In cooperation with the AgriFood Innovation Fund, a study was started this spring to deal with some of the problems and techniques that come with the introduction of broadleaf crops such as peas, lentils and mustard into annual rotations that contained a high presence of cereals. The south central area is an area in transition, as it attempts to deal with the decisions associated with the introduction of non-wheat type crops.
Sustainable crop diversification is not an easy thing to adopt, as many farmers find out that, yes, you can indeed grow a crop but what happens if you can't sell it? What is this doing to my land? What do I grow on that land next year ? What happened to my weed control? What amount of inputs do I need to make this new-to-me crop work in my area? What inputs do I need to include in my cereal crop following one of these new crops? Many questions come to mind and this study undertook to measure some of the things happening in the field in an attempt to provide some answers that farmers can use. Over the next two years, PFRA, Sask Ag and Food and the SSCA will be working together with local conservation groups to help farmers by providing timely information to promote the successful rotation of diversification crops to assist in maintaining good economic return for farmers.
Two sites were chosen by the local groups to demonstrate these rotations of wheat as a cereal and both oilseed and pulse crops as diversification crops. Field scale plots of durum were planted on stubble of peas, mustard, lentil and chickpea, using three different rates of seed and three different rates of fertilizer.
The Mossbank site at the Norm Shoemaker farm was seeded with a single disc airdrill that limited the amount of fertilizer that could be placed with the seed at the time of seeding. A second pass was made to ensure seedling safety by placing the remaining fertilizer either above or below the seed area. Norm had pea, chickpea and mustard stubble on three adjacent fields, which gave a good chance to profile what durum would do on each of these previous crops.
The Coronach site at the Don Kirby farm was seeded with a side band airdrill, which has no restrictions on how much seed and fertilizer could be put into the ground at the time of seeding on a single pass across the field. Don had pea and lentil stubble on the same field to give a good comparison for the area.
During the growing season, the fields were monitored using infrared photography to measure crop growth, and plant root simulator probes, which are placed in the soil to measure the amount of crop available nutrients extracted in each of the treatments. Both sites were soil tested prior to the commencement of the research, and grain yield was measured at harvest, using a weigh-wagon. Field tours of the sites were held in late summer to view differences in the treatments. Crop samples were pulled from the combine hopper at harvest at set intervals in the fields to be measured for protein content. Crop residue levels are to be measured in each of the different field treatments. The plan is to map the crop yield, protein levels and residue quantities on grid maps of the sites. These maps will be shown at winter meetings to discuss and analyze the results of the research.
A simple economic diagnosis will be done using the grain yield and protein levels to determine gross revenue from which the input costs will be subtracted to arrive at net revenue.
These results will form part of a report outlining a study of the long-term sustainability of alternative crops within the south central region. Agronomic surveys among the farmers are planned for the area as well, to determine current practices, reasons for diversifying, and producer information needs. The level of crop diversification and trends will also be measured in the region.
Workshops are planned for the fall and winter seasons to provide an opportunity for producers to exchange information and obtain cropping tips and resource contacts. Seldom do producers get a chance to provide the relevant input into research trials. Producers feel it is necessary to provide useful results that they can take to the farm office or banker, or even the coffee shop. This research will attempt to deal with that concept and should prove exciting and more importantly, useful, to not only the farmers in the conservation group, but to all area farmers as well.