“To improve management of crops, we have to do a better job with measuring yield and crop response. Field-to-field and year-to-year management records are needed for an analysis of what management alternatives can enhance versus limit crop production,” said Ketterings, director of the Cornell University Nutrient Management Spear Program.
“Northern New York has seen an upward trend in corn silage and grain production since World War II due to advances in plant breeding in production efficiencies. Yet, challenging weather and field-to-field variability of soil, drainage and management practices all continue to limit production,” Ketterings noted.
“We get the most relevant data when we gather it on your farms. The farmers that have participated in our whole farm nutrient mass balance assessments over the years have shown there is both an opportunity and feasibility to improve production while reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture,” Ketterings concluded.
Crop sensors, winter cereals, forage sorghum under evaluation
Northern New York farms are participating in Ketterings’ work evaluating the use of crop sensors to determine optimal nitrogen application during the growing season. Early field results that included multiple scans throughout the season indicate the best window for crop sensing is the V7 stage of plant growth.
A general conclusion from her analysis of return on investment with winter cereals is that double cropping properly managed can pay off on the right fields.
A new NNYADP-funded project in 2016 will evaluate the use of brachytic dwarf BMR forage sorghum as a shorter growing season option versus corn silage under northern New York growing conditions. Questions include whether sorghum can compete with corn silage when planted late and harvested early. Data from three northern New York sites in 2016 will be added to field trial results from eight sites in central and eastern New York.
“Based on results to date, we think forage sorghum can compete with corn silage for yield and quantity in dairy production systems in northern New York and in the northeastern U.S.,” Ketterings said. “The trials in 2016 will tell us what is feasible.”
More crop production tips
Ketterings also suggested managing fields for soil conservation, organic matter, optimal fertility and pH; not basing decisions on just one year of data; and conducting a whole farm nutrient balance. The latter is a simple assessment of the difference between nutrients imported through feed, fertilizer, bedding and animals versus the nutrients exported through milk, animals, crops and manure. Knowing the difference, i.e., the balance, has resulted in improvements in nutrient use efficiency over time. As such, the whole farm nutrient mass balance is another tool that illustrates the power of measuring for improvement management. FG
—Excerpt from Northern New York Agricultural Development Program news release
