CMEG Crop Management Extension Group

Field Crop News

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

October 24, 2006    Vol. 06:25

IN THIS ISSUE:

Weather Outlook — Paul Knight

Expect a continuation of below seasonal temperatures for the majority of the next two weeks. The chill will moderate with some sunshine on Thursday, but a cold rain is likely again on Friday and the first part of Saturday. More cold air will be poised north of Pennsylvania later in the weekend, but there is some uncertainty to when it will return and with what degree of intensity. Odds favor one ‘seasonable’ day (either Sunday or Monday), before more very chilly air returns with accompanying lake effect snow showers in western sections of the state by later Tuesday or Wednesday. While there should be some moderation in temperature at the end of next week, another significant disturbance with rain followed by snow showers is likely later in the weekend of Nov. 4–5 or early the week after.

Cover Crops Help Soil Resist Compaction — Sjoerd Duiker, Soil Management Specialist

Farmer testimonials and intuition told me that it had to be true: cover crops help soil resist soil compaction better. Now I discovered a study that confirms this. A trial in Montgomery, Virginia was laid out on a McGary silt loam (a somewhat poorly drained river bottom soil containing 34% sand, 47% silt and 19% clay), and a Zoar silt loam (a moderately well drained soil containing 38% sand, 50% silt and 12% clay). Rye cover crop was planted in some plots, while a bare fallow was also included. The bare fallow was kept weed—free with herbicides, whereas the rye was burned down with paraquat on May 16th in one treatment, left standing in another, and left standing but with above—ground biomass removed in another. Soil was compacted on June 1 with up to 5 passes with a 6.5 ton tractor (80% weight on rear axle, which is 5 tons). After 5 passes with the tractor, bulk density in the 0–3” depth of the bare fallow was significantly higher than that in the other treatments. Macro—porosity (important for water movement and aeration) had decreased 14% in the bare fallow, 10% in the burned down, 7% in the live rye, and 5% in the harvest rye. Capillary porosity was from 18 to 34% higher in the cover—cropped than in the bare plots after 5 tractor passes. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was reduced from very rapid to moderately slow in the bare, but remained moderate to moderately rapid in the cover cropped plots. The study shows that cover crops are indeed effective in make soils resist compaction. The living cover crops make the soil drier, while the dessicated rye doesn’t. The roots are the key to making soil resist compaction. Because surface roots of a crop like rye are only spaced about 1/8 of an inch they create a mesh much like a geotextile that causes soil to resist compaction better. This work shows that cover crops play an important role in soil compaction management, particularly in no—tillage systems on dairy, hog and poultry farms where manure is spread in fall and spring.

The full study can be found in Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers 41(5):1271–1275 (Crop residue and root effects on soil compaction by D.R. Ess, D.H. Vaughan, and J.V. Perumpral, published in 1998).

Too Late to Control Perennials this Fall? — Bill Curran, Crop and Soil Sciences

Fall is generally the best time to kill most of our “herbaceous” perennials such as Canada thistle, quackgrass, and hemp dogbane, but is late October it already too late? Except for some of the more cool—season types of perennials, the benefit of applying an herbicide after the first hard frost is questionable. If in doubt, examine the plant for signs of life. For example, with hemp dogbane, if the leaves still appear mostly green and healthy and the root buds are pink, an application of glyphosate, 2,4–D, or Banvel/Clarity could still pay off. With the cooler season species (Canada thistle, quackgrass, orchardgrass, etc.) we generally have more time to make that application. However, the effectiveness generally starts to decrease after mid—September, depending on location. In a study conducted at Penn State several years ago with glyphosate on quackgrass control in the fall, the later applications were less effective (see table). As a general rule for cool season species, make applications before September 30 in northern and western Pennsylvania, before October 15 in central Pennsylvania, and before November 1 in southern Pennsylvania. For our more “fair-weather” types of perennials such as hemp dogbane, bindweed, and wirestem muhly, move these dates up by about 1 month.

The application rate for glyphosate is 0.75 to 1.5 lb acid equivalent (ae) per acre (1 to 2 qt of a 3 lb ae/gallon formulation). Always include AMS with glyphosate in the fall and don’t tank—mix it with anything else unless there is a very good reason. Fall applications of Banvel/Clarity, 2,4–D, Banvel/Clarity + 2,4–D, or in combination with glyphosate are also more effective than spring treatments on killing old alfalfa sods or most other perennial broadleaf species. In addition, fall applications of Banvel/Clarity allow for spring soybean or forage legume plantings, while spring treatments do not. Banvel/Clarity and/or 2,4–D LVE rates are generally 1 to 2 pints per acre.

The following table is from some research conducted in Centre County in the 1970’s. The effect of application timing on quackgrass control is readily apparent. Glyphosate was applied at 1 lb ae/acre.

