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NONIRRIGATED CROPPING SEQUENCE INVOLVING CORN, GRAIN SORGHUM, SOYBEANS AND FALLOW IN EASTERN NEBRASKA
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at the University of Nebraska Field Laboratory at Mead, Nebraska, from 1972 to 1980. The objectives of the experiment included: (1) To determine the most productive sequence of row crops (corn, sorghum and soybeans) in a nonirrigated continuous cropping system in southeast Nebraska. (2) To ascertain the value of clean fallow in a row crop sequence. (3) To evaluate the feasibility of continuous cropping of corn, grain sorghum and soybeans. The row crops of grain sorghum, corn and soybeans were grown following each of these row crops and fallow. A variety of agronomic factors were evaluated. Grain from continuous sorghum had less protein than grain from rotated fields. Plant stands showed a large percentage loss spring to maturity for sorghum following soybeans as compared to sorghum following fallow, corn or sorghum. There was a large percentage stand loss for soybeans after sorghum as compared to soybeans following fallow, corn or soybeans. Sorghum following fallow yielded more than sorghum following corn or sorghum. Corn following fallow or soybeans yielded more than corn following corn or sorghum. Soybeans following fallow yielded more than continuous soybeans. A yield ratio was developed to compare the crops grown in this study. Using this ratio, if all three crops and fallow are grown, then the sequence of fallow-sorghum-soybeans-corn or fallow-corn-soybeans-sorghum, or fallow-corn-sorghum-soybeans, will yield more than other sequences. Continuous sorghum out yielded all the rotations with fallow and continuous soybeans out yielded most of the rotations with fallow on an annual basis, but continuous corn does not. Without fallow the corn-sorghum-soybean rotations will be the highest yielding of the potential three year rotations. If only two row crops are grown sorghum-soybeans will yield more than corn-sorghum or corn-soybeans rotations. All rotation combinations out yielded continuous corn. All grain sorghum yields were larger than corn yields.
Subject Area
Agronomy
Recommended Citation
MCCLURE, RICHARD MANLY, "NONIRRIGATED CROPPING SEQUENCE INVOLVING CORN, GRAIN SORGHUM, SOYBEANS AND FALLOW IN EASTERN NEBRASKA" (1982). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8308789.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8308789