Field Crop News at Penn State

Field Crop News

Website Address: http://fcn.agronomy.psu.edu/

July 30, 2004    Vol. 04:08

IN THIS ISSUE:

Mark Your Calendar

Weather Outlook

Production

Pest Management

Agents Corner

JOIN US ON A TOUR OF LOCAL AGRICULTURE - AUGUST 5, 2004
Tour Agenda and Directions:

9:30 AM - We will meet at Dan and Penny Ulmer's Farm on Blanchard Street between Bellefonte and the Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science & Technology in Pleasant Gap. The farm is located on the left and will have a Penn State Cooperative Extension Demonstration Sign marking the driveway.

Topics Include: Potato Leaf Hopper Resistant Alfalfa Research, TARA Soybean Demonstration, and discussion of our Chlorophyll Meter used to predict nitrogen in corn.

10:45 AM - We will meet at Jim Walizer's Farm. Directions from Ulmer's are: Take Route 550 to the Y at Zion. Then turn left onto Route 64 North and go about 3.5 miles. Turn left onto Walizer Road, across from Mingoville turnoff. Signs will be posted. From there we will proceed to the Walizer Tree Farm just north on Route 64 to Hublersburg.

Topics Include: Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Practices, Discuss the Local Pasture Network and Workshop Series(Allen Hollenbach & Beth Hirt), and a look at warm season grass management.

12:30 PM - We will meet at Joel Myers Pavillion for lunch. A picnic lunch and drink will be provided for a donation of $5.00. Directions: Take Blue Ball Road from Route 64 at Mingoville 5.8 miles to Route 192. Take a right on Route 192 and go .6 miles to Ridge Road. Take a left on Ridge Road and go 3.7 miles to Spring Mills. Turn right on Route 45 west < .1 mile. Turn left into spring mills on Fire Hall Road. < .1 mile. Turn right onto School House Road < .1 mile. Do not cross the bridge. Turn right onto Sinking Creek Road < .1 mile. Follow Sinking Creek Road 1.1 miles. Turn left on private road across Sinking Creek (Joels Woods). Go up the hill - pavilion is on the left. After lunch we will move to the Myer's Farmstead.

Topics Include: Methane Digesters on Farms, EQIP Program, Nutrient Management, Soil Quality, Weed Control, and Residue Management in No-Till.

2:30 PM - Have a Safe Trip Home.

Certified Crop Advisor Credits and 1 Nutrient Management Continuing Education Credit will be offered.

If you plan to have the picnic lunch please contact our office at 814-355-4897.

SPONSORED BY: PENN STATE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, USDA, NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE, USDA, FARM SERVICE AGENCY, CENTRE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT, and CLINTON COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT

BUNKER SILO MANAGEMENT MEETING

Dr. Brian Holmes is an agricultural engineer from the University of Wisconsin. Brian has worked for many years on bunker silo issues. He has helped to pioneer bunker silo packing recommendations. In addition Brian has investigated the economics of using facers to remove silage and how to maximize silage bags for efficiencies. On August 10 and 11 Dr. Holmes will be presenting his recommendations at two morning seminars in Lancaster and Franklin Counties.

On Tuesday August 10 from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon a seminar will be held at the Lancaster DHIA office, 1592 Old Line Road, Manheim. On Wednesday August 11, again from 9:00 am until noon the program will be presented at the Lighthouse Restaurant, Rt. 11, north of Chambersburg. Topics include: What Have We Learned about Silage Densities; Achieving Optimum Silage Densities; Results from the 2004 Capital Region Bunker Study; and Bunker Silo Facers - Are they worth the investment. Brian will also use his Excel programs to demonstrate silage packing strategies.

Cost to attend either of these workshops is $10.00 if registered prior to August 5. There will be a $15.00 fee charged at the door for those who do not pre-register. To register contact the Dauphin County Extension office at 717-921-8803 to request a registration form. Forms are also available from the Lancaster County 717-394-6851 and Franklin County 717-263-9226 Extension offices.