Time of Application Percent Quackgrass Control
Late September > 90%
Early October 80-90%
November 50-60%

D) Grain Observations — John Berry, Agricultural Marketing Educator

Corn harvest continues to lag behind last year’s pace and the 5—year average. Current projections from USDA put the corn crop at only 53 percent harvested, which is supporting basis. Areas of Minnesota and North Dakota did have slightly weaker basis as harvest progress in these sates jumped significantly in the last week. However, the big driver in much of the Corn Belt was lower barge rates which helped basis post double—digit gains in most areas of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. For beans, basis gains were more pronounced as harvest is reaching an end in many parts of the country. However, areas in the Plains and Eastern Cornbelt still have a fairly sizable portion of their crop to harvest which is keeping basis in these regions mostly stable. Basis should continue to hold firm over the next 4 to 6 weeks.

However, with futures and basis seeing sharp gains in recent weeks carrying returns in many cash markets are starting to evaporate. At the beginning of October, the average spread between corn contracts for January and March delivery was 6 cents a bushel. Today, the average carry being paid is only 4 cents a bushel. While some buyers continue to offer profitable carry, the opportunities are harder to find and should continue to dwindle in the coming weeks.

Source: www.cashgrainbids.com

Time to Get a Handle on Plant Food in the Soil — Del Voight, Extension Educator, and Dr. Doug Beegle, Crop and Soil Sciences

Yields are variable in the Region from 100 bu/acre to 265 bu/acre corn yield reports. With high yields the plant food contained in the soil is depleted (200 bu corn crop pulls (80lbs of P and 60lbs of K) and it is important to get a bench mark as to what is left. Soil test kits available at the local Extension Office for 9 dollars are the best way to indicate the relative amounts of food available for the plants. Volume discounts are available. Contact the Ag Analytical Services Lab at 814–863–0841 for more information. A kit is nothing more than a bag and paper. I have seen yellow corn, beans, stalk rot and mycotoxins from low K, purple corn from low pH and low P and numerous ear malformations from lack of fertility that could be avoided with a simple test! Here are some soil testing ideas:

1. Getting the sample now.

a. You need to ensure that the 10–15 acres that one bag is designed to represent does just that —— represent the soil profile in that field. Following are some key things to remember:
i. Make sure the sample is representative of the area being sampled by taking at least 15 to 20
cores randomly across the field and mixing them to get a sample to send to the lab.
ii. Avoid non—uniform areas such as starter fertilizer bands, old fence rows, manure or limestone
stacking sites, near gravel roads, etc. If these areas are big enough to manage separately, take
separate samples, otherwise keep out of them.
iii. Sample to a uniform depth usually the plow layer. This is especially critical in reduced and
no—tillage systems.
iv. Completely and accurately fill out the soil sample information form to get the most useful
recommendations.

b. By and large the plant food (fertilizer) industry has offered the service of pulling the soil test but it is still up to you to ensure that the sample comes from the correct field. It must represent the soil type and the field may need to be split into small parcels correctly. A typical 200 acre farm would cost about 180 bucks in testing fees and take about a half a day to gather samples. If that is too much then do part of the farm each year.

c. Take samples yourself. Order enough kits to cover the fields that are due for testing. Why not work with your dealer and pull the samples and have them pay for the testing?

d. Plan a day to gather the samples. When I was working in this area I could get 400 acres sampled by noon. Frozen soil slows the process down. With ATV’s and riding horses etc. It should be a fairly speedy process. Label the bags first get them in a box in order and then go get them!

2. Overall planning

a. Have a plan! Determine a method for your farm that allows for timely three year testing or shorter. Avoid “rented ground syndrome” where some farmers (turned miners) forget the building blocks for maintaining yields. Soil test, work with landowners, find solutions to providing the needs and not mining the soil. By the way, research indicates that depleted soils may take much more money to bring back fertility than adequately maintained soils.

b. Plan to sample by rotations. Many growers I work with will soil sample soybeans then fertilize (p and K) either from manure or commercial source in the fall for both a corn and soybean crop. Thus in the crop season only N requirements are needed and it eliminates the following year application. Remember P and K will remain available in the soil and thus this can be a management suggestion.

3. pH issues

a. Lime ¼ to 1/3 of your farm each year. This eliminates the tremendous bill and ensures that pH is maintained for the whole farm. Maintaining pH is critical. It can be very difficult, especially in established forages or in no—till systems, to correct a low pH. Research has shown that it can take 5 to 10 years to increase the pH in the whole plow layer of a low pH soil with surface applications of limestone. If soils are limed on a regular basis so that the pH never get too low, no special management is needed and you avoid this problem completely.

b. On no till ground, turf areas, pastures, and alfalfa if the normal soil sample calls for limestone put it on, however if the normal soil sample does not call for lime or is marginal and limestone has not been applied recently, take a 1–2 inch soil sample and test for pH. This can be done with at home testing kits. I recommend the Cornell PH test kit. This might be the most important aspect of your fertility plan.

