2008 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Relate effects of hydrothermal time and management to early growth of important weeds and crops, model relationships, and include in decision aids (WeedCast, WeedEm) for timely management of traditional and transgenic crops. Develop planting strategies, such as temperature-sensitive seed coatings, and winter cropping options, which help managers and crops compensate for cold and wet seedbeds during spring. Identify physiological and agronomic limitations of traditional, alternative, and new crops (e.g., cuphea) to better ascertain their probabilities for sustainable production in regions with short growing seasons. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Three complimentary approaches will be pursued. First, phenological models will be devised for a wide array of crops and weeds. These will be inserted into existing and proposed management-oriented software. Clients have requested these models, which aid managers in planning early-season operations. Second, planting strategies will be developed that help crops and farmers compensate for cold and wet soil conditions in spring. These developments will extend fieldwork days for managers. Third, the characteristics needed for sustainable production in short growing seasons will be determined through physiological and agronomic investigations of new (e.g., cuphea), alternative, and traditional crops. These results will enable better blueprinting of crops whose phenologies must fit within the timeframes of northern regions. Combined, the three approaches will provide clients with integrated information and resources that increase timeliness and reduce risk for crops grown in short-season environments. 3.Progress Report Project personnel work on two primary issues: (a) adaptation, physiology and productivity of alternative crops and cropping practices and (b) weed biology and management. Progress in 2008 towards the first goal involved continuation of projects with the Energy & Environment Research Center (EERC) and Technology Crops International, Inc. (TCI) on alternative oilseed crops, especially cuphea. A grant with EERC and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency allowed employment of a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at Morris and establishment of a regional project involving the states of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Researchers from Western Illinois University, North Dakota State University, and USDA-ARS (Ames and Morris) participated. Project personnel also worked with TCI to examine feasibility of growing calendula, camelina, and pennycress as alternative oilseed crops in the northern Corn Belt. Camelina matures so quickly and can be harvested so early that relay cropping with two crops per season may be possible, even in central Minnesota. Weed research continued to be facilitated by soft monies from a CSREES-NRI grant and a CRADA with Percival Scientific, Inc. (PSI). These funds allowed continued employment of a Post-Doctoral Research Associate and a Programmer at Morris. Progress included software for PSI called WeatherEze, which is being featured by CSREES-NRI as one of the commercial outcomes of its sponsored research. The WeatherEze program originated from ideas conceived while developing models for the research phase of the CSREES project. Project personnel also established two new team-oriented projects. The first involves USDA-ARS units in Beltsville, Morris, Prosser, and Urbana wherein the effects of winter rye cover crops are examined for effects on timing and extent of weed emergence across a continent-wide climatic gradient. The second project is in conjunction with the European Weed Research Society, the USDA-ARS unit in Urbana, Iowa State University, and Agriculture and AgriFood-Canada. It pertains to understanding long-term seed dormancy, seedling behavior, and mechanical weed control of a single common weed species using identical experimental protocols at approximately 12 sites throughout Europe and three sites in North America. Both issues described above relate to NP 305, Crop Production, specifically the main component dealing with "Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems." The first issue relates to Problem Statement 1A.1: Develop Integrated Strategies for Soil, Water, and Nutrient Management for Optimal Yield and Economic Returns in Annual Cropping Systems. The second issue relates to Problem Statement 1A.3: Decision Support Systems to Optimize Pest Management. 