Lind Field Day highlights discussions on biosolids, falling numbers

The annual Lind Field Day highlighted the potential issues with the wheat crop in the upcoming year, while offering solutions and alternatives to the varieties common in the area.

The June 15 event also showed farmers economic options to improving their crop, while also focusing on the challenges growers are currently facing.

The morning event began at the Lind Dryland Research Station with a welcome by Bill Schillinger.

During the welcome address, Schillinger reported the Lind station is currently experiencing the third highest amount of rainfall recorded, with 14.21 inches of precipitation already this year.

Schillinger also led the presentation and discussion surrounding a topic, which can have a negative implication: the use of biosolids on crops.

There are plots at the station testing the effects of biosolids on the wheat crop, and the study is currently in its sixth year of the eight-year experiment.

Biosolids are created from treated waste water from a sewage plant, Schillinger explained, and the current material used in the trial is coming from King County.

Schillinger described the process of separating the solids and liquids, explaining during the treatment, between 95-99 percent of harmful bacteria are killed.

In Washington, Schillinger stated 120,000 dry tons of biosolids are produced each year, with the main consumers who utilize the product are involved with forestry and agriculture.

There are a variety of treatments used to produce biosolids, but the method specific to the product used at the Lind Station is categorized as Class B.

Schillinger explained the benefits of the product are the high nutrient levels, possessing trace minerals and overall, from a farmer’s perspective, the economic appeal.

The downfalls of biosolids are the material is created from sewage, there is the potential for the product to contain metals, and there is a strong odor when the material is applied to the land.

Schillinger stated the use of biosolids is closely monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and regulated by the Department of Ecology.

The use of biosolids on crops began in the 1990s in Douglas County, Schillinger explained. Originally utilized by a handful of farmers, the use of the product has now grown to the application of 11-15,000 acres annually in the county.

Schillinger said biosolids do not have to be applied every year, and most farmers use the product biannually. The test plots in Lind are following a variety of application processes, with two plots receiving application of biosolids each year.

The application process varies dependent on the farmer, Schillinger said, but they have used the product and chemical fertilizer on other plots, using the disk and undercut technique with the two applications.

The economics of using biosolids are something every farmer should consider, Schillinger explained.

The facility is currently using 2.8 dry tons of biosolids per year, and the average cost for the farmer is $7.50 per dry ton.

Schillinger said for increased fertility on two winter wheat crops, they are averaging $21 in cost a year.

The company delivers the product, and the farmer is responsible for incorporating the biosolids within six days. Schillinger explained a benefit of the material is the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen present in the product.

Another benefit of using biosolids is the slow release of nutrients, Schillinger stated.

After applying the biosolids in late April or May, Schillinger said the crop has averaged a yield of 38 bushels per acre. The chemical fertilizer application recorded a bushel rate of 40, while the biosolids recorded a yield of 41 bushels.

The noticeable difference has not been in the amount of bushels produced, but instead the amount of heads of wheat per unit area. Schillinger reported biosolids have recorded a rate of 262, compared to 220 produced by the chemical fertilizer crop.

Schillinger started wheat grown with the biosolids has been noticeably thicker with more spikes. While there is not a difference in the amount of kernels per head, Schillinger explained the biosolids crop will have a smaller kernel.

A significant difference between the two applications is the amount of straw produced. On average, wheat grown with biosolids produces 16 percent more straw.

The topic of falling numbers remains as an important conversation for farmers, and they had the opportunity to meet with USDA-URS scientists to discuss the impact on the crop.

The process of determining falling numbers was implemented in the 1960s to research the damage inside of wheat, issues that cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Falling numbers deals with the damage of sprouted grain, which has a negative impact by producing elevated levels of starch.

Camille Steber explained the falling numbers test measures the quality in flour. The sprouting within the wheat can occur during germination, and produces alpha-amylase.

To test the falling number levels, the grain is ground and seven grams are placed in a test tube with 25 milliliters of water. The enzyme starts digesting the starch and the tube is shook and put in the machine.

A stir stick moves up and down within the tube, and after mixing the product, the stirring stops and the time it takes for the stick to fall to the bottom is measured. Alpha-amylase lowers the viscosity of the slurry in the tube, and the lower the viscosity, the faster the stir stick will fall to the bottom.

The falling numbers test helps to determine the end use quality of the grain. Steber stated that in Japan, soft white wheat is used to make sponge cakes. The lower the falling number, the more the cakes will collapse.

Steber said the effects are less drastic with hard red wheat, but even mild effects create problems with manufacturing the end product.

Falling numbers can occur in two main ways, Steber explained. One includes rain during harvest, and the other is Late Maturity Alpha-amylase (LMA). She also stated there is new susceptibility for LMA during heat waves.

Steber said last year’s research showed both pre-harvest sprouting and LMA, with some crops displaying both.

The Washington Grain Commission is currently providing funding for the mapping and testing the susceptibility to falling numbers in area crops. The Commission has been collecting data on falling numbers since 2013.

Steber said research has shown planting hard red wheat early has been more successful than late planting. Last year, Steber explained the spring wheat crop was hit hard with falling numbers.

The Lind Field Day event also included presentations regarding perennial wheat, winter pea crop, winter wheat breeding and spring wheat breeding.

The breeding programs continue to be an annual topic, while the topic of winter pea is in the second year of reporting at Lind Field Day.

Winter pea is being offered as an alternative to the fallow field rotation, and helps increase the amount of residue left in the field.

Winter pea also has a strong emergence, leaves more moisture in the field and also tends to leave more nitrogen behind. The crop also does not require fertilizer, and helps to break weed and disease cycles.

Perennial wheat is also being researched to help provide area farmers with another alternative to the fallow rotation. The main issue surrounding the success of the crop is water, but the breeders are focused on regrowth of the crop after harvest, which includes planting late.