SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: WERA_OLD103 : Nutrient Management and Water Quality
- Period Covered: 03/01/2001 to 03/01/2002
- Date of Report: 10/31/2002
- Annual Meeting Dates: 03/14/2002 to 03/15/2002
Participants
[Minutes]
Accomplishments
The focus of the WCC-103 project annual meeting was to plan for the next Western Nutrient Management Conference. The Conference is scheduled for March 6-7, 2003 in Salt Lake City, UT. This annual conference is the major activity of WCC-103, bringing together university researchers, Extension specialists/agents, private industry agronomists, and nutrient management planners from NRCS and other agencies. The conference will include a day and a half of technical presentations and a poster session. Printed conference proceedings will be provided to all registered attendees, and will also be available online at http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/WCC103/wcc103.htm.
The Western States Laboratory Plant, Soil and Water Analysis Manual is undergoing final editing and is expected to be printed and distributed through the North American Proficiency Testing program (Bob Miller) in 2002. Each of the analytical methods in the manual will also be available online in PDF format at the WCC-103 website, http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/WCC103/wcc103.htm. The Manual is the 2nd revision of an earlier Western Region Publication 125, "Plant, Soil and Water Reference Methods for the Western Region", released in 1994. The revised Manual includes updated laboratory protocols and a new section on quality control/quality assurance.
A major accomplishment of this project is the sharing of current research and Extension nutrient management information across state lines. Full text state reports from the 2002 WCC-103 project annual meeting are available at http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/WCC103/wcc103.htm
Highlights of current Western Region projects and accomplishments by Member/State:
Amacher and Kotuby-Amacher/Utah: Current research and Extension projects include: Forest soil quality monitoring as an indicator of forest health (M. Amacher); Selenium remediation project in southeast Idaho (M. Amacher); Phosphorus and Nitrogen Use by Asparagus (Dan Drost); Iodine as a methyl bromide alternative (P. Grossl); Phosphorus sources and placements for irrigated alfalfa (R. Koenig); Sulfur sources and rates for irrigated alfalfa (R. Koenig); nitrogen responses and budget relationships in irrigated grass and grass-legume pastures (R. Koenig); Spatial variability of soil test phosphorus induced by manure spreading (R. Koenig); Phosphorus sources and placements for irrigated alfalfa (R. Koenig).
Brown/Idaho: Current projects, western Idaho (Brown) include: cereal protein response to late season N as affected by planting date and variety; winter/spring wheat/spring barley response to P; Onion response to fall applied slow release N sources; Removal of P with a double crop forage system. A Wheat Protein Enhancement Symposium was presented at 2001 ASA meeting. Presentations from the meeting are available on-line at (http://agweb.ag.uidaho.edu/swidaho)
Current projects, southern Idaho (Stark) include: wheat baking quality response to N timing and late season water; potato variety response to seasonal N distribution; increasing late season P availability for potatoes using controlled release P or cation resin coatings.
Several new faculty members are initiating research/Extension programs. Jason Ellsworth, new faculty member in southern Idaho is planning research on remote sensing for identifying N limited wheat protein and dairy manure and compost evaluations. Jason is leading development of U of I Soil Fertility web site. Bryan Hopkins is planning research on variable rate N applications for variable yield potatoes, N management for potatoes following alfalfa, effectiveness of P timing and placement for potatoes, excessive P effects on potato Zn nutrition. Bryan is updating website for Potato Center of Excellence.
Christensen-Hart-Sullivan/Oregon: Managing Nitrogen Fertilizer for Hard Wheat Yield and Protein (Christensen). Field experiments were conducted at four Oregon locations to assess the impact of growing environment and N fertilizer management on grain yield and protein content of hard red and hard white market classes of spring wheat. Significant findings were: (1) more N is required to produce hard spring wheat with acceptable protein than to produce a comparable yield of soft white wheat; (2) market class does not affect total nitrogen uptake by plants; (3) the amount of N in grain vs. straw is unaffected by market class and cultivar; and (4) N fertilizer uptake efficiency by plants is much lower at high rates of N than at low rates of N. Oregon wheat growers will use this information to increase the probability of successfully growing and marketing hard red and hard white classes of wheat.
