Wealth of Crop Research Information at Regional Centers

There’s a wealth of crop research information at regional experi-
 ment stations, often conducted with the assistance of your checkoff investment.  Links to University of Minnesota Research and Outreach Centers can be found on the Internet at www.coafes.umn.edu/.  Links to South Dakota State University research centers: www.abs. sdstate.edu/abs/aes.htm.  Links to North Dakota State University Research Extension Centers: www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/recenthp.htm

Following are summaries of three research projects conducted at the Dickinson Research and Extension Center. You can find more comprehensive information about the projects online at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/dickinso/

Seed Treatments Provide Some Protection Against Root Pathogens
Registered and experimental seed treatments have been evaluated for the control of fungal root and crown diseases on hard red spring wheat by comparing disease, growth, and yield parameters of treated plots to those in untreated check and fumigated plots in southwest North Dakota by NDSU, Fargo, extension plant pathologist Marcia McMullen, and Roger Ashley, area extension agronomist at Dickinson Research Extension Center. Seed treatments with known activity against root rot resulted in significantly greater seminal and crown root counts than the untreated check as well as yield for some treatments. None of the seed treatments performed as well as the fumigated plots indicating that seed treatments are not controlling soil-borne pathogens as well as soil fumigation.

The research from data in 1999 - 2001 indicated that seed treatments do provide some protection against root pathogens that infect wheat as evidenced by root data in this demonstration. Fungicidal seed treatments with activity against Common root rot, Pythium, and Fusarium tended to promote healthier root systems and can significantly improve grain yield over the check. Generally at the Kirschmann site near Regent, fungicide seed treatments labeled for the control of root pathogens yielded two to three bushels more than untreated seed.  Soil fumigation reduces soil-borne pathogens and may modify nutrient availability in soil, both of which affects yield.

Southwestern N.D. Wheat Yield Unaffected by Chloride
Previous research demonstrated disease suppression and yield benefits of chloride (Cl) applications on spring barley in western N.D. The objective of this study was to determine if similar benefits resulted when Cl was applied to spring wheat. Fifteen spring wheat varieties and two Cl treatments (0 and 40 lb/acre as KCl - 0-0-60-50) were analyzed. The cultivars differed in heading date, plant height, and grain yield in both years. Chloride applications reduced the days to heading and reduced plant height but had no effect on grain yield. Kernel weight and Cl concentration of plant tissue increased with the application of Cl. Results of this study according to data from 1999 and 2000 support previous research at Dickinson and suggest that grain yield generally is unaffected by applications of Cl at this location, although kernel weight may increase.

Barley Versus Oats: Which Makes Better Forage?
Research in Minnesota and Wisconsin suggests that barley is superior to oats for forage quality and, in some instances, comparable in yield. A study was conducted in 1999 and 2000 to determine if barley is equal or superior to oats for forage yield and quality in southwestern N.D.  Oat and barley varieties were compared for forage yield and quality. Preliminary results indicate that oats produce more forage, but barley produces higher quality forage under southwest N.D. growing conditions. Intercropping peas with either barley or oats maintains or increases forage yield and enhances quality compared with growing either cereal alone in low nitrogen (<30 lb N/acre) environments.