4.Accomplishments 1. Oilseed cuphea crop needs little nitrogen fertilizer. All crops need some N and some crops need a lot of this very expensive and energy-intensive input. Two important practices, therefore, are (a) providing crops with only as much N as they need, and (b) growing crop species that need very little N. In both ND and MN a joint USDA-ARS and North Dakota State University team determined that the new oilseed crop, cuphea (pronounced "koo-fee-ah"), requires very little N compared to corn to achieve close to maximum seed yields. In fact, residual soil N after corn or soybean production is sufficient for cuphea the following year. These results now are used in the growers' guide supplied by the main specialty seed company, Technology Crops International, which contracts with farmers in the northern U.S., Canada, and northern Europe for cuphea seed production. NP 305 Crop Production, Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems. Problem Statement 1A.1: Develop Integrated Strategies for Soil, Water, and Nutrient Management for Optimal Yield and Economic Returns in Annual Cropping Systems. 2. Swathing or direct combining work well for harvesting oilseed cuphea. Like many newly-domesticated crops, seeds of cuphea (pronounced "koo-fee-ah") shatter from their pods prior to full maturity. Because a market exists for the specialty oil from cuphea, farmers are willing to grow it prior to genetic modification by breeders to eliminate the seed shattering trait. Consequently, we performed experiments in conjunction with North Dakota State University in both ND and MN to compare direct combining, chemical desiccation, or swathing for yield and ease of harvesting. Chemical desiccation was not fruitful, but direct combining and swathing were of equally high value. Although direct combining is cheaper than swathing, additional seed drying costs incurred with direct combining cause swathing to be an attractive alternative. This finding is included in the growers’ guide supplied by the main specialty seed company, Technology Crops International, who contracts with farmers in the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe for cuphea seed production. NP 305 Crop Production, Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems. Problem Statement 1A.4: Develop Crop Production Systems that are Productive, Profitable, and Environmentally Acceptable. 3. Timing of early- and late-emerging giant ragweed populations can be predicted. Giant ragweed is an increasing problem in the Corn Belt not just because of its competitiveness and resistance to glyphosate and ALS inhibitor herbicides, but also because it has evolved early- and late-emerging populations, sometimes within the same field. Postemergence control of giant ragweed depends greatly on appropriate timing of herbicide application. To facilitate control by growers, we developed, in conjunction with Ohio State University, a model that predicts the timing and extent of emergence of both early- and late-emerging phenotypes. That model is web-based and allows growers in Ohio and adjacent regions to increase the probability of successful postemergence control of giant ragweed. NP 305 Crop Production, Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems. Problem Statement 1A.3: Decision Support Systems to Optimize Pest Management. 4. Extent and timing of groundsel seedling emergence is predictable. Common groundsel is a serious problem in many horticultural crops, such as strawberry, and is one of the few weeds in northern crops that can produce two generations within a single growing season. In association with horticultural researchers from the University of California-Riverside, the University of Minnesota, and the Catholic Pontificial University (Chile) and through funding by the North American Strawberry Growers Association, we developed a user-friendly model that allows growers and consultants to predict the timing and extent of groundsel emergence in a site-specific manner. Growers now can better plan when to apply either preemergence herbicides to prolong residual activity or postemergence herbicides to maximize efficacy on common groundsel. NP 305 Crop Production, Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems. Problem Statement 1A.3: Decision Support Systems to Optimize Pest Management. 5. Common waterhemp seed production responds differently to corn and soybean canopies. Waterhemp recently rose to prominence as a major weed in the Corn Belt, with high but unknown levels of seed production. With researchers from the University of Minnesota and South Dakota State University, we determined that emergence timing interacted with crop species (corn or soybean) to determine fecundity levels. To inhibit population explosions of waterhemp, growers must emphasize early-season control in corn and late-season residual control in soybean. NP 305 Crop Production, Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems. Problem Statement 1A.4: Develop Crop Production Systems that are Productive, Profitable, and Environmentally Acceptable. 