The effect of companion crops and herbicides on economic returns of alfalfa-bromegrass establishment

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. G. Smith ◽  
J. M. Barbieri ◽  
J. R. Moyer ◽  
D. E. Cole

In moist regions and under irrigation in western Canada, there may be an economic advantage to using companion crops in forage establishment. Economic returns of establishing a mixture of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and bromegrass (Bromus spp.) were determined with and without a companion crop of barley grain and silage (Hordeum vulgare L.) and with and without post-emergence herbicides at Westlock, Alberta under dryland, and with and without a companion crop of soft white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and with and without post emergence herbicides at Lethbridge, Alberta under irrigation conditions. The yearly economic benefit of companion crops was greater on irrigation than on dryland ($15 to $27 ha−1), higher for companion crops harvested for silage than for grain ($55 to $75 ha−1), and was dependent on the price of forage and grain. On dryland with medium product price levels, economic returns were 100% higher for a barley silage companion crop, and were 14% lower for a barley grain companion crop than without a companion crop. At high hay prices, returns for the barley silage companion crop were 5% higher than without a companion crop. On irrigation, the yearly economic returns with a companion crop were higher ($23 to $139 ha−1) than without a companion crop. The use of post-emergence herbicides had no long-term economic benefit for forage establishment and reduced yearly net returns $13 ha−1 on dryland and $41 ha−1 on irrigation. Key words: Companion crop, forage establishment, economics, herbicide

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 664
Author(s):  
John W. Piltz ◽  
Craig A. Rodham ◽  
John F. Wilkins ◽  
Belinda F. Hackney ◽  
Colin G. Brown

The economic return from cereal or cereal/vetch crops was determined using previously published and new agronomic and herbage quality data from experiments conducted at four sites across southern New South Wales, Australia, over four years (2008 to 2011), to evaluate the agronomic and quality parameters of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), two barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), two oat (Avena sativa L.), and one triticale (x Triticosecale) variety, grown as monocultures or in combination with purple vetch (Vicia benghalensis L.). The crops (n = 193) were harvested at different stages of cereal maturity and ranged in metabolisable energy (ME) from 6.9 to 13.1 MJ/kg DM and crude protein (CP) content from 49.8 to 215.4 g/kg DM. Individual crop ME and CP content was used to predict dry matter intake and liveweight gain using Grazfeed decision support tool, assuming the forages were fed as the sole diet to either crossbred lambs or British breed steers, with initial liveweights of 30 or 300 kg respectively. Animal parameters and yield were used to estimate gross margins (GM) for each crop based on estimated fixed and variable costs, including sowing and fertiliser costs, and harvesting and feedout costs. Feed quality determined animal production and potential income per animal, while yield determined potential income per hectare for any given level of animal production. Across the three years GM ranged from −$1489 to $5788 in sheep and from −$1764 to $647 in cattle. Reducing costs or increasing livestock value improved the GM. The highest GM were for lambs fed crops with high ME, adequate CP, and good yields. Increasing yield reduced the GM when growth rates were low, and costs exceeded the value of liveweight gain.


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. Zentner ◽  
C. A. Campbell ◽  
S. A. Brandt

The effects of product price and input cost on the economic performance and riskiness of nine cropping systems were assessed over a 12-yr period on a Dark Brown Chernozemic loam to clay loam soil at Scott, Saskatchewan. The rotations included two 2-yr fallow (F)-crop systems with hard red spring wheat (W) (Triticum aestivum L.) and canola (C) (Brassica campestris L.), four 3-yr fallow-containing rotations with combinations of wheat, canola and barley (B) (Hordeum vulgare L.), a 4-yr and a 6-yr rotation that included alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay, and continuous wheat. All crops were fertilized with rates of N and P based on general guidelines for the region, except for forage hay which was unfertilized. Four rotations (F-C, F-C-W, F-C-B, and F-W-W) showed good economic and risk performance under most price scenarios. The F-W and F-W-B rotations generally ranked intermediate, averaging about 11% lower in net return than the best systems at 1994 commodity price levels; however, at grain prices lower than 75% of these values, net returns were highest with F-W and F-C. It was profitable to substitute canola for wheat grown on fallow when the ratio of canola price to wheat price exceeded 1.8, and to substitute barley for wheat grown on stubble when the barley/wheat price ratio exceeded 0.75. Including alfalfa hay in the rotation was profitable only when the hay/wheat price ratio exceeded 0.8. The unit cost of producing wheat averaged $91 t−1 when grown on fallow, $106 t−1 when grown on canola stubble, $116 t−1 when grown on wheat stubble in fallow-containing rotations and $133 t−1 when grown on continuous wheat stubble. Similarly, the cost of producing barley averaged $74 t−1 when grown on canola stubble and $83 t−1 on wheat stubble. We concluded that producers in the Dark Brown soil zone of west-central Saskatchewan have a strong economic incentive to diversify crop rotations away from traditional monoculture cereal to mixed oilseed-cereal systems. Key words: Wheat, canola, barley, hay, production costs, net returns, riskiness


