The King and Queen of Crop Rotations on

The King and Queen of Crop Rotations on the Dairy Joe Lauer University of Wisconsin – Madison Wisconsin Agribusiness Classic Madison, WI January 16, 2019 Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu

Overview • FISC crop rotations • U. S. crop rotation changes • Corn silage and alfalfa yield increases • Corn response when alfalfa is in the rotation Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu

Percent of Harvested Field Crop and Vegetable Land in Corn and Soybean Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2019 (Data source: USDA-NASS) 3

Percent of Harvested Field Crop and Vegetable Land in Corn and Soybean Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2019 (Data source: USDA-NASS 2010 -2017) 4

Corn grain yield rate of change over time for U. S. counties Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2019 (Data source: USDA-NASS) 5

Soybean grain yield rate of change over time for U. S. counties Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2010 (Data source: USDA-NASS)

Corn silage yield for U. S. counties Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2019 (Data source: USDA-NASS) 7

Corn silage yield rate of change over time for U. S. counties Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2019 (Data source: USDA-NASS) 8

Alfalfa hay yield for U. S. counties Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2019 (Data source: USDA-NASS) 9

Alfalfa hay yield rate of change over time for U. S. counties Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2019 (Data source: USDA-NASS) 10

The Wisconsin Rotation Trials Corn-Soybean. Oat-Alfalfa-Wheat Lancaster since 1966 CC CSCOA CCOAAA: 1966 -1976 CCAA: 1977 -1986 AA: 1977 -2004 CS: 1987 CA: 1987 -2004 CSW: 2005 ----------Corn N rate 1966 -76: 0, 75, 150, 300 1977 - : 0, 50, 100, 200 Systems Trials Soils 1958 Weeds 1987 WICST 1990 GLBRC 2009 - Corn-Soybean since 1983 CC SS CS CCCCCSSSSS -------Tillage=2 N rate Cultivar Population Row spacing Seed insecticide N timing N source Tillage since 2001 CC CS --------Tillage=6 Starter Planting date Corn-Alfalfa ARL and MAR since 2010 CC CCAAA CCAA biomass Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Bio. Char since 2009 CC CS ------Tillage=2 Bio. Char Corn-Soybean-Wheat 1984 to 2000 CC SS CS CSW: 1984 -1994 CCS: 1995 -2000 Corn-Soybean-Wheat ARL & MAR since 2002 CC SS WW CS CSW CWS biomass --------------Seed fungicide Foliar fungicide Fusarium management Photo by Justin Hopf 11

Crop Sequence for the Alfalfa-Corn Rotation Experiments at Arlington and Marshfield, WI (A= Alfalfa, C= Corn grain, Cs= Corn Silage) Rotation Sequence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (Silage) 11 (Silage) 12 (Silage) 13 (Silage) 14 Year 1 2 3 4 5 A A A C C A A Cs Cs C A A Cs Cs A C C A A Cs Cs A A C C C A A A C Cs A A Cs C C A A A C C A A Cs Cs C Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 12

First- and second year corn had 8 -14% higher yield than continuous corn Grain yield (bu/A) Grain yield (Mg ha-1) 219 212 206 212 14 191 200 160 12 10 8 120 6 80 4 40 A %= 0 A 14 AB 11 -2 C C C AAA 8 A 11 B 2 0 0 -1 C C C AA Cropping Sequence A= Alfalfa, 1 C= First year corn, 2 C= Second year corn, CC= Continuous corn Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 2014 -2018 Arlington, Control treatments 13

History of the Lancaster Rotation Experiment Year of change Corn N rates (lbs N A-1) Rotations 1966 CC CSCOa. A CCOa. AA 1977 CC CSCOa. A CCCAA CCOa. AA 1987 CC CSCOa. A CCCAA CCOa. AA 2005 CC CSCOa. A CCCAA CCOa. AAA CCAA 0, 75, 150, & 300 AA 0, 50, 100, & 200 CS CA AA 0, 50, 100, & 200 CS CSW 0, 50, 100, & 200 ØC, Corn; S, Soybean; Oa, Oat with alfalfa seeding; A, Alfalfa; W, Wheat ØC, first phase; C, second phase; C, third phase Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 14

