Western Kansas Research-Extension Centers

Dryland Cropping Systems Research

Occasional Tillage in a Wheat-Sorghum-Fallow Rotation

A. Schlegel and J. D. Holman
Abstract: Beginning in 2012, research was conducted in Garden City and Tribune, KS, to determine the effect of a single tillage operation every 3 years on grain yields in a wheat-sorghum- fallow (WSF) rotation. Grain yields of wheat and grain sorghum were generally not affected by a single tillage operation every 3 years in a WSF rotation. Grain yield varied greatly by year from 2014 to 2020. Wheat yields ranged across years from mid-20s to 90 bu/a at Tribune and less than 10 to 100 bu/a at Garden City. Grain sorghum yields ranged from 40 to greater than 140 bu/a, depending upon year and location. In 2019 wheat yields at Garden City were less when tillage was implemented post-wheat harvest in 2016. There were no other years or locations where grain yields were significantly affected by a single tillage operation. However, at Tribune, when averaged across the 7-year period, a single tillage after wheat harvest reduced grain sorghum yields compared to a complete no-till (NT) system. At Garden City, averaged across the 7-year period, wheat yields were not different, but tended to be greater following a single one-time tillage prior to wheat. This indicates that if a single tillage operation is needed to control troublesome weeds, that tillage during fallow prior to wheat planting may be better than tillage after wheat harvest. This study supports the hypothesis that if herbicide-resistant weed populations are high enough to cause yield reductions, then tillage might improve yields.

Large-Scale Dryland Cropping Systems

A. Schlegel, L. Haag and A. Burnett
Abstract: This study was conducted from 2008–2020 at the Kansas State University Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS. The purpose of the study was to identify whether more intensive cropping systems can enhance and stabilize production in rainfed cropping systems to optimize economic crop production, more efficiently capture and utilize scarce precipitation, and maintain or enhance soil resources and environmental quality. The crop rotations evaluated were continuous grain sorghum (SS), wheat-fallow (WF), wheat-corn-fallow (WCF), wheat-sorghum-fallow (WSF), wheat-corn-sorghum-fallow (WCSF), and wheat-sorghum-corn-fallow (WSCF). All rotations were grown using no-tillage (NT) practices except for WF, which was grown using reduced-tillage. The efficiency of precipitation capture was not greater with more intensive rotations. Length of rotation had little effect on wheat yields. Corn and grain sorghum yields were approximately 50% greater when following wheat than when following corn or grain sorghum. Grain sorghum yields were approximately 40% greater than corn in similar rotations.

Tillage Intensity in a Long-Term Wheat-Sorghum-Fallow Rotation

A. Schlegel and A. Burnett
Abstract: This study was initiated in 1991 at the Kansas State University Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS. The purpose of the study was to identify the effects of tillage intensity on precipitation capture, soil water storage, and grain yield in a wheat-sorghum- fallow rotation. Grain yields of wheat and grain sorghum increased with decreased tillage intensity in a wheat-sorghum-fallow (WSF) rotation. In 2020, available soil water at sorghum planting was greater for no-tillage (NT) than reduced tillage (RT), which was greater than conventional tillage (CT). For wheat there was a similar pattern as sorghum, with available soil water at wheat planting being in the order of NT > RT > CT. Averaged across the 20-year study, available soil water at wheat planting was similar for NT and RT and approximately 1 inch greater than CT. Average available soil water at sorghum planting was greater in the order RT = NT > CT. Averaged across the past 20 years, NT wheat yields were 5 bu/a greater than RT and 8 bu/a greater than CT. Averaged across the past 20 years, sorghum yields with long-term NT have been 58% greater than with short-term NT (79 vs. 50 bu/a).

Wheat and Grain Sorghum in Four-Year Rotations

A. Schlegel, J. D. Holman, and A. Burnett
Abstract: In 1996, an effort began to quantify soil water storage, crop water use, and crop productivity on dryland systems in western Kansas. Research on 4-year crop rotations with wheat and grain sorghum was initiated at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS. Rotations were wheat-wheat-sorghum-fallow (WWSF), wheat-sorghum-sorghum-fallow (WSSF), and continuous wheat (WW). Soil water at wheat planting averaged about 9 in. following sorghum, which is about 3 in. more than the average for the second wheat crop in a WWSF rotation. Soil water at sorghum planting was only about 1.5 in. less for the second sorghum crop compared with sorghum following wheat. Grain yields of sorghum in 2020 in all rotations were near the long-term average. For wheat, grain yields in 2020 were similar after fallow following sorghum, but much less after wheat. Grain yield of recrop wheat averaged about 75% of the yield of wheat following sorghum. Grain yield of continuous wheat averaged about 60% of the yield of wheat grown in a 4-year rotation following sorghum. Generally, wheat yields were similar following one or two sorghum crops; however, averaged across years, wheat yields were 2 bu/a greater following two sorghum crops than following one sorghum crop. Average sorghum yields were the same following one or two wheat crops. Yield of the second sorghum crop in a WSSF rotation averages ~65% of the yield of the first sorghum crop.

Wheat Stubble Height on Subsequent Corn and Grain Sorghum Crops

A. Schlegel and L. Hagg
Abstract: A field study initiated in 2006 at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS, was designed to evaluate the effects of three wheat stubble heights on subsequent grain yields of corn and grain sorghum. Corn and sorghum yields in 2020 were near the long-term average despite lower than normal precipitation. When averaged across years from 2007 through 2020, corn grain yields were 8 bu/a greater when planted into either high or strip-cut wheat stubble than into low-cut stubble. Average grain sorghum yields were 5 bu/a greater in high-cut stubble than low-cut stubble. Similarly, water use efficiency was greater for high or strip-cut stubble for corn, and greater for high-cut stubble for grain sorghum than for low-cut stubble. Harvesting wheat stubble shorter than necessary causes a yield penalty for the subsequent corn and grain sorghum crops.

 

Collaborations

Determining Profitable Forage Rotations

J. Holman, A. Obour, A. Schlegel, T. Roberts, and S. Maxwell

Estimating Annual Forage Yields with Plant Available Water and Growing Season Precipitation

J. Holman, A. Obour, A. Schlegel, T. Roberts, and S. Maxwell

Integrated Grain and Forage Rotations

J. Holman, A. Obour, A. Schlegel, T. Roberts, and S. Maxwell

 

Related Publications

  • Obour, A.K., J.D. Holman, L.M. Simon, and A.J. Schlegel. 2012. Strategic tillage effect on crop yields, soil properties, and weeds in dryland no-tillage systems. Agronomy 2021, 11, 662. DOI:10.3390/agronomy11040662

  • Holman, J.D., L.A. Haag, A.J. Schlegel, and Y. Assefa. 2021. Yield components of dryland winter wheat genotypes and response to seeding rate. Argon. J. 113:1776-1791. DOI:10.1002/agj2.20607

  • Holman, J.D., A. Schlegel, A.K. Obour, and Y. Assefa. 2020. Dryland cropping system impact on forage accumulation, nutritive value, and rainfall use efficiency. Crop Sci. n/a/;n/a. DOI:10.1002/csc2.20251

  • Schlegel, A.J., J.D. Holman, and Y. Assefa. 2020. A single tillage on a long-term no-till system on dryland crop performance. Agron. J. 112:3174-3187 DOI:10.1002/agj2.20284

  • Obour, A.K., J.D. Holman, and A.J. Schlegel. 2020. Spring triticale forage response to seeding rate and nitrogen application. Agrosyst Geosci Environ. 2020;3:e20053. DOI: 10.1002/agg2.20053

  • Munaro, L.B., T.J. Hefley, E. DeWolf, S. Haley, A.K. Fritz, G. Zhang, L.A. Haag, A.J. Schlegel, J.T. Edwards, D. Marburger, P. Alderman, S.M. Jones-Diamond, J. Johnson, J.E. Lingenfelser, S.H. Unêda-Trevisoli, and R.P. Lollato. 2020. Exploring long-term variety performance trials to improve enviroment-specific genotype x management recommendations: A case-study for winter wheat. J. Field Crops Research v255. DOI:10.1016/j.fcr.2020.107848

  • Havlin, J.L., and A.J. Schlegel. 2020. Enhancing phosphorus-use efficiency in crop production. Burleigh Dodds Series in Ag. Sci. DOI:10.19103/as.2019.0062.08
  • Obour, A.K., J.D. Holman, and A.J. Schlegel. 2019. Seeding rate and nitrogen application effects on oat forage yield and nutritive value. J. Plant Nutrition 42:13, 1452-1460. DOI:10.1080/01904167.2019.1617311
  • Schlegel, A.J., Y. Assefa, L.A. Hagg, C.R. Thompson, and L.R. Stone. 2019. Soil water and water use in long-term dryland crop rotations. Argon. J. 111:2590-2599. DOI:10.2134/agronj2018.09.0623

  • Schwartz, R.C., A.J. Schlegel, J.M. Bell, R.L. Baumhart, and S.R. Evett. 2019. Contrasting tillage effects on stored soil water, infiltration and evapotranspiration fluxes in a dryland rotation at two locations. Soil and Tillaga Research 190:157-174. DOI:10.1016/j.still.2019.02.013

  • Schlegel, A.J., Y., Assefa, L.A. Haag, C.R. Thompson, and L.R. Stone. 2019. Yield and overall productivity under long-term wheat-based crop rotations: 2000 through 2016. Agron. J. 111:264-274. doi:10.2134/agronj2018.03.0171

  • Schlegel, A.J., Y., Assefa, L.A. Haag, C.R. Thompson, and L.R. Stone. 2018. Long-term tillage on yield and water use of grain sorghum and winter wheat. Agron. J. 110:269-280. doi:10.2134/ag ronj2017.02.0104

  • Schlegel, A.J., F.R. Lamm*, Y. Assefa, and L.R. Stone. 2018. Dryland corn and grain sorghum yield response to available soil water at planting. Agron. J. 110:236-245. doi:10.2134/agronj2017.07.0398

  • Ciampitti, I.A., P.V.V. Prasad, A.J. Schlegel, L. Haag, R. W. Schnell, B. Arnall, and J. Lofton. 2017. Genotype x environment x management interactions: US sorghum cropping systems. p. 20. In I.A. Ciampitti and P.V.V. Prasad (eds.) Sorghum: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. Agron. Monogr. 58. ASA and CSSA, Madison, WI. doi:10:2134/agronmonogr58.2014.0067

  • Lamm, F.R., D.H. Rogers, A.J. Schlegel, X. Lin, R.M. Aiken, N.L. Klocke, L. R. Stone, and L.K. Shaw. 2017. Trends in plant available soil water on producer fields of western Kansas. Applied Eng. Agric. 33(6):859-868. DOI: 10.13031/aea.12452

  • Holman, J.D., K. Arnet, A. Dille, I. Kisekka, S. Maxwell, A. Obour, T., Roberts, K. Roozeboom, and A.J. Schlegel. 2018. Can cover or forage crops replace fallow in the semiarid central Great Plains. Crop Sci. 58:1-13. DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2017.05.0324

  • Moberly, J.T., R.M. Aiken, X. Lin, A.J. Schlegel, R.L. Baumhardt, and R.C. Schwartz. 2017. Crop water production functions of grain sorghum and winter wheat in Kansas and Texas. J. Cont. Water Resource Res. Educ. 162:L42-60.

  • Schlegel, A.J., Y. Assefa, L.A. Haag, C.R. Thompson, J.D. Holman, and L.R. Stone. 2017. Yield and soil water in three dryland wheat and grain sorghum rotations. Agron. J. 109:227-238. DOI: 10.2134/agronj2016.05.0294

  • Schlegel, A.J., Y. Assefa, T.J.Dumler, L.A. Haag, L.R. Stone, A.D. Halvorson, and C.R. Thompson. 2016. Limited irrigation of corn-based no-till crop rotations in west central Great Plains. Agron. J. 108:1132-1141. DOI: 10.2134/agronj2015.0536

  • Assefa, Y., K. Roozeboom, C.R. Thompson, A.J. Schlegel, L.R. Stone, and J. Lingenfelser. 2014. Corn and grain sorghum comparison: All things considered. Academic Press, Elsevier, Oxford, UK

  • Taylor, R.K. S.A. Staggenborg, C.B. Godsey, A.J. Schlegel, and R.D. Kochenower. 2014. A method to evaluate seeder performance. J. Agric. Engineering 1:38-42