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Peas for forage and grain on the Central High Plains
J.M.
Krall
Co-authors: D.A. Claypool, J.J. Nachtman, D.D. Baltensperger, and R.H. Delaney. Univ. of Wyoming and Univ. of Nebraska
Declining soil organic matter levels, winter annual grassy weeds, low prices, and "Freedom to Farm" are factors driving the movement away from the traditional wheat/fallow system. Summer annual crops such as sunflower, proso millet, and corn are on the increase. The search is underway to find annual legume crops that may aid in sustaining the agriculture of the region.
In Wyoming, identical Austrian winter pea (AWP)/winter wheat rotations experiments were started in 1994 and 1995. Additionally, spring planted grain peas have been evaluated in replicated trials in Wyoming and Nebraska Panhandle since 1995. Five year mean performance of 60-90 lb lambs grazed at a stocking rate of 14 lambs/acre on AWP for 3-weeks in June and concluding by July 1 were: 0.5 lb/lamb daily gain for a gain of 139 lb/acre resulting in a gross lamb value gain/acre of $83 and $125 at projected market prices of $0.60 and $0.90/lb, respectively. Dry matter of AWP at the start of the grazing period averaged 1380 lb/acre. Soil tests indicate a trend of increased NO3-N in rotations which included AWP. Wheat following grazed peas yielded 19% less than the wheat/fallow check in 1995 and 8% more in 1997. Additionally, wheat grain protein content following grazed peas was always numerically higher than after fallow. In 1998, wheat yields were 13% higher after grazed peas, but in 1999 yields were 7% lower compared to wheat after fallow.
At winter wheat planting time total soil moisture content within the upper 3 ft of the soil profile were 7.2 and 7 inches after fallow and grazed peas, respectively. Across 19 grain pea trials under dryland and irrigated conditions a reselection from Dundale out yielded Early Dun by 1.0%, Alma 6%, Wirrega 8%, Melrose 24%, and Miranda 25% in these trials. Mean seed yield for the selection was 1,800 lb/acre. The selection, which is suitable for splitting and stockfeed, is early maturing which should give it an edge in reliability of yield, especially in a dry spring. We believe that peas for grazing and grain may be viable annual legume options for the Central High Plains.
J.M. Krall
Research and Extension Center
University of Wyoming
Route 1, Box 374
Torrington, WY 82240
Tel: (307) 532-7194
jkrall@uwyo.edu
The work to create this publication was sponsored by the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (Western SARE) program. Western SARE is an effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since 1988 through federal fiscal 2000, the U.S. Congress has allocated more than $114.6 million to the federal SARE effort; Western SARE has received $26 million. The Western region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and the Island Protectorates of American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands.