NE Ohio Crop Weather Report

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Report

2011-11-14T13:45:00.001-05:00

The Harvest took a giant leap forward toward completion over the last 10 days. Here is the progress report as of November 14th.

Corn: is 40% complete with yields ranging from fair to excellent. It appears that the average yield will be around 140 to 150 bushels per acre with moistures running a percent one side or another of 20 % moisture. That is an average and there has been a lot of corn, especially early planted corn near the 180 to 200 bu. per acre. It appears that the late planting date and somewhat adverse weather did not affect yields. The main contributing factors in the producers favor was the extremely warm weather and abundant moisture that accelerated growth despite the late start. We recorded over 2800 growing degree days at the office in Burton this year. This matched the amount recorded in the bumper crop year of 2010.

Soybeans: are 80 % harvested with good to excellent yields. Average yields are in the 40- 50 bushel per acre area for most producers. There were however, some yields that topped 60 bushels and others that were closer to 30 depending on drainage and soil conditions. Once again abundant sunshine and adequate moisture especially in August played a major role in contributing to good yields. Harvest moisture levels were excellent over the last 10 days, with moistures below 13 %. Test weights ran at or near 60 pounds per bushel. The biggest problem was wet ground at harvest time with many fields being rutted up.

Wheat: Very little wheat was planted in October. Some may be planted early in November as the ground in now drier than it was during the traditional time to plant wheat. Probably less than 20% of the intended will get in.

Forages: You know it is wet when the Amish farmers cannot get enough traction to turn their ground driven binders and it takes three horses to pull in a wagon load of corn stalks to the cutter box. As for the Yankee farmers it was a tough go with many filed being totally rutted up in the process. Several local dairymen received citations for leaving to much mud on the roads. The harvest was late and the quality was poor, a tough year to harvest corn silage all around.

Dealing With Compaction:
One of the biggest concerns after harvest is how to deal with all of the rutted and compacted fields that have been left behind. A few things to consider are that once the damage is done it will take time to repair. If it is possible try to use a deep ripper this fall to take out the compacted areas with a minimum of surface disturbance. The newer style deep rippers do an excellent job of tilling deep while leaving the surface residue intact. What will not work is a disk or coulter chisel plow. Discs simply level the top and do nothing for compaction and bury surface residue. This exposes the surface to erosion. Coulter chisels take out some of top compaction but will not solve the problem lower in the profile on deeply rutted fields. If field conditions are poor and fall ripping is not possible you may have to consider taking the time to run a ripper through in the spring before you prepare your seed bed. Soil needs to be somewhat dry to fracture properly. The hard cold facts are that compacted soils are becoming more and more of problem every time we have a wet fall. Our equipment is so big and heavy that it is almost unavoidable.

Here are some tips that may help in the future. Try to set up fields so that once you load out you are running in the same tracks. The tracks that are compacted are just that compacted Try to avoid running randomly across the field and increasing the compacted area. This makes dealing with these areas a lot easier. Keep trucks off the field, vehicles with road tires compact more than field tires. Running flotation tires or duals with low inflation will compact less than highly inflated tires. If fields are deeply rutted plan a rotation that will allow for the planting of a cover crop like Tillage Radish that has deep tap root that reaches down and breaks up compaction. Anytime you increase your organic matter in soil you tend to make your soil more resilient to compaction. No-tillers have learned that they can increase their organic matter and minimize compaction with the use of long term no-till rotations and the use of cover crops. If you are interested in learning more about cover crops plan on attending the Cover Crops Workshop on February 6, 2012 in Willamsfield, Ashtabula County.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Report.

2011-10-06T11:02:00.002-04:00

To say that it is wet is an understatement. To say that we will be a little late harvesting crops this year is a no brainer. The facts speak for themselves, last year at this time 89% of the corn was mature this year 26% of the corn is mature. Only 11% of the soybeans are mature this year compared to 78% in 2010. What a difference a year makes. This is you Crop Update for the first week of October.

Corn: The majority of the corn is reaching or has reached Black Layer, however, it is along way from being dry enough to harvest. The big concern with corn is not how are we going to harvest the crop but how much money are we going to lose due to late maturation, stalk lodging, grain quality and drying costs. The OSU Agronomic Crops Team will be adressing all of these issue in the weeks to come as this harvest season starts to unfold. Stay tuned for the latest updates

Soybeans: If we get any dry weather at all we should get this crop harvested in short order. We have the capacity to take off alot of grain in a short amount of time. Overall the bean crop looks good and the yields should be very good for a crop that was for the most part planted late. Grain quality could be a issue if the harvest is backed up due to weather. Everytime soybeans take on moisture after the inital drydown the quality of the bean can be compromised and test weights will be reduced. If possible start harvest when the beans go below 20% moisture and get them into a drying bin. For those without the ability to dry, work with you local elavator to see at what moisture you can harvest and still avoid hefty dockage.This year soybeans are tall and in some cases partially lodged. You will not want to have snow on this crop this year.

Wheat; I do not think you will see much wheat planted in Northeat Ohio this year for several reasons. Number one it will take a complete reversal of the current weather patterns to get the ground dry enough to plant.Even if we go back to a more normal weather pattern we will be very close to the crop insurance deadline for this crop. You need to consult with your local crop insurance agent for details. Number two the incentive price wise to plant wheat over corn and soybeans is just not there. If you do the math and factor in the risk of late planting, Corn and Soybeans in 2012 are a better bet. Wheat is a world crop and is planted on every continent except Antartica. At the current time the world market has more than enough wheat to meet demand. We may come up short in the US due to drought in the southern plains states but the deficit will be made up somewhere else.

Forage Crops: Do not harvest Alfalfa until after we get a killing frost and the plants go dormant. Harvesting at this time with the plants under stress from wet conditions could lead to severe die off in this crop.

Finally even though you are in a hurry to get this crop in the bin and wrapup harvest, be safe. Being in a rush and working long hours with increasing levels of fatigue can lead to accidents. Farming is the second highest when it comes to accidents in the work place. Just take time to think how much corn and soybeans you will get harvested if you are flat on your back in a hospital. Be safe out there.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Report

2011-09-23T12:55:00.002-04:00

Coming back from the Farm Science Review on Wednesday it was apparent the summer is over and fall is here. This event always marks the end of summer for me. The day after FSR is also one that wheat producers should have marked on their calendar. It is the Hessian Fly Free Date for this area of the state. Let the wheat planting begin. Well almost, it will have to dry out before any wheat can be planted in this corner of the state. This may be a good thing, because some very important mistakes will be avoided. What it amounts to is that wheat will not be planted this fall, on fields that are not good for wheat production. Last fall due to the dry conditions many growers planted wheat on fields that are perennially wet. The result was inability to apply spring fertilizer and herbicides as well as fungicides. The result was some very poor wheat yields. A wise farmer once said “how can you expect to grow a crop requiring 9 months on a field where you struggle to plant and harvest a crop in 4 months. Point well taken! You need to plant wheat on your best well drained fields and you need to take care of it with an intensive level of management. All of this is required to achieve a yield that will be financially competitive with corn and soybeans. Here are the recommendations for accomplishing this from the specialist from OSU Extension & OARDC.

Important Wheat Management Guidelines: A 2011 Update
•Ron Hammond,
•Ed Lentz,
•Andy Michel,
•Pierce Paul

The 2011/2012 winter wheat season is fast approaching and as growers make preparations for planting, we would like to remind them of a few management decisions that are important for a successful crop. Nearly every farm in Ohio has a field or two that could benefit from planting wheat, if for no other reason than to help reduce problems associated with continuous planting of soybeans and corn. Consistent high yields can be achieved by following a few important management guidelines. Below are listed the most important management decisions that Ohio wheat producers need to make at fall planting time to produce a crop with satisfactory economic returns. Here we also address several issues related to late-planted wheat.

Variety and Seed Selection.
Select high-yielding varieties with high test weight, good straw strength and adequate disease resistance. Do not jeopardize your investment by planting poor quality seeds or by planting anything but the best yielding varieties that also have resistance to the important diseases in your area. Depending on your area of the state, you may need good resistance to powdery mildew, Stagonospora leaf blotch, head scab, and/or leaf rust. Plant healthy, wholesome, clean (remove shriveled kernels), and disease-free seeds, and make sure that the entire seed lot is treated, whether or not the seeds appear to be diseased. In Ohio, seed-borne wheat diseases such as common bunt and loose smut are rarely ever major concerns because growers routinely plant seeds treated with fungicides. Problems with these diseases usually appear in isolated areas where poorly treated, bin run seeds are planted. Seed treatments can play an important role in achieving uniform seedling emergence and giving seedlings a good head start under certain conditions. In addition, the selective use of seed treatments can protect seeds or seedlings from early-season diseases. More information on seed treatments can be found on the field crops disease website: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/.
Avoid varieties with susceptibility to Fusarium head scab. Unlike foliar diseases that are relatively easy to effectively control with a single foliar fungicide application, fungicide alone will not provide adequate control of head scab and vomitoxin if the variety is highly susceptible. A fungicide application at flowering must be combined with variety resistance to achieve the best results in terms of scab and vomitoxin reduction. Therefore one of the very first, and probably the most important, steps in a scab management plan is variety selection. In the past, producers have been reluctant to plant scab resistant varieties because some of the varieties did not yield as well as some of the more susceptible varieties. However, we now have scab resistant varieties with very good yield potential to choose from. A list of these varieties can be found in the 2011 Ohio Wheat Performance Trial (http://oardc.osu.edu/wheattrials).

Rotate wheat with Soybean.
Wheat should be planted after soybean not after wheat or corn. However, with soybean harvest likely to be late again this year, many producers are considering planting wheat after wheat to avoid having to plant late. Indeed, timely planting is critical for good stand establishment (more tillers per foot of row) and to reduce the risk of winter kill, however, planting wheat after wheat has several disadvantages.
Diseases are a big concern in wheat after wheat. One such disease, and by far one of the most important, is head scab. The head scab fungus survives in wheat stubble left in the field after harvest. Wheat planted into this stubble is more likely to have head scab and vomitoxin problems next year. This is especially true if late-spring, early-summer conditions are wet and humid. Our studies have shown that when wheat (or corn) residue is abundant (more spores of the fungus present), only a few days of wet and humid conditions during flowering are needed for head scab to develop and vomitoxin to exceed critical marketing thresholds (2 ppm). For the same reasons, planting wheat after corn is just as bad as planting wheat after wheat. The scab fungus survives equally well in both corn and wheat stubble.
In addition, growers who plant wheat after wheat usually have more problems with diseases such as Cephalosporium stripe and Take-all root rot. Plants severely infected in the fall and winter will become weak and discolored in the spring and often die prematurely without producing grain. In addition, foliar diseases such as Stagonospora leaf blotch, Septoria leaf blotch, powdery mildew, and tan spot become more problematic when wheat follows wheat. These diseases are all caused by fungi that survive in wheat stubble left in the field, and as such, can readily attack the new crop and spread shortly after germination or early in the spring. When diseases become established early, growers are more likely to suffer higher yield and quality losses

Planting Date.
Plant after the Hessian Fly Safe date for your county. The Hessian fly free dates can be found at (http://ohioline.osu.edu/iwy/flydates.html). These dates vary between September 22 for northern counties and October 5 for the southern-most counties. Planting within the first 10 days after the recommended fly-safe date minimizes the risk of serious problems with the Hessian fly. This is because on the dates indicated on the map, the weather conditions, especially temperature, are unfavorable for the Hessian fly. As a result, damage caused by this insect will likely be less if wheat is planted after the specific date. However, in Ohio the Hessian fly-safe date is not only about the Hessian fly. Another excellent reason to plant wheat after the fly-safe date is to minimize problems with diseases, especially barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). BYDV is transmitted by aphids and tends to be most severe when transmission occurs in the fall. Research has shown that due to unfavorable weather conditions, the aphid population tends to crash after the fly safe date, leading to fewer problems with BYDV. Planting date studies conducted here at OSU a few years ago showed that BYDV problems and yield loss associated with this disease are much higher when wheat is planted well before the fly-safe date. Planting after the fly-safe date also minimizes early establishment of other diseases such as Stagonospora blotch and leaf rust.
However, planting too early may not be a concern this year. From all indications, soybean harvest will likely be late again this year in most areas. As a result, some producers may not have the option of planting early. In fact, some may be forced to plant late, well after the Hessian fly-safe date, which is also a concern. Planting late (generally after Oct 20 in northern Ohio) can reduce the number of primary tillers that develop in the fall and increases the risk of cold temperature injury. If planting is delayed by more than three weeks after the Fly-Free date, the seeding rate should be increased to 24-26 seeds per foot of row, which is 1.75 million seeds per acre) to compensate for fewer tillers developing in late-planted wheat.

Seeding Rate and Planting Depth.
Optimum seeding rates are between 1.2 and 1.6 million seeds per acre. For drills with 7.5 inch row spacing, this is about 18 to 24 seeds per foot of row with normal sized seed. When wheat is planted on time, actual seeding rate has little effect on yield, but high seeding rates (above 30 seeds per foot of row) can increase lodging. There is no evidence that more seed is better, it only costs more money. However, as mentioned above, seeding rate should be increased if the crop is planted well after the fly-safe date. Seed size (the number of seeds per pound) and germination rates are critical for determining the proper seeding rate and drill calibrated. That information should be listed on the bag of seed. The table below shows the pounds of seed needed per acre to accomplish various seeding rates using different sizes of seed.
Pounds of Seed Needed to Plant from 1.2 Million to 2.0 Million Seeds Per Acre with Different Size Wheat Seed
---Millions of Seed Per Acre----
Seeds per Pound 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0
10,000 120 140 160 180 200
11,000 109 127 145 164 182
12,000 100 116 133 150 167
13,000 92 108 123 138 154
14,000 85 100 114 129 143
15,000 80 93 107 120 133
16,000 75 88 100 113 125
17,000 71 82 94 106 118
18,000 66 77 89 100 111
Planting depth is critical for tiller development and winter survival. Plant seed between 1 and 1.5 inches deep and make sure planting depth is uniform across the field. No-till wheat into soybean stubble is ideal, but make sure the soybean residue is uniformly spread over the surface of the ground. Shallow planting is the main cause of low tiller numbers and poor over-winter survival due to heaving and freezing injury. Planting depth is even more important in late planted wheat. Late planting results in plants that smaller than normal when entering dormancy, with smaller and more shallow root systems than normal, making them more susceptible to heaving next March.

Fertilizer Application.
Apply 20 to 30 lb of actual nitrogen per acre at planting to promote fall tiller development. Wheat also requires at least 45 ppm of available phosphorus per acre in the soil to produce really good grain yields. If the soil test indicates less than 40 ppm, then apply 80 to 100 pounds of P2O5 at planting. Soil potassium should be maintained at levels of 135, 165 and 185 ppm for soils with cation exchange capacities for 10, 20, or 30, respectively. If potassium levels are low, apply 60 to 100 pounds of K2O at planting. In Ohio, limed soils usually have adequate calcium, magnesium and sulfur for wheat. Soil pH should be between 6.5 and 7.0.
The key to a successful wheat crop is adequate and timely management. The above recommendations are guidelines that may be fine-tuned by you to fit your farming operation, soils, and planting conditions. They also assume that you are planting wheat in fields that are adequately drained.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crops Report

2011-08-29T09:42:00.002-04:00

As we move toward crop maturity, the thing that has been missing from this season is the usual Pest Alerts. 2011 is a perfect example of what we talk about when we say that everything has to come together at the right time and the right place over the right crop to create a pest problem. Normally we have talked about several insects or diseases by this time but this year was different.

David Marrison and I have monitored Western Bean Cutworm migration in corn, for Extension Entomologist Dr. Andy Michel from OARDC. In 2011 we have seen a sharp increase in moth numbers trapped in Geauga, Ashtabula and Trumbull Counties. This was also the case for Northwest Ohio. However there were no egg masses found in Northeast Ohio and only a few in Northwest Ohio. The main problem remains west of the Ohio in Indiana and Illinois. This is an indication that in the future there may be a problem with this insect. Despite the increase in numbers, producers can be optimistic about controlling this pest. With advent of advanced trans-genetic technology, control similar to European corn borer is possible. The new Herculex@ and Smart Stax@ Technology will control this pest. This technology is being quickly adopted across the region. Also growers can expect the use of these products to get easier with the advent of reduced refuges and refuge in a bag.

Soybean Aphids are still a major threat to soybeans both locally and across the country. If left on controlled soybean aphids can quickly multiply to levels that are capable for reducing yield by 15 to 20 percent. 2011 was supposed to be a problem year for aphids. Aphid numbers typically follow a pattern of spiking in odd years. However, this is a classic example how mother nature can alter a pattern. In Northeast Ohio a combination of high temperatures heavy rains (in some locations), and unusual wind patterns have allowed local grower to escape aphid infestation. This was not true in other parts of Ohio where growers are now spraying for aphids. That being said we are not out of the woods yet. A lot of the soybeans where late planted and will not be fully mature for a couple of weeks. That is more than enough time for the population to explode and create a problem. Having this many immature beans this late in the season is unusual and represents something new to consider when it comes to aphid behavior. However, the risk should go down as we move into September. This is the normal time when population’s crash and aphids move to Buckthorn for the winter.

Another pest that caused some problems was Potato leaf hopper in Alfalfa. Early on during the dry weather we had leaf hopper damage in many fields. The best defense against this pest is the use of resistant varieties. There is now available some very good yielding varieties that have resistance. This is defiantly the way to go if you are an alfalfa grower.

On the disease side we had very few diseases to contend with in corn and soybeans. Our number one crop where we need to be very vigilant is wheat. This is a crop where fungicide application can pay off. You need to be ready to control head scab and leaf diseases if want high yields.

Crop Progress Report

Corn: Most of the corn has reached the late R-3 to R-4 stage (late milk to early dough)This would project the majority to reach full maturity by the third to fourth week of September. This is almost 3 weeks later than last year. Pollination was good with the only problem being some poor tip fill.

Soybeans: August is the critical month for soybeans. If you have enough moisture the crop should thrive. This year the crop is now at R-5 and looks excellent. The only problem might be lower pod set that occured during the dry weather of July.

Wheat: Order your seed now as many varities are in short supply.

Forages: Harvest of third cutting continues in the form of haylage and balage. The weather has not been very conducive to making dry hay.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Report

2011-08-11T09:56:00.001-04:00

Most of the area has received an inch or better of rain over the last 10 days. Crops, especially soybeans are doing well. August is soybean month and it is all about rain to move this crop along. This is also the time of year that we need to turn our attention to controlling weeds on newly harvested small grain and also those forgotten prevented plant fields. These fields should not be neglected as weed pressure will increase and many of these weeds will go to seed. In an age where we are dealing with more and more weed resistance to herbicides neglecting large area of ground and not attempting some kind of control is foolish. It is either control it now or deal with a bigger problem later.

