2006 On-Farm Research Projects

Back to Why We Picked Them

This year's slate of On-Farm Research projects exemplifies using practical approaches to solve old problems that include getting rid of stinkbugs, establishing a good stand of clover in existing pastures, combating erosion, finding use for bull dairy calves and overcoming some of the detrimental effects of monocropping. As always, no proposal is perfect; they all have strengths as well as areas they could make stronger.

Reviewers like to see trials replicated on a number of sites such as in OS06-028 which compares two methods of seeding clover into grass pastures on two cooperating farms as well as an experiment station farm. Reviewers look at scale and scope as carefully as they do the research methods. Although the reviewers noted that OS06-029 may be a tad ambitious for a two-year project by tackling all three species of stink bugs and integrating four different management measures, the applicant received points for attempting to make clear a connection between ecology and crop production. The project was also noted for good collaboration between farmers and researchers in addressing a very big problem. On the other hand OS06-031 was recognized for being scaled to achieve success within the 2-year timeframe and also having the potential of high impact. .

Ideas don't have to be on the cutting edge of research to get funded. The reviewers respond to proposals that address a common problem with sounds methods, as in OS06-030, which was summarized as the kind of project ideal for funding by SARE. It was also lauded as being well set up to provide information to end users.

It always helps if a project can address more than one type of farm problem while remaining safely within the scope and time frame of on-farm projects. OS06-032 was noted as increasing the sustainability of a diversified farm by adding a new enterprise--pastured Jersey bull calves--while simultaneously creating a market for surplus dairy calves. OS06-031 had similar good points in evaluating guar, sometimes called cluster bean, as both a green manure in soil depleted by cotton monocropping as well as having potential as an additional crop.

You can keep up with these projects by reading progress reports which are posted online each April. Just click on Projects and follow the link to the data base.

OS06-028 An alternative planting strategy for establishing clover in pastures, $14,992

Nitrogen fertilizer costs have skyrocketed in recent years making it difficult for producers to sustain adequate pasture productivity in grass monoculture systems. Additionally hay production costs have increased dramatically. Establishing and maintaining clover in cool-season grass pastures helps improve sustainability through improved animal performance and a reduction in fertilizer inputs. Benefits of clover include the reduction of toxic endophyte infected fescue effects on livestock and reduction in production costs by reducing the need for expensive N fertilizer (Ball, et al., 2002).However, over-reliance on continuous grazing, N fertilizer applications, and lack of understanding of the planting and establishment process has limited addition of clover by many Arkansas producers.

Planting practices include either broadcast or no-till planting clover seed in dormant grass sod across the entire pasture. In theory, planting clover over 100% of the pasture should result in an even distribution of clover over the field, but in practice, uniform stands of clover are seldom achieved using these methods. When clover is planted into an existing grass pasture, the resulting clover stand is considered good at 25% of the total pasture sward. But, the percentages obtained are often under 20% due to droughty soils, variable fertility, and heavy grass sod. When clover establishment is less than expected, producers revert to typical practices, including N fertilization and continuous grazing, which reduce survival of any remaining clover.

When planting new expensive forage varieties, accurate calibration is very important to reduce cost and to encourage producers to accept the new forage. Most clover that is planted is mixed with fertilizer and broadcast. Calibrating broadcast seeders and fertilizer spreaders is more difficult than for drills. No-till drills work very well when planting legumes into grass sods since seed depth and rate can be readily controlled. White clover is planted at very low seeding rates, usually 1-3 lbs per acre. Most pasture drills are difficult to calibrate for these extremely low seeding rates. This decreases the likelihood of producers planting with no-till drills.

The broadcast approach to establishing additional forages into existing pastures is often recommended but does not always work well due to pasture variability. Conversely, producers have historically noted good establishment of certain forage and weed species from seed in mature hay where the hay was unrolled during feeding. This concentration of seed from the hay and nutrients in animal manure deposited in the feeding area creates a favorable environment for seedling establishment. Forages and weeds that become established in this natural "strip-seeding" manner often spread throughout the pasture over time.

