WESTERN TRIANGLE AGRICULTURAL CENTER AGRONOMY AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

PROGRAM HEAD: Dr Roger Ondoua

2016 ANNUAL REPORT

From the spring through fall 2015, the Agronomy and Nutrient Management Program conducted nine experiments in the fields of agronomy, cropping systems, soil fertility and salinity, and nutrient management.

STUDY 1: Sustainable Cropping Systems for Dual-Purpose Biennial Winter Canola.

SPONSOR: NIFA/WSARE

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center. Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center. Farmer Cooperators: Steve Keil (Conrad, MT); Paul Kronebusch (Vallier, MT)

1. 1. Objectives: Evaluate the effects of N and S Fertilization Strategies; Rotation Type; and Purpose Type on winter canola:

   2. Methods:

      The experiment was set up at the Northern Agricultural Research Center in Havres in Summer, 2015 under the irrigation system. The experimental design was a split-split-plot factorial with the rotation type as the main factor, the type of purpose as the subplot factor, and the N and S fertilization strategies as the sub-sub-plot factor. Biennial winter canola HyCLASS® 115W was seeded on August 31, 2015. On September 14, 2015, “forage and grain” plots were grazed by 20 bulls.

      1. N and S fertilization strategies:

         1. Control

         2. 200 lb N/ac (manure)

         3. 200 lb N/ac (compost)

         4. 100 lb N + 40 lb S/ ac (inorganic)

         5. 200 lb N + 40 lb S/ ac (inorganic)

         6. 300 lb N + 40 lb S/ ac (inorganic)

         7. 200 lb N/ac (manure + compost)

      2. Type of rotation (Figure 1):

         1. Fresh pea-winter canola

         2. Fallow-winter canola

      3. Type of purpose (Figure 2)

          

          

         1. Forage + Grain

         2.  

            Grain only

             

            

            Figure 1. Organic amendment of the Conrad field. From left to right and top to bottom, green manure incorporation; cow manure spreading and incorporation; compost spreading and layout of the field.

             

            

            Figure 2. Cows and sheep grazing canola experimental plots

             

   3. Results

      1. Effect of fertilization strategies on canola grain and forage yields, and plant density

         There were significant differences between the various N and S fertilization strategies. The highest grain yields, irrespective of the purpose or rotation types, were obtained when canola was fertilized at the rate of 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre supplied by cow manure (Treatment 2), and 300 pounds of nitrogen and 40 pound of sulfur per acre supplied by urea and ammonium sulfate (Treatment 6) (Figure 3)

         

         Figure 3. Grain yield response of biennial winter canola to N and S sources and rates. Treatments: 1 = control; 2 = 200 lbs N/ac by cow manure; 3 = 200 lbs N/ac by compost (municipal wastes); 4 = 100 lbs N/ac + 40 lbs S/ac by urea and ammonium sulfate; 5 = 200 lbs N/ac + 40 lbs S/ac by urea and ammonium sulfate; 6 = 300 lbs N/ac + 40 lbs S/ac by urea and ammonium sulfate; 7 = 200 lbs N/ac by cow manure + compost. Treatments followed by the same letter are not statistically different at α = 5%.

         Fertilizer treatments affected canola forage yield and plant density. Organic amendments and moderate amount of inorganic fertilizers (100 lb N/ac) produced the highest hay yields and plant density, whereas higher amounts of mineral nitrogen (200 and 300 lb N/ac) resulted in lower plant density (Figure 4)

         

         Figure 4. Forage yield response of biennial winter canola to N and S sources and rates. Treatments: 1 = control; 2 = 200 lbs N/ac by cow manure; 3 = 200 lbs N/ac by compost (municipal wastes); 4 = 100 lbs N/ac + 40 lbs S/ac by urea and ammonium sulfate; 5 = 200 lbs N/ac + 40 lbs S/ac by urea and ammonium sulfate; 6 = 300 lbs N/ac + 40 lbs S/ac by urea and ammonium sulfate; 7 = 200 lbs N/ac by cow manure + compost.

