May 11, 2007

The feasibility of "flexible summer fallow," a more dynamic approach to dryland crop rotations, will be the topic of a May seminar in Scottsbluff.

Drew Lyon, UNL extension dryland crops specialist at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center (PREC), will speak on Friday, May 18, at 3:15 p.m. at the PREC, 4502 Avenue I, Scottsbluff.

According to Lyon, although summer fallow helps to stabilize crop yields, frequent use of summer fallow jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of dryland systems by degrading the soil resource and reducing profitability.

Lyon said a dynamic system involving flexible summer fallow might be preferable to a static system incapable of responding to the High Plains' highly variable climate and economy. In flexible summer fallow, a grower's decision to transition from a summer crop to winter wheat with a short-duration spring crop or summer fallow is based on several dynamic factors, including soil water and economics.

Lyon's presentation will share what the findings of UNL research on the feasibility of flexible summer fallow for this region.