PR-775: 2019 Kentucky Soybean Performance Tests

Joshua Duckworth, Claire Venard | Nov. 27, 2019 (New)

The Kentucky Soybean Variety Performance Tests are conducted to provide an unbiased and objective estimate of the relative performance of soybean varieties commercially available in Kentucky. This information may be used by growers and seed producers to aid in selecting varieties that will give the highest total production in a specific situation. Soybean cultivars in the 2019 tests were entered by soybean growers, commercial companies, state and federal institutions.

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PR-763: 2019 Alfalfa Report

Jimmy Henning, Gene Olson, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | Nov. 26, 2019 (New)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) has historically been the highest-yielding, highest-quality forage legume grown in Kentucky. It is an important part of Kentucky's cash hay enterprise and is an important component in dairy, horse, beef, and sheep diets. Choosing a good variety is a key step in establishing a stand of alfalfa. The choice of variety can impact yield, thickness of stand, and persistence. This report provides yield data on alfalfa varieties included in current yield trials in Kentucky as well as guidelines for selecting alfalfa varieties.

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PR-766: 2019 Tall Fescue and Bromegrass Report

Jimmy Henning, Gene Olson, Tim Phillips, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | Nov. 26, 2019 (New)

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is a productive, well-adapted, persistent, soil-conserving, cool-season grass grown on approximately 5.5 million acres in Kentucky. This grass, used for both hay and pasture, is the forage base of most of Kentucky's livestock enterprises, particularly beef cattle. Much of the tall fescue in Kentuckys infected with an internal fungus (endophyte) that produces ergot alkaloids and results in decreased weight gains in growing ruminants and lower pregnancy rates in breeding stock, especially in hot weather. Varieties are now available that are free of this fungal endophyte or infected with a nontoxic endophyte. Varieties in the latter group are also referred to as "novel" or "friendly" endophyte varieties, because their endophyte improves stand survival without creating animal production problems

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PR-764: 2019 Red and White Clover Report

Jimmy Henning, Gene Olson, Ray Smith, Chris Teutsch | Nov. 26, 2019 (New)

This report provides current yield and persistence data on red and white clover varieties included in yield trials in Kentucky as well as guidelines for selecting clover varieties. Tables 14 and 15 show a summary of all clover varieties tested in Kentucky for the past 15 years. The UK Forage Extension website at forages.ca.uky.edu contains electronic versions of all forage variety testing reports from Kentucky and surrounding states and a large number of other forage publications.

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PPFS-OR-T-12: Brown Patch in Home Lawns and Commercial Turfgrass

Gregg Munshaw, Paul Vincelli | Oct. 21, 2019 (Minor Revision)

Brown patch, also known as Rhizoctonia blight, is a common disease of turfgrass. All cultivated grasses grown in Kentucky can be affected; however, this disease is usually only destructive in tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. Fine fescues (hard fescue, creeping red fescue, chewings fescue, and sheep fescue) are all moderately susceptible to the disease. Occasionally, Kentucky bluegrass lawns can be affected by brown patch, although this grass is less susceptible than others.

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PR-761: 2019 Kentucky Hybrid Corn Performance Test

Cam Kenimer, Chad Lee, Matthew Piersawl, Phillip Shine | Oct. 15, 2019 (New)

The objective of the Kentucky Hybrid Corn Performance Test is to provide relative performance estimates of hybrid seed corn sold in Kentucky. The test attempts to treat every hybrid similarly in an unbiased manner. Agronomic practices that meet or exceed university guidelines are implemented at each location.

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AGR-52: Selecting the Right Grass for Your Kentucky Lawn

Gregg Munshaw, Travis Shaddox | Aug. 29, 2019 (Major Revision)

The best grass for your lawn is not necessarily the one you like the best, but the one that is best adapted to where you live and will take less work and fewer inputs (water, fertilizer, pesticides). Many people think that since Kentucky is the "Bluegrass State," it's best to grow Kentucky bluegrass across our state. Actually, Kentucky bluegrass is only marginally adapted to our climate and can require more inputs to keep an appealing lawn than some other choices. In general, Kentucky bluegrass can be an option for parts of central and eastern Kentucky, while zoysiagrass may be a better option in western Kentucky. Tall fescue is adapted to the entire state so is a good choice for most locations. Perennial ryegrasses and fine fescues are occasionally useful in different areas of the state, depending on specific conditions.

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AGR-241: Improved Turfgrass Varieties Can Reduce Your Environmental Impact

Gregg Munshaw, Travis Shaddox | Aug. 29, 2019 (New)

Turfgrasses have many benefits, but oftentimes people question if pesticides, fertilizers, and water are justified to sustain a quality turfed area. Although these inputs have long been required to produce thick and dark green turfgrass, some turfgrass breeders have focused on improving the genetics of turfgrasses to produce high quality turf with fewer inputs. Improved turfgrass varieties with increased density, better color, deeper rooting, and improved disease resistance through improved breeding can reduce the overall environmental footprint. Many people select a turfgrass species and variety based on cost, but choosing an improved variety can reduce environment risk and overall maintenance costs in the long-run.

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AGR-240: Cover Crop Benefits and Challenges in Kentucky

Chad Lee, Hanna Poffenbarger, Dan Quinn | Aug. 7, 2019 (New)

A cover crop is a plant species that is grown between cash crops primarily to provide cropping system services rather than to produce a harvestable product. Services provided by cover crops include soil health improvement, soil conservation, nutrient release and capture, and weed suppression. However, like any management practice, cover crops also have challenges and limitations. This publication is intended to provide an overview of cover crop use in Kentucky and the challenges and benefits of this practice.

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PR-760: 2019 Kentucky Small Grains Variety Performance Test

Bill Bruening, John Connelly, Gene Olson, Matthew Piersawl, Sandy Swanson, Dave Sanford | Jul. 12, 2019 (New)

The 2019 soft red winter wheat growing season ended with Kentucky farmers harvesting approximately 340,000 acres of the 450,000 acres planted, for a total production of 26.2 million bushels of grain. An average yield of 77 bushels per acre was estimated by NASS. The acreage not harvested for grain was primarily used for forage production and cover cropping.