Sod Based Cropping System- The Next Step After Conservation Tillage Sodbased Team Auburn Univ., UGA, NWFWMD, VA Tech, The Rodale Institute, Texas Tech, USDA/ARS, NRCS, FDACS, and several other states who want to join in as funding becomes available

Changes in Soil Organic Matter Magruder Plots, OK Perennial Grasses -The Answer?

“Virgin prairie can weather drought, fire, and flood – but not plows” National Geographic, May, 2004

Grasslands About 25% of the earth’s surface is composed of grasses 29% of U.S. is grasslands Recognized as a livestock feed and an emerging bioenergy source Secondary benefits include: maintain plant and animal biodiversity and habitat; decreased erosion; improved water quality; increased soil quality; increased soil flora and fauna; carbon sequestration and long term organic matter enhancement; and provides attractive green space and landscapes.

Wetlands along with perennial grasses go hand in hand in environmental stewardship Wetlands are natural buffers for runoff from other land and depend on microbial activity and vegetation to mitigate and tie up N and P as well as heavy metals before water flows into major streams The U.S. lost about 50% of its wetlands in the last 200 years Florida lost slightly less at about 45% of its wetlands in the same time period

We know that farmers would prefer to grow most crops after perennial grasses (peanuts, soybeans, watermelons, etc) because the soil is “clean” and will result in high yields with little use of pesticides and deep root systems which can take up nutrients from deeper in the soil profile to lower the chance of nutrients entering into ground water

Sod Based Farming Next Step after Conservation Tillage Conventional farming practices now include conservation tillage and cover crops. Cadre has helped move peanuts to conservation tillage Perennial grasses in rotations with row crops will make more difference in relation to soil health, yield, water quality, risk management, and farm economics than converting from conventional to conservation tillage Growers are implementing BMP’s with impetus under TMDL program working with FDACS

Livestock integration into cropping systems September, 2003 Rotation and Conservation Tillage Cotton Peanut2nd year bahia 1st year bahia

Profits have been 2-7 times higher with perennial grasses in a peanut/cotton rotation. Adding livestock also benefited the system by risk aversion and year round utilization of farm resources. (November-April best weather conditions exist, good for winter grazing) After Peanut After cotton What’s so Great About the Sod Based Rotation for growers?! Dec. 2004

August, 2005 Cotton Peanut 2 nd year bahia 1st year bahia

Data Collected from Rotation Studies (Greenwood, Quincy, Headland, Tifton) Water infiltration Soil moisture Nitrates moving through the soil profile Soil bulk density and compaction Organic matter content Earthworm populations Crops yields and quality Plant growth measurements (root, LAI, etc.) Disease Economics of system Cattle impact on soil and following crops, etc.

Plant Development LAI Conv. CottonBahia Rotation LAI LSD 0.17 Conv. CottonBahia Rotation Diameter mm LSD 1.33 Area cm LSD 9.27 Lengthmm LSD 87.61

Peanuts grown in soil with Bahia roots Peanuts grown in soil without Bahia roots Same cultivated soil used in both cases with roots added

Conservation Tillage/ Bahiagrass Rotations for Peanut/Cotton It works! Reduces nematodes and diseases Reduced nitrates in the soil and that leached below root zone Increases yields and grades Enhances soil quality (O.M., earthworms, etc.) Reduces risks by having alternate enterprises Reduces planting and harvest time with ½ acreage in row crops More profitable 2-7 times more

Key to Sod Based System Convince growers that it is an idea whose time has come Partner with others with similar goals Be committed to making it work Growers will buy into it if they see that it will work Researchers must commit to long term projects that show that the system on farm with a variety of crops (row crops and vegetables)

Benefits of perennial grasses and livestock in cotton/peanut rotations: Increased crop yields and biomass Reduced pests (nematodes, diseases, and weeds) Enhanced soil and water quality (reduced nitrates leached below the root zone due to higher uptake-more recycling) Provides a feed source for livestock as well as a wildlife refuge Creates diversity and livestock can be used as an alternate source of crop utilization Reduces cash risks associated with row crops, risk management Reduces reliance on irrigation, pesticides, and larger equipment, and less ideal planting and harvest time is required (farming half the acreage of row crops) Results in more earthworms and channels for water infiltration Utilization of farm resources year round Farm profitability increased 2-7 fold

Sod based rotations have favorably influenced each of the factors measured over the best conservation tillage and cover crop management systems (Economics, water infiltration, earthworm numbers, soil moisture content, organic matter content, lower penetrometer and residual nitrogen content, enhanced plant growth, and reduced risks to the farm system Southern Conservation Tillage Conference: “The Next Step After Conservation Tillage” June 25-27, 2007, Quincy, FL Highlighting the sod based system