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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #336475
Title: Perennial plan establishment and productivity can be influenced by previous annual crops

Author
item Schmer, Marty
item Hendrickson, John
item Liebig, Mark
item Johnson, Holly

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/14/2017
Publication Date: 6/1/2017
Citation: Schmer, M.R., Hendrickson, J.R., Liebig, M.A., Johnson, H.A. 2017. Perennial plan establishment and productivity can be influenced by previous annual crops. Agronomy Journal. 109(4):1-10.

Interpretive Summary: Developing efficient, economical methods of perennial mixture establishment is needed for grazing and conservation purposes. A study was created to evaluate how perennial grasses respond when established in spring wheat, corn, soybean, dry pea, and canola residue near Mandan, ND. Perennial treatments were monocultures, binary mixtures (grass and legume), moderate diversity mixtures and high-diversity mixtures. Perennial treatments established in soybean residue resulted in the highest stand frequency. Cool-season grass treatments tended to have higher stand frequencies than warm-season grass treatments. Highest yields were from intermediate wheatgrass. This study highlights how transitioning from an annual cropping system to perennials can be influenced by the previous annual crop in a semi-arid environment. Further research on establishing diverse, pollinator-friendly perennial mixtures following annual crops is warranted.

Technical Abstract: Developing efficient, economical methods of perennial mixture establishment is needed for grazing and conservation purposes. Study objectives were to evaluate different perennial monocultures and mixtures planted into spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), dry pea (Pisum sativum L.), and spring canola (Brassica napus subsp. Rapifera) to determine establishment and subsequent production variation near Mandan, ND. Perennial treatments were two monocultures, binary mixtures (grass + legume), a warm-season moderate-input moderate diversity (MIMD) grass mixture, a cool-season MIMD grass mixture, and a low-input high diversity (LIHD) mixture consisting of 16 native species. Seeding rate was 450 pure live seed (PLS) m2 for all perennial treatments and were managed according to best management practices. Stand establishment measured using the frequency grid method indicated perennial treatments established into soybean residue had the highest stand frequency (59%). Cool-season grass treatments tended to have higher stand frequencies than warm-season grass treatments and LIHD. Biomass yields were highest for intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey) (8.2 ± 1.2 Mg ha-1). Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) produced the highest average biomass yield of the warm-season grass treatments with 6.7 ± 1.2 Mg ha-1. The LIHD mixture was primarily cool-season grasses followed by weeds, warm-season grasses, and forb/legumes. This study highlights how transitioning from an annual cropping system to perennials can be influenced by the previous annual crop in a semi-arid environment. Further research on establishing diverse, pollinator-friendly perennial mixtures following annual crops is warranted.