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-98
Author(s):  
Justyna Belcar ◽  
Natalia Matłok ◽  
Józef Gorzelany

AbstractThe study was designed to assess technological quality of grains from two wheat cultivars (Elixer and Rockefeller), as well as one cultivar of winter (Joy) and one cultivar of spring barley (Irina), and to carry out the malting process at temperature of 15°C for 5 days. Malt analyses were carried out in accordance with the ECB Methods. The wheat malts were found with lower Kolbach index, and high viscosity was identified in wort obtained from wheat. The findings related to the wheat malts showed better quality parameters in Elixer variety compared to Rockefeller variety. Elixer wheat malt had higher diastatic power (427.03 WK) and lower extractivity (81.85%) compared to Joy barley malt (376.12 WK and 85.79%). Laboratory tests assessing the malts and wort showed that winter barley grain has high malting quality and can be used without modifications in the malting and mashing processes in brewing industry. It is necessary to conduct further research focusing on cultivation, agricultural techniques and technologies applied in wheat farming, in order to obtain cultivars which can be used to produce high quality malts.


Genome ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 584-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Beecher ◽  
J Bowman ◽  
J M Martin ◽  
A D Bettge ◽  
C F Morris ◽  
...  

Endosperm texture has a tremendous impact on the end-use quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), a close relative of wheat, also vary measurably in grain hardness. However, in contrast to wheat, little is known about the genetic control of barley grain hardness. Puroindolines are endosperm-specific proteins found in wheat and its relatives. In wheat, puroindoline sequence variation controls the majority of wheat grain texture variation. Hordoindolines, the puroindoline homologs of barley, have been identified and mapped. Recently, substantial allelic variation was found for hordoindolines among commercial barley cultivars. Our objective was to determine the influence of hordoindoline allelic variation upon grain hardness and dry matter digestibility in the 'Steptoe' × 'Morex' mapping population. This population is segregating for hordoindoline allele type, which was measured by a HinA/HinB/Gsp composite marker. One-hundred and fifty lines of the 'Steptoe' × 'Morex' population were grown in a replicated field trial. Grain hardness was estimated by near-infrared reflectance (NIR) and measured using the single kernel characterization system (SKCS). Variation attributable to the HinA/HinB/Gsp locus averaged 5.7 SKCS hardness units (SKCS U). QTL analysis revealed the presence of several areas of the genome associated with grain hardness. The largest QTL mapped to the HinA/HinB/Gsp region on the short arm of chomosome 7 (5H). This QTL explains 22% of the SKCS hardness difference observed in this study. The results indicate that the Hardness locus is present in barley and implicates the hordoindolines in endosperm texture control.Key words: puroindolines, grain hardness, digestibility.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1482
Author(s):  
Silvia Pampana ◽  
Alessandro Rossi ◽  
Iduna Arduini

Winter cereals are excellent candidates for biosolid application because their nitrogen (N) requirement is high, they are broadly cultivated, and their deep root system efficiently takes up mineral N. However, potential N leaching from BS application can occur in Mediterranean soils. A two-year study was conducted to determine how biosolids affect biomass and grain yield as well as N uptake and N leaching in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum), and oat (Avena byzantina C. Koch). Cereals were fertilized at rates of 5, 10, and 15 Mg ha−1 dry weight (called B5, B10, and B15, respectively) of biosolids (BS). Mineral-fertilized (MF) and unfertilized (C) controls were included. Overall, results highlight that BS are valuable fertilizers for winter cereals as these showed higher yields with BS as compared to control. Nevertheless, whether 5 Mg ha−1 of biosolids could replace mineral fertilization still depended on the particular cereal due to the different yield physiology of the crops. Moreover, nitrate leaching from B5 was comparable to MF, and B15 increased the risk by less than 30 N-NO3 kg ha−1. We therefore concluded that with specific rate settings, biosolid application can sustain yields of winter cereals without significant additional N leaching as compared to MF.


