CMEG Crop Management Extension Group

Field Crop News

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

September 26, 2007    Vol. 07:30

IN THIS ISSUE:

Weather Outlook — Paul Knight, Pennsylvania State Climatologist

While the record warmth of the very early part of the period will subside, there are no indications of any sustained cool weather during the next two weeks. Typically, autumnal warmth is associated with above average precipitation, but this will not be the case during the next two weeks for the majority of the region. However, odds favor an important shift in the weather pattern during the middle or later part of October, though it is not yet evident whether this will mean a return to more routine rainfall. In the meantime, frost will be confined to those central and northern valleys which have already noticed it.

Week One (Sept 25–Oct 1): Very warm conditions (including at least one muggy night) will persist until Thursday. A weakening front will push across northern Pennsylvania with scattered showers on Wednesday. A stronger cool front will arrive on Thursday with a shower or thunderstorm for most places. It will be quite humid in eastern sections ahead of the front. Much cooler, breezy weather is likely with a mixture of sun and clouds on Friday. The weekend will feature mainly clear skies with chilly nights and comfortably warm afternoons. A weak cool front will cross the region late Sunday or the first half of Monday with widely separated showers.

Week Two (Oct 2–Oct 8): Very warm weather will return with more widespread morning fogs. The warmth should peak during the mid–week. A cool front will be accompanied by some showers late in the week and be followed by seasonable conditions. Very mild conditions should return for the start of the next week.

Check out the predicted Growing Degree Days (base 55) for Pennsylvania for the next two weeks at: http://climate.met.psu.edu/data/regional_gdd.php

Correction to “TEFF Evaluation in Pennsylvania” Article from Sept. 4 FCN – Marvin Hall, PSU Forage Specialist

Yields of summer—annual grasses in a Pennsylvania study were incorrect in the Field Crop News on Sept. 4, 2007. The corrected yields are reported below.

I am terribly sorry for this mistake and hope it hasn’t caused you any problems.

Yield (tons/acre) as of Sept. 1, 2007 of Teff compared with other warm-season annual grasses at two locations in Pennsylvania.
Species, Variety Rock Springs
t/a		 Landisville
t/a
Teff, Pharaoh 2.6 3.7
Teff, Tiffany 2.4 4.1
Teff, Corvalis 2.7 4.1
Millet, Wonderleaf 3.4 5.2
Sudangrass, Haymaker 3.3 4.0
Sorghum-sudangrass, Summer King 4.0 5.7
Sorghum-sudangrass, Summer Queen 3.8 3.3
Sorghum-sudangrass, Summer Prince 4.1 5.8
Sorghum-sudangrass, Summer Dream 3.8 3.3

Selling Hay in North Carolina — Craig Williams, PSCE Educator Tioga County

North Carolina is in a drought emergency. A hay sale that was made at the Tioga County Fair in August to one of the vendors at the fair that was from North Carolina who needed hay. Consequently, Craig Williams, Extension Educator in Tioga County was contacted by the NC Dept Agriculture about more hay that may be available in Pa. Since then this buyer has made several trips and it is about 1000–1200 miles from Central Pa to Western NC.

IF you have Hay for sale; you can log on to the NC Department of Agriculture page and list the description of hay that you have for sale. Please be specific. Trucking arrangements should be made with the buyers.

NC Drought page http://www.ncagr.com/drought/

NC Hay Net to place an ad http://www.ncagr.com/HayAlert/

Approximate number of round bales needed per county.

Hay Alert Needs and Corn for Grain Acreage

Soil Testing and Ag Lime — Jeff Graybill, CCA, PSCE Educator Lancaster County

As the harvest progresses our fields, hidden beneath the crop canopy become visible and accessible. Fall is historically the time when we consider pulling soil samples and making lime applications.

An accurate soil test should an integral part of the fertility and cropping plan on every field. Soil tests should be taken at least every three years. Also, it is important to use a reputable lab which is using extraction methods which are calibrated and designed for our mineral soils here in the east.

No matter what your tillage or n0-tillage, a soil sample should be taken within the rooting zone of the crop. In most cases this will be to the historical plow depth. A soil analysis is only as good as the sample from which it came. If your sample does not reflect the fertility of the field in question, then it will do you more harm than good. Sample the dominant soil type within a field and as much of the field as possible. Penn State suggests walking a “Z” pattern pulling a minimum of 20 cores.In no-till fields consider taking a second shallow sample of about 2" to check for surface acidity. This should only be necessary if:

  1. The “traditional” sample is low but not calling for lime, and
  2. You have significant annual applications of nitrogenous fertilizers and manures. If the surface acidity is below 6.2, you should apply 1 ton of lime per acre even if the standard test does not call for lime.

