 1292-1298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett L. Allen ◽  
Joseph L. Pikul ◽  
Jed T. Waddell ◽  
Verlan L. Cochran
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Green Manure ◽  
Northern Great Plains
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