          

      2. Effect of grazing on winter canola grain yield, tiller number, and plant height.

         1. Grazing canola in the fall significantly increased grain yield by nearly 500 pounds per acre (Figure 5), tiller number by 4 tillers/m2(Figure 6), and the average plant height by 4 inches (Figure 7).

Figure 5. Grain yield response of biennial winter canola to fall grazing. G = Grain only; FG = Forage + Grain. FG plots are those grazed in the fall 2015 by bulls, then harvested in the summer 2016 for the canola grain. Treatments topped by different letters are statistically different at α = 5%.

Figure 6. Tillering response of biennial winter canola to fall grazing. G = Grain only; FG = Forage + Grain. FG plots are those grazed in the fall 2015 by bulls, then harvested in the summer

Figure 7. Plant height response of biennial winter canola to fall grazing. G = Grain only; FG = Forage + Grain. FG plots are those grazed in the fall 2015 by bulls, then harvested in the summer 2016 for the canola grain. Treatments topped by different letters are statistically different at α = 5%.

STUDY 2: Effect of soil water storage on total grain and protein yields of pea-whiter wheat, lentil-winter wheat, and barley-winter wheat rotations.

SPONSOR: MONTAN WHEAT AND BARLEY COMMITTEE

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

1. Objectives:

   • To determine grain and protein yield responses of pea-winter wheat, lentil-winter wheat, and barley-winter wheat sequences to soil moisture content.

   • To determine the relationships between grain and protein yields of pea-winter wheat, lentil-winter wheat, and barley-winter wheat sequences and the independent variables soil moisture, in-season precipitations, and evapotranspiration.

   •  

     To determine the relationships between grain and protein yields of pea-winter wheat, lentil-winter wheat, and barley-winter wheat sequences and the independent variables soil moisture, in-season precipitations, and evapotranspiration.

   •  To study the profitability of pea-winter wheat, lentil-winter wheat, barley-winter wheat, winter wheat-fallow, and continuous winter wheat crop sequences under different scenarios of soil moisture.

2. Methods:

   At the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center, a 400 x 100-feet field was fall-recharged using a gradient irrigation which created a soil moisture gradient along the field. Thus, five 55 x 100-feet blocks with average gravimetric soil moisture contents ranging from 15% (control-block with no supplemental recharge) to 22% were created through the 0-4 feet soil profile (Figure 8). The treatments, laid out in a randomized complete block design, consisted of five crop sequences: pea-winter wheat, lentil-winter wheat, barley-winter wheat, continuous winter wheat, and winter wheat-fallow. In September 2015, winter wheat plots were seeded after soil sampling at 0-4 feet soil depth. In April 2016, pea, lentil, and barley plots were seeded following soil sampling at 0-4 feet soil depth. All the plots were harvested in August 2016, and reseeded with winter wheat in October 2016.

3. Results:

Results of the first year of this research show that pea, lentil, barley and wheat grain yields were influenced by the five soil moisture regimes (Figure 9); and evapotranspiration over cropped plots was lower at the lowest soil moisture contents. In September 2016, winter wheat (WW)was seeded in plots previously cropped with pea, lentil, and barley. The FY 2017 funding shall allow the estimation of winter wheat’s yields and the total yield of each rotation type (pea-WW, lentil-WW, barley-WW) as well. A multivariate analysis will be conducted in 2017 to evaluate the relationship between the total grain yield of the rotation and the soil water content in 2016, evapotranspiration, and in-season precipitations.

Figure 8. Field strips (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5) with different soil moisture contents created following a gradient irrigation method. T2, through T5, received increasing amount of irrigation water. T1 = control (No irrigation water)

Figure 9. Relationships between grain yields of pea, lentil, barley, and winter wheat and soil moisture content in the 0-4 ft soil profile.