If you plan to receive manure from a larger farm(CAFO or CAO) or are yourself required to have a “Nutrient Management Plan”, then a current soil test is required. The soil test is used to develop a “Nutrient Balance Sheet” which will help you manage the fertility (ie. manure and fertilizer applications) of each field.

Thoughts on Lime, pH, Ca, & Mg
Your soil test indicates how much lime, if any, is required for optimum crop growth. The addition of lime to a soil has many benefits. These include: Increased nutrient availability, increased calcium on the soil minerals, proper herbicide activity, enhanced soil microbiology and optimum crop growth. All of these are excellent benefits of liming, however; there is a trend in some areas of the state to overdue a good thing.

Can I have too much calcium? If excessive amounts of lime are applied the pH of the soil and the calcium levels will continue to rise. This can cause several problems for the growing crop. High pH and excessive Ca can react with phosphorus creating calcium phosphates and reducing the phosphorus availability. All soil tests measure the “Cation Exchange Capacity” (CEC) of the soil. Calcium, potassium and magnesium (Ca2+, Mg2+, K1+) are all cations which are held by their positive charges to the negative soil particles. At very high levels Calcium will compete with K and even Mg, (high Ca:K & Ca:Mg ratios) replacing them on the soil minerals or CEC. Thus, a deficiency of potassium and a lower availability of magnesium and micronutrients may occur.

pH and Plant Nutrient Availability

The chart below illustrates the availability of the essential plant nutrients and how they are affected by pH. Extensive research has shown that, while a general balance (ratio) of cations is important, there is a wide range of cation ratios that will result in maximum crop yield and good soil physical properties. From a practical management point of view, if K and Mg in the soil are adequate but not excessive and if the soil pH is adjusted to near the optimum range for crops, there will be plenty of Ca and there is no reason to adjust the soil further to try to achieve elevated Ca levels or specific basic cation ratios.

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Let’s summarize:

Biennial and Perennial Weed Control is Best in the Fall — Dwight Lingenfelter and Bill Curran, Weed Science, PSU

Simply stated, fall is an excellent time to manage biennial and perennial weeds. In particular, biennials such as common burdock, wild carrot, and bull, musk, and plumeless thistles are much easier to kill while they are in the rosette stage of growth and prior to surviving a winter. Once they start growth in the spring, they rapidly develop with the goal of reproducing and it becomes more difficult to control them. As you have heard many times before, late summer and fall is the best time to control most perennials with a systemic herbicide because herbicides are moved into the root systems allowing better control. In general, the application window runs from early September through October depending on where you are in the state and what weeds you are targeting. Applications to perennial species like horsenettle, smooth groundcherry, and woody species like multiflora rose should be on the early side of this window, while cool—season perennials like Canada thistle, quackgrass, and dandelion can be effectively controlled after several light frosts. With both biennial and perennials species, adequate leaf tissue must be present and it should be reasonably healthy to absorb the herbicide. For grass pastures, check the 2007–08 Penn State Agronomy Guide for specific herbicide performance by weed species information and a current product label for use recommendations and restrictions.

The most common herbicides used for broad—spectrum control of many weeds in the fall is glyphosate for grasses and broadleaves and 2,4–D or dicamba (Banvel, Clarity, etc.) for broadleaves. A combination of these products may be the best solution for a mixture of different perennial weeds. For most perennials including hemp dogbane, horsenettle, common milkweed, pokeweed, hedge bindweed, multiflora rose, poison ivy, and wild blackberry, make applications from September 1 through October 15 or before a hard frost. In general, applications by October 1 may be more effective. In northern areas of Pennsylvania, consider making the application before October 1. An additional two week application window can exist for Canada thistle and quackgrass, because of their cool-season habit of growth.

Important considerations:

On another note: Fall is the best time to kill declining sod stands (i.e., pure stand alfalfa or mixtures). Although glyphosate is better at controlling alfalfa in the fall than the spring, an additional herbicide application (e.g. 2,4–D/Banvel) or tillage will be required to completely control the alfalfa/mixture.