Green Beans (Hart). The Pre-sidedress Soil Nitrate Test (PSNT) for green bean production was evaluated in cooperation with two growers in Willamette Valley and Marvin Kauffman, consultant. The approach showed that N rates for green bean production could be adjusted with the PSNT. Unfortunately, a very short time was available for sampling and analysis, and the dollar amount that could be saved was quite small compared to the effort during a very hectic time of year. Many progressive growers were unwilling to consider using the test this year. We abandoned further work on the project. As part of the PSNT project, nutrient and biomass uptake was measured for two years. Nitrogen information can be found at the following address: http://www.css.orst.edu/newsnotes/0101/0101.PDF
A new Western Integrated Nutrient Management Education Project website (Sullivan) provides current information on Pacific Northwest nutrient management policy, current events, agency contacts, and tools for nutrient management at http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/.
Pettygrove/California: A wide variety of current and recently completed research and education projects funded by the California Department of Food & Agriculture Fertilizer Research & Education Program are summarized at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/frep. Research focuses on fruit, nut and vine crops, vegetable crops, field crops, precision agriculture, irrigation and fertigation.
Gavlak/Alaska: Studies ongoing include dairy waste management assessing yield and quality response, N mineralization, nutrient uptake and the residual effectiveness of liquid and dry manure on annual and perennial grasses; fertility effects on forage legume and grass mixture on yield, quality and nutrient uptake; C cycling in Gelisols.
Westfall/Colorado: Current research and Extension efforts focus on Mobility of trace metals in biosolids amended soils (Heil); no-till dryland cropping systems (Peterson); Manure management software (Baud); Manure management education (Davis); Survey of irrigated agriculture in Colorado (Baud); economic analysis of BMP adoption (Waskom); N credits from manure and irrigation water (Baud); P carryover in intensive no-till dryland cropping systems (Westfall); Pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) on manured and nonmanured fields (Khosla); Analysis of Colorado aquifer vulnerability to nitrate contamination on a watershed and field scale (Waskom); Impacts of Irrigation and Fertilization of Mountain Meadows on Water Quality (Waskom); Phosphorus in runoff-national benchmark P runoff project (Davis); Slow release N sources for onions (Westfall); Evaluating Nitrogen Management Techniques on Production Level Management Zones; and Spatial N Removal from Management Zones (Khosla).
Miller/ North American Proficiency Testing Program: The 2001 NAPT program wrapped up in January 2002 with 164 laboratories from the countries of Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and Chile. One hundred twenty-one labs were enrolled in the plant program and forty in the water program. Approximately 85% of the labs now provide quarterly results via e-mail. A comparison of the M-3 P analysis by ICP and a colorimetric method indicates that for soils with a pH less than 7.5 the ICP method recovered significantly more P than the colorimetric method and was consistently more variable. A comparison of the M-3-P colorimetric method with Bray P-1 method indicates equivalent medians on the three soils having a pH less than 7.5.
McCaslin/New Mexico: Phytoextraction of uranium from contaminated soil is a very promising technique for economical decontamination of soils. Research focused on development of a hydroponic nutrient solution technique was developed to screen plants for citrate assisted uranium uptake. Thirty-two plant species utilized in the screening study, listed in descending order of uranium concentration in the above ground tissue: lettuce, kochia, tomato, alfalfa, golden amaranth, black grama, tansy mustard, London rocket, four wing saltbush, swiss chard, carrot, zucchini, desert mallow, purple aster, Indian mustard, Okra, desert baileya, broom dahlia, leek, Stanlyea, pea, Galleta, sainfoin, bottle gourd, datura, four o‘clock, cucumber, tobacco, rye grass, radish, Sporobolus, corn.
Uchida/Hawaii: Current research and Extension projects include: P Index Work (R. Yost with NRCS personnel); Effluent P Disposal (C. Evensen, R. Yost, and N.V. Hue and Livestock Agents); Yield Decline in Macadamia (G. Porter, R. Yost, and M. Nagao); Yield Response of Vegetables to Phosphorus Fertilizer Applications in Hawaii (H. Valenzuela, D. Sato, R. Uchida, L. Shinsato, J. Silva, R. Yost and C. Smith); Calcium Experiment with Pineapple (G. Uehara, R. Hamasaki, R. Uchida, N.V. Hue, J. Silva, G. Tsuji, R. Ogoshi, R. Paull, and D. Bartholomew); Nutrient Management for Wetland Taro Production (J. Silva, J. Uchida, R. Uchida and Extension Agents).