In this week’s Agronomic Tips OSU Weeds Specialist Mark Loux goes over spray programs and rates to control weeds on these areas. As Mark points out, weed control can be as simple a just mowing the fields or using a combination spray like Glyphosate with 24D to get control of problem weeds. Sometimes a combination of both is needs if the weeds get to large. The dry weather, we had early on, suppressed the weed growth on these areas. Now that we have had rain the weeds out there are doubling in size. Weeds like Foxtail and Ragweed will experience extensive growth in August and will deposit millions of seeds if left untreated. Weeds like and Canada thistle and Quack grass have already reached maturity. The only way to control them is to mow them off and let them re-grow and then hit them with an herbicide in the fall.

This is also a good time to get out and do something with those prevented planted fields. They were not planted for a reason and that reason was that they were too wet to plant. Many farmers who own or have long term control of the land are tiling these fields to improve drainage. Poor drainage is one of the major causes of low yields and tile will pay for itself. This is also a good time to soil test the open fields and to apply lime. Late summer is always the best time to apply lime because it takes at least 6 months for the product to start neutralizing the soil.
Many of you are looking to put some kind of crop on these fields this fall. If that crop is wheat, proceed with caution. 2011 should have taught us some valuable lessons about planting wheat on wet ground. Last fall was dry and a lot of ground that producers were unable to plant in the spring of 2010 was planted to wheat. The spring of 2011 was extremely wet. Many of those farmers could not put nitrogen, herbicide or fungicide on their wheat and this was reflected in their yields. There is an old adage; “if you cannot grow and harvest a crop that takes four months on a field, then how can you expect to grow a crop that takes 9 months to grow on the same field”. Good point! Wheat requires a lot of management and it should be grown on your best ground. A much better choice would be to grow a cover crop that will protect your soil and pave the way for planting a spring crop.

Here is this week’s Crop Progress Report:

Corn; May planted corn has reached the R-3 milk stage and is looking good. Early June corn is in the R-1 or Silking (pollinating) or R-2 blister stage. All of this corn should make Black Layer if the warm weather continues. We are now approaching 2000 heat units for the season.

Soybeans: Most of the June planted soybeans are at R-2 or full bloom some are now approaching R-3 or the beginning of the pod set. This is when you will find at least one 5mm pod set within the 4 upper most nodes.

Northeast Ohio Agronomics Crops Report

2011-08-01T11:36:00.001-04:00

We are now entering the time of year when we have done all we can do to produce a good crop and the rest of it, is up to Mother Nature. It seems that lately we are getting a little help from Mom. The crops across the region continue to mature at a rapid rate due to unusually warm weather and timely rain in most locations. Soybeans are on track for a good yield and corn, although still 2 weeks behind, is continuing to catch up. There are a few areas where rain has been scarce but for most of the region crops have received close to an inch per week, since the middle of July.

There has been a lot of concern about the high temperatures and its effect on corn. Corn is impacted during pollination by temperatures above 95 degrees during the day and temps above 80 at night. This can reduce the viability of pollen due to high day time temps. The high night time temps can cause kernel abortion. In the Midwest especially the Western Corn belt this has been a concern. In the southern part of the Western Corn belt the drought has complicated matters even more and yield will be impacted. In Northeast Ohio have been typically in the high 80’s with the occasional day over 90 degrees. Our biggest concern is still the effects of the late planting a high degree of variability in maturity stages within the fields. This can cause erratic pollination and erratic ear development. Corn that is way behind the rest of field produces smaller ears that mature at a slower rate. They may not reach black layer and the moisture level of the corn may be higher that the corn that mature earlier. All of this is yet to play out. This will be an interesting fall.

Weed control in soybeans is still of prime concern, as many fields still have excessive Lambsquarter, Pigweed and Foxtail. At this point if the crops carry the Roundup Resistant Gene you should be thinking about getting the problem under control quickly with a higher than normal rate of Glyphosate. With the price of Glyphosate being extremely reasonable you do not want to cut the rate to save a few dollars.

We have not seen much disease or insect activity due to the high day and night time temperatures. This has kept diseases in both corn and soybeans low. It has also had a negative effect on insect populations. In Soybeans are two main concerns in late July and early August are White Mold and Soybean Aphids. White mold is more prolific when the day time temperatures are on the cool side and the humidity level is high during the flowering period. The current hot spell may last long enough to see most beans getting through the flowering stage. Not many Soybean Aphids have showed up in the area. I have identified a few pockets of Aphids in Northern Geauga County. However, the numbers have been very low. One pocket actually disappeared after a heavy rain. We will continue to scout for aphids. With all of the late planted beans, the risk level for aphids, should remain high through the first of September.

Here is the Crop Progress Report for The last week of July 2011.

Corn: corn planted in May has silking R-1 and is starting to develop ears R-2. Most of the corn planted in early June is at Tasseling stage or V-T and is starting to pollinate. Some later planted corn is still at V-10 to V-12.

Soybeans: Range from fifth trifoliate V- 5, to Full bloom R-2, and are doing very well.

Oats: Are late but are nearing harvest.

Forages: Second cutting hay is wrapping up. However, there has been very little good weather to harvest dry hay. Also some Alfalfa fields are showing signs of leaf hopper damage. If you are between second and third cutting consider a spray application. If you are close to cutting, harvest the crop.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crops Update

2011-07-19T08:53:00.003-04:00

The dog days of summer have arrived and with it heat and dry weather. If you are wondering if it will ever rain again, you are not alone. Most of the farmers in the state of Ohio wondering the same thing. After what seemed like an eternity of wet weather we have now gone to the dry side. However, the crops are holding up quite well for the conditions. Corn is rolling in the afternoon but looks good in the mornings. That may be an indication that there is a good root system that is picking up moisture from the soil. Pollination will be late this year. The most critical weather period will be when the corn starts to tassel and silk. For most of the corn in Northeast Ohio that will be the first two weeks of August. Until then lets hope for rain and uniterrupted growth.

Soybeans are looking good, many are starting to flower. The only negitive is that they are short. You need to start scouting your beans for aphids and two-spotted spider mites. Mite damage is the most likely to occur due to the dry weather. Scout the outside edges of the fields, this is where damage occurs first. A few aphids have been spotted near Wooster. However, none have been found in Northeast Ohio at this time. We are expecting them to appear later in the season. Soybean diseases are minimal due to the hot dry weather. Ninty degree temperatures have all but shut down the disease organisms. This does not mean however that we will not experience some problems later on if the weather changes.

Wheat harvest has wrapped up and it appears that yields are average to below average, as expected. There were to many spots in the fields that drowned out for optimum production. Kernal size was small and the test weight was between 56 and 60 pounds per bushel. Head Scab could be found but at extremely low levels and no volmitoxin was reported. The lessons we learned this year were, that wheat needs to go on to tiled or well drained soils. Wet ground and wheat does not go together if you want maximum yields. Also you need to pay attention to the Head Scab Prediction Center forecast for Head Scab disease severity. For this area it was right on the money. Our wheat flowering was seven to ten days behind the rest of the state. The result was a decline in disease severity at flowering. The result was little difference in head scab severity between fields that recieved fungicide or did not recieve fungicide. However, the fields that were sprayed with fungicide for leaf disease showed less foliar and glum disease. That application of fungicide may have improved yields and test weights. The bottom line is that fungicide application in wheat usually pays off. Also if you are going to apply fungicide especially for head scab you need to be able to make that application in a timely manner. This may require owning your own equipment to do the job. Aerial application was not possible and most custom applicators were swamped with work. They simply could not get to every field in time.

Crop Progress Report.

Corn- Across Northeast Ohio corn maturity ranges from V-5 to Tasseling. Hopefully that is not occuring in the same field.

Soybeans: Maturity ranges from V-3 to R-1 and above. The biggest problem is soybean field is weed control. Weeds need to be controlled now or yield reduction will occur.

Wheat: Harvest is done or close to being done.

Oats; Are tunring and should be ready to harvest soon.

Forages. Still some first cutting to harvest and second cutting is underway. Be on the look out for leaf hopper damage in Alfalfa.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Report

2011-07-07T14:39:00.002-04:00

Northeast Ohio is finally drying and in some cases may be too dry. For the most part crops especially soybeans are looking good despite the late start. The problem with late planted crops is that they often lack the root systems to overcome extended periods of dry weather without experiencing stress. The biggest problem I see is poor weed control. Producers need to get on top of this situation as soon as possible without delay. Every day you wait is another day that your crops have to share moisture with unwanted weeds. Corn and beans are very vulnerable until the row canopies over. Even then if the weeds are well established they will continue to outgrow crops. You need to spend a few hours walking your fields to determine the extent of weed populations and their stage of growth. Post- emergence applications are all about timing. Weed populations that look insignificant now can quickly get out control. A scattering of yellow foxtail plants at 2 inches may look harmless but once those plants develop and grow to 3 feet they can become a big problem at harvest. Do not overlook the broadleaves such as Lambsquarter and Pigweed. A few of these scattered across the field could be big trouble in the future. We are seeing more and more Glyphosate resistance in this species of weeds. I am leaving Mark Loux’s article up in Agronomic Tips to use as a reference for post weed control. Mark outlines several combinations of herbicides that will help to control these troublesome weeds in both corn and soybeans. Remember the only way to determine if you have a problem is to get out and walk your fields.

Here is this week’s crop progress report for Northeast Ohio.

Corn: is developing fast. Growth ranges from V-3 to V- 7 or 8. For the most part it has good color except in the low areas that dried out last. The only problem is the high variability in growth size within the fields. This could be a problem at pollination time. Corn planted in that very small window of opportunity around the first of May could be reaching tassel in the next couple of weeks.

Soybeans: Soybeans planted the first week of June are now in the V-4 stage of growth. They should canopy over in the next 7 to 10 days if not sooner. Soybeans look good and because their growth and development are governed more by day length should develop on schedule.

Wheat: Is in the dry down stage. Combines should be in the field this weekend. The producers in Central and Southern Ohio have harvested their wheat and yields were surprisingly good with low levels of Head scab and Volmitoxin. Let’s hope this holds true for Northeast Ohio.

Oats: Are heading out and starting to turn.

Forages: First cutting hay is 60% complete and the quality coming out of the field now is marginal. Producers should be harvesting 2nd cutting Alfalfa soon.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crops Update

2011-06-24T16:52:00.009-04:00

Entering the last week of June 100% of the Corn and 90% of the Soybeans are planted in Northeast Ohio. Most of the corn that was planted the first two weeks of June has now emerged. Stands look good and the crop is developing fast. A lot of the crop is now in the 4 to 5 leaf stage of growth. This is a good time to sidedress nitrogen.
Soybeans are 80 percent emerged and weed control varies between excellent of marginal. Weeds need to be brought under control as soon as possible to avoid yield loss. Waiting to avoid an extra application is not a wise decision. Weeds have had a definite advantage and the competition potential and and yield reduction they can cause is very real. The only time soybeans have at the upper hand is when they are fully canopied. Weed Control and maximum light interception are the two reason producers like to see full canopy by June 21st the longest day of the year. Mark Loux OSU Weed Specialist has given some very good pointers and recommendations on late season weed control in this week CORN Newletter. These are highlighted in this week’s Agronomic Tips.

Wheat has all but turned color and time for the impact of diseases is drawing to a close. You can still tell if you have Head Scab because the infected heads will appear chaffey. The infection can affect all of the head or only a portion of the head.

Heads Infected with Head Scab

Here is this week’s crop progress report.

Corn: 100% planted and 80% emerged

Soybeans: 90% planted and 70% emerged

Oats: Starting to head

Wheat: 100% turning

Forages: First cutting 40 % complete

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crops Report

2011-06-11T15:39:00.004-04:00

Significant progress in planting has been made this past week. It appears that the corn that will be planted is planted. The heavy rains on Tuesday morning just may have put a few more acres in the book as prevented planted corn. Soybean planting is progressing nicely with very good soil conditions. Expect to see beans being plant right up until the June 20th reporting deadline for full payment on insured beans.
Forages are being cut and there has been some nice haylage and baleage made. There has been very little dry hay made due to the wet ground conditions and reoccurring rain storms. However, that should change by Sunday when 4 days of sunny weather is being forecast.

For those producers with corn in the early growth stages and especially the corn that was planted in May, get ready to sidedress nitrogen as soon as possible. With all of the rain, a good portion of the N applied early may now be depleted. De-nitrification and leaching may have taken out a good portion the N that was applied early. It is important to keep this late planted corn crop growing as fast as possible. We need to really push the plants to get as much vegetative and root growth as possible by mid-July, early August when pollination will occur. The secret to achieving, as good a yield is to never allow the crop to have a bad day. That means adequate Nitrogen applied in a timely manner and good weed control. Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate with enough water to get the job done in a timely manner
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Wheat has now headed and is starting to feed. A good many acres has received a fungicide treatment. However, custom applicators could not get around to every field within the very narrow window for application for head scab control. We had a couple things in our favor that may help to prevent head scab. During the flowering period we did receive some dry weather and the humidity did go down. Also we have had some very hot weather that may interfere with the fungal growth. The Ne Ohio risk factor on the Fusarium Head Scab Prediction Site showed a decline in risk during this period. The first indication of whether the crop was infected will come 21 days after flowering or by the end of June.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report:
Corn: 85% planted and 50% emerged. Many early planted fields had to be replanted or partially planted. Corn on tiled and well drained soil looks the best.

Soybeans: 60- 70 % planted and more going in, at least until the crop insurance deadline. Very little emerged but what has does not look to bad.

Wheat: 100% full head and filling. Some wheat looks outstanding and that that did not receive nitrogen is pretty much a lost cause. We will have to wait to find out about Head Scab. Check for leaf and glum disease at this time.

Oats; Poor to fair condition due to wet weather. Watch for Cereal Leaf Beetle.

Forages: First Cutting harvest 10 -20 % complete.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crops Report

2011-06-02T10:17:00.005-04:00

The sun is shining and planting has resumed. If the weather holds through the weekend a lot of the corn will be planted. If you follow research data you can expect to see some kind of yield reduction for planting this late in the season but that is not a certainty and every year is different. The risk of lower corn yields due to late planting is tempered by the type of genetics that we now have available in corn hybrids. Research done in Ohio indicated that growers can expect a 14 % decrease in yields for corn planted in June as compared to a normal planting date. Yield losses ranged from 6% to 43% and in two cases there was an actual yield gain in the June planted corn. This study points out that heavy yield losses for June planted corn are not a guarantee. It will depend on how the weather is during the critical months of July and August and again in early October. If we see favorable weather patterns during this periods with adequate rainfall and normal temperatures’ the corn should pollinate and fill properly. If we can avoid an early frost and get warm temperatures to dry corn in October we should avoid harvest problems. There are a lot of ifs in those statements. Northeast Ohio is always at higher risk because of our proximity to Lake Erie and our very uncertain fall weather patterns ,however on the other side we are also often at lower risk for drought conditions later in the season.
This is a lot to consider if you are a grain farmer making the decision to plant or to take crop insurance. The last two issue of the CORN Newsletter have multiple articles to help you make that decision to take or not take insurance or to switch to soybeans. There are charts and spreadsheets that you can plug your data into to make an educated decision. Just click on the CORN Newsletter link in the right hand column of this blog and download the information. For those growing corn for dairy or livestock and those with the option of silage it is a wise decision to plant the crop and harvest the feed. The cost of buying corn next fall and winter could be very high. Even though the cost of producing a crop is high the cost of replacing it with purchased feed stocks could be higher.
If you are a Soybean producer there is adequate time to plant the crop. Many acres of Soybeans are planted in June every year in Northeast Ohio. There may be some yield reduction but this is also a certainty. If you plant in June you need to establish canopy closure as quick as possible. To accomplish this plant in narrow rows no wider that 15 inches. You need to increase you population by 10 to 15%. You can stick with you later season beans (group 3) until the 15th of June. After that you would be wise to plant and earlier variety, mid group 2). You want to get as much growth as possible to get the canopy closed to conserve moisture and increase leaf surface. All beans no matter when they are planted will flower at the same time based on day length. What you typically lose in a late planting is nodal development and leaf surface. If possible you want to have full canopy by the 21st of June, something that is not possible with June planted beans.

Crop Progress Report:

Corn: After drying conditions over the last several days 30% of the corn is in and some of that plated in early May has emerged. The stands are arivle with some stand loss where there is standing water.

Soybeans: Only about 10% of the beans are planted with some emerged

Oats: Most have emerged and stands are fair to poor due to wet weather. Be on the lookout for cearl leaf beetle in emerged oats

Wheat: Wheat has flowered and the opportunity to spray for head scab has all but pasted. At the time of flowering the risk levels were varible across Northeat Ohio.
For the most part Ashtabula and Trumbull were at low risk with central Geauga County being at the highest risk level. Unfortunately unless aerial application of fungicides were used, application was limited There was no chance to spray with ground rigs due to wet conditions. As the flowering progressed the risk levels declined with the advent of dryer weather. The impact of this on Geauga County wheat will not be known until later in the season. The crop that recieved nitrogen can be rated good to excellent. Where no nitrogen was applied it is rated fair to poor.

Forages: Hay is slightly behind in maturity for this time of year. Orchard grass is now headed and starting to bloom. Some harvesting of Alfalfa for haylage has started.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Report

2011-05-25T14:37:00.002-04:00

For of the Northeast Ohio wheat growers that have wheat in the field we have now reached a point where action is need to think about protecting you winter wheat crop. The threat of Fusarium Head Scab is real for NE Ohio. Wheat in this area has reached feekes 10 or the boot stage. Right now if we were in the flowering stage or feekes 10.5 we would be at moderate risk for head scab according to the Head Scab Predition Center. Again we are not at risk now because we are only at the boot stage. It appears that by the end of next week or around June 1st to 5th some of the wheat in this area may be at the flowering stage and if conditions remain the same we will need to be applying a fungicide. If the weather patterns change and we enter a dry period we may not need to spray the crop. Here are some important things to know and do to get ready. The reason being that you only have 5 days from the start of flowering to apply fungicide.

1. Contact a custom applicator if you need to have a fungicide applied and get on his list.

2 if you are applying the material yourself locate a supply of the product.

3.Remember there are only three products that are affective on Head Scab, Prosaro, Caramba and Proline 480SC

4.Be able to identify the stage of growth your wheat is in. This is imporatnt so that you can relay this information to the applicator

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2011-05-20T10:00:00.003-04:00

Pest Alert
We have reached a critical point for wheat, Feekes 9 to 10.5, which is the critical stage for disease control. It also appears that a perfect storm for disease development is rapidly approaching. If you consider the basics of a Disease Triangle you know have all three sides of that triangle in place and if the weather does not change that storm is fast approaching. We have a susceptible crop, wheat, and there are always disease organisms in the atmosphere and the environment. All that is needed is for the right environmental conditions to appear and a disease outbreak is almost certain. The saturated environment we are now in is supplying those conditions. Even if it stops raining tomorrow we have more than enough moisture around to cause problems between the flag leaf stage (Feekes 10.5) and flowering. All of our wheat will reach these stages over the next two to three weeks.

If you have never sprayed a fungicide on your wheat before this may be a good year to start. Remember that it may take two applications. The first application should be at or just before flag leaf for leaf diseases if they are present. The second will be at flowering time to control head scab. For Head Scab Risk You need to monitor the Penn State Fusarium Head Scab site on the web http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu) to determine the level of risk for our area before spraying. I left Dr. Pierce Paul’s article from last week up on the Agronomic Tips portion of this Blog, which covers all of this information. If the rain continues these applications may have to be flown on with an airplane or helicopter. You need to contact your dealer to get information on aerial application. If you feel you need to use an aerial applicator do not wait because they are scarce in NE Ohio and their job lists are getting longer by the day.
Another pest to scout for is Cereal Leaf Beetle which thrives in cool wet weather. This bug appears as mini slug on the leaf and the damage appears as a streak on the leaf. They can quickly destroy the flag leaf of wheat or oats greatly reducing yield. The threshold is now one per stem or flag leaf when sampling 10 stems in 5locations in the field. If theis threshold is reached an insecticide can be applied with a fungicide if needed. Contact your OSU Extension offices if you need help with this pest.

Crop Progress Report

Progress, yes there was some in the state, at least in corn. As of the 15th of May Ohio corn planting advanced from 3 % to 7%. The five year average is 70 % on the 15th of May. To say that we are falling further and further behind is an understatement. I am not telling you, as a producer, anything you do not already know. Actually that 7% is not representative of Northeast Ohio where the majority of producers have not turned a wheel. However, some have and I talked to one big producer that planted 30% of their corn over a 3 day window of opportunity. As for soybeans even less progress is reported with only 3 % of the beans in the ground in Ohio. The five year average is 44 %, with Northeast Ohio lagging behind that.

Important Dates

Even though we have not reached this point yet, producers with crop insurance have several very important dates to keep in mind. For corn the cut off to file for prevented planting is June 6th. However, you may not want to wait until the last minute to file because all of the paper work has to be completed within 72 hours of that date or June 10th and there could be a lot of farmers making requests

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crops Progress Report

2011-05-13T14:41:00.001-04:00

Finally after almost three weeks of waiting, some planting progress to report. As of Saturday May 7th a tour of Northern Trumbull County recorded very little planting activity. As of Wednesday May 11th in the same area almost 40 to 50 % of the corn was in the ground. Yes Virginia, those 16 to 24 row planters can work miracles and don’t you just love modern agriculture. Unfortunately that was Wednesday and by Friday the rains are falling and once again everything is on hold. On Thursday evening we received 1.15 inches of rain. What was special about this event was that the majority came down in 30 to 45 minutes. With the ground barley dried out from the last rains will stall field work for a few more days. Now on Friday afternoon another downpour has started. The short range forecast is for off and on rain into next week. Hold on to your hats this could be a bumpy ride before we get to the first of June.
It is still too early to switch to shorter season hybrids but it is not too early to locate them if you need them. It would also be a good time to locate some additional soybean seed if your game plan is about to change. Concerning Soybeans, it would also be wise to get that seed treated. There is a good chance that you will be planting into wet ground and treated seed is insurance against seed diseases. As Ann Dorrance, OSU Plant Pathologist, points out you do not want to plant this crop twice this year.
From now on, one of the most important things you can do is to scout your crops on a regular basis. Starting with wheat, you need to be able to identify leaf and other diseases. This hot weather is an incubator for wheat disease. The only thing you can to do to prevent it is identify the problem and apply fungicide at the right time. This week’s Agronomic Tip of Weeks by OSU Plant Pathologist, Pierce Paul. He points out what to look for and when to treat your wheat crop. Another pest to be on the lookout for is Slugs. All of this wet weather is ideal for slug development and infestation. Slugs do not like hot weather but if we go into a cool period with all of this moisture and late planted crops there could be trouble down the road. You need to scout and scout often once the crops are in the ground.

Northeast Ohio Planting Progress

Corn; Over the entire area, close to 20% is planted with areas reporting over 50 % planted.

Soybeans: A few acres in the ground but most are being delayed until the corn is planted.

Oats: 70% to 80% done. Not many acres planted due to the late season and the time of year.

Wheat: 70% side-dressed and herbicides applied. Some leaf disease is starting to show up. Early diseases like powdery mildew seem to be suppressed by genetics in the Northeast Ohio crop. However, the later diseases like Septoria, and Stagonospora blotch are of greatest concern at this time. Once the wheat goes into flower the focus of concern will shift to Head Scab. One treatment will not take care of both. Application timing is however, critical.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Progress Report

2011-05-06T10:30:00.000-04:00

The wet weather continues and only about 1-2% of the corn crop is planted in Ohio. Ohio is not alone as farmers most of the surrounding states have not turned a wheel. One of the things that farmers can do while they wait is fine tune their planting equipment for the task ahead.
Wet years present problems and the later it gets the less time you have to get the crop in, in a timely manner. Most of the agronomic experts are saying that farmers should not be pushing the panic button even though we are fast approaching the 10th of May. The biggest mistake a farmer can make is attempt to put expensive seed into ground that is not ready to plant. There are major problems with attempting to plant into ground in poor condition. When the ground is cold, less than 50 degrees, this means that germination could be delayed and the see will be sitting in cold wet ground for an extended period of time. If you attempt to till ground that is wet, this usually results in clodding, resulting in poor soil to seed contact. Many farmers attempt to save time by planting no-till. One of the biggest mistakes a grower who uses no-till can make is planting in cold wet ground. No-till ground is notorious for not drying out simply because the ground is not disturbed. It is also a haven for pest like Slugs. No-till will work and it will save time and fuel but you need to be patient and let the soil dry out and warm up before planting.
This all well and good, but if you are a farmer with equipment ready to roll it is only human nature to try to get out and do something, even if it wrong. Ok let’s look at your equipment! You have spent hours going over your planter and you feel it is ready to go. However, it may be ready to go in average conditions not soil that has been saturated for weeks. There are several things you can do to make the best of a bad situation. The article in This Weeks Agronomic Tip is from Michigan State University, it outlines adjustments you can make to deal with wet conditions. You make sure that row cleaners are working properly for the conditions you are in. Normally you want to move only the residue not the soil. However in wet cold soil, you might want to set the cleaners to stir the soil a little to allow for warming and drying moving residue well away from the row. The biggest problem in wet soils is seed trench closure. You need to maintain enough down pressure to close the trench but do not overdue it. It is very easy to use excess down pressure and compact the seed trench wall. This causes the seed disc to leave a smeared trench that is not closed. Spiked closing wheels can help to make sure that this wall is broken down and the seed is covered. It is absolutely important that you have good seed to soil contact without compaction. If the trench is left open you will increase the chances of poor germination and leave the seed exposed to Slugs that will guarantee a poor stand.
Another plan of attack is to use some kind of vertical tillage to stir the soil prior to planting to warm up and dry out the soil. I believe that machines like the Great Plains TurboTill and the Salford RTS have a place on many farms. This is especially true on farms that are currenty using a no-till system. Many no-till purists will argue that this is no longer no-till but in years like this, it can mean shortening up the time it takes to dry soil out for planting. It is all about whatever it takes to get you into the field faster without spending a ton of money and time you do not have on primary tillage.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Progress Report

2011-04-28T14:35:00.003-04:00

The rain continues to fall and field work in many areas has yet to begin. This week I want to highlight an articles from the corn newsletterby Dr.Robert Mullen OSU State Soil Fertility Specialist.There was more than a few acres of wheat planted in Northeast Ohio last fall and the majority of that wheat has not been topdressed due to wet weather conditions.This has many farmers concerned that they will experience yield loss if this the wheat is not topdressed soon. We are late topdressing by the calendar but it is the stage of wheat growth that we need to be paying attention to. Just like everything else wheat growth is behind schedule due to the wet cold season. Here is what Robert has to say about what is happening to wheat that was topped dressed and the rest that has seen no nitrogen this season:

Nitrogen Loss from Topdressed Wheat Fields, Am I Losing Any N? What if I Have Not Supplied N Yet?

Robert Mullen, Ed Lentz

In this same newsletter, we have discussed concerns regarding N loss from anhydrous ammonia for corn this summer. In case you did not read that article, the jest was that we are not overly concerned about N loss from those applications. So is the same true for topdressed wheat? Not necessarily.

Our concern about N loss this spring from wheat is somewhat form specific. Topdress applications of N from urea are unlikely to have experienced much in the way of loss. The greatest concern would have been volatilization losses of N after application, but with our rainfall pattern this spring that should have been minimal. Additionally, the cool soil temps have also limited biological activity meaning very little of the N has been converted to nitrate. As you know, nitrate-N is the form we are concerned about losing. The question that typically is asked is – should I have included an inhibitor (either urease or nitrification)? The research that we have been doing over the last ten years, reveals that typically you do not need a urease or nitrification inhibitor. This is due to cooler soil temperatures in the spring when these applications are taking place.

The story is a little different for urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN). When you apply UAN, a quarter of what you apply is in the nitrate-N form the day it hits the ground. This fraction of N is subject to loss, and there is really very little you can do to protect it. Inhibitors will in no way shape or form protect the nitrate-N you supply. So with all the wet weather some of that nitrate-N fraction may be lost via leaching. The good news is that the greatest loss potential is for coarse textured soils, so those who farm clay soils have a lower loss potential. Since soil temperatures have been so cool, denitification of nitrate-N has likely not occurred to any great extent (our greatest concern for heavy soils).

What about those fields that have yet to receive their topdress N? Are you too late? The one thing we want to point is calendar day late and crop growth stage late are two different things. Just because your topdress N application is falling a little later than normal does not necessarily mean that your crop is missing an opportunity. The fact is most of our wheat is a little behind schedule -- thanks to cool, wet conditions. So much of the wheat is still at a period where timely applications of N can still be made. For those who have wheat passed stem elongation (Feekes 7) and N has not yet been applied, you should still get out and apply N. You might have lost some yield potential if the crop has been N stressed, but the crop will still respond to N applications. In fact, most research shows that applications as late as Feekes 8 can see beneficial yield responses. Let’s hope we do not have to wait that long. For the later N applications, if the weather forecast is for an extended drying period with windy and warm temperatures (>75°) and no rain for several days, you may want to consider a urease inhibitor with urea applications. However, these weather conditions appear to be unlikely the next several weeks.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Progress Report

2011-04-20T15:12:00.002-04:00

As we approach the last week of April I had hoped to report significant progress toward planting. However, unlike 2010 there is little to report and it appears that local farmers will start planting behind the five year average. On the 25th of April last year Ohio reported 45% of the corn planted and 2% emerged. The five year average is 19% planted. The long range forecast is for the weather pattern we have been under for over a month to continue into May. This is not good news for farmers anywhere in Ohio. It now becomes a matter of prioritizing what has to be done.
The task now will be to get the crop planted as soon as possible without neglecting good management practices. Planting as soon as possible is absolutely critical but neglecting weed control could be a major mistake. Many times over the years I have seen fields planted first and then sprayed at later date. The problem with this approach is that weeds grow quickly once the temperatures warm up and things get out of control. This year OSU Weed Specialist Mark Loux has stressed using a pre-emerge followed by a post-emerge spray program to get maximum control of weeds, especially resistant weeds. The problem with a wet spring is that many farmers abandon their plan for weed control. This means that producers fall back on a totally post-emerge program. Mark “states that anytime that a Post application is carrying the bulk of the load for weed control it is probable that yield has not been adequately protected”. In Corn, producers need to follow through with their program and put down a Pre such as Lexar/Lumax or SureStart/ Tripleflex followed by a Post application of Glyphosate or Ignite. This way you protect the corn plants from germination through the early stages of growth and clean up any problems later on in the season. Remember that many of these Pre-emerge products can be applied to corn after emergence but corn size varies by the herbicide and you need to consult the label to avoid crop injury. The biggest factor affecting how well they perform is weed size at the time of application. In most cases this is no more than three leaf stage. If you run into a situation where you cannot get a Pre on in a timely manner then the next option would be a Post application. Glyphosate or Ignite alone may do the job in GMO tolerant hybrids but be aware of resistant weeds. In non-GMO and GMO Corn a product like Celebrity Plus, Steadfast ATZ or the new Capreno may be a good choice.
Often farmers will shift to no-till to save time and that is ok as long a burn down application is made. Despite wet weather and delays it is important that producers start with a clean field before planting. A good burn down is very important and can achieve early season weed control. The most common burn down has been glyphosate and 24D. The problem with this combination is that you need to allow 7 days before planting after applying 24D. In a wet year the 24D is often dropped out of the mix for that reason. Last year a group of new herbicides containing Kixor or Saflufenacil. One of those products is Sharpen. When combined with glyphosate or Ignite the combination is rated 8 or 9 on most winter annuals and problem weeds such marestail, common and giant ragweed, as well as dandelion. You can apply Sharpen any time prior to germination on most soil types. Consult the label for rates and specific recommendations.
The take home message is to develop a weed control program that works on your farm and stick to it as much as possible, realizing; there may be times when a timely application is impossible. Have a solid backup plan in place. Try to balance your spraying with planting because in the long run one may just be as important as the other.

This Weeks Crop Progress Report

Wheat; Is between feekes 3 and 4. Tillering is very good. About 1/3 of the crop is top dressed with nitrogen.

Oats: A few acres of oats have been planted on Amish Farms

Corn and Soybeans: Some fertilizer and herbicide has been applied.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Report

2011-03-24T11:55:00.002-04:00

As we turn the calendar to April, we will also be officially starting of the 2011 crop season. Most everyone has their seed bought and many have their fertilizer booked. I believe that everyone pretty well knows what their rotation will be. Most farmers do not change their rotations up unless the weather becomes a factor. There are a lot incentives to plant both corn and or soybeans and if there is shift one way or the other it will not be the market but rather the weather that will dictate that shift. Jim Noel of Ohio NOAA agricultural weatherman is predicting a cool wet start to planting with a trend to warmer and dryer weather by summer. The end result for northeast Ohio could be delays in planting at the beginning of the season and some weather worries during the growing season especially around pollination time. The best way to combat dry weather later on in the growing season is to get planted early. Late planted crops tend to be negatively impacted by dry hot weather in July and August.

How do we handle this type of scenario? We have been hearing for a long time, as early as last fall, that drought conditions could be a possibility this summer. Hopefully you considered the possibility and selected hybrids with some drought tolerance. Also you should have selected hybrids with a range of maturities and not put all of eggs in the long season basket. This would allow you to plant your longest season hybrids on you driest ground early and the short season hybrids going in on ground where you might experience delays. Make sure you have all of your weeds under control. You do not need weeds competing for moisture with your corn. Get enough fertilizer on early to keep your corn growing vigorously, developing a strong root system. Deep rooted corn will capture more moisture later on. Plan to side dress at least some of your nitrogen so your corn will develop quickly.
On the Soybean side you need to gear up and plant your beans as early as possible. Too many producers figure they can get away with planting beans in June. In a dry year that is a recipe for low yields. If possible plant your beans at the same time as your corn. The ultimate goal would be to have both planted by the third week in May. There are a couple reasons why early planted beans just work better. First you get beans that develop a canopy quicker. This shades the ground and conserves moisture. You will also be able to have your plants reaching a maximum flowering at the longest period of daylight available. This occurs at the summer solstice or June 21st. The result is maximum pod set at the right time of year. This allows the pods to develop and fill earlier in the year thus avoiding some of the negative effects of dry weather later on. Late planted beans are very vulnerable to dry weather. The beans are short the rows remain open and the soil dries out. The pod set is sparse resulting in low yields.

The bottom line is that farmers need to be continuously planning ahead to keep ahead of the roadblocks that can reduce yield. Be ready to make a change in your cropping plans if necessary. 2010 was a great year and everything fell into place. One thing for sure 2011 will most likely not be the same, no two years seldom are.

Your Agronomic Crop Progress Report for Northeast Ohio

Wheat: The snow is gone and the wheat is uncovered and ready to break dormancy. For the most part the heavy snow cover has protected the wheat this winter and the stands look good. Click on the Agronomic tip for the week to get some tips on apply N to your wheat crop.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2011-02-08T14:18:00.003-05:00

Welcome back to a new season of the Northeast Ohio Crop Progress & Weather Report. For those of you who are new to this blog, Northeast Ohio Crop Weather is site dedicated to the production of agronomic crops in Northeastern Ohio. It is designed to keep crop farmers informed on the latest developments in crop production across the area. It is one of several blogs that have been developed by members of the Ohio State University Agronomics Crop Team across the state of Ohio. The purpose is to deliver a regional update that supports and adds to the information distributed by the Crop Observation and Recommendation Network (CORN) Newsletter. You will find a link to this the valuable source of information in the right hand column of this blog.
For the next two months this blog will be updated every two weeks. Once we get into planting season and the crops start growing it will be updated weekly. What can you expect to find in this blog? You will receive a running account of the crop progress of all major crops including corn, soybeans, wheat, oats and forage crops. The information will come from extension educators, crop consultants, and from local farmers like you. That is why to make it as accurate as possible we need to have you contact myself Les Ober Geauga Co. or David Marrison, Ashtabula County. You can call, or Email mail me or David anytime to tell us what you are seeing or if you have problems. You will also get an update of the local weather; rainfall amounts, growing degree days. All of these are under the subtitles on the right hand side. If necessary there will be Pest Alerts to make you aware of insect or disease problems locally. You will also get other valuable information and agronomic tips that can help you in the day to day operation of your farms. There will be a calendar of events that will inform you of upcoming meetings and field nights. A lot of information and all you have to do is down load the site onto your computer. Hope you will make it one of your favorites and visit the site on a regular basis. Every week we will try to make it better. price have been on the rise with new crop Chicago Wheat futures well above $9.00. The Ohio wheat crop has a long way to go but with prices like this it may not be a bad time to offset some of your production costs.

Corn & Soybeans: Too early for a report but new crop prices are very good and it may be a good time to finalize your plans for the upcoming season.

In the mean time hope to see some of you at the winter meetings or at Pesticide Recertification

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Progress Report.

2010-12-02T15:44:00.001-05:00

For the most part all of the combines and harvest equipment are put away and everyone’s attention is now shifting to the 2011 season. With the exception a few acres of corn left to be harvested this crop is in the bin. It was good year with above average soybeans and average to above average corn. Now producers need to be looking head and planning for the 2011 crop.

As we approach the 2011 season there will be a lot of decisions to make. One of the biggest and most expensive will be selecting the seed you will use in 2011. You will have to sort through a lot of hype to find the genetics that will work best on your farm. Before you buy one bag of seed realize that you will need to know the capability of your soil before you buy. That means that you will need accurate soil tests and crop information. Hopefully you have kept a log of what has happened on your farm over the last several years. If you have experienced top crop performance in some fields and less than average performance in others you need to find out why. All of these things need to be analyzed before you select the seed you are going to use.
One of the best places to start looking and comparing hybrids and varieties is in the University Performance Trials. Yield is very important and that is good place to start, but that is just a starting point. Break it down make a list. List the field characteristics on one side and seed characteristics on the other. May be you have a field that dries out quickly and would be a good choice for early planting and a longer season hybrid, as apposed to a field that is wet and is more suited for a short season hybrid. Maybe you have a field with a history of disease or insect problems. This is where you need to select a seed that delivers disease or insect protection. When it comes to traits look at the problems you have faced in the past. If you have had a corn insect problem in the past then you may want o look at one of the new traited hybrids that provide some protection. If you have never experience problems with root worm or corn borer then will the new traited hybrids be worth the additional cost. You need to balance this with the knowledge that most of the high yielding hybrids are traited. The days of one type of seed fitting all of your acreage are gone. That may be a good thing because it is often more productive to use a group hybrids instead of just one or two.

Another thing to keep in mind is performance over multiple sites. Hybrids and varieties that perform well in multiple locations have a better chance of performing well on your farm as long as the environmental conditions at those sites are nearly the same as the conditions on your farm. A hybrid that works well in Southern Ohio may not be suited for your farm in Northeast Ohio. For Corn in Northeast Ohio, beyond yield, I would recommend a hybrid that is shorter seasoned with good stand ability, quick dry down and good test weight. The reasons for this selection is that on the average we have fewer Growing Degree Days to work with, we often harvest late into season and our corn comes of wetter and requires more drying.

With soybeans consistency counts, try to balance offensive genetics (yield) with defensive protection ( disease tolerance or resistance). High yielding potential will do nothing for you if you plant a variety that is susceptible to a disease that is prevalent on your farm. In the end the disease, if present could significantly cut your yield. Soybean genetics are changing rapidly and the availability of tried and true varieties may be limited or nonexistent. Selection requires studying the and various traits of the new varieties now coming on the market

Northeast Ohio Crop Update

2010-11-05T11:24:00.001-04:00

The 2010 harvest is about to come to a close. This is the end to a year that many producers will not soon forget. It was also a year of extremes. We had extremely wet weather at the start of the Season. We experienced some periods of very dry weather over the summer and near record heat. As we moved into harvest we saw corn dry down at a record rate. We saw the lowest harvest crop moistures that we have seen in years. Harvest started way earlier than normal and it will finish in near record time. The growing season officially ended across Geauga County on November 2nd with sub 25 degree F temperatures. This is one of the latest dates that I have seen recorded. We finished with over 3000 growing degree days, one of the warmest on record. Here is how the crops performed.

Corn: There is still some corn to be harvested but we are at least 70% complete with many producers already finished for the season. Corn was dry 15 to 18 % moisture at harvest. Black layer was reached by mid September. Test weight was good averaging 56 and above. Yield was variable but most of the fields were from 120 to 180 bushels per acre depending on planting date. There were some high yields in the 220 bushel range on early planted fields.

Soybean: harvest is now 95% complete. Bean yields were very good. Early planted beans came in between 50 and 60 bushels per acre. The beans planted after the May rains, around Memorial Day, ranges from 40 to 50 bushels per acre. Test weight was good at roughly 58 pounds per bushel. Harvest moistures were around 11%.

Wheat: The 2011 crop is in the ground and growing well with good stands. All we need now is favorable winter weather.

The biggest story is the grain prices. This could be the extreme to top all extremes. No one predicted a steady increase in grain prices all the way through harvest, but a lot of factors came together to produce a historic market. Going into harvest we were on track to produce a record corn and soybean crop. Then we found some more 2009 corn and recorded a higher carryover than expected. However, the market did not drop. Then we found less corn in the field and that corn cancelled out the extra corn from 2009. Then we predicted even lower corn yield and kissed the record corn harvest goodbye. Then the Chinese who are more and more looking to the USA to fill there grain needs started buying corn and continued to buy soybeans at a record pace. Throw in raising the ethanol wall to 15% and a few funds buyers moving over from Wall Street to the commodity market and you have created one heck of a bull market for corn. Soybeans and wheat have continued to hold their own and are following the corn market. You may have not have had a warm an fuzzy feeling about 2010 when you started the season but if you are raising grain you have to be optimistic now as we go into 2011. A word of caution what goes up quickly also can come down just as fast. Develop a marketing plan for both old and new crop and stick to it.

Northeast Ohio Crop Update

2010-10-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

Soybeans lead the way as harvest continues on a near record pace.

Soybean harvest: Local farmers continue to concentrate on soybean harvest with 70 % of the beans already off the field. Wet weather in northern Ashtabula County has slowed progress in that area. It appears that north of Route 6 there is still 50% of the beans to harvest while most of the beans have been harvested in Trumbull and Geauga Counties. Yields have been very good averaging between 45 and 55 bushel per acre at 12% or lower moisture. The only hang up has been trucking out of the area. Most of the beans go west and western elevators have been jammed with beans. Bunge at Bellvue was only open for ½ day most last week.

Corn Harvest: Now that many producers are through with beans they will concentrate on corn. Moisture levels remain around 18%. Yields have been variable across the area and it is really too early to tell what the average will be. The good part is that intermittent rain will not stop corn harvest.
Wheat planting: 80 to 90% of the wheat is planted and most has emerged. Wheat has gotten off to a good start and the stands appear to be very good to excellent. There may be a few more acres going in but the wet weather and short seed supply will restrict additional plantings.

Getting Ready for 2011

As you finish harvesting your fields and before you start fall tillage you should plan on pulling some soil samples. Now is the best time to soil test. This will be very important as fertilizer prices begin to rise. If you combine has a yield monitor take note of the weak spots in your fields. Consider these areas as management areas that should be tested separate from the rest of the field. Take a separate soil test, check for drainage and check for soil type variation. If the yields are considerably lower because of a fertility problem consider doing a grid soil test. This will allow you to variable rate lime and fertilizer on the problem field. Grid Sampling and variable rate application is more expensive but it can pin point problem areas. You can then apply extra fertilizer to these areas without applying excessive amounts of fertilizer to the whole field. This will save money in the long run especially with fertilizer prices on the increase.
Yield monitor information is also very good at pointing out drainage problems. With harvest raping up sooner than normal this may be a good time to address your drainage problems. With the wet spring that we experienced, it should be easy to identify drowned out areas in fields. If you are in position to do drainage it is one of the most beneficial practices that you can do the raise yields. This may be a good year to consider doing some tiling.

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Report

2010-10-01T10:50:00.002-04:00

October 1st has arrived and the 2010 harvest is at least 3 weeks ahead of last year. Progress has been made in both corn and soybeans. Here is the way the harvest across Northeast Ohio is progressing.

Corn: is now almost 100% mature with only few fields of extremely late planted corn still to reach black layer. Producers that have run some corn indicate that moistures are in the 20 to 25 % range. Overall growers seem to be waiting for this crop to get as dry as it can before getting serious about harvest. However, fields should be scouted for standability. Overall our corn crop is healthy but the dry weather in late August and early September may have weakened stalks. Plan on harvesting any problem fields first to avoid lodging. Many Western Ohio corn producers are harvesting corn before beans for this very reason.

Soybeans; Significant progress has been made on soybeans. Thirty to forty percent of the beans are now in the bin. Reports on early planted fields indicate excellent yield, 50 -70 bushels per acre, with good test weights. Moisture has been excellent, under 12%. In the next round will be the soybeans planted the end of May and the first of June. This will give producer an excellent chance to compare early planted to late planted beans. If university research is right, producers should experience a 5 to 10 bushel drop in yields. Producers are also comparing yields in different row widths. It appears now at least in early planted beans that 30 inch beans are producing comparable yields to narrow rows. For sure, producers are now rapidly moving away from drilled beans for multiple reasons. 15 and 30 inch row beans use less seed 120,000 to 150,000 seeds per acre compared to 180,000 to 200,000 seeds in drilled beans. With more companies going to seed counts per bag, this will save significant money in seed cost per acre. There should be less disease pressure especially from White Mold and in many cases one less expensive piece of equipment to maintain.

Wheat; the 2011 crop is 30 to 40 percent planted with the recent showers being a mixed blessing. The forecast is for more rain over the weekend and this will slow planting down significantly. This will also slow down soybean harvest and those who need to get beans off to plant wheat will have to wait. Wheat planted before the fly free date is up and the stands look good. The soils are still warm and the recent rain has allowed wheat to germinate fast. Seed supplies are still tight but if the rains continue, supplies may loosen up if producers decide to scrap planting intentions. If you need seed, keep in touch with your local seed supplier. The new crop cash wheat market as of October 1st was still above $6.00 and remains strong despite a $1.00 basis. This should keep planting intentions in tact at least until the middle of October when late planting risks increase.

2010-09-17T13:11:00.004-04:00

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Progress Report

September 22nd & 23rd is rapidly approaching and for wheat producers these are magical dates. The 22nd is the Hessian Fly free date for Lake and Ashtabula Counties and the 23rd is the date for Geauga and Trumbull Counties. This means that by waiting for this date you can effectively avoid injury from what was considered one of the most devastating pests in wheat. The first question I get is “have you ever seen one of these flies”. You probably will never see one. If you do you might mistake it for a mosquito.

Life Cycle and Damage
The Hessian fly invades wheat in the fall and lay eggs that emerge and feed until they pupate and form flex seed like pupae that overwinter. The life cycle continues in the spring with new adults laying more eggs and more larval feeding. The damage appears as weakened and stunted plants in the spring.

Control is simple all a producer has to do is to beak the life cycle (plant after the fly free date)and avoid planting wheat after wheat. There re also resistant varieties but braking the cycle is the best choice. There are other reasons for delaying planting. One is Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus. This is a leaf disease that is transmitted by aphids and can become problem if it establishes on early planted wheat. It is more of problem in the fall than in the spring. Planting after the fly free date avoids this disease. There are other leaf diseases like Stagonospora can establish itself in the fall and can become a real problem when they start growing in the spring. All of these leaf diseases can stunt the plant and effect flag leaf growth that will ultimately impact yield.
There are multiple reasons for not getting to anxious to plant wheat in the fall. The best advice is wait until September 23rd and plant all the wheat you want until the ground conditions and cold rainy weather dictate that it may be too late to plant.

This Weeks Crop Progress Report

A good many fields of both corn soybeans have reached maturity. Traveling across the Tri-County area I saw several soybean fields harvested. Producers seem to be waiting for the corn to dry down before starting. When the weather breaks producers will get serious about harvesting both corn and beans. On a recent trip to NW Ohio I saw a lot of corn harvested along I-75. Producers out there seem to be running corn first to avoid lodging. Some of the corn is the drier areas appears to be weak and may not stand well as we progress into fall. In NE Ohio most of the corn appears to be healthy and is standing good.

Wheat; is being planted as grower jump the gun and plant ahead of the fly free date. The lure of high prices has dried up seed supplies and has got farmers excited about wheat again.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-09-09T13:05:00.000-04:00

To say that this has been an unusual year would be an understatement. I visited several corn fields within a few miles of the Geauga County Extension Office on September 7th. At least one of those fields had obtained black layer and the rest should a 25% milk line. The corn that black layered appeared to be in the mid twenties for moisture. This is at least three to four weeks ahead of the normal pace for corn ripening. Local soybean fields are now dropping there leaves and it appears we could be harvesting on some of those fields in ten days. This could be the first time in decades that the majority of our corn and soybean crops will be off and into the bin before Halloween.
Growers need to adopt a strategy for harvest and should not plunge into harvest with out a plan. Watch the moisture in the corn carefully. If you harvest in a timely fashion you could take this corn crop off with minimal drying. It is possible we could be harvesting at 18% or less. You still need to bin at 14% if you are going to store into spring. Knocking off 4 percent moisture this year will be a lot easier on you wallets than the 10% plus we had to deal within 2009.
Soybeans are yellowing out fast and some are dropping leaves rapidly. It seems early but we need to get ready to harvest this crop when the moisture levels drop below 14%. A good range to combine beans is between 10% and 14% moisture. There will be significant price dockage at moisture levels above 14%. At levels below 10% we can experience some harvest loss at the header and splitting of beans. Check you machine frequently to make sure you are not losing beans at the header or over the threshing unit. Just few beans being lost in these areas can result in a reduction in yield.
The bigger question will be should we store this crop or sell out of the field? Producers who have their cost of production figured out and are willing to accept a sensible return on their investment have been watching the market and are locking in some new crop sales. It may be a long time before you see this kind of pre-harvest market again. Maybe it is the result of uncertainty of the size of the crop, world demand or outside influences on the market. The bottom line is, take advantage of what the market is now giving you and lock in some of these prices to cover your cost of production. No one knows for sure what is driving this market and where it will go and when we will come back to the reality of what is predicted to be a bumper crop? In a few months we could be the same or higher or we may be looking at $3.00 corn and $8.00 beans.
Getting ready to plant Wheat? Hope you bought your seed because supplies are fast disappearing. High demand coupled with a lot of poor seed wheat has resulted in a shortage of seed wheat. If you plan to use bin run seed this year make sure you check the germination or you may be in for surprise. Never consider planting wheat after wheat because you are just opening the door for disease problems. Also wait to plant until September 23rd the Hessian fly free date for Northeast Ohio. Use the time leading up to the 23rd to apply fertilizer and lime if needed. Another option is to park the tractor and head to the Farm Science Review on September 21st 22nd or 23rd

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-08-26T10:32:00.003-04:00

It may be only the 3rd week of August but it is time to make corn silage. It is hard to believe that corn is maturing this fast but it is. The majority of corn is now in the heavy dough stage and the moisture levels in plant are fast approaching 50%. That means for many local farmers there will a only be a very short window to make quality silage this year. Here are the guidelines to follow:

Optimum moisture content
For various
Storage Types
Bunkers/Piles
65–67%
Bags
62–67%
Concrete Uprights
62–65%
Sealed Uprights
50–60%

Another thing to think about is safety, be very careful during corn silage harvest . Silo harvesting equipment is very dangerous. It only takes one slip up and you can get caught in a PTO shaft while unloading wagons or on other equipment. Be careful with silo gas that can form during the ensiling process. Never enter a tower silo without starting the blower to bring fresh air into the silo. Silo gas is very toxic and it only takes a few minutes to be overcome. have a safe harvest.

Here is this weeks Crop Progress Report

Corn: Corn is 75 to 80% dented and is on track for one of the earliest harvests we have seen in years. Growing degree days have already reached 2300 and that is what is needed to finish out a 103 day hybrid.

Soybeans: many soybeans have now reached R-6 and are in the final stage of filling. Even late planted beans have now reached R-5 and will reach full maturity in early September. Looks like some beans will come off by mid- September.

Forages: Excellent weather this week to windup haying. Remember you need to time you harvest so that you are not harvesting hay after September 10th. That is the harvest cutoff to allow your crop to get enough nutrients stored for the winter. You should be planting new seedings now.

Wheat: Most producers are now getting wheat ground ready. Make sure you have located and have your seed spoken for. Good quality seed could be in short supply.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-08-17T11:33:00.001-04:00

The crop race to the finish is on, and it is only the 17th day of August. On August 10th the logger at the Geauga County Extension office logged in 2004 growing degree days. This is a number that is usually not reached until the last week of August or the first week of September. The weather has resulted in the late planted crops catching up to the early planted crops. As I travel around the tri-county area, crops that looked questionable in June are now beginning to look respectable. The big question will be how the areas that were severely stunted due to excessive water will yield? If the current weather trend continues I think that corn silage harvest will be underway by the last week of August and Soybean harvest may start by the end of September. For sure corn will be shelled in early October this year.
Mid-August is also the time to make new forage crop seeding s. Land should be prepared and lime and fertilizer should be applied this week. Make sure that your seedbed is smooth and firm. Try to work out as many clods and clumps as possible with a cultipacker or cultimulcher. When you seed forages the goal is plant shallow with good seed to soil contact. Set you equipment for a seed depth of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Drills with press wheels are ideal for this type of placement. Follow the seeding recommendations for the forage variety you want to plant. Remember it is better to put on a little too much seed than not enough. Plan to get your seeding done by the last week of August. This will allow enough time for new seedling germination and growth.

Here is this week Crop Progress Report.
Corn: early planted corn has now reached the dough R-4 stage and some hybrids are now close to the R-5 Dent stage. Late planted corn is now in the Milk R-3 stage with some entering the early R-4 dough stage. This means that a lot of the late planted corn is only 20 to 30 days away from physiological maturity or R-6. This means that for livestock and dairy producers they need to keep a close watch on the maturity of there crops that are headed to the silo.

Soybeans: A lot of soybeans are now in the R-5 stage or the fill period. This is one of the longest growth periods for a soybean plant. By R-5 all of the pods are set and one of the upper 4 nodes on the main stem will have pods that are at least 3 mm long. The next stage is R-6 is identified by one out the top 4 pods having fully developed seeds filling the whole cavity. These are critical stages for the soybean plant. If the plant dries out due to a lack of moisture, leaf or stem damage due to disease or there is excessive leaf defoliation due to insects, development will be impaired.

Wheat: Now is the time to prepare ground, apply lime and fertilizer for this falls planting. Now is also the time to control weeds on field that were harvested in 2010. Do not let weeds that have come on since harvest mature and go to seed. This only leads to more weed problems for the crop you grow in those fields next year.

Forages Most 2nd cutting and a lot to the 3rd cutting has been harvested. Be thinking about applying fertilizer to replace what you have removed with the 2010 crop. You remove 15 pounds of Phosphorus and 50 pounds of Potash with every ton of hay or haylage harvested. A t 4 ton to the acre a hay crop will remove 60 # P2O5 and 200 # of K.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-07-29T11:45:00.001-04:00

The big news this past week was and is rainfall. How much did you get and was it enough? Prior to the rain over this past weekend crops across a good portion of Ashtabula and northern Trumbull Counties were in desperate need of water. It looks like the rain we received over the last couple of days should be enough to get the early planted corn over the hump. Early corn is now at R-3 the milk stage with brown silks showing. This is 10 days ahead of normal. It takes corn 55 to 65 days to reach full maturity from the time that silking is initiated. During this period of time the greatest potential for yield loss occurs between silking and the early dent stage. The other story is the unusually warm weather that we have been experiencing. Corn development and progress toward maturity depends on the number of growing degrees accumulated. For example a 103 day hybrid normally requires 2300 Gdd to reach maturity. In a normal season the hybrid would be mature around the first week of October. Compare 2010 to 2009 for Gdd accumulated from April 1st to the end of the growing season. On July 24th 2009 we had accumulated 1216 growing degree days this was around a 100 less than normal. On the same date in 2010 we accumulated 1605 gdd. This would be the same number recorded during mid August 2009. We a re two weeks ahead of 2009 on growing degree accumulation, accumulating at a rate of 15.5 Gdd per day. At that rate it would take approximately a month and half to see a 103 day hybrid to maturity. That means you could see corn harvest before October 1st on a 103 day hybrid planted the last week of April. The ovate is if he same weather pattern holds into September. One other fact; last year we accumulated 2300 Gdd from April 1st to the first killing frost on October 5th. This year if we continue on at the present rate we will see 2800 Gdd accumulated in the same period of time.

Here is this week’s crop report.

Corn: 80% of the corn is or has tasseled with at least half of that in the milk stage. Since the last rain the crop condition has improved and the majority is in the good category. The only downside is the stand reduction due to earlier weather problems.

Soybeans: 90% of the crop is in full flower. A good portion of that has moved into pod set. Right now farmers need to be watching closely for disease problems. It is not too late to apply fungicide if problems occur. To date I have not seen any disease pressure. I have also not seen a problem from Soybean Aphids.

Wheat: is harvested and local farmers are getting ready to plant the fall crop. If you are planning on planting wheat for 2011season keep an eye on the CBOT Market. There have been some excellent opportunities to lock in a decent price on a portion of your upcoming crop. The Market opened on July 29th above $6.00 for July August delivery.

Oats: Oats are coming off at a rapid rate and the crop looks good. The yields have been averaging around 85 to 90 bushels per acre with a test weight of 34- 36 pounds per bushel.

Forages: second cutting is under way with a good portion the crop being made. Alfalfa producers are now looking at third cutting. This could be the year that producers see a fourth cutting on Alfalfa. Now is also the time to be getting ready for summer seeding of forage crops. The best time is around the 10th of August.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-07-15T14:21:00.000-04:00

The big news this week once again has not affected Northeast Ohio yet. It has to do with Western Bean Cutworm. Western Bean Cutworm is an insect pest in Field Corn and Sweet Corn. WBC moves on the air currents and usually moves from west to east. Similar to European corn borer the insect comes into an area mates and lays eggs on the plant. The eggs hatch and move to whorl and feed on the developing ear. Damage to the new ear can be extensive. The peak flights are during July and August. The egg masses can be found on the upper leaves closet to the tassel. Economic threshold is 5% or 5 plants infected out of 100. Right now we are trapping the insects with pheromone traps that attract the male moths. The traps are checked weekly by myself and David Marrison Extension Educator in Ashtabula County. We have found up to 25 moths in a single trap but no egg masses or signs of feeding. However, on the west side of Ohio in Fulton County they have found reproducing WBC in one field. We will keep you informed of this ongoing study as things develop.

Corn: corn is tasseling and silking, the crop condition is still variable due to the late planting and size difference in many fields. Over all the crop looks to be in good condition.

Soybeans: Most of the soybeans are now flowering or reaching the flowering stage. Even though the crop is little behind size wise there appears to be good nodulation and flower set. No aphids have been seen or reported. Unlike last year we are a little on the dry side and very warm. These are conditions that do not favor White Mold but a good portion of the crop has not flowered and the weather may change.

Wheat; for the most part wheat is harvested. Local elevators indicate that wheat has been running form 40 bushel per acre up to 80 bushel per acre. The test range between 54 to 60 and the quality is good. If this holds it means that Northeast Ohio may have dodged the disease and quality issues that have plagued western Ohio.

Oats: The crop is maturing nicely and should be ready for harvest soon. Barring a stretch of wet weather oat quality should be excellent. Producer need to get on top of this crop quickly and use bin drying if necessary to keep the oats bright and in good condition. Oat prices are above $2.00 per bushel locally and there should be a good market for the straw.

Forages: First cutting is history and a lot of the second cutting is being harvested. Now is a good time to give your hay crop a boost with some fertilizer. Apply your phosphorus now along with some of your Potash. Because you are harvesting the whole plant and K removal is high you may have to apply some additional K in the fall to take care of crop removal. The rule of thumb is; for every ton of forage harvested you need to replace 15 lbs of phosphorus and 50 lbs of Potash.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-07-09T09:23:00.001-04:00

The Fourth of July weekend turned out to be the best weekend of the summer to make hay. Most of the first cutting and a good portion of the second cutting were made under sunny skies and above normal temperatures. In many cases hay was dry enough to bale within 24 hours. This type of haying weather is very rare in Northeast Ohio and producers need to write this past week in the books as some of the best weather to make hay in years. The hot temperatures and dry conditions also left a lot of corn starting to curl. Evapo-transpiration rates were high using up a lot of the excess moisture from previous rains. Under these conditions it does not take long to move moisture out of the soil. Crops at greatest risk of moisture loss are late planted corn and beans that have not canopied over.

For the most part crops look good across the area. As crops get bigger you quickly loose sight of the areas in the field that suffered setbacks due to the wet weather in May and June. The next time that many producers will see those areas will be at harvest. Until then there will be a lot of speculation about how good this crop really is. Producers need to take advantage of weather markets to sell old crop and to price a portion of their new crop. By fall when we know the size of the 2010 crops and amount of corn and beans carried over from 2009, prices may be less than ideal. Producers need to know their cost of production and what they need to make a profit and make sound business decisions. It is not always a wise decision to become a speculator.

Here is this week’s crop progress report;

Corn: Early planted corn is starting to tassel. This is the quickest we have seen corn moving to the reproductive stage in years. Corn maturity is driven by growing degree days and we have accumulated a bunch, almost 250 gdd in the last week alone. Later planted corn is in all stage of development but the warm weather is moving it along quickly.

Soybeans: Most are in the V- 5 or above stage and starting to flower. The crop looks good and would benefit from some timely rains.

Wheat: Wheat should be harvested by now but there was very little around, so the harvest went by relatively unnoticed. Most local producer are reporting average yields with very few of the problems that have plagued Western Ohio Wheat Producers.

Oats: Oats are turning and the crop looks excellent. If producers can get this crop off without lodging or delay, there will be some excellent yields. This is good because Canadian Oats could be scarce this year. With a good portion of this crop headed to the horse feed market, timely harvest and quality are key.

Forages: A lot of over ripe first cutting was harvested over the Fourth. There should be an abundance of marginal quality first cutting available and the hay prices will reflect that. You know what they say about,” You get what you pay for and better than snowballs”. The good thing is ,the first cutting is off and we can start working on second and third crop.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-06-28T09:34:00.000-04:00

The big news this week is that Western Bean Cutworm has been found in the area. Over the weekend David Marrison Ashtabula County Extension Educator found 2 WBC in the southern most WBC trap in Trumbull County. Dr Andy Michel OSU Extension Entomologist is somewhat surprised that we are seeing increased numbers for this time of the year. This is the second week that WBC has been found in significant numbers in Defiance County. They are also showing up in Champaign County and at OARDC in Wooster. Dr. Michel believes that the moths are being spread by the recent storm patterns that have been moving west to east. Although the numbers for this time of year are much higher than those found in 2009, they are not at a level that should cause major concern. OSU Extension will continue to monitor the traps and keep producers advised on the developing situation.

The Weeks Crop Progress Report:

Corn: The crop continues to develop across the area with most corn now reaching the six to seven collar stage producers should be wrapping up nitrogen side dressing and late weed control. Be very careful if you plan on apply herbicides to corn that is reaching the six to seven collar stage. Follow the label very carefully to avoid crop injury.

Soybeans: On the average beans planted in May are in the V-3 to V-5 stage. Many soybeans planted in June are just emerging. The big issue in soybeans is weed control. Producers need to monitor their fields for weed development. Most of the annual grasses and broadleaves are now emerging. It only takes a few days for these plants to reach 4 to 6 inches. If you use custom applicators do not put off getting your name on the spray list. Most custom applicators are at least a week to ten days behind on there spraying schedules due to weather. A long delay in application can make weeds harder to control and can lead to yield loss. If you are doing your own spraying, time the application so that you get all of the emerging weeds.

Wheat: Wheat is now turning and harvest should start around the Fourth of July.

Oats: This crop is looking good and is starting to turn. If you have a good crop of oats handle it with care as this crop may be gaining value. The price of Oats is on the rise due to the lack of oats being planted in Canada. The majority of Canadian Oats are produced in the Canadian Prairie Provinces that were hit hard by weather problems leaving much of the area crops unplanted. Watch the oat markets carefully.

Forages: The first cutting is only fifty percent harvested and some the second crop is ready to harvest. The next week’s weather looks good for harvest so take advantage of the good weather and harvest the most valuable cutting first.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-06-18T09:20:00.003-04:00

This has been a hit and miss week as far as weather is concerned. The day time temperatures are really pushing crops. The big issue now is whether to continue planting. One deciciding factor is that Sunday the 20th of June is the last day to plant soybeans under crop insurance without penalty. Producer payments will be adjusted downward by 1% per day for every day the crop is planted after the 20th. Also producers need to consider the variablity in the crops as to growth stage if they are replanting. Corn patched into early planted fields will really suffer and will be way behind when it comes time for pollination. Here is this week crop report.

Corn: V-3 to V-8 There is no middle ground, the corn in local fields ether looks spectacular or terrible. It all depends on when it was planted. Corn is being side dressed and is starting to canopy.

Soybeans: emergence to V-3. Beans look good overall but this crop is getting off to a late start overall due to the late planting. The biggest enemy to late planted soybeans may be an ever expanding Slug population. Scout your fields on a regular basis for Slugs.

Wheat: Wheat is starting to turn. Head Scab and other leaf diseases are running rampant across much of Ohio. However, I have not seen alot of head scab in this area. Most of the wheat looks to be at least average. Good quality wheat could be in short supply in the state this year.

Forage Crops: This may become the year of the brown hay field. With brown rained on hay laying on the field and brown over ripe hay standing in the field. The only good weather to make hay was over Meemorial Day weekend. A lot of hay was cut on the 16th. and 17th. of June and here is hoping the weather will cooperate to get it baled.

Oats: wet weather has some fields suffering from a shotage of nitrogen or just plain drowned out. Cereal Leaf Beetle has been spotty with some producers treating for this pest.

Special Crop Fertility Update

2010-06-15T10:16:00.002-04:00

You got your corn planted in April and dispite some weather issues the crop is growing well. However, the recent wet weather is preventing you from applying additional nitrogen in a timely manner. What are your options? Here are couple of items that may help, an article from this weeks Corn Newsletter and in the Agronomic tips section of this blog, setting up your sprayer for dribbling nitrogen. Dribbling is a very effective way that growers can sidedress nitrogen without alot of expense. This may be a consideration if applicators are not available or the custom applicator is tied up.

"Late" Applications of Nitrogen to Corn
Peter Thomison, Robert Mullen

Persistent rains this year may force many growers to sidedress their nitrogen (N) in corn this year much later than what is considered normal. Other growers may be supplementing their earlier N applications to replace N lost from denitrification and leaching. The following are some suggestions from extension soil fertility specialists at Ohio State and Purdue University from past years that address various questions concerning N applications to corn after planting.

HOW LATE CAN N BE APPLIED? Corn utilizes large quantities of N during the grand growth stage. From the 8 leaf stage through tasseling N uptake is 4 to 8 pounds per day. For most corn hybrids N uptake is complete shortly after pollination. So, most of the N should be applied prior to the 10 leaf stage, with any supplemental applications complete by or shortly after tasseling. Under conditions of severe N deficiency, some response would be expected to low rates of N (30 to 60 pounds) as late as three weeks after pollination.

WHAT IS THE BEST N SOURCE TO USE? Ammonia or N solutions knifed in are preferred in most situations, especially high residue fields. Granular urea can also be applied over the top in clean tilled situations, but those applications can be risky if rainfall does not come shortly after application. Urea stabilizers (Agrotain) should be considered in high residue situations. Granular urea broadcast in standing corn will cause some foliar burn when granules fall into the whorl. While it may appear unsightly, little yield decrease normally occurs if the fertilizer is applied prior to the 10-leaf stage.

HOW MUCH N SHOULD BE APPLIED? If the corn has gotten too tall to sidedress by this point (mid to late June), it has probably not been severely stressed and yield potential is still good. An example would be rotation corn after beans which had some starter or 28% applied with herbicides with good green color. Nitrogen rates should approach what was initially planned at the beginning of the season. Research at Ohio State shows that decreased rates can do well, but do not decrease rates by more than 10-15%.

CAN I BROADCAST 28-0-0 SOLUTIONS "OVER THE TOP"? Using broadcast applications of 28% N solution to sidedress N will cause some burn to foliar tissue of corn plants.

The severity of injury is determined by the plant's stage of growth, the amount of N used and form of N. If the plant growing point is at or below the soil surface (or when plant has six collared leaves or less), the extent of foliar injury caused by burn will usually be negligible if the N rate is kept below 50 lb/acre. Even with higher N rates at later vegetative growth stages the injury from leaf burn is normally not so severe that it outweighs the potential benefits received from the N addition. The degree of plant burning is less with urea granules than with other N products.

Dribbling 28% solution with drop nozzles as a narrow band on the soil surface is an alternative approach that can help reduce foliar burning. Dribbling 28% is also a more efficient use of N than broadcast surface application because it helps reduce N volatilization. Urea stabilizers may be considered for this application, but tillage is a major deciding factor on whether or not they are necessary. High residue corn fields may benefit from urea stabilizers, but low residue fields are less likely to benefit. At this point of the growing season, and the need for plenty of nitrogen by the crop, we do not recommend nitrification inhibitors. We also rarely see positive responses to nitrification inhibitors when N is sidedressed.

CAN I APPLY N TO EVERY OTHER ROW? Research in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa has all shown that farmers can knife ammonia or N solutions in every other row middle (60 vs. 30 inch spacing) with no reduction in yield. The only caution is that extra attention must be paid, especially in wet conditions, that no knives plug with soil. A plugged knife in 60 inch spacing gives 4 rows with no N and will seriously reduce yields.

PEST ALERT

2010-06-11T10:59:00.002-04:00

This is a pest alert update from
OSU Extension Agronomic Crop Pathologist Dr.Pierce Paul

HEAD SCAB HITS OHIO WHEAT

A survey of wheat fields across the state shows that the incidence of head scab ranges from about 4 to 60 %, meaning that between 4 and 60 heads out of every 100 heads have some scab. Head scab is a disease caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum or Gibberella zeae (two names for the same fungus). Scab develops best when wet, humid weather occurs when the wheat is flowering. We have had quite a bit of those conditions this year. The disease causes shriveled and lightweight kernels, reducing grain yield and test weight. In addition, the fungus also produces a toxin called vomitoxin that is harmful to humans and livestock. So, the effects of scab can be devastating, lower yields, lower test weights, and toxin contamination = price discounts or complete grain rejection at elevators.

At this stage, nothing can be done to control scab, but several approaches can be used to minimize losses. As you scout fields and make decisions or recommendations, here are a few DOs and DON’Ts:

DON’TS

1- Do not make a decision before you know how much scab is out there. Incidence is a very good measure of disease, but when using incidence one needs to be carefully not to overestimate or underestimate how serious the problem really is. A wheat head has on average 15 spikelets. If you look at 10 heads and 3 out of the 10 heads have a single spikelet diseased, then the incidence is 30%. If in another field, 3 out of the 10 heads have 5 spikelets diseased, the incidence is still 30%. Now if you consider that each spikelet will give you 3 kernels. Each set of 10 heads will give you 450 kernels (10x15x3). In the first case, 9 (3 heads each with 1 scabby spikelet x 3 kernels/spikelet) of the 450 kernels will be scabby (2% of the kernels). In the second case, 45 (3 heads x 5 scabby spikelets x 3 kernels per spikelet) of the 450 kernels will be scabby (10% of the kernels). The second field with 10% of the kernels scabby will likely have more vomitoxin than the first field with 2% scabby kernels, even though the incidence is 30% in both fields.

2- Do not make a decision based on how the field looks from a distance. Scabby heads contrast nicely with green leaves, making the field look more scabby than it really is. In addition, we have quite a bit of glume blotch (another disease of the head) this year, and you will not be able to tell the difference between glume blotch and scab from a distance. Not because you know for a fact that your neighbor has scab you should assume that you have it too. Your variety may be more resistant to scab or even if the varieties are the same, you and your neighbor’s fields may have flowered at different times.

3- Do not wait until it is too late to scout fields, fields are turning. Scabby heads and maturing heads both take on a straw color. So if you wait until next week you may think all the heads are scabby or all are healthy because they all look bleached and straw colored.

4- Do not feed grain from fields with scab to livestock before getting it tested for vomitoxin. Animals, particularly swine, may have serious health problems if fed grain with high levels of vomitoxin.

5- Do not use straw from fields with scab for hay without getting it tested for vomitoxin. Yes, straw from field with high levels if scab also becomes contaminated with vomitoxin and may cause the same problems caused by feeding scabby grain.

6- Do not handle scabby grains without gloves and masks.

DOs

1. Do turn up the air on the combine to blow out scabby kernels. These kernels are lighter than wholesome kernels.

2. Do get grain tested for vomitoxin before feeding.

3. Do plow under scabby wheat stubble, if you choose to abandon wheat fields with high levels of scab to plant soybean. Scabby wheat on the soil surface means more spores available to infect corn and cause Gibberella ear rot. Yes, the same fungus causes both diseases. Remember last year? Let’s break this cycle.

4. Do read the next C.O.R.N newsletter for more on head scab and vomitoxin.

Thanks

Pierce

Pierce Anderson Paul, PhD.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-06-09T11:17:00.001-04:00

Corn: All of the corn that will be planted is planted. Corn stage of growth ranges from emergence to V-6. For the most part the crop looks good except for some areas that have drowned out from excessive water. Also there has been a fair amount of replanting due to wash out and some frost damage during May.

Soybeans: a lot of soybeans were planted over Memorial Day Weekend. Most of those are emerging at this time. The biggest threat to soybeans is slug damage during periods of wet weather. Producers need to be very vigilant and keep a close eye on newly planted fields.

Wheat: Wheat is headed and filling. There does not appear to a significant presence of head Scab in local fields. Flowering is over and the risk seems to declining. Overall wheat looks good with little disease pressure.

Oats: Many oat fields are turning yellow due to loss of nitrogen caused by excessive rain causing leaching and de-nitrification. Several producers in Geauga County have sprayed for Cereal leaf Beetle. This pest will continue to be a problem through heading.

Forages: Wet warm weather is not your friend when it comes to harvesting hay crops. The forecast for the next 10 days does not look favorable to dry hay harvest. Growers who can should consider alternative methods of harvest such as silage or baled haylage. If you have to harvest the hay dry, then watch your moisture. Do not put wet hay above 25% moisture in the barn. The risk of mow fire increases in the 25 to 30 % range. Hay needs to be harvested below 25% even with a hay preservative. Hay without treatments needs to be harvested below 20%.

Important Dates
Federal Crop Insurance

Final plant date for Corn was June 5, 2010.
Final Plant date for Soybeans is June 20, 2010.

Crops can be planted after these dates but the payment will be reduced by 1percent per day for each day after the final date. This applies to both corn and soybeans.
If producers choose to file for prevented planting they need to contact there crop insurance agent as soon as that decision is made.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-06-01T10:02:00.004-04:00

The last six days have been very busy times for Northeast Ohio Farmers. The extended period of dry weather has allowed corn planting to wrap up and soybean planting to progress. Producer have also had a chance to get untop of herbicide applications.

Crop Conditions as of Monday June 1st.

Corn: 90% planted and 70% emerged. Corn stand look good after going through some very adverse weather conditions. The stands look remarkably even and are now in the three to five leaf stage on the average. There has been some replanting in wet areas and where there was frost damage.

Soybeans: 60% planted 30% emerged. Soybean stands look very good dispite the wet weather. Most are in the emerging stage to the second tri-foliate. Alot of beans were planted the last 6 days. Weed control continues to be an issue, especially on notill fields.

Wheat: Overall wheat looks good and is now reaching the flowering stage. This is the most critical stage for Head Scab. Producers need to monitor the Head Scab Web site to determine the risk for this disease.

