Towards Developing a Double Cropping System Between Winter Barley and Soybean in the Upper Midwest

Abstract

Multiple cropping systems offer the potential of producing crops at the same time as providing ecosystem functions in the same space. Double cropping represents an approach of multiple cropping, which is the practice of planting a second crop immediately following the harvest of a first crop. A winter malting barley and soybean double cropping system presents an area that warrants research efforts in the Upper Midwest. A research project that investigates toward double cropping winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) was carried out in Minnesota. The key challenge for winter barley to be successful in cold climates, including Minnesota, is winter survival. A study examining the effect of fall planting dates on winter survival and yield was conducted in southern Minnesota. The objectives were to evaluate the effect of planting date, cultivar, fall growth, and winter weather on winter barley survival. No specific fall planting date from early September to Mid-October affected winter survival. Planting dates that resulted in fall accumulated GDD from 600 to 1400 were associated with better winter survival in years with sufficient snow cover. Less than four inches of snow cover and temperatures at or below -4°F for more than three days led to poor winter survival in five of the eleven site-years. Double cropping in cold climates could be accomplished using short-season soybeans that can be planted later to allow for a previous crop like winter barley. An experiment was conducted to assess variations of phenology, yield, seed quality, and days to maturity of 23 soybean cultivars in maturity groups 00 to 0 planted around late-June to early July in a short-season system (SS) compared to soybeans planted in May in a full-season (FS) system across northern and southern latitude regions in Minnesota. Results showed that latitude-cropping system variations had great influence on soybean yield, seed quality, and days to maturity. Significant cultivar x latitude-cropping system effects were found between northern latitude full-season and southern latitude short-season production systems for yield, protein concentration, oil concentration, and days to maturity, and indirect selection may be applicable for these traits between the established breeding program for northern latitude full season and the potential southern latitude short-season production systems. No specific growth stage was associated with yield in the short-season cropping system. As researchers work to improve the agronomic management and genetic development of a double cropping system between winter barley and soybean in Minnesota, there is a lack of understanding of the economic and environmental perceptions of a potential winter malting barley crop among local farmers and the malting barley end-users. An interview study was conducted to gain information on the views of winter barley in Minnesota among various stakeholders. By sharing the current status of winter barley breeding and agronomic management research, we examined interests and concerns for winter barley and a potential winter barley-soybean cropping system among important stakeholders that included farmers, maltsters, and brewers. Results of this study may aid in determining interested areas and opportunities that researchers and stakeholders could possibly connect and work collaboratively toward the eventual adoption of winter barley and a winter barley-soybean double cropping system on Minnesota cropping landscapes.