CMEG Crop Management Extension Group

Field Crop News

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

April 3, 2007    Vol. 07:05

IN THIS ISSUE:

Weather Outlook — Paul Knight

Say ‘so-long’ to pleasant spring weather. A sharp cold front will cross the state with gusty showers and a few thunderstorms during the first half of Wednesday. Blustery winds will push in cooler air during the afternoon as sunshine returns. The chill will steadily deepen on Thursday and Friday until it reaches its lowest point on Saturday. There will be spokes of clouds and mixed showers (rain, snow and graupel) moving through the western and northern parts of the state. Most afternoons will turn cloudy and a persistently cold wind from the northwest will blow at 10 to 20 miles an hour from Thursday into Sunday. The northwest mountains and Laurel Highlands will likely receive a few inches of snow during this period (mainly at night or in the morning). Even the central mountains could see a covering once or twice. Temperatures will average well below seasonal levels (daytime readings in the 30’s and 40’s) from Thursday into Sunday. As milder air attempts a return next week, there will be a couple of opportunities for precipitation – probably some snow showers on Monday and a chill rain that begins as snow or sleet on Tuesday. No warm weather is in sight.

Timothy Mites Active in Southeast Pennsylvania — Marvin Hall and Andrew Frankenfield

Cereal rust mites (a.k.a. timothy mites) eggs have hatch and are feeding on timothy leaves across southeast Pennsylvania. These mites are active only early in the spring and are generally not a problem after first cutting. Now is the time to get out there and determine if they are in your timothy fields. Be sure to check the whole field, the edges and middle. Look for purple or wrapped leaves especially in fields with a history of timothy mite problems. Under magnification (20x) they look like white maggots laying in troughs between the leaf veins. The eggs are round and clear to white to reddish in color.

The mites feed on the surface cells of the leaf between the veins. This causes the leaf to curl, as if drought stressed. This is really obvious in April when there is plenty of soil water and little transpiration is occurring. The effect of the mite on timothy can reduce yield between a 30 and 100%. In addition, herbage has a brownish color that lowers timothy’s market value.

Treatment
Sevin XLR PLUS is the only known and registered method of controlling cereal rust mites. It should be applied at 3 pints per acre with at least 20 gallons of water or UAN (25 gpa is better). The timing of the application is typically mid to late April or 3–4 weeks after green up on fields with a history of mites and/or when 25% of the plant tillers are beginning to curl.

There have been reports of leaf burning, stunting of growth and reduced yields as a result of applying UAN, Sevin XLR PLUS and 2,4–D as a tank mixture in years past. If this application is planned it would be best to apply to the oldest stands due to the risk of injury. It is safest to spray the UAN and Sevin together and then put on the 2,4–D later as a separate application. The mixing order is important as well. If you are spraying Sevin, water and UAN use this order: add the desired amount of water to the sprayer tank, add the Sevin slowly to the tank and then add the UAN then agitate and then add 2,4–D if desired. If you are using straight UAN: put some UAN in the sprayer tank (blend aid can be added at this point) then mix the Sevin in a 5 gallon bucket with water and add to the tank then fill to half full, agitate and add 2,4–D if desired and fill the remainder of tank.

For more information on Cereal Rust Mites visit http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/cerealrust.htm
PA Supplemental label http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/SevinXLRrm.pdf
Sources: http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/cerealrust.htm and Del Voight

Cellulosic Ethanol Update — Greg Roth

I recently attended a Penn State sponsored a short course on Biomass Refining. It provided a good background on some of the issues and potential for cellulosic ethanol facilities.

The industry is moving forward rapidly. Six pilot cellulosic ethanol projects have recently been awarded $385 million by the Department of Energy (http://www.energy.gov/news/4827.htm) to help bring this technology to the market. Other projects have also received significant funding, including one nearby in Rochester, NY (http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2007010401070). Another project based on a farmer cooperative (http://hayandforage.com/mag/farming_fuel_fiber/) is getting off the ground in Missouri.

Cellulosic ethanol plants will likely be biorefineries, producing other co—products like ammonia, ash, specialty chemicals, feed grade proteins bio—oil or electricity. Co—products will be essential to defray the cost of ethanol production.

Feedstock considerations are important. Large quantities of feedstock will need to be available close to the plant (“all biomass is local”). A 50 mil gal/yr plant would require 2000 tons per day. Feedstocks under consideration are municipal wastes, agricultural wastes such as corn fiber and stover, wood products, cereal straws, industrial plant waste like saw dust and paper pulp, and energy crops grown specifically for fuel production like switchgrass.

A common vision is for large complex plants to take advantage of economies of scale, but some are considering the potential of smaller co—op scale plants that can be sited close to take advantage of smaller biomass supplies.

Low cost feedstocks which are waste products would likely be the first to be economical, then crop and forestry residues and then energy crops, when higher feedstock prices can be justified. Feedstock prices from 0 to $50/ dry ton were discussed by some of the plant engineers.

Low cost harvesting and handling strategies are important to make low cost feedstock profitable. Single pass harvesting systems with storage on farm, delivered as needed to the plant appears to be one possible cost effective option.

Sustainability of feedstock production will be critical. Minimizing impacts on wildlife, soil and water quality will be essential. Cover crops, no—till, harvest timing and diversity in feedstocks could all contribute to sustainability.

Acreage Report and the Impact on PA — Tom Murphy

The much anticipated Acreage Intentions report was released by USDA last Friday with some of the highest interest I have ever seen by growers and commodity dealers alike. What it showed is that as a nation, by USDA's calculations, we will have an expected large shift to corn acreage and the potential for a 90.5 million acre crop which will be the largest in 60 years. Much of this shift will come from cotton acres in the South, as well as, soybean acreage throughout the nation, with the Midwest losing the most followed by the South. Even spring wheat acreage is down, and some of what was planted last fall is likely to be replanted in some areas to corn. It is no secret that price is driving this and what’s driving price is the strong move as a nation to biofuels production and utilization.

So what about PA, somewhat the same picture but different numbers. Whereas corn acres will be up almost 15% nationally, in PA, that increase will be closer to 7% which translates into 100,000 more acres for a total of 1.45 million. Soybeans will be down 7% to 410,000 acres and spring seeded small grains will average down in a very similar pattern. Even dry hay production is expected to drop 50,000 acres over last season.

Impact locally could be felt in a variety of ways. If you are large user of forage and we have an average season, hay may be harder to get, so a careful planning to lock in local supply may be in order as auction prices may increase over the summer. Also better management of your current forage crop to maximize production should receive increased emphasis. Other inputs could also increase in value such as soybeans, meal, and cottonseed due to a smaller expected crop. Corn prices probably have the greatest chance for erratic price moves due to high demand, a record crop if we have an average to above average growing year, and the large number of ethanol plants that are due to come on line in 2007. But we still don’t know whether all those acres will get planted, what the weather will finally turn out to be, or for example, if the tariff on importing ethanol will stay in place. Still a lot of unknowns. So if you’re marketing grain, determine your cost of production, then develop and stick to your marketing plan. If you’re buying, you might want to lock in some supply with known prices. And most importantly, along with knowing how to produce many things on the farm, it is more critical every day to understand the markets, how they relate to each other, and how you can gain financial benefit from that knowledge.

2006 Field Trials Research Report Available On—Line — Bill Curran

The 2006 Field Trials Research Report is available for viewing as a pdf document at www.weeds.psu.edu/research.html#report. The report contains a summary of the herbicide evaluation trial results for corn, soybean, and forage weed control trials.

Spring Weed Control in Alfalfa — Bill Curran

As alfalfa comes to life this spring, there is opportunity and often time the need for weed control. Here are a few guidelines about available products.

Gramoxone Inteon 2 (paraquat) — May be applied at 2 to 3 pt/A to established “dormant” stands before 2 inches of spring regrowth. The weeds must be actively growing at the time of application. Gramoxone is also labeled at 1 to 2 pt/A for dormant application on new fall seeded stands. Gramoxone will desiccate any green tissue including actively growing alfalfa. Be especially cautious with new fall seedings. Gramoxone is effective on low to moderate infestations of winter annuals including chickweed, henbit, deadnettle, and mustard species. If winter annual weed infestations are severe, consider one of the soil active alternatives. Do not use on mixed stands.

Poast Plus 1E (sethoxydim) — Poast Plus controls annual grasses and suppresses perennial grasses in seedling and established alfalfa. Apply Poast Plus at 1.5 to 2.5 pt/A to actively growing grassy weeds. Poast Plus should be applied to small grasses and performance improves with warmer temperatures. Do not use on mixed stands.

