2017
Impact of Previous Crop on Soybean and Canola Production
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Contributor/Checkoff:
North Dakota Soybean Council
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Field management Nutrient managementSoil healthTillageYield trials
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Brian Jenks, North Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Michael Ostlie, North Dakota State University
Jasper M. Teboh, North Dakota State University, Carrington Research Extension Center
Bryan Hanson, North Dakota State University-Langdon Research Extension Center
Eric Eriksmoen, North Dakota State University-North Central Research Extension Center
Nancy Ehlke, University of Minnesota
+4 More
Project Code:
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
North Dakota Soybean Council
$21,160
Institution Funded:
North Dakota State University-North Central Research Extension Center
$21,160
Brief Project Summary:

The objective of this project is to use a three-year crop sequence to evaluate soybean and canola production grown back-to-back. Some growers in North Dakota and Minnesota believe their soybean crops have yielded higher when grown on canola ground compared to wheat. There is some research that supports this theory. Our goal is to evaluate the impact of growing soybean and canola back-to-back on crop stand, growth, disease, yield, and seed quality, etc.
The study will be conducted at four locations. The three-year crop sequence will include soybean, canola, and wheat with the focus on soybean and canola back-to-back. The primary data of interest will be soybean yield on...

Unique Keywords:
#crop management systems
Information And Results
Final Project Results

Update:

View uploaded report Word file

Executive Summary
June 30, 2017

Impact of previous crop on soybean and canola yield

Principal Investigator:
Dr. Brian Jenks, NDSU E-mail: brian.jenks@ndsu.edu
North Central Research Extension Center Phone: 701-857-7677
5400 Highway 83 South
Minot, ND 58701

Co-Principal Investigators:
Dr. Nancy Ehlke, Univ. of MN, ehlke001@umn.edu
Dr. Mike Ostlie, NDSU-Carrington, mike.ostlie@ndsu.edu
Dr. Jasper Teboh, NDSU-Carrington, jasper.teboh@ndsu.edu
Bryan Hanson, NDSU-Langdon, bryan.k.hanson@ndsu.edu
Eric Eriksmoen, NDSU-Minot, eric.eriksmoen@ndsu.edu

Some farmers desire to include both soybean and canola in their crop rotation. Some research and farmer experience indicate that soybeans grow just as well on canola ground as on wheat ground. Since both crops are moderately susceptible to sclerotinia stem rot, some farmers have avoided planting them close together in a crop rotation. However, while not ideal from a sclerotinia standpoint, there is some evidence there may be an advantage to growing soybean on canola ground or vice versa. Growers want to know if this synergism is real and, if so, is it great enough to offset the risk of growing two sclerotinia-susceptible crops back to back. This study was designed to test that theory in the northern plains where soybean and canola are commonly grown. If the hypothesis is true, then the main benefit would be potentially higher soybean yields following a profitable canola crop.

The objectives were to: 1) determine if soybean yield is greater following canola than wheat, and 2) determine if canola yield is greater following soybean than wheat.

These objectives were accomplished using a three-year crop sequence to evaluate soybean and canola production grown back-to-back in rotation with wheat. Four crop rotations from 2013-2014-2015 included: 1) Wheat-Wheat-Soybean, 2) Wheat-Canola-Soybean, 3) Wheat-Wheat-Canola, and 4) Wheat-Soybean-Canola. Agronomic data collected were crop yield, test weight, oil content, crop density, and crop height. The second cycle of the study was repeated from 2014-2016.

Results showed no consistent significant difference in yield at any location between soybean grown on wheat ground compared to soybean grown on canola ground. Generally, there were no differences in soybean density, height, test weight, and oil content. Similarly, there was no significant yield difference at any location for canola grown on soybean ground. Canola yield, test weight, height, density, and oil were similar whether canola was grown on wheat ground or soybean ground.

Based on these two rotation cycles, we observed no real advantage or disadvantage from growing soybean on canola ground or from growing canola on soybean ground. Sclerotinia incidence was very low at all locations. This can be viewed as a positive situation for farmers that want to grow both soybean and canola in a rotation with wheat. Based on this information, it appears that farmers can profitably grow soybean and canola in a rotation. However, farmers must monitor for sclerotinia and make the necessary fungicide applications if weather conditions favor sclerotinia.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.