Transcript Livestock/Perennial grass/Row crops

Livestock/Perennial grass/Row
crops-a solution?
University of Florida, Auburn University, UGA, National
Soil Dynamics Laboratory,
National Peanut Laboratory, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M
The Nature Conservancy, NRCS, Cotton Inc., NWF Water
Mgt. District, NESPAL, and others
We know that cultivation and tillage
depletes organic matter and exposes
the soil to erosion. Cover crops
help but do they do enough?
Sod-based Peanut-Cotton Rotation
Sod System: (CBBP)
oats
Bahia
Conventional System: (PCCP)
oats
Peanut
oats
Bahia
Cotton
oats
Cotton
oats
Cotton
Peanut
Oat Winter Cover Crop Following Peanut and Cotton in Both Systems
Strip till was used in each year with best management practices
% SOM
% SOM in SOD BASED ROTATION
3
2.8
2.6
2.4
2.2
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
2003
2005
2007
Year
2009
Cattle and perennial grasses add an intensity to cropping systems
that brings better utilization of nutrients, water, land resources, an
can be much better environmentally and economically
Bahia killed in fall of 07 and planted to oat/rye
Planting bahiagrass into winter cover
in January 08 (early planting is key)
Ct-P-Ct-P
Oat cover crop
F-F-Ct-P
Fescue
S-Ct-Ct-P
Oat cover crop
O-O-Ct-P
Orchardgrass VT in 2006
Virginia Tech at Tidewater REC 2006
YIELD!!!
Lint Yield
2000
50% higher yield
1210.4
1760.8
1801.3
1343.7
500
1158.5
1000
1188.5
lbs/acre
1500
0
Ct-Ct-Ct Ct-C-Ct Ct-P-Ct
F-F-Ct
Treatment
O-O-Ct S-Ct-Ct
Cotton Leaf Water Potential (2007)
-1.0
-1.2
-1.0
-1.2
-1.4
-1.2
-1.4
Non-irrigated Cotton
-1.2
-1.4
-1.6
-1.8
-1.8
Sod Cotton
Conv. Cotton 1
Conv. Cotton 2
-2.0
-2.2
40
60
80
-1.6
-1.8
-2.0
-2.0
-2.2
-2.2
-2.4
100
120
60
70
Days after-2.4
planting
20
40
-1.0
Irrigated Cotton
-1.4
-1.6
-1.6
-2.4
20
Leaf wter potential (MPa)
Leaf wter potential (MPa)
Leaf wter potential (MPa)
Irrigated Cotton
Leaf wter potential (MPa)
-1.0
-1.8
Sod Cotton
Conv. Cotton 1
Conv. Cotton 2
-2.0
-2.2
80
90
100
110
60
80
100
120
-2.4
60
Days after planti
Peanut Leaf Water Potential in 2007
Leaf water potential (MPa)
0.0
(0.53)
-0.5
(0.41)
(0.13)
(0.73)
-1.0
(0.12)
-1.5
-2.0
-2.5
-3.0
-3.5
40
Sod
(Irrigated)
(Non-irrigated)
Conv. (Irrigated)
(Non-irrigated)
60
80
100
120
Days after planting
Sod-based peanuts had less water stress than the conventional peanuts most of
the season under both irrigated and non-irrigated conditions.
We know bahia grass increase peanut yields consistently
Peanuts grown in soil
without Bahia roots
Peanuts grown in soil
with Bahia roots
Soil was from cultivated field with bahia roots added in pots in greenhouse
Percent peanut yield averaged over 8
years, Quincy
100
90
80
70
60
sod
sod
Conv.
Conv.