STUDY 3: Varietal Nitrogen and Water Use Efficiency Differences in two Montana Cropping Systems.

SPONSOR: MONTAN WHEAT AND BARLEY COMMITTEE

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

1. Objective: this study aimed at evaluating both nitrogen and water use efficiencies of five varieties of spring wheat (Vida, Duclair, Corbin; WB 9668; and WB Gunnison) as related to two Montana cropping systems, Continuous Cropping, and Crop-Fallow.

   Expected outcomes:

    

   • Identification of the spring wheat variety with the greatest nitrogen and/or water use efficiency.

   • Determination of total nitrogen loss to the environment.

   • Determination of N, P, K removal rates.

2. Methods: the experiment was conducted in the spring 2016 at four sites of the Montana Western Triangle, Valier and Ledger. At each location, the experimental site included two adjacent fields, one of which was a spring wheat fallow, and the other a recently-cropped field (Figure 10). The experimental design was a split-split-plot in a randomized complete block design with four repetitions. The main plot factor was cropping system with two levels (Fallow-Crop, Continuous Cropping), the sub-plot factor was spring wheat variety with five levels, and the sub-sub-plot factor was nitrogen rate with four levels (0; 50; 100; and 150 lbs N/ac). Before seeding, thirty soil cores were sampled and then composited from each of the 16 blocks of each field. Succion lysimeters were placed at 4 feet-depth at the center of each plot, and each individual plot was soil and tissue- sampled at harvest.

    

   

   Figure 10. Layout of the water and nitrogen use efficiency study in Valier and Ledger.

    

3. Results

704 soil samples and 640 tissue samples were collected, processed, and shipped for analysis to a commercial laboratory. Tests results are not yet available.

STUDY 4: Evaluation of four seed coating compounds for the establishment of winter wheat in saline soils.

SPONSOR: P.I. Bioscience Limited

Principal Investigators: Dr Roger Ondoua, Assistant Professor, Agronomy and Nutrient Management, MAES/Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center (WTARC).

Collaborator: Phillip Hammermeister, Research Assistant, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center;

Farmer Cooperator: Barry Wharram, Highwood, MT.

1. Objective: to test prototype seed coating compounds designed to enhance the establishment of winter wheat in saline soils.

2. Methods: four seed coating compounds from P.I. Bioscience Limited were applied to seed of Yellowstone winter wheat variety at the rate of 5 litres/ton seed (Figure 11) at the WTARC’s seed laboratory. The trial was located around the Wharram saline seep in September 2015, in Highwood, Chouteau County of Montana (Figure 4). The experimental design was a split-split- plot in a randomized complete block design with four repetitions. The main factor was soil electrical conductivity (EC) with two levels (High and Low EC); the sub-plot factor was seeding rate with two levels (normal and late seeding dates); and the sub-sub-plot factor was seed coating compound with four levels (A, B, C, D) that included a control. Four high EC blocks, with EC values ranging from 5 to 15 mmhos/cm, were set up around the eye of the saline seep; while four low EC blocks, with values ranging from 0.3 to 1.18mmhos/cm, were set up further inland.

Figure 11. Chemically-coated and non-coated Yellowstone seeds

1. Results: The analysis of variance of grain yield shows that there were no significant differences among treatments, which included a control (Figure 12). The average seedling emergence, tiller number, and grain yield of treated seeds were significantly lower (by 13, 6, and 59 units, respectively) in high salinity plots (EC 5 – 15 mmhos/cm) than in low salinity plots (EC 0.3 – 1.17 mmhos/cm) (Figures 13, 14, 15). Finally, when the grain yields from treated seeds were plotted against corresponding ECs, grain yields on average linearly decreased with increased electrical conductivity in the soil (Figure 16).

All these results suggest that the chemical treatment of winter wheat seeds did not improve their establishment in high salinity soils.

