Increasing No-Till Soybean Productivity with Cover Crops and/or Gypsum Randall Reeder Ext. Agricultural Engineer (retired) Food, Agr. and Biological Engineering Dept. Economic Analysis by Marvin Batte, OSU Ag. Economist (retired)

Research sites: Alabama, Indiana, and two in Ohio (Piketon and Hoytville) Farm Show sites (demonstration only): Farm Progress Show (Iowa and Illinois) Farm Science Review (Ohio) Ag Progress Days (Pennsylvania)

FGD Gypsum, In Ohio, Indiana and Alabama, gypsum was applied at: 0, 1000, and 2000 lbs/acre. Repeated each year

Soybean Varieties, Becks 325NR~21% oil Asgrow A3231~17% oil (Roundup Ready)

Key Observations For Soybean yield: –Gypsum did not impact yields in –Cover crops did not impact yields in –High oil soybeans produced 3.8 bu/acre more. –Continuous soybeans produced 2.8 bu/acre less than soybeans after corn. –Yields in Hoytville,Ohio and Indiana were “statistically” equal. –Alabama and Piketon, Ohio yields were significantly lower: bu/acre less.

Observations across sites and treatments for 2014 –Profits were highest in Hoytville, Ohio. Indiana: $50/acre less, primarily due to higher cash rents than Ohio. Piketon, OH and Alabama: $197 and $143/acre less respectively, primarily due to lower yields than Hoytville, Ohio

Observations across sites and treatments –High oleic soybean variety produced $39/acre more profit than the regular oil variety. –Continuous soybeans produced $19/acre less profit that soybeans following corn.

Heavy metals concentration in soybeans did not vary significantly except for copper. Gypsum application alone did not increase heavy metals content in soybean grains. Cover crops decreased copper concentration with higher levels of gypsum.

Cover crop and gypsum interaction on heavy metal concentration in soybean grains, 2012 ___________________________________________________ CoverGypsumAlCuFeMnZnCd Crop(lbs/ac)____________ (mg/kg) _____________ ___________________________________________________ No9.0a3.5a100.8ª 35.8a35.4a0.08a Yes7.4a1.6b101.2ª 37.4a37.5a0.08a ___________________________________________________ No Yes __________________________________________________ P<0.05ns*nsnsnsns

Cover crop and gypsum interaction on heavy metal concentration in soybean grains, 2012 ___________________________________________________ CoverGypsumCoCrLiNiPbSi Crop(lbs/ac)_____________ (mg/kg) ____________ ____________________________________________________ No0.27a0.38a3.78a3.17a1.23a64.2a Yes0.26a0.37a4.44a3.01a1.13a64.1a ____________________________________________________ No Yes ____________________________________________________ P<0.05nsnsnsnsns*

Extra Points: Cover crops Cover crops do much more than reduce erosion. Cover crops provide “living roots” for more months; improve biology in soil Cover crops: improved soil structure, deeper rooting, more available moisture to crop

Extra Points: Gypsum Gypsum does not help all soils. Grass benefits more than grains from the Ca in gypsum. Poor soils will show improvement more so than good soil. Low cost source of sulfate. (~200# gypsum/ac) Multiple years give better results

2014 Profitability Analyses by Marv Batte

Notes Profitability analysis is based on crop enterprise budgets from Ohio State, Purdue, and Auburn. Profit measure is Return to Management. All other costs including labor and land rental are deducted. –Cash rental rates are $165 (Hoytville,OH), $114 (Piketon,OH), $180 (IN) and $36 (AL).

Notes Costs of production are the same except: –Gypsum (applied, 2000 lb/ac) is $50/ton –Cover crop seed as applied at each state (cereal rye in Ohio and Indiana and Oilseed Radish in Alabama. –Cover crop seeding costs are $4.50/acre –Yields are average of four replicates Soybean price: $10.25/bu

2014 Yields and Profitability – Average of all treatments Average Yields Average Profit Site(bu/ac)$/ ac Alabama Hoytville Indiana54.98 Piketon

2014 Yields and Profitability – Average of all sites Average Yields Average Profit Gypsum (lb/ac) (bu/ac) $/ ac , ,

2014 Soybean Yields for Gypsum Levels and Site Gypsum (lb/ac)AlabamaIndiana Ohio- Hoytville Ohio-Piketon , ,

2014 Profitability – Average by Gypsum level and Site Profit ($/Ac) Gypsum (lb/ac)AlabamaIndiana Ohio- Hoytville Ohio- Piketon , ,

2014 Yields and Profitability – Average of all sites Average Yields Average Profit Cover Crop (bu/ac) ($/ ac) No Yes $15

2014 Yields – Average by Cover Crop Treatment and Site Yield (bu/Ac) Cover CropAlabamaIndiana Ohio- Hoytville Ohio- Piketon No Yes

2014 Profitability – Cover Crop Treatment Profit ($/Ac) Cover CropAlabamaIndiana Ohio- Hoytville Ohio- Piketon No Yes

2014 Yields and Profitability – Average of all treatments Average Yields Average Profit Soybean type(bu/ac)$/ ac Low Oil High Oil

2014 Yields – Average by Soybean Variety and Site Yield (bu/Ac) Soybean typeAlabamaIndiana Ohio- Hoytville Ohio- Piketon Low Oil32.2N/A High Oil40.6N/A N/A -- Indiana grew only a single soybean variety in 2014

2014 Profitability – Average by Soybean Variety and Site Profit ($/Ac) Soybean typeAlabamaIndiana Ohio- Hoytville Ohio- Piketon Low Oil-$128N/A High Oil-$42N/A N/A -- Indiana grew only a single soybean variety in 2014

Observations across sites and treatments for 2014 For Soybean Profitability (Return to Management): –Gypsum 1,000#, -$33/acre less profit 2,000#, -$62/acre less profit (*based on 1 year) –Cover crop: $15/acre less profit

Observations across sites and treatments –High oleic soybean: $39/acre more profit. –Continuous soybeans produced $19/acre less profit that soybeans following corn.