IMPROVING ROW-CROP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN NORTHEAST LOUISIANA

With reducing productivity of our arable lands, continually increasing public interest in environmental concerns, and continued increasing cost of agricultural inputs, optimum management will be essential for achieving agronomically optimum yields while minimizing environmental impact. While there is no one management practices that will increase yields and minimize loss in our production systems certain fertility, irrigation, and tillage/residue management practices have the potential to not only increase/maintain yields but also increase production efficiency. This project includes experiments evaluating agronomic management such and the use of alternative fertilizer sources, environmental effects on applied N fertilizer and crop growth, and proper fertility, tillage, irrigation, as well as residue management will increase the wealth of knowledge and provide producers information on row-crop production in northeast Louisiana. Trails for poultry litter management will identify proper management, including application timing and application source, for crop production in northeast Louisiana. This will allow producers to more properly management organic soil amendments to not only increase productivity but attempt to minimize environmental impact. Also, with the dependence of the region's corn production on summertime irrigation and the frequent occurrence of high rainfall conditions shortly after planting, the knowledge of how applied N, crop N uptake, and corn growth are effected by periods of soil saturation is essential. Information from this trial could allow producers to better manage N inputs around these uncontrollable environmental conditions. In addition, determining how to properly manage fertilizer and irrigation inputs as well as proper tillage and residue management and how these management strategies are effected by constantly change cultivars and hybrids, different soil types, and other management strategies will be essential for continue optimum agronomic production in Louisiana.