Paul H. Craig, phc8@psu.edu
Dauphin County

WEATHER OUTLOOK

Genuine summer heat has yet to appear in the state. While a few days have brought readings above 90 degrees in the southeastern counties of the state and the lower Susquehanna Valley, most sections are noticing an unusual string of cooler than average days. Yet the nights have been rather mild (mean temperatures will end up around 1-3 degrees below normal for July).

In addition, persistent showers and above average cloud cover has produced poor drying. The wettest locations during the last few weeks has been in the southeast quarter of the Commonwealth, where rainfall totals have exceeded 10 inches in a few places.

The transition into early August will still bring mild, moist conditions, though the focus of heaviest rainfall may shift into northwest sections of the state. Temperatures will rise above seasonal levels during the first weekend, but may slip below normal later in the first week (August 5-7). It is increasingly likely that a spell of very warm weather will develop between August 8-12.

The outlook for August still indicates the month averaging slightly above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall with the warmest weather possible at the end of the month and a significant (perhaps record) cool spell possible in the middle of August (16-22). Odds also favor an active hurricane season for the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Paul Knight, PGK2@psu.edu
Pennsylvania State Climatologist

PRODUCTION

Time to Comment on Proposed Nutrient Management Regulations

For the last several years the State has been working on revisions to the nutrient management regulations under Act 6, the Nutrient Management Act, and for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). It was just announced this week that the proposed changes to the regulations will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin (http://www.pabulletin.com) on August 7, 2004. This will be the beginning of a 90 day period when the public will be invited to comment on these proposed changes. Copies of the proposed changes in a more reader friendly format will also be available on the web at: http://panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu.

To facilitate the comment process on these important agricultural regulations, Penn State Cooperative Extension has prepared factsheets summarizing the proposed changes to the regulations and guidance for commenting on these proposals. These will be available at about the same time that the proposed changes are published. You can get a copy of these factsheets on the web at: http://panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu.

Also during the comment period, the State Conservation Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection will hold two public information meetings to present the changes. These will be held from 6 to 9 PM at the Holiday Inn in Mechanicsburg on September 13 and at the Ramada Inn in Dubois on September 16. Comments may be submitted in writing at anytime during this period and there will also be public hearings to take comments on the proposed changes at the same locations in Mechanicsburg on October 13 and Dubois on October 14, also from 6 to 9 PM. The information meetings and hearings will be combined for both sets of regulations. Details on these meetings and hearings will be available on the web at: http://panutrientmgmt.cas.psu.edu.

The changes proposed in these regulations will have an important impact on animal agriculture in Pennsylvania. Thus, it is critical that anyone with a stake in nutrient management take the time to learn about these proposed changes and take advantage of the opportunity to provide input on the proposals before they become final regulations.

Douglas Beegle, dbb@psu.edu
Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management, Crop and Soil Sciences

Small Grains Preliminary Data Posted

To help folks plan their fall barley and wheat seed purchases better we have decided to post the preliminary wheat and barley performance data on our new small grains website located at: http://smallgrains.psu.edu/ The results will be available in both Excel and new html sortable format. We will be preparing an official report shortly and will post that as soon as possible. Dave Johnson is coordinating the trials for next year and if you have ideas for entries, please contact him. Thanks to all who participated in trials this year and to our staff who worked hard to get the data out in a timely fashion.

