Exploring Overwintered Cover Crops as a Soil Management Tool in Upper-midwest High Tunnels

High tunnels are an important season extension tool for horticultural production in cold climates, however maintaining soil health in these intensively managed spaces is challenging. Cover crops are an attractive management tool to address issues such as decreased organic matter, degraded soil structure, increased salinity, and high nitrogen needs. We explored the effect of winter cover crops on soil nutrients, soil health and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) crop yield in high tunnels for 2 years in three locations across Minnesota. Cover crop treatments included red clover (Trifolium pratense) monoculture, Austrian winter pea/winter rye biculture (Pisum sativum/Secale cereale), hairy vetch/winter rye/tillage radish (Vicia villosa/S. cereale/Raphanus sativus) polyculture, and a bare-ground, weeded control. Cover crop treatments were seeded in two planting date treatments: early planted treatments were seeded into a standing bell pepper crop in late Aug/early September and late planted treatments were seeded after bell peppers were removed in mid-September At termination time in early May, all cover crops had successfully overwintered and produced biomass in three Minnesota locations except for Austrian winter pea at the coldest location, zone 3b. Data collected include cover crop and weed biomass, biomass carbon and nitrogen, extractable soil nitrogen, potentially mineralizable nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, permanganate oxidizable carbon, soil pH, soluble salts (EC), and pepper yield. Despite poor legume performance, increases in extractable soil nitrogen and potentially mineralizable nitrogen in the weeks following cover crop residue incorporation were observed. Biomass nitrogen contributions averaged 100 kg·ha−1 N with an observed high of 365 kg·ha−1 N. Cover crops also reduced extractable soil N in a spring sampling relative to the bare ground control, suggesting provision of nitrogen retention ecosystem services.

Cropping capacity of winter rye cultivated for fodder

Realization of the yield potential depends on the biological characteristics of the variety, cultivation technology and weather conditions. The article presents the results of studies carried out in 2018-2021. on the productivity of various varieties of winter rye in dryland conditions of the central zone of the Republic of Kalmykia. The fresh yield of winter rye harvested for fodder depended on the variety. Its highest index was obtained for the Saratovskaya 4 variety and amounted to 17.7 ... 26.9 t / ha. The analysis of the productivity of winter rye harvested for green fodder showed that the studied varieties provided the yield of dry matter at the level of 5.4 ... 7.1 t / ha on average for three years. All varieties have good winter hardiness. Keywords: WINTER RYE, VARIETY, NAKED FALLOW, PLANT HEIGHT, GREEN MASS, FRESH YIELD, CROP PRODUCTIVITY, DRY MATTER

Exploitation of neighbouring subsoil for nutrient acquisition under annual-perennial strip intercropping systems

Little is known of how the deep root systems of perennial crops contribute to deeper and better resource use when intercropped with annuals in arable fields. Therefore, we aimed at measuring the capacity of perennial deep roots, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and curly dock (Rumex crispus L.) to access the nutrient source located under the neighboring annuals at 1.0 and 2.5 m of soil depth. Alfalfa and curly dock were able to access the tracer-labelled source placed at a distance under the annual crop strips. As a result, the reliance on deeper soil layer for nutrient uptake under intercroppings became greater compared with sole-croppings. Combination of an annual cereal (winter rye) and a perennial legume (alfalfa) with contrasting root systems exhibited higher resource complementarity compared with intercroppings having similar root systems or absence of legumes. Our results demonstrated that the deep-rooted perennials when intercropped with annuals can induce vertical niche complementarity, especially at deeper soil layers. This was assumed to be due to the vertically stratified root activity between the crop components, however, the magnitude of the effects depended on choice of crop combinations, and on types of tracers. Future studies should include estimates such as relative yield total and land equivalent ratio to quantitatively determine the effects of resource acquisition under annual-perennial intercropping in arable fields.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF GRAIN VARIETIES OF SPRING BARLEY OF TATAR RESEARCH INSTITUTE SELECTION

Four varieties and 3 promising lines of spring barley breeding by Tatar Research Institute of Agriculture were studied for grain nutrition to identify the most promising ones. The work was conducted in 2015-2017 in Predkamye Republic of Tatarstan. Grey forest soil, humus content 3.35-3.52 % (GOST 26213-91), alkaline-hydrolyzable nitrogen 85.0...94.0 mg/kg (by A.H. Kornfield), mobile phosphorus 251...287 and exchangeable potassium 149...167 mg/kg (by Kirsanov; GOST 26207-91). The predecessor is winter rye, the repetition is fourfold, the standard grade is Raushan. It was found that line k-295-12, on average over 3 years, significantly exceeded the standard by 27.77 g in crude protein content; by 20.0 g in digestible protein content and by 7.35 g in digestible protein content per feeding unit. The variability of sugar content in varieties was 30.67 ... 47.0 g, significantly exceeded the standard by 13.33 g variety Tevkech (47.0 g) and by 13.0 g line k-23-13 (46.67 g). The fat content was formed in the standard 19.03 g, varieties Kamashevsky, Endan and lines k-23-23, k-561-13 and k-295-12 exceeded it by 7.47; 5.77; 11.47; 9.84 and 5.67 g, respectively. The exchange energy content in grain ranged from 14.42 MJ of the variety Raushan, to 14.72 MJ of the line k-295-12, with no significant differences between genotypes. In the dry year of 2015, the crude and digestible protein content was 148.0...165.0 and 110.74...118.8 g, respectively, and in 2016 it was 129.00...164.4 and 92.88...118.37 g, respectively. In favorable 2017, the content of crude and digestible protein were lower, the varieties Raushan and Tevkech were characterized by the greatest decrease in crude and digestible protein (65.7 and 67.4 % to the level of 2015). On average over 3 years, the best line was k-295-12 for the set of indicators of grain nutrition

