- Reduces or eliminates the need to purchase commercial fertilizer for crops
- May improve crop use of nitrogen relative to commercial fertilizers; the nitrogen in manure is more stable, releasing slowly as soils warm and crops grow
- Improves soil productivity through increased water-holding capacity and greater nutrient availability and retention
- Aids compliance with Minnesota regulations on manure application
- Well managed manure can be used in a methane digester to produce energy, and control odors and methane emissions
- Manure management is often integral to crop nutrient management, comprehensive nutrient management planning, feedlot/barnyard runoff controls, rotational grazing and manure digesters.
- Manure management often involves manure storage, manure storage covers and composting. Another related practice is manure storage abandonment.
- Manure management is often an important component of drinking water protection in agricultural areas.
- Manure management is often integral to crop nutrient management, comprehensive nutrient management planning, feedlot/barnyard runoff controls, rotational grazing and manure digesters.
- Manure management often involves manure storage, manure storage covers and composting. Another related practice is manure storage abandonment.
- Manure management is often an important component of drinking water protection in agricultural areas.
- Improves soil quality and promotes carbon sequestration by building or maintaining soil organic matter
- Protects surface water quality by reducing nutrient and sediment runoff (the organic matter in manure creates an open soil structure that stabilizes nutrients and lets water in more easily, reducing runoff)
- Also protects surface water quality through manure application methods that prevent pathogens, nutrients and organic matter from entering waterways
- May reduce the risk of groundwater contamination from nitrogen leaching compared to commercial fertilizers, as the nitrogen in manure is more stable and more easily utilized by crops
- Reduces the risk of drinking water contamination by ensuring appropriate setbacks when applying manure near wells or in vulnerable drinking water supply management areas
- Helps protect air quality by controlling odors from manure
- Conserves energy compared to manufacturing, mining, processing and transporting of commercial fertilizers
- Reduces or eliminates the need to purchase commercial fertilizer for crops
- May improve crop use of nitrogen relative to commercial fertilizers; the nitrogen in manure is more stable, releasing slowly as soils warm and crops grow
- Improves soil productivity through increased water-holding capacity and greater nutrient availability and retention
- Aids compliance with Minnesota regulations on manure application
- Well managed manure can be used in a methane digester to produce energy, and control odors and methane emissions
- Manure management is often integral to crop nutrient management, comprehensive nutrient management planning, feedlot/barnyard runoff controls, rotational grazing and manure digesters.
- Manure management often involves manure storage, manure storage covers and composting. Another related practice is manure storage abandonment.
- Manure management is often an important component of drinking water protection in agricultural areas.
Initial seeds were collected from various locations across Minnesota, the Midwest, Canada, South America and Europe and planted in the fall of 2013. Seventy unique individual plants will be grown in single 5 ft. rows in two replications and only plants that exhibit early maturity, high yield, large amounts of biomass and winter hardiness will be used in future research.
Data collected from the initial planting included vigor, percent germination, percent flowering, number of days to maturity, percent winter survival, yield, and basal width (as a measure of above-ground biomass and soil coverage).
Breeding for early maturity
Plants will be assessed for:
- Number of days to first flower
- Number of days to complete maturity as defined by dried seed pods
Plants selected for further trials will be those that express early maturity.
Breeding for high yield
Individual plant rows will be hand-cut and allowed time to dry before the seed is harvested. Evaluation of total seed yield will be on a per row basis.
Breeding for large basal width to provide maximum crop water use
Researchers will:
- Select plants expressing a large basal width and use them in agronomic and yield trials
- Plant the top 5 performers from the agronomic and yield trials to evaluate crop water usage based on soil water content and soil sample data at specific times throughout the plant’s life cycle
Plants selected for further trials will be those that express large basal width and maximum crop water usage.
Breeding for winter hardiness
Plants per row will be counted in the fall and compared to plant counts in the spring as a measure for winter hardiness.
Plants selected for further trials will be those that express superior winter hardiness.
Developing a model for gene selection
Gene sequence data and yield data from field trials will be used to create a model that will allow for the prediction of overall plant performance when two individual plants are crossed. The model will allow the plant breeder to select the best performing plants, with the best traits, and thus will increase the efficiency of future breeding programs because the model takes a lot of the “guess-work” out of plant breeding.
Initial seeds were collected from various locations across Minnesota, the Midwest, Canada, South America and Europe and planted in the fall of 2013. Seventy unique individual plants will be grown in single 5 ft. rows in two replications and only plants that exhibit early maturity, high yield, large amounts of biomass and winter hardiness will be used in future research.
Data collected from the initial planting included vigor, percent germination, percent flowering, number of days to maturity, percent winter survival, yield, and basal width (as a measure of above-ground biomass and soil coverage).
Breeding for early maturity
Plants will be assessed for:
- Number of days to first flower
- Number of days to complete maturity as defined by dried seed pods
Plants selected for further trials will be those that express early maturity.
Breeding for high yield
Individual plant rows will be hand-cut and allowed time to dry before the seed is harvested. Evaluation of total seed yield will be on a per row basis.
Breeding for large basal width to provide maximum crop water use
Researchers will:
- Select plants expressing a large basal width and use them in agronomic and yield trials
- Plant the top 5 performers from the agronomic and yield trials to evaluate crop water usage based on soil water content and soil sample data at specific times throughout the plant’s life cycle
Plants selected for further trials will be those that express large basal width and maximum crop water usage.
Breeding for winter hardiness
Plants per row will be counted in the fall and compared to plant counts in the spring as a measure for winter hardiness.
Plants selected for further trials will be those that express superior winter hardiness.
Developing a model for gene selection
Gene sequence data and yield data from field trials will be used to create a model that will allow for the prediction of overall plant performance when two individual plants are crossed. The model will allow the plant breeder to select the best performing plants, with the best traits, and thus will increase the efficiency of future breeding programs because the model takes a lot of the “guess-work” out of plant breeding.
Within three years the following items will be completed:
- Seed stock from the five field pennycress lines that were identified for expressing early maturity, high yield, large basal width (crop water use efficiency), and superior winter hardiness.
- In conjunction with Forcella et al. (another Clean Water funded project), conclusive evidence on the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by field pennycress and amount of nutrient loss due to water runoff.
- A peer-reviewed journal article on desirable field pennycress traits for cover crop and oilseed production and one peer-reviewed journal article on field pennycress varieties that are viable agronomic options for double-cropping.
- A gene selection model specifically targeted towards seed yield
Within three years the following items will be completed:
- Seed stock from the five field pennycress lines that were identified for expressing early maturity, high yield, large basal width (crop water use efficiency), and superior winter hardiness.
- In conjunction with Forcella et al. (another Clean Water funded project), conclusive evidence on the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by field pennycress and amount of nutrient loss due to water runoff.
- A peer-reviewed journal article on desirable field pennycress traits for cover crop and oilseed production and one peer-reviewed journal article on field pennycress varieties that are viable agronomic options for double-cropping.
- A gene selection model specifically targeted towards seed yield
Farmers:
- The University of Minnesota Research and Outreach Centers will host three field days focusing on the field pennycress double-crop system. The locations include Morris, Lamberton, and Waseca.
- Development and distribution of a field pennycress grower’s guide on how and when to plant field pennycress.
Students:
- Support of a postdoctoral research associate who will be directly involved in the field pennycress research.
- Host on-campus seminars for students and the public to attend
Scientific community:
- Publication of peer-reviewed journal articles
- Presentations at scientific meetings