Figure 12. Grain yield of winter wheat in relation to chemical treatment of seeds

Figure 13. Relationship between average seedling emergence of chemically treated seeds in relation to soil salinity (High: EC between 5 – 15 mmhos/cm; Low: Ec between 0.3 – 1.17 mmhos/cm)

Figure 14. Relationship between average tiller number of chemically treated seeds in relation to soil salinity (High: EC between 5 – 15 mmhos/cm; Low: Ec between 0.3 – 1.17 mmhos/cm)

Figure 15. Relationship between grain yield of chemically treated seeds in relation to soil salinity (High: EC between 5 – 15 mmhos/cm; Low: Ec between 0.3 – 1.17 mmhos/cm)

Figure 16. Relationship between grain yield of chemically treated seeds and soil electrical conductivity (EC)

STUDY 5: Pea Variety Trial

SPONSOR: Montana University System Research Initiative: 51040-MUSRI2015-02

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Twenty-four yellow pea, and eighteen green pea varieties were evaluated in Conrad, at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in 2016 for yield, test weight, plant height, and flowering date. For the yellow peas, the average yield was 4039 lb/ac and eleven varieties performed above this average (Table 1). Cultivar NETTE 2010 had the highest yield (5329 lb/ac). Regarding the green peas variety trial, the average yield in Conrad was 4003 lb/ac, 9 varieties performed above the average with cultivar PRO-131-6221 outperforming (5106 lb/ac) the set of tested green pea cultivars (Table 2).

Table 1. Performances of yellow pea varieties in 2016 at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in Conrad

Table 2. Performances of green pea varieties in 2016 at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in Conrad

STUDY 6: Chickpea Variety Trial

SPONSOR: Montana University System Research Initiative: 51040-MUSRI2015-02

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Eight chickpea cultivars were evaluated in Conrad, at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in 2016 for yield and test weight. The average yield was 3963 lb/ac and three varieties performed above this average (Table 3). Cultivar CDC Frontier had the highest yield (5463 lb/ac).

Table 3. Performances of chickpea varieties in 2016 at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in Conrad

STUDY 7: Lentil Variety Trial

SPONSOR: Montana University System Research Initiative: 51040-MUSRI2015-02

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Eight lentil cultivars were evaluated in Conrad, at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in 2016 for yield and test weight. The average yield was 2636 lb/ac and five varieties performed above this average (Table 4). Cultivar CDC Richlea had the highest yield (3288 lb/ac).

Table 4. Performances of lentil varieties in 2016 at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in Conrad

STUDY 8: Durum Wheat Variety Trial

SPONSOR: Montana University System Research Initiative: 51040-MUSRI2015-02

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Fourteen Durum wheat cultivars were evaluated in Conrad, at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in 2016 for yield, test weight, height and flowering date. The average yield was 47 Bu/ac and six varieties performed above this average (Table 4). Cultivar MT101694 had the highest yield (60.5 Bu/ac).

Table 5. Performances of Durum wheat varieties in 2016 at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in Conrad

STUDY 9: Cool season Cover Crops Variety Trial

SPONSOR: Montana University System Research Initiative: 51040-MUSRI2015-02

Principal Investigator: Dr Roger Ondoua, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Research Assistant: Phillip Hammermeister, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center.

Fourteen cover crops and cocktail of cover crops were evaluated in Conrad, at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in 2016 for dry biomass yield at the onset of flowering.

Table 6. Dry weights of cover crops and cocktails of cover crops in 2016 at the Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center in Conrad

MIX DIVERSITY EARLY: Ground Hog Radish; Purple Top Turnip; Spring Pea; FabaBean; Chickpea; Canola; Spineless Safflower; Oat; Sorghum; MIX COOL EARLY: Radish; Purple Top Turnip; Spring Pea; Canola; Spineless Safflower; Oat; MIX WARM EARLY: Radish; Purple Top Turnip; Chickpea; FabaBean; Sunflower; Sorghum.