Several Herbicides Tested for Wild Radish Control in Wheat Wild radish, a member of the mustard family, is a troublesome weed in grain crops in Alabama. It has been reported that wild rad- ish is toxic, particularly the seeds, to farm animals and reduces their per- formance. The seed are difficult to clean from grain due to similarity in size and shape. Results of field experiments in 1988-89 and 1989-90 at the Plant Breeding Unit, Tallassee, illustrate the competitiveness of wild radish with wheat. With a single wild radish plant per 10 square feet (4,356 plants per acre), a loss equation indicated wheat yield loss of 17.8 percent for 1988-89 and a 1.4 percent loss for 1989-90. The difference reflected the differ- ence in growth of the wild radish. Research since 1987 indicates the potential for herbicidal control. First-year findings with Har- mony Extra@ indicate that a sur- factant was needed for best wild radish control and that tank mix- ing Harmony Extra, X-77 non- ionic surfactant, and liquid ni- trogen increased wheat injury but degree of injury was accept- able and yield was not affected. Wild radish control in this ex- periment was good to excellent with the early March application. Comparisons of fall versus spring application of Harmony Extra as well as fall/spring sequential applica- tions show excellent control with fall application and poor control with spring application. Excellent control was also achieved with the fall/spring sequential application of Harmony Extra and the spring RESEARCH UPDATE ?1991 GRAY CROP S S application of Harmony Extra plus 2,4-D. In another test, Amber@ (0.026 and 0.013 pound), Harmony Ex- tra (0.042 and 0.021 pound), Ex- press@ (0.012 and 0.008 pound), Buctril@ (0.75 and 0.50 pound), MCPA (0.75 and 0.50 pound), and 2,4-D (0.75 and 0.50 pound) provided 95 percent or greater control at an Opelika location when applied alone to weeds no larger than 6-inch ro- settes. However, Buctril, Harmony Extra, and Express applied alone at Headland provided less control because weeds were larger at ap- plication. Tank mixing Buctril, Ex- press, or Harmony Extra with either MCPA or 2,4-D improved control of the larger wild radish. Results indicate the need to apply herbicides in November or Decem- ber for effective wild radish control. Only Buctril, Harmony Extra, and MCPA were labelled for use in 1990. R.H. Walker, D.R. Wyatt, and J.S. Richburg III[ Tillage and Cover Crops Affect Corn N Fertilizer Efficiency An AAES study at the E. V. Smith Research Center was designed to determine if cover crops could, alone or in combination with fall deep tillage (paraplowing), ameliorate soil compaction and increase crop growth and yield po- tential. The ultimate aim was to improve N use efficiency of a sub- sequent corn crop. Winter cover crops of crimson clover, rye, and Tifwhite-78 white lupin were planted following either disking or disking plus paraplowing. A winter fallow treatment was also included. Tifwhite-78 lupin, a winter hardy continued on page 2 ALBtA er CLURLXEIEN T oN ABR UIEST LoELT.PoisDRETRAUUNUNVRITIALBM Tillage and Cover Crops, continued legume that has potential as a feed grain, was included because re- search in Australia has shown that another species of lupin, blue lupin, has the capacity to act as a "biological plow" to improve soil structure on compacted soils. The paraplow is a conservation tillage implement with an offset blade at the end of a straight shank. It effectively disrupts the soil to a depth of 17 inches with a minimum of surface soil disrup- tion. Prior to planting corn, the cover crops were killed with a burndown herbicide and disked into the soil to a depth of 4 to 5 inches. The corn was then fertilized with 0, 50, 100, or 150 pounds N per acre. None of the cover crops appeared to work as "biological plows" to improve soil structure. The rye and clover slightly increased soil com- paction in the disked zone. Paraplowing had a strong resid- ual effect in alleviating soil compac- tion for the subsequent corn crop, but tended to reduce yields, table 1. This effect was greatest during the extremely wet growing season of 1989. Paraplowing reduced earlea f N, table 1, and increased soil water content following rainfall. Table 1. Effect of Cover Crop Tillage on Corn Earleaf N and Grain Yield, 1988-90 Average Tillage Earleaf N Grain/acre Pct Bu. Disk ........................ 