This project will use a modified "strip-seeding" approach as a means of encouraging producers to adopt clover into their grazing systems for improved sustainability. Because it is difficult to calibrate planters for low seeding rates and because clover planted at low rates often becomes established from the initial planting in less than 25% of the pasture, it may be more cost-effective to plant clover at a higher seeding rate only in the areas of the field best suited for clover or in areas that can be best managed for clover and let both vegetative spread and grazing disperse clover into other areas of the pasture. In theory, 100% of the recommended clover seed for a field could be planted on only 25% of the area (4X rate), thus increasing likelihood of establishment while reducing labor and planting costs.

Many grain and no-till drills are difficult to calibrate for a recommended 1-3 lb per acre seeding rate but are much easier to calibrate for a 6-8 lb per acre seeding rate, especially with worn equipment. White clover spreads readily from stolons and produces a percentage of hard seed that can pass through the digestive tract of grazing animals (Caradus, 1990; Gibson and Cope, 1985). Rotational grazing is beneficial to persistence of legumes in pastures and has been shown to improve distribution of manure across a pasture compared to continuous grazing systems (Joost, 1997). Over time the clover would be dispersed across the field via vegetative stolons and seed dispersal by livestock.

Producers will manage what they can see so the likelihood of managing to favor a sustainable clover/grass mixture increases if successful establishment is observed. The objective of this study is: 1) to compare two strategies for establishing clover into dormant grass sod (1x seeding rate over the entire pasture vs. 4x seeding rate on 25% of the pasture).

Two tall fescue pastures of approximately 20 acres on each farm (40 acres per farm) will be selected based on soil test levels and field condition. Pastures will be grazed closely during winter to remove forage residue. White clover will be planted with a drill between late February and early March following two planting strategies: 1) plant white clover with a no-till drill in half the field at the recommended seeding rate (1X) rate and 2) In the remaining half of the field, plant clover with a no-till drill at a 4X rate in strips to equal 25% of the area. This procedure will be replicated in the second pasture. Treatments will be separated with electric fence to facilitate rotational grazing and to manage treatments.

Pastures will be grazed during March and into April to reduce grass competition until the clover begins emerging. Cattle will be removed until clover has reached approximately six inches in height. At that point pastures will be rotationally grazed through the grazing season. Excess forage will be harvested for hay, sampled, and analyzed for nutrient content to show quality improvements from clover compared to other hay harvested on the farm.

Treatment differences will be assessed by transect-quadrat methods and GPS. Grid frames with a 5x5 lattice will be placed at predetermined distances along transects perpendicular to the direction of clover planting in the 1X and 4X treatments. Presence of clover within the lattice squares will be used to calculate percent stand. Thus measurements will be made for clover establishment in planted areas and clover encroachment into unplanted areas. Statistical analyses will be made for 1) establishment of 4x (strip) vs. 1x (solid) seeding rates, 2) clover persistence of solid vs. strip planted and 3) Encroachment of clover into unplanted areas in the strip planted treatment. GPS waypoints will be established for areas of clover establishment to develop maps for comparison of treatments over time. Experimental pastures will be maintained for 2 years to determine patterns in clover stands for each planting method.

John Jennings
Univ of Arkansas CES
PO Box 391
Little Rock , AR 72203
Ph: 501-671-2350
Fax: 501-671-2185
jjennings@uaex.edu

OS06-029 Development and implementation of a trap cropping system to suppress stink bugs in the southern Coastal Plain, $15,000

Stink bugs, primarily the brown stink bug and the southern green stink bug, are direct primary pests of vegetable, fruit, seed and grains in the southeast regardless of the production system. In Georgia, during some years, stink bug damage in soybeans alone was estimated to cost producers over $13 mil in damage and control costs.

Stink bugs are naturally tolerant of many pesticides, therefore, few efficacious insecticides are available to manage these difficult pests. Virtually no strategies and tactics are recommended for practical use to suppress most stink bugs in small farm, organic or homeowner production. Stink bugs are also major pests in commercial agronomic, fruit and vegetable crops: beans, peas, okra, small grains, soybean, cotton, peach and pecan, etc. The boll weevil eradication program and the use of GMO cotton for lepidopteran pest suppression have greatly reduced the pesticide load in commercial cotton. As a result, stink bugs have recently become major pests in cotton. Based on the large acreage of cotton planted across the Southeast, the vagility of stinkbugs and the temporal and spatial population dynamics at the landscape level of these pests (Mizell et al. 2003, unpublished GIS data), it is logical to assume that losses from stink bugs will continue to increase in the susceptible crops as will the use of insecticides to manage them.