Stevens/Wyoming: Research projects include evaluation of K fertilizer recommendations for irrigated alfalfa production; effect of N and K application rates on lodging, yield and crop quality in malt barley production; micronutrient and sulfur effects on sugar beet production; seedling injury and stand loss resulting from pre-plant applications of ammonium nitrate and urea N fertilizers; potential benefits of site-specific N management in irrigated sugar beet production; N management strategies for dry beans.
Thompson/Arizona: Current research projects include: Residual soil nitrogen evaluations in irrigated desert soils; Evaluation of manganese fertility in the Yuma Valley; potassium fertilization of upland cotton; development of tissue tests for durum wheat and malting barley, development of best management practices for young navel oranges; effects of fluid P fertigation on growth and yield of micro sprinkler irrigated citrus in the desert Southwest; Foliar applications of low-biuret urea and potassium phosphite to navel orange trees; temporal and varietal changes in pecan leaf tissue; fertigation frequency for subsurface drip-irrigated broccoli; nitrogen dynamics in bioremediation systems; determining fertility requirements and mowing response of Sea Isle 2000 Paspalum for golf greens and fairways in the Southwest.
Stevens/Washington: Current research includes: Dynamics of earthworm populations under direct seed conditions; Nitrogen availability from biosolids; Site-specific crop management as a strategy for reducing nitrate leaching potential in the Columbia Plateau; Field deployable, real-time sensors to improve canopy management in grape; Assessment of ion selective electrodes for nitrate and potassium measurements in soil slurries; Comparison of slow release and conventional N fertilizers for potato production in the Columbia Basin; Carbon and nitrogen cycling in direct-seed spring cereal alternatives to wheat-fallow; Radar assessment and GIS modeling of cover crop adoption in the Columbia Basin for improving cycling and reducing wind erosion; Trace metal accumulation in potato and wheat from commercial fertilizer sources; Wheat and bluegrass straw utilization for paper and fertilizer production; Effect of BMPs for manure management on movement of fecal coliform and nutrients in return flows; minimizing sediment and nutrient loss from furrow irrigated fields.
The Western States Laboratory Plant, Soil and Water Analysis Manual is undergoing final editing and is expected to be printed and distributed through the North American Proficiency Testing program (Bob Miller) in 2002. Each of the analytical methods in the manual will also be available online in PDF format at the WCC-103 website, http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/WCC103/wcc103.htm. The Manual is the 2nd revision of an earlier Western Region Publication 125, "Plant, Soil and Water Reference Methods for the Western Region", released in 1994. The revised Manual includes updated laboratory protocols and a new section on quality control/quality assurance.
A major accomplishment of this project is the sharing of current research and Extension nutrient management information across state lines. Full text state reports from the 2002 WCC-103 project annual meeting are available at http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/WCC103/wcc103.htm
Highlights of current Western Region projects and accomplishments by Member/State:
Amacher and Kotuby-Amacher/Utah: Current research and Extension projects include: Forest soil quality monitoring as an indicator of forest health (M. Amacher); Selenium remediation project in southeast Idaho (M. Amacher); Phosphorus and Nitrogen Use by Asparagus (Dan Drost); Iodine as a methyl bromide alternative (P. Grossl); Phosphorus sources and placements for irrigated alfalfa (R. Koenig); Sulfur sources and rates for irrigated alfalfa (R. Koenig); nitrogen responses and budget relationships in irrigated grass and grass-legume pastures (R. Koenig); Spatial variability of soil test phosphorus induced by manure spreading (R. Koenig); Phosphorus sources and placements for irrigated alfalfa (R. Koenig).
Brown/Idaho: Current projects, western Idaho (Brown) include: cereal protein response to late season N as affected by planting date and variety; winter/spring wheat/spring barley response to P; Onion response to fall applied slow release N sources; Removal of P with a double crop forage system. A Wheat Protein Enhancement Symposium was presented at 2001 ASA meeting. Presentations from the meeting are available on-line at (http://agweb.ag.uidaho.edu/swidaho)
Current projects, southern Idaho (Stark) include: wheat baking quality response to N timing and late season water; potato variety response to seasonal N distribution; increasing late season P availability for potatoes using controlled release P or cation resin coatings.