Influence of tillage methods on the yield of winter rye variety Sudarushka

The results of studying the elements of the technology of cultivation of a new variety of winter rye Sudarushka are presented. The research took place in 2019, 2020 in the sub-taiga zone of the Tomsk region. The impact of soil cultivation methods as well as the impact of humic fertiliser from peat Gumostim on the yield of winter rye Sudarushka is evaluated. The soils of the experimental plot are acidic (pH 4.3) soddy-podzolic loamy sandy loam. The arable horizon has a low humus content (1.5%), a low (0.2 mg/100g) content of nitrate nitrogen, a medium content of mobile phosphorus (19.2) and exchangeable potassium (7.1) and a high (11.0 mg/100g) content of mobile aluminium. The scheme of the experiment included four variants of cultivation: ploughing of fallow lands with PlN-4-35 + cultivation KPN-4,2, sowing without packing and with packing; disking with BDMK-2,8 + cultivation KPN-4,2, sowing without packing and with packing. Treatment with humic fertilizer from peat Gumostim at a concentration of 0.001% was carried out during the growing season in the beginning phase of the leaf-tube formation. The average yield of winter rye in the variety Sudarushka during the years of research was 4.66 t/ha in the variant with disking, subsequent cultivation before sowing and further sowing with packing, which is 0.34 t/ha higher than with the traditional method of soil cultivation. The application of humic fertilizer from peat Gumostim on cold sod-podzolic soils enabled the average yield of winter rye to be 4.31 t/ha y, which is 0.39 t/ha higher than without the fertilizer.

Effect of forecrop on yield of spring durum wheat and soil potassium in chernozems of southern steppe zone in Southern Urals during long-term research

The goal of the study was to determine the infl nce of forecrops on spring durum wheat productivity and content of soil potassium in monoculture, double-cropping and six-year crop rotation at two types of nutrient statuses. The information obtained as a result of long-term experiments is of great interest, since systematic determination of nutrient elements in soil gives a correct assessment of the effect of the longterm use of fertilizers on soil fertility. Content of available forms of potassium in soil under spring durum wheat depending on different forecrops and nutrient statuses was studied. The best forecrops for durum wheat in 31-year experiments were black, soil-protecting and green fallows. The yield of durum wheat after black fallow was 1.20 t/ha under fertilization and 1.27 t/ha without using fertilizers. Vegetative mass of cropped fallow ploughed into soil and use of mineral fertilizers led to an increase in content of soil potassium. The use of mineral fertilizers has a positive effect on yield of durum wheat; the yield increase was 0.10 t/ha after soil protecting fallow, 0.11 t/ha after common wheat and 0.13 t/ha after winter rye. Content of soil potassium was higher in six-year crop rotation and it increased durum wheat productivity compared to double-cropping and monoculture.

Brassinosteroids and the Tolerance of Cereals to Low and High Temperature Stress: Photosynthesis and the Physicochemical Properties of Cell Membranes

Cereals, which belong to the Poaceae family, are the most economically important group of plants. Among abiotic stresses, temperature stresses are a serious and at the same time unpredictable problem for plant production. Both frost (in the case of winter cereals) and high temperatures in summer (especially combined with a water deficit in the soil) can result in significant yield losses. Plants have developed various adaptive mechanisms that have enabled them to survive periods of extreme temperatures. The processes of acclimation to low and high temperatures are controlled, among others, by phytohormones. The current review is devoted to the role of brassinosteroids (BR) in cereal acclimation to temperature stress with special attention being paid to the impact of BR on photosynthesis and the membrane properties. In cereals, the exogenous application of BR increases frost tolerance (winter rye, winter wheat), tolerance to cold (maize) and tolerance to a high temperature (rice). Disturbances in BR biosynthesis and signaling are accompanied by a decrease in frost tolerance but unexpectedly an improvement of tolerance to high temperature (barley). BR exogenous treatment increases the efficiency of the photosynthetic light reactions under various temperature conditions (winter rye, barley, rice), but interestingly, BR mutants with disturbances in BR biosynthesis are also characterized by an increased efficiency of PSII (barley). BR regulate the sugar metabolism including an increase in the sugar content, which is of key importance for acclimation, especially to low temperatures (winter rye, barley, maize). BR either participate in the temperature-dependent regulation of fatty acid biosynthesis or control the processes that are responsible for the transport or incorporation of the fatty acids into the membranes, which influences membrane fluidity (and subsequently the tolerance to high/low temperatures) (barley). BR may be one of the players, along with gibberellins or ABA, in acquiring tolerance to temperature stress in cereals (particularly important for the acclimation of cereals to low temperature).

