Northern Great Plains Region Research Articles

Facilitating Crop–Livestock Reintegration in the Northern Great Plains

Integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLSs) can help increase food production while benefiting soils and the environment. This review summarizes recent impacts of ICLSs on crop and livestock production and rural economics and discusses lessons learned in the northern Great Plains (NGP). Research on ICLS conducted in the NGP indicates that the crop residue grazing, swath grazing, and annual forage grazing can positively influence crop production; whereas, livestock performance varies with season, forage nutritive value, and grazing management. Furthermore, ICLSs can reduce the costs and risks of agricultural production. The success of ICLSs in NGP region depends on trade‐offs, planning, economic benefits, policies, regulations, community acceptance, and management skills. The ICLSs could play a strategic role in future agricultural production. The lessons learned from adopting ICLSs in the NGP include the lack of available land for fertilizer (manure) management, that to implement ICLS practices skills and knowledge must be maintained, and ICLS provides an entry point for young farmers and ranchers however capital is needed. These experiences and lessons could be valuable references for producers to adopt ICLSs in the NGP or other regions.Core IdeasIntegrated crop–livestock systems positively affect crop production by improving soil health.Common integrated crop–livestock system management techniques can enhance the northern Great Plains crop production.Integrated crop–livestock system livestock performance is impacted by season, forage selection, and management.Integrated crop–livestock systems can increase economic benefits and reduce economic risks.Experiences and lessons in the northern Great Plains could be valuable for other regions to adopt integrated crop–livestock systems.

HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS AT CAPTURE LOCATIONS OF WHITE-TAILED DEER FAWNS IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS

Ungulate species select habitat types to increase foraging opportunities and avoid predation, and may disproportionately select high-quality habitat types relative to their abundance on the landscape. Identifying cover types that are associated with improved survival is important in one of the most anthropogenically modified landscapes in North America, the Northern Great Plains. Our objective was to assess if 8 habitat types (open water, developed, forest, shrub, grassland, cropland, wetland, and pasture) present in the buffered area surrounding capture locations for newborn White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns differed from the surrounding area by using data collected in 13 counties comprising 3 states in the Northern Great Plains region. We found that grasslands, developed areas, and shrubby areas were the most prevalent habitat types at fawn-capture locations, whereas cropland, pastures, forests, and open water were least prevalent. Although grasslands and shrubby areas were considered high-quality fawning habitat, developed areas generally were not, and the greater amount of developed habitat found at fawn-capture locations is likely evidence of an increased amount of hiding cover available to fawns and potentially limited habitat at more distant locations. Conversely, the high proportion of agriculture found at capture locations and the surrounding area likely maximizes forage availability, but also limits cover during some seasons. Conservation programs that incorporate diverse habitat types in areas where agriculture dominates the landscape will increase the amount of available hiding cover for fawns.

Molecular characterization of bacterial leaf streak resistance in hard winter wheat.

Bacterial leaf streak (BLS) caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. translucens is one of the major bacterial diseases threatening wheat production in the United States Northern Great Plains (NGP) region. It is a sporadic but widespread wheat disease that can cause significant loss in grain yield and quality. Identification and characterization of genomic regions in wheat that confer resistance to BLS will help track resistance genes/QTLs in future wheat breeding. In this study, we evaluated a hard winter wheat association mapping panel (HWWAMP) containing 299 hard winter wheat lines from the US hard winter wheat growing region for their reactions to BLS. We observed a range of BLS responses among the lines, importantly, we identified ten genotypes that showed a resistant reaction both in greenhouse and field evaluation. ­Genome-wide association analysis with 15,990 SNPs was conducted using an exponentially compressed mixed linear model. Five genomic regions (p < 0.001) that regulate the resistance to BLS were identified on chromosomes 1AL, 1BS, 3AL, 4AL, and 7AS. The QTLs Q.bls.sdsu-1AL, Q.bls.sdsu-1BS, Q.bls.sdsu-3AL, Q.bls.sdsu-4AL, and Q.bls.sdsu-7AS explain a total of 42% of the variation. In silico analysis of sequences in the candidate regions on chromosomes 1AL, 1BS, 3AL, 4AL, and 7AS identified 10, 25, 22, eight, and nine genes, respectively with known plant defense-related functions. Comparative analysis with rice showed two syntenic regions in rice that harbor genes for bacterial leaf streak resistance. The ten BLS resistant genotypes and SNP markers linked to the QTLs identified in our study could facilitate breeding for BLS resistance in winter wheat.