2.56 89 Paraplow ................. 2.50 83 Table 2. Effect of Cover Crop and fertilizer N Rate on Corn Grain Yield, 1988-90 Average Yield/acre, by N rate Cover 0 50 100 150 lb. lb. lb. Bu. Bu. Bu. Bu. Clover .......... 87 95 111 110 Fallow .......... 42 71 88 101 Rye ........... 23 47 76 96 Lupin ........... 83 108 109 114 These results suggest that para- plowing prior to planting the cover crop increased water infiltration and N leaching. Yields peaked with 50 to 100 pounds N per acre following clover and lupin and with 150 pounds N following rye and fallow, table 2. White lupin compared favorably to clover in N production and result- ant benefit to a corn crop. Lupin winter killed in areas that were poorly drained, but otherwise showed potential as an alternative winter crop for grain. D.W. Reeves and J.T. Touchton Broiler Litter and Tillage Systems for Corn A study at the Wiregrass Substa- tion, Headland, in 1990 investigated utilization of N from broiler lit- ter by corn under strip and con- ventional tillage systems. The strip tillage system employed a planter with a leading parabolic subsoiler matched to the planter row width (36 inches) so that tillage only occurred in a narrow band cen- tered on the seed row. Conventional tillage consisted of chisel plowing one day prior to planting and two diskingson the day corn was planted. Broiler litter rates included 2, 4, and 8 tons per acre, (67, 133, and 267 pounds N per acre). For comparison, matching rates of N as ammonium nitrate were applied. The N sources were broadcast before planting and were incorporated with the second disking in con- ventional tillage. For strip tillage, only that portion of broiler litter or am- monium nitrate within the tilled zone was incor- porated. Strip tillage resulted in higher grain yields across all N sources and N rates, see table. A 2- to 4-inch-thick hardpan exists at the study location at a depth of ap- proximately 10 to 15 inches below the soil surface. Since 1990 was a drought year at Headland, dis- ruption of the hardpan via para- bolic subsoiling in strip tillage apparently increased corn rooting and water availability. It was ex- pected that N from broiler litter would be less effective in increasing grain yields under strip tillage than under conventional tillage manage- ment because of N volatilization losses from broiler litter remaining on the soil surface. This was not the case in 1990, a drought year, when water availability appeared to be much more important than N availability. The ammonium nitrate source produced greater corn grain yields than broiler litter, and the optimum N source/N rate combination was ammonium nitrate at 133 pounds nitrogen per acre. Eight tons of broiler litter per acre (267 pounds nitrogen) were required to ap- proach the yield obtained with 133 pounds nitrogen from am- monium nitrate. Leaching of broiler litter N below the root zone during the 1990 grow- ing season was not likely because: (1) water demand by corn exceeded rainfall throughout the growing season, and (2) N from ammonium continued on page 3 Corn Grain Yields and Excess N as Affected by N Source and Tillage System, 1990 Grain yield/acre Excess N/acre' N source and rate 2 ST3 CT Av. ST CT Av. Bu. Bu. Bu. Lb. Lb. Lb. No N ...................... 25 14 20 0 0 0 Broiler litter 67 Ib. ......................... 66 48 57 39 47 43 133 lb. ....................... 65 39 52 110 118 114 267 b. ....................... 104 78 91 215 228 222 Ammonium nitrate 67 lb ......................... 84 43 64 31 47 39 1331b. ....................... 125 83 104 76 88 82 2671b. .................... 113 78 96 206 222 214 Average.................. 106 62 84 104 119 112 Excess N = N not found in corn grain. 