Several new faculty members are initiating research/Extension programs. Jason Ellsworth, new faculty member in southern Idaho is planning research on remote sensing for identifying N limited wheat protein and dairy manure and compost evaluations. Jason is leading development of U of I Soil Fertility web site. Bryan Hopkins is planning research on variable rate N applications for variable yield potatoes, N management for potatoes following alfalfa, effectiveness of P timing and placement for potatoes, excessive P effects on potato Zn nutrition. Bryan is updating website for Potato Center of Excellence.
Christensen-Hart-Sullivan/Oregon: Managing Nitrogen Fertilizer for Hard Wheat Yield and Protein (Christensen). Field experiments were conducted at four Oregon locations to assess the impact of growing environment and N fertilizer management on grain yield and protein content of hard red and hard white market classes of spring wheat. Significant findings were: (1) more N is required to produce hard spring wheat with acceptable protein than to produce a comparable yield of soft white wheat; (2) market class does not affect total nitrogen uptake by plants; (3) the amount of N in grain vs. straw is unaffected by market class and cultivar; and (4) N fertilizer uptake efficiency by plants is much lower at high rates of N than at low rates of N. Oregon wheat growers will use this information to increase the probability of successfully growing and marketing hard red and hard white classes of wheat.
Green Beans (Hart). The Pre-sidedress Soil Nitrate Test (PSNT) for green bean production was evaluated in cooperation with two growers in Willamette Valley and Marvin Kauffman, consultant. The approach showed that N rates for green bean production could be adjusted with the PSNT. Unfortunately, a very short time was available for sampling and analysis, and the dollar amount that could be saved was quite small compared to the effort during a very hectic time of year. Many progressive growers were unwilling to consider using the test this year. We abandoned further work on the project. As part of the PSNT project, nutrient and biomass uptake was measured for two years. Nitrogen information can be found at the following address: http://www.css.orst.edu/newsnotes/0101/0101.PDF
A new Western Integrated Nutrient Management Education Project website (Sullivan) provides current information on Pacific Northwest nutrient management policy, current events, agency contacts, and tools for nutrient management at http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/.
Pettygrove/California: A wide variety of current and recently completed research and education projects funded by the California Department of Food & Agriculture Fertilizer Research & Education Program are summarized at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/frep. Research focuses on fruit, nut and vine crops, vegetable crops, field crops, precision agriculture, irrigation and fertigation.
Gavlak/Alaska: Studies ongoing include dairy waste management assessing yield and quality response, N mineralization, nutrient uptake and the residual effectiveness of liquid and dry manure on annual and perennial grasses; fertility effects on forage legume and grass mixture on yield, quality and nutrient uptake; C cycling in Gelisols.
Westfall/Colorado: Current research and Extension efforts focus on Mobility of trace metals in biosolids amended soils (Heil); no-till dryland cropping systems (Peterson); Manure management software (Baud); Manure management education (Davis); Survey of irrigated agriculture in Colorado (Baud); economic analysis of BMP adoption (Waskom); N credits from manure and irrigation water (Baud); P carryover in intensive no-till dryland cropping systems (Westfall); Pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) on manured and nonmanured fields (Khosla); Analysis of Colorado aquifer vulnerability to nitrate contamination on a watershed and field scale (Waskom); Impacts of Irrigation and Fertilization of Mountain Meadows on Water Quality (Waskom); Phosphorus in runoff-national benchmark P runoff project (Davis); Slow release N sources for onions (Westfall); Evaluating Nitrogen Management Techniques on Production Level Management Zones; and Spatial N Removal from Management Zones (Khosla).
Miller/ North American Proficiency Testing Program: The 2001 NAPT program wrapped up in January 2002 with 164 laboratories from the countries of Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and Chile. One hundred twenty-one labs were enrolled in the plant program and forty in the water program. Approximately 85% of the labs now provide quarterly results via e-mail. A comparison of the M-3 P analysis by ICP and a colorimetric method indicates that for soils with a pH less than 7.5 the ICP method recovered significantly more P than the colorimetric method and was consistently more variable. A comparison of the M-3-P colorimetric method with Bray P-1 method indicates equivalent medians on the three soils having a pH less than 7.5.