Virulence of Puccinia triticina, the Wheat Leaf Rust Fungus, in the United States in 2017.

Samples of wheat leaves infected with the leaf rust fungus, Puccinia triticina, were obtained in 2017 from agricultural experiment station plots, demonstration plots, and farm fields in the Great Plains, the Ohio Valley, the southeastern states, California, and Washington in order to determine the prevalent virulence phenotypes present in the United States. A total of 65 virulence phenotypes were identified among the 469 single uredinial isolates that were tested on 20 near-isogenic lines of Thatcher wheat that differ for leaf rust resistance genes. Virulence phenotypes MBTNB at 11.3% of the overall population, and MCTNB at 7.0%, were the first and third most common phenotypes. Both phenotypes were found mostly in the southeastern states and Ohio Valley region. Phenotype TFTSB at 10.9% was the second most common phenotype and was found mostly in southern Texas. Virulence to leaf rust resistance gene Lr39, which is present in hard red winter wheat cultivars, was highest in the Great Plains region. Virulence to Lr11 and Lr18, which are present in soft red winter wheat cultivars, was highest in the southeastern states and Ohio Valley region. Virulence to Lr21, which is present in hard red spring wheat cultivars, was highest in the northern Great Plains region. The predominate P. triticina phenotypes from the soft red winter wheat regions of the southeastern states and Ohio Valley area differed from those in the hard red winter and hard red spring wheat areas of the Great Plains region. Collections from Washington had unique virulence phenotypes that had not been previously detected.

Blackberry Propagation Limitations When Using Floricane Cuttings

Outdoor production of floricane-fruiting (FF) blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus) is problematic in the Northern Great Plains region of the United States because cane injury and plant death will occur from exposure to temperatures −15 °C and colder. An annual FF blackberry production system using hardwood floricane cuttings would overcome some of the existing limitations of traditional production methods. Several experiments were performed to induce adventitious root formation from one-node hardwood floricane blackberry cuttings taken in winter for the purpose of subsequent growth of a floral shoot. One-node hardwood cuttings of multiple blackberry cultivars (Apache, Arapaho, Kiowa, Osage, Ouachita, Siskiyou, and Triple Crown) were evaluated for rooting potential with and without auxin treatments. Root formation was virtually nonexistent for ‘Apache’, ‘Kiowa’, and ‘Triple Crown’ regardless of the auxin treatment. In general, lower auxin concentrations and the powder formulation produced more roots and had higher root ratings. However, rooting success of cuttings and plant development was low regardless of the rooting method used. Adventitious root production of one-node dormant hardwood FF blackberry cuttings for use in an annual production system had low success regardless of the cultivar, auxin application, rate, and formulation. The variable propagation success rates using single-node hardwood cuttings from ‘Apache’, ‘Arapaho’, ‘Kiowa’, ‘Osage’, ‘Ouachita’, ‘Siskiyou’, and ‘Triple Crown’ plants grown in containers in North Dakota suggested insufficient rooting success for the recommendation of this practice. Additionally, the results suggested these cultivars are not suitable using this method for an annual production system or as a means for large-scale propagation. Although this approach to developing plants from cuttings is of great interest, without a more effective FF blackberry cutting rooting method that can progress through fruit production, an annual blackberry production system in the Northern Great Plains region of the United States is unlikely.

