|
CANOLA, LUPIN RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT FARMER MEETING
SHORTER, Ala.__--Canola and lupine are two little known crops that may
make a big impact on Alabama agriculture, according to researchers in
the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Tropical corn is another
crop with limited potential, noted researchers speaking at a recent
meeting with members of the Alabama Farmers Federation Wheat and Feed
Grains Committee.
The group, representing farmers from throughout the state, toured research
facilities at the E.V. Smith Research Center and met with Auburn University
researchers and administrators to discuss the wheat and small grains
research program being conducted by the Experiment Station.
Paul Mask, an assistant professor of agronomy, noted that upwards to
five million acres of canola will need to be planted to meet estimated
crop oil demands by the year 2,000. Currently, the Experiment Station
is testing about 100 breeding lines of canola. "At least a three-year
rotation is going to be critical in Alabama, because of the potential
for disease problems," according to Mask.
Lupine is a legume that may become an important grain crop for cattle
feed in Alabama. Experiment Station researchers are currently screening
90 breeding lines of white lupine. Auburn researcher Edzard van Santen
noted that lupine has a big advantage over some other grains in that
it can be ground on the farm and fed directly to livestock. It is also
an ideal winter cover crop, and since it is a legume, it fixes nitrogen
for itself and for subsequent summer crops.
Barry Jacobsen, head of the Plant Pathology Department at Auburn, told
the group that pithium-related diseases may be a major problem for lupine
production in the state. Other soil and seedborne diseases may be overcome
by longer rotations (up to five years) and using clean seed. Since lupine
is usually planted in October and harvested in the spring, the cool
soil will eliminate or reduce many of the soilborne diseases that plague
other grain crops in Alabama, Jacobsen concluded.
Wayne Reeves, an adjunct assistant professor of agronomy and U.S. Department
of Agriculture researcher, told the Committee that initial attempts
to produce tropical corn in Alabama have been plagued by numerous production
problems. In tests at four sites last year, only one produced meaningful
yields because of fall armyworm damage. Currently only one commercial
variety of tropical corn is available, Pioneer 304C, which is a good
silage producer, but poor for grain, according to Reeves.
During the meeting, Reeves discussed several tillage systems used for
wheat and Harold Walker, a professor of agronomy, gave an update on
wheat and small grain weed control. Walker stressed that wild radish
and wild garlic are particularly tough weeds to control in wheat, and
that a new herbicide, Harmony Extra, has provided excellent control
of both weeds in tests throughout the state.
-30-
By:
Roy Roberson
2/1/91
|
