Field day puts spotlight on ag research projects

Agriculture remains an important economic component in nine northeast New Mexico counties that include Quay County. Dovetailing from that, agriculture research centers are important, too.

Jay Lillywhite, associate dean of New Mexico State University's Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Services and director of its agriculture experiment stations, made that pitch during a keynote speech during the annual field day last Tuesday at the Rex E. Kirksey Agriculture Science Center in Tucumcari. About 80 people attended the event.

Lillywhite said every $1 spent on research at the state's 12 agriculture experiment stations results in $14 to $56 in returns - namely in greater efficiency for food production.

The ag experiment stations, Lillywhite said, also attract $20 million in out-of-state money. The Kirksey station, established in 1912, is the state's oldest ag research site.

Lillywhite also said the nine-county region that includes Quay produces 40% of the total farm products in New Mexico, and its 3,600 farms comprise 30% to the state's total.

"The region hits above its weight class," he said.

In all, Lillywhite said the region's agriculture contributes $3.3 billion in economic output annually and $1 billion in labor income annually.

Leonard Lauriault, research director at the Kirksey station, noted the November election contains a request for a state general-obligation bond. If passed, he said the bond might bring funds to replace or renovate buildings at the station and perhaps build a new laboratory.

Lauriault also recognized state Sen. Pat Woods (R-Broadview) for his role in landing state funds so the Kirksey station could buy a new pivot irrigation sprinkler with variable-rate technology.

During research presentations, NMSU extension livestock specialist Marcy Ward said the Kirksey station recently landed $100,000 to expand its longstanding Tucumcari Bull Test program.

It will use the funds to add eight feeders, increasing the program's capacity from 160 head of cattle to 288. Ward said the feeders would be installed this fall.

During the Tucumcari Bull Test sale in 2023, Ward said 90% of its bulls were sold, generating about $500,000 in receipts.

Ward also talked about the New Mexico Youth Beef Feeder Contest and the Ranch to Rail Program.

During a hay wagon tour of the facility, researchers talked about other projects.

John Idowu, NMSU extension agronomist, talked about building soil health. He said New Mexico annually is losing 16 to 23 tons of soil per acre due to erosion, mostly from wind. He said producers need to drop the rate to a more tolerable 1 to 5 tons per acre.

Idowu recommended reduced tilling, careful mixing of cover crops, organic amendments such as manure and biochar, careful grazing and crop rotation to reduce erosion and fortify soil health.

Idowu said soil is a vital living ecosystem that supports plants and animals.

"It's not dirt. It's alive," he said.

Semiarid cropping systems specialist Abdullahi Liman talked about using biochar and manure applications for forage crops. Noting variations in yields from last year and in greenhouse tests, he said biochar's particle size appears to affect yields. Biochar also tends to block soil nutrients for a short period.

Mark Marsalis, NMSU forage specialist, talked about new grass-control herbicide options for sorghum. He said such options for now are too costly for dryland farming, though that likely would improve.

Marsalis also said such options must be used carefully due to herbicide resistance, especially among weeds related to sorghum such as Johnson grass and shatter cane. He said herbicide treatments also must include crop rotation.

Lauriault spoke about tests for corn and cover crop intercropping for forage. He said using oats with corn as a silage showed greater protein content and digestibility. Using turnips with corn also increased digestibility. He said sowing canola with corn reduced its protein content because canola is "competitive" with corn.

Murali Darapuneni, associate professor at the Kirksey station, talked about alternative crop system for semi-arid environments. He said the station was testing several grasses and legumes with limited irrigation (equivalent to 5 inches of rain over a growing season).

The local Roadrunners 4-H Club catered the meal during the field day.