Spatial ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in the Northern Great Plains: a framework for future oral rabies vaccination programs

Few studies have investigated the ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) despite their role as a primary rabies vector species paired with an ability to thrive in these landscapes. Information on home range, nightly movements, and habitat selection, is important for rabies management planning regarding the placement of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits and for management of skunk populations more generally. Our aim was to obtain baseline ecological information with an emphasis on spatial ecology of urban striped skunks in the Northern Great Plains region that is lacking in the literature. We used radio telemetry to track 22 (4 M, 18 F) skunks during September 2016 to November 2016 and March 2017 to November 2017. Size of home range using kernel density estimation with smoothing by least squares cross validation identified that male skunks ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 4.36 km2, SE ± 0.79) had larger home ranges than females ( $$ \overline{x} $$ = 1.79 km2, SE ± 0.24). Female skunk home ranges varied by season with the largest home ranges detected during summer 2017. We found no evidence that use-availability was associated with habitat type or season among female skunks. Female skunks were more likely to be found closer to water; however, we found no association of use with road characteristics and geographic location within the study area. Targeting ORV efforts in areas near water may be warranted, but considering differences in habitat selection for skunk studies in urban areas, we caution that ORV baiting programs may not be one-size-fits-all, and a framework for effective bait placement would benefit from studies specific to the management area of interest.

Seed yield and oil quality as affected by Camelina cultivar and planting date

ABSTRACTCamelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] has been identified as a potential oilseed crop for fallow replacement in cropping systems in the semiarid US Great Plains. However, camelina production is limited to the northern Great Plains region. We investigated the effects of three planting dates [mid-March, early-April, and mid-April] and three cultivars (Blaine Creek, Pronghorn, and Shoshone) on spring camelina seed yield and oil quality under non-irrigated conditions in western Kansas. Results showed planting in April increased seed yield by 34% compared with mid-March planting date. Blaine Creek produced greatest seed yield among the cultivars. Planting in mid-March increased oil, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and linolenic acid concentrations compared with April planting dates. Saturated fatty acid (SFA) concentration increased with an April planting date. Heat stress in the growing season reduced seed yield, oil, PUFA, linoleic, and linolenic acid concentrations. However, increase in precipitation amounts improved seed yield, oil, PUFA, and linolenic acid concentrations. Our findings showed early- to mid-April is the best-planting window for optimum spring camelina stands and seed yield in this environment.

Challenges Facing Grasslands inthe Northern Great Plains and North Central Region

Grasslands in the Northern Great Plains and North Central Region are diverse, highly productive, and remarkably resilient.Despite these advantages, these grasslands are being threatened by land use change, invasive species, and loss of biodiversity, as well as being presented with new challenges in how to manage for threatened and endangered species.Between 2008 and 2012, approximately 2.3 million hectares of grasslands were converted to crop production, while on the remaining grasslands, invasions of perennial cool-season grasses have altered the forage cycle, reduced diversity, and negatively impacted pollinator habitat.However, the high forage quality and productivity of the grasslands in the area suggest that there are opportunities to address these challenges.Maintaining ranchers on the landscape to keep grasslands intact is a critical component in realizing these opportunities; therefore, efforts to maintain grasslands in the region need to focus on producer profitability.