The primary goal of this project is to demonstrate a trap cropping system to manage the three major stink bug pests, Euschistus servus (Say), Acrosternum hilare (Say), and Nezara viridula (L.), as well as other minor true bug species in vegetable production in the southern coastal plain. The biologically-based, integrated strategy will be customized for the spring and fall planting seasons. Briefly, we will use a series of preferred host plants in conjunction with semiochemical attractants that will attract and concentrate the stink bugs and their natural enemies in the trap crop instead of the cash crop, suppress some species (primarily Euschistus spp.) by trap out, suppress others by mechanical removal, bring all species into greater contact with their natural enemies and thereby reduce the damage in the cash crop.

This system will rely on a combination of tactics including 1) the sequential planting of a preferred host, long juvenile soybeans, along with several other stink bug hosts, to provide a continuously available and superiorly-attractive food source, 2) a diversity of other host species - insectary plants - that will provide nectar, pollen, and shelter to augment the natural enemies of stink bugs, 3) use of semiochemicals to increase the attraction of stink bugs and their parasites and predators to the trap crop plots, and 4) visual/semiochemical baited traps to suppress stink bug adults and nymphs. The project will demonstrate the trap crop technological components on-farm with two north Florida growers.

Russell Mizell
University of Florida
155 Research Road
Quincy , FL 32351
Ph: 850-875-7156
rfmizell@mail.ifas.ufl.edu

OS06-030 Reducing soil erosion and nitrogen leaching through sustainable cropping systems, $6,271

Improved water quality in the Chesapeake Bay has been a long-term concern in Virginia and other Mid-Atlantic states. Today, the importance of water quality and the role of agriculture in maintaining water quality is apparent throughout the United States. The Chesapeake 2000 agreement, a strategic plan to maintain abundant, diverse populations of living resources, fed by healthy streams and rivers, sustain strong local and regional economies, and maintain quality of life in the region was adopted in June 2000 (Chesapeake Bay Program, 2000). Chesapeake 2000 calls for the development of locally supported watershed management plans in two-thirds of the Bay watershed, continued efforts to achieve and maintain the 40 percent nutrient reduction goal agreed to in 1987, and correction of the nutrient- and sediment-related problems in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries sufficiently to remove the Bay and the tidal portions of its tributaries from the list of impaired waters under the Clean Water Act by 2010. These goals make it imperative that growers utilize land and nutrient resources efficiently. Winter annual cover crops are an important tool for water quality protection because they can scavenge and utilize soil nutrients, especially nitrogen (N), which could otherwise be lost from the soil/plant system through leaching and runoff during winter months.

Beneficial effects of cover crops and crop rotation have been recognized for many years. As early as 3000 years ago, growers were using green manure cover crops to improve soil fertility. However, the steady increase of inorganic fertilizer use over the past 60 years and the development of new farming techniques have resulted in less diversified cropping systems. Increasing environmental concerns associated with fertilizer lost from the agricultural system, soil erosion, and high production costs coupled with low commodity prices have led many growers to reexamine cover cropping as a method of increasing soil productivity. Noted effects on soil characteristics as a result of cover crops include increased organic matter, greater water- and nutrient-holding capacity, N contribution from legumes, improved tilth and aggregate stability, and reduced erosion.

Objectives:
1. Determine the winter cover crop species and planting date that provides the most vigorous winter soil cover, the greatest biomass return to the soil system, and the highest level of N uptake.

