Growing Grain, Forage and/or Ethanol Feedstock

Growing Grain, Forage and/or Ethanol Feedstock

Summary

Winter wheat double cropping systems in Indiana must be carefully managed to maximize agronomic and economic yield, which will vary according to yearly weather and economic changes. There are significant dry matter (DM) yield losses associated with planting into wheat stubble for both grain and silage crops at all three wheat harvests/second crop planting dates (wheat boot stage, heading and grain maturity), with the exception of soybean grain yield at the first two dates. When considered as a system on a digestible DM yield per acre basis, the double crop systems are competitive with traditional single crop silage production methods.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1) Collection of data which assesses the productivity and profitability of winter wheat based cropping systems in Indiana for grain, silage and ethanol production.
This data set is complete. Yield, DM content, in vitro dry matter digestibility, fractional fiber analysis, crude protein content and volatile fatty acid content of silage have been recorded. The data and conclusions drawn from this data set are presented in the forthcoming doctoral dissertation by Shoaf at Purdue University and preliminary economic models are being printed for publication in The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers Journal, by Navarro et al.
2) Outreach presentations of results:
The results of this experiment have been presented at the American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America annual meeting in San Antonio, TX (October 16-19, 2011) (50 attendees): and at the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) Meetings in French Lick, IN (June 12-15, 2011) (75 attendees). These results have also been presented at Purdue University Wheat Field Days (June, 2011) (50 attendees) and at the Purdue University Forage Field Day (May, 2011) (50 attendees).
Peer reviewed publications are forthcoming.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Completion of data compilation and analysis.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

This research has been well received at academic and producer oriented conferences and events. The project was the subject of a position paper and oral presentation for which Samantha Shoaf was awarded the Emerging Scientist award at the AFGC Annual Meeting in 2011. Forthcoming extension and peer reviewed publications will further publicize results of this project.

Collaborators: