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Southwest Research Center – Tribune

Contact Info

Southwest Research Center - Tribune
1474 State Highway 96
Tribune, Kansas 67879
Phone: (620) 376-4761
Fax: (620) 376-2278

Irrigation

 

Alternative Cropping Systems with Limited Irrigation

A. Schlegel
Abstract: A limited irrigation study involving four cropping systems and evaluating four crop rotations was initiated in 2012 at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS. The cropping systems were two annual systems (continuous corn [C-C] and continuous grain sorghum [GS-GS]) and two 2-year systems (corn-grain sorghum [C-GS] and corn-winter wheat [C-W]). In 2019, corn yields were similar for all rotations, although averaged across the past 7 years, corn yields were greater following wheat than following corn. There were no significant differences in grain sorghum yields in 2019, which was similar to the multi-year average. Wheat yields were greater than the multi-year average.

Long-Term Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilization of Irrigated Grain Sorghum

A. Schlegel and H. D. Bond
Abstract: Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated corn in western Kansas. In 2019, N applied alone increased yields by 71 bu/a, whereas P applied alone increased yields 10 bu/a. Nitrogen and P applied together increased yields up to 131 bu/a, which is 10 bu/a less than the 10-year average of 141 bu/a. Application of 120 lb N/a (with highest P rate) produced 97% of maximum yield in 2019, which is slightly greater than the 10-year average. Application of 80 instead of 40 lb P2O5/a increased average yields 4 bu/a. Average grain N content reached a maximum of 0.6 lb/bu while grain P content reached a maximum of 0.15 lb/bu (0.34 lb P2O5/bu). At the highest N and P rate, apparent fertilizer nitrogen recovery in the grain (AFNRg) was 41% and apparent fertilizer phosphorus recovery in the grain (AFPRg) was 60%.

Long-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization of Irrigated Corn

A. Schlegel and H. D. Bond
Abstract: Long-term research shows that phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) fertilizer must be applied to optimize production of irrigated grain sorghum in western Kansas. In 2019, N applied alone increased yields 66 bu/a, whereas N and P applied together increased yields up to 85 bu/a. Averaged across the past 10 years, N and P fertilization increased sorghum yields up to 78 bu/a. Application of 160 lb/a N (with P) produced the maximum yield in 2019, which is slightly more than the 10-year average. Application of potassium (K) has had no effect on sorghum yield throughout the study period. Average grain N content reached a maximum of ~0.7 lb/bu while grain P content reached a maximum of 0.16 lb/bu (0.34 lb P2O5/bu) and grain K content reached a maximum of 0.19 lb/bu (0.23 lb K2O/bu). At the highest N, P, and K rate, apparent fertilizer recovery in the grain was 31% for N, 65% for P, and 38% for K.

Related Publications

 

  • Schlegel, A.J. and J. L. Havlin. 2020. Irrigated grain sorghum response to 55 years of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilization. Agron. J. n/a:n/a. DOI:10.1002/agj2.20453

  • Schlegel, A.J., Y. Assefa, and D. O`Brien. 2020. Productivity and profitability of four crop rotations under limited irrigation. Applied Eng. Agric. 36(1):1-9. DOI:10.13031/aea.13416

  • Rudnick, D. R., S. Irmak, C. West, I. Kisekka, T.H. Marek, J. Schneekloth, D. Mitchell McCallister, V. Sharma, K. Djaman, J. Aguilar, J.L. Chávez, M. Schipanski, D.H. Rogers, A.J. Schlegel. 2019. Deficit irrigation management of maize in the High Plains Aquifer region: A review. Journal of the American Water Resources Association. DOI:10.1111/1752-1688.12723

  • Rogers, D.H., A.J. Schlegel, J.D.Holman, J.P. Aguilar, and I. Kisekka. 2016. Irrigation of grain sorghum. p. 13. 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/agronmonogr58.2014.0072

  • Kisekka, I. A.J. Schlegel, L. Ma, P.H. Gowda, and P.V.V. Prasad. 2017. Optimizing preplant irrigation for maize under limited water in the High Plains. Agric. Water Mgmt. 187:154-163. DOI:10.1016/j.agwat.2017.03.023

  • Adee, E., K. Roozeboom, G.R. Balboa, A.J. Schlegel, and I.A. Ciampitti. 2016. Drought-tolerant corn hybrids yield more in drought-stressed environments with no penalty in non-stressed environments. Front. Plant Sci. 7:1534. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01534

  • 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

  • Schlegel, A.J., Y. Assefa, D. O’Brien, F.R. Lamm, L.A. Haag, and L.R. Stone.  2016.  Comparison of corn, grain sorghum, soybean, and sunflower under limited irrigation.  Agron. J.  108:670-679. DOI: 10.2134/agronj2015.0332