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Ongoing Forage Research Initiatives

Our goal is to have a program that will help to improve profitability of New York State forage/livestock operations,while at the same time minimizing any negative effects of forage crops on the environment. Grass forage crops as a potential bioenergy supply to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain open spaces also is being studied.

Specific Projects include:

  • Predicting forage quality of mixed alfalfa-grass stands in the spring.
  • Methods to evaluate differences in yield and quality among grass cultivars.
  • Evaluation of orchardgrass germplasms that are less competitive with alfalfa.
  • Yield of mixed warm-season grass stands.
  • Impact of commercial fertilization, organic manure, and irrigation on yield and quality of cool-season vs. warm-season grasses for biomass.
  • Association mapping in switchgrass and reed canarygrass to identify molecular markers linked to biomass-related trait loci.

Recent Publications

  • Parsons, D., McRoberts, K., Cherney, J.H., Cherney, D.J.R., Bosworth, S., Jimenez-Serrano, F. 2012. Preharvest neutral detergent fiber concentration of temperate perennial grasses as influenced by stubble height. Crop Sci. (in press).
  • Cherney, J.H., D. Parsons, and D.J.R. Cherney. 2011. A method for forage yield and quality assessment of tall fescue cultivars in the spring. Crop Sci. 51:2878-2885.
  • Parsons, D., Q.M. Ketterings, J.H. Cherney, R.W. Blake, L. Ramírez-Aviles, C.F. Nicholson. 2011. Effects of weed control and manure application on nutrient fluxes in the shifting cultivation milpa system of Yucatàn. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 57(3):273-292.
  • Parsons, D, C.F. Nicholson, R.W. Blake, Q.M. Ketterings, L. Ramírez-Aviles, J.H. Cherney, and D.G. Fox. 2011. Application of a simulation model for assessing integration of smallholder shifting cultivation and sheep production in Yucatàn, Mexico. Agric. Systems 104:13-19.
  • Parsons, D, C.F. Nicholson, R.W. Blake, Q.M. Ketterings, L. Ramírez-Aviles, D.G. Fox, L.O. Tedeschi, and J.H. Cherney. 2011. Development and evaluation of an integrated simulation model for assessing smallholder crop-livestock production in Yucatán, Mexico. Agric. Systems 104:1-12.
  • Hall, M.H. and J.H. Cherney. 2010. Increased teff seeding rates in the Central and North Atlantic Regions of the United States increases forage yield. Online. Forage and Grazinglands doi:10.1094/FG-2010-0802-01-BR.
  • Binder, E.M., D.J. Blodgett, J.F. Currin, D.L Caudell, J.H. Cherney, T LeRoith. 2010. Phalaris arundinacea (Reed canarygrass) grass staggers in beef cattle. J. Vet. Diagn. Invest. 22 (5):802-805.
  • Cherney, J.H., Q.M. Ketterings, M.H. Davis, and D.J.R. Cherney. 2010. Split Application of Nitrogen vs. Dairy Manure on Temperate Perennial Grasses. Online. Forage and Grazinglands doi:10.1094/FG-2010-0215-01-RS.
  • Cherney, J.H., Q.M. Ketterings, M.H. Davis, and D.J.R. Cherney. 2010. Timing of semi-solid dairy manure applications does not affect yield and quality of orchardgrass. Agron. J. 102:537-543.
  • Casler, M.D., R.C. Johnson, R.E. Barker, M.M. Jenderek, Y.A. Papadopoulos, and J.H. Cherney. 2010. Feasibility of Seed Production from Non-flowering Orchardgrass. Crop Sci. 50:35-42.
  • Markewich, H.A.; Pell, A.N.; Mbugua, D.M.; Cherney, D.J.R.; van Es, H.M.; Lehmann, J.; Robertson, J.B. 2010. Effects of storage methods on chemical composition of manure and manure decomposition in soil in small-scale Kenyan systems. Agriculture, ecosystems & environment. 139:134-141.
  • Rothman, Jessica M. Chapman, Colin A. Hansen, Julie L. Cherney, Debbie J. R. Pell, Alice N. 2009. Rapid Assessment of the Nutritional Value of Foods Eaten by Mountain Gorillas: Applying Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy to Primatology. International journal of primatology 30:729-742.
  • Cherney, D.J.R.; Cherney, J.H.; Chase, L.E. 2009. Using forages in dairy rations: Are we moving forward? Proceedings: 71st Meeting of the Cornell Nutrition Conference. p. 217-223. October 20-22, 2009, East Syracuse, New York.
  • Casler, M.D., J.H. Cherney, and E.C. Brummer. 2009. Biomass yield of naturalized populations and cultivars of reed canarygrass. Bioenerg. Res. 2:165-173.
  • Cox, W.J., J.H. Cherney, and J.H. Hanchar. 2009. Zone Tillage Depth Affects Yield and Economics of Corn Silage Production. Agon. J. 101:1093-1098.
  • Parsons, D., L. Ramierez-Aviles, J.H. Cherney, Q.M. Ketterings, R.W. Blake, and C.F. Nicholson. 2009. Managing maize production in shifting cultivation milpa systems in Yucatàn, through weed control and manure application. Agric. Ecosyt. Environ. 133:123-134.
  • Parsons, D., J.H. Cherney, and P.R. Peterson. 2009. Pre-harvest fiber concentration of alfalfa as influenced by stubble height. Agron. J. 101:769-774.
  • Hunter, M., Q.M. Ketterings, J.H. Cherney, P. Barney, T. Kilcer, and G. Godwin. 2009. Nitrogen needs of teff managed as forage crop in New York. Online. Forage and Grazinglands doi:10.1094/FG-2009-0612-01-RS.
  • Lawrence, J.R., Q.M. Ketterings, M.G. Goler, J.H. Cherney, W.J. Cox and K.J. Czymmek. 2009. Accuracy of the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) in predicting N responsiveness of corn in rotation. Soil Science Society of America Journal 73(1): 303-311.