1977 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 729-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. C. DARLINGTON ◽  
D. E. MATHRE ◽  
R. H. JOHNSTON

Isolates of Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul. originally isolated from many different grass hosts in the northern Great Plains and several other areas in the United States and England were tested for their pathogenicity to selected cultivars or lines of male-sterile wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). While there was a great range in the level of virulence, no clear-cut evidence of specific races was obtained. A few isolates were weakly virulent on two cultivars of male-sterile spring wheat but were highly virulent on the other two cultivars tested. Wheat and barley breeders are advised to use a mixture of isolates in screening germ plasm for resistance to ergot.


1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 529-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. POMEROY ◽  
C. J. ANDREWS ◽  
G. FEDAK

Increasing the duration of freezing of Kharkov winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) demonstrated that severe injury does not occur to plants at a freezing temperature (−6 C) well above the lethal temperature for at least 5 days, but progressively more damage occurs as the temperature approaches the killing point (−20 C). High levels of cold hardiness can be induced rapidly in Kharkov winter wheat if seedlings are grown for 4–6 days at 15 C day/10 C night, prior to being exposed to hardening conditions including diurnal freezing to −2 C. The cold hardiness of Kharkov and Rideau winter wheat seedlings grown from 1-yr-old seed was greater than that from 5-yr-old seed. Cold-acclimated Kharkov winter wheat and Dover winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) demonstrated the capacity to reharden after varying periods under dehardening conditions. The time required to reharden and the maximum level of hardiness attained by the plants was dependent on the amount of dehardening. Considerable rehardening was observed even when both dehardening and rehardening were carried out in the dark.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 713
Author(s):  
Edward G. Barrett-Lennard ◽  
Rushna Munir ◽  
Dana Mulvany ◽  
Laine Williamson ◽  
Glen Riethmuller ◽  
...  

This paper focuses on the adverse effects of soil sodicity and alkalinity on the growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in a rainfed environment in south-western Australia. These conditions cause the accumulation of salt (called ‘transient salinity’) in the root zone, which decreases the solute potential of the soil solution, particularly at the end of the growing season as the soil dries. We hypothesized that two approaches could help overcome this stress: (a) improved micro-water harvesting at the soil surface, which would help maintain soil hydration, decreasing the salinity of the soil solution, and (b) soil amelioration using small amounts of gypsum, elemental sulfur or gypsum plus elemental sulfur, which would ensure greater salt leaching. In our experiments, improved micro-water harvesting was achieved using a tillage technique consisting of exaggerated mounds between furrows and the covering of these mounds with plastic sheeting. The combination of the mounds and the application of a low rate of gypsum in the furrow (50 kg ha−1) increased yields of barley grain by 70% in 2019 and by 57% in 2020, relative to a control treatment with conventional tillage, no plastic sheeting and no amendment. These increases in yield were related to changes in ion concentrations in the soil and to changes in apparent electrical conductivity measured with the EM38.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Buddhi B Achhami ◽  
Gadi V P Reddy ◽  
M L Hofland ◽  
Jamie D Sherman ◽  
Robert K D Peterson ◽  
...  

Abstract Wheat stem sawfly, [Cephus cinctus (Hymenoptera: Cephidae)], females display complex behaviors for host selection and oviposition. Susceptible hollow stem wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars release a greater amount of attractive compound, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate and receive a greater number of eggs compared to resistant solid stem wheat cultivars. However, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is becoming a more common host for C. cinctus in Montana. Therefore, how do host selection and oviposition behaviors on barley cultivars compare to what happens when encountering wheat cultivars? To answer this question, we carried out greenhouse experiments using two barley cultivars: ‘Hockett’ and ‘Craft’. Between these cultivars at Zadoks stages 34 and 49, we compared host selection decisions using a Y-tube olfactometer, compared oviposition behaviors on stems, and counted the number of eggs inside individual stems. In Y-tube bioassays, we found a greater number of C. cinctus females were attracted to the airstream passing over ‘Hockett’ than ‘Craft’ barley cultivars. Although the frequencies of oviposition behaviors were similar between these cultivars, the number of eggs was greater in ‘Hockett’. Volatile profiles indicated that the amount of linalool was greater in the airstream from ‘Craft’ than in ‘Hockett’ at Zadoks 34 while the amount of (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate was greater in airstream from ‘Hockett’ at both Zadoks 34 and 49. These results suggest that volatiles of barley plants influenced host selection behavior of ovipositing C. cinctus females, while other discriminating behaviors do not differ between cultivars.


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