Soybean Yield Contest

Do you have some good looking soybeans? Consider entering them in the Pennsylvania Soybean Board's Pennsylvania Soybean Yield Contest. The entry deadline is August 30. Entry forms are available from most extension educators and a downloadable copy is available from our website at http://cornandsoybeans.psu.edu/

Greg Roth, gwr@psu.edu, Grain Crops Management, Crop and Soil Sciences;
David H. Johnson, dhj3@psu.edu, Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center;
Erick DeWolf, edd10@psu.edu, Plant Pathology

Determination of Soybean Growth Stages - A Review

With the increased interest in treating soybeans with foliar fungicides and insecticides to control foliar diseases and insect pests such as soybean aphid, and with the possibility of introduction of soybean rust into the U.S., which could make foliar fungicide treatments a necessity, a review of soybean growth stages would probably be helpful to growers and agricultural professionals. For example, soybean aphid causes most economic damage when soybeans are in the early reproductive growth stages (R1 to R2). What do these and the other terms used (V2, V5, R5, etc.) really mean?

The current soybean growth stage terminology was developed in 1971 by Dr. W.R. Fehr of USDA at Iowa State and Dr. C.E. Caviness of the University of Arkansas and their technicians in order to standardize terminology for all soybean genotypes growing in all environments (Fehr et al. 1971). This terminology is used to time pesticide applications, document growth stage at the time of an injury event such as hail for insurance purposes, scout pests, and compare growth of genotypes in a given environment. An excellent new publication from Iowa State entitled Soybean Growth and Development (PM 1945) by P. Pedersen based on these stages was published this spring. It can be ordered online from Iowa State at http://extension.iastate.edu/pubs/ .

Figure 1. Soybean plant in V3 growth stage

The V and R growth stages are used to refer to vegetative (leaves and nodes) and reproductive (flowers, pods, and seeds) development, respectively. The V stages refer to the number of nodes with a fully expanded leaf. A leaf is considered fully expanded when the leaflets of the next node have unrolled far enough so that their edges are not touching. The vegetative stage is determined by counting the number of nodes, starting at the unifoliate leaf, that have completely unrolled leaves. For example, plants in the unifoliate stage are designated V1, plants with five nodes with completely unrolled leaves is in stage V5, and plants with twelve nodes with completely unrolled leaves is in stage V12 (Table 1). Figure 1 shows a plant in the V3 growth stage.

Stage No. Vegetative Stages
Description
V1 Unifoliate leaves completely unrolled.
V2 Leaves at node directly above unifoliate leaves completely unrolled.
V3 Three nodes with completely unrolled leaves, including unifoliates.
V(N) N nodes on the main stem with completely unrolled leaves, beginning with the unifoliate leaves.
Stage No. Reproductive Stages
Description
R1 One flower at any node.
R2 Flower at node immediately below the node with a completely unrolled leaf.
R3 Pod is 0.5 cm (3/16 inch) long at one of the four uppermost nodes with a completely unrolled leaf.
R4 Pod is 2 cm (3/4 inch) long at one of the four uppermost nodes with a completely unrolled leaf.
R5 Seeds beginning to develop (can be felt by squeezing or at least 1/8 inch long) at one of the four uppermost nodes with a completely unrolled leaf.
R6 Pod containing a green seed that fills the pod cavity at one of the four uppermost nodes with a completely unrolled leaf.
R7 Pods yellowing (One normal pod on the main stem that has reached its mature pod color- brown or tan)
R8 Ninety five percent of the pods have reached their mature pod color, approximately five to ten days prior to harvest

Determining the stage of reproductive growth is a bit more complicated. With the exception of stage R1, we examine the reproductive structures on the upper four nodes that have fully unrolled leaves. Stage R1 indicates a flower present at any node. Stage R2 indicates a flower immediately below the node with the uppermost unrolled leaf. The stages progress through pod and seed development to yellowing and physiological maturity (Table 1).

Figure 2. Soybean plant in V13,R5 (13 nodes with fully expanded leaf, developing bean can be felt)

Once a plant has entered reproductive growth, both V and R stages can be used to describe it. For example, a plant that has 15 nodes with fully expanded leaves and a 2-cm (3/4-inch) long pod at one of the four upper nodes would be in stage V15,R4. Figure 2 shows a plant with 13 leaf nodes and seed starting to develop (can be felt by squeezing) at one of the pods in the uppermost four nodes (plant stage V13,R5).

So, the next time you are in a field to determine soybean growth stage, remember to count nodes with fully expanded leaves to determine V stage and use the uppermost four nodes with completely unrolled leaves to determine R stage. Timing of pesticide application and scouting for insects and diseases to determine potential for loss and if a spray is needed are all based on these stages.

References:
W. R. Fehr, C. E. Caviness, D. T. Burmood, and J. S. Pennington. 1971. Stage of development descriptions for soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merrill. Crop Science 11:929-931. Pedersen, P. 2004. Soybean Growth and Development. Iowa State University Extension. Publication PM 1945, Ames, IA.

David H. Johnson, dhj3@psu.edu,
Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center;
Greg Roth, gwr@psu.edu
Grains Management, Crop and Soil Sciences

Agronomist's Perspective on Energy and Crop Production Issues

This summer I attended several meetings where energy issues related to crop production and agriculture were the focus of the program. There are a number of energy issues developing that crop producers and their advisors should be aware of.

Natural Gas Prices

Increasing demand for natural gas domestically for electric power production is causing N fertilizer (derived from natural gas) prices to increase and production to shift overseas, where natural gas is inexpensive. This has implications for cost and the security of N fertilizer supplies for US agriculture. Grain drying costs are also impacted. Other industries that rely heavily on natural gas, like steel, face a similar challenge. Management alternatives that reduce our demand on natural gas in our cropping systems may have some merit in the future.

Ethanol

Ethanol production continues to increase rapidly and now approximately 10% of the US corn crop is used for ethanol. The higher price of gasoline adds to ethanol production profitability and offsets the effects of higher corn prices (which is not a problem anymore). Interest is increasing in developing alternative feedstocks for ethanol production to help meet the surging demand. Cellulose based ethanol production has been shown to be feasible, but requires expensive enzymes and more capital for plant construction. These factors are limiting investment in cellulose based ethanol projects now but in the longer term this technology may become cost effective.

Wind Energy

Wind energy technology has improved and windmills are becoming more cost effective. Larger windmills have a shorter payback than small windmills. Being able to use the electricity on site and replacing retail power is an important part of the economics. Having a good site and demand for electricity when the wind is blowing are other considerations. Our Penn State extension office in Westmoreland County has installed a windmill to supply some of the power for their office. Producers with windy locations may eventually be able to lease windmill sites like cell phone tower sites to produce additional income for the farm, with little impact on crop production.

Biomass for Co-firing

Co-firing is mixing one product with another (coal) to produce power. One option would be to mix switchgrass or corn stover with coal to produce power. It is difficult to produce biomass as cheaply as coal, and there are some issues with emissions. Also power companies need large and consistent supplies of biomass at low prices, which presents some logistical and economic challenges for producers. Agronomists are concerned with corn stover removal, especially on sloping or low organic matter soils.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel can be made from soybeans, rapeseed, animal fats and other products. Currently the cost of production is substantially more than diesel. Blends of biodiesel as low as 2% can reduce emissions and improve engine life, and reduce the cost to the end user. The best potential of biodiesel in the short term seems to be as an additive, not as fuel replacement.

There is considerable interest in the public sector for developing alternative energy sources from crops and crop residues. Generally it seems that successful ventures need to consider the combination of environmental benefits, rural economic development, and economic issues to be successful. Modest changes in public policy can have a large effect on the potential of an alternative energy sources. Energy production on farms could also contribute a more distributed energy production network that may have some advantages.