2 Broiler litter contained 33.5 pounds N/ton. 3 ST = strip till, CT = conventional till. Broiler Litter, continued nitrate was more subject to leaching than that from broiler litter because most broiler litter N was in the or- ganic form. Excess N (that not taken up by the crop) can lead to groundwater con- tamination with nitrate. Because of less available water and lower yields, use of conventional tillage resulted in more excess N than strip tillage. The 133-pound N rate that gave best corn grain production had relatively low amounts of excess N. The broiler litter rate re- quired to produce nearly compa- rable grain yields (8 tons) left siz- able quantities of N in the environ- mental system. Some of this N is nitrate or will be converted to nitrate and may be leached out of the root- ing zone with winter rains. Thus, the potential for groundwater con- tamination with N exists when high rates of broiler litter are land ap- plied. Winter cover crops such as cereal rye could be used to capture some of this excess N. Based on one year's data, it ap- pears that strip tillage is superior to conventional tillage with re- spect to grain yield and N utili- zation in the Wiregrass region regardless of N source or N rate. It also appears that broiler litter is a less efficient source of N for corn than ammonium nitrate. C.W. Wood, C.D. Cotton, and J.H. Edwards Tropical Corn Disappointing In 1989-90 Tests AAES research in 1989-90 evaluated tropical corn (Pioneer 304C) production systems and measured the crop's response to rates of fertilizer nitrogen, re- sidual levels of soil phosphorus and potassium, and soil pH. The 1989 tests were an intensive small grain-corn-soybean rotation at six locations. In 1990 the study was expanded to add a continu- ous small grain-tropical corn double-cropping system at seven locations. Plantings were made in mid- to late June following small grain harvest. Tropical Corn Yields1 Following a Small Grain Yield per acre Location Tropical Small corn, grain grain' 1989 Bu. Bu. Brewton ...................... 0 59 Monroeville ............. . 0 64 W iregrass .................... 36 32 Prattville .................... 42 70 Upper Coastal Plain..... 52 29 Sand Mountain ......... 65 46 (172 tons silage) Tennessee Valley ........ 35 59 'Yields are an average of plots at seven locations a standard application of N-P-K fertilizer and no 2 Triticale at Brewton and Monroeville; wheat locations. 3 All silage yields adjusted to 65 percent moistu Corn grain yields were disap- pointing in both 1989 and 1990 because of mid-summer insect damage (armyworms and corn earworms) and late summer- early fall drought. Surprisingly, yields were higher in north Ala- bama than south Alabama where tropical varieties are expected to be better adapted. Worms de- stroyed the total crop both years at Brewton and Monroeville Ex- periment Fields despite repeated attempts to control the pests. Grain harvests in north Ala- bama were late (November/De- cember) in 1989 and Crop grain moisture was high (approximately 30 per- cent). In 1990, the crop rropical was harvested only for corn, silage because of a poor silage 3 grain crop. 1990 Tropical corn ap- Tons pears to respond to ni- 0 trogen rates and residual 0 soil nutrients (P, K, and 0 Mg) similar to temper- 11.1 ate varieties which were 10.0 planted on some of these plots in 1968-81. 9.5 receiving C.C. Mitchell and P.L. Mask irrigaton. at other re. Fungicides Increase Wheat Yields at Some Locations Results from experiments con- ducted during 1989-90 again showed that diseases can have a significant impact on wheat yields in some ar- eas of Alabama. Various rates of several labeled and experimental fungicides were sprayed onto plots of McNair 1003 wheat at three sub- stations. Fungicides included were ASC 66811 100E, Bayleton 50W, Dithane M-45, DPX H6573, Folicur 3.6F, RH-7592 2F, Spotless 25W, and Tilt 3.6E. Initial applications of each were made around the time of flag leaf emergence; if needed, a second application was made when the grain heads were beginning to emerge. At the Gulf Coast Substation, all fungicides tested gave good to ex- cellent control of Septoria glume blotch and leaf rust, and increased yield. Yields from plots sprayed with fungicides averaged 46 to 65 bushels per acre, as compared to 34 bushels from the unsprayed plots. Only leaf rust occurred in the tests at the Wiregrass Substation, and then at relatively low levels. All fungi- cides reduced the disease, but yield continued on page 4 I Fungicides, continued responses were not as marked as at the Gulf Coast Substation. Yields from fungicide-trea