McCaslin/New Mexico: Phytoextraction of uranium from contaminated soil is a very promising technique for economical decontamination of soils. Research focused on development of a hydroponic nutrient solution technique was developed to screen plants for citrate assisted uranium uptake. Thirty-two plant species utilized in the screening study, listed in descending order of uranium concentration in the above ground tissue: lettuce, kochia, tomato, alfalfa, golden amaranth, black grama, tansy mustard, London rocket, four wing saltbush, swiss chard, carrot, zucchini, desert mallow, purple aster, Indian mustard, Okra, desert baileya, broom dahlia, leek, Stanlyea, pea, Galleta, sainfoin, bottle gourd, datura, four o‘clock, cucumber, tobacco, rye grass, radish, Sporobolus, corn.
Uchida/Hawaii: Current research and Extension projects include: P Index Work (R. Yost with NRCS personnel); Effluent P Disposal (C. Evensen, R. Yost, and N.V. Hue and Livestock Agents); Yield Decline in Macadamia (G. Porter, R. Yost, and M. Nagao); Yield Response of Vegetables to Phosphorus Fertilizer Applications in Hawaii (H. Valenzuela, D. Sato, R. Uchida, L. Shinsato, J. Silva, R. Yost and C. Smith); Calcium Experiment with Pineapple (G. Uehara, R. Hamasaki, R. Uchida, N.V. Hue, J. Silva, G. Tsuji, R. Ogoshi, R. Paull, and D. Bartholomew); Nutrient Management for Wetland Taro Production (J. Silva, J. Uchida, R. Uchida and Extension Agents).
Stevens/Wyoming: Research projects include evaluation of K fertilizer recommendations for irrigated alfalfa production; effect of N and K application rates on lodging, yield and crop quality in malt barley production; micronutrient and sulfur effects on sugar beet production; seedling injury and stand loss resulting from pre-plant applications of ammonium nitrate and urea N fertilizers; potential benefits of site-specific N management in irrigated sugar beet production; N management strategies for dry beans.
Thompson/Arizona: Current research projects include: Residual soil nitrogen evaluations in irrigated desert soils; Evaluation of manganese fertility in the Yuma Valley; potassium fertilization of upland cotton; development of tissue tests for durum wheat and malting barley, development of best management practices for young navel oranges; effects of fluid P fertigation on growth and yield of micro sprinkler irrigated citrus in the desert Southwest; Foliar applications of low-biuret urea and potassium phosphite to navel orange trees; temporal and varietal changes in pecan leaf tissue; fertigation frequency for subsurface drip-irrigated broccoli; nitrogen dynamics in bioremediation systems; determining fertility requirements and mowing response of Sea Isle 2000 Paspalum for golf greens and fairways in the Southwest.
Stevens/Washington: Current research includes: Dynamics of earthworm populations under direct seed conditions; Nitrogen availability from biosolids; Site-specific crop management as a strategy for reducing nitrate leaching potential in the Columbia Plateau; Field deployable, real-time sensors to improve canopy management in grape; Assessment of ion selective electrodes for nitrate and potassium measurements in soil slurries; Comparison of slow release and conventional N fertilizers for potato production in the Columbia Basin; Carbon and nitrogen cycling in direct-seed spring cereal alternatives to wheat-fallow; Radar assessment and GIS modeling of cover crop adoption in the Columbia Basin for improving cycling and reducing wind erosion; Trace metal accumulation in potato and wheat from commercial fertilizer sources; Wheat and bluegrass straw utilization for paper and fertilizer production; Effect of BMPs for manure management on movement of fecal coliform and nutrients in return flows; minimizing sediment and nutrient loss from furrow irrigated fields.
Impacts
- The WCC Committee planned the upcoming (2003) Western Nutrient Management Conference. The Western Nutrient Management Conference provides an opportunity for exchanging nutrient correlation/calibration data across state boundaries, and for coordinating Western Region research/educational projects. Improved nutrient management practices and improved nutrient management guidance are major outcomes of the Conference.
- The revised Western States Laboratory Plant, Soil and Water Analysis Manual assists public and private agricultural professionals in more effective use of soil, plant and water testing. The Manual promotes uniform laboratory analytical procedures throughout the Western Region.
Publications
Proceedings of the Western Nutrient Management. Conference, Vol. 4. Mar 8-9, 2001. Salt Lake City, UT. Potash and Phosphate Institute, Brookings, SD. Available online at:
http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/WCC103/WNM_2001_Conf.htm
http://www.css.orst.edu/nm/WCC103/WNM_2001_Conf.htm