Pursuit 70DG (imazethapyr) — Pursuit may be used for weed control in seedling or established alfalfa. Apply Pursuit at 1.08 to 2.16 oz/A plus adjuvants to actively growing weeds 1 to 3 inches in height. Pursuit performance improves with warmer temperatures. If spraying during extended cold periods, expect weeds to respond slower or the herbicide can have reduced activity. Pursuit is effective on many winter annual broadleaves including small chickweed. Pursuit may be used on established alfalfa—grass mixtures.

Raptor 1AS (imazamox) — Raptor may be used for weed control in seedling or established alfalfa. Apply Raptor at 4 to 6 fl oz/A plus adjuvants to small, actively growing weeds and to established alfalfa in the fall or in the spring. Any application should be made before significant alfalfa growth or regrowth (3 inches) to allow Raptor to reach the target weeds. Like Pursuit, Raptor performance is influenced by temperature. Therefore, try to apply the herbicide on warmer days and when weeds are actively growing. Raptor has a similar spectrum of winter annual weed control as Pursuit. Do not use on mixed stands.

Select 2EC (clethodim) — Apply Select at 6 to 8 fl oz to actively growing grasses that are less than 6 inches tall. Rates up to 16 fl oz may be used to control larger grasses, annual bluegrass or perennials such as quackgrass. Include a crop oil concentrate in the spray mixture. May be tank—mixed with Pursuit, Buctril, or 2,4–DB for broadleaf weed control. Do not use on mixed stands.

Sinbar 80W (terbacil) — May be applied to established alfalfa at up to 1.5 lb/A or to a new fall seeding at 0.33 to 0.5 lb/A. The reduced rate seedling year application is specifically aimed at chickweed. Sinbar is effective on a number of annual broadleaves and some grasses at the higher rates. Apply to ‘dormant’ alfalfa before 2 inches of spring regrowth. Do not use on mixed stands.

Sencor 75DF (metribuzin) — May be used on established alfalfa. Apply 0.5 to 1 lb/A before spring regrowth. Impregnation on dry fertilizer can improve crop safety and allow for slightly later applications (up to 3 inches spring regrowth). Sencor controls winter annual broadleaves and grasses (higher rates for grass control). May be used on mixed alfalfa—grass.

Velpar 2L (hexazinone) — Apply Velpar to established alfalfa at 2 to 6 pt/A during the dormant period before 2 inches of spring regrowth. Velpar is effective on annual broadleaves and grasses. Velpar is the most effective dormant season treatment for suppression of dandelion and dock species (higher rates for grasses and perennial suppression). Do not use on mixed stands.

Glyphosate (various products) — May be used ONLY on Roundup Ready alfalfa. Keep in mind that when using glyphosate in Roundup Ready alfalfa, many of the same principles apply as for it’s use in other crops. Temperature, humidity, adjuvant systems, and weed growth stage and species all impact performance.

Your best bet when controlling...

Managing Cover Crops This Spring — Bill Curran

There are a number of reasons for killing winter cover crops in a timely fashion this spring. Larger covers utilize critical soil moisture, are more likely to attract certain insect pests, and may pose greater planter seed placement problems. The purpose or intent of the cover crop as well as the cover crop species used should be a guiding principle for determining the best time for cover crop kill. If a goal is to plant corn in early May, then terminating sometime in the next two or three weeks is important. However, if you plan to wait until later in May or early June to plant your cash crop and/or if you desire more cover crop biomass for whatever reason (impact soil quality, N contribution from legumes, weed suppression, etc.), then you can wait until the cover crop approaches or reaches the reproductive stage. This can be more challenging to manage, but legume cover crops such as hairy vetch really don’t start fixing much N until they are in the period of rapid growth and development just prior to flowering which may be the last half of May in much of PA. Also remember that small grain cover crops such as winter rye are much easier to kill with herbicides or tillage, while smaller and in the vegetative stage of development. In general, regardless of the cover crop, kill the cover one to two weeks before planting to insure adequate “dry-down” prior to entering the field with the planter or drill.

The following information provides herbicide suggestions for killing several winter annual cover crops in spring as well as a few comments about rotating out of perennial hay crops.