ted plots ranged from 40 to 61 bushels per acre; those from unsprayed plots averaged 45 bushels. At the Sand Mountain Sub- station, most of the fungicides tested reduced the levels of Septoria leaf blotch, the only disease that devel- oped in this test, but there were no significant yield increases from any fungicide treatment. R.T. Gudauskas and D.J. Collins Hand-held Meter Predicts Corn N Needs Methods of predicting nitrogen (N) needs by corn have not been reliable for Southeastern condi- tions. Soil tests have shown little success. Corn leaf tissue tests for N have shown promise, but time in- volved with sampling and labora- tory analyses may prevent timely producer response to corn N needs. Measuring corn leaf tissue chlo- rophyll, which is directly related to corn leaf tissue N, may be an equivalentmeansof determin- G ing the need for supplemental p, fertilization. In a field study in 1 1990attheE. V. SmithResearch Center, use of a newly devel- oped chlorophyll meter to pre- 1 dict supplemental N needs in corn showed promise. The meter is lightweight (less than 1/2 pound), is powered by bat- teries, provides instantaneous readings (SPAD units), and can store up to 30 readings. Irrigated corn (Dekalb 689) was grown at the site and was fertilized with broadcast-applied ammonium nitrate at rates of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200,250, and 300 pounds N per acre to establish a range of grain yield and chlorophyll tissue levels. Chlorophyll was measured at the 10-leaf stage (V10)because this stage of growth would allow supplemen- tal N applications to the corn crop. Corn grain yields increased with increasing rates of N fertilizer, with peak yields at approximately 150 to 200 pounds nitrogen. Chlorophyll measurementsatV10 did an excellent job of predicting corn grain yields, as illustrated by the graph. Chlorophyll measure- ments for the N rate range that pro- duced top yields (150 to 200 pounds N) were between 55.5 and 56.7SPAD units. This suggests that supple- mental N may be needed if chloro- phyll readings are below 55.5 SPAD units at the V10 stage of growth. C.W. Wood and D.W. Reeves O0 I I I I 40 45 50 55 60 V10 chlorophyll, SPAD units Boron Fertilizer Not Necessary for Irrigated Corn Coastal Plain soils of Alabama are low in ex tractable boron and it is often assumed that irrigated corn needs boron applications for maxi- mum yields. However, this was not continued on page 5 Disease Problems Reduced in 1990 Corn and Small Grains Incidence and severity of diseases in grain crops were low in 1990 (in some cases lower than in 1989). De- tailed results have been reported in the Corn Variety Report and Small Grain Variety Report, which were issued by the AAES in late 1990. Corn. Levels of the virus diseases maize chlorotic dwarf (MCD) and maize dwarf mosaic (MDM) were unusually low in regular corn vari- ety tests and in the general crop statewide. Low incidence of both precluded meaningful comparisons of hybrid performances at the Black Belt Substation, Marion Junction, and the Prattville Experiment Field. In tests of 49 hybrids at the Tennessee Valley Substation, Belle Mina, and the Upper Coastal Plain Substation, Winfield, incidence of MCD ranged from 0 to 10.5 percent, and aver- aged 0.9 percent; MDM levels ranged from 0 to 11.6 percent, and averaged 0.5 percent. Several hy- brids at both locations showed no symptoms of either disease. Small Grains. Most of the com- mon diseases occurred in the small grain variety tests planted at 12 sub- stations and experiment fields throughout the State. However, the incidence and severity were gener- ally lower than in 1989. Leaf rust was light to severe and Septoria blotch was moderate to severe on wheat entries at most locations. Outbreaks of powdery mildew occurred in tests at the Sand Mountain Substa- tion, Crossville, and the Wiregrass Substation, Headland; otherwise, its incidence was generally light. With few exceptions, only trace levels of barley yellow dwarf were noted in continued on page 5 rain yield er acre, bu. 50 r- 00 501 Boron Fertililzer, continued true in an AAES field test at the E. V. Smith Research Center on Goldsboro soil. Boron treatments of 0, 2, and 4 pounds per acre were applied as four split applications each year. Nitro- gen and sulfur fertilizers were ap- plied at the same times. All phos- phorus, potassium, and zinc fertiliz- ers and lime were incorporated be- fore planting each year. Irrigation treatments were: (1) no irrigation, (2) drip irrigation with control tensiometers at a depth of 6 inches, and (3) drip irrigation with control tensiometers at a depth of 13 inches. Three-year average yields for the treatments were: No irrigation No boron ................... 