Kentucky Small Grain News

Cereal rye is planted on more acres than any other cover crop species in the U.S. because it can reliably produce substantial biomass in a wide range of growing conditions. In order to maximize these benefits, well-adapted cereal rye cultivars should be selected for rapid and complete ground cover, high biomass production, and high potential to suppress weeds. 

As interest continues to grow in locally produced ingredients from the craft brewing industry in the mid-Atlantic and eastern U.S. finding malted barley is not easy for those located east of the Mississippi river. Therefore, the program’s main effort is breeding winter malting barley cultivars that have superior malt quality and are well adapted to the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States.

Annual ryegrass has been chosen as the central focus of the greenhouse and field research due its notable advantages and the compelling proof of its effectiveness.  Annual ryegrass roots apparently contain exudates that have a degrading effect on the fragipan. The deep root penetration also increases soil porosity and may facilitate the leaching of the 4 or 5 other effective compounds down to the fragipan.  We are presently looking for varieties of annual ryegrass that are more effective in breaking down the fragipan and varieties that are more easily killed by glyphosate.

The overall objective of the research trials were to develop the best recommendations for managing Fusarium head blight (FHB; also known as scab) and the associated mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON; also known as vomitoxin) with foliar fungicides.

Rye as a grain crop has a potential local market with distilleries. Rye has not been grown in Kentucky since the 1920’s. We have been conducting research for several years on growing rye for grain. In the 2019 harvest season, we established rye at Princeton and Lexington to test several management hypotheses and fungicide efficacy against the Fusuriaum head blight (FHB).

Stagonospora leaf blotch is one of the most common foliar diseases observed in Kentucky.  When flag leaves are affected by leaf blotch, yield losses generally occur.  Glume blotch also is a common disease in Kentucky, and can reduce yields and test weight.  One of the most common ways to manage these diseases is through application of foliar fungicides. 

This work is intended to answer the question: Are there long term soil health benefits to having wheat in Kentucky farmers’ crop rotation? Comparing wheat harvested for yield to wheat (or other small grain) as a cover crop, is it better for the soil to take wheat to grain harvest?