One experimental site has been established on the farm of the cooperating growers in a split plot design with three replications. Main plots are crop species or mix (Rye, Oats, Barley, Crimson Clover, Vetch, and Rye+Vetch) and planting date (Oct. 1, Oct. 20, and Nov 10), sub plots are spring N rate (0 or 30 lb N ac-1). In early winter, percent ground cover will be estimated by NRCS personnel. Aboveground biomass will be hand clipped from a 0.5 m-2 area in each treatment at this time and crop samples will be dried in a forced air oven at 60°C for 48 hr dry matter yield determined dry matter yield. Photographs will be taken from each treatment at this time for inclusion in presentations and fact sheets. All aboveground biomass will be hand clipped from a 0.5 m-2 area in each treatment just prior to killing the cover crop. Crop samples will be dried then ground to pass a 2 mm screen using a Wiley (Thomas Scientific, Swedesboro, NJ) sample mill and total N determined by dry combustion (Leco Corp., St. Joseph, MI). Nitrogen uptake will be determined as the product of dry matter yield and tissue N concentration.

2. Determine the change in soil nitrate (NO3-) over the cover crop season.

Each plot as been soil sampled to a depth of 90 cm in increments of 0-15, 15-30, 30-60, and 60-90 cm. Samples will be dried in a forced air oven at 60°C for 48 hr and then ground to pass a 2 mm screen using hand processing. Soil samples will be extracted using 2M KCl (Bremner, 1965) and analyzed for NH4-N and NO3-N using automated flow injection analysis (Lachat Inst., Milwaukee, WI). A second set of soil samples (0-30 cm) will be taken in early winter after top growth slows due to cold temperatures and similarly analyzed. After cover crops are killed, each treatment will be sampled to a depth of 90 cm and separated into segments as noted above to evaluate NO3- level throughout the root zone.
3. Evaluate cover crop effects on subsequent crop weed control.

A pumpkin crop will be established in the study area in mid-June of 2006 and weed pressure evaluated during early season growth. Weed pressure will be subjectively assessed within each cover crop treatment. Photographs will be taken for use as a teaching tool.

4. Educate producers and agricultural professionals on how to successfully implement cover crops to maximum environmental and economic advantage.

Wade Thomason
Virginia Tech
422 Smyth Hall (0404)
Blacksburg , VA 24061
Ph: 540-231-2988
Fax: 540-231-3075
wthomaso@vt.edu

OS06-031 Use of Guar ( Cyamopsis tetragonolaba (L.) Taub) for cover crop rotation and green manuring, $15,000

Sustainable practices help to maintain an owner- operated farming system by optimizing management of natural resources. Crops which have multiple uses (i.e. as cover crop rotations and green manure crops) are an integral part in sustainable farming systems allowing farms to be more efficient (Sullivan, 2003). Environmental and economic concerns for introducing new multi-use crops into production on the Texas High Plains are crop monoculture, soil erosion, limited water, and fields low in fertility and organic matter. An associated economic concern is limited income markets for the farmer.

The main crop on the Texas High Plains is cotton; annual production is approximately 3.7 million acres grown as cotton following cotton (Plains Cotton Cooperative Association, 2004). Monocultures contribute to disease and insect buildup. The lack of crop rotation with green manure crops increases soil erosion, leaves low organic matter, poor tilth, and increased salinity in the soil (Blackshaw et al., 2001).

Crops monocultured (without rotation) are usually fertilized with inorganic nutrient source. Anhydrous ammonia is a commonly used nitrogen source in the Texas High Plains. Prices of this fertilizer have risen consistently over the last five years from $80.00/ ton in 2000 to $240/ ton in 2005 (McQuaid, 2005). Because cost of inorganic Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is rising alternative sources of fertility are sought (Auld et. al., 1982). Inorganic fertilizers while adding nutrients to the plants do not add organic matter (OM) to the soil. Green manure crops meet this need; amending soil with green manure crops adds OM and nutrients to the soil. Organic matter improves soil tilth and maintains nutrients in an exchangeable form for plants while increasing water holding capacity. (McKaig et al., 1938 ).

Lubbock County is in a semiarid region receiving approximately 18 inches of rain yearly. Sandy soils of the High Plains have low water holding capacity. Expanding urban areas across the Southwest demand more of the available water. With limited water resources it is critical to identify agricultural crops tolerant to drought with low water requirements (Alexander et al., 1986).

