TITLE: Developing Sustainable Field Cropping Systems in Semi-arid Eastern Oregon
DURATION: Five years (July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2007)
Alternate Cropping Systems
The detrimental effects of the traditional wheat/fallow rotation can be alleviated by the introduction of alternate crops that reduce or replace the fallow. Research is needed to screen and evaluate other alternate crops besides peas, rapeseed, and mustard that include chickpeas, winter pea, lentil, faba beans, sunflowers, safflower, soybean, millets, buckwheat, linola, grasses, and other crops with industrial and pharmaceutical uses. The aforementioned crops are not new to this region. Most of these crops have been tried before and screening of some of these crops dates back to the 1930s. However, the screening had problems with stand establishment, the agronomy, and other problems associated with vernalization and day-length requirements of some of the crops. Given the improvement in germplasm and the agronomy of these crops over the years, it is worthwhile to have another round of screening in eastern Oregon. The benefits of the aforementioned crop to wheat-based rotations are not fully known and research should be done to obtain this information on promising crops. The push for growing alternate crops is not strong because of lack of markets and stable prices. But without information on the adaptability of these crops to eastern Oregon and with no crops on the ground to show potential buyers, it is even more difficult to find markets.
PREVIOUS WORK AND PRESENT OUTLOOK
Alternate Rotational Crops
Recent trends indicate that profitability of the wheat/fallow system is on the decline because costs continue to rise while wheat prices remain static (Duff et al, 1995). One way to increase farm profitability of wheat-based rotations without degrading the soil resources is to introduce alternate crops in the rotations to either reduce fallow intensity or eliminate it. Desirable alternate crops should improve soil fertility and structure and reduce weed and disease incidences of wheat.
Thus far, no alternate crop has been able to replace fallow and peas in the Agro-climatic zones 3 and 5 of eastern Oregon, respectively. Legumes are the alternate crops of choice for many growers. Lupins appear to have a potential for eastern Oregon and trials are underway to establish best production practices. In recent experiments at Pendleton and Moro, narrow-leaf lupin varieties have yielded more than 1000 kg/ha (Chen et al., 2001). Another crop that is gaining momentum in Agronomic 5 of eastern Oregon is chickpea (garbanzos). On some farms chickpeas have replaced pea in wheat rotations. However, more research is needed to evaluate its benefit in terms of soil fertility, diseases, and water use efficiency. Lentils and faba beans are also potential legumes that need further evaluation in eastern Oregon.
Oilseeds have a potential to increase farm profits and break disease cycles in wheat-based rotations. So far rapeseed and mustards show some promise but have not been adopted by many farmers. Sunflower, safflower, and day-neutral soybeans have the potential and need further evaluations.
More work is needed to evaluate buckwheat, a cereal native to temperate East Asia that is widely adapted around the world. In Japan, buckwheat flour is used in combination with wheat flour to prepare buckwheat noodles (soba), a traditional dish. Buckwheat also can be grown as a green manure crop, companion crop, cover crop, and as a source of dark buckwheat honey. The grain and straw can be used for livestock feed, but the nutritive value is lower than that of cereals. The protein in buckwheat flour is of exceptional quality, containing a high amount of lysine, which is deficient in cereals. The benefits of Buckwheat in wheat rotations are not known.
At present no work is underway to screen alternate crops with pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Some of the under-exploited temperate industrial and fiber crops include meadowfoam, flax, crambe, kenaf, lesquerella, cuphea, euphorbia, vernonia, grindelia, hesperaloe, hemp, sunnhemp, and guar. The benefits of these crops in rotation with wheat are not known.
No work is underway to screen for grasses that could be incorporated into wheat based rotations. Indian ricegrass and needlegrass are native grasses that are recommended for the reclamation of degraded land. These grasses could also be used to reclaim degraded wheat lands while providing income to growers. Once established, usually in the first year, these grasses produce seed for up to 7 years with little maintenance. Flour from the seed is used to make gluten-free bread for millions of gluten-intolerant people (Celiac disease). The adaptability of these grass species to eastern Oregon and benefits of these grasses to wheat based rotations are not known and require investigations. The grasses grow in the western regions of the US.
The ultimate objective of this project is to develop acceptable and sustainable cropping systems for north-central Oregon and south-central Washington. The desired cropping systems should increase residue cover, increase soil OM, increase soil available moisture, reduce wind and water erosion, reduce soil water evaporation, sustain soil productivity, and increase farm profits. Work to accomplish this objective, however, will be conducted in separate experiments whose specific objectives are listed below.
OBJECTIVES
The ultimate objective of this project is to develop acceptable and sustainable cropping systems for north-central Oregon and south-central Washington. The desired cropping systems should increase residue cover, increase soil OM, increase soil available moisture, reduce wind and water erosion, reduce soil water evaporation, sustain soil productivity, and increase farm profits. Work to accomplish this objective, however, will be conducted in separate experiments whose specific objectives are listed below.
Objective 1 (Alternate Rotational Crops):
To obtain alternate crop seed from areas with similar climate to eastern Oregon and from breeders at OSU, WSU, and UI; to evaluate the adaptability of alternate crops to growing conditions in eastern Oregon; and to establish basic agronomic practices of commercially promising alternate crops under reduced tillage systems.
Procedures and Methods
Alternate Crops
Beginning in 2002, seeds of the alternate crops (winter peas, chickpeas, lentils, faba beans, safflower, sunflower, flax, millets, buckwheat, soybeans, just mention a few) will be obtained from areas with similar climatic conditions with eastern Oregon. The climate of eastern Oregon is Mediterranean, which describes a regime of dry summer's drought and wet winters. The Mediterranean climate occurs in regions around the Mediterranean Sea and coastal areas of California, South Africa, and southern parts of Australia. After identifying seed sources in these regions, seeds for screening will be requested through letters, telephone conversations, and electronic mail. Other seed will be requested from breeding programs at OSU, WSU, and UI.
Preliminary evaluations to determine the adaptability of alternate crops to eastern Oregon conditions will begin in the fall of 2002. This will involve planting at least 20 different crops in both fall and spring at two planting dates. At least 6 varieties of each crop will be planted in single row plots, 20 ft long and replicated 4 times. Uniform fertilizer will be applied to all plots. Data on plant establishment, crop growth stages, biomass, yield, diseases and drought tolerance will be collected. The experiment will be repeated in the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 crop years to confirm the results.
More extensive research will be conducted to establish basic agronomic practices for crop varieties showing greatest commercial potential. Beginning in the 2003-2004 crop year research will be conducted to determine how well the new crops perform in intensive cropping systems, with specific emphasis placed upon (1) seeding rate and row spacing; (2) rooting depth and water use; (3) weeds, arthropod, and disease control; (4) biomass production and yield; and (5) benefit to wheat in crop rotations. Weeds, arthropods, and diseases for each crop will be recorded and if possible controlled. These trials will be repeated in the 2004-2005 crop-year.
INSTITUTIONAL UNITS INVOLVED AND COOPERATORS
Oregon State University
Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center; Pendleton
Department of Crop and Soil Science; Corvallis
Extension Service; Statewide
Washington State University
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences; Pullman
Extension Service; Statewide
University of Idaho
Department of Plant, Soil, and Entomological Sciences; Moscow
USDA-Agricultural Research Service; Pendleton and Pullman
USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Services; Oregon and Washington
Literature cited
Duff, B., P.E. Rasmussen, and R.W. Smiley. 1995. Wheat/Fallow Systems in Semi-arid Regions of the Pacific NW America. p. 85-109. In V. Barnett, R. Payne, and R. Steiner (ed.) Agricultural Sustainability: Economic, Environmental and Statistical Consideration. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester.
Chen, C., W. Payne, D. Ball. 2001. Annual Report of the Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center. Oregon State University, Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Center, Pendleton