low rainfall. The other is to find a means of improving the substrate's ability to retain moisture, such as by using a ground cover crop.
FSR/E RELATED RESEARCH: tropical corn, winter grain trials; perennial peanut
PROBLEM:.There is a hardpan layer found at a depth between 12-14" on many farms in the region. This hardpan effectively prohibits roots from reaching soil moisture below this layer during the early summer dry period. Compaction from equipment enhances this problem.
ALTERNATIVES: Two potential solutions to this problem have been investigated: cultural practices involving the use of an inexpensive, low horsepower "home-made" subsoiler rig, and agronomic'crops capable of penetrating the hardpan because of their powerful and long tap roots.
FSR/E Related Research: subsoiling practices on corn; alternative crops
Need for Grain Crops
PROBLEM: The prevalence of livestock on these farms means grain crops are a key component of the system. Cash grains have also been major staple enterprises in crop systems. Traditional corn was the most widely used cash grain and livestor feed source, and had the advantage of multiple use: sale, storage, animal feed. Droughts, rising production costs, national  overproduction and diseases have made farmers wary of raising corn.
ALTERNATIVES: Two possibilities were identified by the team: 1) alternative summer grain crops that were more drought tolerant and/or were planted during period with greater rainfall but had the multiple use functions of corn; 2) winter grain crops which could befollowed by a summer crop. Winter grains would not face the drought, disease and insect problems that summer crops do.
PSR/E Related Research: 1) alternative grains and forage crops: Sa;igeon pea; tropical corn; consideration was given to sorghum; corn overseeding into perennial peanut 2) winter wheat for forage and/or grain; winter wheat time of planting and fertilization trials; winter grain (wheat, oats, triticale) variety trials; winter grain overseeding into perennial peanut