100 bu. 2 lb. boron ..................... 107 bu. 4 lb. boron ..................... 106 bu. Drip irrigation, 13-in. control No boron ................... 205 bu. 2 lb. boron ..................... 206 bu. 4 lb. boron .................... 187 bu. Drip irrigation, 6-in. control No boron ................... 214 bu. 2 lb. boron .................. 207 bu. 4 lb. boron ..................... 212 bu. Although boron applications did not increase grain yields, they did increase the earleaf boron concen- tration at silking from 14 to 26 parts per million. Thus, boron from the fertilizer was available to the crop. J. W. Odom Disease Problems, continued wheat. Incidence of loose smut was low everywhere, and stem rust was not seen in any test in 1990. On oats, crown rust was moderate to severe on most entries at the Gulf Coast Substation, Fairhope, and the Wiregrass Substation, as was leafspot at the Piedmont Substation, Camp Hill, and barley yellow dwarf at the Tennessee Valley Substation. Septoria blotch was prevalent on triticale entries at all locations. R.T. Gudauskas Annual Ryegrass Controlled in Wheat with Postemergence Hoelon Application Annual ryegrass is a common and pernicious weed species that is a problem in wheat production. Forty annual ryegrass plants per square yard have been shown to cause wheat yield reductions of 19-26 percent. Reduced grain quality is also caused by ryegrass seeds. Ryegrass control experiments were conducted in 1988-89 at Prattville and Tallassee and at Prattville, Tallassee, and Marion Junction in 1989-90. Two rates and four application timings of Hoelon@ herbicide were compared. Hoelon was applied at 0.5 and 1.0 pound ai (active) per acre preemer- gence and postemergence to ryegrass with 2, 4, and 8 leaves. A non-ionic surfactant was included in all postemergence applications. All applications were made in a volume of 15 gallons per acre. Prattville. Annual ryegrass seeds were sown broadcast at 20 pounds per acre and Saluda wheat seed were then planted at 70 pounds per acre in 7-inch rows on 9/22/88 and 10/22/ 89. Hoelon was applied preemer- gence on 9/23/88 and 10/22/89. Application dates for the post-emer- gence treatments were: 10/13/88, 10/26/88, 11/11/88, 12/4/89, 1/3/ 90, and 2/6/90, which corresponded to ryegrass growth stages of 2, 4, and 8 leaves for the respective years. Two-year average ryegrass con- trol at harvest was good to excellent (80 to 98 percent) with all Hoelon applications. Slightly less control was evident when Hoelon was ap- plied at 0.5 pound ai per acre at the 4-leaf stage (85 percent) and both rates at the 8-leaf stage (80 to 82 percent), but this did not translate into lower wheat yields. Wheat yield with all Hoelon treatments ranged from 58 to 70 bushels per acre. Yield averaged 68 and 58 bushels, respectively, for the hand-weeded and non-weeded treatment. Test weight for all Hoelon treatments ranged from 56 to 57 pounds per bushel, compared to 56 pounds for the non-treated and 57 pounds for the hand-weeded treatment. Tallassee. Planting was identical to that at Prattville except wheat and ryegrass seeds were planted 10/28/ 88 and 10/25/89. Preemergence treatments were applied 11/1/88 and 10/25/89. Postemergence treatments were applied 11/22/88, 12/8/88, 1/12/89, 11/24/89,1/22/ 90, and 2/26/90, which corre- sponded to ryegrass growth stages of 2, 4, and 8 leaves for the re- spective years. Two-year average ryegrass con- trol at harvest was 86 to 98 percent for all Hoelon treatments, except the 0.5-pound rate applied to ryegrass at the 8-leaf stage averaged 76 per- cent control. Wheat yield for Hoelon treatments ranged from 50 to 62 bushels per acre. Test weight was 50-51 pounds per bushel for all Hoelon treatments, and 49 and 50 pounds, respectively, for