Dr. Robert Kratochvil

Associate Professor; Extension Specialist, Extension Coordinator for PSLA

Email: rkratoch@umd.edu
Office: 1112 H. J. Patterson Hall
Phone: 301.405.6241
Cell: 301.335.5030
Fax: 301.314.9041
Web Site: www.mdcrops.umd.edu
Dr. Robert Kratochvil

Education and Experience:

  • B.S. in Plant and Soil Science-Crops Option; Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 1972.
  • M.S. in Agronomy; University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 1988.
  • Ph.D. in Agronomy; University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 1994.

Area of Specialization:

As an Extension Specialist, I rely upon my applied research program to provide much of the information I use for my Extension Education programs. I focus my research and extension efforts to three areas of specialization:

  1. Identify, evaluate, and educate agronomic crop farmers about crop production practices that will maximize profit.
  2. Design production practices for cropping systems that incorporate sound, economical nutrient and best management procedures.
  3. Evaluate alternative and value added crop opportunities for Maryland farmers.

 

Current and Recent Research by Specialization Area:

1. Identify, evaluate, and educate agronomic crop farmers about crop production practices that will maximize profit.

Corn
    • Performance of nitrogen enhancement products used with sidedress nitrogen application (2008).
    • Corn hybrid response to nitrogen rates (2008).
    • Evaluation of corn and soil test-based prediction tools for determining adequacy of fall residual nitrogen for wheat planting (2005- current).
    • Corn hybrid performance tests. (annual: see www.mdcrops.umd.edu)
    • Row width and plant population effects on corn performance (1996-2003).
    • Performance of corn in a double crop production system (2001-2003).
    • Performance of Bt genetic traits for European corn borer and corn rootworm in corn hybrids (2002-2004).
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Soybean

    • Evaluation of early maturity soybean varieties as an escape mechanism for Asian soybean rust (2005-2008).
    • Effect of soybean maturity upon amount and availability of fall residual soil nitrogen for wheat planting (2007-current).
    • Soybean response to varying planting dates with and without fungicide seed treatment (2001-2002).
    • 'Roundup-Ready' soybean response to row-width and seeding rates in full season and double-crop systems (2001-2003).
    • Performance of food and specialty type soybean varieties (2000-2006; see www.mdcrops.umd.edu).
    • Evaluation of seed inoculant (Bradyrhizobium japonicum) use for soybean (2003-2004).

Wheat

    • Soft red winter wheat response to fall nitrogen (2005-current).
    • Soft red winter wheat response to seeding rates (2001-2002).

Barley

    • Barley response to nitrogen fertilizer rates (2005-current).
    • Barley response to seeding rates and seeding depths (2005-2007).

2. Design production practices for cropping systems that incorporate sound, economical nutrient and best management procedures.

  • Evaluation of planting techniques for cereal cover crops (2007-current).
  • Long-term evaluation of cropping systems for the remediation of phosphorus enriched soils (2000-current).
  • Effects of early and late planting and kill dates on cereal cover crop performance (2004-2006).
  • Sustainable non-chemical alternatives for managing root knot nematodes (2000-2002).
  • Post-harvest corn stalk management for no-till wheat planting (2000-2001).
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3. Evaluate alternative and value added crop opportunities for Maryland farmers.

  • Identification of production practices for alternative uses of tobacco (2003-current).
  • Winter canola variety performance tests (2008).
  • Hulless barley management practices (2004-2007).
  • Management practices for attaining hard red winter wheat quality (2002-2004).
  • Performance of malting barley in the mid-Atlantic region (1998-2001).
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Recent Publications:

  1. Grunberg, A.M., J.M. Costa, and R.J. Kratochvil. 2001. AFLP Polymorphism in a Selected Sample of Soft Red Winter Wheat Genotypes. Cereal Research Communications 29:251-258.
  2. Kratochvil, R.J. and T. Miller. 2002. Effect of Row Width and Plant Population on the Performance of Corn Grown for Grain in Maryland. Mid-Atlantic Grain and Forage Journal. Online [www.rce.rutgers.edu/pubs/magfj]. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. 7: 1-7.
  3. Kratochvil, R.J. and T. Miller. 2002. Effect of Row Width and Plant Population on the Performance of Corn Silage in Maryland. Mid-Atlantic Grain and Forage Journal. Online [www.rce.rutgers.edu/pubs/magfj]. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. 7: 8-14.
  4. Grunberg, A.M., J.M. Costa, and R.J. Kratochvil. 2002. Pre-harvest Sprouting in Soft Red Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grown in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic. Cereal Research Communications 30:95-101.
  5. Costa, J.M., A. Cooper, A. Grybauskas, R. J. Kratochvil, D.J. Sammons, and E. Shirley. 2002. Registration of 'Catchpenny' Barley. Crop Science 42:1378.
  6. Lo, Y.M., J.E. Hall, R.J. Kratochvil, W.J. Kenworthy. J.A. Radinsky, and E.B. Johnson. 2003. Integrating Value-Added Research with Field Management Practice: An Effective Extension Mechanism at the University of Maryland. Journal of Extension 41:2. http://www.joe.org/joe/2003april/iw1.shtml
  7. B.C. Fermin, J.A. Radinsky, R.J. Kratochvil, J.E. Hall, and Y.M. Lo. 2003. Integration of Rapid Derivatization and Gradient Elution Techniques for Enhanced High Performance Liquid Chromatography Analysis of Key Amino Acids in Wheat. Journal of Food Science 68:(9) 2667-2671.
  8. Dillehay, B.L., G.W. Roth, D.D. Calvin, R.J. Kratochvil, G.A. Kuldau, and J.A. Hyde. 2004. Performance of Bt-corn Hybrids, their Near Isolines and Leading Corn Hybrids in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Agronomy Journal 96:818-824.
  9. Kratochvil, R.J., J.T. Pearce, and M.R. Harrison Jr. 2004. Row-Spacing and Seeding Rate Effects on Glyphosate-Resistant Soybean for Mid-Atlantic Production Systems. Agronomy Journal 96:1029-1038.
  10. Kratochvil, R.J., S. Sardanelli, K. Everts, and E. Gallagher. 2004. Evaluation of Crop Rotation and Other Cultural Practices for Management of Root-Knot and Lesion Nematodes. Agronomy Journal 96:1419-1428.
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  11. Kratochvil, R.J., M.R. Harrison Jr., J.T. Pearce, K.J. Conover, and M. Sultenfuss. 2005. Nitrogen Management for Mid-Atlantic Hard Red Winter Wheat Production. Agronomy Journal 97:257- 264.
  12. Dillehay, B.L., D.D. Calvin, G.W. Roth, J.A. Hyde, G.A. Kuldau, R.J. Kratochvil, J.M. Russo, and D.G. Voight. 2005. Verification of a European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Loss Equation in the Major Corn Production Region of the Northeastern United States. Journal of Economic Entomology. 98(1):103-112.
  13. B.C. Fermin, J.A. Radinsky, R.J. Kratochvil, J.E. Hall, and Y.M. Lo. 2005. Effects of Proline and Glutamine on the Functional Properties of Wheat Dough in Winter Wheat Varieties. Journal of Food Science 70:(4) 265-272.
  14. Kratochvil, R.J. and R.W. Taylor. 2005. Evaluation of Twin Row Corn Production in the Delmarva. Online. Crop Management doi:10.1094/CM-2005-0906-01-RS.
  15. Kratochvil, R.J., M. Harrison Jr., and J.T. Pearce. 2005. Evaluation of Double Crop Corn. Mid-Atlantic Grain and Forage Journal. Online [www.rce.rutgers.edu/pubs/magfj]. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. 9:18-29.
  16. Kratochvil, R.J. 2005. Hulless Barley: Does It Have a Future in the Mid-Atlantic USA? Cereal Foods World. 50:5:273
  17. Costa, J.M, C.A. Griffey, H.E. Bockelman, S.E. Cambron, X. Chen, A. Cooper, C. Gaines, R.A. Graybosch, A. Grybauskas, R.J. Kratochvil, D.L. Long, E. Shirley, and L Whitcher. 2006. Registration of 'Choptank' Wheat. Crop Science. 46:474-476.
  18. Kratochvil, R.J., F.J. Coale, B. Momen, M.R. Harrison Jr., J.T. Pearce, and S. Schlosnagle. 2006. Cropping Systems for Phytoremediation of Phosphorus-Enriched Soils. International Journal of Phytoremediation. 8 (2):117-130.
  19. Everts, K.L., S. Sardanelli, D.K. Armentrout, R.J. Kratochvil, and L.E. Gallagher. 2006. Suppression of Root Knot and Lesion Nematodes by Cover Crops, Poultry Litter and Poultry Litter Compost. Plant Disease. 90: (4) 487-492.
  20. Costa, J.M., C.A. Griffey, H.E. Bockelman, S.E. Cambron, A. Cooper, C. Gaines, R.A. Graybosch, A. Grybauskas, R.J. Kratochvil, and D. Marshall,. 2007. Registration of 'Chesapeake' Wheat. Journal of Plant Registrations. 1: (3) 1-2.
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