Page 228 - PC2019 Program & Proceedings

PLANT CANADA 2019

P29. Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) management in corn-soybean-winter wheat crop rotation in
a long term experiment
2
*1
1
3
1
Hanzra, H. ; D. Hooker ; L. Van Eerd ; I. O'Halloran ; H. Bohner
1 University of Guelp
2
University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus
3
OMAFRA
Corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean (Glycine max L.) -winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a dominant crop
rotation in Ontario. Increased production of these crops due to the adoption of higher yielding varieties
and better management practices has led to a decrease in the soil P and K levels. Therefore, four long-
term experiments established at Ridgetown (2013), Elora (2012), Lucan (2014), Bornholm (2012) were
used to evaluate the grain yield response of corn, soybean, and winter wheat at four soil test P and K
levels and five starter fertilizers. The four soil test levels were control (P <20ppm and K <120ppm),
moderate P only (P >20ppm and K <120ppm), moderate K only (P <20ppm and K >120ppm), moderate P
and K (P >20ppm and K >120ppm). Except control treatment, starter fertilizer treatments with different
NPK grades were applied at crop-specific rates to attain the economic crop yields. At all the sites, grain
yield of all three crops was significantly greater with moderate P and K treatment than control. In
contrast, no significant difference in the grain yield was observed among the starter treatments under
moderate soil P and K levels. Our results suggest the potential of achieving greater crop yield returns at
moderate soil P and K levels and indicates less dependence of crop yield on the starter fertilizer
application.

Harpreet Hanzra (hhanzra@uoguelph.ca)

TOPIC 3: Agronomic Cropping Systems & Soil Management

(Posters P30-P40)

P30. Lentil enhances the productivity and stability of oilseed-cereal cropping systems
1
2
1
1
Liu, K. ; E. Johnson ; R. Blackshaw ; Y. Gan
1 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
2 University of Saskatchewan
Enhancing the stability of crop production is vital in agriculture under climate uncertainty. In this study,
we assessed the effects of diversified rotation systems on the productivity and stability of oilseed-cereal
cropping systems. A 3-year crop rotation system was tested for three cycles at three ecosites from 2013 to
2016. At each of the nine site-years, the phase-I of the rotation was summerfallow, lentil (Lens culinaris),
and wheat (Triticum aestivum); followed by canola (Brassica napus), mustard (Brassica juncea), and
camelina (C. sativa) in phase-II; and then by durum wheat (Triticum durum) in the phase-III. On average,
lentil system increased system productivity, expressed by annualized durum wheat equivalent yield, by
24% and 78% compared with the spring wheat and fallow systems, respectively. Stability analysis
revealed that the lentil – B. juncea – durum wheat and lentil – B. napus – durum wheat systems had the
least variation across the environments and were well adapted to high-yielding sites. The integrated
assessment of rotation cycles and fully-phased rotations revealed drought-related reductions in system
productivity of 3-47% compared with normal weather. Quantitative assessments revealed that about 36%
of the variation in system productivity were associated with crop rotation and additional 30% was
weather-related factors. In conclusion, the inclusion of lentil in rotation enhances the productivity and
stability of oilseed-cereal cropping systems in changing environments.

Yantai Gan (yantai.gan@canada.ca)

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