Research Publications
Unlock the Latest Insights: Delve into the forefront of agricultural research with our curated collection of recent university publications. Stay informed about groundbreaking studies and emerging trends shaping the future of agriculture.
CSU Extension: Agriculture
Dive into a diverse array of publications offered by CSU Extension, tailored to support small acreage owners, urban agriculture enthusiasts, producers, and all those interested in Colorado’s agricultural landscape. Covering a wide range of topics including crops, farm management, and livestock, our resources provide valuable insights and practical guidance to help you thrive in your agricultural pursuits.
CSU Wheat Breeding and Genetics
Unlock a Wealth of Resources: Explore the extensive publications and website links provided by the CSU Wheat Breeding and Genetics program. With a plethora of valuable resources tailored for wheat producers in Colorado and neighboring states, our program aims to empower farmers with the knowledge and tools necessary for success. From cutting-edge research to practical insights, discover how our program can support and enhance your wheat production endeavors.
Wheat Publications:
Expectations for a late-emerged winter wheat crop
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (March 23, 2023)
Many fields in Kansas failed to emerge in the fall of 2022. Emergence has been highly variable all winter and spring, and some fields are still trying to emerge. Ideally, emergence would occur in October when the bulk of the wheat is planted around the state. However, precipitation has been low and highly variable, resulting in some portions of counties affected having established stands, while other portions of the county have very little establishment…
Considerations when planting wheat into dry soil
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (September 15, 2022)
Soils in portions of western and central Kansas have become steadily drier through the late summer and early fall. Topsoil conditions are now very dry in many areas of Kansas (Figure 1). For wheat yet to be planted in these areas, producers are left with a few options…
Soil fertility and wheat production: Profile nitrate levels and wheat yield
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (August 25, 2022)
An article in this eUpdate issue gives a great summary on planning the best wheat fertility program through timely soil testing. This article addresses the correlation between the amount of nitrate in the soil profile and wheat yield…
Effect of heat and drought during grain fill on wheat seed quality
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (June 9, 2022)
Wheat that has been stressed by drought and extreme heat can have seed quality concerns (Figure 1). Drought conditions were prolonged in many areas of Kansas through most of the winter and spring in 2022, causing stress to plants through early grain filling stages…
Considerations for weed control following wheat harvest
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (June 2, 2022)
Post-harvest weed control in wheat stubble is very important to conserve critical soil moisture and prevent weeds from going to seed and adding to the weed seedbank. This year, it will be especially important to be ready to spray after wheat harvest because of less cover from shorter and thinner wheat than we have seen in the last few years in many areas…
Topdressing wheat with nitrogen
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (February 24, 2022)
The status of the 2021-22 winter wheat crop in Kansas continue to deteriorate due to the combination of drought conditions that have lasted since the fall and a few events of extremely cold temperatures that occurred during the winter. Some fields in southwest and west central Kansas were sown relatively early (mid-September 2021) to capitalize on available soil moisture, resulting in lush crop growth in the fall that depleted soil moisture…
Sulfur deficiency in wheat
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (December 9, 2021)
In recent years, sulfur (S) deficiency in wheat has become more common in many areas of Kansas, particularly in no-till wheat. The likely reasons for this are a reduction in sulfur additions to the crop from atmospheric deposition (there is less S in the air now) and cooler soil temperatures as a result of no-till which slows S mineralization in the soil…
Replanting decisions for winter wheat
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (October 21, 2021)
As wheat growers evaluate their wheat stand, some may be considering replanting fields yet this fall. The potential causes of poor or uneven emergence or stand establishment are many and may differ from field to field…
Management adjustments when sowing wheat late
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (October 21, 2021)
According to the most recent USDA report released on October 18, about 75% of Kansas wheat has been planted this fall, which is above the 5-yr average of 68%. However, some producers may have delayed planting for different reasons, including harvesting a summer crop during late October or, especially during this growing season, dry soils and waiting for significant precipitation to occur…
In-furrow fertilizers for wheat
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (September 16, 2021)
Wheat is considered a highly responsive crop to band-applied fertilizers, particularly phosphorus (P). Application of P as starter fertilizer can be an effective method for part or all the P needs. Wheat plants typically show a significant increase in fall tillers (Figure 1) and better root development with the use of starter fertilizer (P and N)…
Wheat harvest: Identifying disease problems and setting harvest priorities
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (June 10, 2021)
As we look toward harvest in parts of the state, we wanted to provide some reminders about diseases that may affect either grain quality or the viability of grain that is destined to be saved for seed. At this point in the season most disease management decisions have been made, but there are some strategies for mitigating losses on heavily infected fields…
Corn Publications:
Optimal corn seeding rate recommendations
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (March 23, 2023)
The optimal corn seeding rate is a management (M) variable that depends on the hybrid (genotype, G), and the interaction with the environment (E). Researchers termed this as the G x E x M interaction…
Starter fertilizer and nitrogen placement and rate considerations for Corn
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (April 14, 2022)
Starter fertilizer is typically considered as the placement of a small rate of fertilizer, usually nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), near the seed at planting time. This fertilizer is intended to “jump start” growth in the spring, and it is not unusual for a producer to see an early-season growth response to starter fertilizer application…
Common causes of late-season stalk lodging in corn
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (September 9, 2021)
Stalk lodging in corn occurs when the stalk weakens and breaks at some point below the ear (Figure 1). When this occurs, it results in harvest losses and slows down harvesting considerably. Grain moisture levels may also be unacceptably high in lodged corn…
New research examines tillering impacts on corn yields
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (September 2, 2021)
Precipitation is a key limiting factor for corn production, particularly in western Kansas. Management strategies, such as reduced plant populations, are commonly used to match crop demands with environmental resource supply…
Management options for stressed corn
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (August 26, 2021)
Where dryland corn has been under severe drought and/or heat stress, producers have to decide whether to let it go and hope for some kind of grain yield, salvage the crop for silage or hay, or leave the crop in the field for its residue value…
Corn production issues – Droopy ears
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (August 20, 2021)
Corn farmers are reporting concerns as the crop is approaching maturity. One of the main issues is about the premature ear droop observed in several fields across the state. Corn plants typically maintain the ears in the upright position until after the crop has reached full maturity (black layer – around 35% grain moisture in the kernels)…
Estimating corn yield potential
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (July 29, 2021)
Once pollination is near completion or fully complete, producers can begin to estimate corn yield potential. To get a reasonable yield estimate, corn should be (at least) in the milk stage. Before the milk stage, it is difficult to tell which kernels will develop and which ones will abort…
Estimating western corn rootworm egg hatch and adult emergence
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (May 27, 2021)
Degree-day models are useful tools for estimating the development of many different insects, allowing us to predict when potential pests might begin to impact a crop. In the case of the Western Corn Rootworm (WCR), degree-day calculations can be used to determine the onset of egg hatch in an area, peak egg hatch and the timing of adult emergence…
Effect of standing water and saturated soils on corn growth
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (May 27, 2021)
If corn has been planted, standing water or saturated soil conditions in areas of a field can produce impacts now or later for corn. Periods of early-season water saturation can cause immediate problems for small corn plants, and can have season-long implications as well…
Miscellaneous Publications:
The challenge of collecting a representative soil sample
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (September 14, 2023)
At first glance, soil sampling would seem to be a relatively easy task. However, when you consider the variability that likely exists within a field because of inherent soil formation factors and past production practices, the collection of a representative soil sample becomes more of a challenge…
Final irrigation of the growing season – Timing is everything
Source: K-State Agronomy eUpdate (August 24, 2023)
This year has been especially challenging for irrigators as we started the year with extremely low levels of soil profile water in most places followed by above-normal precipitation then returning to hot and dry conditions. As we look towards the end of the irrigation season, producers have an opportunity to improve their water productivity by properly timing their final irrigation application…