Subsoiling — Sjoerd Duiker, PSU Soil Management Specialist

Fall is a good time to subsoil. Subsoilers should shatter the soil structure and open channels for root growth. Before you start the subsoiling operation, however, you need to check if the severity of soil compaction justifies it. The soil compaction tester, or penetrometer, is the best tool to check soil compaction. The problem, however, is that the entire soil profile needs to be at field capacity (24 hours after soaking rain) or the readings are meaningless. At this moment it is therefore too dry to use the penetrometer. It will take at least 4 inches of rain before the penetrometer will be of use to get quantitative data. It can be used now to determine the depth of a compacted layer, which can be used to set the depth of the subsoiler, but readings above 300 psi in a bone dry soil don’t mean that the soil is in need of subsoiling. There are some other ways to check for compaction like using a shovel. See if you can recognize dense layer just below a tillage zone (may be from tillage done years ago). You do this by digging up a clod and let it fall on the ground, to check where the soil breaks apart. It is also helpful to check root growth, focusing on areas where there was poor plant emergence and uneven early growth, and off-colored leaves. Look for areas where you know there was concentrated traffic. In many cases it is enough to subsoil these areas and avoid subsoiling the whole field. Remember that subsoiling is a costly operation, and it also sets you up for increased potential for compaction in the future. Subsoilers don’t create soil structure, they rather break it up. So it is also important to think about what happens to the field after subsoiling. It would be recommended to plant a cover crop to protect the soil from slumping back in over the winter. My experience in Pennsylvania tells me that poor surface soil structure is a greater problem than subsoil compaction. Evidence of poor surface structure includes crusting, sealing, runoff, and water ponding. The way to address poor surface soil structure is to keep the soil covered at all times with mulch, to occupy the soil with living roots, and to build soil organic matter with manure. Fibrous roots systems are best at alleviating surface structure issues.

Grain Markets — Jon Berry, PSCE Educator Lehigh County

Grain contracts are important tools for managing price and income risk in the volatile environment we face today. Successful use requires a complete understanding of how various contracts work, the kinds of risk they are designed to control, and the areas of risk that remain after the contract is signed. Some contracts require only one decision: whether to use the contract. More complex types require one or more decisions after the contract is signed. Good business rules in grain contracting are (1) understand the contract before you sign it, (2) know and communicate with the firm or individual with whom you are doing business, and (3) understand the decision processes required for successfully using the contracts you select.

Basis contracts are marketing instruments that establish the basis (the difference between the local cash price and futures price) used to determine the price paid for grain or soybeans at a later time. That is the only component of price risk that basis contracts establish or lock in for the producer. The producer or other seller bears the risk of any changes in price level over the life of the contract as reflected by nearby futures prices. He or she also bears any relevant spread risk that may develop over the life of the contract if it uses a later futures delivery month than the nearby contract. Basis contracts add flexibility to producer marketing of grain and soybeans. While they are not useful every year, basis contracts can be a helpful marketing tool at times when the basis is much stronger than normal and when market conditions suggest a further rise in prices is quite likely.

Hedge-to-arrive contracts range from relatively simple, low-risk non-rolling versions in which basis risk is the main area of risk exposure, to much more complex types that allow producers to roll (change delivery dates) and permit the next year’s crop to be priced initially with old-crop futures contracts. In extreme cases, these contracts have been used to price several years’ production through an initial position in old-crop futures. Contracts that involve inter-year rolling of HTAs have extreme risk exposure. Multi—year rolling HTAs are extremely high-risk speculative instruments, and can be much more risky than speculating in the futures market. They are neither price protection nor risk management tools.

This week’s regional grain, hay, and livestock bids are at: http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/

Top Five Reasons to Harvest Soybeans — Del Voight, Regional Field Crop Pest Management PSCE Educator Lebanon County

  1. Soybeans are lower to the soil so if snow does come they are more difficult to harvest in the snow.
  2. Research suggests that when 95% of the pods (not leaves) turn brown about a week later its time to combine. I still remember John Yocum referring to the fact that after it the plants first reach harvestable moistures dry matter losses occur simply by the alternating day and night.
  3. Mills purchase beans for storage at 13% so why wait and deliver 9% moisture beans.
  4. Pods are not brittle and higher moistures therefore less loss occurs during harvest. Remember that more than 80 percent of the machine loss usually occurs at the gathering unit.
  5. Numerous tests of soybean combine losses show that up to 12 percent of the soybean crop is lost during harvest. I tested this theory a couple of years ago by combining a field in half then waited three weeks to combine the remaining part of the field. A 16 bu/acre difference in fact I could visibly see the top raceme completely burst open and no beans and I could also visibly see the beans on the ground before combining occurred. Harvesting losses cannot be reduced to zero, but they can be reduced to about 5 percent. Combines can be operated to reduce losses without affecting the harvesting rate. Consider shatter losses of 2 percent acceptable. Average losses are 5 percent or more.

