Many of the projects that began in the 1970s and 1980s continued, thanks to the dedicated and steadfast staff of UKREC. New faces during the 1990s included:

• Paula Howe and John Potts, agronomy
• Kevin Laurent and Richard Coffey, animal sciences
• Bill Wurts, aquaculture-KSU
• Patty Lucas, IPM
• Karen Hicks, 4-H
• Nancy Jones, EFNEP

Improving No-Till

By the 65th year of the establishment of the station in Princeton, no-tillage agriculture, primarily developed by researchers at the University of Kentucky over the previous two decades, had become a dominant form of growing crops, not just in Kentucky but throughout the world. While no-tillage agriculture certainly had advantages over conventional tillage, some nettlesome problems developed, especially with weeds.

Agronomy specialist Jim Martin turned his attention to problem weeds in no-till systems, primarily annual ryegrass. His research tested various herbicides for its control, and his Extension efforts shared those findings with farmers.

During the 1990s, no-till wheat research intensified to define management practices crucial for making no-till wheat profitable. This research focused on nitrogen management, weed control, fungicide use, and corn residue management to enhance wheat stand establishment. In 1992, James Herbek and Lloyd Murdock initiated a long-term study to compare no-till wheat and tilled wheat in a cropping system rotation of corn, wheat, and double-cropped soybeans. The study aimed to determine if differences existed between the two wheat tillage systems in terms of soil components and yields of the other rotational crops. The results showed that a no-till cropping system, which included no-till wheat, compared to tilled wheat, improved soil quality, resulting in higher yields for corn and soybeans in the no-tillage system.

Wheat Science Group Formed 

A wheat science group, comprising scientists from various disciplines, was established in 1997 to develop and conduct research and educational programs on wheat. By the end of the 1990s, average wheat yields had increased to 50 bushels per acre, with some wheat yielding more than 110 bushels per acre under ideal conditions. The formation of this multi-disciplinary group was in response to the construction of a Siemer Milling Company flour mill in Hopkinsville, providing a reliable market for wheat growers in western Kentucky. Annual wheat meetings and field days soon followed, attracting hundreds of growers and agribusiness professionals from several states to this day.

The Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association was instrumental in the coordination of wheat science activities, directing much of their wheat promotion assessment funds to research. The referendum to assess voluntary funds from farmers’ wheat sales was passed in 1991.

Also notable in the 1990s, UKREC plant pathologist Don Hershman initiated work to control Fusarium head blight in wheat. This late-season disease caused significant yield and quality losses for Kentucky farmers, and it remains a focus of research today.

Poultry House Efficiencies and Litter

The rapid expansion of the broiler industry in Kentucky created several research needs. Agricultural engineers Sam McNeill and Doug Overhults embarked on an intensive research program to investigate temperature, humidity, and energy use in poultry facilities, aiming to inform the design of cost-efficient housing for broilers. Additionally, agronomists Monroe Rasnake and Lloyd Murdock initiated research into the feasibility of utilizing litter from poultry houses as a source of plant nutrients for crops. The research not only studied the nutrient content available in poultry litter but also explored how it could be applied to cropland without posing an environmental hazard. As a result of both areas of research, new poultry housing is more energy-efficient than before, and farmers are using poultry litter as an alternative to expensive fertilizers for their crops.

Canola Considered 

Research at the station concerning the potential of canola, an oilseed crop that is a high-quality edible type of rapeseed, as a profitable alternative crop was conducted for 11 years by James Herbek and Lloyd Murdock. The extensive research and education programs at the station established the University of Kentucky as the initial leader in canola technology and information in the South. Due to the interest in the crop during the late 1980s, Kentucky’s canola acreage increased from less than 1,000 acres in 1986 to more than 20,000 acres in 1989.  

While the research showed that under the proper management regimen, canola could rival wheat in profitability, the lack of development of adapted varieties as well as a scarcity of local markets, processing facilities, labeled pesticides, and a standard market grading system limited canola production, and acreage gradually declined.

Aquaculture Expands 

With the stationing of a Kentucky State University aquaculture specialist at Princeton in 1989, area farmers interested in small-scale fish production were able to access expertise. Bill Wurts began working with many farmers who had farm ponds ranging in size from ½ to 3 acres. By working with him, they were able to substantially improve their harvest of channel catfish. Other farmers worked with Wurts in establishing commercial fishing lakes. Several of the small-scale catfish farmers eventually joined forces to develop a cooperative processing plant in the western part of the state.

Beef Cattle Feeding Studies 

Research conducted by Roy Burris showed that producers could safely feed soybean hulls, a by-product of soybean meal and soybean oil production, to their cattle without losing any feed value. The soy hulls, which were previously shipped overseas, contain highly digestible fiber for cattle, and Burris thought they could work well to replace corn as a supplement for cattle on high-fiber, pasture-based diets. As a result, Kentucky producers began using all the soy hulls produced by soybean farmers in the state, which amounted to more than 120,000 tons per year at the time.

Kentucky Grazing School 

The Kentucky Grazing School was established in 1996 to empower new livestock producers with the skills required for designing and implementing a rotational grazing system. The two-day workshop covered topics such as grazing system design, forage species and plant growth, pasture renovation, animal nutrition, and watering and fencing systems, and it included hands-on activities and demonstrations on topics such as estimating forage availability, soil sampling, and forage plant identification. The program trained more than 1,600 beginning grazers in its first 25 years.

Tobacco

Technological advancements in tobacco production during the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, particularly in transplant cultivation, necessitated significant research and educational efforts. Research on float systems of transplant production refined techniques to assure the production of quality, disease-free transplants. In addition, research and education on improving the market preparation of dark tobacco were significant program areas for scientists at the station, as was the evaluation of new pesticide products developed by the agricultural chemical industry.

Research into the use of no-till farming methods of tobacco also began in the 1990s by UK Extension tobacco specialist Bob Pearce.