Numbered Publications: Plant and Soil Sciences
ID-225: Organic Corn Production in Kentucky
Chad Lee, Will Martin, Sam McNeill, Lee Meyer, Michael Montross, Edwin Ritchey, Tom Sikora | Jan. 15, 2015 (New)
The number of organic dairy cows in Kentucky has been steadily increasing for years, yet there's not enough organic corn produced in the state to feed the growing herds. In short, a new market has developed in the state, but few local farmers are taking advantage of it. While Kentucky farmers are no strangers to corn, growing corn organically utilizes different management, cultural and marketing practices and requires new skills. And, importantly, organic production must follow an approved farm plan that allows farmers to sell their corn as certified organic. This publication is designed to be both an introduction to a new enterprise as well as a practical manual for those interested in pursuing organic corn production on their own farms.
PR-689: 2014 Kentucky Soybean Performance Tests
Benjamin Abourjeily, Joshua Duckworth, Laura Jane Phelps, Claire Venard | Dec. 11, 2014 (New)
The Kentucky Soybean Variety Performance Tests are conducted to provide an unbiased, objective estimate of the relative performance of soybean varieties 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 were entered by soybean growers, commercial companies, and state and federal institutions. Thirty soybean tests were planted in 2014 in Kentucky at the six test locations shown below. Planting dates and other information are shown in Table 1. Data for the maturity groups IV Early, IV Late and V at the Caldwell County location are not provided to avoid penalizing any variety (plots were damaged by a storm soon after planting).
PR-686: 2014 Summer Annual Grass Report
Garry Lacefield, Gene Olson, Ray Smith | Dec. 10, 2014 (New)
Summer annual grasses provide an important forage crop option for producers in Kentucky. These grasses are mainly used as emergency or supplemental hay and pasture crops, but little information is available on their yield potential. The purpose of this publication is to summarize the University of Kentucky 2011-2014 forage yield trials with sudangrass, sorghum/sudangrass, millets, and teff.
PR-687: 2014 Long-Term Summary of Kentucky Forage Variety Trials
Garry Lacefield, Gene Olson, Ray Smith | Dec. 10, 2014 (New)
Forage crops occupy approximately 7 million acres in Kentucky. Forages provide a majority of the nutrition for beef, dairy, horse, goat, sheep, and wildlife in the state. In addition, forage crops play an environmentally friendly role in soil conservation, water quality, and air quality. There are over 60 forage species adapted to the climate and soil conditions of Kentucky. Only 10 to 12 of these species occupy the majority of the acreage, but within these species there is a tremendous variation in varieties. This publication was developed to provide a user-friendly guide to choosing the best variety for producers based on a summary of forage yield and grazing tolerance trials conducted in Kentucky over the past 10 to 12 years.
PR-684: 2014 Cool-Season Grass Grazing Tolerance Report
Joey Clark, Garry Lacefield, Gene Olson, Tim Phillips, Ray Smith | Dec. 4, 2014 (New)
Cool-season grasses such as tall fescue and orchardgrass are the primary pasture grasses in Kentucky. Other species such as perennial ryegrass, festulolium, and prairie brome can be used in pasture systems. Little is known about the effect of variety on the grazing tolerance of these cool-season grass species. The purpose of this report is to summarize current research on the grazing tolerance of varieties of tall fescue, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, and other species when they are subjected to continuous, heavy grazing pressure by cattle within the grazing season. The main focus will be on plant stand survival.
PR-685: 2014 Cool-Season Grass Horse Grazing Tolerance Report
Garry Lacefield, Laurie Lawrence, Gene Olson, Tim Phillips, Ray Smith | Dec. 4, 2014 (New)
Cool-season grasses such as bluegrass, tall fescue, and orchardgrass are dominant pasture grasses for horses in Kentucky. Variety evaluations for yield have been carried out for many years, but little work has been done to establish the effect of variety on persistence when subjected to close, continuous grazing by horses. The purpose of this report is to summarize current research on the grazing tolerance of varieties of tall fescue, orchardgrass, and other species when subjected to continuous heavy grazing pressure by horses within the grazing season. The main focus will be on stand survival.
PR-683: 2014 Red and White Clover Grazing Tolerance Report
Joey Clark, Garry Lacefield, Gene Olson, Ray Smith | Dec. 2, 2014 (New)
This report summarizes research on the grazing tolerance of red and white clover varieties when subjected to continuous grazing pressure.
PR-682: 2014 Alfalfa Grazing Tolerance Report
Joey Clark, Garry Lacefield, Gene Olson, Ray Smith | Dec. 2, 2014 (New)
This report summarizes research on the grazing tolerance of alfalfa varieties when subjected to continuous grazing pressure.
PPFS-AG-F-9: Managing Diseases of Alfalfa
Ray Smith, Paul Vincelli | Dec. 1, 2014 (New)
Alfalfa can be a vigorous and productive forage crop for Kentucky farmers. Like all farm crops, however, alfalfa is subject to infectious diseases that can limit forage production. Managing these diseases is an important part of economical alfalfa production.
PR-676: 2014 Alfalfa Report
Garry Lacefield, Gene Olson, Ray Smith | Nov. 25, 2014 (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.