At least two break years are needed to measure a response in the second corn phase (compared to CC) … Grain yield (bu/A) Grain yield (Mg ha-1) 14 200 182 170 180 164 181 171 160 175 166164 12 153 10 8 120 6 80 4 40 BC A %= 0 A 11 19 C 18 8 A BC 19 12 AB 15 9 7 C C 0 2 D 0 3 C AO C CC Cropping Sequence A= Alfalfa, C= Corn, O= Oat, S= Soybean, 1 C= First year corn, 2 C= Second year corn … CC= Continuous Lauer © 1994 -2019 corn http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Lauer, 1990 -2009 Lancaster, Control treatments 15

How can you tell if a cropping system is changing? No change Yield Improving Deteriorating Control Time Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 16

What is the experimental unit? Analysis over Time and Space (2 -yr and 5 -yr Cycles) Cycle CC Cycle CSCOa. A 1 C S C A Oa 2 C 1 S C 1 Oa C S C A 3 C 2 C S 1 A Oa C S C 4 C 2 S C 1 C A Oa C S 5 C 3 C S 1 S C A Oa C Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Stanger and Lauer, 2008 17

First phase corn grain yield response to N rate in a CSCOa. A rotation at Lancaster, WI. 225 Grain yield (bu/A) 200 175 150 125 100 75 0 lb N/A slope= 1. 7 bu/A*yr 50 50 lb N/A slope= 1. 9 bu/A*yr 100 lb N/A slope= 2. 3 bu/A*yr 25 200 lb N/A slope= 2. 4 bu/A*yr 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cycle (5 -yr between 1970 -2014) Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 9 Stanger and Lauer, 2008 Updated by Lauer 2016 18

Is Corn Grain Yield Changing? (Is there a slope? ) First Corn Phase (5 -yr Cycles; 1970 -2014; 9 Cycles) N rate (lb N A-1) Rotation 0 50 100 200 bu A-1 yr-1 CC NS NS NS 1. 7** CCCAA 2. 4** 2. 6** 2. 8** 3. 2** CCOa. AA 2. 0** 2. 3** CSCOa. A 1. 7** 1. 9** 2. 3** 2. 4** †, *, *** Significant at the 0. 10, 0. 05, 0. 01, and 0. 001 levels Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Stanger and Lauer, 2008 Updated by Lauer 2016 19

Second phase corn grain yield response to N rate in a CSCOa. A rotation at Lancaster, WI. Grain yield (bu/A) 200 175 150 125 100 75 0 lb N/A slope= 0. 9 bu/A*yr 50 50 lb N/A slope= 1. 4 bu/A*yr 100 lb N/A slope= 1. 7 bu/A*yr 25 200 lb N/A slope= 2. 4 bu/A*yr 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cycle (5 -yr between 1970 -2014) Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 9 Stanger and Lauer, 2008 Updated by Lauer 2016 20

Is Corn Grain Yield Changing? (Is there a slope? ) Second Corn Phase (5 -yr cycles; 1970 -2014; 9 cycles) N rate (lb N A-1) Rotation 0 50 100 200 bu A-1 yr-1 CC NS NS NS 1. 7** CCCAA NS 1. 5† 1. 9* 2. 8** CCOa. AA 0. 8** 1. 2** 1. 7** 1. 8** CSCOa. A 0. 9* 1. 4** 1. 7** 2. 4** †, *, *** Significant at the 0. 10, 0. 05, 0. 01, and 0. 001 levels Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Stanger and Lauer, 2008 Updated by Lauer 2016 21

Is Corn Grain Yield Changing? (Is there a slope? ) Third Corn Phase (5 -yr Cycles; 1970 -2014; 9 Cycles) N rate (lb N A-1) Rotation 0 50 100 200 bu A-1 yr-1 CC CCCAA NS 1. 2* † NS NS 1. 7** 1. 1† 1. 6* 2. 7** †, *, *** Significant at the 0. 10, 0. 05, 0. 01, and 0. 001 levels Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Stanger and Lauer, 2008 Updated by Lauer 2016 22

