Improving winter grain yields, grain quality, and nitrogen use efficiency in New England using adaptive management

Improving winter grain yields, grain quality, and nitrogen use efficiency in New England using adaptive management

Summary

Five farmers participated in a second year of on-farm strip trials evaluating in-season diagnostic testing for winter grains.  Eight individual trials were conducted (3 in winter wheat, 3 in winter rye, and 2 in winter spelt).  Advisory teams in each state, comprised of participating farmers, crop advisors, project staff and PIs, met over the winter to evaluate results from the 2014 trials and design 2015 trials and data collection to address new questions.  Project PIs conducted a second year of extensive on-station trials at three sites (ME, NY, and VT).  Take home messages from the trials to date are: 1) to achieve optimal yields, start by using proper seeding methods and rates to ensure adequate plant densities going into the winter; 2) if spring tiller densities are low, topdressing at spring green-up can successfully increase tiller and spike density in winter rye as well as winter wheat; 3) if spring tiller densities are high, topdressing can increase the portion of tillers that develop into productive spikes but also may increase lodging, particularly in taller species or varieties; and 4) counting tillers at spring greenup shows promise as a tool to guide topdress nitrogen application decisions for winter grains but critical levels may need to be reduced for winter rye as compared with winter wheat.  614 farmers, agricultural service providers, students, and researchers learned about winter grain nitrogen management and this project from presentations at 5 field days and 2 winter conferences held in Maine, Vermont, and New York.

Objectives/Performance Targets

50 farmers adopt in-season diagnostic testing for winter grain production on 800 acres, and thus improve nitrogen use efficiency by 30% or more, for bread wheat meet the 12% grain protein standard on 600 acres, and increase the value of their grain by an average of $300/ton, or $180,000/year.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1. 500 producers and crop advisors in New England learn about the project through grower meetings, advisor meetings, websites, and newsletters (fall 2013).

Completed March 2014.

2. 120 grain producers participate in a survey (online or at meetings) of current fertility practices for winter wheat (fall 2013/winter 2014).

Completed March 2015.  A survey was distributed at the 2014 and 2015 Maine Grain Conferences and online to Vermont grain growers in 2014.  Of the 210 farmers (90 in ME; 120 in VT) who received the survey, 43 (20%) responded.  This is a lower response rate than expected, but does give a good baseline from which to evaluate our project.

3. 7-10 person advisory teams composed of farmers, millers, bakers, service providers, and project PIs will meet in each state to develop outreach events and discuss research plans, results, and needs (Nov/Dec 2013, 2014, and 2015).

Completed for 2014 and 2015.  In Maine, an advisory team comprised of 3 farmers, 1 miller, 1 crop advisor, and 2 project PIs was formed and met on March 27, 2014 and March 24, 2015.  In Vermont, the advisory team is comprised of 6 famers, 3 millers, 2 bakers, 2 service providers, and 1 project PI.  This group meets as part of the Northern Grain Growers Association meetings, and discussed this project at their March 2014 and February and November 2015 meetings. In Massachusetts, project PIs met individually with the one participating farmer on March 13, 2014 and April 23, 2015. The Project PIs also communicated with this farmer via email and by phone prior to the meeting.  At these meetings, the farmers and PIs reviewed the project and performance targets, planned initial trials, discussed results from the 2014 season, and planned trials for the 2015 based on 2014 results. 

4. 3 research station trials (NY, ME, VT) are conducted to evaluate and calibrate in-season nitrogendiagnostic tests and recommendations are developed for growers and service providers (2014 and 2015 growing seasons).

Completed August 2015.  Research trials were implemented in the fall of 2013 and completed in July of 2014 at the UMaine Rogers Research Farm, Old Town, Maine; Borderview Research Farm, Alburgh, Vermont, and the Cornell Willsboro Research Farm, Willsboro, New York.  At these same sites, repeat trials were established in the fall of 2014 and completed in August of 2015.

5. At least 9 farmer collaborators implement strip trials of in-season diagnostic testing for winter grains (2014 and 2015 growing seasons).

Completed August 2015.  7 collaborating farmers (3 in VT, 3 in ME, and 1 in MA) implemented a total of 21 strip trials over two years (8 in winter rye, 7 in winter wheat, 5 in winter spelt and 1 in winter triticale).  4 of these trials were discontinued due to severe winterkill and data was not collected for another 2 due to severe lodging and weed pressure.

6. 3 farmers host on-farm nitrogen management field days (each summer, 2014, 2015, and 2016).

