Seed size variability has implications for achieving cover cropping goals

Lounsbury, Natalie P.; Warren, Nicholas; Hobbie, Julia; Darby, Heather; Ryan, Matthew R.; Mortensen, David A.; Smith, Richard G.

doi:10.1002/ael2.20080

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Similarly, Lounsbury et al. (2022) found that cereal rye seed size varied widely across cultivars, which could result in major differences in plant populations if a mass‐based, rather than density‐based, seeding rate is used. Such differences can also have economically significant ramifications, especially as the price per unit (i.e., bag of seed) can also vary a lot.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mean seed mass for the barley cultivars was 73% and 38%, 76% and 74%, and 37% and 20% greater than the Aroostook cereal rye seed mass for barley, triticale, and the three other cereal rye cultivars in 2014 and 2015, respectively (Table 2). Similarly, Lounsbury et al (2022) found that cereal rye seed size varied widely across cultivars, which could result in major differences in plant populations if a mass-based, rather than density-based, seeding rate is used. Such differences can also have economically significant ramifications, especially as the price per unit (i.e., bag of seed) can also vary a lot.…”

Section: Cover Crop Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Optimizing organic no‐till planted soybean with cover crop selection and termination timing

et al. 2023

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Research is needed to develop and optimize agroecological practices that can replace unsustainable managementand increase agricultural diversification. Field experiments were conducted in Maryland and New York to assess the effect of cover crop cultivar selection and cover crop termination soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] planting (roll‐plant) date on cover crop growth stage, biomass, and reseeding; weed biomass; and soybean density and yield in organically managed no‐till planted soybean production. Twelve winter cereal cultivars—four each for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), and triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus.)—were seeded at equivalent densities and terminated at four roll‐plant dates. Although many cover crop cultivars had not yet reached the recommended growth stage for adequate termination (anthesis) at the earlier roll‐plant dates, greater soybean yields and similar cover crop reseeding, compared with later dates, were observed. Weed biomass was low across treatments despite cover crop biomass production below the recommended threshold of 8 Mg ha−1. When pooled over cultivars, triticale performed as well as cereal rye in terms of biomass production, weed suppression, and soybean yield. Within each species, differences in weed biomass and soybean yield were observed among cultivars, but inconsistent across site‐years. Results from this research also show that planting soybean before cover crop anthesis can help maximize yield. Farmers can improve management in cover crop‐based no‐till planted soybean by selecting regionally adapted winter cereal species and cultivars that perform well across a range of outcomes, rather than focusing exclusively on biomass production.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cover Crop Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing organic no‐till planted soybean with cover crop selection and termination timing

et al. 2023

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“…Winter cereals were drill-planted at a depth of 2.5-3.8 cm with 19-cm row spacing on September 19, 2014, in NY andOctober 2, 2014, in MD. Although some farmers do not prioritize early winter cereal planting dates, these dates were selected due to the importance of fall growing degree days for biomass production in the spring (Mirsky et al, 2009). Earlier fall planting dates are also compatible with the typical harvest Seed size can vary widely across species and even cultivars, leading to potentially large differences in plant populations when using mass-based seeding rates (Lounsbury et al, 2022). To address this issue, all twelve winter cereals were seeded at an equivalent rate based on seed density, with "Aroostook" cereal rye as the reference cultivar.…”

Section: Experimental Design and Field Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Winter cereal species, cultivar, and harvest timing affect trade-offs between forage quality and yield

Liebert

Cherney

Ketterings

et al. 2023

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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Volatile feed costs and extreme weather events are contributing to greater economic risk and precarity throughout much of the United States dairy industry. These challenges have prompted dairy farmers to seek ways to reduce feed imports without compromising milk production. For organic dairy farmers, the need to produce more homegrown forage is exacerbated by the high cost and limited supply of organic feed. Integrating winter cereals for forage as part of a double-cropping system is a potential solution, but increasing the amount of forage in dairy cow rations can reduce milk production if the forages are not managed for optimal quality. Organically managed field experiments in Maryland (MD) and New York (NY) were conducted to address two primary objectives: (1) determine the yield and quality of winter cereals—four cultivars each for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), and triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus.)—grown as forage and harvested at different crop growth stages, and (2) evaluate the trade-offs between yield and quality in relation to winter cereal phenology and harvest date. Mean yield at a commonly harvested growth stage, swollen boot (Zadoks 45), was 1.3, 2.2, and 2.2 Mg ha−1 in MD and 1.8, 2.5, and 2.9 Mg ha−1 in NY for barley, cereal rye, and triticale, respectively. Mean relative forage quality (RFQ) at the same growth stage was 180, 158, and 163 in MD and 179, 156, and 157 in NY for the three species. Overall, cereal rye reached swollen boot stage the earliest, barley produced the highest RFQ and retained high quality the longest, and cereal rye and triticale produced the highest yields. Based on these results, farmers should consider barley cultivars if quality is the priority and winter-hardiness is not a concern; cereal rye cultivars if an early harvest is most important; and triticale cultivars if greater harvest schedule flexibility would be most valuable. These findings can be used to better meet the needs of dairy farmers, enhance double-cropping system performance, and improve the synchronization of harvest timing with the specific needs of lactating dairy cows, dry cows, heifers, and calves.

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“…This seeding rate gradient includes lower rates that are commonly used by growers targeting soil-health management goals and higher rates that are believed to optimize weed suppression potential within low-input systems. Cereal rye seed lots were not subsampled to quantify seed mass (i.e., seeds per kilogram), which constrains our inferences to relative comparisons of seeding rates within site-years, given the potential for variation in seed size that has been observed (Lounsberry et al 2022).…”

Section: Experimental Design and Field Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cereal rye seeding rate does not affect magnitude of weed suppression when planting green within Mid-Atlantic United States

2022

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In the Mid-Atlantic United States, there is increasing interest in delaying cereal rye termination until after soybean planting (i.e., planting green). Improved understanding of cereal rye seeding rate effects is needed to balance weed and agronomic management goals. We investigated the effects of cereal rye seeding rates on weed control and crop performance when planting green in complementary experiments in two Mid-Atlantic US regions. The Pennsylvania experiment was replicated at three site-years and the Delaware experiment at two site-years. In both experiments, population-level weed responses were evaluated across four cereal rye seeding rates: 0, 51, 101, 135 kg ha-1. The Delaware experiment also implemented a nitrogen treatment factor (0 and 34 kg N ha-1; spring applied). Both experiments showed that integrating cereal rye in the fall significantly improved winter- and summer- annual weed suppression compared to the fallow control, but no differences in total cereal rye biomass production or weed suppression were found among alternative cereal rye seeding rates (51 to 135 kg ha-1). Soybean yield did not differ among treatments in any of the studies. These results show there is no reason to increase cereal rye seeding rates for weed suppression services or decrease seeding rates for agronomic reasons (i.e., soybean population and yield) when employing planting green tactics in no-till soybean production within the Mid-Atlantic US region.

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Seed size variability has implications for achieving cover cropping goals

Cited by 3 publications

References 34 publications

Optimizing organic no‐till planted soybean with cover crop selection and termination timing

Optimizing organic no‐till planted soybean with cover crop selection and termination timing

Winter cereal species, cultivar, and harvest timing affect trade-offs between forage quality and yield

Cereal rye seeding rate does not affect magnitude of weed suppression when planting green within Mid-Atlantic United States

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