Increasing No-Till Soybean Productivity with

Cover Crops and/or GypsumRandall 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, 2012-14

• In Ohio, Indiana and Alabama, gypsum was applied at:

0, 1000, and 2000 lbs/acre.• Repeated each year

Soybean Varieties, 2013-14• Becks 325NR ~21% oil• Asgrow A3231 ~17% oil

(Roundup Ready)

Key Observations • For Soybean yield:

– Gypsum did not impact yields in 2014.– Cover crops did not impact yields in 2014.– 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: 20-26 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___________________________________________________Cover Gypsum Al Cu Fe Mn Zn CdCrop (lbs/ac) ____________ (mg/kg) ________________________________________________________________No 9.0a 3.5a 100.8ª 35.8a35.4a 0.08aYes 7.4a 1.6b 101.2ª 37.4a37.5a 0.08a___________________________________________________No 0 7.6 3.2 96.8 34.4 35.0 0.08

2000 10.6 5.8 105.6 37.5 35.9 0.07

Yes 0 7.6 2.6 101.8 36.4 36.2 0.082000 7.2 1.8 100.7 38.2 38.7 0.08

__________________________________________________P<0.05 ns * ns ns ns ns

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: GypsumGypsum 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 Analysesby 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 36.4 -85

Hoytville 56.9 58

Indiana 54.9 8

Piketon 31.1 -139

2014 Yields and Profitability – Average of all sites

 Average Yields

Average Profit

Gypsum (lb/ac)      (bu/ac)        $/ ac

0 44.0 -15

1,000 43.3 -48

2,000 42.9 -77

2014 Soybean Yields for Gypsum Levels and Site

Gypsum (lb/ac) Alabama IndianaOhio-

Hoytville          Ohio-Piketon

0 37.07 55.76 56.61 32.61

1,000 36.32 55.42 57.23 30.23

2,000 35.85 53.65 56.86 30.57

2014 Profitability – Average by Gypsum level and Site

Profit ($/Ac)

Gypsum (lb/ac) Alabama IndianaOhio-

HoytvilleOhio-Piketon

0 -53.47 41.60 79.73 -98.73

1,000 -86.18 13.12 61.10 -148.10

2,000 -115.93 -30.08 32.36 -169.62

2014 Yields and Profitability – Average of all sites

 Average Yields

Average Profit

Cover Crop      (bu/ac)         ($/ ac)

No 43.0 -39

Yes 43.8 -54 -$15

2014 Yields – Average by Cover Crop Treatment and Site

  Yield (bu/Ac)

Cover Crop Alabama IndianaOhio-

HoytvilleOhio-Piketon

No 36.51 52.58 58.08 29.78

Yes 36.31 57.31 55.72 32.50

2014 Profitability – Cover Crop Treatment

  Profit ($/Ac)

Cover Crop Alabama IndianaOhio-

HoytvilleOhio-Piketon

No -62.09 -6.90 76.09 -146.49

Yes -108.29 23.34 39.37 -131.13

2014 Yields and Profitability – Average of all treatments

 Average Yields

Average Profit

Soybean type (bu/ac) $/ ac

Low Oil 39.6 -75

High Oil 43.4 -36

2014 Yields – Average by Soybean Variety and Site

  Yield (bu/Ac)

Soybean type Alabama IndianaOhio-

HoytvilleOhio-Piketon

Low Oil 32.2 N/A 55.8 30.8

High Oil 40.6 N/A 58.0 31.5

N/A -- Indiana grew only a single soybean variety in 2014

2014 Profitability – Average by Soybean Variety and Site

  Profit ($/Ac)

Soybean type Alabama IndianaOhio-

HoytvilleOhio-Piketon

Low Oil -$128 N/A 46 -142

High Oil -$42 N/A 69 -135

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.