Replacing Summer Fallow with Grain-type Field Peas in Semiarid Cropping Systems: Sustainability and Agronomic Evaluation

Replacing Summer Fallow with Grain-type Field Peas in Semiarid Cropping Systems: Sustainability and Agronomic Evaluation

Summary

Grain-type field pea is a short season legume crop that may be grown as a fallow alternative in wheat-fallow or wheat-corn-fallow rotations throughout the semiarid Great Plains. This project was designed to evaluate rotational costs and benefits of field pea and provide farmers with the ability and tools to make profitable decisions on whether to fallow or grow field peas. As a result of this project so far, field peas became an established crop in southwest NE and we built a foundation for sustainable field pea production in Central Great Plains. At the Field Pea Production Workshop, 85% of surveyed participants (92 attended) from NE, KS, WY, and CO reported that they are likely to adopt field peas in their crop rotations, 92 % reported that they are likely to adopt field peas management strategies, and they estimated knowledge gain at $30/ac value. Large adoption of field peas in Central Great Plains triggered a $9,000,000 investment by Gavilon Grain to build a processing facility for yellow split peas and created the opportunity for farmers to market field peas locally at an average price of $7/bu. In addition, we are working with the USDA Risk Management Agency to expand the federal crop insurance for field peas in the five largest field pea growing counties in southwest Nebraska.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objective 1: To compare impact of field peas vs summer fallow on water use, soil infiltration rates, soil fertility, biodiversity, yield of succeeding wheat crop and profitability.

Research results from our preliminary 2-year rotational benefit study (spring 2015-summer 2016) were presented at On-farm Research Update meeting in North Platte (Feb-2017) and published in the 2016 Growing Season On-farm Research Results Book. The full report on this study can be accessed by downloading the 2016 Results Book at: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch/resultshome. We are in still in the process of collecting data from two rotational benefit studies that started in spring 2016.

Objective 2: To determine optimal seeding placement, herbicide programs, inoculant types and seeding rates to grow field peas

Data from all four agronomic variables listed in Objective 2 is collected and analyzed. Herbicide study results were incorporated into a larger data set of statewide field pea herbicide evaluation program and published in the University of Nebraska’s 2017 Weed, Insect, and Disease Management Guide. Herbicide efficacy table for field peas can be downloaded by clicking on Field Pea Production Workshop Handout at http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/perkins-chase/ website. We are currently in the process of writing a manuscript on seeding placement, inoculant, and seeding rate to be published in the Agronomy Journal. An abbreviated report on the seeding rate study is published in 2016 Growing Season On-farm Research Results Book that can be downloading at: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch/resultshome

Objective 3: To select highest yielding (grain and protein) grain-type field pea varieties across the semiarid environments of NC region

We are starting to get 2-year and 3-year averages for some field pea varieties providing very valuable information on variety selection for field pea growers inthe  Central Great Plains region. Results from our field pea variety tests can be found at: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/varietytest/othercrops

Objective 4: develop comprehensive simulation model with detailed economic analysis to help farmers make profitable decision on whether to summer fallow or grow field peas

We have developed an Excel simulation model that allows farmers to compare profitability of multiple rotational scenarios with and without field peas. The simulation model has been presented at Field Pea Production Workshop and sent to individuals that requested it. However, it will not be published until we are done collecting and incorporating data from our rotational benefit studies.

Objective 5: To disseminate research results through field days, extension and peer-reviewed publications.

We disseminated research results by conducting:

• Wheat and Field Pea Plot Tour, Stumpf Wheat Center, Grant, June 15:
• Field Pea Production Workshop, Culbertson, NE, Nov 4
• Twitter activity
• Radio and television interviews
• Publishing articles in local and regional newspapers

Accomplishments/Milestones

Media outputs:

• 2 KRVN Interview on field peas: http://ruralradio.com/agricultural/audio-replacing-summer-fallow-with-field-peas/
• 1 High Plains radio interview: http://farmprogress.com/story-unl-research-shows-potential-benefits-field-peas-rotation-9-149364
• 4 news releases in Nebraska Farmer and 1 Nebraska Farmer radio podcast: http://www.nebraskafarmer.com/search/node/field%20pea
• 3 news releases in No-till Farmer: https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/search?q=field+pea
• Pure Nebraska TV Interview: http://www.1011now.com/content/news/Field-peas-becoming-popular-in-Nebraska-388973681.html
• 8 news releases published in several local newspapers across the Nebraska
• @agwithstrahinja Twitter activity-research-based information on field peas had 28524 Twitter impressions and 1331 Twitter engagements

Extension publications:

• 5 Crop Watch articles with total pageview count of 2387 (as of Sep 23, 2016).
  • New markets for field peas (collaborative article between K-state, CSU, and Nebraska Extension): http://cropwatch.unl.edu/2016/replacing-summer-fallow-grain-type-field-peas-new-markets-opportunities 351 pageviews
  • Rotation study: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/replacing-summer-fallow-grain-type-field-peas-rotational-costs-and-benefits 446 pageviews
  • Seeding rate study: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/replacing-summer-fallow-grain-type-field-peas-planting-population   252 pageviews
  • Field pea variety testing: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/varietytest/othercrops 1195 pageviews
  • Field Peas Field Day: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/2016/wheat-and-field-peas-plot-tour-june-15-near-grant 143 pageviews
• On-Farm Research Report Book – Preliminary rotational benefit study and 3 seeding rate studies are now published in 2017 Annual Report Book: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch/resultshome

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Impact of Wheat and Field Pea Field Day, Stumpf Wheat Center, Grant, June 15:

• Attendance and representation: 5 sponsors, 130 people attended, 42 surveyed individuals, 27258 acres directly farmed 2,328,900 acres represented.
• Knowledge gained: 95% moderate to significant increase in knowledge about rotational cost and benefits of field peas
• Anticipated behavior change: 89% reported to be likely change their behavior.
• Value of the program: 87% relevancy of topics was good to excellent, $15/ac estimated value of knowledge gained, 79% rated educational experience as above average and one of the best.
• Testimonials: “Good variety of complimentary info”; “Try peas”; “Famer Panel was great”; “Very timely and informative”; “Great presentations”; “Was an excellent program – Please do more than one year”.

Impact of Field Pea Production Workshop, Culbertson, NE, Nov 4:

• Attendance and representation: 10 sponsors, 92 people attended, 42 surveyed individuals, 19,000 acres directly farmed, and 1,880,100 acres represented.
• Knowledge gained: 77 % moderate to significant increase in knowledge about rotational costs and benefits field peas, 92 % reported moderate to significant improvement in ability to make informative decision on whether to plant field peas or fallow, 96 % individuals found data on field pea varieties, seeding rate, seeding depth, inoculant, and herbicide to be useful and very useful.
• Anticipated behavior change: 85 % reported to be likely to adopt field pea crop in their rotation, 92 % reported to be likely to adopt field peas management strategies
• Value of the program: 98 % reported for this educational program to be above average and one of the best, $30/ac estimated value of knowledge gained.

Collaborators: