CULTIVAR DEVELOPMENT: ACCELERATED INTROGRESSION OF SYNTHETIC HEXAPLOID DERIVED DIVERSITY INTO AN APPLIED HARD WINTER WHEAT BREEDING PROGRAM

The long term goals of this project is to identify the key drivers of the variation in beef cow body condition response when grazing corn residue and to develop adaptive grazing management strategies to overcome the causes of declining cow condition. Producers have identified several potential drivers of variable response to grazing corn residue at the recommended stocking rate: these include plant genetics (effect on quality and quality of residue), timing of grazing (weathering impacts on residue or wind losses of husks with later grazing), trampling losses (soil moisture and temperature, stocking density, tillage system), ice and snow cover (impacts on intake and selection ability), and weather effects on beef cow maintenance requirements including impacts of windbreak availability.The objectives of this project are toIdentify potential agronomic, environmental and management drivers for observed variability in cattle response when grazing corn residue.Design adaptive management strategies for grazed corn residue that result in beef cows more consistently maintaining desired body condition.Develop prediction equations for energy content of corn leaf and husk.