College of Agriculture

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As the foundation of the land grant mission at Montana State University, the College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station provide instruction in traditional and innovative degree programs and conduct research on old and new challenges for Montana’s agricultural community. This integration creates opportunities for students and faculty to excel through hands-on learning, to serve through campus and community engagement, to explore unique solutions to distinct and interesting questions and to connect Montanans with the global community through research discoveries and outreach.

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High Tunnels Are My Crop Insurance: An Assessment of Risk Management Tools for Small-Scale Specialty Crop Producers
(2013-08) Belasco, Eric J.; Miles, C.; Wszelaki, Annette L.; Ponnaluru, S.; Galinato, S.; March, T.
High tunnels are being used by specialty crop producers to enhance production yields and quality, extend growing seasons, and protect crops from extreme weather. The tunnels are unheated, plastic-covered structures under which crops are planted directly in the soil, and they provide greater environmental protection and control than open-field production. This study uses field-level experiments to evaluate high-tunnel production. The results suggest that investments in high tunnels can provide increased profits and superior protection against adverse risks relative to crop insurance.
Interacting agricultural pest management practices and their effect on crop yield: Application of a Bayesian decision theory approach to the joint management of Bromus tectorum and Cephus cinctus
(2015-02) Keren, Ilai N.; Menalled, Fabian D.; Weaver, David K.; Robinson-Cox, James F.
Worldwide, the landscape homogeneity of extensive monocultures that characterizes conventional agriculture has resulted in the development of specialized and interacting multitrophic pest complexes. While integrated pest management emphasizes the need to consider the ecological context where multiple species coexist, management recommendations are often based on single-species tactics. This approach may not provide satisfactory solutions when confronted with the complex interactions occurring between organisms at the same or different trophic levels. Replacement of the single-species management model with more sophisticated, multi-species programs requires an understanding of the direct and indirect interactions occurring between the crop and all categories of pests. We evaluated a modeling framework to make multi-pest management decisions taking into account direct and indirect interactions among species belonging to different trophic levels. We adopted a Bayesian decision theory approach in combination with path analysis to evaluate interactions between Bromus tectorum (downy brome, cheatgrass) and Cephus cinctus (wheat stem sawfly) in wheat (Triticum aestivum) systems. We assessed their joint responses to weed management tactics, seeding rates, and cultivar tolerance to insect stem boring or competition. Our results indicated that C. cinctus oviposition behavior varied as a function of B. tectorum pressure. Crop responses were more readily explained by the joint effects of management tactics on both categories of pests and their interactions than just by the direct impact of any particular management scheme on yield. In accordance, a C. cinctus tolerant variety should be planted at a low seeding rate under high insect pressure. However as B. tectorum levels increase, the C. cinctus tolerant variety should be replaced by a competitive and drought tolerant cultivar at high seeding rates despite C. cinctus infestation. This study exemplifies the necessity of accounting for direct and indirect biological interactions occurring within agroecosystems and propagating this information from the statistical analysis stage to the management stage.
Evaluation of Spring Cereal Grain Yield to Over-Seeding on Soil Injected with Tractor Exhaust (2010)
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2010) Dahlhausen, S.J.; Wichman, David M.
This report evaluates whether if injecting diesel tractor exhaust in to the soil, along with wheat seed would enhance grain yield. This trial was set up on both winter wheat and spring wheat. A farm scale exhaust injection system was used to establish wheat adjacent passes in fields of winter wheat and spring wheat. The first seeding pass was done without injecting the exhaust. The idea was to not have any fresh exhaust residues in the system when seeding the untreated check pass. The second pass was made with the exhaust injector system in operation. No start up fertilizer was placed with the seed. The moisture from the exhaust causes the granular fertilizer pearls to gum and build up on the opener. Therefore no starter fertilizer (NPK or S) was placed with the seed. Liquid N was applied sequential applications of 4 gallons per acre of 28-0-0 (11.2 lbs N)and 5 gallons of 24-0-0-0 ( 12.0 lbs N). This initial evaluation of injecting diesel exhaust into the soil along side the seed did not result in any positive results.
Evaluation of Agronomic Performance of Winter Wheat, Spring Wheat, and Barley Cultivars in Recrop Near Moccasin, Denton, and Geraldine, Montana (2010)
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2010) Bates, S.R.; Berg, Jim E.; Blake, Tom; Bruckner, Phil L.; Dahlhausen, S.J.; Lanning, Susan P.; Talbert, Luther E.; Wichman, David M.; Vavrovsky, Joe
This report evaluates the performance of winter and spring cereal grain varieties in continuous crop and re-crop environments near Moccasin, Denton, and Geraldine. The 2010 central Montana continuous crop cereal grain yields were generally above average do to more plentiful precipitation distributed more evenly across the growing season. In some cases, winter wheat and spring crop yields were limited by weather caused by delays in seeding date. Late seeded winter wheat experienced early and mid-spring stand losses due to weak seedlings being exposed driving winds and some soil movement around the plant crowns. Sawfly was not as great of a factor in the winter wheat, except for some late seeded stands. While sawfly was a significant factor in spring wheat, the cutting generally was not as great as that experienced in 2009. Sawfly was less of a factor in the 2010 barley crop, also. 2010 was a somewhat stressful year, for the crop producer, due to the multitude of atypical weather events that occurred across the crop year starting with extreme cold and wet conditions in October 2009. While not all cereal crops were successful, those crops that had good stands generally produced good to outstanding yields. Sawfly cutting was sufficient to provide a good evaluation of spring wheat varieties and late seeded winter wheat varieties for tolerance, yet were not so severe as to wipe out any chance for useable yield data.
Off-Station Winter Wheat Cultivar Performance on Fallow in Central Montana (2010)
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2010) Berg, Jim E.; Bruckner, Phil L.; Dahlhausen, S.J.; Vavrovsky, Joe; Wichman, David M.
This report evaluates the relative performance of winter wheat cultivars and development lines in central Montana crop environments. The 2010 growing season conditions were generally optimal for wheat production. However, fall seeding conditions were challenging if the seeding was not accomplished prior to early October. For many locations, a combination of events led to early to mid-November seeding of winter wheat. Late seeding coupled with late April cold driving winds caused some marginal winter wheat stands. Generally, plentiful growing season precipitation helped off-set some of the stand deficiencies. Winter wheat continues to produce much higher yields than spring wheat at the Geraldine location. There is not a spring wheat trial established at Winifred due to 1990 trials which showed large yield differences between the spring wheat and winter wheat. Thus, the choice was made to discontinue spring wheat trials at Winifred. Winter wheat will continue to be the crop of choice in these areas.
Off-Station Spring Wheat Performance Under Fallow in Central Montana (2010)
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2010) Dahlhausen, S.J.; Talbert, Luther E.; Lanning, Susan P.; Vavrovsky, Joe
This report evaluates the performance of spring wheat cultivars in fallow near Geraldine. To fit the cooperators change in systems, the trial was established as no-till recrop after winter wheat in a crop-crop-fallow system. The 2010 growing season conditions were generally optimal for spring wheat production. Cooler July weather contributed to good spring wheat yields. While the Geraldine site has typically been fallow in the past it is now in a winter wheat – spring wheat – fallow system. The Geraldine environment provides a good evaluation of both yield potential and sawfly tolerance. Vida, a semi-hollow stem line, has been a consistently high yielder at Geraldine for the past few years along with solid stem lines in Choteau, Corbin, and O'Neal and a low sawfly attraction variety Conan. Vida is intermediate in test weight and protein content. The higher protein content varieties generally are lower yielding and that has been the case at Geraldine with AP604CL and Kelby.
Evaluation of Winter Wheat Cultivar Performance Under Continuous Crop, Crop-Crop-Fallow and Crop-Fallow Systems in Central Montana (2011)
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2011) Berg, Jim E.; Bruckner, Phil L.; Dahlhausen, S.J.; Vavrovsky, Joe; Wichman, David M.
This report evaluates the relative performance of winter wheat cultivars and development lines in central Montana crop environments. The 2011 growing season conditions were atypical beginning with above average precipitation in September and November. Winter precipitation was near average, while April through mid-June precipitation was much above average. Mid-June through August precipitation was below average. The Winifred location was hailed out in mid July. Stripe rust infestations were wide spread in winter wheat.
Evaluation Commonly Grown Barley, Spring Wheat and Winter Wheat Cultivars for Post Harvest Seed Dormancy
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2012) Wichman, David M.; Deanon, Benri J.S.; Dahlhausen, S.J.
This report Identifies those barley and wheat cultivars with higher or lower levels of post harvest seed dormancy. Knowledge of the relative post harvest dormancy of barley and wheat cultivars can be instrumental in variety selection by growers and by grain buyers. The 2012 post harvest dormancy assessments were conducted on barley, winter wheat next, and spring wheat last. The species sequence is the order in which post harvest dormancy breaks down.
Evaluation of Spring Wheat Cultivar Performance Under Continuous-Crop and Crop-Crop-Fallow Systems in Central Montana (2011)
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2011) Dahlhausen, S.J.; Lanning, Susan P.; Talbert, Luther E.; Vavrovsky, Joe; Wichman, David M.
This report evaluates the relative performance spring wheat cultivars and development lines in central Montana crop environments. The 2011 growing season conditions were atypical beginning with above average precipitation in September and November. Winter precipitation was near average, while April through mid-June precipitation was much above average. Mid-June through August precipitation was below average. The Moccasin location was seeded in mid-April. The Denton and Geraldine locations were seeded in mid-May due to the wet spring weather. The combination of short lentil stubble and ability to access the site quickly made if feasible to seed the Moccasin much earlier than most spring seedings in the area. Stripe rust infestations were wide spread in winter wheat but were not a problem in much of the spring wheat due to the generally dry sunny conditions in mid-June through August. The 2011 results re-emphasize the importance of getting spring wheat seeded prior to mid-spring. Yields were severely reduced by the mid- May seeding date. Vida continues to be an outstanding yield standard in central Montana. However, it does have lower protein than most of the spring wheat entries.
Evaluation of Spring Barley Cultivar Performance Under Continuous-Crop and Crop-Crop-Fallow Systems in Central Montana (2011)
(Central Agricultural Research Center, 2011) Bates, S.R.; Blake, Tom; Dahlhausen, S.J.; Deanon, B.J.S.; Vavrovsky, Joe; Wichman, David M.
This report evaluates the performance of spring barley cultivars in central Montana. The 2011 growing season conditions were atypical beginning with above average precipitation in September and November. Winter precipitation was near average, while April through mid-June precipitation was much above average. Mid-June through August precipitation was below average. The Moccasin location was seeded in mid-April while the Denton was seeded in mid-May due to the wet spring weather. Ability to access the site quickly and using a double disk drill made if feasible to seed the Moccasin site much earlier than most spring seedings in the area. Leaf diseases were not an issue in spite of the wet May and early June weather due to the generally dry sunny conditions in mid-June through August. 2011 did not provide conditions for good evaluation spring crop performance potential. The late seeding coupled with abundant initial moisture followed by drought conditions led to shallow root placement and possibly reduced root growth. The warmer conditions at emergence may have reduced tiller numbers which resulted in improved test weight levels.

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