2023
Impact of crop sequence and tillage on crop yield and quality, soil nutrients, pH, texture and microbial population
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Contributor/Checkoff:
North Dakota Soybean Council
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
DiseaseField management Pest
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Mohamed Khan, North Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
NDSC 2023 Agr 1
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
North Dakota Soybean Council
$45,557
Institution Funded:
North Dakota State University
$45,557
Brief Project Summary:
The advent of glyphosate-tolerant crops made it possible for producers to use conservation and reduced tillage. Conservation tillage provides benefits including improved soil organic matter, and reduced labor and energy use. Some producers are growing soybeans, corn, sugarbeets and wheat using strip tillage and/or no-till. In this project, researchers will determine the yield and quality of major crops grown in different crop sequences; and determine the effect of tillage type on crop yield, quality, and disease severity caused by major pathogens, soil fertility, microbial population, and document best practices for managing pest resistance. It will be useful to know the economics and risks of using different crop sequences.
Key Beneficiaries:
#agronomists, #applicators, #farmers
Unique Keywords:
#agronomy, #crop production, #cropping sequences, #microbiome, #pest management, #resistance management, #soil fertility, #tillage systems
Information And Results
Project Summary

We have grown crops starting with wheat in the Red River Valley since the 1870s using conventional forms of tillage. The advent of glyphosate-tolerant crops made it possible for producers in western states to grow these crops using conservation and reduced tillage to reduce and conserve water. Conservation tillage (where 30% crop residue remains) can provide benefits such as soil conservation, improve soil organic matter content, and reduce labor and energy use. Some of our producers have started producing soybean, corn, sugarbeet and wheat using strip tillage and/or no-till. It will be useful to provide research based information on advantages and challenges of using no-till and reduced tillage relative to conventional tillage for sugarbeet, soybean, corn and wheat grown in rotation.
We will determine the yield and quality of major crops grown in different crop sequence; determine the effect of tillage type on crop yield, quality, disease severity caused by major pathogens, soil fertility, microbial population, and document best practices for managing pest resistance.
This information can also be used to assist policymakers in determining incentives for adopting and using agricultural production practices that may have a significant public value (such as reduced use of fossil fuels and carbon sequestration that can lead to improved air quality). More importantly for producers during a period of low commodity price, it will be useful to know the economics and risks of using different crop sequences.

Project Objectives

1. Determine the yield and quality of major crops (sugarbeet, corn, soybean and wheat) grown in different crop sequence.
2. Determine the effect of tillage type (conventional, strip, and no-till) on crop yield and quality.
3. Determine the impact of tillage and crop sequence on disease severity caused by major pathogens including Rhizoctonia, Fusarium and Phytopthora of the crops in the sequence.
4. Determine the impact of tillage on soil nutrients (N, P, K and carbon), pH, texture and microbial population over time.
5. Document the best practices for managing insecticide, herbicide and fungicide resistance of the crops in the sequence.

Project Deliverables

1. Provide yield and quality of crops grown and best pest management practices.
2. Provide update on microbial population over time based on starting time.
3. Provide insights into advantages and challenges observed for each tillage type.

Progress Of Work

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Final Project Results

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Benefit To Soybean Farmers

1. Growers will learn of the advantages and challenges of using different tillage of soybean and other crops commonly grown in rotation including corn, wheat and sugarbeet so they can increase productivity, reduce cost of production and incorporate production practices to preserve our natural resources for future generation.

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.