June 17, 2013

Early Season Fungicides

Lundeen Agronomy 411 6.17.13

Often times people get caught up in looking at the negative things that have happened. Delayed planting, washouts, replants and everything else in-between. In the end, focus on maximizing yield potential in the fields that are most uniform and are on pieces of ground that offer the best chances for a solid return on investment. It is impossible to fix problems with spacing or stand at this point, but it is the perfect time to make a good management decision. Maximize yield potential where you can in 2013.

Fungicide use has been increasing each year with many of you looking for ways to improve timing and rates. Some have a spray everything approach while others have the scout and spray approach. Each situation is different and every outcome can be different. In heavy disease pressure fields, such as multiple years of corn, the decision tree can look different. A two pass approach, one at V6-V8 to save on application costs with POST spraying, and a VT timing. Research has shown that if you are adding a second application, the V6-V8 window is a good place to start. Growers looking to continue to utilize a single application should target the VT timing. A single application at V6-V8 will not have the same yield potential benefits as a single application at VT.

For an early application, heavy residue is a good option as well because of the high likelihood for anthracnose infection. Anthracnose has two significant yield robbing stages – a leaf blight phase and a stalk rot phase. An early application can reduce the chances of experiencing a significant yield robbing infection by controlling the early leaf blight stage of the disease.

Posted by on June 17, 2013 in Agronomy Note, Corn on Corn, Disease.

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May 28, 2013

Corn Root Development

Lundeen Agronomy 411 5.28.13

Initially, corn looks like it is not growing very quickly weeks after planting. In reality the foundation of the plant is being built in terms of root growth. Corn stages up to V4 often do not show any evidence of poor planting conditions but those quickly surface as the plant progress into the V4 and beyond stage. This is the beginning of nodal root support for the corn plant and any restriction in nodal root growth will show up as unevenness, yellowing, and stunting of the plant.

Figure 1 is a good example of corn plants that exhibit signs of compaction and limited early season root growth. Both plants are at the V3 stage, but the one of the left did not have limitations in root growth. Nodal root growth is normal as compared to the plant on the right. The stunted plant is still at the same stage, but with support going to transition away from the seed in the next few days, it may be left behind in terms of growth stage. This will show up in the field and be very visible from the road. I anticipate a large number of acres looking like this since there were very few that were able to plant into ideal conditions. In terms of overall yield potential, if the unevenness and yellowing persists beyond 2 growth stages, there can be a reduction in overall yield potential for the affected plant.

The heavy rainfall that continues across much of the area is definitely not welcome. As the weather warms up, we will have to turn our attention to nitrogen recommendations for areas that have received excessive totals. According to Iowa Stage University, Corn that is underwater, can survive for up to 4 days if the air temperature is below 77°F. Air temperature above 77°F results in the corn plant only being able to survive for up to 24 hours. Anytime oxygen is limited in the soil, there is a risk of plant death. Trenching out ponds is worth your time.

Posted by on May 28, 2013 in In the Field Note.

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May 13, 2013

Soybean Management Decisions

Lundeen Agronomy 411 PDF

Maximizing yield in soybeans may not be on the front of your mind today, but it is something to consider as it looks like a good planting window has opened up this week. Soybeans are a plant that flower based on day length and will initiate flowering when the days start to get shorter. High yield potential is realized when the plant has adequate time, 6 weeks in general, to grow vegetatively before flowering is induced. In a normal May 1st planting scenario, this would easily occur. As we get into mid to late May, management decisions need to be made to increase chances of higher yield potential in soybeans.

Management Decisions

1. Increase soybean plant population 10% over your planned approach.
A 10% increase in plant population can help compensate for the lack of vegetative growth before flowering as it will increase the total number of effective plants per acre. A seeding rate of 140,000 that would have been sufficient on May 1st, needs to be increased to 150-155k plants per acre.

2. Plant your earliest maturity group soybeans first.
Soybean maturity groups are based on flower initiation by day length. A 2.8 MG soybean will flower before a 3.7 MG soybean. As planting gets later, the later maturity group should have an advantage when looking to increase vegetative growth before flower induction.

