2014 Projects
Project: 263-13
Title: Low-disturbance manure application methods for silage corn.
Principle Investigator: John Peters, Dept. of Soil Science, UW-Madison.
Objective: To evaluate methods for applying liquid dairy manure that maximize manure N availability while maintaining crop residue cover for erosion control in a silage corn system in the northern Corn Belt. Specific objectives are to assess the effect of several new/novel application methods compared to conventional surface broadcast for the following: Corn silage yield and N uptake; Manure N availability and fertilizer N equivalent; crop residue cover as an indicator of erosion potential; runoff losses of sediment, N, and P; nitrate leaching potential; and power and fuel requirements and field efficiency.
Funding Level: $26,500
Duration: 2 years
Project: 265-13
Title: Quantifying benefits of radish as a cover crop in Wisconsin cropping systems.
Principle Investigator: Matt Ruark, Dept. of Soil Science, UW-Madison.
Objective: To evaluate the crop and soil benefits from cover crop use in corn-based cropping systems in Wisconsin, in order to increase the number of acres where cover crops are planted. To determine the potential N credit from radish as a cover crop. To determine optimum N fertilizer additions or residual soil nitrate concentrations that maximize N uptake by the radish.
Publications/Presentations
Ruark et al. 2014. On-farm cover crop trials: Clover, rye and radish. 2014 Wisconsin Crop Management Conference.https://extension.soils.wisc.edu/wcmc/on-farm-cover-crop-trials-clover-rye-and-radish/
Ruark, M., M. Ballweg & R. Proost. 2021. Radish as a cover crop in Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension Publication A4191
Cates, Gallager, Lawler & Ruark. 2021. Minnesota-Wisconsin Cover Crop Recipe, Post Canning Crops: Use Oat with Radish. MCCC-126
Ballweg, Proost & Ruark. 2020. Does oilseed radish provide nitrogen credits. Nutrient & Pest Management publication.
Wade et al. 2020. Improved soil biological health increases corn grain yield in N fertilized systems across the Corn Belt. Scientific Reports, 10:3917 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-60987-3#Sec12
Ruark et al., 2018. Does cover crop radish supply nitrogen to corn? Agronomy Journal, 110:1-10.
Funding Level: $24,792
Duration: 3 years
Project: 267-13
Title: Evaluating spring N application timing and use of N extenders in winter wheat.
Principle Investigator: Carrie Laboski, Dept. of Soil Science, UW-Madison.
Objective:To determine the effectiveness of urea-N fertilizer sources/technologies to minimize potential ammonia volatilization losses when surface applied in early spring and improve N use efficiency of winter wheat. To evaluate the effect of spring N application timing on yield, economic optimum N rate, and N use efficiency. To determine if canopy reflectance indexes at various growth stages can be related to yield and optimum N rate for wheat grown in Wisconsin.
Funding Level: $33,682
Duration: 3 years
Project: 268-13
Title: Assessment of manure storage processing and handling on nutrient and solids content.
Principle Investigator: Becky Larson, Dept. of Biological Systems Engineering, UW-Madison.
Objective: To determine the difference in nutrients and solids throughout the emptying of a manure storage with and without manure processing. To assess the impact of sand bedding on nutrient characteristics within the manure storage emptying process. To determine the effectiveness of various agitation methods in eliminating the variability during the emptying of manure storages. To assess the impact of microbial additives on nutrient and solids content of manure. To develop recommendations for producers and custom manure haulers for manure storage and emptying practices and sampling protocols.
Publications/Presentations
Aguirre-Villegas, H.A., Sharara, M.A. and Larson, R.A., 2018. Nutrient variability following dairy manure storage agitation. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 34(6), pp.908-917.
Holly, M.A. and Larson, R.A., 2017. Effects of manure storage additives on manure composition and greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions. Transactions of the ASABE, 60(2), pp.449-456.
Funding Level: $23,383
Duration: 1 year
Project: 269-13
Title: Interaction of N rates, gypsum as a sulfur source, and tillage for corn grain production.
Principle Investigator: Francisco Arriaga, Dept. of Soil Science, UW-Madison.
Objective: To determine if sulfur application in the form of gypsum to soil is beneficial for corn grain production in Wisconsin. To investigate the relationship of sulfur and nitrogen rate to corn in no-till and chisel plow systems. To evaluate differences in selected soil physical properties between no-till and chisel plow tillage systems with and without gypsum application.