692. Effects of Regional Climatic Variability on West Nile Virus Outbreaks in the United States

BackgroundTransmission of WNV to humans in the United States typically occurs between June and September since warm temperatures accelerate mosquito life cycle. Precipitation can cause increase in aquatic breeding but outbreaks often depends upon human water management. We examine epidemiology, patterns of WNV disease transmission, and identification of high-risk areas in the United States from 2003 to 2014.MethodsTrends and relationships of WNV cases and climatic factors were analyzed among the regions of the United States from 2003 to 2014. Human WNV tabulate data and climatic data were obtained from Centers for Disease Control, and NOAA and Climate Data Guide, respectively. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was performed using variables: (i) neuroinvasive disease cases, non‐neuroinvasive disease cases, deaths, presumptiveviremic blood donors, (ii) precipitation, temperature, Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and population density. The CCA ordination was explained the variability between WNV disease cases andclimatic variables. Biplots were used to visualize the associations between WNV cases and climatic anomalies.ResultsWe compared the state wise WNV disease cases in relation to climatic and population density in the United States from 2003 to 2014. A total of 4,064 cases in 2006, 956 cases in 2010 and, 2,141 cases in 2014 were reported in the 32 states of the United States. Colorado state reported the highest WNV cases in 2003 (2,947 cases; 33%), followed by Texas in 2012 (1,868 cases; 35%) and California in 2014 (801 case; 37%). CCA ordination showed distinguishable clustering patterns between south central (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma) and northern Great Plains (North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska) regions (Figure 1). High temperature and prolong drought were the most important variable predictor for high WNV outbreak.ConclusionVector control methods focusing on prevention must be implemented to avoid epidemics of WNV if high temperature is leading to an unusual drought especially at the risk areas, such as Texas and California. However, high temperature with moist spell anomalies in the south central region showed a negative influence on WNV outbreak. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

A Qualitative Investigation of Farmer and Rancher Perceptions of Trees and Woody Biomass Production on Marginal Agricultural Land

Bioenergy produced from perennial feedstocks such as woody biomass could serve as an opportunity to strengthen local and regional economies and also jointly produce various environmental services. In order to assess the potential for biomass-based bioenergy, it’s essential to characterize the interest that potential biomass suppliers have in such an endeavor. In the U.S. Great Plains region, this largely means assessing relevant perceptions of farmers and ranchers. We conducted a series of farmer and rancher oriented focus groups in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas to qualitatively explore opinions about the role that trees can play in agriculture and interest in woody biomass systems within existing Northern Great Plains (NGP) farms and ranches. Our findings suggest that farmer and ranchers generally value the role that trees, or tree-based practices like windbreaks can play in agriculture particularly on marginal farmland in terms of conservation or crop protection. Yet relative to the potential of trees as a biomass crop there is a distinct lack of knowledge and skepticism. Farmers and ranchers also noted variable degrees of risk concern and uncertainty regarding investing in tree-based systems, as well as a number of perceived external market related constraints to integrating trees within their managed systems. Most of the participants recognized that if biomass production or an increase in tree planting and management in general were to expand in the NGP region, government programs would likely be required to provide much needed technical guidance and financial incentives. As the NGP regional bioeconomy continues to emerge and expand, private and public investment relative to niche bioenergy feedstocks such as woody biomass should address the type of information needs that farmers and ranchers have relative to integrating biomass production into existing farm and ranch systems.

Biodiesel Supply Chain Optimization Modeled with Geographical Information System (GIS) and Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) for the Northern Great Plains Region

Drought-tolerant, industrial oilseeds such as Camelina sativa (camelina) grown on marginal land are being considered as feedstock alternatives to meet the increasing biofuel demand and reduce the dependency on water and food resources. However, crops grown on rural, marginal lands are not well-connected with transportation networks and biofuel plants. Transportation routes and biofuel plant development should be optimized for sustainable biofuel development. This study aimed at developing a supply chain optimization model for biodiesel produced from camelina oilseed. A mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model associated with geographic information system (GIS) was built. Three echelons of camelina oilseed supply, biodiesel production, and biodiesel and by-product (livestock meal) demand were considered to optimize the numbers, locations, and capacities of new plants, transportation routes, and the utilization rate of existing plants at a minimum cost. A case study was conducted for the northern Great Plains (NGP) region of Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Transportation cost compared to plant construction cost was a decisive factor in supply chain configuration. The model developed in this study simulates minimum cost transportation routes directly through the GIS network analysis, which is differentiated from other studies analyzing the shortest routes in GIS and calculating their transportation costs in models. This is beneficial in seeking economic routes which incorporate multiple modes for regions having a spartan infrastructure.

CQESTR-Simulated Response of Soil Organic Carbon to Management, Yield, and Climate Change in the Northern Great Plains Region.

Traditional dryland crop management includes fallow and intensive tillage, which have reduced soil organic carbon (SOC) over the past century, raising concerns regarding soil health and sustainability. The objectives of this study were: (i) to use CQESTR, a process-based C model, to simulate SOC dynamics from 2006 to 2011 and to predict relative SOC trends in cropping sequences that included barley ( L.), pea ( L.), and fallow under conventional tillage or no-till, and N fertilization rates through 2045; and (ii) to identify best dryland cropping systems to increase SOC and reduce CO emissions under projected climate change in eastern Montana. Cropping sequences were conventional-till barley-fallow (CTB-F), no-till barley-fallow (NTB-F), no-till continuous barley (NTCB), and no-till barley-pea (NTB-P), with 0 and 80 kg N ha applied to barley. Under current crop production, climatic conditions, and averaged N rates, SOC at the 0- to 10-cm depth was predicted to increase by 1.74, 1.79, 2.96, and 4.57 Mg C ha by 2045 for CTB-F, NTB-F, NTB-P, and NTCB, respectively. When projected climate change and the current positive US barley yield trend were accounted for in the simulations, SOC accretion was projected to increase by 0.69 to 0.92 Mg C ha and 0.41 to 0.47 Mg C ha, respectively. According to the model simulations, adoption of NT, elimination of fallow years, and N fertilizer management will likely have the greatest impact on SOC stocks in the top soil as of 2045 in the Northern Great Plains.

Anomalous Lightning Behavior During the 26–27 August 2007 Northern Great Plains Severe Weather Event

AbstractPositive polarity lightning strokes can be useful indicators of thunderstorm behavior. A combination of National Lightning Detection Network and Next Generation Radar retrievals is used to analyze the anomalous positive cloud‐to‐ground (CG) lightning behavior of a rare, late summer severe weather event that occurred on 26–27 August 2007 in the Northern Great Plains region of the United States and southern Canada. Seven discrete supercells (SC1–SC7) exhibiting frequent and intense lightning were responsible for numerous reports of severe weather (e.g., severe hail and 16 tornadoes) including catastrophic damage to the town of Northwood, North Dakota, caused by SC2. Biomass burning smoke from wildfires in Idaho and Montana was present prior to convective initiation. A positive CG lightning stroke rate of nearly 30 strokes per minute was observed 10 min before the EF4 tornado struck Northwood. SC2 was also responsible for all the reports of tornadoes exceeding an EF2 rating. The strongest peak currents (&gt;200 kA) were observed in SC1–SC4 with SC2 having a maximum value of 280 kA. SC2 dominated the statistics of the line of supercells accounting for 27% of all CG lightning strokes. Positive CG lightning accounted for over 40% of all CG lightning strokes in SC4–SC7 on average, and the maximum exceeded 90% in SC6 and SC7. Increasing positive CG lightning dominance was correlated with an increasing northward gradient of smoke aerosol loading in addition to severe weather being reported before the maximum in positive CG lighting stroke rate (SC5 and SC6). This suggests that a complex combination of synoptic forcing and aerosol perturbation likely led to the observed anomalous positive CG lightning behavior in the supercells.

Assessing factors affecting adult female white-tailed deer survival in the Northern Great Plains

Context Documenting cause-specific mortality and deriving survival estimates for a population are both vital to understanding potential restrictions to population growth. Survival varies among populations of the same species and depends on several factors, including climatic events, density-dependent and density-independent factors, observed predator composition and whether recreational hunting occurs. Therefore, understanding factors affecting adult survival and estimating survival rates at biologically important times will help refine management of these populations. Aims We aimed to assess cause-specific mortality, estimate survival rates, and determine at what part of the winter (January to April) most mortalities occurred for female white-tailed deer located in the Northern Great Plains region of the USA. Methods We captured 165 adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) located in western North Dakota and north-western South Dakota, USA, during the winters of 2014 and 2015. We fitted individuals with Very High Frequency (VHF) radio-collars and located them 1–3 times per week to monitor survival. We investigated all mortalities to establish proximate cause of death. Key Results Survival was lowest during our Hunt time period (S=0.93), although hunter harvest was not the leading cause of mortality. Predation was the greatest source of mortality, particularly during our Post-hunt time period. Additionally, almost 90% of mortalities occurring during the Post-hunt time period happened during late winter before spring green up. Conclusions and Implications Predation was the main source of mortality for adult females in our study, with coyotes (Canis latrans) being the sole predator capable of depredation in our study area. Predation by coyotes may indicate that potential factors, including winter severity and nutritional restrictions, have decreased female body condition, making individuals more susceptible to predation. Although we report relatively high survival, managers should consider the possibility that coyotes may impact adult populations, particularly in regions where other large-sized predators occur, or in regions where coyotes are newly established. Managers should also acknowledge that overwinter density estimates may need to be adjusted during severe winters to account for mortalities that occur after population surveys are conducted.

Influences on farmer and rancher interest in supplying woody biomass for energy in the US Northern Great Plains

State and federal policy targets for renewable energy production in the US have prompted investigations into the feasibility of different biomass feedstock types for use in transportation fuels or electricity production. Woody biomass systems can be integrated strategically within agricultural systems for multifunctional benefits while building regional biomass supply capacity. In order to assess the potential for biomass-based bioenergy, it is essential to characterize the interest that potential suppliers have in such an endeavor. In the US Northern Great Plains region (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas), this begins with assessing relevant perceptions of farmers and ranchers. Results from a 2014 survey of farm and ranch operators managing agriculturally marginal farmland indicated that 61% of operators have some degree of interest in woody biomass production. An ordered probit regression was utilized to further investigate how farm system attributes, individual farmer/rancher characteristics, relevant attitudes, knowledge, and perceived constraints affect interest. This study highlights attributes of operators who are most likely to be early adopters of a woody biomass crop and has implications for the development of relevant policy initiatives and management practices.

Vulnerability of grazing and confined livestock in the Northern Great Plains to projected mid- and late-twenty-first century climate

The Northern Great Plains (NGP) region of the USA—which comprises Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska—is a largely rural area that provides numerous ecosystem services, including livestock products, cultural services, and conservation of biological diversity. The region contains 25% of the Nation’s beef cattle and approximately one-third of the confined beef cattle, as well as the largest remaining native prairie in the US—the Northern Mixedgrass Prairie. With rising atmospheric CO2, the NGP is projected to experience warmer and longer growing seasons, greater climatic variability, and more extreme events (e.g., increased occurrence of large precipitation events). These climatic changes may affect livestock production both directly via physiological impacts on animals and indirectly via modifications to forage, invasion of undesirable plants, and increased exposure to parasites. This raises concerns about the vulnerability of grazing livestock operations and confined livestock operations to projected changes in mid- (2050) and late- (2085) twenty-first century climate. Our objectives are to (1) describe the NGP’s exposure to temperature and precipitation trends, inter-annual variability, and extreme events; (2) evaluate the sensitivity of beef cattle production to direct and indirect effects imposed by these projected climatic changes; and (3) provide a typology of adaptation strategies to minimize adverse consequences of projected changes and maximize beneficial consequences. Agricultural managers have developed considerable adaptive capacity to contend with environmental and economic variability. However, projected climatic changes, especially the increased frequency and magnitude of weather extremes, will require even greater adaptive capacity to maintain viable production systems. Consequently, regional vulnerability to projected climatic changes will be determined not only by ecological responses but also by the adaptive capacity of individual managers. Adaptive capacity in the NGP will differ from other regions, in part because projections suggest some opportunities for increased livestock production. Adaptations in both grazing and confined beef cattle systems will require enhanced decision-making skills capable of integrating biophysical, social, and economic considerations. Social learning networks that support integration of experimental and experiential knowledge—such as lessons learned from early adopters and involvement with science-based organizations—can help enhance decision-making and climate adaptation planning. Many adaptations have already been implemented by a subset of producers in this region, providing opportunities for assessment, further development, and greater adoption. Context-specific decision-making can also be enhanced through science-management partnerships, which aim to build adaptive capacity that recognizes multiple production and conservation/environmental goals.

‘USDA‐FORAGECREST’, a New Crested Wheatgrass Cultivar with Improved Seedling Establishment and Forage Production on Semiarid Western US Rangelands

‘USDA‐FORAGECREST’ crested wheatgrass [Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.] (Reg. No. CV‐34, PI 678570) (2n = 4x = 28) was released by the USDA‐ARS on 1 Sept. 2016. We expect that USDA‐FORAGECREST will establish and persist over time, providing dry‐matter yield (DMY) similar to or greater than current crested wheatgrass cultivars on rangelands of the Intermountain West, Great Basin, and Northern Great Plains Regions of the United States receiving less than 300 mm of annual precipitation. USDA‐FORAGECREST originated from a cross between crested wheatgrass cultivar Hycrest and PI 406442. After backcrossing, five cycles of recurrent selection were applied to this population for improved seedling establishment, plant persistence, and seed yield and mass. Genetically, USDA‐FORAGECREST is most similar to ‘Kirk’, followed by ‘Nordan’ and Hycrest, and least similar to ‘RoadCrest’. At Aberdeen, ID (2012), USDA‐FORAGECREST demonstrated significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher seedling‐frequency percentage in the establishment year (98.3%) than ‘Hycrest II’ (93.5%), Hycrest (92.6%), and Nordan (82.5%). At Beaver (2005) and Nephi (2011), UT, sites, seedling‐frequency percentage of USDA‐FORAGECREST was similar to Hycrest II and Hycrest but significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher than Nordan at Beaver (56.8%). Five years after seeding at Beaver, USDA‐FORAGECREST had significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher plant‐frequency percentage (96.2%) than Hycrest (86.1%) and Nordan (80.9%) and was similar to Hycrest II (89.6%) and Douglas (88.2%). Combined across locations and years, DMY of USDA‐FORAGECREST (2824 kg ha−1) was significantly (P &lt; 0.05) greater than Hycrest II (2149 kg ha−1) and Nordan (2300 kg ha−1) but similar to Hycrest (2433 kg ha−1).

Vulnerability of crops and croplands in the US Northern Plains to predicted climate change

The states of Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming comprise the Northern Great Plains region of the USA. The soil and water resources contained in this region have historically supported highly diverse and productive agriculture enterprises that provide a significant proportion of the food, feed, and oilseed for the nation. The region also provides ecological services that influence air, water, and soil quality along with biological diversity. Combined with livestock production and a biofuel industry, crop production forms an integrated system that can offer producers flexibility in management decisions. Projected climatic changes for this region include increasing atmospheric CO2, a longer, warmer growing season, and increased precipitation, likely received in more frequent extreme events. These changes will impact soil and water resources in the region and create opportunities and challenges for land managers. The objectives of this paper are to describe anticipated impacts of projected mid-(2050) and late-(2085) climatic changes on crop production systems in the Northern Great Plains and provide adaptation strategies that should be developed to take advantage of positive and mitigate negative changes. Projected climatic changes will influence agricultural productivity directly as well as indirectly due to changes in weed pressure, insect populations, and diseases. A warmer, longer growing season will change the crops and distribution of those crops grown within the region. An increase in the number of extreme temperature events (high daytime highs or nighttime lows) will decrease crop yields due to increased plant stress during critical pollination and grain fill periods. Adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability of soil and water resources to projected climatic changes include increasing cropping intensity, reducing tillage intensity, and use of cover crops to provide surface cover to reduce erosion potential and improve nutrient and water use efficiency. Increased use of perennial forages, crop residue, and failed crops in integrated crop-livestock systems will add biological diversity and provide options for converting vegetation biomass into animal protein. Socio-economic changes will need to be incorporated into adaptation strategies planning to insure that sustaining ecosystem services and meeting desired production and conservation goals is accomplished. Education and extension services will be needed to transfer adaptive knowledge in a timely manner to producers in the field.

Cold Climate Winegrape Cultivar Sensitivity to Sulfur in the Northern Great Plains Region of the United States

Elemental sulfur is commonly applied for powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) protection on winegrape (Vitis sp.). The product may be used in a diversified, integrated disease management system to help prevent fungicide resistance to products with other modes of action. Additionally, sulfur may be used as a control option in organic systems. Applications of sulfur have been known to cause phytotoxic injury to susceptible winegrape cultivars, particularly those stemming from fox grape (Vitis labrusca) parentage. To improve recommendations to producers in the northern Great Plains region of the United States, a comparison of injury incidence and severity, as well as effects on yield characteristics was undertaken for 13 regional cultivars exposed to three sulfur rates (0, 2.4, and 4.8 lb/acre a.i.) at a North Dakota State University Research Station near Absaraka, ND. Overall, four cultivars (Bluebell, Baltica, Sabrevois, and King of the North) of the 13 cultivars tested showed phytotoxic symptoms. Injury severity and incidence of these cultivars differed between years and across rates. ‘Bluebell’ showed consistent and severe sulfur injury symptoms. Injury to the other three susceptible cultivars tended to vary by the given environment, with King of the North generally showing the lowest injury response. Injury symptoms were not found to be associated with the overall yield or cluster weight. Results suggest that alternative spray programs that exclude sulfur-based fungicides should be recommended for ‘Bluebell’, ‘Baltica’, ‘Sabrevois’, and ‘King of the North’, whereas sulfur-based fungicides may be applied to ‘Alpenglow’, ‘ES 12-6-18’, ‘Frontenac’, ‘Frontenac Gris’, ‘La Crescent’, ‘Marquette’, ‘Somerset Seedless’, ‘St. Croix’, and ‘Valiant’. Observations on fruit ripening in 2014 suggest that future research is needed to determine if a reduction of fruit quality may occur in some seasons with repeated sulfur applications or with successive annual sulfur applications for susceptible cultivars if used in an organic production system.

Fluffy soil syndrome: When tilled soil does not settle

S oil tillage is one of the most common management practices in any crop production system across the world. Over the centuries, tillage tools have evolved from simple tools for preparing a soft, weed-free area for easy planting to sophisticated implements for managing high levels of crop residues, facilitating the warming of frigid soils, and incorporating some forms of fertilizers. On one hand, a producer who tills can increase their potential for a high yielding crop during the upcoming growing season. On the other hand, tillage can innately induce some well-known challenges (Triplett and Dick 2008): 1. Risk of increasing wind and water erosion 2. Accelerating the oxidation of soil organic matter 3. Limiting the formation of stable soil aggregates 4. Risk of compacting the subsoil just below the depth of tillage Many more advantages and disadvantages associated with soil tillage exist, but this list includes some of the more commonly discussed issues among agronomists in the US upper Midwest and northern Great Plains regions. However, agronomists rarely, if ever, consider the risk for tillage to create inadequate particle-to-particle contact, and therefore, poor seed-to-soil (or root-to-soil) contact. Since the winter that bridged 2014 and 2015, much of the US upper Midwest and northern Great Plains…