Defining agronomic practices for forage corn production in Saskatchewan
Date
2019-03-05
Authors
Sprenger, C.
Jefferson, P.
Agnew, J.
Kendel, Z.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
Type
Presentation
Degree Level
Abstract
Forage corn may be an economical and high-quality alternative for winter feeding in Saskatchewan, but the cost of corn production is high compared to other forage crops. To maximize the economic potential of forage corn for feeding, input costs, such as seed and fertilizer, need to be minimized. The existing recommendations for nitrogen application rate and seeding rate for forage corn are based on grain corn production, resulting in relatively high recommended nitrogen application rates. The purpose of this project was to develop and refine seeding and fertility recommendations for corn silage production and to evaluate the cost of production and feed quality of corn silage grown in Saskatchewan. The 3-year study, including the 2016, 2017 and 2018 growing seasons, was located at three short-season sites (Lanigan, Melfort, and Scott) and three long-season sites (Yorkton, Redvers, and Outlook). The hybrids grown at each site were selected based on their corn heat unit rating. At each site, two different seed brands were planted at three target seeding rates with three nitrogen application rates. The total biomass yield was individually measured for each plot and subsamples were collected for forage quality analysis. Based on Year 2 results, there were significant differences in plant populations and biomass yields among the sites and treatments. An economic analysis was conducted to determine if any yield advantage from higher nitrogen and seeding rates are worth the added cost of these inputs.
Description
Keywords
Citation
Degree
Department
Program
Advisor
Committee
Part Of
Soils and Crops Workshop