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ARS Home » Plains Area » Mandan, North Dakota » Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #375379
Research Project: Sustainable Agricultural Systems for the Northern Great Plains

Location: Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory

Title: Integrating perennial forages into annual cropping systems: influence on soil and grain quality

Author
item Clemensen, Andrea
item Liebig, Mark
item Grusak, Michael
item Duke, Sara
item Franco, Jose
item Hendrickson, John
item Archer, David

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/8/2020
Publication Date: 11/8/2020
Citation: Clemensen, A.K., Liebig, M.A., Grusak, M.A., Duke, S.E., Franco Jr, J.G., Hendrickson, J.R., Archer, D.W. 2020. Integrating perennial forages into annual cropping systems: influence on soil and grain quality . Meeting Abstract. 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: There is increasing awareness that land management decisions may influence both soil and crop quality, yet few studies illuminate these associations. A study in Mandan, ND from 2006 to 2014 assessed how various perennial forage phase durations affected performance of subsequent annual cropping systems. Results showed greater yield in unfertilized spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) following alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) than in fertilized continuous annual spring wheat, with yield benefits persisting 3 to 4 years after conversion from perennial forages to an annual crop. In addition, perennial forages reduced near-surface bulk density and soil acidification, and increased particulate organic matter and water stable aggregates when compared to soil under continuous annual spring wheat. To determine whether integrating perennial forages influence plant available minerals in soil, and mineral concentrations and protein in wheat grain, we analyzed soil and wheat grain samples from 2011. We observed positive correlations between wheat yield and grain protein percentage (p < 0.001), and wheat yield and grain mineral concentrations for Ni (p < 0.001) and S (p = 0.004), while negative correlations were observed between wheat yield and grain mineral concentrations for K (p = 0.041) and P (p = 0.046). However, there were no differences in wheat grain mineral or protein values when unfertilized wheat followed perennial forages versus the fertilized continuous annual spring wheat. These results suggest that perennial forages may be an alternative to commercial fertilizer with little impact on grain nutritional quality. Additional tests are underway to determine whether integrating perennial forages into annual cropping systems show differences in plant-available soil minerals.