Completed for 2014 and 2015.  In 2014, field days were hosted at the Rogers Research Farm, Old Town, Maine on June 26; Beidler Family Farm, Randolph, Vermont on July 17;  Borderview Research Farm, Alburgh, Vermont on July 24; Butterworks Farms, Westfield, Vermont on August 28; and Cornell Willsboro Research Farm, Willsboro, New York on July 9.  In 2015, field days were hosted at the Rogers Research Farm, Old Town, Maine on July 16; Rusted Rooster Farm, Parkman, Maine on July 23; Borderview Research Farm, Alburgh, Vermont on June 27 and July 23; and Willsboro Research Farm, Willsboro, New York on July 8.

7. 300 grain producers and agricultural service providers attend on-farm demonstrations, field days, and winter workshops where they increase their knowledge of winter grain nitrogen management and how to use in-season diagnostic testing to improve N-use efficiency, reduce nitrogen loss and increase grain protein (July 2014 – July 2016).

Progress to date:  In 2014, attendance totaled 569 for 6 events held in Maine, Vermont, and New York at which winter grain nitrogen management was discussed.  These were the Maine Grain Conference (83); the Rogers Farm Field Day (44); Vermont’s Annual Grain Growers Conference (125); the Beidler Family Farm Field Day (42); the Borderview Research Farm Annual Field Day (225); and the Willsboro Research Farm Field Day (50).  In 2015, attendance totaled 614 for 7 events held in Maine, Vermont, and New York at which winter grain nitrogen management was discussed. Attendees were present from CT, MA, ME, NY, VT, NH, and QC.   These were: the Maine Grain Conference (75); the Rogers Farm Field Day (45); the Rusted Rooster Farm Walk (18); Vermont’s Annual Grain Growers Conference (133); the Borderview Grain Research Tour (42); the Borderview Research Farm Annual Field Day (236); and the Willsboro Research Farm Field Day (65).

8. 500 grain producers and agricultural service providers will learn in-season diagnostic testing procedures and results from web resources including videos, factsheets, and a topdress N-rate calculator (Jan 2014 and Aug 2016).

To date, two reports have been produced, posted online, and distributed that summarize the adaptive nitrogen management approach and results of the 2014 on-farm research trials:

Traclet, L., T. Molloy, E. Cummings, H. Darby, and E. Mallory. 2015. Determining Topdress Nitrogen Needs for Winter Grains: 2014 Maine and Vermont Research Report. University of Maine Extension Research Report.

Darby, H., E. Cummings, S. Monahan, J. Post, and S. Ziegler. 2015. Improving Winter Grain Yields, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency Using Adaptive Management: 2014 Four Star Farm Report. University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Report.

9. 50 farmers will report having implemented in-season diagnostic tests and document changes in nitrogen applications, yields, grain protein levels (for bread wheat), and revenue (by July 2016).

At this time, 4 farmers have started evaluating the on-farm diagnostic tool and modifying nitrogen rates. The on-farm trials have given these farmers the opportunity to compare their current nitrogen fertility program with the in-season diagnostic test and different nitrogen fertility programs.  Based on our first year results, farmers have focused on optimizing fall planting rates and establishment, reducing fall nitrogen application rates, and focusing nitrogen applications at spring green-up. 

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Five farmers participated in a second year of on-farm strip trials evaluating in-season diagnostic testing for winter grains.  Advisory teams in each state, comprised of participating farmers, crop advisors, project staff and PIs, met over the winter to evaluate results from the 2014 trials and design 2015 trials and data collection to address new questions.  Participating farmers added new treatments including preplant nitrogen and additional topdress timings and rates.  As well, they added new measurements such as grain moisture at harvest to determine if topdressing nitrogen delays harvest.  Maine farmers also were interested in investigating swathing as a way to speed up grain dry down so a separate swathing study was conducted at the Maine research station.  Two of the on-farm sites were discontinued due to winterkill, and one was not harvested due to severe lodging.  In conjunction with the on-farm trials, project PIs conducted a second year of extensive on-station trials at three sites (ME, NY, and VT).  Major take home messages from the trials to date are: 1) to achieve optimal yields, start by using proper seeding methods and rates to ensure adequate plant densities going into the winter; 2) topdressing at spring green-up can successfully increase tiller and spike density in winter rye as well as winter wheat; 3) for sites with high initial tiller densities, topdressing can increase the portion of tillers that develop into productive spikes but can also increase lodging, especially for taller species and varieties; and 4) counting tillers at spring greenup shows promise as a tool to guide topdress nitrogen applications for winter grains but critical levels may need to be reduced for winter rye as compared with winter wheat.  As a result of this project, two Maine farmers have adjusted seeding methods and rates for winter rye and one Massachusetts farmer has increased nitrogen topdress rates for winter wheat.

Collaborators: