Crop, Forage and Turfgrass Management最新文献

The primary objective of this paper is to quantitatively analyze the number of acres planted per suitable fieldwork day and the total number of fieldwork days available for the complete planting of soybeans (Glycine max L.) in Arkansas. Total days to plant soybeans in each spring from 1980 to 2023 averaged about 33 days, indicating that roughly 33 days are expected, on average, from the month of April to May based on USDA-NASS weekly crop progress and condition data. Furthermore, the average soybean planted acres is estimated at 106,736 acres per day within the study period. Recently, variations in this range appear more pronounced, likely due to the significant impact of extreme spring weather conditions. However, technological advancements have enabled soybean producers to plant crops as early as the first half of March or as late as June, contributing to the increased variability observed from year to year in recent times. Furthermore, Arkansas's optimal soybean planting window typically provides an average of 4.7 fieldwork days per week. These quantified estimates offer historical data on Arkansas's soybean planting performance and will prove highly valuable for informing future soybean planting strategies.

Wildfire smoke was evident throughout much of the US Midwest from mid-June through July in 2023 (Figure 1) and was attributed as the primary cause of hazy conditions during that period. According to the National Weather Service, haze is “an aggregation in the atmosphere of very fine, widely dispersed, solid or liquid particles, or both, giving the air an opalescent appearance that subdues colors” (NOAA-NWS, n.d.). Many farmers and practitioners had concerns regarding this phenomenon on crop growth and development, and questioned how detrimental these conditions could be to crop yields.

This brief report uses data from Ohio in the period of May to August in 2023 compared to the 10- or 30-year averages to help quantify the effect the 2023 wildfire smoke had on (1) available light, (2) growing degree day (GDD) accumulation, and (3) crop maturation and yield for the growing season. As wildfire smoke is anticipated to become more frequent (Burke et al., 2021; Ostoja et al., 2023), understanding the effects on the growing environment is key to implement potential changes to management to minimize possible stress from these events.

All light, precipitation, and GDD data (using the solar radiation, precip, and GDD columns, respectively) were collected from three Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Science Weather System stations: Northwest (Custar, OH), Western (South Charleston, OH), and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (Wooster, OH) for 2014–2023. These are three representative locations where corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) are commonly grown in Ohio. Photothermal quotient (PTQ) averages were calculated by dividing the monthly total for accumulated light (MJ m⁻²) by total accumulated GDDs (°F days). Data for aerosol optical depth (AOD), which is a unitless number that quantifies scattering of light due to particles in the atmosphere, were collected from the Dayton location of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (AERONET, 2024). Associated maps were generated using the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) cli-MATE data portal (MRCC, 2024) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Physical Sciences Laboratory (NOAA-PSL, 2024).

In 2023, one major identified concern from farmers and consultants was that light was being reduced and photosynthesis was negatively affected. Overall, average daily light integral (DLI) was above normal in May due to clear skies and abnormally dry weather pattern across all three locations (Table 1). However, DLI was reduced by 2.7–9.1% and 0.8–3.6% from the 10-year average in June and July, respectively. August DLI values ranged from 5% below average to 1% above average in Ohio.

Despite lower overall DLI values observed in June, July, and August, it is possible t

Throughout the mid-southern United States, indeterminate maturity group (MG) IV soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) have largely taken the place of determinate MG V and VI soybean in order maximize yield. However, this shift towards earlier maturity groups results in more green plant material at physiological maturity. Consequently, harvest aids are of interest to producers who seek to defoliate and desiccate soybean in a timely and uniform manner. Field experiments were conducted from 2019 to 2020 to evaluate the impact of harvest aid, application volume, and spray droplet volume mean diameter (VMD) on soybean harvest aid efficacy in Mississippi. Applications of paraquat, saflufenacil, and sodium chlorate were made when soybean averaged 65% brown pods, with application volumes of 5 and 20 gal. acre⁻¹, and VMDs of 200, 500, and 800 µm. Defoliation, desiccation, and green stems were evaluated at 3, 7, 10, and 14 days after treatment (DAT). Soybean grain yield was obtained at harvest and adjusted to 13% moisture. Harvest aid efficacy did not vary due to application volume. Spray droplet spectra with a VMD of 200 µm maximized both defoliation and desiccation efficacy. At 14 DAT, applications of paraquat and sodium chlorate resulted in 95% defoliation but were similar to saflufenacil at 89%. Applications of paraquat resulted in desiccation of 16 more percentage points than saflufenacil, and 8 more percentage points than sodium chlorate. These data indicate soybean harvest aid applications should contain paraquat. Although efficacy was maximized with spray droplet spectra with a VMD of 200 µm, the total variance in efficacy due to VMD of spray droplets was minimal.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are regularly used on golf courses to reduce mowing requirements. PGR efficacy is commonly assessed via measurements of clipping weight; however, this process is time consuming and requires specialized equipment. Golf course superintendents have started to evaluate PGR efficacy via measurements of clipping volume. Field research was conducted in Knoxville, TN, during June 2022 and 2023 to evaluate the relationship between clipping weight and volume following trinexapac-ethyl applications to hybrid bermudagrass (C. dactylon × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy, cv. ‘Latitude 36’) and manilagrass (Zoysia matrella, cv. ‘Trinity’ and ‘Zorro’) golf course fairways. Four experimental formulations of trinexapac-ethyl [97 g ha⁻¹ (11.4 fl oz/A)] were applied to plots 16 ft² (1.5 m²) organized in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Clippings were collected twice weekly with volume assessed via a graduated cylinder; weight was quantified after drying clippings in a forced-air oven for 48 hours. For hybrid bermudagrass, clipping weight and volume measurements returned similar conclusions regarding trinexapac-ethyl efficacy for growth regulation. On dates where both metrics resulted in treatment differences, a linear relationship was present between clipping weight and volume data (R² = 0.84). Similar responses were observed on manilagrass; however, clipping weight and volume were less closely associated (R² = 0.78). This difference could be related to growth rate, as well as clipping size and mass differences between species. Overall, results indicate that either metric could be used to study efficacy of trinexapac-ethyl for regulating growth of these species maintained as golf course fairways.

Improving tuber yield size to boost seed potato (Solanum tuberosum) production efficiency is a paramount goal, particularly in Punjab, India, a major contributor to the nation's seed supply. To optimize nutrient absorption, soil quality, and yield of seed-sized tubers, research was conducted in Ludhiana and Jalandhar over two years. Employing a split-plot design, three organic treatments (farmyard manure [FYM], biofertilizer, control) were tested in main plots, while five phosphorus fertilizer levels (46.9, 62.5, 93.8, 125, 0 kg ha⁻¹ P₂O₅) were examined in subplots. Results revealed that FYM notably enhanced nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium uptake in both haulm and tubers compared to other organics. Moreover, higher phosphorus levels, particularly 125 kg ha⁻¹ P₂O₅, maximized nutrient uptake. Soil attributes like available nitrogen remained unaffected, whereas phosphorus availability increased with FYM and higher phosphorus levels. Available potassium remained consistent across treatments. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon were unchanged with 125 kg ha⁻¹ P₂O₅ treatments. FYM and biofertilizer significantly increased total tuber yields, with FYM showing a remarkable 30% boost compared to the control, and 125 kg ha⁻¹ P₂O₅ phosphorus levels resulting in a notable 24% increase, indicating enhanced seed potato production strategies. Principal component analysis underscored the positive correlation between tuber yield and soil attributes, particularly favoring FYM and 125 kg ha⁻¹ P₂O₅ treatments. Overall, FYM application and optimal phosphorus fertilizer levels are pivotal for augmenting nutrient uptake, soil health, and yield in seed potato cultivation.

Although humans have studied biological nitrogen (N) fixation for nearly two centuries, our understanding of how legumes–microbiome interactions impact agroecosystem function is still evolving. To understand the effects of organic fertilizers and dual inoculation with Rhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on root activity, N fixation and nutrient uptake of chickpea (Cicer arietinum), a two-year greenhouse study was conducted in 2020–2021 at the research station of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The experiment design was a randomized complete blocks in the factorial arrangement with three replications. The first factor consisted of two seedbeds including S1 (field soil) and S2 (soil + humic acid + 40 ton ha⁻¹ cattle manure). The second factor included inoculation with Rhizobium alone, mycorrhiza alone, both Rhizobium and mycorrhiza and non-inoculated treatment. The results showed that the application of organic fertilizers increased the number of nodules, nodule weight, AMF colonization, leaf N content, leaf P content, root volume, root biomass and N uptake of chickpea, significantly. Also, the effect of seed inoculation was significant on all studied parameters where the highest root biomass (2 g), root volume (3.6 cm³) and leaf phosphorus (0.54%) were obtained in co-inoculated treatments. There was no significant difference between the effect of single inoculation of Rhizobium and dual inoculation of mycorrhiza and Rhizobium on nodule number, nodule weight, leaf N and N uptake of chickpea. Generally, rhizobia and AMF can benefit nutrient uptake and root activity of chickpea, potentially leading to higher crop production.

Alfalfa–grass mixtures sown in the northeastern United States provide high-quality dairy forage, and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) may improve the quality of these mixtures. Our objectives were to evaluate competitiveness and nutritive value of nine meadow fescue (MF) cultivars in New York State at spring harvest. Three farms, two in central New York State and one in northern New York state, were used. Conventional alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was sown (15 lb acre⁻¹) to nine MF cultivars (three tetraploid and six diploid) and one tall fescue Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) ‘Darbysh’ cultivar in a randomized complete block design with four field replicates at each field site at three seeding rates (1, 2, and 3 lb acre⁻¹). Grass proportion in mixtures was estimated visually. Grass samples were collected shortly before first harvest and analyzed for neutral detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), acid detergent fiber, in vitro digestibility, and crude protein. Most meadow fescue cultivars maintained a grass proportion between 20%–45% across farms and growing seasons when seeded at 1lb acre⁻¹. Seeding rates above 1lb acre⁻¹ resulted in grass proportions above the recommended 20–30% grass proportion rate. Drought in early 2022 resulted in an average drop in grass percentage of 16.9% units for meadow fescue in mixtures, compared to 2021. Nutritive value of cultivars varied among farms and over growing seasons. Meadow fescue cultivars averaged 2.7% units higher NDFD than tall fescue, and cultivars with consistently high NDFD were Hidden Valley, SW Revansch, SW Minto, and Schwetra. Tetraploid cultivars averaged 4.0% units lower NDF compared to diploid cultivars, which is very advantageous for grass in alfalfa–grass mixtures.

Scheduling irrigation events is important for high corn (Zea mays L.) yield, water use efficiency, economic returns, and water conservation. The use of shallow subsurface drip irrigation (S3DI) is cost effective for small irregular shaped field areas. Currently there are no irrigation scheduling recommendations for S3DI systems for corn production. The objective was to evaluate three water potential value strategies for scheduling irrigation events and the effect on corn yield, test weight, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and value water use efficiency (VWUE). Corn was grown multiple years (2012–2013; 2019–2023) at two locations (Dawson and Shellman, GA) using soil water potential sensors to schedule irrigation events. Sensors were installed at 10 and 20 inches (25 and 50 cm) soil depth. Irrigation events were scheduled when the average water potential was between 40 to 60 cbar (I1), 60 to 80 cbar (I2), 80 to 100 cbar (I3), and compared to a dryland control (I0). There was no difference in corn yield, IWUE, or VWUE between irrigation treatments, but all irrigation treatments had greater yield than I0, except in high rainfall years. At the Shellman location, total water applied for I3 was 46% less than for I1. At Dawson, I2 applied 17% more water than either I1 or I3. Across both sites, I1 and I2 applied 1.5 and 1.3 times more water than I3, respectively. Therefore, irrigation events scheduled at 80 to 100 cbar can be a viable technique for irrigating corn using S3DI without yield reductions while promoting water conservation.