The rising costs of fertilizers and other non-renewable resources and declining water are primary in the decreased income of farmers. Variability in production was lowest in crop rotations with the most diversity (Smolik, 1995). In summary, multi-use crops can stabilize income and stresses by opening alternative markets. Cover crop rotation and green manure crops not only add OM, improve soil tilth, increase water holding capacity, and replace lost fertility, they can also maximize profits in uncertain market cycles.

An excellent alternative crop for the Texas High Plains is guar, Cyamopsis tetragonolaba (L.) Taub. (Undersander et al., 1991). The objective of this research is to examine if guar is suitable as a summer cover crop rotation or green manure crop and provide a marketable unit (dry bean or immature pod). A field trial will be conducted to test different ways of land management using guar. A common summer rotatation legume, southern pea [Vigna unguiculate (L.) Walp.] will be used as a comparison crop. It has been shown in previous studies that guar dry-weight yields (5,122 Kg/ha) are superior over southern pea (sometimes called cowpea) dry-weight yields (3,909 Kg/ha) (Whistler,1979).

Green manuring involves the incorporation of any crop for the purpose of soil improvement. A cover crop is grown to provide soil cover and does not have to be incorporated later. Guar can be used as a cover crop and green manure to improve organic matter and structure of the soil. Guar was identified as the most useful rotation with wheat and has increased yields in pearl millet and cotton (Kumar and Singh, 2002).

Guar (sometimes called clusterbean) is an annual plant in the Fabaceae family. It is a warm season crop and needs from 90 to 120 days for complete maturity (Whistler, 1979). Planting should occur when soil temperatures are above 70 F (Whistler, 1979). Proven to be drought resistant, pod yields of guar can increase with minimal supplemental irrigation (Whistler, 1979). Guar grows well under a wide range of soil conditions. It is shown to be tolerant of both salinity and alkalinity (Whistler, 1979). Guar has either a basal, erect, or erect and branching growth habit reaching 3 to 6 feet tall with pods originating six inches above the ground (Undersander et al., 1991). The pod of this legume is a valuable source of fodder and vegetable food, with significant nutraceutical and industrial applications (Undersander et al., 1991). The symbiotic relationship between guar and Rhizobium bacteria provides additional nitrogen to crops planted in a rotation after guar (Undersander et al., 1991). Guar as a cover crop can help to prevent soil erosion and act as a 'catch crop'. After pod harvest, organic matter is incorporated into the soil contributing to beneficial soil microbes and soil tilth. Recent reports revealed increased cotton production by greater than 12% following a guar rotation (Anderson, 2005).

The objective of this research is to examine if guar [Cyamopsis tetragonolaba (L.) Taub.] is suitable as a summer cover crop rotation or green manure crop and provide a marketable unit (dry bean or immature pod). A field trial will be conducted to test different ways of land management using guar. A second rotation using a summer squash variety as a follow-up study in 2007 will analyze soil quality and yield data between the guar and southern pea treatments.

Russell Wallace
Texas A&M University
Route 3, Box 213AA
Lubbock , TX 79403
Ph: 806-746-6101
Fax: 806-746-4057
rwwallace@ag.tamu.edu

OS06-032 Opportunities for pasture-raised Jersey beef in the Southeast, $14,952

The male offspring of Jersey and Jersey-cross dairy cattle represent a potential under-used resource for pasture-raised beef in the region. There are about 25 dairy farms in North Carolina that have Jerseys or Jersey cross cattle in their herds. Further, the Southern Region has many more dairy farms with Jersey genetics. There have been favorable evaluations of Jersey animals in crosses with more traditional beef breeds and in grain-fed finishing programs (Koch et al. 1976, Shackelford et al, 1994). However, such evaluations have not been done for pasture-finishing systems. The study reported by Koch et al. (1976) noted several characteristics of Jersey-sired steers from Hereford and Angus cows that may be important for family farms interested in including pasture-finished beef among the products offered to customers.

