Increasing Feed Grain Production in North Carolina Wesley Everman Extension Weed Specialist Department of Crop Science

Need Currently NC imports over 300 million bushels of corn for use as livestock feed NC only produced 88 million bushels of corn in 2010 NC produced 14 million bushels of wheat in 2010

Need 300 – 100 = Net Deficit in Feed Grain NC animal agriculture at a competitive disadvantage Potential for increased domestic grain sales and reduced costs for animal industry Win - Win

Goals Improve efficiencies Increase local supplies of feed grains Identify cropping systems with an immediate impact on feed grain production Outreach activities

Approach Improved agronomic practices Economics, budgets, risk management Strategies for drying, storing, & delivering Novel crops – including ‘old crops’ Potential double-crop rotations

Improved Agronomic Practices Enhancing wheat yields – Agronomic practices (row spacing, populations) – Grower practices (time of planting, management) Make wheat a “primary” crop

Economics New enterprise budgets Evaluate and enhance drying, storage, and delivery capacities Overall goal to retain feed produced in NC

Novel crops Sorghum production – Agronomic practices Canola, rapeseed – Is there a fit? Others

Double-crop Rotations Wheat rotated with: – Sorghum – Corn – Soybeans Triticale as a winter grain? – Need for seed Canola, rapeseed – Potential rotation crop, benefits

Outreach Activities Strategic Partnerships – North Carolina Cooperative Extension – North Carolina Department of Agriculture – NC Small Grain Growers Association – Industry representatives

Outreach Activities Present Best Management Practices – Grower meetings, field days, farmer groups Educational materials available: – Small Grain Production Guide – Bulletins on sorghum production – Virtual training online planned

Outcomes Improved efficiencies Increase local supplies of feed grains Implementation of cropping systems with an immediate impact on feed grain production Increased awareness through outreach activities

NC State Faculty involved – Michele Marra – Nick Piggott – Kelly Zering – Ron Heiniger – Chris Reberg-Horton – Randy Weisz

Sorghum Weed Management

Weed Management Options Start clean!!!! Herbicide burndown – Gramoxone, glyphosate, or Ignite Cultural – Tillage – row spacing – planting date

Weed Management Options Very limited options: PRE Herbicides Cultivation POST Herbicides

Burndown Herbicide Options Gramoxone SL – 2 – 3 pt/A Glyphosate – No glyphosate resistant weeds present Ignite – 32 oz/A

Weed Management Options Should achieve excellent broadleaf control – Palmer amaranth – Morningglories – Ragweed Grass control will be greatest concern – Large crabgrass – Johnsongrass – Panicums

PRE Herbicide Options Atrazine – 1 qt/A (save second qt/A for POST) Dual II Magnum, Outlook, Intrro, other PRE grass herbicides – Use full PRE rate for longer grass and pigweed control

POST Herbicide Options Atrazine 1.2 qt/A (do not apply > 2.5 qt atrazine/yr) 2,4-D 0.5 pt/A Dicamba 0.5 pt/A Buctril 1.5 pt/A Basagran 1.5 pt/A Aim 0.5 oz/A Linex (LAYBY only) 1 pt/A

Weed Management Goals Research additional MOAs for sorghum Investigate most effective cultural practices – tillage – planting date – row spacing

Questions?