Is Corn Grain Yield Changing? (Is there a slope? ) Corn in 2 -yr Cycles (1989 – 2004; 8 Cycles) N rate (lb N A-1) Rotation 0 50 100 200 bu A-1 yr-1 CC NS NS CA † NS NS NS CS -3. 0* NS NS NS †, *, *** Significant at the 0. 10, 0. 05, 0. 01, and 0. 001 levels Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 23

Are Rotations Improving (+) or Deteriorating(-)? Do slopes diverge (+) or converge(-)? Rotation CC vs. CA CC vs. CS CC vs. CCCAA CC vs. CCOa. AA CC vs. CSCOa. A CA vs. CS CA vs. CCCAA CA vs. CCOa. AA CA vs. CSCOa. A CS vs. CCCAA CS vs. CCOa. AA CS vs. CSCOa. A 5 -yr vs. 2 -yr Rotations in 5 -yr Cycles (1990 -2004; 3 Cycles) N rate (lb N A-1) 0 50 -3. 8*** -4. 1*** NS NS 3. 0*** 2. 7* 3. 3*** 3. 0*** 2. 9*** NS NS † NS 2. 5* 2. 7* NS 100 bu A-1 yr-1 NS NS 2. 5* NS NS NS †, *, *** Significant at the 0. 10, 0. 05, 0. 01, and 0. 001 levels Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 200 NS NS 2. 6* 2. 4* 2. 5* NS NS Stanger and Lauer, 2008 24

Input Production Costs for the Lancaster Rotation Experiment (derived from Duffy, 1990 -2004) Corn (lb N/A) Input 0 Oat Soybean 50 100 200 Alfalfa 1 st-Yr 2 nd-Yr -----------$ A-1 ------------Machinery 64 72 75 77 66 40 71 74 Seed 38 38 13 25 48 0 Fertilizer 19 28 37 55 23 15 32 34 Chemical 49 49 6 40 13 8 Misc. 42 42 43 45 23 35 38 38 Total 211 230 243 264 132 155 202 155 Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 25

Profitability and Risk Rotation CS CSCOa. A CS CCOa. AA CSCOa. A CCOa. AA CCCAA CC lb N A-1 100 200 50 100 50 200 0 50 100 200 0 0 100 50 200 $ A-1 Yr-1 125 a 111 ab 109 abc 92 bcd 90 bcd 88 b-e 87 b-e 85 b-f 83 c-g 78 d-h 73 d-i 67 d-i 62 e-i 59 f-i • Most profitable rotations ü CS – 50, 100, 200 lbs N/A ü CSCOa. A – 50, 100, 200 lbs N/A ü CC – 200 lbs N/A • Remaining cropping systems were less profitable and risk inefficient: ü CCCAA – 0 & 50 lbs N/A ü CA – 0, 50, 100, & 200 lbs N/A ü AA – 0, 100, & 200 lbs N/A ü CC – 0, 50, & 100 lbs N/A • FDSD analysis failed • SDSD efficient Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Stanger et al. , 2008, AJ 100: 105

Conclusions • Ultimate decision for farmers is based upon economics. • CS at 50, 100, and 200 lb N/A and CC at 200 lb N/A were the most profitable AND least risky of rotation treatments. • The rotation effect lasts at most two years increasing corn grain yield 8 to 14% for 1 C and 11% for 2 C. • At least two break years are needed to measure a response in the second continuous cropping year. • Ideal rotation: CCSAA(A)? ? ? ü However, no data to support this. ü Only input is half rate of N in 2 C ü Market for alfalfa Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 27

Thanks for your attention! Questions? Phone (608) 263 -7438 Email: jglauer@wisc. edu Website: http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu Twitter: @Wisc. Corn Blog: Wisc. Corn. blogspot. com Google+: Wisc. Corn Photo by Roger Schmidt Lauer © 1994 -2019 http: //corn. agronomy. wisc. edu 28