Jersey crosses had lighter weight carcasses than other breed groups and although dressing percentages were lower they tended to finish more quickly, had relatively high quality grades reflected by higher marbling scores. However, they had lower fat percentage in the rib-eye area and smaller rib-eye muscle areas than other breed combinations. Means for Jersey and South Devon crosses for the Warner-Bratzler shear force (lower force = more tender) were lower compared to most other breed groups but all were within acceptable ranges. All breed group means were significantly above the minimum level for acceptance on the taste panel evaluation. Consistent with the Warner-Bratzler test, Jersey and South Devon crosses were also rated more tender by the taste panel compared to other breed groups. Although flavor and juiciness means did not differ significantly across breed groups, the Jersey crosses with beef breeds were numerically the highest for both of those taste panel measures. Overall taste panel acceptability was highest for the Jersey crosses (Koch et al., 1976).

In a follow-up study from the Clay Center, Nebraska crossbreeding data, Shackelford et al. (1994) reported that steers from Jersey-sired crosses with Angus or Hereford cows had intermediate scores for lean color (cherry red) and lean texture (fine) but rated among the most firm as opposed to being less firm or soft- tendencies observed in other breed groups.

In reviewing literature on potential for Jersey beef in New Zealand, Morris et al. (2001) noted that most literature was 20 years old or older and obtained in grain-based feeding systems and with crosses of Jersey with more traditional beef breeds. They indicated a need to invest in a new characterization of Jersey and Jersey cross cattle for beef production under pastoral conditions. The favorable composition of the intramuscular fat and the high level of monounsaturated fatty acids found in beef from Jersey cattle in pasture-based systems could be significant in terms of human health.

Because there are readily available Jersey animals in the region, the studies cited above document that there are potentially favorable attributes of Jersey beef. If those attributes hold true in pasture-based systems, there may be marketing opportunities for several producers in the region.

Mr. Joe Peterson, a diversified farmer with 48 acres in Randolph County, NC approached Extension Agent, Marti Day, about information regarding Jersey beef. He noted that he had read about potentially positive attributes and was interested in getting actual data to document various quality aspects of Jersey or Jersey-cross beef in a pasture-based system. Mr. Peterson had recently been purchasing a few Jersey and Jersey-Holstein cross male calves from a local dairy farm. He wondered about the potential for beef from such animals to be added to his farm production enterprises. Mr. Peterson currently grows and markets 30 varieties of produce as well as pastured poultry. He is very interested in the sustainability of his farm and has begun application to be included in a Voluntary Agricultural District. He is a member of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association and Local Harvest and is also listed with NCFARMFRESH.

Because we also are working with a pasture-based dairy with Jerseys and Jersey crosses at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) in eastern NC, we thought there could be an opportunity to work with Mr. Peterson to gather evaluation data on beef from Jersey and Jersey-cross steers reared on pasture in comparison to comparable animals finished on a grain-based diet. There have been a number of studies (e.g. Noci et al., 2005) that have documented potential differences in fatty acid composition of beef from pasture systems, specifically conjugated linoleic acids and more desirable ratios of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Those differences in fatty acid composition may have positive implications for human health.

We are proposing to compare beef from Mr. Peterson's farm reared in a pasture-based system to steers raised similarly at CEFS and to another group finished on a feedlot ration. The control group finished in a feedlot will be important to evaluate consumer preferences. In a recent study (Sitz et al. 2005) comparing beef from Australia, Canada, and the US, there were differential responses for members of the taste panel. Although most preferred beef from the U.S., there were about 19 % that definitely preferred the Australian beef. Those differences portend a potential niche market of customers that may prefer pasture-raised Jersey beef. The evaluation would include Warner-Bratzler shear test for tenderness, fatty acid analyses of the loin muscle, and a taste panel evaluation for acceptability of the product. The evaluation would need to include several animals in each group and would need to be done in at least two replicates.

If the results of the proposed study are consistent with earlier indications of positive attributes from crosses of Jersey with various traditional beef breeds, then there should be opportunities for many farmers in the region to add a pasture-based Jersey beef enterprise to their marketing menu. A practical economic model can be developed for this enterprise that should be complementary with other enterprises on small farms in the region.

Steve Washburn
NCSU
Box 7621 Dept Animal Science
Raleigh , NC 27695-7621
Ph: 919-515-7726
Fax: 919-515-2152
Steve_Washburn@ncsu.edu

Back to the top

Back to Why We Picked Them