Performance of red clover and oilseed radish interseeded into corn

Performance of red clover and oilseed radish interseeded into corn

Summary

Note: For original report with complete tables and photos, contact nesare@uvm.edu

Goals:
New York farmers are interested in using cover crops in corn grain production to reduce their dependence on commercial nitrogen fertilizer. Establishment of cover crops following corn grain harvest is impossible, however, due to the short period between harvest and a killing frost. This project will evaluate the performance and effects of two very different cover crops-red clover and oilseed radish-interseeded into a young corn crop. The crop will be grown at two different population densities to determine whether manipulation of the corn canopy can affect cover crop establishment and extent of competitiveness with corn.
Measurements will include corn, cover crop and weed density and grain yield in both 2008 and 2009. PSNT test will be taken on the biomass in the spring 2009.

Our farming operation will be changing somewhat due to health reasons. We have sold the cows and will be selling the remaining 45 head this spring (2009), and cutting back on the tillable acreage to 125 acres of corn.

Technical Support: Dr. Matthew Harbur will continue to provide technical support to the project, running PSNT test and providing Alfred State College student opportunity for hands on experience during the spring 2009.

All treatments of the two trials were planted (Random Block Design) on May 10, 2008. The interceding of the cover crops was seeded at corn planting time and at the V8 growth stage of the corn plant. On August 29, 2008 a field day was held where approximately 76 farmers and students viewed the plots and listened to presentations. On November 26 the plots were harvested for grain yield. The harvesting was much latter than I had anticipated, due to health reasons. On January 17, 2009 I spoke to over 200 farmers at a growers meeting and shared the information of the project. The only thing changed from the initial project was the second timing of the interseeding from the corn plant 2nd leaf stage to the V8 stage. The reason for this is because; I felt that the corn plant needs more time to establish to avoid any competition of the interseeding which proved to be a correct decision.
TSM Services
2008 SARE Grain Corn Trial 22,000 Plants/acre
Trial ID: 08CRSt SARE Study Dir.: Dr. Ron Stutzman
Location: Arkport, NY Investigator: Dr. Randal Simonson
Character Rated Yield
Rating Unit
Trt Treatment
No. Name Percent Yield Moisture bu/acre
1 OR seeded at corn planting 24.5a 105.33b
2 RC seeded at corn plant 23.27a 148.17a
3 OR seeded when corn at V8 24a 153.9a
4 RC seeded when corn at V8 24.4a 157.67a
5 Check 24.7a 136.77a
LSD (P=.10) 1.438 30.172

In the above table with the trial of 22,000 corn plants per acre in treatment #1 there was major competition of the oilseed radish to the corn plants. Note, there is a 43 bushel difference between treatment #1 and #2 because of the competition from the interseeding. In this tral of 22,000 corn plants per acre the treatments #3 and #4 out performed the treatments #1 and #2 because of the lack of competition from the interseeding. There also seems to be a response to the nitrogen fixation from the rhizobia bacteria with the redcover in treatment #4 over #3 by 4 bushels per acre. Hopefully the nitrogen will show up being a greater advantage for the spring planting in 2009.

TSM Services
2008 SARE Grain Corn Trial 32,000 Plants/acre

Trial ID: 08CRSt SARE 32000 Study Dir.: Dr. Ron Stutzman
Location: Arkport, NY Investigator: Dr. Randal Simonson
Character Rated Moisture Yield
Rating Unit Percent bu/acre

Trt Treatment
No. Name Percent Yield Moisture bu/acre
1 OR seeded at corn planting 24.47a 104.7b
2 RC seeded at corn plant 24.47a 156.83a
3 OR seeded when corn at V8 24.37a 166.77a
4 RC seeded when corn at V8 23.97a 181.6a
5 Check 23.87a 158.77a
LSD (P=.10) 1.23 43.602

Note the two red clover treatments out performed the oilseed radish in the above table, which may be attributed to the additional nitrogen from the nitrogen fixation of the legume.

When the two trials are compared together, the greatest yield difference is due to the corn plant population of 32000 plants per acre, and the weed control with the interseeding competition of the oilseed radish in treatment number 1. The best seeding establishment was with the 22000 corn plant population due to less shading from the corn and with treatments 3 and 4 where roundup was used to control the weeds before the interseeding was made.

This spring of 2009, I would like to replace the oilseed radish interseeding treatment with winter vetch since it is a legume and produces nitrogen and also, decrease the corn plant population from 32000 to 30000 and bring the 22000 corn plant population up to 24000.
This spring I will be running nitrogen test on the treatments with the established seedings to determine the amount of nitrogen for the 2009 corn crop. In the fall, after the 2009 corn harvest we will than be able to see if it is monetarily feasible to replace some of the commercial nitrogen with interseeded legume.
Note the four attached photos.

Collaborators: