NC1182: Management and Environmental Factors Affecting Nitrogen Cycling and Use Efficiency in Forage-Based Livestock Production Systems

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Active

Project Menu

SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[03/17/2020] [08/11/2021] [07/13/2023] [04/23/2024]

Date of Annual Report: 03/17/2020

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 10/24/2019 - 10/25/2019
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2018 - 09/30/2019

Participants

Via email and/ or via phone calls: Missaoui, Ali (cssamm@uga.edu); Macoon, Bisoondat (bmacoon@ra.msstate.edu); Cassida, Kimberly, (cassida@msu.edu); Rice, Charles (cwrice@ksu.edu); Barker David J.,( barker.169@osu.edu); Hancock, Dennis W.(dhancock@uga.edu); Franklin, Dorcas (dory.franklin@uga.edu); MacDonald, James (jmacdonald2@unl.edu); Russell, James (jrussell@iastate.edu); Guretzky, John A, (jguretzky2@unl.edu); Coffey, Ken P. (kcoffey@uark.edu); Jayasooriya, Ranga Appuhamy (appuhamy@iastate.edu); McCulley, Rebecca L. (rebecca.mcculley@uky.edu); Nave, Renata L. (rnave@utk.edu); Miller, Rhonda (Rhonda.Miller@usu.edu); Kallenbach, Robert (kallenbachr@missouri.edu); Jagadamma, Sindhu (sjagada1@utk.edu); Norberg, Steven S. (s.norberg@wsu.edu).

Adminstration via email: Benfield, David (benfield.2@osu.edu); Hamilton, Christina (christina.hamilton@wisc.edu); Harper, Loren (harper.202@osu.edu); Cuomo, Greg (cuomogj@umn.edu)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

Accomplishments: Renewal of the NC1182 Project.  Within Forage-Based Livestock Production Systems, the new project is exploring innovative and ecologically based methods to further understand the impact of a changing climate on N cycling,  management practices including different forages which will more efficiently  manage N, and have also added a focus on quantitative similarities and differences of managements’ impact on N cycling in difference ecological regions.  Three different nitrogen balance studies were completed with sheep.  Feces and slurry from sheep digestion and nitrogen balance studies were applied to forage plots and subsequent ammonia and greenhouse gasses were measured. Identified practices that optimize legume establishment and persistence was addressed with an experiment that evaluated "Establishment of Perennial Legumes with an Annual Warm-Season Grass as a Companion Crop".   Quantified effects of pasture management strategies on N use efficiency by ruminant animals and N cycling in herbage and soils of grassland agro-ecosystems was addressed with a 3-year pasture experiment that evaluated feasibility of interseeding sorghum-sudangrass into established smooth bromegrass pastures using only grazing to prepare the pastures for seeding and whether there were any differences between fertilized pastures and pastures interseeded with legumes. Evaluated the effect of different EE N formulations (ESN, methylene urea, SuperU, and a 75% ESN: 25% urea blend) and untreated urea on yield, nutritive value, and legume persistence in a ‘Wrangler’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and ‘Durana’ white clover (Trifolium repens) mixture. Nitrogen was applied at four rates (0, 112, 224, and 448 kg N ha-1) in two equal applications at the University of Kentucky Spindletop Research Farm in Lexington, KY using a randomized complete block design. During the establishment year, the encroachment of volunteer white clover plants resulted in only a small decline in the clover population of the highest N rate but became larger among all treatments in the second and third years. Averaged over the three years of the study, all EE N sources maintained white clover populations similar to the unfertilized grass/clover control, but only ESN kept clover composition greater than standard urea. Total forage yields linearly increased along N rates in all years, ESN’s ability to maintain clover resulted in higher nutritive value.   Evaluated the effect of different enhanced efficiency (EE) N formulations [ESN, Agrotain treated urea (ATU), and a 75% ESN: 25% urea blend] and untreated urea on yield, nutritive value, and legume persistence in a ‘KY 31’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) and ‘Kenland’ red clover (Trifolium pratense) mixture. Nitrogen was applied at four rates (0, 112, 224, and 336 kg N ha-1) in two equal applications at the University of Kentucky Spindletop Research Farm in Lexington, KY using a randomized complete block design. During the first year, total seasonal yield increased with increasing N rates. There was no difference in forage yield among N rate or N source in the second growing season. Clover content declined with increasing N rates, ESN and the ESN+Urea blend maintained more clover than ATU and urea.           Short-term Outcomes Outputs:   <ul> <li>We quantified grazing managements impact on spatial and vertical distribution of N, P, C and blk density in southeastern grazing systems.</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>We found that establishment of sorghum-sudangrass interseeded into smooth bromegrass pastures was poor, whether pastures were managed as N-fertilized monocultures or grass-legume mixtures. Thus, we recommend that if producers were to adopt this strategy to improving productivity of pastures that they focus on getting best establishment of the summer annual.  At this time, however, we have not established proven strategies for doing so.  To improve beef cattle production, pasture managers should focus on maintaining a good mix of perennial cool-season grasses to legumes (70:30 ratio) as principle components of vegetation.</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>We found that the use of locally sourced bioinoculant, LEM significantly increased N mineralization 1 week after application of LEM in Lolium multiflorum haying system.</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Alfalfa and tall fescue were harvested after a killing frost and ensiled in different proportions, and subsequent silages were offered to sheep. Addition of tall fescue improved ensiling characteristics of the forages, but nitrogen use measurements all decreased with increasing proportions of tall fescue in the silages.</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>Sericea lespedeza hay was either not offered, or offered at 9, 18, or 27% of the diet dry matter to sheep offered a basal diet of alfalfa silage. Dry matter and organic matter digestibility decreased with increasing sericea lespedeza.  Urinary nitrogen excretion decreased, and fecal nitrogen excretion increased with increasing sericea lespedeza in the diet.</li> </ul> Educational Aids or Curricula: we developed curricula to increase undergraduate student understanding of principles basic to the establishment, management, and utilization of forage crops and pastures. Topics include plant identification, cultivar selection, seeding, fertilization, irrigation, forage quality and utilization, hay and silage preservation, and grazing management. Activities: Began collecting electrical conductivity, soil N and C, forage quality and water quality data of variable rate study.  We have found a somewhat strong relationship with permanaganate carbon to nitrate in soil.  We will further explore this relationship to high nitrate concentrations in hay.   Evaluating the effect of different enhanced efficiency N formulations [ESN, Agrotain treated urea (ATU), and SuperU] and untreated urea on yield and nutritive value in a ‘KY 31’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) stockpiled pasture. Nitrogen was applied at four rates (0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N ha-1) in one fall application. Milestones: Identified and acquired graduate student to begin research on variable rate N application mixed forages harvest for hay.  Undergraduate student mentee was awarded undergraduate research funding to determine relationship of Veris collected spatially explicit electrical conductivity, permanganate carbon, soil organic carbon, and bulk density to plant available N.  Payne, K.M., B.M. Goff, S.R. Smith, J.H. Grove, M.S. Coyne, J.W. Lehmkuhler. 2018. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer effect on pasture productivity. KFGC Eastern Field Day, Morehead, KY. 6 Sept. Payne, K.M., B.M. Goff, S.R. Smith, J.H. Grove, M.S. Coyne, J.W. Lehmkuhler. 2018. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer effect on pasture productivity. Donald Sparks IPSS Graduate Research Symposium, Lexington, KY. 23 March.   Forage News Articles (distributed electronically and available online): <ul> <li>31 Aug 2018, Featured Publication: Forage Establishment</li> <li>31 Aug 2018, Forage Timely Tips: September</li> <li>31 Aug 2018, New Crimson Clover Available: Kentucky Pride</li> <li>30 Jul 2018, Forage Timely Tips: August</li> <li>29 March 2018, Featured Publication: Alfalfa Management Guide</li> <li>31 Jan 2018, Frost Seeding Red and Ladino White Clover Soon</li> <li>19 Dec 2017, Maximizing Success with Frost Seedings of Clover</li> <li>1 Dec 2017, Don’t Trip on Triple-19</li> </ul>     Impacts: Uneven distribution of C, N, and P in grazing systems can be linked to management practices such as location of feeding areas and shade Dahal et al., 2018, Hendricks 2019 which identified the need to more efficiently utilize grazing lands and the need to feed cattle uphill and away from riparian areas to reduce the loss of nutrients   Use of a bio-innoculate can increase N availability one week after application of swine effluent fertilizer and the bio-inoculate “locally effective microorganisms which can improve N use efficiency when animal waste is used as an N fertilizer. Long- term Outcomes: Activities : From the works in past years and 2019 and the last two years of discussions we formulated the objectives of the 10/01/2019 to 09/30/2024 NC1182 project cycle.   Milestones: Developed new cycle NC1182 objectives to better understand n cycling variations with ecosystem, landscape and management. Indicators: We have completed several studies that have resulted in peer reviewed publications, presentations, Field Days, and Extension Bulletins.

Publications

Publications <ol> <li>George, B., H. Hillhouse, B.E. Anderson, and A. Guretzky. 2018. Establishment of interseeded annual warm-season grasses in smooth bromegrass pastures. In 2018 ASA and CSSA Meeting Abstracts [Online]. Available at <a href="https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2018am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/113271">https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2018am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/113271</a> (verified 14 Feb. 2020).</li> </ol>   <ol start="2"> <li>George, B., H. Hillhouse, B. Anderson, and Guretzky. 2019. Variables affecting establishment of sorghum-sudangrass in smooth bromegrass pastures. Cropwatch [Online]. UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. IANR Media. Available at <a href="https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2019/variables-affecting-establishment-sorghum-sudangrass-smooth-bromegrass-pastures">https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2019/variables-affecting-establishment-sorghum-sudangrass-smooth-bromegrass-pastures</a> (verified 14 Feb. 2020).</li> </ol>   <ol start="3"> <li>La Vallie, M. 2019. Establishment of perennial legumes with an annual warm-season grass as a companion crop. M.S. Thesis. Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln (Advisors A. Guretzky/W.H. Schacht).</li> </ol>   <ol start="4"> <li>Niyigena, V., P. Coffey, W. K. Coblentz, D. Philipp, R. T. Rhein, A. N. Young, J. D. Caldwell, and B. C. Shanks. 2019. Intake and digestibility by gestating sheep offered alfalfa silage wrapped with plastic with or without an oxygen-limiting barrier after extended time delays. An. Feed Sci. Technol. 254:114193.</li> <li>Hendricks, Taylor*, H. Franklin, S. Dahal, D. Hancock, L. Stewart, M. Cabrera, and G. Hawkins. 2019. Distribution of Soil Carbon and Bulk Density in Ten Southern Piedmont Grazing Systems as influence by management and landscape. Journal of Soil & Water Conservation 74 (4):199-209.</li> </ol>   <ol start="6"> <li>Ney, Laura*, Dorcas Franklin, Kishan Mahmud, Miguel Cabrera, Dennis Hancock, Mussie Hateselassie, and Quint Newcomer.   Examining trophic-level nematode community structure and nitrogen availability of swine effluent to forage crops.  Applied Soil Ecology 130:209-218.</li> </ol>   <ol start="7"> <li>Schick, B.D., A. Guretzky, W.H. Schacht, and M. Mamo. 2019. Dietary nutritive value, dung quality, decomposition, and nutrient movement into soil in smooth bromegrass pastures. Crop Science 59: 1294-1308.</li> </ol>   <ol start="8"> <li>Dahal, Subash*, Dorcas H. Franklin, Miguel L. Cabrera, Dennis W. Hancock, Lawton Stewart, Anish Subedi, Kishan Mahmud, Laura Ney. Spatial distribution of inorganic nitrogen in pastures as affected by management, landscape, and cattle locus.  47(6):1468-1477.</li> </ol>   Abstracts: <ul> <li>Althaber, C., K. P. Coffey, D. P. Compart, S. Shelby, M. Hays, V. Niyigena, J. Bignar.   Determining the optimal dose of microbial enzyme to enhance fiber digestion.  ASAS, Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.</li> <li>Althaber, C., K. P. Coffey, D. P. Compart, S. Selby, M. Hays, V., Niyigena, J. Bignar.   Determination of microbial enzyme efficacy on fiber digestion of bermudagrass hay supplemented with either ddgs or corn. ASAS, Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.</li> <li>Diaz, J. M., D. Philipp, K. Coffey, P. A. Beck, V. Niyigena, R. Rhein.   Effects of two sward heights on forage nutritive value, rumen digestion, and grazing behavior of steers grazing non-endophyte infected tall fescue pastures.  J. Anim. Sci. 97, Suppl. S1:36.  http://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz053.080.</li> <li>Diaz, J., K. P. Coffey, W. K. Coblentz, D. Philipp, V. Niyigena, M. C. Pruden, D. Myers.   Digestibility of sheep offered tall fescue, meadow fescue and orchardgrass grasses ensiled with slurry or commercial urea fertilization.  ASAS, Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.</li> <li>Niyigena, V., K. P. Coffey, W. K. Coblentz, D. Philipp, C. Althaber, R. T. Rhein, and M. C. Pruden. 2019. Intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation in sheep offered alfalfa silage alone or alfalfa and tall fescue mixtures harvested after a killing frost. Annual Meeting of ASAS. July 8-11, 2019. Austin, TX.</li> <li>Niyigena, V., K. P. Coffey, W. K. Coblentz, D. Philipp, M. C. Savin, J. Zhao, J. Diaz, S. P. Park, and S. l. Shelby. 2019. Effect of supplementing different proportions of sericea lespedeza with alfalfa silage on intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance in sheep. Annual Meeting of ASAS. July 8-11, 2019. Austin, TX.</li> <li>Niyigena, V., K. P. Coffey, W. K. Coblentz, D. Philipp, M. C. Savin, J. Zhao, J. Diaz, S. P. Park, R. T. Rhein, and M. C. Pruden. 2019. Effect of supplementing different proportions of Lablab purpureus with alfalfa silage on intake and digestibility in gestating sheep. Proc. Southern For. Past. Crop Improv. Conf. pp. 21.</li> <li>Park, S., M. C. Savin, D. Philipp, K. Coffey, V. Niyigena, J. Zhao. 2019. Greenhouse gas emissions from tall fescue plots following soil surface application of excreta from ruminants fed alternative foraged-based diets. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX.</li> <li>Park, S., M. C. Savin, D. Philipp, K. Coffey, V. Niyigena, J. Zhao, 2019. Alternative forage-based diets result in large, rapid soil surface ammonia emissions from tall fescue plots after receiving ruminant urine and manure ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX.</li> <li>Tang, Y. K., M. C. Savin, D. Philipp, K. Coffey, J. Zhao. 2019. Decomposition in pasture soil receiving excreta from ruminants fed forage diets supplemented with polyphenolic compound containing legumes. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX.</li> </ul> Extension and Outreach <ul> <li>Payne, K.M., B.M. Goff, S.R. Smith, J.H. Grove, M.S. Coyne, J.W. Lehmkuhler. 2018. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer effect on pasture productivity. KFGC Eastern Field Day, Morehead, KY. 6 Sept.</li> <li>Payne, K.M., B.M. Goff, S.R. Smith, J.H. Grove, M.S. Coyne, J.W. Lehmkuhler. 2018. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer effect on pasture productivity. Donald Sparks IPSS Graduate Research Symposium, Lexington, KY. 23 March.</li> </ul> Forage News Articles (distributed electronically and available online): <ul> <li>31 Aug 2018, Featured Publication: Forage Establishment</li> <li>31 Aug 2018, Forage Timely Tips: September</li> <li>31 Aug 2018, New Crimson Clover Available: Kentucky Pride</li> <li>30 Jul 2018, Forage Timely Tips: August</li> <li>29 March 2018, Featured Publication: Alfalfa Management Guide</li> <li>31 Jan 2018, Frost Seeding Red and Ladino White Clover Soon</li> <li>19 Dec 2017, Maximizing Success with Frost Seedings of Clover</li> <li>1 Dec 2017, Don’t Trip on Triple-19</li> </ul>

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 08/11/2021

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 05/07/2020 - 05/08/2020
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2018 - 09/30/2019

Participants

Barker David J.,( barker.169@osu.edu);
McCulley, Rebecca L. (rebecca.mcculley@uky.edu);
Guretzky, John A, (jguretzky2@unl.edu);
Franklin, Dorcas (dory.franklin@uga.edu);
Michael P. Popp (mpopp@uark.edu);
Coffey, Ken P. (kcoffey@uark.edu);
Nave, Renata L. (rnave@utk.edu);
Miller, Rhonda (Rhonda.Miller@usu.edu);

Brief Summary of Minutes

Meeting minutes

Virtual meeting (hosted by the University of Georgia, Athens)

(all times are EDT)

May 7, 2020

9:00 to 10:30am - Introductions and Overview of the Meeting

Presentation from Greg Cuomo, NC1182 Administrative Advisor

We’re OK to meet virtually, and hope to convene physically when possible

Multi-state projects should show evidence of collaborative activity, rather than simply being a meeting

Additional participants can be added to a project relatively easily.. policy for funding varies by state.

Thanks to Ken Coffey for help to Rhonda during review process

Update on Covid issue by state.

10:30 to 10:45 - Break

10:45 to 12:00 - Begin State Presentations (20 minutes each)

Rebecca L McCulley, KY

Mike Popp and Kenn Coffey, AR

12:00 to 1:00 Break for Lunch

1:00 to 4:30 - Continue State Presentations

Renata Oakes, TN

David Barker, OH

Rhonda Miller, UT

John A Guretzky, NE

Dory Franklin, GA

Discussion of possible objectives for a CAP grant

May 8, 2020

Business Meeting

9:00 – 12

Chris Hamilton NCRA Assistant Director and NIMSS System

https://www.ncra-saes.org/

Greg Cuomo, NC1182 Administrative Advisor

Benefits of multistate participation include: identify collaborators, address timely topics, develop leadership experiences, innovate and create unique projects, engage with stakeholders, connect with NIFA and other leaders, direct financial support (varies by state)

Elections and next year’s Meeting - D. Barker elected as Secretary, and assumes Chair at next meeting.

Discuss Objectives for project wide grant (foundationfar.org)

Lunch and end Meeting

Accomplishments

Nebraska Major activities <ol> <li>We completed an experiment that evaluated "Establishment of Perennial Legumes with an Annual Warm-Season Grass as a Companion Crop".</li> </ol> Key outcomes. Research addressing major goal (1) at UNL indicted that use of sorghum-sudangrass as a companion crop would greatly increase total forage yields during legume establishment while reducing weeds compared to legume establishment without weed control.  Producers would get better establishment of legumes, particularly alfalfa, when established without a companion crop, though, if effective weed management practices are in place.  Weed control will impose costs including that for herbicide application.  Alternatively, producers could adopt organic methods of establishing legumes, but this would likely require greater knowledge, understanding, and skills of cultural methods of weed control and legume management. Goal (2) Major activities <ol> <li>We completed a 3-year pasture experiment that evaluated feasibility of interseeding sorghum-sudangrass into established smooth bromegrass pastures using only grazing to prepare the pastures for seeding and whether there were any differences between fertilized pastures and pastures interseeded with legumes.</li> <li>We evaluated cover crops planted after soybean harvest in the fall with or without N fertilization or interseeded with clover. Results suggest all 3 strategies are successful with ADG of 1.8 lb/d for all 3 and 30 to 60 days of grazing in the spring.</li> <li>Summarized data from 6 years of diet samples taken from grazing cows to evaluate the crude protein and rumen undegradable protein content of the grass throughout the year (growing season and dormant months).</li> <li>Numerous feeds evaluated for rumen undegradable protein content in order to better match nutrient availability with nutrient requirements of cattle grazing pasture lands. Feeds included common byproducts used to supplement cattle, some of which are continually undergoing changes as ethanol plants look to diversify their operations.</li> <li>Continue to make progress on determining microbial protein flow in cattle, with emphasis on measuring in extensive production settings. Critical to better understand the N use and requirements of cattle.</li> </ol> Key outcomes. Research addressing major goal (2) at UNL has found that sorghum-sudangrass establishment when interseeded into smooth bromegrass pastures has been poor, regardless of whether interseeding occurred in pastures managed as N-fertilized monocultures or when mixed legumes.  Thus, we recommend that if producers were to adopt this strategy to improving productivity of pastures that they focus on getting better establishment of the summer annual.  At this time, however, we have not discovered effective strategies for doing so.  To improve ability of smooth bromegrass pastures for beef cattle performance, producers should focus on maintaining a good mix of grasses and legumes (70:30 ratio). Goal (3) <ol> <li>Research findings on legume establishment, nitrogen cycling, forage nutritive value, and nitrogen use efficiency in legume-interseeded, nitrogen-fertilized, and unfertilized pastures have been incorporated in curricula and presented to students enrolled in Forage Crop and Pasture Management and Forage Evaluation courses at the Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln.</li> </ol>   Kentucky Major goals of the project (1)        Evaluate legume cultural and management strategies emphasizing legume establishment, N cycling and use efficiency, and GHG emissions. (AR, KY, NE, UT). Specific objectives: (i) Identify practices that optimize legume establishment and persistence. (ii) Compare N cycling and use efficiency of ruminants grazing pastures with and without forage legumes. (iii) Determine the impact of legumes on the GHG footprint of livestock production systems.   We evaluated the effect of different enhanced efficiency N formulations (ATU, ESN, methylene urea, SuperU, and a 75% ESN: 25% urea blend) and untreated urea on yield, nutritive value, and legume persistence in a 'Wrangler' bermudagrass and 'Durana' white clover mixture (2014-2016 growing seasons), 'KY-31' tall fescue and 'Kenland' red clover mixture (2015-2016 growing season), and 'KY-31' stockpiled tall fescue (2015-2017). The three studies were conducted at the University of Kentucky Spindletop Research Farm in Lexington, KY in a randomized complete block design. In the bermudagrass-white clove study, all enhanced efficiency N sources maintained white clover populations similar to the unfertilized grass/clover control, but only ESN caused greater clover composition than standard urea. Total forage yields increased linearly with N rate in all years, but dry weather conditions in the second and third years resulted in lower total yield. Forage nutritive value followed general trends throughout each growing season, but ESN's ability to maintain clover resulted in higher nutritive value. In the tall fescue-red clover mixture, total forage yields curvilinearly increased with N rate in 2015 but did not vary in 2016. ESN and ESN+urea blend treatments retained clover composition similar to that of the unfertilized control. Stockpiled forage yield increased with higher n rates. Enhanced efficiency N fertilizers with the ability to control N release can enhance forage yield while maintaining clover in mixed species swards. Ohio Performance data were collected from forage variety trials in Ohio during 2019, including commercial varieties of alfalfa, annual ryegrass and cover crops in tests planted in 2017 and 2018 at South Charleston, OH. Rainfall was variable across the season at South Charleston. April rainfall was very regular but below the normal for the month, May and June were above normal rainfall, and the remainder of the growing season was drier than normal. Total rainfall for April through September was 4.17 below average. Average monthly temperatures were above normal for most of the year except in June and August. For alfalfa, the 2017 seeding at South Charleston had the highest yields in 2019, averaging 6.81 tons/acre followed by the 2018 seeding at South Charleston, at 5.44 tons/acre. Weather and weeds slowed growth of the 2018 trial therefore data was not collected in 2018. Insecticide applications were used for control of potato leafhopper (PLH) and to control alfalfa weevil at South Charleston. An annual ryegrass trial was planted in September 2018. There was winter injury that varied among varieties. Forage yields in 2018-19 were near the long-term average at this location. A cover crop variety trial was planted on September 20, 2018 at the South Charleston location to evaluate different cover crop species and varieties for stand and ground cover development throughout the fall and for stand, ground cover, and final biomass production the following spring. A field contract trial was established in August 2019 and yield and lodging data were recorded at four harvests in 2020 of 60 advanced alfalfa breeding lines developed by S&W Seed Co. being considered for commercial release. Forage yields in 2020 were excellent, with some entries producing 10 tons of dry matter per acre. A separate contract field trial was established in August 2020 to evaluate 19 alfalfa breeding lines with variable resistance to potato leafhopper (Empoasca fabae) developed by S&W Seed Co. being considered for commercial release. Another contract field trial was established in spring 2020 to evaluate 20 new alfalfa breeding lines developed by S&W Seed Co. for reduced lignin concentration using new genetic engineering techniques. Two field trials were conducted (2019 and 2020 established trials) evaluating 50 different cover crop trials. Differences were found for ground cover in the autumn, winter injury, ground cover ratings in the spring, and spring biomass production. These data will be useful to Ohio producers selecting species and cultivars for cover crop use and cover crop forage use. In order to utilize alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), alone or in mixture with grasses defoliation management practices must be evaluated to assess their performance. Research during 2017-2019 aimed to measure forage accumulation (FA) and nutritive value of alfalfa monoculture (A) and in mixtures with tall fescue [ATF; Schedonorus arundinaceus)] or bermudagrass [AB; Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers] subjected to four harvest intervals (clipped every 21, 28, 35, and 42 d). Results from prior field work were analyzed and a manuscript prepared for publication during 2020. The study was conducted in Crossville, TN and South Charleston, OH during 2016 and 2017 growing seasons, and in Salisbury, NC during 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. Harvest intervals of 35-d or greater showed optimal FA, with greatest productivity in spring. In summer, bermudagrass proportion was greater than tall fescue in the alfalfa mixtures, but the productivity of ATF was similar to AB. However, the ATF mixture was superior to AB in FA for the entire season. Although tall fescue can be very competitive with alfalfa in mixtures, it results in greater FA while reducing weed competition. Botanical composition indicated greater weed infestation in alfalfa alone. Alfalfa as a monoculture showed, greater crude protein (CP) concentrations (≥ 200 g kg-1), so growing alfalfa-grass mixtures can increase sward CP compared with grass monocultures (average of 128 g kg-1 for ATF and 161 g kg-1 for AB). We concluded that harvest intervals of 35-d or greater should be adopted to provide greater FA, and treatments A and ATF resulted in superior FA compared with AB. Arkansas Five digestion studies were conducted with growing lambs to determine the impact of different feed additives on diet digestibility and utilization.  Four studies evaluated a blend of a protease and Aspergillus oryzae and A. niger fermentation extracts and another study evaluated the impact of a phytogenic supplement containing condensed tannins on utilization of various diets by lambs.  Fiber digestion and ruminal fermentation measurements were maximized with 3 grams of the protease-enzyme blend.  In a subsequent study, the protease-enzyme blend improved digestible organic matter intake and ruminal fermentation measurements by lambs offered a bermudagrass hay diet supplemented with corn as an additional energy source.  Supplementation with up to 8 grams/day of a condensed tannin supplement did not affect diet digestibility or protein utilization by lambs offered a corn-based finishing diet.  Urine and feces from these and other studies were applied to plots to determine greenhouse gas emissions, but laboratory and data analyses are still pending. We are working on two different DSS relevant for this project. One is modifying an existing DSS, called FORCAP (https://agribusiness.uark.edu/decision-support-software.php#forcap), the other is a DSS focusing on relative cost and efficiency of applying poultry litter in lieu of commercial fertilizer. The innovation for this latter DSS is that the poultry is banded below the surface to avoid/lessen nutrient runoff and volatilization. Digestion and nitrogen balance studies continued.  These studies demonstrate the benefits of different forages, forage management or products in improving utilization of feedstuffs by ruminant animals.  Urine and feces were collected from these studies and applied to plots where greenhouse gasses and ammonia could be measured.  Data collection on cost and output price information as well as production efficiency parameters is ongoing.             Short-term Outcomes: Quantitative, measurable benefits of the research outputs as experienced by those who receive them. Examples include the adoption of a technology, the creation of jobs, reduced cost to the consumer, less pesticide exposure to farmers, or access to more nutritious food.   Nebraska This project provided research training and professional development to one graduate student who completed their M.S. in Agronomy, three research technicians who oversaw the pasture management experiments, and three undergraduate students who assisted with data collection and sampling processing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Research results were disseminated through oral and poster presentations at the 2018 ASA and CSSA Annual Meetings in Baltimore, MD (November) and to students enrolled in Agronomy/Grassland Studies/Range Science 240: Forage Crop and Pasture Management in fall 2018 and spring 2019 semesters at the Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln.  In addition to professional presentations and lectures, research results and progress have been shared informally to UNL faculty, staff and students as well as visiting faculty. Target audiences reached included members of Division C06 Forage and Grazinglands, Crop Science Society of America; ranchers, university specialists, land managers, and government agency personnel involved with the Nebraska section Society for Range Management; Nebraska extension educators; faculty and staff in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture at the Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln, undergraduate and graduate students in agricultural education, agronomy, animal science, and grazing livestock systems degree programs at the Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln. Kentucky A PhD student was trained during this project (K.M. Payne). She successfully defended her dissertation in 2019. Multiple scientific presentations have been given highlighting the results of this work (American Forage and Grassland Council - 2017, 2019; ASA-CSSA-SSSA - 2015). A presentation on the results was given to the International Fertilizer Society Agronomic Conference, which is targeted to agronomists, industry, and practitioners. Numerous presentations at forage field day events were given, targeting producers, and several Forage News articles were developed and disseminated to producers in the region. Ohio Results have been disseminated: 1) to other researchers vis scientific publications - journal, and conference posters. 2) to undergraduate and graduate students - via academic curriculum, 3) to farmer groups- via extension presentations at farmer meetings. Arkansas Feeding ruminant animals is expensive.  Many producers use various feed additive to improve efficiency of forage and concentrate use and ultimately save money.  Providing producers with information about the efficacy of various feed additives helps them make better management decisions. Decision makers often want economic analyses to attach relative profitability numbers to changes in production practices.  In that vein, I have work ongoing to modify on-line, spreadsheet-based decision support software (DSS) that will assist producers to identify economic and environmental tradeoffs across alternative production practices.

Publications

<ol> <li>Crawford, G.I., J.C. MacDonald, A.K. Watson, G.E. Erickson, and T.J. Klopfenstein.  2020. Diurnal and dietary impacts on estimating microbial protein flow from urinary purine derivative excretion in beef cattle. Trans. Anim. Sci. 4:1-13.</li> <li>George, B., H. Hillhouse, B.E. Anderson, and J.A. Guretzky. 2018. Establishment of interseeded annual warm-season grasses in smooth bromegrass pastures. In 2018 ASA and CSSA Meeting Abstracts [Online]. Available at <a href="https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2018am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/113271">https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2018am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/113271</a> (verified 14 Feb. 2020)</li> <li>George, B., H. Hillhouse, B. Anderson, and J. Guretzky. 2019. Variables affecting establishment of sorghum-sudangrass in smooth bromegrass pastures. Cropwatch [Online]. UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. IANR Media. Available at <a href="https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2019/variables-affecting-establishment-sorghum-sudangrass-smooth-bromegrass-pastures">https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2019/variables-affecting-establishment-sorghum-sudangrass-smooth-bromegrass-pastures</a> (verified 14 Feb. 2020).</li> <li>Guretzky, J.A., H. Blanco, R. Elmore, D. Redfearn, M. Howell. 2018. Developing Research and Extension Skills of Students in Integrated Agronomic Systems. ASA and CSSA Meeting with the Canadian Society of Agronomy, Baltimore, MD.</li> <li>Guretzky, J.A. Chapter 9 Plant Interactions. In Forages Volume II. The Science of Grassland Agriculture, 7th Edition. Editors: K.J. Moore, D. Redfearn, M. Collins, and C.J. Nelson. Wiley Blackwell. Accepted/In-Press on 20 Dec. 2018.</li> <li>La Vallie, M. 2019. Establishment of perennial legumes with an annual warm-season grass as a companion crop. M.S. Thesis. Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln (Advisors J.A. Guretzky/W.H. Schacht).</li> <li>Schick, B.D., J.A. Guretzky, W.H. Schacht, and M. Mamo. 2019. Dietary nutritive value, dung quality, decomposition, and nutrient movement into soil in smooth bromegrass pastures. Crop Science 59: 1294-1308.</li> <li>Schumacher, E.A., G.E. Erickson, H.C. Wilson, M.M Norman, J.C. MacDonald, A.K. Watson, and T.J. Klopfenstein.  Comparison of rumen undegradable protein content of conventional and organic feeds. Nebraska beef cattle report, MP108:45-49.</li> <li>Wiseman, A., Z. Carlson, L. McPhillips, S. Tilton, A. Watson, and G. Erickson. 2020. Evaluation of RUP content of NexPro dried distillers grains plus solubles in corn silage based growing calf diets. J. Anim. Sci. 98 (Suppl. 2):248.  Midwest ASAS meetings.</li> <li>Wheeler, K., T. Klopfenstein, J. MacDonald, A. Watson, and H. Wilson. 2020. Rumen undegradable protein content of native range and sub irrigated meadow forages. J. Anim. Sci. 98 (Suppl. 2):55.  Midwest ASAS meetings.</li> <li>Wiseman, A.R., Z.E. Carlson, L.J. McPhillips, A.K. Watson, G.E. Erickson, and S.L. Tilton.  2020.  Evaluation of RUP content of NexPro dried distillers grains plus solubles and their effect on growing calf performance in corn silage based diets.  Nebraska beef cattle report, MP108:38-40.</li> <li>Payne, K.M., S.R. Smith, and B.M. Goff. 2019. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer effect on stockpiled tall fescue. American Forage and Grassland Council Conference, St. Louis, MO, 6-9 Jan. 173</li> <li> Crook, T., B. Stewart, M. Sims, C. Weiss, K. Coffey, W. Coblentz, and P. Beck. 2020. The effects of moisture at baling and wrapping delay on storage characteristics of annual ryegrass round bale silage.  Crop, Forage, Turfgr. Manage. 2020;6:e20015. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cft.20015">https://doi.org/10.1002/cft.20015</a>. </li> <li> Nieman, C., M. Popp, D. Schaefer, K. Albrecht and J. Franco. 2020.  “Evaluating sod-seeded annuals in cool-season cow-calf pastures in Wisconsin”.  Journal of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. 177-186. </li> <li> Tang, Y. K., M. C. Savin, D. Philipp, K. Coffey, and J. Zhao. 2020. Decomposition in pasture soil receiving excreta from ruminants fed alfalfa forage diet supplemented with increasing proportions of sericea lespedeza legume. Discovery (in press). </li> <li> Althaber, C. A., K. P. Coffey, J. D.Caldwell, and M. C. Pruden. 2020  Effects of dietary phytogenic supplementation to a finishing lamb diet on intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance and carcass measures. ASAS, Annual Meeting, Madison, WI (virtual). </li> <li> Kennedy, I., M.C. Savin, D. Philipp, K. Coffey, and J. Zhao. 2020. Nitrogen leaching in pasture soil receiving excretions from sheep consuming tannin containing legumes. In 2020 Annual Meeting Program. ASA and CSSA, Madison, WI. </li> <li> Nieman, C.C., D. Philipp, K.P. Coffey, and J.G. Franco. 2020. Cowpea sown with sorghum-sudangrass and baled at two moisture levels for greater baleage nutritive value. AFGC annual meeting Greenville, SC. </li> <li> Barker, D.J. Culman S.W. (2020) Fertilization and Nutrient Management p. 473-496. Ch 26. In Moore, K.J.; Collins, M.; Nelson, C.J.; Redfearn, D.D. (eds.) Forages: The Science of Grassland Agriculture, Vol. II. 7th ed. Wiley Blackwell, West Sussex, UK </li> </ol>

Impact Statements

Research addressing major goal (1) at UNL indicted that use of sorghum-sudangrass as a companion crop would greatly increase total forage yields during legume establishment while reducing weeds compared to legume establishment without weed control. Producers would get better establishment of legumes, particularly alfalfa, when established without a companion crop, though, if effective weed management practices are in place. Weed control will impose costs including that for herbicide application. Alternatively, producers could adopt organic methods of establishing legumes, but this would likely require greater knowledge, understanding, and skills of cultural methods of weed control and legume management.

Date of Annual Report: 07/13/2023

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 01/25/2023 - 01/26/2023
Period the Report Covers: 01/01/2022 - 12/31/2022

Participants

Participants:
Nave, Renata - University of Tennessee;
Abagandura, Gandura - University of Nebraska;
Barker, David - Ohio State University;
Cassida, Kim - Michigan State University;
Coffey, Ken - University of Arkansas;
Franklin, Dorcas - University of Georgia;
Guretzky, John - University of Nebraska;
Hashemi, Masoud - University of Massachusetts;
Jacobs, Alayna - University of Kentucky;
Mamo, Martha - University of Nebraska;
McCulley, Rebecca - University of Kentucky;
Menendez, Hector - South Dakota State University;
Miller, Rhonda - Utah State University;
Popp, Michael - University of Arkansas;
Silva, Liliane - Clemson University;
Uddin, Elias - South Dakota State University.
Scaglia, Guillermo - Administrative Advisor;
Hamilton, Christina - NIMSS Coordinator;

Brief Summary of Minutes

Please see attached file below for NC1182's 2022 report.

Minutes Attachment:

Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report NC1182 2022.pdf

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 04/23/2024

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 11/30/2023 - 12/01/2023
Period the Report Covers: 07/01/2022 - 06/30/2023

Participants

• Dr Guillermo Scaglia, Administrative Advisor
• Nave, Renata - University of Tennessee
• Barker, David - Ohio State University
• Cassida, Kim - Michigan State University
• Coffey, Ken - University of Arkansas
• Franklin, Dorcas - University of Georgia
• Guretzky, John - University of Nebraska
• McCulley, Rebecca - University of Kentucky
• Miller, Rhonda - Utah State University
• Popp, Michael - University of Arkansas
• Silva, Liliane - Clemson University
Apologies
• Dr Glaze-Corcoran – travelling
• Menendez, Hector - South Dakota State University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

Accomplishments:   Short-term Outcomes: Quantitative, measurable benefits of the research outputs as experienced by those who receive them. Examples include the adoption of a technology, the creation of jobs, reduced cost to the consumer, less pesticide exposure to farmers, or access to more nutritious food.   Research in NE has evaluated how co-seeding grasses and legumes in a grazed, double cropped, annual forage system affects aboveground biomass, soil nitrogen availability and greenhouse gas emissions.  In contrast to hypotheses, though, we found nitrogen-fertilized pastures to produce 23-31% and 9-21% more aboveground biomass across spring and summer production phases than legume-mixed and unfertilized pastures, respectively.    Ongoing research efforts in SC focused on the use of annual forage legumes and their impact on forage, animal and soil responses. The first year of a long-term study focusing on overseeding bermudagrass fields was completed, and soil health parameters will be measured in 2024.   For Objective 1, crossbred steers grazed pasture of bermudagrass (CONT), bermudagrass overseeded with sorghum sudangrass (SS), or bermudagrass overseeded with sorghum sudangrass and cowpea (SSCP) in alternate drill passes during the summers of 2021 and 2022, in AR. When averaged across the two years, steer gains were 2.23 lb/day in SS and SSCP vs. 1.85 lb/day from CONT.   For Objective 2, growing lambs were housed in individual pens with metal grate flooring for a feed intake and digestion study, in AR.  Lambs were offered ad libitum access to diets of bermudagrass hay with either non-toxic fescue seed (E-) with no red clover extract, toxic fescue seed (E+) with no red clover extract, or E+ with 0.33%, 0.67% or 1.0% red clover extract.   Plant populations of T. stoloniferum were measured at 6 of the 12 planted sites in Ohio in Spring 2023. The total number of plants (crowns) was 4164. This was a 46% increase from the total known population of approximately 9000 plants at the natural sites in Ohio.   During 2022-2023, faculty from University of Kentucky published data from a number of forage variety trials, other on-farm work, and scientific studies and trained numerous undergraduate and graduate students. Outreach activities included leadership of the International Grasslands Congress, held in Covington, OH in May 2023, and participation in the annual AFGC meeting in Winston-Salem, NC, in January. Two students were graduates (1 PhD and 1 MS), and several other new students were started. New research in the Pyrenees of France was initiated, based on funding from NSF. A student intern was advised as part of the AFRI-SAS-CAP grant effort.   Outputs: Defined products (tangible or intangible) that are delivered by a research project. Examples of outputs are reports, data, information, observations, publications, and patents.     The primary output from this project are research publications (listed below). Interim outputs include reports, data, and information that leads to publications. Other outputs include research results that are shared with producers at extension meetings, and agronomic information that is included into educational curriculum delivered to K-12, undergraduate and graduate students. The University of Arkansas produced decision software products, and delivered to stakeholders as an online resource. The majority of participants gave scientific presentations at professional meetings (typically are unpublished, or Abstracts). There were no patents from this program.     Activities: Organized and specific functions or duties carried out by individuals or teams using scientific methods to reveal new knowledge and develop new understanding.   Loss of N from grazing systems is costly to the producer and to the environment.  It can be lost to the atmosphere as NH3, and N2O gases, both of which can be strong greenhouse gases. Nitrogen in the form of nitrate can also be leached to groundwater, runoff to streams contaminating our streams and reservoirs. Grazing lands are known to build soil carbon but the amount is dependent on many synergistic factors including water, soil, and biodiversity.  Optimized sustainable grazing systems will retain carbon, capture and filter rainfall, retain N in plant available forms and have diverse array of beneficial insects that predate on pests of forage and cattle. Each of these are ecosystem services. In this research we will focus on quantifying ecosystem services (measures of sustainability) that grazing systems can provide: capturing rainfall to bank and filter water, reduce GHG emissions, biodiversity, and readily available plant nutrients.             This past year research in GA completed analysis of soil samples for background concentrations on nitrogen and carbon to 90cm, biodiversity, and incidence of filth flies on ten pastures which were historically fertilized with either broiler litter or mineral fertilizer and had differing drainage classes.  Were able to graduate one M.S. student and publish one paper on filth flies and biodiversity and the other manuscript is pending review. Ph.D. student presented his findings in one talk and one poster at the Tri-societies meeting in St Louis, MO In Oct-Nov 2023.  We found that there were distinct differences in carbon and nitrogen retention is pastures historically fertilized with broiler litter and much of that nitrogen was in the form of nitrate. Well-drained soils historically fertilized broiler litter retained more nitrate at almost every depth. During early summer 2023 we initialized treatments and measured soil nitrogen and carbon near the surface and GHG losses up the catena within each pasture seasonally. Exclusions were planted again in the fall 2023. In the Central Mountain region (Utah), four grass species were evaluated in an organic dairy heifer system.  The four grass species were grown as monocultures (MONO), versus grass-legume mixtures (MIX) with four breeds of dairy heifers (Holstein, Jersey, Holstein x Jersey crossbreds, and ProCross 3-way crossbreds) also being evaluated for rate of gain.  A rotational grazing management system was used. Plant samples were collected prior to, and after grazing events and analyzed for total N. The impact on nutrient cycling was examined by determination of the nutrients in each phase (plant, soil, and soil water). Herbage dry matter analyses and yield measurements will be utilized to calculate the nutrients being removed in the plant phase. Soil samples was collected at three depths (0-30 cm, 30-60 cm, and 60-90 cm) at the beginning and end of each grazing season and analyzed for available N (NO3-N, ammonium NH4-N), total N, and total C. Leachate samples were collected bi-weekly through the growing season via zero-tension lysimeters and analyzed for NO3-N. Climate change will significantly impact the world’s ecosystems, in part by altering species interactions and ecological processes, such as herbivory and plant community dynamics, which may impact forage quality and ecosystem production. Yet relatively few field experimental manipulations assessing all of these parameters have been performed to date. To help fill this knowledge gap, we evaluated the effects of increased temperature (+3°C day and night, year-round) and precipitation (+30% of mean annual rainfall) on slug herbivory and abundance and plant community dynamics biweekly in a pasture located in central Kentucky, U.S.A. Warming increased slug abundance once during the winter, likely due to improving conditions for foraging, whereas warming reduced slug abundance at times in late spring, mid-summer, and early fall (from 62–95% reduction depending on month). We found that warming and increased precipitation did not significantly modify slug herbivory at our site, despite altering slug abundance and affecting plant community composition and forage quality. Climate change will alter seasonal patterns of slug abundance through both direct effects on slug biology and indirect effects mediated by changes in the plant community, suggesting that pasture management practices may have to adapt. In 2023, research as NE conducted the second of a three-year, repeated measures experiment evaluating grazing pastures with and without forage legumes.  The experiment compares 1) N-fertilized, 2) legume-mixed, and 3) unfertilized management systems across fall-to-spring and summer production phases of triticale and pearl millet, respectively, double cropped in sequence across a 3.6-ha field subdivided into nine, 0.4-ha pastures.  In the N-fertilized system, we broadcast applied granular urea at 68 kg N/ha twice a year.  The first application occurred in late March-early April on triticale.  The second application occurred in early June on pearl millet.  In the legume-mixed system, we co-seeded triticale and pearl millet with red clover and soybean, respectively, instead of fertilizing.  In the unfertilized system, the triticale and pearl millet double crops did not receive any fertilizer or legume co-seeding.  The nine pastures accommodated three replications of each system and two cross-bred steers (Bos taurus) per pasture for 30-45 days of grazing on triticale in spring.  During the spring production phase, we collected aboveground biomass samples every two weeks while cattle grazed the pastures and from exclosures for measurement of aboveground biomass accumulation in the absence of grazing.  During the summer production phase, we allowed aboveground biomass to accumulate across a 70-day before subsampling for aboveground biomass and harvesting the pastures for hay. Also in NE, research utilized the double crop experiment described in objective 1, specific objective ii.  In 2023, we measured soil N (NO3-N and NH4-N) three times during the growing season (before fertilizer application, after grazing, and after harvesting).  The measurement of GHG emissions began in 2020 and continued in 2023.  The CO2, N2O, and CH4 flux data is still under processing. In FY2023, we also conducted organic matter fractionation. Soil was fractionated into three fractions, specifically free particulate organic C and N, occluded particulate organic C and N, and mineral-associated organic C and N.

Publications

Journal Articles <ol> <li>Price, J.N., J. Sitters, T. Ohlert, P.M. Tognetti, C.S. Brown, E.W. Seabloom, E.T. Borer, S.M. Prober, E.S. Bakker, A.S. MacDougall, L. Yahdjian, D.S. Gruner, H. Olde Venterink, I.C. Barrio, P. Graff, S. Bagchi, C.A. Arnillas, J.D. Bakker, D.M. Blumenthal, E.H. Boughton, L.A. Brudvig, M.N. Bugalho, M.W. Cadotte, M.C. Caldeira, C.R. Dickman, I. Donohue, S. Gregory, Y. Hautier, I.S. Jonsdottir, J.L. Lannes, R.L. McCulley, J.L. Moore, S.A. Power, A.C. Risch, M. Schutz, R. Standish, C.J. Stevens, G.F. Veen, R. Virtanen, and G.M. Wardle. 2022. Evolutionary history of grazing and resources determine herbivore exclusion effects on plant diversity. Nature Ecology & Evolution 6(9): 1290-1298. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01809-9</li> <li>Vázquez, E., P-M. Schleuss, E.T. Borer, M.N. Bugalho, M.C. Caldeira, N. Eisenhauer, A. Eskelinen, P.A. Fay, S. Haider, A. Jentsch, K.P. Kirkman, R.L. McCulley, P.L. Peri, J. Price, A.E. Richards, A.C. Risch, C. Roscher, M. Schütz, E.W. Seabloom, R.J. Standish, C.J. Stevens, M.J. Tedder, R. Virtanen, and M. Spohn. 2022. Nitrogen but not phosphorus addition affects symbiotic N2 fixation by legumes in natural and semi-natural grasslands located on four continents. Plant and Soil 478: 689-707. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05498-y</li> <li>Nepel, M., R. Angel, E.T. Borer, B. Frey, A.S. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, A.C. Risch, M. Schutz, E.W. Seabloom, and D. Woebken. 2022. Global grassland diazotrophic communities are structured by combined abiotic, biotic, and spatial distance factors but resilient to fertilization. Frontiers in Microbiology. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.821030</li> <li>Gill, A.L., P.B. Adler, E.T. Borer, C.R. Buyarski, E.E. Cleland, C.M. D'Antonio, K.F. Davies, D.S. Gruner, W.S. Harpole, K.S. Hofmockel, A.S. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, B.A. Melbourne, J.L. Moore, J.W. Morgan, A.C. Risch, M. Schutz, E.W. Seabloom, J.P. Wright, L.H. Yang, and S.E. Hobbie. 2022. Nitrogen increases early-stage and slows late-stage decomposition across diverse grasslands. Journal of Ecology 110(6):1376-1389. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.13878</li> <li>Stults, T. J., Popp, M. P. (2022). A Decision-Support System for Economic Feasibility of Subsurfaced Poultry Litter. Journal of Applied Farm Economics, 5(1), 28-48. Purdue University. <a href="https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jafe/vol5/iss1/3/">https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jafe/vol5/iss1/3/</a></li> <li>Oliver, K., M. Popp, D. Fang, J. Anderson, N. Slaton, G. Drescher, T. Roberts and J. Thompson. (2023). Potassium Fertilizer Rate Recommendations: Does Accounting for Soil Stock of Potassium Matter? Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics.  In Press.</li> <li>Grote, A.J., C.C. Nieman, A.R. Morgan, K.P. Coffey, D. Philipp, E.B. Kegley, J.L. Edwards. 2023.  Using supplemental condensed tannin to mitigate tall fescue toxicosis in non-pregnant, non-lactating ewes consuming tall fescue silage. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 295:115516. doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2022.115516</li> <li>Diaz, J.M., K.P. Coffey, W.K. Coblentz, D. Philipp, V. Niyigena.  2022.  Intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance by sheep offered ensiled tall fescue, meadow fescue, or orchardgrass that was fertilized with dairy slurry or urea. Anim. Feed. Sci. Technol. 292:115447. doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2022.115447</li> <li>Gunter, S. A., M. S. Gadberry, K. P. Coffey, C. A. Moffet. 2022. Comparison of two software programs for fitting one- and two-compartment age-dependent non-linear digestion models for ruminants: empirical data. Anim. Prod. Sci. doi:10.1071/AN21311.</li> <li>Nieman, C. C., K. P. Coffey, A. N. Young, E. B. Kegley, P. Hornsby, J. Hollenback, D. Philipp.  2022. Intake, digestibility, and rumen fermentation by lactating beef cows offered bermudagrass hay with different sources of dried distillers grains. Appl. Anim. Sci. 38:237-245. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2021-02236">https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2021-02236</a></li> <li>Niyigena, V., K. P. Coffey, W. K. Coblentz, D. Philipp, C., Althaber, J. Diaz Gomez, R. T. Rhein, M. C. Pruden. 2022. Intake, digestibility rumen fermentation and nitrogen balance in lambs offered alfalfa and tall fescue-mixtures harvested and ensiled after a frost. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 286:115268. DOI.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2022.115268</li> <li>Subedi, A., Franklin, D., Cabrera, M., Dahal, S., Hancock, D., McPherson, A., & Stewart, L. (2022). Extreme Weather and Grazing Management Influence Soil Carbon and Compaction. AGRONOMY-BASEL, 12(9), 15 pages. doi:10.3390/agronomy12092073</li> <li>Vasco, C.; Burt, J.; Mullenix, M.K.; Silva, L.S.; Groce, K.; Manson, K, Prevatt, C.; Tucker, J. 2023. Agronomic and structural responses of stockpiled alfalfa-bermudagrass systems. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management. doi: 10.1002/cft2.20223</li> <li>Ge, J., S.L. Shelby, Y. Wang, P. D. Morse, K. Coffey, J. Li, T. Geng, Y. Yang. 2023. Cardioprotective properties of quercetin in fescue toxicosis-induced cardiotoxicity via heart-gut axis in lambs (Ovis Aries). J. Hazardous Materials. 458:131843. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131843</li> <li>Grote, A.J., C.C. Nieman, A.R. Morgan, K.P. Coffey, D. Philipp, E.B. Kegley, J.L. Edwards. 2023.  Using supplemental condensed tannin to mitigate tall fescue toxicosis in non-pregnant, non-lactating ewes consuming tall fescue silage. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 295:115516. doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2022.115516</li> <li>Nieman, C.C., Z. Madzonga 2, A. N. Young-Kenworthy, K.P. Coffey. 2023.  Intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and in situ disappearance of bermudagrass hay by lactating beef cows offered corn or hominy feed as supplements at two different rates. Animals 13, 1845. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111845">https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111845</a></li> <li>Lindsey, Barker (2023) Improved Instructional Practices Improve Student Success on Certified Crop Adviser Exams. Natural Sciences Education http://doi.org/10.1002/nse2.20102 </li> <li>Szymczak, de Moraes, Sulc, Barker, Monteiro, Lang, Moraes, Lemaire, Carvalho (2023) Convergence points of optimal herbage accumulation and intake rate by sheep grazing tall fescue. Grass and Forage Science.  http://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.12630 </li> <li>Lankitus, Zhang, Ariyaratne, Barker, McNulty, Amstutz, Zhao, Cornish. (2023) Agrobacterium rhizogenes–induced Altered Morphology and Physiology in Rubber Dandelion after Genetic Transformation. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 148(1):21-28. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS05217-22 '</li> <li>A. Gauci, J. P. Fulton, A. Lindsey, S. A. Shearer, D. Barker & E. M. Hawkins (2023) “Precision of grain yield monitors for use in on-farm research strip trials” Published: 11 December 2023. Precision Agriculture  <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-023-10092-y">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-023-10092-y </a></li> <li>Espinoza, N., Franklin, D.H., Cabrera, M., Hinkle, N.C., Stewart, L. and Subedi, A., 2023. Interaction of Filth Flies and Epigeal Arthropods with Soil Nitrogen and Gas Emissions in Grazing Systems under a Legacy of Low Fertilization. Sustainability, 15(16), p.12572.</li> <li>Bakker, J.D., J.N. Price, J.A. Henning, E.E. Batzer, T.J. Ohlert, C.E. Wainwright, P.B. Adler, J. Alberti, C.A. Arnillas, L.A. Biederman, E.T. Borer, L.A. Brudvig, Y.M. Buckley, M.N. Bugalho, M.W. Cadotte, M.C. Caldeira, J.A. Catford, Q. Chen, M.J. Crawley, P. Daleo, C.R. Dickman, I. Donohue, M.E. DuPre, A. Ebelling, N. Eisenhauer, P.A. Fay, D.S. Gruner, S. Haider, Y. Hautier, A. Jentsch, K. Kirkman, J.M.H. Knops, L.S. Lannes, A.S. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, R.M. Mitchell, J.L. Moore, J.W. Morgan, B. Mortensen, H.O. Venterink, P.L. Peri, S.A. Power, S.M. Prober, C. Roscher, M. Sankaran, E.W. Seablomm, M.D. Smith, C. Stevens, L.L. Sullivan, M. Tedder, G.F. Veen, R. Virtanen, and G.M. Wardle. 2023. Compositional variation in grassland plant communities. Ecosphere. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4542">https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4542</a></li> <li>McBride, S.G., E.M. Levi, J.A. Nelson®, S.R. Archer, P.W. Barnes, H.L. Throop, K. Predick, and R.L. McCulley. 2023. Soil-litter mixing mediates drivers of dryland decomposition along a continuum of biotic and abiotic factors. Ecosystems. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-023-00837-1">https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-023-00837-1</a></li> <li>Risch, A.C., S. Zimmermann, M. Schutz, E.T. Borer, A.A.D. Broadbent, M.C. Caldeira, K.F. Davies, N. Eisenhauer, A. Eskelinen, P.A. Fay, F. Hagedorn, J.M.H. Knops, J.J. Lembrechts, A.S. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, B.A. Melbourne, J.L. Moore, S.A. Power, E.W. Seabloom, M.L. Silviera, R. Virtanen, L. Yahdijian, and R. Ochoa-Hueso. 2023. Drivers of the microbial metabolic quotient across global grasslands. Global Ecology and Biogeography 32(6):904-918. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13664">https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13664</a></li> <li>Dee, L.E., P.J. Ferraro, C.N. Severen, K.A. Kimmel, E.T. Borer, J.E.K. Byrnes, A.T. Clark, Y. Hautier, A. Hector, X. Raynaud, P.B. Reich, A.J. Wright, C.A. Arnillas, K.F. Davies, A. MacDougall, A.S. Mori, M.D. Smith, P.B. Adler, J.D. Bakker, K.A. Brauman, J. Cowles, K. Komatsu, J.M.H. Knops, R.L. McCulley, J.L. Moore, J.W. Morgan, T. Ohlert, S.A. Power, L.L. Sullivan, C. Stevens, and M. Loreau. 2023. Clarifying the effect of biodiversity on productivity in natural ecosystems with longitudinal data and methods for causal inference. Nature Communications 14:2607. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37194-5">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37194-5</a></li> <li>Daleo, P., J. Alberti, E.J. Chaneton, W. Iribarne, P.M. Tognetti, J.D. Bakker, E.T. Borer, M. Bruschetti, A.S. MacDougall, J. Pascual, M. Sankaran, E.W. Seabloom, S. Wang, S. Bagchi, L.A. Brudvig, J.A. Catford, C.R. Dickman, T.L. Dickson, I. Donohue, N. Eisenhauer, D.S. Gruner, S. Haider, A. Jentsch, J.M.H. Knops, Y. Lekberg, R.L. McCulley, J.L. Moore, B. Mortensen, T. Ohlert, M. Partel, P.L. Peri, S.A. Power, A.C. Risch, C. Rocca, N.G. Smith, C. Stevens, R. Tamme, G.F. Veen, P.A. Wilfahrt, and Y. Hautier. 2023. Environmental heterogeneity modulates the effect of plant diversity on the spatial variability of grassland biomass. Nature Communications. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37395-y">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37395-y</a></li> <li>Weber, D., R.K. McGrail, A.E. Carlisle®, J.D. Harwood, and R.L. McCulley. 2023. Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland. PLOS ONE 18(3): e0283128. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283128">https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283128</a></li> <li>Frey, B., B. Moser, B. Tytgat, S. Zimmermann, J. Alberti, L. Biederman, E. Borer, A. Broadbent, M. Caldeira, K. Davies, N. Eisenhauer, A. Eskelinen, P. Fay, F. Hagedorn, Y. Hautier, A. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, J. Moore, M. Nepel, S. Power, E. Seabloom, E. Vazquez, R. Virtanen, L. Yahdjian, and A. Risch. 2023. Long-term N-addition disrupts the community composition of functionally important N-cycling soil microorganisms across global grasslands. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 176: 10887. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108887">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108887</a></li> <li>Muehleisen, A.J., C.R.E. Watkins, G.R. Altmire, E.A. Shaw, M.F. Case, L. Aoyama, A. Brambila, P.B. Reed, M. LaForgia, E.T. Borer, E.W. Seabloom, J.D. Bakker, C.A. Arnillas, L. Biederman, Q. Chen, E.E. Cleland, P.A. Fay, N. Hagenah, S. Harpole, Y. Hautier, J.A. Henning, J.M.H. Knops, K.J. Komatsu, E. Ladouceur, A. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, J.L. Moore, T. Ohlert, S.A. Power, C.J. Stevens, P. Wilfahrt, and L.M. Hallett. 2022. Nutrient addition drives declines in grassland species richness primarily via enhanced species loss. Journal of Ecology 111(3): 552-563. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14038">https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.14038</a></li> <li>Yang, Z., L. Teng-Chiu, L. Wang, S. Chen, X. Liu, D. Xiong, C. Xu, M. Arthur, R.L. McCulley, S. Shi, and Y. Yang. 2022. Recent photosynthates are the primary carbon source for soil microbial respiration in subtropical forest. Geophysical Research Letters 49(22): e2022GL101147. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101147">https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101147</a></li> <li>Rocci, K.S., K.S. Barker, E.W. Seabloom, E.T. Borer, S.E. Hobbie, J.D. Bakker, A.S. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, J.L. Moore, X. Raynaud, C.J. Stevens, and M.F. Cotrufo. 2022. Impacts of nutrient addition on soil carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry and stability in globally-distributed grasslands. Biogeochemistry 159: 353-370.</li> <li>Osburn, E.D., S.G. McBride, J.V. Kupper, J.A. Nelson, D.H. McNear Jr., R.L. McCulley, and J.E. Barrett. 2022. Accurate detection of soil microbial community responses to environmental change requires the use of multiple methods. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 169: 108685. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108685">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108685</a></li> <li>Price, J.N., J. Sitters, T. Ohlert, P.M. Tognetti, C.S. Brown, E.W. Seabloom, E.T. Borer, S.M. Prober, E.S. Bakker, A.S. MacDougall, L. Yahdjian, D.S. Gruner, H. Olde Venterink, I.C. Barrio, P. Graff, S. Bagchi, C.A. Arnillas, J.D. Bakker, D.M. Blumenthal, E.H. Boughton, L.A. Brudvig, M.N. Bugalho, M.W. Cadotte, M.C. Caldeira, C.R. Dickman, I. Donohue, S. Gregory, Y. Hautier, I.S. Jonsdottir, J.L. Lannes, R.L. McCulley, J.L. Moore, S.A. Power, A.C. Risch, M. Schutz, R. Standish, C.J. Stevens, G.F. Veen, R. Virtanen, and G.M. Wardle. 2022. Evolutionary history of grazing and resources determine herbivore exclusion effects on plant diversity. Nature Ecology & Evolution 6(9): 1290-1298. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01809-9">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01809-9</a></li> <li>Vázquez, E., P-M. Schleuss, E.T. Borer, M.N. Bugalho, M.C. Caldeira, N. Eisenhauer, A. Eskelinen, P.A. Fay, S. Haider, A. Jentsch, K.P. Kirkman, R.L. McCulley, P.L. Peri, J. Price, A.E. Richards, A.C. Risch, C. Roscher, M. Schütz, E.W. Seabloom, R.J. Standish, C.J. Stevens, M.J. Tedder, R. Virtanen, and M. Spohn. 2022. Nitrogen but not phosphorus addition affects symbiotic N2 fixation by legumes in natural and semi-natural grasslands located on four continents. Plant and Soil 478: 689-707. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05498-y">https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05498-y</a></li> <li>Nepel, M., R. Angel, E.T. Borer, B. Frey, A.S. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, A.C. Risch, M. Schutz, E.W. Seabloom, and D. Woebken. 2022. Global grassland diazotrophic communities are structured by combined abiotic, biotic, and spatial distance factors but resilient to fertilization. Frontiers in Microbiology. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.821030</li> <li>Gill, A.L., P.B. Adler, E.T. Borer, C.R. Buyarski, E.E. Cleland, C.M. D'Antonio, K.F. Davies, D.S. Gruner, W.S. Harpole, K.S. Hofmockel, A.S. MacDougall, R.L. McCulley, B.A. Melbourne, J.L. Moore, J.W. Morgan, A.C. Risch, M. Schutz, E.W. Seabloom, J.P. Wright, L.H. Yang, and S.E. Hobbie. 2022. Nitrogen increases early-stage and slows late-stage decomposition across diverse grasslands. Journal of Ecology 110(6):1376-1389. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.13878</li> <li>Jacobs, A.A., R.S. Evans, J.K. Allison, E.R. Garner, W.L. Kingery, and R.L. McCulley. 2022. Cover crops and no-tillage reduce crop production costs and soil loss, compensating for lack of short-term soil quality improvement in a maize and soybean production system. Soil and Tillage Research 218: 105310. doi: 10.1016/j.still.2021.105310.</li> </ol>  Abstracts <ol> <li>Koirala, Barker, Gesch, Mohammed, Heller, Hard, Wells, Phippen, Tas, Lindsey (2023) Seed Treatment Affected Pennycress Establishment and Yield in Two Pennycress Lines. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution – Interdisciplinary Climate Studies. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2023.1205259/abstract">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2023.1205259/abstract</a></li> <li>Subedi, A., Franklin, D. H., Cabrera, M. L., & Espinoza, N. B. (2023) Can Fertilizer Legacy and Soil Drainage Class Influence GHG Emissions? [Abstract]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO. <a href="https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2023am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/154100">https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2023am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/154100</a></li> <li>Subedi, A., Franklin, D. H., Cabrera, M. L., & Espinoza, N. B. (2023) Differences in Soil Carbon, Nitrogen, and Forage Biomass between Pastures with Either Broiler Litter or Mineral Fertilization [Abstract]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO. <a href="https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2023am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/154092">https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2023am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/154092</a></li> </ol>  Scientific and Outreach Presentations McGrail, R.K., R.C. Pearce, S.T. Lucas, L. Moe, and R.L. McCulley. 2022. The impact of industrial hemp on Kentucky's cropping rotations. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. McGrail, R.K., J.D. Moore, A.E. Carlisle, J.A. Nelson, and R.L. McCulley. 2023. Novel fungal endophyte infection impacts grassland greenhouse gas emissions under climate stressors. AFGC Annual Meeting, Winston-Salem, NC. Jacobs, A.A., M.D. Flythe, D.G. Ely, L. Munoz, J. May, J.A. Nelson, V. Stanton, and R.L. McCulley. 2023. Feed supplementation with natural red clover product, biochanin A, decreases trace gas emissions from soil-applied livestock waste. AFGC Annual Meeting, Winston-Salem, NC. McGrail, R.K., A.E. Carlisle, J.A. Nelson, R.D. Dinkins, and R.L. McCulley. 2023. Plant and endophyte genetics influence vertical transmission under projected climate change scenarios. AFGC Annual Meeting, Winston-Salem, NC. McCulley, R.L. 2023. Climatic resiliency of Kentucky forage systems. AFGC Annual Meeting, Winston-Salem, NC.

Impact Statements

This project has potential to impact the broader public because of its emphasis on evaluating use of legumes versus nitrogen fertilizer in forage-based livestock production systems. Greater use of legumes versus nitrogen fertilizer will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen losses to the environment, thereby reducing impact of agriculture on climate change and costs to ameliorate non-point source pollution of U.S. water systems. Use of legumes in forage-based livestock production systems also has the potential to enhance habitat for wildlife like grassland birds that depend on seeds from forbs and pollinators like bees and butterflies that use floral resources, pollen, and nectar for nutrient and energy intake.
"Soil-Litter Mixing Mediates Drivers of Dryland Decomposition along a Continuum of Biotic and Abiotic Factors" - McBride et al. 2023. Ecosystems. Issue: Litter decomposition is a key ecosystem process that determines rates of carbon and nutrient cycling. Photodegradation and soil-litter mixing have emerged as important drivers of dryland litter decomposition, but how these processes interact with decomposing microorganisms has received less attention. Action: In this study, we examined the effects of ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B; 280-315 nm) and soil-litter mixing on the decomposition of litter and its associated microbial community in an arid shrubland. We performed a full factorial litter decomposition experiment using leaf litter from a dominant shrub (Prosopis velutina) and a dominant grass (Eragrostis lehmanniana) that were exposed to solar radiation with near-ambient or attenuated UV-B, and were either soil-free or soil-covered; we then quantified litter decomposition and microbial community composition over a 12 month period. Impact: In general, shrub litter decomposed more rapidly than grass litter regardless of soil coverage, likely due to its lower C:N. Attenuation of UV-B had modest effects on decomposition but UV-B exposure did increase fungal biomass, perhaps reflecting facilitative aspects of photodegradation. Both bacteria and fungi emerged as important regulators of decomposition, and microbial decomposition was indirectly mediated by litter C:N, soil coverage, and UV-B effects on the microbial community. Bacterial colonization was inhibited in soil-free treatments but was facilitated when litter was soil-covered. These findings suggest that UV-B may plan an important role in facilitating fungal decomposition of letter, while soil-litter mixing is fundamental for promoting bacterial decomposition of litter.
Issue: Ecological models predict that the effects of mammalian herbivore exclusion on plant diversity depend on resource availability and plant exposure to ungulate grazing over evolutionary time. Action: Using an experiment replicated in 57 grasslands on six continents, with contrasting evolutionary history of grazing, we tested how resources (mean annual precipitation and soil nutrients) determine herbivore exclusion effects on plant diversity, richness and evenness. Impact: We show that at sites with a long history of ungulate grazing, herbivore exclusion reduced plant diversity by reducing both richness and evenness and the responses of richness and diversity to herbivore exclusion decreased with mean annual precipitation. At sites with a short history of grazing, the effects of herbivore exclusion were not related to precipitation but differed for native and exotic plant richness. Thus, plant species' evolutionary history of grazing continues to shape the response of the world's grasslands to changing mammalian herbivory.