the non- treated control and for the hand- weeded treatment. Marion Junction. This location was not included in 1988. Planting was identical to the above except wheat and ryegrass seeds were planted 10/30/89. Preemergence treatments were applied 10/30/89. Postemergence treatments were applied 12/5/89, 2/28/90, and 3/13/90, which corresponded to the three growth stages. Ryegrass control at harvest was good to excellent (83 to 95 percent) for all Hoelon treatments, except for both rates applied to ryegrass with 8 leaves. The 0.5-pound rate continued on page 6 Annual Ryegrass, continued provided only 63 percent control, while the 1.0-pound rate aver- aged 75 percent. There was a trend for wheat yield to be higher for Hoelon applied at either rate to ryegrass with 2 leaves and the 0.5-pound rate applied at the 4-leaf stage. Also, the 1.0-pound rate ap- plied preemergence produced good ryegrass control and high wheat yield. Hoelon offers the grower a good chemical tool for control of annual ryegrass in wheat. Postemergence application at 0.5 pound ai per acre to ryegrass with 2 to 4 leaves ap- pears to be the optimum rate and time of application. On heavy clay soils, preemergence application of Hoelon at 1.0 pound ai per acre may be advantageous if problems with postemergence applications are likely due to wet soils. R.H. Walker, D.R. Wyatt, and J.S. Richburg III CONTRIBUTORS To GRAIN CROPs RESEARCH PROGRAM, 1990 Wheat and Feed Grains Producers E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. Fermenta ASC Corporation Gustafson, Inc. Mobay Corporation Rohm and Haas, Inc. EDITOR'S NOTI: Mention of company or trade names does not indicate endorsement by the Alabama Agricul- tural Experiment Station or Auburn University of one brand over another. Any mention of non- label uses or applications in excess of labeled rates of pesticides or other chemicals does not constitute a recommendation. Such use in research is simply part of the scientific investigation necessary to fully evaluate materials and treatments. Information contained herein is available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin. February 1991 9M Composted Broiler Litter Good as Corn Fertilizer Broiler litter has long been rec- ognized as a good source of ni- trogen (N) for corn production. However, it is known that too much litter can reduce yields of corn and lead to a loss of N that could otherwise be used for plant growth. Much of the N present in fresh litter is readily available for plant use or lost to the atmo- sphere as a gas. Composting litter converts N to forms that are not as readily lost to the environment. Tests at the Sand Mountain Sub- station, Crossville, compared corn yield response to ammonium ni- trate, fresh broiler litter, and composted litter at several rates. Despite a dry, hot growing season, corn responded equally well to all three sources of N. Grain yield data indicate that ratesof fertilizer exceeding 80 pounds of N per acre had no benefit. This corresponded to 2,080 dry pounds of fresh litter, 3,600 dry pounds of compost, and 235 pounds of ammonium nitrate per acre applied at planting. R.P. Flynn and C.W. Wood Editor's Note: It is the goal of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES) to distribute annual issues of its Grain Crops Research Update to all persons who can use the information reported. At the same time, the AAES does not wish to send copies to anyone who does not wish to receive the report. With your help, we can achieve this goal. Will you please use the form below to send the name and address of any neighbor or friend who should receive the report. If you do not wish to receive future issues, please indicate that fact on the form and we will remove your name from the mailing list. Your help will be appreciated. r IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I Add the following name to receive the AAES Grain Crops Research Update. I Remove the following name from the mailing list for the AAES Grain Crops E Research Update. Name SStreet, Box, or Route No. I City State Zip Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Auburn University SAuburn University, Alabama 36849-0520 NON-PROFIT ORG POSTAGE & FEES PAID PERMIT No. 9 AUBURN. ALA.