The subterranean sod webworm, also known as cranberry girdler (Chrysoteuchia topiaria), is one of the most damaging insect pests in cool-season grass grown for seed crops in Oregon. Chemical control options are limited and require irrigation or rainfall for adequate insecticide incorporation to control C. topiaria larvae. Epichloë endophytes associated with cool-season turfgrass species and their mycotoxin profiles are well-documented in offering plant protection against invertebrates; these fungi may offer sustainable pest management tools. Our objectives were to characterize endophyte-mediated resistance to C. topiaria in 19 commercially available cultivars of tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue grown for seed in Oregon. Endophyte status (presence and viability) of fungal endophytes and their mycotoxin profiles were measured using polymerase chain reaction, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. No-choice assays were conducted in the laboratory to measure the impact of endophyte status on C. topiaria larvae in two separate no-choice experiments. Our results suggested that increased mortality of C. topiaria larvae (R² = 0.8526, Experiment 1; R² = 0.6628, Experiment 2) in tall fescue cultivars was most influenced by total peramine and ergot alkaloid, and total ergoline concentrations in Experiment 1 and 2, respectively. However, no significant effect on insect mortality was found in the perennial ryegrass and fine fescue cultivars included in this study. Overall, these findings suggest a viable grass–endophyte association can be utilized as a sustainable alternative to foliar insecticides for C. topiaria management in tall fescue seed crops.

Over the last decade, Iowa farmers have noticed a corn (Zea mays L.) field edge effect where yields are lower near the outside of the field and gradually increase toward the middle of the field. This edge effect is mostly noticed along the southern and western field edges of fields where soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], pasture, or alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) crops are grown. The edge effect is noticeable most years and seems to be more prevalent in growing seasons that are warmer and/or drier than normal. It is not uncommon for drought stress to occur in the Midwestern U.S (Woloszyn et al., 2021). The severity and length of time drought conditions occur determines the extent to which grain yields are affected (Heiniger, 2018). Westgate and Vittetoe (2017) suggest weather patterns, field microclimates, herbicide drift, or even a combination of these factors may be to blame for low corn grain yields near the field edge.

We selected fields using five criteria: (1) field must be in a corn–soybean crop rotation with soybean planted adjacent to the southern or western field edge; (2) no tree line or roadway present between the selected cornfield and the adjacent soybean field; (3) cornfield row direction is parallel to the adjacent soybean field; (4) field contains one hybrid as selected by the cooperating farmer; and (5) cornfield has minimal slope with large contiguous areas of a single soil type to ensure transect placements contain consistent soil types across the transect length.

This selection resulted in four (Batavia, Eldon, Martinsburg, and Duncombe, Iowa) fields in 2019 and three fields (Batavia, Otho and Webster City, Iowa) in 2020. Abnormally dry conditions were experienced in 2019 with increasing intensity as the growing season progressed (NDMC, 2021). However, in 2020 there was moderate to severe drought conditions in north central Iowa and abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions in southeast Iowa (NDMC, 2021).

Farmer provided spatial yield data was used for grain yields and moistures and was extracted within 30 ft of each transect location. Grain yield was adjusted to 15% moisture. The SAS software (version 9.4, SAS Institute) was used to determine the means of the transect locations. A significance level of alpha = 0.10 was used. The statistical analysis performed was the SAS GLM procedure to assess the distance from field edge effect on grain yield and yield components. Transect was considered fixed while field and location were considered random. Means comparison was determined using a T-test at alpha = 0.10.

In 2019, yields increased by 38.4 bu/ac from 15 to 165 ft from the field edge at Duncombe (p = 0.0051) and 50.8 bu/ac at Martinsburg (p = 0.0507; Figure 1). In 2020, a field edge effect was only identified at Webster City (p ≤ 0.0001) where yields decreased 25.4 bu/ac from 15 to 45 ft but