Greg Roth, gwr@psu.edu
Grain Crops Management, Crop and Soil Sciences

The 2005 Planting Season Begins Now with Proper Residue Spreading

Figure 3. Uneven crop residue distribution will result

Someone once noted that no-tilling involves more management that tillage farming. It definitely involves more advanced planning and forethought. The no-tiller therefore needs to start planning now for the 2005 planting season. One important determinant of success with no-till is to have uniform residue distribution. If residue is not distributed uniformly behind the combine it becomes very difficult to correct this later (Figure 3). Even when tilling even residue distribution is beneficial, although it is easier to correct poor distribution with the plow. Unevenly distributed residue causes a number of problems in no-till:

  1. Hairpinning and variable seed depth. Windrows and piles of residue will cause unsatisfactory planter performance next year. Variable depth placement of seeds, and hairpinning will occur. The planting units may even be riding over excessive residue, unable to penetrate the soil. This causes seeds to be dropped at the soil surface. Planters with disk openers are most susceptible to these problems.
  2. Uneven emergence. Even if seeds are placed accurately, an excessive mat of residue directly over emerging plants may cause plants to be injured, causing poor emergence. Patches of bare soil intermixed with thick residue cover will cause unevenness in soil temperature which will also affect emergence.
  3. Increased pest pressure. Certain insect pests and rodents just love to live in those thick patches of residue.
  4. Weed control problems. Weed seeds and grain lost through the combine will be concentrated in the residue patches. Concentrated weeds and volunteer crop plants are difficult to control. Herbicide effectiveness will be compromised because the herbicides don't reach the soil.
Figure 4. Good corn residue distribution is essential for successful no-till.

Right now may be a good time to take a look at the spreader behind your combine. Distribution is very important, especially when you get a bumper crop. Suppose this fall harvest a 200 bushel/A corn yield. The residue weighs 9400 pounds oven dry. That means there will be almost 5 tons/A of corn stalks and chaff standing in the field (Figure 4a). If you have a 6-row combine without a spreader most residue will end up in a 5 foot swath. You will have accumulations of up to 9 tons of residue in that swath next to strips of bare soil (Figure 4b). A poorly working spreader gives intermediate results (Figure 4c). If you really want to do a good job you want to install both a residue and chaff spreader on the combine (Figure 4d).

Figure 5. A batt spreader spreads coarse residue particles.

There are combine straw spreaders with rotating blades or batts (Figure 5) to deflect coarse particles. Chaff may need to be spread in addition to the coarse material with spinning disks, rotating batts, or air conveyance systems such as axial fans. Chaff is lightweight, easily deflected by wind, and difficult to move very far by mechanical means. Fans which create air flow to carry the chaff are more effective although their performance may be reduced by wind.

Figure 6. Batts with rounded edges need to be replaced for good residue distribution.

If your spreader has batts it is important to replace them if they have rounded edges (Figure 6). Square edges on new rubber batts will increase spreader width. Adding more or longer batts or increasing the rotational speed improves residue distribution. Straw choppers also distribute residue. Long, angled deflector blades and increased rotational speed improve the spreading action of straw choppers. If chopped residue is not uniformly spread it makes denser windrows than unchopped residue. Contact your dealer for spreader options on your combine.

Sjoerd Duiker, swd10@psu.edu
Soil Management, Crop and Soil Sciences

Pest Management

Glyphosate Resistant Horseweed Update

We have been hearing reports of potential glyphosate resistant horseweed or marestail popping up in Pennsylvania. Unlike our neighbors to the south and west, the reports usually involve a single field or farm. Ohio State's Mark Loux and Jeff Stachler report that they are seeing a lower horseweed population compared to the last several years. They are attributing most of this to the later than normal maturity of the horseweed last year resulting in fewer plants germinating in the fall. However, they have observed a tremendous amount of spring germination, but Jeff commented that spring germinating plants are generally easier to control than the better established bigger fall emerging plants. Despite the predominance of spring emerging plants, they are seeing glyphosate-resistance in most of the same areas as a year ago and farther north. Jeff estimates that glyphosate resistant horseweed is present on a scattered basis in many fields over nearly 40% of the state. In Ohio, the problem first appeared in the southwest corner and then moved northward above I-70. This season they believe resistant biotypes are as far north as Fremont which is just south of Lake Erie. They have also confirmed a few populations that are resistant to both glyphosate and the ALS-type herbicides.