INFLUENCE OF WETTING CONDITIONS OF SANDY SOILS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF WINTER RYE

For many years of creating a new breeding material for winter rye in the changing soil and climatic conditions of the Novozybkovskaya Agricultural Management Plant, the influence of precipitation during the growing season on the grain productivity of diploid winter rye has been studied. It has been established that the lack of moisture during ear formation and maximum growth of the leaf surface (May) and excess during grain ripening (July) negatively affects productivity. The new varietal material of diploid winter rye showed resistance to lodging of 5 points, since the plant height averaged 109 cm with a variation from 98 to 126 cm. The number of productive stems at a seeding rate (manual) of 600 thousand grains/ha averaged 10 pieces, varying from 5 to 16 over the years with a dense elastic straw. The spike is 14 cm long with 42 spikelets and the grain weight from an ear is 2.7 g, the grain yield is 700–800 g/m2. With a high number of productive stems, an economically effective seeding rate of 150–170 kg / ha has been established, which ensures production of up to 5–6 t/ha of grain in production crops.

Justification of the limit of expediency of using potash fertilizers

The issues of the recoupment of potash fertilizers are considered, which is one of the most controversial in agronomy, since it is precisely this that determines the need for fertilizers and the economic efficiency of their use. It is shown that the payback of fertilizers is a complex value and not constant in different crops. The increase in yield from fertilizers in kind is taken on the basis of field experiments with fertilizers carried out on podzolized chernozem in the Uman NUS. The cost of the increase in yield from the use of potash fertilizers was determined by the average actual sales prices of products prevailing on the market through various sales channels in the 6th quarter of 2021. collecting a yield increase from potash fertilizers. The cost of potash fertilizer was taken at the current price of 16000 UAH/t with the addition of a margin for their delivery to the farm. The costs for the use of fertilizers on the farm and for collecting the increase in yield were set calculated according to the accepted standards. The difference between the value of the yield increase (YI) and additional costs (AC) gives the net income received from the use of fertilizers. The ratio of the cost of increasing the yield to additional costs shows their payback. On the basis of comparing the indicators YI and AC, the boundaries of the economic efficiency of the use of fertilizers were determined: YI>AC (general expression of the task). The minimum necessary increase in yield from fertilizers and the limits of the increase in prices for potash fertilizers were also calculated. It has been established that at a price for potassium chloride of 16000 UAH /t and the cost of its use in optimal doses for field crops against the background of a balanced nitrogen-phosphorus nutrition, the cost of an increase in yield is 1164–14820 UAH/ ha. Payback (unprofitableness) of 1 kg. potash fertilizers vary in a wide range – from – UAH 18.6 to 104,0, depending on the crop. The limit of the unprofitable price per unit of the active substance of potash fertilizers at the optimal dose of application depends on the crop and is in the range of 6.9–129,5 UAH/ha. With the current disparity in prices for crop products and potassium chloride, its use is unprofitable for winter rye, spring barley, grain sorghum and sugar beet (when applied against a background of 40 t/ha of manure). This is due to the availability of podzolized chernozem with mobile potassium compounds, biological characteristics of crops and technologies for their cultivation.

Creation of the bank of breeding material of winter rye in vitro

Аn important issue of the selection process is the preservation of the source and obtained material, especially cross-pollinated crops, which significantly lose their viability by inbreeding. Creating a bank of genetic resources using biotechnological methods will effectively solve this problem. The aim of the work was to determine the conditions for the formation of a genetic bank of valuable winter rye materials with changes in temperature and modeling of the nutrient medium for long-term disposal of cloned plants and the use of active collection of original and created forms in the selection process. To deposit the clones, a nutrient medium, which included macro- and microelements according to the Murashige-Skuga medium was used. The nutrient substrate modified with cytokinins and carbohydrates. The clones in culture rooms at a temperature of 6–12 °С and low light intensity (2 kLk) were stored. In the course of research the conditions of creation of an active collection of plants of winter rye with use of temperature restriction and modification of a nutrient medium are defined. A consistent technological scheme for the conversion of plant material into a state of relative anabiosis has been developed. It is proved that the optimal storage temperature for samples is 6 °С. Survival of plants at the specified temperature regime after 12 months of deposition on average by genotypes at the level of 78,2 % was recorded. Modification of the nutrient medium with agar-agar at a concentration of 12,0 g/l increases the proportion of viable clones to 81,3 %, and the introduction into the substrate of an increased concentration of growth regulators, in particular 6-BAP (2,0 mg/l) and sucrose 40,0 g/l and a gradual decrease in temperature to 10 °С prolongs the period of deposition of cloned plants without changing the substrate and the shelf life of breeding material in isolated crops. Using of biotechnological methods for the preservation and reproduction of valuable material intensifies the selection process of obtaining initial samples of winter rye.