Return to CRP

Fall vs. Spring CRP Takeout - Summer Fallow - Fall Plant in Franklin County

Develop BMP's for optimizing tillage methods and timing for returning CRP land back to a rotation of fall or spring takeout - summer fallow - winter wheat.

Location: Franklin County, north of Connell, WA.
Soil series: Shano - Burke association
Annual precipitation: 9 inches
Field history: Crested Wheatgrass for 9 years

1. Spring burn - spring sweep - fertilize - summer fallow - plant
2. Fall disc - spring disc - sweep - fertilize - summer fallow - plant
3. Fall harrow - spring disc - disc - fertilize - summer fallow - plant
4. Fall mow - spring sweep - fertilize - summer fallow - plant
5. Spring disc - disc - fertilize - summer fallow - plant

Initial residues taken on 19 September 1994 averaged 4671 lbs/ac with a range of 3904 to 6479 lbs/ac. The plot size is 30' (78' for burn treatment) X 1000' with 4 replications. Soils samples taken on 17 April 1995 showed total N to be 134 lbs/ac, P at 1.3 ppm, K at 80 ppm, and S to 3' at 18 ppm. Fall disc occurred on 10 October 1994. Fall flail and harrow occurred on 2 November 1994. Primary spring tillage began on 24 March 1995. We fertilized the plot in early May with 40-10-0-5 Spring soil moistures to 6' were taken on 15 March 1995. The plot was planted on 29 August 1995 with Hatton hard red winter wheat. Fall soil moistures to 6' were taken on 31 August 1995. Residue cover measurements were taken using the line point method. Surface picture roughness measurements were taken using D.K. McCool's random roughness pictures.

Table 1. Results from fall vs. spring CRP take-out study in Franklin Co., WA, 1995.

Treatments	Available Moisture Spring 95 (inches/6')	Available Moisture Fall 95 (inches/6')	Residue Cover (9/5/95) (%)	Plant Stand (plants/M2)
1. Spring burn	4.1a	2.1ab	1.9c	74.3a
2. Fall disc	2.2c	0.9c	5.8b	41.8b
3. Fall harrow	3.6b	1.9b	6.5b	82.5a
4. Fall mow	3.6b	2.0ab	8.8a	74.3a
5. Spring disc	4.2a	2.2a	5.8b	76.8a
LSD (10%)	0.3	0.2	1.1	9.7
CV (%)	6.4	10.8	14.8	11.0

Table 2. Results from fall vs. spring CRP take-out study in Franklin Co., WA, 1995.

Treatments	Surface Roughness (Picture 7/13/95) (inches)	Surface Roughness (Picture 7/21/95) (inches)	Surface Roughness (Picture 9/5/95) (inches)
1. Spring burn	0.87a	0.89a	0.77a
2. Fall disc	0.75b	0.80c	0.74a
3. Fall harrow	0.79b	0.83bc	0.77a
4. Fall mow	0.85a	0.88ab	0.78a
5. Spring disc	0.77b	0.81c	0.68b
LSD (10%)	0.04	0.05	0.04
CV (%)	4.3	4.6	4.2

Conclusion

Significant differences in soil moistures between treatments was shown in the spring and were consistent with the fall readings. The two spring treatments (spring burn and spring disc) retained the greatest amount of moisture. Residue cover was very low for all treatments with the spring burn showing the least amount of residue. The fall disc treatment showed significantly lower plant stands than all other treatments. Surface roughness decreased in all treatments from planting, the spring disc treatment produced the least amount of roughness.

Contact us: Hans Kok, (208)885-5971 | Accessibility | Copyright | Policies | WebStats | STEEP Acknowledgement
Hans Kok, WSU/UI Extension Conservation Tillage Specialist, UI Ag Science 231, PO Box 442339, Moscow, ID 83844 USA Redesigned by Leila Styer, CAHE Computer Resource Unit; Maintained by Debbie Marsh, Dept. of Crop & Soil Sciences, WSU