A Delaware soybean field gone wild with glyphosate resistant horseweed.

On the eastern shore, University of Delaware's Mark VanGessel reported that the number of fields and the level of infestation within fields has increased drastically this year (See accompanying image). Many farmers included 2,4-D with their burndown program, but only used the pint rate rather than a quart rate which reduced the control. Mark has not yet identified any ALS-resistant horseweed in Delaware.

Going into the 2004 season in Pennsylvania, we had only one confirmed site in Chester county where horseweed survived a 3 lb ai/acre application (66 oz/acre rate of Roundup Weathermax) in our greenhouse assay. We have not tried to confirm resistance in any of the reports from this summer thus far, but will likely try to collect some seed and test the populations this winter. A number of questions arise when encountering a suspect field for the first time, and particularly this time of year.

In today's economic climate (and soybean prices), there are few growers that would be willing to mow down a soybean field in order to prevent weed seed production. So, at least try to limit seed production if possible with a rescue treatment. Glyphosate can be applied through soybean flowering, while the cutoff point for FirstRate or Amplify is 50% flowering and 65 days before harvest (glyphosate still injures resistant plants and will likely reduce seed production). Also, try to confirm whether resistance is the cause and if so, plan ahead for next year. Unfortunately, horseweed seed can easily travel between fields, (at least 1/3 mile according to Joe Dauer's 2003 Penn State field research), so consider this when developing a management strategy. We'd like to hear about potential resistant fields or farms, so contact me (wcurran@psu.edu) or your local county extension agent to provide the details.

Bill Curran, wcurran@psu.edu
Weed Science, Crop and Soil Sciences

Agents Corner

CAPITAL

In general we have had hazy, warm and humid weather for the last couple of weeks with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Occasionally a brief period of less humid air has come in. Finishing wheat harvest, starting oats and baling straw moved at a snails pace or slower last week (12th) and has resumed this week. Corn looks very good although some yellowing on the lower leaves can be seen in places. Early planted corn is in milk to late milk stage. What seems to be the main season planting this year has pollinated and some late planted corn can still be seen in pre-tassle. Soybean growth has been generally good as well. Some early developing fields are in the pod filling stage. I have seen some soybean aphids around and also some downey mildew but both at low infestation levels. Double crop soybeans following wheat are in the VC to V1 stage. There are still a few grass hay fields or parts of fields still standing waiting to be cut for the first time.

John Rowehl, jrowehl@psu.edu
Cumberland County

CENTRAL

It is amazing how quickly the field crops have gone from looking super, to showing some signs of heat stress. With the recent high temps, the corn has started to curl in the afternoons. For the most part the earlier planted corn looks very good, with good height and some tassels starting to emerge. Very little insect activity has shown up recently. Some of the later planted corn which is 8 - 14 inches high seems to be suffering from the high temperatures and more limited rainfall. Also we are seeing many yellow spots in fields where the nitrogen was leached out from excessive soil moisture.

The grass fields and pastures have slowed their growth slightly, but still are producing fairly well. Leafhopper numbers remain high and most farmers are applying insecticides to 2nd and 3rd growth, as well as new seedings. Barley harvest is started and wheat will not be far behind. I have seen some cases of take-all and a few other diseases. In general the small grains look good. Dry hay harvest still remains a challenge, as there just haven't been many dry days grouped together to allow for much dry hay to be harvested. The rows of wrapped bales continue to grow on farms. There may be some feeding challenges when these mature forages are brought of storage.

Soybeans in general look good and are still being planted in wet fields that have just recently dried up. Poor emergence and low populations seem to be more common in the later planted fields.

Greg Hostetter, gjh10@psu.edu
Juniata County


Beegle signature

Douglas Beegle, editor,
Professor, Agronomy, dbb@psu.edu

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