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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #358486
Research Project: Developing Safe, Efficient and Environmentally Sound Management Practices for the Use of Animal Manure

Location: Food Animal Environmental Systems Research

Title: Short-term soil characteristic dynamics in beef cattle pastured winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) soybean (Glycine max) double crop production system

Author
item NETTHISINGHE, ANNESLY - Western Kentucky University
item GALLOWAY, HUNTER - Western Kentucky University
item Agga, Getahun
item DEGRAVES, FRED - Western Kentucky University

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/26/2018
Publication Date: 11/6/2018
Citation: Netthisinghe, A.M., Galloway, H.O., Agga, G.E., Degraves, F. 2018. Short-term soil characteristic dynamics in beef cattle pastured winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) soybean (Glycine max) double crop production system. American Society of Agronomy Meetings. Poster No. 1033.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Winter wheat pasture provide high-quality forage for grazing livestock. Winter wheat is grown as a dual-purpose crop offers a unique opportunity to have benefits of grain production and weight gain by beef cattle pastured on winter wheat crop up to joint growth stage. In addition, beef cattle integration may influence soil characteristics. In this study, we present short-term (after one growing cycle) soil characteristic dynamics in beef cattle pastured (WGR)/un-pastured (W) winter wheat double-cropped with soybean as the summer crop. Soil P, K, Cu, and Zn contents did not change in the two systems [(P-W: 30.8-29.7; P-WGR: 25.5 -29.7mgkg-1), (K-W: 279-281.8; K-WGR: 196-237.6 mgkg-1), (Cu-W: 2.7-1.9 ; Cu-WGR: 2.7-2.0 mgkg-1), (Zn-W: 4.7-4.6 ; Zn-WGR:4.1-4.6 mgkg-1)]. Total soil C (TC), N (TN), and NO3-N contents increased in the two systems [(TC-W: 22.1-30.9; TC-WGR: 17.6-28.3 gkg-1), (TN-W: 2.3-2.9; TN-WGR; 1.9-2.8 gkg-1), (NO3-N-W; 3.3-9.4; NO3-N-WGR-: 4.0-8.7 gkg-1)]. The NH4-N contents decreased in both pastured and un-pastured systems (W-NH4-N: 18.2-12.8; WGR-NH4-N: 19.7-10.6 gkg-1).