It’s that time of year to gather the tests. Get a plan, get the kits and get it done.

Yield Reports are Highly Variable Across Pennsylvania

Corn harvest is in full swing in Pa. Above average rains brought tremendous yields in some areas and nominal yields in other areas. Here is a snapshot of the current harvest reports that are determined by certified scales, field measurements and moisture determination.

Southeast Region

Just getting started on yield checks. One @ 127 and one @ 164 bu/Ac. are consistent with past results on these two farms. I expect much higher yields on fields that I will be doing over the next few weeks. Mike Fournier, Bucks County

Capital Region

Southern York County NCGA contest field — 191 bu/ac but had low population.

Adams County — Yorks Springs area PCGA corn club field — 210 bu/ac

Cumberland County — Carlisle area cover crop test plot — 143–165 bu/ac

Lebanon County North test plot range — 142 bu/ac non Bt hybrid with Furadan to 170 bu/ac BtRW plus Lorsban

John Rowehl, Cumberland County

I know of 8 – 5 acre plots harvested in Lancaster. Low: 198 bu/ac with a high of 264 bu/ac. Second place — 248 bu/ac, all others were between 198 and 220 bu/ac. All were no—till except 1 that was conventional at 220 bu/ac. In general very little lodging (not much disease — dry in August) all but one were after beans. Very little root lodging either in these 8 plots however I did see a lot of root lodging around the county. My sense is that ECB pressure was very low and CRW pressure was fairly high. One of the guys grew 248 bu on 4.5 tons of fall applied pellitized sludge and no commercial N (He had 73 bu beans in the plot last year.) This was also no—till (deep ripped in the fall with a no—till ripper) Jeffrey S. Graybill, CCA , Lancaster County

Lebanon County Reports for NCGA and Master Corn Grower Yields:

Krieder Farms — 249, 230, and 234 bu/ac

Alger Farms — 265, 240, and 251 bu/ac

Martin Farms — 249 bu/ac

The trick is early planting — March/April, 30–34,00 seed drop, seed treatments with fungicide and insecticide. supply adequate N.

Soybean Contest Yields

Krieder Farms — 65 bu/acre

Krall Farms — 75 bu/acre

North Central Region

A national check for Carl Shaffer. Corn stalks and leaves were green but the grain tested out at 26.3% on two different certified moisture meters. Yield was 208 bu/acre across certified scales.

Dave Hartman, Lycoming County Educator

Central Region

Ed Quigley, dairy farmer in Huntingdon County who grows no—till corn after rye cover crop, told me he harvested 28.5 tons/acre from one field. Joel Hunter told me he recorded some 30+ ton/acre corn silage (not adjusted for moisture) from Bob Buhl’s fields (No—till Alliance board member and dairy farmer.) Sjoerd Duiker, Extension Soil Scientist

First Reports — Rob Kauffman

Yields and test weights at the Thompsontown, PA, field were reflective of a nitrogen shortage, according to farmers Delbert and Deron Swartz. Average yield was 120.9 bu./acre for the full—season test and 91.8 bu./acre for the early season hybrids. www.firstseedtests.com/Reports/2006/B6PACEthompsontown,PA.pdf

The Danville, PA, field averaged 176.9 bu./acre on the full—season test and 151.9 bu./acre on the early season test. www.firstseedtests.com/Reports/2006/B6PACEdanville,PA.pdf

Hot, dry weather in August hurt the yields at the Hanover, PA, location. Average yield was 128.0 bu./acre on the full—season test and 134.4 bu./acre on the early season test. www.firstseedtests.com/Reports/2006/B6PASEhanover,PA.pdf

The Lancaster, PA, field was planted May 3 and harvested Oct. 5. Average yield was 184.2 bu./acre on the full—season test and 165.0 on the early season test. www.firstseedtests.com/Reports/2006/B6PASElancaster,PA.pdf

Excellent growing conditions helped the Lebanon, PA, field produce an average yield of 179.9 bu./acre on the early season test and 208.1 bu./acre on the full—season test. www.firstseedtests.com/Reports/2006/B6PASElebanon,PA.pdf

Contributors: State Specialists: Eric DeWolf, Ron Hoover, Bill Curran, and Doug Beegle, Extension Educators: Don Fretts (Fayette), Del Voight (Lebanon), Kevin Fry (Armstrong), Andrew Frankenfield (Montgomery), Mena Hautau (Berks), Susan Alexander (Jefferson), Dwane Miller ( Schuylkill)

Editor:Susan Alexander, Extension Educator, Jefferson County

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