Small Grain Cover Crops (wheat or rye)

Glyphosate (Glyphomax/Durango, Roundup, Touchdown, etc.) The recommended rate for these products varies by formulation, small grain stage of growth, and tank mixture. For Glyphomax XRT and Touchdown Total, use 12 to 24 oz/A, for Weathermax, use 11 to 22 oz/A or 16 to 32 oz of a 3 lb ae/gal product. For the lower rates, you should use low rate/volume technology if possible (3 to 10 gallons/A) and do not tank—mix with soil residual herbicides. Include 1 to 2% or 8.5 to 17 lb/100 gal AMS to improve control consistency. Add the AMS to the tank first and thoroughly mix prior to adding the glyphosate.

Gramoxone Inteon 2S @ 2 to 4 pt/acre. Higher rates are for larger plants. Apply prior to tillering or after the boot stage for best results (especially for wheat). Applications made from tillering to boot stage will generally not provide adequate control. Include a nonionic surfactant or crop oil concentrate and apply in a spray volume of 20 to 60 gpa. You may use certain liquid fertilizers as the carrier and including a photosynthetic inhibiting herbicide (atrazine, Sencor, or Lorox) to improve control.

Annual, Biennial, and Perennial Legumes

Winter annual legumes are more easily controlled than the biennial or perennial species. 2,4–DLVE is very effective on hairy vetch when applied at 0.5 to 1 pt/A. For the clovers and especially white clover, dicamba (Banvel or Clarity) applied at 0.5 to 1 pt/A greatly improves control. Again, adequate spring growth of the legume must be present at the time of application. Do not apply dicamba in the spring prior to soybean or other legume plantings as well as in front of most vegetable crops. For alfalfa takeout, apply dicamba at 1 pt/A to the alfalfa after at least 4 to 6 inches of regrowth. Include glyphosate in the mix if perennial grasses (orchardgrass) are present.

2,4–DLVE + dicamba (Banvel or Clarity) @ 1 pt + 0.5–1 pt/A will improve the control of legumes plus increase the effectiveness on other perennial broadleaves such as dandelion. For greater corn safety, make applications 7 to 14 days before planting. Include glyphosate in the mix if perennial grasses are present.

Perennial Grasses (orchardgrass, bromegrass, timothy, etc.)

Glyphosate is often the product of choice for perennial grass sods and the recommended rate varies by formulation and grass species. For orchardgrass sods going into corn, use 24 to 36 oz/A of Glyphomax XRT or Touchdown Total or 22 to 32 oz/A Weathermax, or 32 to 48 oz/A of a 3 lb ae/gal product. Apply to orchardgrass that is at least 12 inches tall in 3 to 10 gallons of water and do not tank-mix with soil residual herbicides. Adequate spring regrowth is necessary for successful control. Include 1 to 2% or 8.5 to 17 lb/100 gal AMS to improve control consistency. Add AMS to the tank first and thoroughly mix prior to adding the herbicide. A sequential application of atrazine will improve the control of most perennial grasses. If perennial grass growth is not adequate (less than 12 inches tall), higher rates of glyphosate (up to 6 pt/A of a 3 lb ae/gal) may be necessary to achieve acceptable control or applications should be delayed until adequate spring regrowth.

Gramoxone Inteon 2S + atrazine 4L @ 2 to 4 pt + 1 to 2 qt/A will suppress or control certain perennial grasses such as timothy and bluegrass. This combination is not very effective on orchardgrass, bromegrass, or fescue sods. Rainfall within one or two days following application will improve the level of control.

For a more complete list of herbicide options, see the 2007/08 Penn State Agronomy Guide available through your local county extension office or on—line at http://agguide.agronomy.psu.edu/

Contributors: Dept. Crop & Soil Science: William Curran, Sjoerd Duiker, Marvin Hall, Ronald Hoover, Greg Roth, Paul Knight, Extension Educators: Andrew Frankenfield (Montgomery), Joel Hunter (Crawford), David Messersmith (Wayne), Kevin Fry, (Armstrong), Mena Hautau (Berks), .Don Fretts (Fayette), Tom Murphy (Lycoming), Craig Williams (Tioga), Paul Craig (Dauphin)

Editor:Tom Murphy (Lycoming County)

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