6. Development of common horticultural plants predict when giant foxtail seedlings emerge. Seedling emergence of important weeds can be predicted using sophisticated computer programs, but some growers are reluctant to use such software. Consequently, we examined whether the development of various traits (bud burst, flowering, etc.) of several species of horticultural plants, common to most farms of the Midwest, was associated with giant foxtail emergence. Many such traits were associated with foxtail emergence; e.g., first flowering of chokecherry occurred at the same time as 25% cumulative foxtail emergence. These results assist farmers and crop advisors with making timely weed management decisions. NP 305 Crop Production, Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems. Problem Statement 1A.3: Decision Support Systems to Optimize Pest Management. 7. Seed coatings delay emergence of corn and soybean. Even when soil conditions are sufficiently dry, growers avoid sowing corn and soybean in the early spring to guard against early-season cold damage to seedlings. Polymer-based seed coatings theoretically can prevent germination until soils warm sufficiently to promote safe emergence. This idea was tested over three seasons, with the results verifying that polymer coatings delayed seedling emergence by about 10 days, a period of time ample to protect most seedlings from cold damage. These results assist growers, crop advisors, and seed industry personnel in making wise planting decisions in spring. NP 305 Crop Production, Integrated Sustainable Crop Production Systems. Problem Statement 1A.4: Develop Crop Production Systems that are Productive, Profitable, and Environmentally Acceptable. 5.Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Established relationship with the Science Program at Sisseton Wahpeton College, which is a 1994 Land Grant tribal college in South Dakota. Project personnel and Sisseton Wahpeton College jointly submitted a CSREES-NRI-Net proposal in FY-08 for $200,000. Status of proposal still is pending. 6.Technology Transfer Number of Active CRADAs 1 Number of Invention Disclosures Submitted 1 Number of Non-Peer Reviewed Presentations and Proceedings 5 Number of Newspaper Articles and Other Presentations for Non-Science Audiences 4 Number of Other Technology Transfer 1 Review Publications Uscanga-Mortera, E., Clay, S., Forcella, F., Gunsolus, J. 2007. Common waterhemp growth and fecundity as influenced by emergence date and competing crop. Agronomy Journal. 99(5):1265-1270. Cardina, J., Herms, C.P., Herms, D.A., Forcella, F. 2007. Evaluating Phenological Indicators for Predicting Giant Foxtail (Setaria Faberi) Emergence. Weed Science. 55:455-464. Martinson, K., Durgan, B., Forcella, F., Wiersma, J., Spokas, K.A., Archer, D.W. 2007. An Emergence Model for Wild Oat (Avena fatua). Weed Science. 55:584-591. Mcgiffin, M., Spokas, K.A., Forcella, F., Archer, D.W., Poppe, S., Figueroa, R. 2008. Emergence prediction of common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris). Weed Science. 56:58-65. Jaradat, A.A., Rinke, J.L. 2008. Flowering, capsule and seed characteristics in Cuphea. Euphytica. 161:447-459. Riedell, W.E., Osborne, S.L., Jaradat, A.A. 2007. Crop mineral nutrient and yield responses to aphids or barley yellow dwarf virus in spring wheat and oat. Crop Science. 47:1553-1560. Berti, M.T., Johnson, B.L., Gesch, R.W., Forcella, F. 2008. Cuphea Nitrogen Uptake and Seed Yield Response to Nitrogen Fertilization. Agronomy Journal. 100(3):628-634. Sharratt, B.S., Gesch, R.W. 2008. Emergence of polymer-coated corn and soybean influenced by tillage and sowing date. Agronomy Journal. 100:585-590. Jaradat, A.A., Rinke, J.L. 2008. Phenotypic divergence and population variation in cuphea. Journal of Agronomy. 7(1):25-32. Gesch, R.W., Palmquist, D.E., Anderson, J.V. 2007. Seasonal Photosynthesis and Partitioning of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula). Weed Science. 55:346-351. Berti, M., Johnson, B., Gesch, R.W., Forcella, F. 2008. Cuphea seed yield response to harvest methods applied on different dates. Agronomy Journal. 100(4):1138-1144. Schutte, B.J., Regnier, E.E., Harrison, S.K., Schmoll, J.T., Spokas, K.A., Forcella, F. 2008. A hydrothermal seedling emergence model for giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida). Weed Science. 56:555-560. Kim, K., Clay, D.E., Carlson, C.G., Clay, S.A., Trooien, T. 2008. Do synergistic relationships between nitrogen and water influence the ability of corn to use nitrogen derived from fertilizer and soil? Agronomy Journal. 100(3):551-556.