CBBP
PCCP
50
40
30
20
10
0
Irrigated
Non irrigated
Cotton Yield Response to Irrigation and
Grazing (2008 Marianna)
2500
Lint Yield (lbs./A)
2000
In bahia rotation
1968
1787
1712
1500
1348
1000
500
a
ab
bc
c
Irr
Non-irr
Irr
Non-irr
0
Grazed
Non Grazed
1.0
Soil BD (g/cm3) before peanut 2009 planting
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
0
Root limiting
Depth (cm)
20
40
60
80
100
Non-Irrigated Un-Grazed
Non-Irrigated Grazed
Irrigated Un-Grazed
Irrigated Grazed
2.0
0.0
0.5
SOM (%) before peanut 2009 planting
1.0
1.5
2.0
0
Depth (cm)
20
Bahia did not get established
due to drought in 2007, it was
established late the first
cycle so has been like
crops plus cover crops
40
Each area had oat/rye and was fertilized
with 50 lbs N/A and was cut
for high quality hay prior to peanut
60
80
100
Non-Irrigated Un-Grazed
Non-Irrigated Grazed
Irrigated Un-Grazed
Irrigated Grazed
2.5
Nitrate-N in soil profile of sod-based rotation after Bahia &
winter grazing and before peanut planting 2009, Marianna
0
5
10
15
N (lb/ac)
20
25
30
35
40
0
Depth (cm)
20
No bahia for 2 cycles,
fertilized cover crops
Nitrate is similar to OM content
40
60
80
100
Non-Irrigated Un-Grazed
Non-Irrigated Grazed
Irrigated Un-Grazed
Irrigated Grazed
45
Potassium (K) in soil profile of sod-based rotation after Bahia &
winter grazing and before peanut planting 2009, Marianna
K (lb/ac)
0
70
140
210
280
0
Depth (cm)
20
40
60
80
100
Non-Irrigated Un-Grazed
Non-Irrigated Grazed
Irrigated Un-Grazed
Irrigated Grazed
350
Nitrate-N in soil profile of sod-based rotation after BahiaPeanut and winter grazing before Cotton 2009, Marianna
0
4
Nitrate-N (lb/ac)
8
12
16
0
Depth (cm)
20
Cattle recycling N
40
60
80
100
Non-Irrigated Un-Grazed
Non-Irrigated Grazed
Irrigated Un-Grazed
Irrigated Grazed
20
0N
July 8, 2009
60 lbs N/A on 6/8/09
PCCP
0N
More N uptake due to higher SOM and soil
moisture content as well as deeper roots
BBCP
60 lbs N/A on 6/8/09
Soil nitrates at 2 ft depth in cotton
Little N left at end
of the season due
to higher uptake
From suction cup lysimeters
Potassium (K) in soil profile of sod-based rotation after BahiaPeanut and winter grazing before Cotton 2009, Marianna
K (lb/ac)
0
30
60
90
120
0
Depth (cm)
20
40
60
80
100
Non-Irrigated Un-Grazed
Non-Irrigated Grazed
Irrigated Un-Grazed
Irrigated Grazed
150
6
Marianna 2009 Year total 59.98 in (152.35 cm)
5
Rain (in)
4
3
2
1
0
High rainfall during harvest
Comparison of a conventional and a sod based
system
•Conventional system use land 125-155 days a year vs. year round with crops plus
winter grazing which controls weeds after first crop and is intense Not less intense
which is often the thought when going with bahiagrass
•Roots of row crops expand for the first 45-60 days before the plant goes into
reproductive stage of growth vs. continuous growth for perennial grasses which
leads to more soil exploration, nutrient and water utilization
•Nitrogen used on annual crops can be lost after crop maturity if a second crop is
not planted vs. being used for 6-9 months by perennial grass or 6 months by a
summer crop followed by 6 months for winter grazing
•Cattle recycle nutrients and if used at stocking rates of one animal per 1-2 acres
can prevent leaching of nutrients and can reduce applied N, P, K, and other
nutrients substantially
•Nutrient loss is highest with single annual crops using conventional tillage and is
less with cover crops with conservation tillage and cattle, vs. even less with crops
following bahiagrass with the least loss where cattle are part of the system
perennial/annual crop system
This rotation with perennial grass, livestock, annual row crops results in less irrigation
needed, less N needed, less N leached, higher yields of winter grazing, peanuts and
cotton, and 2-7 times more profit