Field Day

BY HARRY LIPSIEASIDNEY HERALD

Like sunflowers in theprairie, MSU Eastern Agri-cultural Research Center’sfield day continues to grow.This year’s event promises tobe the biggest yet as the or-ganizers celebrate the 31stannual field day July 26 inSidney. Coffee and rolls willbe served at 8:30 a.m. withthe tour beginning at 9 a.m.

“It started out as a way forthe public to see what agri-cultural research and devel-opment we’re doing,” JerryBergman, MSU EARC direc-tor, said. He brought the an-nual event to Sidney in 1980.“We open up the station for aday and give everyone achance to see the facilities aswell as highlight some of ourresearch trials.”

A highlight of this year’sevent includes a ribbon cut-ting ceremony for the new

MSU EARC extension build-ing including a free lunch inthe facility.

This year’s program willinclude speakers on bothdryland and irrigated cropvarieties and crop manage-ment.

Speakers will include Dr.Joyce Eckhoff, EARC re-search agronomist, durumvarieties and development;

Dr. Barry Jacobson, MSUpathologist, disease control;Tom Blake, barley breeder,barley varieties and develop-ment; Dr. Luther Talbert,spring wheat breeder, springwheat varieties and develop-ment; Ben Larson, agrono-mist for Safflower Technolo-gies International, alterna-tive crops; Russ Fullmer, Sid-ney Sugars agriculturalist;sugar beet varieties and out-look; Dr. Bart Stevens, US-DA-ARS agronomist, residuemanagement in irrigatedcropping systems; Dr. JayJabro, ARS soil scientist, andWilliam Iversen, ARS physi-cal scientist; Charles Flynn,MSU-EARC, laboratories re-search; and Bergman willdiscuss safflower breedingand production research.

The goal of the event is to

give producers and the gen-eral public a chance to seethe ongoing agricultural re-search at the station, but thefield day also gives re-searchers and Extension spe-cialists an opportunity to re-ceive feedback from produc-ers on research needs andproblems.

“I think anyone who comeswill learn about agricultureand how agriculture ischanging in our MonDak re-gion,” Bergman said.

For Bergman, field day is agreat opportunity to interactwith producers, agribusi-nesses and the general pub-lic.

“I really enjoy meeting newpeople every year,” he said.“The event is open to anyoneinterested in agriculture.”

SIDNEY HERALD WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 1B

FIELD DAYMSU ag research to hold 31st annual field day July 26

BILL VANDER WEELE | SIDNEY HERALDThe ribbon cutting ceremony for the MSU-EARC/Montana Extension Service building project will take place during field day July 26.

‘We open up the stationfor a day and give

everyone a chance tosee the facilities as wellas highlight some of our

research trials.’

Jerry BergmanMSU-EARC director

Weather can often bethought of as the number onefriend and enemy of produc-ers. Grasshoppers, however,can cause as much damage asthe worst hail storm.

With a lot of moisturethroughout the nation, ex-perts are afraid of what theinsect could do to crops dur-ing the upcoming growingseason.

“There have definitely beena lot of reports that make itappear as though grasshop-pers could cause a lot of dam-age throughout much of thenation this year,” USDA-ARSDave Branson, entomologist,explained at Sidney ARS Dry-land Field Day July 8 at theRasmussen site. “From every-thing I’ve seen, it appears thatthere is definitely an abun-dance of grasshoppers in ourstate that could cause eco-

nomic concerns.”Before understanding the

damage that grasshopers cando, you must understand thespecies first. While there aremore than 100 differentspecies in the state, only

about a dozen are blamed formost crop damage. Manyspeculate on what the causesare for the current outlook,but there is no clear answer,Branson said.

Many often point to theweather and that definitelyhas a hand in it. Populationsof grasshoppers increase un-der hot and dry conditions,but climate explains about 25percent of the variation ofgrasshopper densities.

“We are a long way fromever understanding whatcauses a grasshopper out-break like this,” he said. “Wejust have a lot more to find outabout.”

While grasshoppers causeheadaches for producers, theydo serve a role in the eco-sys-tem as an important foodsource for birds.

“I always get the questionsif grasshoppers do any good,and the answer is yes,” Bran-son said. “That’s why we wantto prevent outbreaks, but sus-tain populations to levels thatare positive for grasslandhealth.”

The most popular responseto the outbreak of grasshop-pers is insecticides. In thelong run, these can often havenegative effects on naturalsystems.

“We are always looking forways to manage grasshopperpopulations in a way that isenvironmentally sustain-able,” Branson said.

Field Day2B WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 SIDNEY HERALD

HARRY LIPSIEA | SIDNEY HERALDEntomologist Dave Branson atARS Dryland Field Day.

Several ways to fight grasshoppers

HARRY LIPSIEA | SIDNEY HERALDThe USDA Dryland Field Day held July 8 was well attended by area producers.

ARS Dryland Field Day successful againIn its third year, the USDA-

ARS Dryland Field Day heldJuly 8 at Rasmussen Sitenear Sidney saw an excellentturnout. Featuring a tour ofthe site, lunch and explana-tion of many trials currentlyheld, the event was a hit,Beth Redlin, technical infor-mation specialist, ARS, said.

“We were very pleasedwith the turnout we had thisyear,” Redlin said. “Theevent has shown steadygrowth so far in its three

years.”The event is a rare treat for

area producers to see tests ofthe dryland variety in theSidney area. With knowl-edgeable state-wide speak-ers, attendees had thechance to have a look atsome of the current trialsand tests in existance at thesite.

“This is a great opportuni-ty for the public to see whatwe do out here on a daily ba-sis,” Andy Lesnssen, weed

ecologist, said at the event.“It’s hard to explain the site,so this event gives area pro-ducers a look at some of thecurrent trials.”

Producers also have achance to earn pesticidepoints by attending theevent.

“That always helps with at-tendance,” Redlin said.

She hopes the event has abright future.

“It definitely has a place inour area,” Redlin said.

Any year would be a niceone to get a grain proteinpremium, or at least avoidthe discount, but especiallyin a wet year when wheatyields should be good. Toproduce high grain protein,there must first be enoughnitrogen to meet thewheat’s growth require-ments. Once yield potentialis met or weather factorsbecome limiting to yield, ex-cess nitrogen is used tomake protein. With highmoisture producing highyields, yet causing poten-tially high nitrogen leach-ing losses, grain may needan early in-season nitrogenapplication to meet yield re-quirements and a late-sea-son nitrogen application toachieve high protein.

Crop management prac-tices such as selecting vari-eties with high protein po-tentials and using legumecover crops, green manureor livestock manure assources of long term, late-season nitrogen can im-prove the chance of gettinghigh protein.

Late-season nitrogen isbest applied right aroundflowering. The amount toapply is a little less clear.

“The higher the yield, themore late-season nitrogenis required to increase pro-tein by a point,” Jones said.

For example, on drylandwinter wheat with 60pounds nitrogen per acrepreplant, a 30 pounds nitro-

gen per acre top-dress in-creased grain protein by 1.4,0.5 and 0.1 percent for 53, 76,and 89 bushels per acre re-spectively. Irrigated springwheat required 40 poundsnitrogen per acre applied atheading to increase proteinby 0.5 to 2 percent, when ini-tial nitrogen was optimalfor yield.

Foliar applications arethe best late-season applica-tion option to limit standdamage as long as rates arelow enough to prevent leafburn. No more than 30pounds nitrogen per acre ofurea ammonium nitrate so-lutions and 45 pounds nitro-gen per acre of liquid ureashould be applied to mini-mize burn and yield loss.Research has found that lit-tle nitrogen is actually tak-en up through the leaf sur-face.

Late-season nitrogen isnot guaranteed to increase

protein. Studies in SouthDakota with winter andspring wheat found foliarnitrogen at flowering in-creased grain protein 70percent of the time if theyield goal was exceeded, yetonly 23 percent of the timewhen yield goal was notmet.

If a grower adds late-sea-son nitrogen exceeding therequirements for yield anddoes not get a protein re-sponse, there may be a sul-fur deficiency. Sulfur defi-ciency shows up as yellow-ing upper leaves, whereasnitrogen deficiency showsup as yellowing lowerleaves. A foliar applicationof three to five pounds sul-fur per acre as ammoniumthiosulfate should correctthe problem if there’s suffi-cient rain or irrigation wa-ter applied after applicationto wash the sulfate into theroot zone.

Field DaySIDNEY HERALD WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 3B

Cereal grains such aswheat and barley are viablealternative hay crops andcan provide valuable grazingopportunities. Due todrought resistance, goodyields and ability to breakpest cycles of perennialcrops, annual forages can bea good fit in northern GreatPlains production systems.An ongoing study providespreliminary nitrogen guide-lines for some annual foragecrops in Montana.

“In the most recent yearwith collected data (2008), ap-proximately 200,000 acres ofcereal forages were grown inMontana, making it thefourth largest acreage crop,”said Andy Lenssen, researchecologist with the USDAAgriculture Research Ser-vice in Sidney.

However, there are noMontana fertilizer nitrogenguidelines for these crops. In-sufficient nitrogen availabil-ity can decrease forage yield,increase producer costs anddecrease potential profit. Onthe other hand, excess nitro-gen combined with inade-quate available soil watercan cause the forage to con-tain nitrates at levels toxic tolivestock.

A multi-year study fundedby the Montana FertilizerAdvisory Committee is un-der way to develop fertilizernitrogen guidelines for for-age barley and winter wheat.Field trials are being con-ducted with Hays barleyplanted in April, and Willow

Creek winter wheat plantedin September at a farm nearFroid and at the SouthernAgricultural Research Cen-ter in Huntley.

At Froid, the available ni-trogen, meaning fertilizer ni-trogen plus soil nitrate-nitro-gen, needed to maximizeyields ranged from about 27pounds of nitrogen per ton ofWillow Creek winter wheatwhen based on soil samplingto a depth of two feet, to 37pounds of nitrogen per tonwhen soil was sampled tothree feet. Hays barley re-quired an average of 60pounds of nitrogen per tonin a two-foot soil depth sam-ple.

“The apparent higher ni-trogen requirement of bar-ley could be misleading,”cautioned Clain Jones, Ex-tension soil fertility special-ist in the Department ofLand Resources and Envi-ronmental Sciences at Mon-tana State University. “GivenFroid’s relatively coarse soilsand that much of the rainfallcomes in the spring, it is like-ly some soil nitrate leached,overestimating the barley’sactual nitrogen need,” ex-plained Jones.

Winter wheat would have alarger root system than bar-ley by late April, when barleyis just emerging, allowingwinter wheat to take up moreavailable nitrogen. It can al-so root deeper to capture thesoil nitrogen that wasleached by spring rains be-low barley’s rooting depth.

Fertilizer placement af-fected some yields. Barleyyields were higher bothyears at Froid with bandingversus broadcast applica-tions. Spring fertilizer appli-cations can have highervolatilization losses of am-monia to the atmosphere,due to moister soil surfaceconditions than often foundin early fall. Banding pro-tects nitrogen fertilizer fromvolatilization losses. Band-ing did not increase yields ofbarley at Huntley or winterwheat at either site.

The other concern with ni-trogen fertilization of cerealforages is the risk of highforage nitrate concentration.Forage nitrate levels werenever greater than 0.2 per-cent, well below the 0.5 per-cent level toxic to pregnantanimals. Banding ratherthan broadcast fertilizing didnot significantly increase therisk of high nitrate in feed.

This would reduce the po-tential for nitrate leachingand avoid nitrate accumula-tion, especially in hot, dryyears. A third year of testingshould help in developingmore solid fertilizer nitrogenguidelines for barley andwinter wheat as annual for-ages. Further validation ofguidelines will improve cere-al forage productivity andnutrient utilization, and im-prove economic sustainabili-ty of Montana producers.

Nitrogen guidelines for cereal forages set

Many ways to boost grain protein

HARRY LIPSIEA | SIDNEY HERALD

Political groundbreakingGov. Brian Schweitzer talks at the EARC groundbreaking during last year’s field day event.

BY EMILY SCHAAFSPECIAL TO THE SIDNEY HERALD

Almost a year has gone bysince the construction ofthe new MSU Research Cen-ter and Outreach Facilityhas started. The final touch-es that are left will be fin-ished after the MSU fieldday this year. MSU-Exten-sion employees, although,have moved into the build-ing and are still getting usedto the new building. EasternAg Research Center (EARC)employees hope to move insoon.

Back in early June 2010,Fisher Construction, Inc.,based out of Billings, start-ed preparing and creating

the new building. At lastyear’s field day on July 28,the entire community cele-brated the arrival of thenew facility with an officialgroundbreaking. This year’sField Days, coming up July26, the Research Center willbe having an open house forthe public.

When you enter the build-ing, MSU-Extension is locat-ed on the left with the Agri-culture, Family ConsumerSciences, 4-H/CommunityDevelopment, and Adminis-trative Assistant offices.The Extension part of thebuilding also shares thetech-transfer room/confer-ence room with EARC. Theconference room will be in

use for future meetings andgatherings. The room alsohas a divider straight downthe middle, and a drop-downprojection screen that theywill be able to use.

On the right-hand side ofthe building, you will findEARC with its offices, labs,and greenhouses. The mainoffice will be for the secre-tary and a small waitingroom for the public to sit in.Outside of the copying roomconnected to the secretary’soffice, a hallway goes backtoward the greenhouses.The hallway contains asmall conference room,three smaller offices, a stafflounge, a seed storage roomand two labrotories. The lab-oratories are connected toeach other by a “mini-lab”that will be used, as an ex-ample, to collect starches.Another office is betweenthe two labs with a windowon each end. This office al-

lows the chemist, who is sta-tioned in there, to see whatis to be conducted in eachlab.

The Nuclear MagneticResonance (N.M.R.) and theNear Infrared (N.I.R.) roomsare located at the very end ofthe hallway in front of theentrance to the greenhous-es. The N.M.R. room is usedto measure oils in the seeds,and the N.I.R. room is usedto measure the proteinsfound in the seeds.

The greenhouse is towardthe right-end of the facility,

nearby the old researchbuilding. The two green-houses are separated, butboth connect to a preppingarea that employees will useto prep plants before they goout into the greenhouses.The big difference betweenthe new greenhouses andthe old ones is that the newones have cement on thefloors. The old ones werejust gravel. Nice features thenew ones have are that thetables inside are able tomove from side-to-side.Theyare able to either be pushed

together, or pull them apart.These tables now allow theEARC employees to get toeach plant more efficiently.

“It’s nice to have some-thing news and modred andclean to work in,” said MarySchaff, EARC employee. “Weare still going through somegrowing pains,” said PattiFjelstad, Administrative As-sistant at MSU-Exten-sion,“we are so removedfrom everything we don’tget a lot of traffic.”

The building definitelyprovides more space for thetwo different agencies. Theribbon cutting will takeplace during field days July26. The public is invited toattend and celebrate withthe staff and their mile-stone.

Field day4B WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2011 SIDNEY HERALD

EMILY SCHAAF | SIDNEY HERALDThe ribbon cutting for the newly built MSU Research Center and Outreach facility will be held July 26 at the annual field day event.

New research, Extension facility nearly complete

EMILY SCHAAF | SIDNEY HERALDThe new facility provides a lot more space for trials performed at the Eastern Ag Research Center.