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Desiccation of corn allows earlier direct seeding of winter camelina in the northern Corn Belt
Author(s) -
Gesch Russ W.,
Wells M. Scott,
Hard Alexander
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.1002/csc2.20549
Subject(s) - camelina , camelina sativa , preharvest , agronomy , biology , crop , desiccation , cover crop , horticulture , botany , postharvest
Abstract In the U.S. Upper Midwest where growing seasons are short, establishing winter annual cover crops following corn ( Zea mays L.) is challenging. Winter camelina [ Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] shows promise as a winter annual cover crop that can be dual cropped with soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] to help diversify the corn–soybean rotation. This 2‐yr field study in southern and western Minnesota evaluated desiccating corn with a preharvest aid to hasten its dry‐down and hence harvest so that camelina could be no‐till drilled in a timely manner. We hypothesized that direct drilling camelina following corn harvest would improve establishment and yields. Sodium chlorate was applied as a desiccant to corn at early (D1) and mid‐R5 (D2) and physiological maturity (D3) stages of development, including an untreated check. The D1 and D2 treatments hastened corn harvest by 1 to 3 wk compared with the check. Corn grain yields were unaffected by the D2 and D3 treatments, but significantly declined by 16% in D1. Camelina seed yield did not differ among desiccation treatments and averaged 815 kg ha −1 across both locations with an average oil content of 385 g ka −1 . Desiccating corn hastened its harvest allowing more time to drill‐seed camelina, thus improving establishment. However, more work is needed to improve management and genetics of winter camelina for use as a cash cover crop in corn systems.