Tips for keeping combine losses low

Adapted from the fact sheet that Charles W. Shay, Lyle Ellis and William Hires produced from the Missouri Department of Agricultural Engineering

Your best guide for correct combine adjustment is your operator’s manual.

Remember that more than 80 percent of the machine loss usually occurs at the gathering unit. The following suggestions will help keep these losses to a minimum.

For a specific methods and sheet to take to the field refer to this publication and enter your own information. You may also call me directly for copy to have on hand.

Green June Beetles Active in PA — Del Voight, Regional Field Crop Pest Management PSCE Educator Lebanon County

Educators received numerous Green June Beetle Grub activity reports in South Central Pa. that severely injured and in many cases killed sod, pasture, hay fields, and small grains. I will focus on the main pest at this time that being the Green June Beetle (GJB) larvae. A fact sheet is available by called 270–4391 or emailing njs14@psu.edu that gives the identification of grubs. The GJB grubs are large about 2 inches long and feed primarily at/on the soil surface and come up at night to feed in the organic matter layer. Avoidance of the pest requires growers not to apply manure to areas prone to this pest during the month of August and avoid planting pasture or hay after a crop of BMR sorghum when the adult beetles are in search of egg laying sites. Otherwise this pest requires a pesticide for control to applied and put on the surface of the soil.

Once the field look for 5/8 inch exit holes in the soil surface, loosened soil or a larvae moving around late in the day. To scout for grubs a shovel and a piece of paper are required. First determine where to scout. Fields with sod/pasture or hay would be the first fields to check. One will need to move into the field and plan to take 5 samplings (a piece of paper or notepad will work with a pencil to write down your findings at each of the 5 locations) from random spots in the field. Using the shovel one will need to make a one square foot square and remove the soil down to about 8 inches. Once the soil is removed move the soil with the shovel and look for the presence of the grubs (this are large 2 inch grubs). Count the number of grubs and note it on a pad. At the end tally up the five locations and divide the total by 5 to come to an average. This will assist you in referring to the Agronomy Guide for thresholds and management options. Here are some common thresholds to consider.

In pastures if you have two or more large grubs (that would be the GJB larvae about 2 inches long) then treatments are necessary and the cost of treatment will pay for itself with increase yield. Sevin XLR is the only product labeled for GJB control in pastures. I found the product highly effective in control. (Be sure they are active when applications are made and not more than a ¼ in of rain are expected in a week).

If one finds 6–8 grubs per square foot of small white grubs then treatment is necessary. Again Sevin XLR is the only product labeled however it needs to be applied and rained in to be effective. I have found mixed results with this product. But it is the only one labeled in the pasture. In home lawns there are several products available for control that are much more effective and that would be content for another article.

By getting out in the field now one may avoid the damage caused by this pest. Now is the time for effective treatments against this pest.

White Grub

Five days after Sevin XLR treatment on the soil surface at 3 pints/acre.

White Grub White Grub White Grub

UPCOMING EVENTS

No-Till Short Course - Part 1 (fundamentals and theory)

October 3-4 PSU Agronomy Research Farm / Rock Springs, PA

No-Till Short Course - Part 2 (management and field applications)

October 10-11 PSU Agronomy Research Farm / Landisville, PA

Register online at a href="http://www.panotill.com/shortcourse.html or call Lisa Crytser 814-865-2543 for more information.

8th Annual Pennsylvania Crop Insurance Conference

Wednesday, October 10, 2007, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at PA Farm Show Complex

Field Extension Educational Lab — October 11, Southeast Research and Extension Center Contact: Del Voight 717-270-4391

Keystone Crops and Soils Conference — October 23-24, Holiday Inn, Grantville

Contributors: Dept. Crop & Soil Sciences: Sjoerd Duiker, Ron Hoover, Dwight Lingenfelter, and Greg Roth. Extension Educators: Andrew Frankenfield (Montgomery), Kevin Fry (Armstrong), Jeff Graybill (Lancaster), Mena Hautau (Berks), Joel Hunter (Crawford), Mark Madden (Bradford), and Del Voight (Lebanon).

Editor: Joel Hunter, PSCE Educator Crawford County

Upcoming Events

Real time pest and heat unit activity: http://psu.zedxinc.com/cgi-bin/site.cgi?location=2&user=psu#

Calendar of Events: http://www.events.psu.edu/cgi-bin/cal/webevent.cgi?cmd=opencal&cal=cal209&

Readers can subscribe electronically to this newsletter at the Field Crop News Web site.

If you have problems subscribing or wish to cancel your subscription, please contact Lisa Crytser by e-mail at lac8@psu.edu or by phone at 814-865-2543.

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