3. Continue to utilize seed treatments.
Early season diseases from cool wet soils are often the reason to use soybean seed treatments. It should not be forgotten that diseases such as Rhizoctonia thrive in soil conditions similar to what is being experienced now. Warm and wet soils will put the seed treatment to work against Rhizoctonia and can go a long way in helping to maintain maximum soybean yield potential.

Posted by on May 13, 2013 in In the Field Note and tagged , , , , , .

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May 6, 2013

Corn Planting Update

Lundeen Agronomy 411 - PDF Version

For some the last week has been a nice sigh of relief as they were able to get into the field. For others, the rain came a day or two too early and did not allow for any field activity. The good news is that even with the recent rains, field drying increases as the temperatures get warmer which is exactly what the forecast is pointing towards. I know the question is on some grower’s minds of when do I need to look at changing relative maturities. If you are concerned about corn maturities, continue to stick with your original plan. The numbers do not support a switch to an earlier maturing hybrid at this point.

 

Corn planted right ahead of the rain Thursday evening would have the highest chance of having emergence issues. Imbibitional chilling injury from a rapid decrease in soil temperature is most prevalent to seeds exposed closest to the time of the cool rain event. Therefore, fields planted on May 1st have the highest likelihood of having emergence problems when compared to fields planted on the 30th of April. The fields planted on the 30th providing the conditions were fit should have had adequate time to start the germination process. Those fields will still need to be watched as emergence gets closer. If you did not park the planter on Thursday, be thorough in scouting those fields and be proactive in making decisions on soil crust breaking measures. The longer the seed sits struggling in the ground, the more energy it exerts and the greater chance it has to leaf out underground.

 

Planting progress as you could expect is very sporadic. Some customers were able to get 20-25% of their corn in the ground while others have yet to put a kernel in the ground. Most of the activity was in the western side of the state north of RT136. The light soils of Mason County were able to be planted and there were customers planting in counties to the north and west of RT40. With scattered rainfall totals over the weekend, making sure the field you are in is fit should be the top priority.

 

Posted by on May 6, 2013 in In the Field Note and tagged , .

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April 22, 2013

Growing Weeds

The warmer temperatures that are coming up this week and into next week are indeed welcome. That being said, it is extremely important to do everything possible to get chemicals applied to both corn and soybean fields as soon as soil conditions allow. The warm temperatures coupled with ample moisture will provide for very good growing conditions for fields that have not received any soil applied chemistry this spring or last fall. The cause for concern would come when weeds reach heights that make it very difficult for good chemical control. Growing weeds also reduce the ability of the soil to dry out and can further delay planting. Make sure you are targeting the right rate for the size of the weeds you are controlling. Take the time to adjust your program if necessary and apply the right rate on the field first time. As always, remember to read and follow label directions.

 

 

Lundeen Agronomy 411 4 22 13

Posted by on April 22, 2013 in In the Field Note and tagged , , .

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April 15, 2013

Nitrogen and Flooding

Early season flooding and ponding in fields often times leads to denitrification or leaching.  Denitrification essentially occurs from a loss of oxygen in the soil and leaching occurs from excessive rain which moves nitrates down through the soil profile.  Rainfall amounts are not the only factor when talking about denitrification.  The amount of time that a soil remains saturated and the temperature of the soil also influences the amount of nitrogen lost. Loss at this point should be low.  Once the soils warm up and stay warm, we may have to revisit this topic if conditions remain wet and soils remain saturated and the rate of nitrate lost increases.

Some factors influencing soil nitrate loss:

Temperature, Moisture, CEC, Organic Matter, pH, Residue type and amount

Estimated Denitrification Losses
Soil
Temperature		 Days

Saturated

 Nitrate-N loss

(% of total app)
55-60 5 10
10 25
75-80 3 60
5 75
7 85
9 95

 

Source: R. Ferguson. Part 1, Fertility Principles. Nutrient Management for

Agronomic Crops in Nebraska.  University of Nebraska.

http://cropwatch.unl.edu (5.24.10)

 

In my travels last week across the area, I did see some fields that were planted.  The majority of these I assume were put into warm soil right ahead of last week’s downturn in temperature and upturn in moisture.  Providing what we know about cold shock and the rapid decrease in soil temperature that occurred last week, I do suspect we will have issues establishing a uniform stand in these fields.  The conditions presented to the seed are adverse and emergence of those seeds could take upwards of three weeks if the forecast holds true.  I would encourage those that did plant corn to evaluate the stand as it begins to emerge and proactively contact your Channel Seedsman to have replant corn in place.  Given the ambiguity of what stand may establish, it is best to have a plan in place should you need to replant.

Ponding in Field

Posted by on April 15, 2013 in Agronomy Note.

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April 8, 2013

Soil Temperature

With a few reports of some planters in the field last week, with what I expect were planter setting passes, I wanted to provide an update on what this week has in store for optimal corn planting days. Obviously with the rain, most will have to wait for the soil to be fit. We’ve discussed the need to make sure soil temperatures are trending higher and the forecast looks optimal in these early days of April. Average planting dates and optimal yield potential have not changed from prior years, so we are still in good shape. I do have a few thoughts or suggestions when planting early and soil temperatures are still in constant flux between too cool and just warm enough for seed germination.

We know that throughout many fields, there are changes in soil type that would suggest the soil will not evenly warm or cool during the night. Pockets of soil that have more sand in their overall structure will warm faster and cool faster, not holding heat as well as a soil with more clay particles. Uneven soil temperature or fluctuation in soil temperature are drivers behind early season uneven emergence. While optimal planting depth is usually in the 1 3/4” range, consider planting deeper early season to mitigate these soil temperature fluxes. That may go against common thoughts to plant shallow and get the corn to come out of the ground sooner, but more consistent emergence should result from steadier soil temperatures.

The rain across the area should prove to keep most out of the field until next week. Looking at the forecast to the weekend regardless of rainfall, this would be advisable since there is a considerable cool down starting Thursday. Rapid cool down of the soil can create problems with seedling emergence and effect seedling development. The extended forecast does look promising as far as temperatures go and should allow for planting to resume or begin for most.

I look for this week to turn our heads towards a fast pace of planting next week. Look for more updates on a daily basis by following me on Twitter or Facebook, as this summary can help set the stage for the week, but news travels fast and can be more readily accessed on the pages listed above in my contact information.

Posted by on April 8, 2013 in Agronomy Note.

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April 1, 2013

Anticipating Spring

A year makes quite the difference. It’s not surprising that farming isn’t for everyone as the stress can often pile on during these times of anticipation. If there were a crystal ball, the anxiety that we will soon start to experience as we wait for the snow to melt would certainly diminish.  Trying to put it all in perspective as we anticipate a later than we are used to planting start, it soon becomes clear that the need to be first in the field is a thing of the past. The amount of information that is available to make decisions should give confidence during the decision-making process.

One of my favorite and simplest websites to monitor current statewide soil temperatures is a website that is operated by the Illinois State Water Survey. The site can be found at the following address: http://www.isws.illinois.edu/warm/soiltemp.asp It provides an overview of the soil temperatures and you can monitor the trends throughout the state. Looking at the 10am soil temperature would be the best map to look at for getting a wide perspective. Soil temperature this spring will be more important than most as the calendar will certainly tell us it is time to plant. Making sure the soil is 50 degrees and trending higher will give the seed the best chance at uniform emergence. Maximum yield potential starts with uniform emergence. I also cannot stress enough the importance of monitoring the forecast. Is there a cold rain shower coming within the next 24-48 hours?

If so, finding the shed and keeping the seed in the planter will most likely result in fewer instances of soil crusting, uneven emergence, and therefore increased yield potential. Keep in mind that out of all the variables in the growing season, the planter pass is the one true variable that is in your control and can greatly influence overall yield potential.

Soil moisture and the decision to level the ground will be another factor that can alter yield potential of the genetics being planted. Root growth at key development stages are influenced in soils with density layers created by running a field cultivator too soon or a planter creating sidewall compaction. Downforce is a key player in sidewall compaction along with soil moisture. Making sure you apply only the needed downforce to maintain uniform seeding depth will greatly benefit optimum root growth.

