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83 Winter Small Grains Cover Crop Following Potatoes R.L. Dovel, K.A. Rykbost, G. Chilcote, and J. Rainey 1 INTRODUCTION A major obstacle to sustained agriculture in the Klamath Basin is soil loss due to wind erosion. Light soils and high spring winds provide conditions for substantial soil loss in this region. To ensure the continued productivity of highly erodible soils, federal farm programs are requiring greater erosion control on these soils. The local SCS office has determined that residue covering 33 percent of the soil surface will provide sufficient cover to prevent substantial soil loss. The amount of crop residue left following potato harvest is minimal and vines are sometimes burned to reduce over-wintering pathogens. A cover crop is needed to protect the soil through the winter and especially during the spring following potato harvest. The highest erosive wind energy is received in April in the Klamath Basin. A small-grain cover crop is one of the most effective methods for The cost of erosion control could be minimized if the erosion control. cover crop could also produce a marketable grain or forage crop. While small grains are, an important component of cropping systems in the Klamath Basin, most of the grain planted is sown in the spring. This project was conducted to identify species and varieties of winter grains that are adapted to this region. Screening should include both forage and grain yield as well as the ability to provide adequate soil protection. PROCEDURES A trial consisting of seven wheat varieties, seven barley varieties, two oat varieties, and one variety each of cereal rye and triticale was planted at the KES on October 15, 1987. Plots were 5 feet wide and 40 feet long. Seed was planted 1 inch deep with rows 6 inches apart at a rate of 30 seeds per square foot, which corresponds to roughly 100 lbs/A for wheat, barley, and triticale and 85 lbs/A for rye and oats. Fertilizer was banded in at planting at a rate of 50 lbs N, 60 lbs P205, and 44 lbs S/A. No chemical Seed was sown into fairly dry soil; however, weed treatment was applied. seed did germinate and emerge. Due to low moisture availability, growth was slow until rains on November 9 provided adequate moisture for rapid growth. / Assistant Professor, Superintendent/Associate Professor, Research Technician, Experimental Biology Technician, respectively Klamath Experiment Station. 84 Three harvests were made: one on May 10, to monitor biomass accumulation and ground cover for the prevention of wind erosion; one on June 12 when most of the cultivars were in the boot stage, to assess forage production; and one after complete grain fill to measure grain production. RESULTS No differences were seen between varieties or species in emergence and fall growth. All varieties reached the four-leaf stage before snow cover stopped growth. Adequately monitoring early spring growth was impossible due to grazing by geese. By May 10 effects of the geese damage were no longer seen and plants were harvested. Cereal rye was clearly the highest biomass producer, more than doubling the average yield of all barley varieties and more than tripling the average wheat yield. No real differences among barley varieties for early spring biomass production were evident. Some varieties of wheat were definitely superior to others in early spring biomass production. Hill '81 and Nugains were the highest wheat biomass producers. Cereal rye also dominated total forage yield as assessed by the harvest on June 12. It yielded 4.4 tons/A compared to an average of 3, 2.5, and 2.5 tons/A for barley, wheat, and oats, respectively (Table 1). The forage yield of triticale was roughly equivalent to the barley varieties included in this study. The highest average grain yield was obtained by barley. Hesk and Boyer significantly outyielded all other barley varieties. Similarly, Hill '81, outyielded other wheat varieties (Table 1). CONCLUSIONS In a mild fall and winter, cover crops planted on October 15, following potato harvest, achieved sufficient fall development to provide late fall and early spring erosion protection. Cereal rye produced the greatest biomass and largest amount of early ground cover and is the species most likely to provide protection against wind erosion under adverse conditions. Low grain yields and low price for cereal rye make it a less desirable cover crop alternative. Maury winter barley produced the highest early spring biomass and forage yield and also produced over two tons of grain. Maury provided the option of harvest for either forage or grain while providing ground cover in the early spring. The use of winter wheats studied as ground cover/cash crops does not look as promising as barley due to lower ground cover, hay production, and grain potential. 85 Table 1. 1987-1988 Winter Small Grains Cover Crop Trial. Observations of forage and grain production of fall seeded winter grains following potatoes, planted on October 15,at the Klamath Experiment Station. ' Barley 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) FORAGE PRODUCTION May 10 June 12 tons/A GRAIN YIELD lbs/A lbs/bu Henry Maury Sussex Wysor Hesk Scio Boyer MEAN 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 2.8 3.8 2.6 3.3 3.2 2.6 2.9 3.0 3821 4155 3287 3873 5674 4162 5267 4320 46.5 46.0 44.0 46.0 46.0 42.0 44.0 45.0 Faro Fortyfold Stephens Yamhill Weston Hill '81 Nugains MEAN 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.7 0.5 2.1 2.8 2.6 1.8 2.6 2.4 2.9 2.5 2514 3502 2834 2175 3453 4292 2655 3061 52.0 58.5 54.5 50.0 61.5 57.5 60.5 56.0 Grey Winter Walken MEAN 0.5 0.6 0.6 2.7 2.4 2.5 1378 1341 1360 32.0 27.0 29.5 Triticale 17) Flora 0.8 2.8 2644 42.0 Rye 18) 1.7 4.4 3160 56.5 0.7 29.5 0.3 2.8 30.6 1.2 3344 21.1 1003 48.0 5.8 4.0 Wheat 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) Oats 15) 16) Rheidol OVERALL MEAN CV LSD(0.05)