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Results of Funded Research
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Making No-till Wheat Production Profitable: Corn Hybrid Selection
Larry Grabau
Objective 1#: Using an extra replication of UK corn hybrid performance trails in both Calloway and Fayette Counties, we will assess grain and biomass yields for 48 hybrids selected from the 129 hybrids being tested in 1997. Those 48 hybrids will be selected on the basis of widespread use by growers, differences in hybrid maturity and stalk strength. The idea is that a corn hybrid with a high harvest index could still produce a high yield but leave behind less residue to contend with at the time of wheat planting. We will also take a careful look at corn yields from the other replication at the 2 locations. The goal of this part of the research is to identify corn hybrids which could potentially fit in well with no-till wheat production systems. Objective 2#: Using 12 hybrids selected from the 48 studied above, we plan to plant corn plots in 1998 and 1999 at WKU's research farm (pending approval) to support no-till wheat tests for production in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. The goal of this phase of the research project would be to determine how much, if any, improvement in established stands and grain yields of no-till wheat could be attributed to appropriate corn hybrid selection.
TOPProject Overview:Justification for Research Corn residue helps reduce topsoil erosion in no-till wheat systems. However, that same corn residue can also greatly complicate stand establishments for no-till wheat, and may also reduce N availability and increase problems with winter survival. It is well known that corn hybrids differ in their yield potential; Kentucky farmers have naturally chosen to grow corn hybrids with the best possible yield potential. What is not know, however, is whether those high yielding corn hybrids all leave behind similar amounts of residue. In fact, a corn hybrid which produced slightly less yield but left behind substantially less residue might be a good pick for a no-till wheat production system. Therefore, it would be beneficial to Kentucky farmers considering no-till wheat systems to have information on how the available hybrids differ in residue amounts, as well as in their grain yield. This study is designed in two phanses. The first phase makes use of existing plots growing during the 1997 corn season to identify a set of corn hybrids which might work well in no-till wheat systems. The second phase, covering the two subsequent corn and wheat production seasons, puts a dozen corn hybrids to the test regarding their fit with a no-till wheat production system. Completion of this research will help Kentucky grain producers make a careful economic evaluation of corn hybrid selection for no-till wheat. Phase 1: Corn Hybrid Screening (conducted in fall of 1997) Chuck Poneleit has indicated that a full extra replication of all 132 hybrids in the 1997 UK Hybrid Performance Trials in both Calloway and Fayette Counties is available for us to use. We would select a total of 48 hybrids to evaluate for biomass, yield, and harvest index in this preliminary test. Hybrids would be selected from each of the early, mid and late maturing groups. Further, we will also be sure to select several widely grown hybrids from each maturity class. In addition, we will evaluate past performance information to attempt to identify hybrids which may have higher harvest indices. Greater lodging scores and/or reduced stalk strengths might serve as indicators of lower stalk strength. The same 48 hybrids would be evaluated in both locations. Plants would be cut from a 2 meter section of one row, then returned to Lexington to be dried and weighed for biomass yield. Ears would then be separated and run through a stationary combine to get grain yield. Finally, harvest index would be calculated as grain yield divided by biomass yield. For statistical purposes, each location would be considered as a replication. Yield performance and lodging scores from the remaining replications of the two tests will also be considered as part of the total data set. Phase 2: Corn Hybrid Testing in No-Till Wheat Production Systems From the 48 hybrids tested in the above screening trial, 12 would be selected for further, more intensively study. Four hybrids would be chosen from each of the three maturity classes (early, mid and late). Two of the four hybrids from each maturity class would be low in harvest index, and the other two would be high in harvest index. We would make sure that at least one widely grown hybrid was among the 4 tested from each maturity class. The 12 corn hybrids would be planted on the research farm of Western Kentucky University (pending approval) in both the 1998 and 1999 corn production seasons. Four replications would be used. The corn plots would consist of four 30" wide rows, each 25 feet long. Each corn maturity class would be harvested as it matured, then flail chopped as soon as possible. The four hybrids from a given class will be planted in a single strip, in order to facilitate harvesting and chopping. Two wheat varieties will be chosen. Both will be varieties thought to be well-adapted to no-till conditions, and an attempt will be made to secure seed-lots of similar seed size. We will plan to use a 10-foot no-till drill with one-half the drill containing the first variety and the other half containing the other variety. All wheat plots will be planted on the same day, hopefully around October 7 to 10 each season. Planting rates will be 35 viable seeds/sq. ft., and treated seed will of course be used. Stand establishment and corn residue cover will be evaluated about two weeks after planting. We plan to use the camera and tripod system purchased for last year's on-farm grant to make slides of each corn plot, then evaluate residue cover by projecting the slides onto a 10 by 10 block grid. In the spring, tillering will be recorded, and headsd per unit area will also be counted. At harvest time, the plots will be harvested using a small 4 foot header combine. Besides grain yield and moisture, we will also evaluate test weight and kernel size.
Table 1 shows the results of our measurements of harvest index of 48 corn hybrids from both Fayette and Calloway Counties in the fall of 1997. From this information, we selected 12 hybrids to plant in the spring of 1998 on the farm of Tim Hughes in Simpson County. Those hybrids are shown on the attached map. This fall, we will harvest the corn at maturity, then plant two different wheat hybrids into each corn plot. We hope to learn if corn hybrid selection plays a significant rols in the success of no-till wheat.
TABLE 1. Harvest Index, Yield, and Calculated Corn
Residue Level of
*Column of data taken
from 1997 Kentucky Hybrid Performance Test,
Progress Report 397. Corn Harvest Index Study 1998
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