Lundeen Summary

Make certain soils are fit to work and plant
Monitor soil temperatures and target planting when they are 50 degrees and trending higher Park the planter before an approaching storm
Apply only the downforce needed to place seed at a uniform depth

Posted by on April 1, 2013 in Agronomy Note.

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February 27, 2013

Cover Crops

The winter is full of meetings that you can attend.  You can actually go to meetings to talk about other meetings you have been to.  They say you can tell what a person really cares about by looking at where he spends his time and his money.  That led me to the question I posed to the farmers having lunch with me at these meetings.  ”What has been the most interesting meeting you’ve attended this winter?”  I wanted to see where these guys were spending their time.  The responses ranged from seed meetings to marketing meetings, but many also said they have been attending cover crop meetings.  Cover crops are all the rage in winter meetings and it’s understandable as many growers are looking to improve their soil structure.

The pure nature of cover crops to reduce soil erosion, possibly tie up nitrates that would have otherwise leached, and build soil tilth are all admirable reasons to explore this venture.  Perhaps with the added push by the Howard G. Buffett foundation and SIU to provide education around this topic is one reason why the focus is back on forgotten cover crops.  It could also be that as the agriculture sector becomes more visible, farmers want to make certain they are being stewards of the land.  I do not pretend to be an expert in this field, but agronomically I can see the positives and the negatives of utilizing them in your farming system.

The real question is, will cover crops take hold in Illinois?  Will farmers create an expense in seeding and killing a crop that serves to preserve soil and improve tilth, a payout that is hard to put on a balance sheet or cash flow statement?  I recall talking with several farmers also who have been down the cover crop path and walked away.  I’ve also talked with many who have taken on the task of making it work.  Time will tell on whether cover crops will become the status quo for an Illinois farmer.  What do you think?

For more information on cover crops:

Midwest Cover Crops Council

Posted by on February 27, 2013 in In the Field Note and tagged , , , .

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February 6, 2013

Do You Need Soil-Applied Insecticide?

If your farm is in a corn rootworm area, most likely a lot of meetings this winter have focused around how to best manage corn rootworm. Recently university entomologists have noted resistance concerns about single mode of action corn rootworm products. Monsanto has a clear direction on best management practices for managing high-pressure corn rootworm fields to help ensure successful management of corn rootworm.

Figure 1. Roundup Ready® Corn 2 product (left) and Genuity® SmartStax® Corn product on right. Low pressure 2nd year corn field.

High-pressure corn rootworm fields are best defined as areas that showed excessive root feeding in 2012, or fields that had two or more adult beetles per plant. As a farmer, you may be thinking you did not see any corn rootworm root feeding or you are not sure if there were two or more beetles per plant. In that scenario, high-pressure fields could be considered an instance of three or more years of corn with a single mode of action product. The best option to reduce corn rootworm pressure on those acres is to rotate to soybeans or another non-host crop. Another great option for continuous corn-on-corn fields is to use a dual mode of action product such as Genuity® SmartStax®. When using a product with a single mode of action (such as Genuity® VT Triple PRO® corn) on high corn rootworm pressure acres, we recommend the use of a supplemental mode of action such as a soil-applied insecticide.

A common misconception is that switching to a different single mode of action product would be beneficial. Other single mode of action products include Herculex® Xtra and Agrisure Viptera® 3111. Switching single mode products sacrifices genetics and does not address the lack of another mode of action on that acre. If the right genetics are available in a Genuity® SmartStax® corn platform for that acre, soil-applied insecticide is not needed for maximum yield potential (Figure 1). In academic and Monsanto trials Genuity® SmartStax® provides the best and most consistent root protection of any corn rootworm product. If you still have questions around what you can do to maximize yield potential in a high corn rootworm environment, your local Channel Seedsman can help implement a strategy.

Posted by on February 6, 2013 in Agronomy Note, Corn on Corn and tagged , .

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