Oat: Look extremely good. It is not hard to find Cereal Leaf Beetle on the plants. Producers need to be aware that the treshold is 2 per stem. Numbers over that should indicate that a spray application is in order.

Forages: good progress has been made on first cutting hay. Alot of hay went into silos and was wrapped for balage over the last week. On newly harvested alfalfa fields producers need to be on the lookout for Potato Leaf Hopper. If the conditions are right this pest will arrive on wind currents from the south and will invade recovering alfalfa stands. A sweep net is the best way to check for threshold levels.

PEST ALERT

Cereal Leaf Beetle
Ron Hammond, Pierce Paul, Andy Michel, Dennis Mills

The cereal leaf beetle is becoming the threat to wheat yields that we had expected based on high populations of adults. Reports have come in from many areas of the state, including southern and central Ohio, of larval populations reaching the threshold of 1-2 larvae per stem or flag leaf, and significant feeding occurring. We expect to begin seeing these populations in northern Ohio. The question that is being asked is how long the flag leaf needs protection, and whether treatment is still warranted based on the growth of the wheat. Cereal leaf beetle, the larvae in particular, damages the plants by feeding on the upper surface of the flag leaf, leaving elongated, grayish scars. Both grain yield and quality are affected by the integrity of the upper two leaves, especially the flag leaf, and the spike. So, the longer these plant parts remain healthy, the better.

Wheat in most of the affected areas is between full head emergence (Feekes 10.5) and flowering (Feekes 10.5.1). These are critical growth stages, since they mark the beginning of pollination and grain fill. Substantial damage to the upper leaves at this stage will reduce the amount of sugars available for grain fill, leading to significant yield loss. Damage to the leaves during mid- to late-grain fill will also affect grain quality, leading to lower test weight. Hence, it is very important to keep the flag leaf healthy throughout the grain fill period to minimize yield and quality loss.

If treatment is required, see the following for a list of insecticides labeled for cereal leaf beetle on wheat, http://entomology.osu.edu/ag/images/Small_Grains_CLB.pdf . Pay close attention to the pre-harvest intervals, which range from mainly 21 to 30 days, although a few insecticides are 7 or 14 days.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-05-21T09:21:00.002-04:00

Corn: corn planted during late April and Early May is emerging slowly. It looks like the stands overall are good except where flooding has occurred. Planting progress is still on hold due to the weather but at least 75% of the corn is planted. Planting should resume and wrap-up if the forecast through Memorial Day holds up.

Soybean: 25% planted and 10% emerged. Soybean planting should see major progress with the upcoming warm dry weather that is forecasted through next weekend.

Wheat: has reached the boot stage and is starting to head. Producers need to be on the lookout for leaf disease. As wheat reaches the flowering stage growers need to check the Head Scab Web Site for the risk factor in there area.

Oats: Good to Excellent. Be on the lookout for Cereal Leaf Beetle.

Forages: The next 7 days should be the first opportunity to harvest haylage this season as Alfalfa reaches the flowering stage and Orchard Grass Starts to head.

Pest Alert

Wheat: The flowering stage is the time to watch out for conditions that are conducive to head scab in wheat. Here is an article from C.O.R.N Newsletter outlining what to look for;
Wheat Head Scab Risk for Ohio as of May 17, 2010
• Katelyn Willyerd,
• Pierce Paul,
• Dennis Mills
Reports from Southern Ohio indicate wheat has entered the flowering growth stage, making the crop vulnerable to Fusarium head blight (head scab). For wheat flowering between May 14 -17, the risk assessment tool (www.wheatscab.psu.edu) indicates a low risk of scab for the majority of Ohio. The tool uses weather conditions seven days leading up to flowering to calculate risk. In general, prolonged periods of warm and wet conditions increase the risk of scab. Cool weather last week and dry conditions experienced over the weekend have minimized the scab risk. Since May 1, we have had fairly frequent, but variable amounts of rainfall, ranging from 0.05 to a little over 3 inches, depending on where you are in the state. During this same time, temperatures have been on the cool side, with an average high of 66 F and low of 47 F. So even though it may be raining today, the previous six to seven days have been cool, with several days without rain.
A moderate scab risk is predicted for portions of Lawrence and Gallia counties (just north of Huntington, West Virginia) for wheat flowering on May 17-18. Please check the risk assessment tool frequently over the next few days to monitor your scab risk level. If wet, humid conditions continue, the scab risk may increase and spread to other wheat-growing counties in Southern Ohio. A well timed fungicide application at flowering will reduce scab severity and vomitoxin contamination. Please contact your local extension educator and state specialist to discuss your concerns and management options.
If it warms up over the next few days, current rainfall patterns may increase the risk of scab in areas of Central and parts of Northern Ohio, where the wheat will likely begin to flower by the end of this week. For instance, in Wooster, the forecast is for more rain today, 50% chance of rain over the next two days, followed by a dry day, and then more rain the following two days. Temperatures are forecasted to reach mid 70s later this week. So, if the forecast is true (worse case scenario) and your wheat flowers on Friday of this week, you would have had 6 out of 7 days with some rain by the time your crop flowers. As your wheat approaches flowering, check the risk tool frequently. You may use up to 72 hours of forecasted weather data to predict scab risk. We will continue to monitor the scab risk in Ohio and provide updated commentary and alerts.
An Ohio Factsheet for Head Scab is located on the Ohio Field Crop Disease web site. Go to the front page "Wheat Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center" and click on (Fact Sheet) http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/Wheat_Scab_Risk_Tool-1.pdf

Pest Alert II: Cereal Leaf Beetle in Wheat and Oats.Northeast Ohio can be a hot spot for this pest. Numbers have been on the increase over the last two seasons. Recently in Southern Ohio an outbreak CLB has occurred in wheat. If the pest damages the flag leaf then a reduction in yield is almost certain. Growers should be looking for more that 2 of the slug like larva per stem or flag leaf. If the number of pests exceeds two then a treatment should be made. Ron Hammond passes along this information for producers;
We are becoming aware of economic populations of cereal leaf beetle on wheat from around the state, both in more southern and central Ohio, with the same potential in the north. This could be the year they really break out and cause widespread problems. Remember that the threshold is 1-2 per stem or flag leaf. See http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0038.pdf for a fact sheet on them, and look to CORN next week for a general article on them. Ron Hammond

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-05-14T08:14:00.003-04:00

There is an old saying that “you should be careful what you wish for you might get it”. We were getting a little dry and I think everyone wished that we would get some rain to help push our crops along. We got rain, up to 3 inches of rain in some spots. We are still below normal in rainfall due to the abnormally dry April we had, however, if the current extended forecasts are right we may not be dry for long. If you drive around Ashtabula County it is hard to think drought. Planting has been suspended until further notice. Northeast Ohio now has 70 % of the corn in the ground and maybe 20% of the soybeans.

Another factor, that is of concern, is last Monday’s killing frost. Farmers reported temperatures as low as 25 degrees F. Reports are coming in that some corn was frosted back especially in the low areas. As I stated in previous articles corn can make it through a killing frost early on because the growing point is below ground. The bigger concern is that with all of the cold weather there may be complications caused by cold wet soils. We are not only dealing with cold temperatures we are also dealing with saturated soils in many places. What we have going for us is superior genetics in out corn plants and seed treatment that can allow the corn plants to survive the less than ideal conditions. The expensive seed treatments whose value comes into question in dry normal conditions become worth its weight in gold once the weather goes south. This is the protection you paid the money for.

This weather will pass and the sun will shine and the corn will grow and you will be glad you got it planted when you did. The article posted on this weeks Agronomic Tip of the Week is by Purdue’s Corn Specialist Bob Nielson and should boost your confidence. Here is this weeks crop progress report.

Corn: 70% planted 20 % emerged

Soybean: 20 % planted

Wheat: Reaching the Flag leaf stage. At least we did not get the hail storms that destroyed hundreds of acres of wheat in Western Ohio.

Oats 100% emerged looking good to excellent

Forages: Progressing nicely but intenetions to harvest should be put on hold until the ground firms up as serious damage can be caused by rutting. Alfalfa growers still need to be vigilant for Alfalfa Weevil.

Spring Insects Ron Hammond, Andy Michel, Bruce Eisley
As we are now into crop emergence and early plant growth, we are receiving reports from all the field crops that we concern ourselves with of various insects that are beginning to make their presence known. We would remind growers that it is the time to begin scouting early crop growth, and taking necessary action when warranted.

Although we have not received many reports of alfalfa weevil causing significant injury to alfalfa, we have had a few calls of treatable populations. We would remind growers that if the alfalfa is 16 inches in height or taller, they should consider an early cutting rather than making an insecticide application. When doing so, they should plan on checking the regrowth for possible weevil feeding.

We are getting reports of heavier than normal populations of cereal leaf beetle adults from wheat fields, especially from more northern locations. As we have mention previously, we do not know if this will lead to heavier populations of larvae. However, with flag leaves starting to emerge, growers should at least check once or twice to make sure larvae do not become a concern.

Although bean leaf beetles are not expected to be high, growers who have experienced problems from overwintered before or those concerned with bean pod mottle virus which is transmitted by the beetle should begin checking emerging soybeans.

We have received some reports of flea beetles on corn. Although not expected to be a problem based on average winter temperatures, we would as we always do, suggest that growers scout their early corn growth for unexpected large populations.

As mentioned last week in C.O.R.N., slug activity and feeding has begun.

As we get into late May and early June, no-till growers especially need to begin scouting for possible black cutworm feeding, which is of special concern on later planted corn that will be smaller when cutworms reach their greatest feeding potential.

For more information on these and other pests, grower should check our web site at http://entomology.osu.edu/ag/ for fact sheets which discuss the need for management and give thresholds where appropriate, and where you can obtain Bulletin 545 which gives recommended insecticides if treatment becomes necessary.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-05-07T09:37:00.002-04:00

Corn; 70 % planted 20% emerged. Most of the corn is planted except for silage corn and corn on a few smaller farms in Geauga, Trumbull and Ashtabula County. This is way ahead of the five year average for this area of the state. As of Monday the USDA reported that 64%of the corn was planted in Ohio.
Soybeans; 30 planted. Local farmers are also getting a good start on soybeans. Ohio is reporting 26% planted in the May 5th report. NE Ohio may be ahead of the curve on Soybeans because heavy rains have slowed planting progress in other parts of the state.
Wheat: wheat is now in the feekes 7 stage and will soon be reaching the flag leaf stage. Farmers should be scouting for disease pressure at this time.
Oat: oats are off to a good start with 100 % of the crop emerged. Growers will have to scout oat fields for cereal leaf beetle as this crop progresses.
Forages: With the recent rains forage crops are beginning to perk up. Recent dry weather had slowed growth in grass forages. Orchard grass is now in the boot stage and will begin head shortly..

Pest Alert

Cereal Leaf Beetle: Wheat and especially Oats need to be scouted for black slug like globs on the leaves and for streaking on the leaf surface. Treatment will be required if there are two or more per stem.
Alfalfa: Alfalfa growers need to be aware that Alfalfa Weevil eggs will hatch a 300 growing degree days and the 1st instar of the larva occurs at 371. Alfalfa Weevil is a big problem in Southern n Ohio where warmer weather occurs earlier. This year because of the early warm weather Northeast Ohio has reached the 300 gdd level much earlier than normal. If the warm weather continues this pest could be a problem. Growers need to be scouting there alfalfa field now for weevil.
Slugs. The slime may be on the way. If the weather forecast holds true Northeast Ohio is in for period of wet cold weather for the next week. Even though we are dry now if soils soak up and we get some 50 to 60 degree temperatures this will create a perfect environment for slugs. With all of the early planted corn and soybeans just coming out of the ground an outbreak of slugs could cause serious damage to these crops. Growers who have had problems with slugs in the past, need to watch problem fields closely for this pest. Ron Hammond and Andy Michel make these recommendations.

Slug Activity Starting - Ron Hammond, Andy Michel, Bruce Eisley

With the warm temperatures during parts of April, we are beginning to see slug egg hatch in parts of Ohio. For no-till growers or others that have had problems with slugs in previous years, this is the time to start watching for signs of slug feeding on emerging crops. For grower who have yet planted, remember that as the crops get planted and begin to emerge, slugs might be waiting to feed on your corn and soybeans. For information on slugs, see http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0020.pdf on our Agronomic Crops Insects web page. In terms of molluscicides, the two metaldehyde materials, Deadline MPs and Orcal Snail and Slug bait, and an iron phosphate bait known as Sluggo, are available. The most important thing for good slug control is even coverage with the bait when broadcasting.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2010-04-30T10:40:00.004-04:00

Corn; We are now 30 to 40 % planted with sugnificant progress in the eastern parts of Ashtabula nd Trumbull Counties. At least one farmer in Geauga is almost 40 % planted on corn and will move to soybeans at the first opportunity.

Soybean; 10 to 20% planted

Wheat; Wheat has reached the Feekes 7 stage and is jointing. Growers need to scout for leaf diseases at this time.

Oats; 100% planted and 80% emerged looking good to excellent

This was the week we needed to take a breath and get caught up with some much needed rain. It slowed planting down but know one will mind because Northeast Ohio was getting way to dry for this time of year. Corn planting is progressing nicely and way ahead of schedule. Once again the folks over near Gustavus and Farmdale area are leading the charge to get crop in the ground. One producer reported it was hard to find anything over that way that has not been planted or at least ready to plant. This is 180 degrees turn around from 2009 when everyone was waiting for the water to subside to plant corn. It makes you feel good to get so much done so early.

The fact is that most of the states including Ohio are on a record pace for planting progress for 2010. Ohio, as of Monday April 26th had 45% of the corn planted compared to 4% on that date in 2009 and 19% on average since 2005. Illinois has 72% of the corn planted compared to 4% 2009 and 28% avg., Indiana has 56% planted compared to 2% in 2009 and 14% average and Pennsylvania has 18% planted compared to 6% in 2009 and a 13% average. The amazing thing is how fast this crop got planted once the ground got in condition to go. On April 18th Illinois had 34% planted and added another 40% in 7 days. Ohio did the same adding 40 % going from 6% to 45% in 7 days. To put that in prospective, Ohio is expected to plant 3,700,000 acres of corn in 2010. That is 1,480,000 acres of corn in the ground and growing in one week. Illinois was expected to plant 12,600,000 acres of corn, if they do the 40% planted in one week is just over 5,000,000 acres. We have come along way from the days that I drove my IH 766 onto the field in 1971and plowed 20 or 30 acres a day. Indecently the tractor and plow cost somewhere between 10 and 12,000 dollars. That barely pays for the tires on new tractor pulling a 24 row planter.

Here Are Three Pests to Watch Out For:

Scout for the Cereal Leaf Beetle especially in Oats and Army Worm and Black Cutworm in wheat. CLB has become a perennial pest in our oat fields. Just about every producer had to spray for this pest last year . Occasionally you will find Army worm in this area especially on wheat planted next to hay fields. We had an outbreak in 2008. Also in 2008 we did see Black Cutworm in Corm The stalks are cut off at the base in a distinctive manner.

Cereal Leaf Beetle on Wheat - Ron Hammond, Andy Michel, Bruce Eisley

Last week while scouting wheat plots at the OARDC in Wooster, OH, we saw numerous adult cereal leaf beetles along with eggs already laid on leaves. We have also received reports of cereal leaf beetle eggs from other locations in Ohio. As wheat continues to grow and flag leaves emerge, and as spring-planted oats begin their growth, growers should keep an eye on these and other cereal grains for the presence of cereal leaf beetle larval feeding. See the following fact sheet for more information on the cereal leaf beetle http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0038.pdf . We will continue to watch for this insect and report additional observations in later C.O.R.N. newsletters.

Armyworm and Black Cutworm Moths Arriving in Ohio - Ron Hammond, Andy Michel, Bruce Eisley

Reports from neighboring states suggest that moths of the true armyworm and black cutworm are now flying in the Midwest. While the black cutworm is a concern in corn, both wheat and corn are often attacked by the true armyworm. Corn is especially at risk from true armyworms when planted into rye cover crops. Armyworm is of most concern on wheat when feeding on the flag leaf. A fact sheet on armyworms on wheat is available at http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0036.pdf . Black cutworms will begin cutting corn in May, especially when the corn is planted into weedy fields, with chickweed being a preferred weed species; a fact sheet on black cutworm is at http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0035.pdf . Because the larvae of both these pests potentially could become concerns over the next month or two, growers should remain vigilant with both pests. Presently, none of the neighboring states are seeing large numbers of either insect; however, we will keep Ohio growers up-to-date on future happenings and need to sample.

Northeast Ohio Crop Weather Report

2010-04-23T09:08:00.002-04:00

Crop Progress Report:

Wheat has entered feekes6 or is close to feekes 6. At this stage of growth all of your wheat should be topdressed This is also a time after which certain herbicides should not be applid to avoid crop damage. Consult the lable.

Oats are 80% planted with 20% emerged

Corn & soybean ground is ready for planting. If the weather cooperates there will be planters in field everywhere next week on both corn and beans.

The Importance of Soybean Planting Date
Les ober CCA

It seem that every year we here of one or two farmers planting soybeans in mid April. It also seems that generally farmers are planting soybeans earlier and earlier. Planting date more than anything else affects yield. Of course common sense says that there is limit to how early you can plant soybeans and still avoid frost. The average last killing frost date in central Geauga, Ashtabula and Trumbull Counties is May 10th. The closer you get to the lake the earlier the last frost date. It is April 25th in Northern Ashtabula County and May 15th near the Mahoning County line. Unlike corn where the growing point remains below ground until V-5, soybeans are vulnerable to frost once the plant emerges from the soil. Emergence is one to two weeks after planting depending on soil temperature and moisture. In a year like this one, where soil temperatures are higher than normal for this time of year there is a risk that the soybean plant will germinate and emerge quicker than normal increasing the chance of exposure to a late frost. However, temperatures need to go below 28 degrees F to kill the plant.
Work done at OSU and other universities indicates that soybeans planted before the 10th of May will yield 25% more than soybeans planted on June 1st. The University of Nebraska did a study that looked at light and water utilization of soybean plant planted on different dates. They found that early planted soybeans develop a full canopy earlier. This allows them to intercept more light for photosynthesis. If possible you want a full canopy on June 21st the longest day of the year. This gives maximum daylight interception. As you progress deeper into summer the daytime temperatures heat up and this exposed soil to accelerated moisture loss. To grow and develop, soybean plants must exchange water for to obtain carbon dioxide through a process called transpiration. Water coming from the soil is the main source of water for this process. If the plant is unable to make this exchange bushels of yield will be lost. A full canopy is essential to shade the soil and cut down on the loss of water.
Early planting also contributes to maximum stem node production. The node is the location on the plant where flowers and eventually pods are developed. Planting date is critical because it takes 7 to ten days for a plant to go from VE or emergence to V-1 to form the first node. From V-1 to V-5 the plant will produce nodes at a rate of two per week. Even though it will take longer in early planted cooler soils to reach V-1 the potential of greater node and eventually pod set, is increased over later planted soybeans that develop quicker with fewer nodes. Late planted soybeans never seem to be able catch up to early planted beans.
In summary there is a substantial advantage in planting soybeans as early as possible. If the goal is to maximize yield to offset high seed and fertilizer costs then it may be wise to plant your soybeans as early as possible as long as you avoid the last frost.

Northeast Ohio Crop Weather Report

2010-04-16T10:34:00.002-04:00

Wheat Progress;
What wheat that was plantd last fall is looking remakably good. Most wheat is starting to joint and has been sidressed with nitrogen by this time.

Oats planting;
Should be 60% planted at this time.

Corn and Soybean ground is being prepared for planting. I expect that some corn has already been planted. This year soil temperatures and ground conditions should lead to an early start. This will be a welcome change from the last couple of years. You only get one chance to plant corn and beans the first time. Take the time to look your planter over carefully. By now everyone know the points that need to be inspected but setting the planter up in field is just as important. In this weeks Agronomic Tip I have included an article from Iowa State on setting the planter up in the field. The importnace of planting depth and down pressure as covereed in the article cannot be understated.

Northeast Ohio Crop Weather Report

2010-04-07T13:16:00.000-04:00

April is here and with it came some unexpected but very welcome warm dry weather. Now that spring has arrived I want to welcome everyone back to the Northeast Ohio Crop Weather Blog. As the weeks progress this is the weekly internet site that will keep you informed on crop progress across the Northeast, Ohio. Along with crop progress reports you will find weather updates including rainfall totals, growing degree days and long range weather forecasts from Jim Noel of NOAA weather. You will also find PEST ALERT Updates with the latest information on pest problems and control; measures. In addition I will also post weekly Agronomy tips.
If you are planning on applying Nitrogen especially Urea to wheat, hayfields and cropland take into consideration the fact that, the surface temperature of your soil has warmed up faster than normal. This increases the chances of volatilization of any Urea nitrogen product. For plants to absorb nitrogen from urea it must first be broken down. This requires a catalyst called urease which breaks urea down into a very unstable acid (carbamic acid) This acid quickly decomposes into ammonia and carbon dioxide. The ammonia which is a gas will be released into the atmosphere unless it combines with water to form ammonium or NH4. Once in the NH4 Ammonium form it is available for plant growth and development. There are two other factors to consider when discussing volatilization. First urease is more abundant if there is a lot of residue on the surface. Therefore in no-till conditions we must be extra cautious of the effects of volatilization. Secondly as pH increases volatilization losses tend to increase. Therefore it is never a good idea to use surface applied urea based nitrogen products on recently limed fields.

I recently checked the soil temperatures on field near the office On April 7th. At 1 inch on recently worked ground the temperature was 75 degree F at 4 inches it was 65 degrees and undisturbed ground next to the field was 60 degrees F at 4 inches. Applying urea to soils below 60 degrees F at the surface will result in little or no volatilization. Volatilization increases dramatically as surface temperatures exceed 70 degrees. The solution to this problem is to apply Urea within 24 to 72 hours of a 1/4 to 1/2 inch rain storm. This will put the urea into solution and into the stable ammonium form of nitrogen. Other considerations would be to use nitrogen stabilizers called urease inhibitors. There are several products on the market and their effectiveness varies. Replicated University research shows mixed results. The best approach is to thoroughly investigate these products and their effectiveness before using them. As always this is up to the individual producers and the specific situation on his or her farm.
. Fertilizer prices have come down in 2010 and this may be a good time to access your soil fertility needs. If you can, before you spread fertilizer, take some time to pull soil samples for testing. When you look at your overall fertility picture take into consideration how much fertilizer you have put on over the last several years. Because prices have been historically high many producers have drastically cut back on P &K. As a result of the cutbacks and considering that we have taken off two near record crops in a row many fields may be reaching the critical level for P & K. Soil tests are vital to accurately determine your fertility levels. Use the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations to determine how much fertilizer you will need to keep your fields productive.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report;

2009-12-29T11:00:00.003-05:00

2009 CROP YEAR IN REVIEW

As we approach the holiday season farmers in Northeast Ohio have a lot to be thankful for. This was an unusual year that paid off big. A record corn crop was harvested in this corner of the state and soybeans held their own. For many farmers they are simply thankful to put the combines in the shed for the last time. The harvest season was grueling. The weather cooperated for the most part but where do you go with 150 to 200 bushels of corn per acre on most farms. The local elevators were jammed by mid November and so were the elevators in Lorain and Huron Counties. This gave the operators of these Coops nightmares as they had to deal with drying high moisture corn and transportation problems. By early December the problems eased and the rest of the corn came off the fields. I am sure that more than one farmer will be constructing some extra storage before next fall.
What about the crop? We know it was big, with many fields averaging over 200 bushel per acre. The down side was the moisture. As I read the yield monitor there was very little corn coming off below 21 %. That translated to extra time to dry and more drying fuel being used. If you were lucky enough to get the corn into a local elevator the drying charges quickly added up $0.30 to 0.50 per bushel. The shrinkage was in the 10 to 15% range with a steady 15 to 20 bushel per acre difference between wet and dry corn. The test weights were light, with the averages in the 51 to 53 pounds per bushel range. The real advantage we had in this corner of the state was very little rejection because of mycotoxins caused by moldy corn. Producers may want to test their corn in the bins if they plan to ship their corn out of the area. This has been a big problem in other areas of the state. Elevators to the west are testing everything coming in out of their local areas and rejecting loads with above normal levels of toxins.
What about soybeans? Most came off in good shape with good test weights at decent moistures. Growers did tear up a few fields in the process but that was early on and at the end of the season when wet conditions in October and later on November became a problem. Most beans were off by mid November. Yields were average 40 to 45 bushels per acre with some very good yields above 50 and 60 thrown in. This season was not without problems. White Mold and Soybean Aphids were once again on our doorstep.
White Mold was present in many soybean fields. This is a disease that results in ghost plants haunting producers at harvest time. They are often left wondering what they could have done to prevent the disease. Inoculation occurs early in the summer at flowering and the disease does not reveal itself until well into the reproductive stage. Its severity is determined by the environmental conditions through pod development. If you are experiencing humid conditions late in the season, lookout, if it comes off hot and dry it may not show up. Yes you can spray a fungicide, but the question is will you need too. The fungicide has to be applied around the flowering at a precise time during a narrow window of opportunity. Miss that opportunity and there is nothing you can do about it. Selecting a variety that has a relatively high tolerance to white mold is one step toward avoiding the disease. There are no resistant varieties but some are more tolerant than others. Next season at planting do not plant soybeans in a field that was infected in 2009. Open up the canopy to air by planting a smaller population 160,000 to 180,000 seeds per acre or going to 15 inch rows. If you are having serious problems, you need to spread out the rotation getting away from soybeans for a few years.
Another problem in 2009 was Soybean Aphids. We once again won the prize for highest Aphid populations in the state. Just about every field had some aphids. Because this was a late season out break, the true impact on yield will remain unknown. Most producers with high populations early on, did spray with good results. Some sprayed too early and the aphids returned; others said that the beans were already at R-5 or R-6 what good would it do and opted not to spray. The bottom line was that most yields were respectable in the 40 plus bu. Per A range. Would a spray application have moved these yields closer to 50? Would the yield increase have paid for the insecticide application and the loss of the beans in the wheel tracks? Was this the only thing that dampened yield? How much did disease pressure or stingy fertilizer applications do to high costs affect the yield? All of these questions need to have answers before we point the finger at the economic impact of Soybean Aphids. The biggest question of all is, will they return in 2010?
Some valuable lessons were learned in 2009. We need to spend more time in the field throughout the season looking for pests and looking for answers. High yields mean that a lot of nutrients were removed from the soil. We need to soil test before next year. We got by with less fertilizer in 2009 but we may not be able to do that in 2010. We need to be prepared to handle bigger yields and more grain in the future. Seed technology is moving the nations average yields upward every year. Seed costs will not come down in 2010, but we need to look carefully at what we are buying. We have more options than ever. We need to fit the seed package to the farm and even to the field. If you need the new technology and it will increase your bottom line then buy it. Do not buy it because your neighbor or your friendly seed salesmen says it works. What works the neighbor’s farm or the test plot may not work for you. Use that test plot information wisely. Learn everything you can learn about the soils that you are farming. Know your soils potential and plan your agronomic program around that knowledge. Know the areas that are weak because of drainage or poor fertility. Gather as much data as you can by using soil tests, yield data and records. If you are not keeping a log on each field you should. It is all about doing your homework and knowing what works and does not work on your farm. If you have questions, we have answers, plan on attending the NE Ohio OSU Extension 2010 Winter Agronomy School in Williamsfield Oh. February

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress

2009-12-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

As we approach the holiday season farmers in Northeast Ohio have a lot to be thankful for. This was an unusual year that paid off big. A record corn crop was harvested in this corner of the state and soybeans held their own. For many farmers they are simply thankful to put the combines in the shed for the last time. The harvest season was grueling. The weather cooperated for the most part but where do you go with 150 to 200 bushels of corn per acre on most farms. The local elevators were jammed by mid November and so were the elevators in Lorain and Huron Counties. This gave the operators of these Coops nightmares as they had to deal with drying high moisture corn and transportation problems. By early December the problems eased and the rest of the corn came off the fields. I am sure that more than one farmer will be constructing some extra storage before next fall.
What about the crop? We know it was big, with many fields averaging over 200 bushel per acre. The down side was the moisture. As I read the yield monitor there was very little corn coming off below 21 %. That translated to extra time to dry and more drying fuel being used. If you were lucky enough to get the corn into a local elevator the drying charges quickly added up $0.30 to 0.50 per bushel. The shrinkage was in the 10 to 15% range with a steady 15 to 20 bushel per acre difference between wet and dry corn. The test weights were light, with the averages in the 51 to 53 pounds per bushel range. The real advantage we had in this corner of the state was very little rejection because of mycotoxins caused by moldy corn. Producers may want to test their corn in the bins if they plan to ship their corn out of the area. This has been a big problem in other areas of the state. Elevators to the west are testing everything coming in out of their local areas and rejecting loads with above normal levels of toxins.
What about soybeans? Most came off in good shape with good test weights at decent moistures. Growers did tear up a few fields in the process but that was early on and at the end of the season when wet conditions in October and later on November became a problem. Most beans were off by mid November. Yields were average 40 to 45 bushels per acre with some very good yields above 50 and 60 thrown in. This season was not without problems. White Mold and Soybean Aphids were once again on our doorstep.
White Mold was present in many soybean fields. This is a disease that results in ghost plants haunting producers at harvest time. They are often left wondering what they could have done to prevent the disease. Inoculation occurs early in the summer at flowering and the disease does not reveal itself until well into the reproductive stage. Its severity is determined by the environmental conditions through pod development. If you are experiencing humid conditions late in the season, lookout, if it comes off hot and dry it may not show up. Yes you can spray a fungicide, but the question is will you need too. The fungicide has to be applied around the flowering at a precise time during a narrow window of opportunity. Miss that opportunity and there is nothing you can do about it. Selecting a variety that has a relatively high tolerance to white mold is one step toward avoiding the disease. There are no resistant varieties but some are more tolerant than others. Next season at planting do not plant soybeans in a field that was infected in 2009. Open up the canopy to air by planting a smaller population 160,000 to 180,000 seeds per acre or going to 15 inch rows. If you are having serious problems, you need to spread out the rotation getting away from soybeans for a few years.
Another problem in 2009 was Soybean Aphids. We once again won the prize for highest Aphid populations in the state. Just about every field had some aphids. Because this was a late season out break, the true impact on yield will remain unknown. Most producers with high populations early on, did spray with good results. Some sprayed too early and the aphids returned; others said that the beans were already at R-5 or R-6 what good would it do and opted not to spray. The bottom line was that most yields were respectable in the 40 plus bu. Per A range. Would a spray application have moved these yields closer to 50? Would the yield increase have paid for the insecticide application and the loss of the beans in the wheel tracks? Was this the only thing that dampened yield? How much did disease pressure or stingy fertilizer applications do to high costs affect the yield? All of these questions need to have answers before we point the finger at the economic impact of Soybean Aphids. The biggest question of all is, will they return in 2010?
Some valuable lessons were learned in 2009. We need to spend more time in the field throughout the season looking for pests and looking for answers. High yields mean that a lot of nutrients were removed from the soil. We need to soil test before next year. We got by with less fertilizer in 2009 but we may not be able to do that in 2010. We need to be prepared to handle bigger yields and more grain in the future. Seed technology is moving the nations average yields upward every year. Seed costs will not come down in 2010, but we need to look carefully at what we are buying. We have more options than ever. We need to fit the seed package to the farm and even to the field. If you need the new technology and it will increase your bottom line then buy it. Do not buy it because your neighbor or your friendly seed salesmen says it works. What works the neighbor’s farm or the test plot may not work for you. Use that test plot information wisely. Learn everything you can learn about the soils that you are farming. Know your soils potential and plan your agronomic program around that knowledge. Know the areas that are weak because of drainage or poor fertility. Gather as much data as you can by using soil tests, yield data and records. If you are not keeping a log on each field you should. It is all about doing your homework and knowing what works and does not work on your farm. If you have questions, we have answers, plan on attending the NE Ohio OSU Extension 2010 Winter Agronomy School in Williamsfield Oh. February

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report.

2009-11-16T11:33:00.005-05:00

It is all down to harvesting the corn crop at this time. The soybeans are 98% harvested and some wheat has been planted.

Corn: It looks like 40% of the corn is harvested in Northeast Ohio. Corn moisture is not as wet as first predicted. Most of the moisture tests have been around 22 percent. That is higher than 2008 and 2oo7 when moistures where averaging below 20% on most fields. The big problem with this years crop is the test weight. It is closer to 50 than 56 pounds per bushel. The other problem is very slow drying and handling at the local elevators. It is taking longer to dry the corn and the wetter than normal corn is harder to handle. Most elevators are shutting down on the weekends to handle the overload. The big plus for the 2009 crop is the yield, yields of over 200 bushels per acre have been common. Most fields are running over 150 bushels per acre. If the long range weather forcast for drier and warmer than normal conditions hold through the first of December this years, corn crop will be in the bin.

Wheat: It appers that the wheat that has been planted is a mixed bag. Growth is very sparse in some fields and better in others. This crop is late planted and will not grow much more. If the fields are exposed to an open winter, heaving could be an issue. Only time will tell but do not expect the kind of yields that we experienced in 2009.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report.

2009-11-16T11:33:00.001-05:00

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report.

2009-11-04T10:06:00.003-05:00

The weather continues to slow harvest across Northeat Ohio.

Soybeans

Despite less than ideal conditions the soybean harvest is reaching a close. As of November 1st in Ohio 82% of the soybeans have been harvested this is compared to 94% in 2008 and 86% over a five year average. The quality of soybeans have been good with test weights averaging above 57 pounds per bushel. The moisture has been high and many producers have had to dry a large percentage of the crop. Yields have been good considering that planting was delayed. Good fields have been running at or near 50 bushel per acre. Averages should be around 40 to 45 bushels per acre.

Corn

Corn is different a matter. Very little corn has been harvested. As of November 1st only 24% of the corn has been harvested in Ohio. This is compared to 68% in 2008 and 60% over the last five years. Even less has been harvested in Northeat Ohio. Early harvested corn had moisture levels at or above 30%. Test weights were also disappointing at around 53 pounds per bushel. With moisture this high there is little incentive to harvest and spend alot of money on drier fuel. However, after the 1st of November very little drying occures in field. The risk for field loses also increaes dramatically after mid-November. The decision to harvest or not harvest becomes easier. If you want to avoid significant field loses you have to pay for the drier fuel and harvest the crop. Your only hope is that yields will offset the extra end of the season cost of production.

Pest Alert:

Watch your corn very carefully for molds that might be forming on the ears. There are a variety of molds that have been found on standing corn across the state. Quality issues will continue to increase the longer this crop stands in the field. Livestock producers are particularly concerned, as many of these molds can be toxic to livestock. Right now there are fields with fungal diseases such as diloda, giberella and fuserium in Ohio and other states. Check the crop carefully before harvesting and keep contaminated grain seperate from the rest of your crop. If you have crop insurance and suspect mold might lead to dockage or that there might be a bigger problem, contact your insurance agent. Your insurance agent will work with you to establish the level of damage and make sure that you get paid for any losses that might apply.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-10-23T14:29:00.002-04:00

Soybeans:
Beans took center stage this week and nice weather for most of the working week allowed significant progress in Soybean fields across the area. Trumbull and Ashtabula Counties appear to have 70 to 80 percent of the soybeans harvested. Geauga County has around 60% of the beans in the bin. Moistures improved as the week progressed, with 11 to 12 % moisture being the range. Test weights of 56 and above were common. Yields were variable with 40 bph to 55 bph common and some 70's thrown in. The real bonus is the market price, which hit $10.28 per bu. on the CBOT at one point on Friday and settled at or just above $10.00 for the day.

Corn:

No progress has been made on corn. Virtually all of the crop is standing in anticipation of a little more dry weather to dry out a very wet crop. Once beans are harvested the focus will go to corn. Harvest will have to start because local farmers never let there combines sit idle by unharvested field for very long. Hopefully some more good weather will help to knock off a few points of moisture. The truth is that a week from Saturday is Halloween. and after that Winter. There are no gurantees once we enter November, let the corn harvest begin.

Wheat:

A little more wheat got planted this week but it looks like the crop for the most part will be prevented planted. The date to remember is November 4th, the day after election is the deadline to report prevented planted wheat at your FSA office. The deadline for planting, October 20th has passed.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-10-16T12:02:00.003-04:00

Corn: Some corn is now being run in eastern Trumbull Co. With the lack of good drying weather, dry down is very slow. Trumbull and inland Ashtabula Counties had a killing frost early in the week. This should help to speed drying. Geauga County has yet to have a killing frost.

Soybeans: 25 to 30% of the soybeans are off and some progress was made on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yield to apear to average to above average. With the prediction of good weather through much of next week, many of the beans will be harvested.

Wheat; Much of the wheat seed is still in the bag and will remain there until the ground dries. October 20th is the cut off for insurance and reporting of prevented planting.

PEST ALERT: Be on the look out for corn that is developing signs of ear disease such as Fusarium Kernel or Ear Rot, Gibberella Ear Rot or Diplodia Ear Root. These are diseases that show up in corn that has not matured or dried down properly and has been exposed to continous wetting. Ears with these diseases can also develop myco-toxins that can cause problems when using the grain for livestock feed. If possible harvest these fields as soon as possible.

2009-10-09T13:58:00.003-04:00

Northeast Ohio Crop Update

Corn: Corn continues to struggle toward maturity. The majority of Corn has dented but much of the corn has not reached black layer. If growers check the kernels and the Milk Line has advanced over halfway down the kernel, there will be almost no yield loss. However,the loss will come at the drier in the form of fuel expense. Expect corn to be wetter than normal this year. A killing frost at this point would aid in getting moisture out of the corn. That frost could come as early as Monday or Tuesday evening.

Soybeans: Almost all of the leaves have fallen and most beans have reached matuity. Early reports on soybeans that have been harvested have been very promising with yields being reported in the 50 to 60 range. Moisture levels are btween 14 and 20% A week of good weather is needed to get moistures down and a significant portion of the beans harvested.

Wheat: Progress on planting next years wheat crop has been slowed by the recent wet weather. There are only ten days left to plant wheat in a tinmely manner. You can count on one hand the number of days that would allow planting after the fly free date. This will be a market to watch if planting does not materialize.

Forages: If a killing frost comes early next week, growers can harvest the remainder of there alfalfa in the form of haylage or baleage. Caution should be taken not to harvest late hay crops on land that is wet or stressed from weather or fetility problems.

Northeast Ohio Crop Update

2009-09-17T14:23:00.001-04:00

By mid-September everyone has switched to harvest mode in anticipation of the upcoming harvest season. One of the big concerns now is the maturity of the crop in relation to the dates on the calendar. As of September 17th we have recorded 2150 growing degree days at our office. Last year at this time we were in excess of 2500 GDD. We ended the season with over 2800 GDD. It takes 2300 GDD to mature a 103 day hybrid. However, many of our producers are now growing hybrids in the 110 + range to take advantage of their yield potential. This means that something in the neighborhood of 2500 GDD are need to get these hybrids to black layer or full maturity. An early frost on these hybrids is a concern. So what happens if a corn hybrid has dented is killed by frost but has not reached black layer. It takes approximately 3 weeks to get from full dent to black layer or 350GDD. The moisture at the start of this process is around 55% and when the corn reaches maturity it is around 30 to 25% moisture. It is evident that if this process is interrupted by a killing frost it will leave the corn very moist and the test weight will be reduced. Yield loss can range from 40 to 10 % depending on the time that the plant is shut down. The risk is greatest for hybrids planted later than normal. Peter Thomison, OSU Corn Specialist and Robert Mullen, OSU Soil Fertility Specialist adds some historical data that make this timeline even more interesting.

Cooler Temperatures and Crop Maturity - Any Possible Problems This Fall? - Robert Mullen, Peter Thomison

Analysis of this year’s growing season temperatures reveals that we have been a little behind on growing degree day (GDD) accumulation this summer. The extent of GDD deficit does depend upon your geographic region however. Northwest Ohio has not really been behind on GDDs at all this year (from May 1 to the present). Northeast and Western Ohio is a little over 200 GDDs behind this year. The deficit observed is really noticeable from early July to today. Until mid-July, GDD accumulation was tracking right with long-term averages. Since mid-July, GDD accumulation has been behind significantly as a result of cooler than average temperatures.

Couple the cooler summer with late planting dates due to a wet spring and one starts to wonder about corn and soybean harvest this fall. Are we likely to be delayed? Absolutely. There is evidence of this in Northwest Ohio where corn silage harvest has been delayed. So should we be concerned about an early killing frost? In some geographic regions absolutely. Should you be concerned about your corn? (Will your corn achieve physiological maturity (black layer) before the first killing frost?) It likely depends upon when silking occurred.

Dr. Bob Nielsen noted in a recent Purdue Pest and Crop Newsletter that the 2009 growing season bears some strong similarities to 1992 in terms of GDD accumulation. Based on results of a Purdue-Ohio State University study conducted in 1992, for planting dates where silking occurred late July, kernel black layer formation occurred by 21 September. When silking occurred in early August, kernel black layer occurred by 11 October. Where silking occurred about mid-August, kernel black layer formation was complete by 27 October, but occurred 10 to 14 days AFTER a killing freeze event. All of the earlier silking dates (late July and early August) successfully reached kernel black layer prior to a killing freeze.

Data from a study conducted in 2006 and 2007 at the Northwest Research Station revealed that late planted corn (as late as mid-June) could reach full maturity even when GDD accumulation was below average. In both years the first “killing frost” was not experienced until mid to late October. Would our observations have been changed if the killing frost had occurred sooner – maybe? In addition to dealing with high grain moisture at harvest, growers also need to recognize the potential for increased stalk lodging if they plan to rely heavily on field drying. In 2007, stalk lodging in late planted corn averaged over 40%, whereas lodging in early planting lodged less than 8%.

Reference

Nielsen, R.L. 2009. Cool Days, Cold Nights, Slow Corn, What's Next?
URL: http://www.kingcorn.org/news/articles.09/CropProgress-0901.html

Northeast Ohio Crop Update

2009-08-21T11:05:00.002-04:00

Soybean Aphids Reach Threshold in Late Planted Beans

As predicted soybean aphid populations reached 250 aphids per plant and spraying was recommended by Extension Educators and Crop Consultants working for local coops. The most important thing producers can do is to continue to scout late planted fields. Field that are still in the late R-4 to early R-5 (pod formation stage)and have reached the 250 per plant threshold, need to be considered for treatment. Soybeans planted in early to mid-May may already be at R-6 and beyond. At this stage pods are set and filling,there is very little new growth that aphid prefer and their impact on yield will be minimal. Remember a decision to spray must include looking at the aphid population, the stage of plant growth, the cost of the application and the current market price for October November soybeans. Once you figure in all of these factors along with your cost of production you can make an educated decision on whether to spray.

White Mold hits Northeast Ohio

Sclerotinia Stem Rot or White Mold as it is commonly called has hit NE Ohio bad this year. There are several things to remember when dealing with white mold, number one the innoculation phase occurs during flowering. Fungicides are only effective if applied at that time. Once you see the the symptoms in the field it is to late. Another fact is that the disease will not spread from plant to plant. The innoculation only occurs during flowering, therefore the plants that have it, have it and there is nothing you can do to change the outcome. What you can do is note which fields and varities were suceptable to the disease. Try to avoid planting soybeans in the those fields, go to another crop. Never, never plant soybeans back to back if you have a white mold problem. Even though there are no resistant varities, growers should plant only those varities that show a tolerance to white mold. Plants with white mold, at maturity, will form black crystals call sclerotia, these will fall to the ground and contaminate the soil for next years crop. Because this happens combines and harvest equipment need to be cleaned out between fields so as not to spread the disease.
So why this year and not the last year or the year before. It is all about the disease triangle. You need a suscetable crop, a diseaes pathogen and the right enviornmental conditions at the time of flowering. This year we had cool moist conditions at flowering in the past we had hot dry conditions. There fore we had minimal risk for white mold. This year everything came together for a major out break across Ohio.

For answers to questions call you local OSU Extension office.

Northeast Ohio Crop Update

2009-08-14T08:08:00.002-04:00

Crops in Northeast Ohio look good to excellent.

The only problems at this time are soybean Aphids and the occurance of White Mold in soybeans.

PEST ALERT
I issued an update midweek on the aphid situation. Right now producers need to continue to scout for aphid especially in field that were planted late. The early planted fields are in R-4 and R-5 once R-6, full pod development is reached aphids will not impact the yield. Again make sure you need to spray before you apply insecticides. R-4 is a soybean with pods forming in the top 4 nodes below the last unfurreled leaf. R-5 is pods in the top 4 nodes below the last unfurreled leaf that are showing seed definition. The economic threshold for aphids is 250 per plant.

White mold is occuring in some field of soybeans. There is really nothing that a producer can do about this problem except note the field where it is occuring. The only fungicide that works on whit mold is Topsin- M and it has to be applid within a week of full flower. For most fields in this area it is too late for sucessful control. The best thing to do is to note the field and the next time you plant soybeans, plant a tolerant variety. We have no varities with complete resistance.

Here is how the crops are looking.

Corn: Most of the corn is pollinating or has pollinated. Kernals are being formed at this time, with some early planted corn in the milk stage.

Soybeans: R-4 to R-5, look excellent with good pod development.

Wheat: Harvested, producers need to spray weeds between now and 1st frost.

Oats: 80 -90% harvested with excellent yields and good straw production.

Forages; This week with 5 days of good weather will see a good portion of the 2nd and 3rd cutting hay harvested. Beacause this portion of the crop is coming off late producers should not consider harvesting another cutting in 30 days as it will be after the 10th of September and stand damage could occur.

Northeast Ohio Crop Update

2009-08-03T14:35:00.002-04:00

PEST ALERT: Soybean Aphid
August 1, 2009
Les Ober CCA
Geauga County Extension

Soybean Producers of Northeast Ohio should now be actively scouting for Soybean Aphids. Aphids have been found in various locations across Northeast Ohio. Ron Hammond OSU Extension Entomologist predicted earlier this summer that this part of Ohio would receive a significant infestation. His prediction appears to be on target. Populations have increased steadily in fields located in east central Geauga County. It appears that the Aphids have once again been blown across Lake Erie from Canada in a similar pattern as found in 2007. Some of these fields may reach a treatable thresholds within 10 days of August 1st. The economic threshold for Soybean Aphids is 250 per plant. Populations above that number should be treated to prevent yield loss.

Producers need to scout various locations across a field. They should concentrate their attention on the upper leaves. Especially the new leaves which are unfolding. Aphids like the new succulent growth and will move to that location to feed first. If you find aphids mark the field location and monitor the numbers every 3 to 5 days. Populations can explode in a very short time period.

Once populations exceed 250 per plant an application of a parathyroid insecticide like warrior should provide control. Right now the average soybean stage of growth is R-2 to 3(full Flower to early pod set; the most critical stage for damage) we will need two more weeks to reach R-5 (beginning seed; a 3mm long seed pod on one of the top 4 nodes of the plant) At this point the plant is far enough along that yield should not be affected.

It is not wise to treat without scouting. Make sure you have a population that exceeds 250 per plant. Caution needs to be exercised as treating to early can result in not controlling the population. Sprays like Warrior have an efficacy of around 10 days. Also there is the risk of killing of the beneficial insect population that is helping to control the aphids. Also it is not wise to include Warrior in with a fungicide application if the timing for the insecticide application is not right.

For more information on Soybean Aphids call your local OSU Extension Office

Northeast Ohio Agronomic Crop Update

2009-07-31T08:53:00.003-04:00

As we enter the month of August the crops around Northeast Ohio are looking very good. Infact over the last week I have traveled extensively and had an opportunity to compare our crops in this region to Northern Ohio and Western & Central Pa. Right now are crops are as good as if not better than most I have seen. The big concern is that corn is dveloping at a rate that is at least 10 days behind normal. That may or may not impact yield. The only thing that nmight happen as result of late development is a higher moisture at harvest time. The timely rain have been a blessing as western Ohio is showing the results of earlier dry weather in some locations. The old adage; rain equals grain should apply.
The wet weather has made it difficult to harvest forages and this will continue to bea problem until this weather cycle changes.
Wheat harvest is now complete with good and bad yields being reported. Grain quality was very good and test weight were right at 60 pounds per bushel. Oat harvest should be in progress and fall tillage should start soon.

Heres how crops are looking around Northeast Ohio

Corn Vt to R-2 Corn generally looking very good to excellent. The only propblem appears to be some un evenous in the fields that may have a slight imapct on yield.

Soybeans R - 1 to R-3. Fileds looking very good recovering from early yellowing of the plant.

Wheat: Harvested

Oats: now being harvested yield should be very good to excellent.

Forages: harvest delayed due to wet weather and their may be some qulaity issues.

Pest Alert:
Soybean aphids are still in the area and producers need to continue scouting. There has been no need to spray up until this point. and if the populations stay down the bullet may be dodged.

Western Bean Cutworm has been trapped in northern Geauga County and the population is being monitored. No risk is seen for this season.

Producers should be thinking about controlling weeds in the harvested wheat fields as they are growing fast in this wet weather.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-07-17T10:23:00.001-04:00

Here is how the crops are progressing in Northeast Ohio

Corn: V-12to V-T The crop looks very good ecellent. No disease pressure.

Soybeans: Most of the crop has now reached the flowering stage. Bean condition is varibale across the area.

Oats: Are turning and look very good.

Wheat: Being harvested. Yields are excellent with wheat in the 90 bushell per acre being recorded. Moisture is between 12% and 19%. test weights highg 50's to low 60's.

Forages: Some first cutting is left to harvest. 2nd cutting is coming off quickly.

PEST ALERT

Soybean Aphid have been reported in the area, but numbers have not increased. It is still early and soybean producers need to scout their field weekly to keep on top of this pest. Remember the threshold is 250 per plant and these numbers can be reached quickly as these insects multiply rapidly.

Potato Leaf Hopper in Alfalfa can be a problem especially in periods of dry weather. Be on the look out for the yellowing of leaf tips often refered to as hopper burn. You will also see the the insect moving through the field. New generation are transported in on wind currents. The best way to determine populations and threshold numbers is to use a sweep net. Numbers of insects per sweep are averaged and compared to a chat theat is height specific. Once economic threshold numbers are reached or exceed a treatment should be be made.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-07-03T14:23:00.005-04:00

The big story this week is the weather. After several weeks of dry weather with below average rainfall NE Ohio got caught up in a big way. On June 25th storms moved in off of Lake Erie and brought sporadic rain to the area. In some cases several inches fell within a half hour. Along with rain a 3 by 10 mile area of Ashtabula County received severe hail. Golf ball size hail was reported and corn, soybean, wheat and alfalfa crops were damaged. Here are some pictures of the damage that occurred.

Experts on sight, including David Marrison Ashtabula Agricultural Extension Educator, the day after the damage occurred made these observations. David reported that the corn leaves were shredded but the growing points on most plants appeared to be intact. This means that the plants will suffer a setback but mortality is not eminent. This much we do know from past experience. Plants from growth stage V-6 down should suffer little damage as the growing point is just above the ground. The more advanced stages of growth will suffer mortality if the growing point is damaged or the stalk is cut off below the growing point. Defoliation can have varying affects on yield. It takes a trained eye to assess the amount of defoliation. Purdue University has several good fact sheets on Recovery from Hail Damage in Corn www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/haildamageyoungcorn.html

Other crops have similar guidelines to go by. Iowa State University has a publication Hail Damage Assessment to Soybeans at www.extensio.iastate.edu/nwcrops/hail_soybean.htm
If you have crops in the damaged area you should wait a week to ten days to assess the final damage. Hail damage is not common in this area but as witnessed last week it does happen.

Here is how the crops are progressing in Northeast Ohio:

Corn: V-3 to V-12, The crop looks very good to excellent.

Soybeans: V-E to V-5 Stands are very good and the rain should help this crop. Some weed problems need to be taken care of.

Oats: Are heading and look very good.

Wheat: Is turning and the potential for an excellent crop is there. Harvest should start in the next week.

Forages: First cutting is 70% complete. A lot of good quality hay was made last week. With the forecast for five dry days starting on Sunday the rest of the crop should get into the barn. Drying will slow due to wet ground conditions. Second cutting is ready in many fields and the dry weather will see some of this crop being harvested.

Pest Alert: Scout for Soybean Aphids now. At the recent field night at WI Millers in Northern Trumbull County OSU Extension Entomologist Ron Hammond was able to find soybean aphids on the Miller Farm and on a farm to the south and east of Farmdale. They are in the area but not in numbers great enough to treat. The threat will come from the north and Ron is encouraging producers to read newsletter updates from Michigan and Ontario Canada. Updates will be posted as needed. If you spot aphids contact your local extension office.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-06-19T08:29:00.001-04:00

Northeast Ohio is finally getting some well needed rain. This is also giving farmers a break from making hay, side dressing corn and spraying. Traveling around the tri-county area I observed crops in all stages of development. Some corn is canopying and some is only in the V-2 to V- 3 stage. Soybeans are for the most part in the early stages of development. There is a lot of spraying especially beans, that needs to be done and weeds will really take off after the rain. Growers need to get on top of weed control as soon as possible. I have had several reports of early pre-emergence sprays on corn that have not worked. This is most likely due to the dry weather and spray material not activating. Producers should scout their fields and determine if spot spraying or in some cases whole fields need to be treated with a post-emergence spray. One weed that is getting around early spray application is Lambsquarters. This summer annual broadleaf has developed a resistance to triazine based sprays like Bicep plus atrazine and Harness plus atrazine. If a second application is required there are a broad range of post products that will get on top of the problem. Consult the 2009 Weed Control Guide to select a product that will best suit your cropping program.

Two pest problems worth mentioning are head scab in wheat and soybean aphids. With most of the wheat now turning producers can check for the presence of head scab. It appears that there will be a very low risk of scab across Ohio. If you look hard enough you can usually find some infected heads in a field. The green heads will exhibit a browning of the kernels and they will take on a chaffy appearance. At this point in time it is too late to treat but producers need to be aware of the presence of this disease for future reference. Hopefully even though we did not have a problem this year, many producers got on line and monitored their risk on the fuserium head blight web site. The next pest is starting to cause problems is the Soybean Aphid. They have already shown up in good numbers on early planted soybeans in the Wooster area. Soybean producers need to be scouting and not treating at this point. Be aware of their presence and monitor the population. The greatest damage occurs at flowering time usually not peak until mid to late July.

Here is how the crops are progressing in Northeast Ohio:

Corn: V-3 to V-8, The crop looks very good with excellent stands

Soybeans: V-E to V-5 Stands are very good and the rain should help this crop. Some weed problems need to be taken care of.

Oats: Are heading and and look good. The threat of Cereal Leaf Beetle is now passing. Many producers had to treat for this pest.

Wheat: Is starting to turn and the potential for an excellent crop is there.

Forages: First cutting is 60 to 70% complete. Alot of good quality hay was made last week. With the forcast for five dry days starting on Sunday the rest of the crop should get into the barn in good shape. Drying will slow due to wet ground conditions. Second cutting Alfalfa should be ready after the 1st of July setting up a three to four cutting rotation. Be on the lookout for Potato Leaf Hopper.

Pest Alert: Scout for Soybean Aphids and Potato Leaf Hoppwer is Alfalfa. Some Black Cutworm damage in corn has been observed.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-06-11T15:30:00.004-04:00

It is the 10th of June and 95% of all of the crops have been planted. As I tour the country side I have observed some stand problems in corn but for the most part the crops look exceptionally good for the late start to planting. This is the time of the year that producers shift out of planting mode into crop protection mode. Producers need to be scouting for pests and evaluating their weed control program. They also need to be evaluating the condition of there corn crop to determine how much additional nitrogen to be added for crop growth.
The first pest to be making a major impact on local crops is the Cereal Leaf Beetle (CLB) in oats. This is an insect pest the can attack both wheat and oats but it appears that at this time of year oats is their favorite target. The insect is most apparent in the larval stage. It has the appearance of a mini slug on the oat leaf blade.

Virginia Tech Univ. photo

Damage to the plant will be a frosted appearance caused by the stripping of chlorophyll from the leaf blades. The Economic Threshold (the level of infestation that when exceeded will result in loss of yield) for CLB is an average of two larva per stem based on sampling 30 or more plants. The CLB populations tend to build from late May through mid June. Yield reductions of 10 to 20% or higher are typical depending on the severity. The following chemicals are labeled for CLB, Warrior and Lannate LV both restricted use chemicals. For more information call your county extension office.
Soon the focus will shift to side-dressing nitrogen on corn. With most of the crop nearing or exceeding the 5 leaf stage producers need to assess the condition of their corn crop and determine how much more nitrogen they need to apply. There are several factors to consider when making this decision. First determine the true yield potential for your crop. Look at the stand, the planting date, previous yield information and even take a look at the long range weather forecast. Once you have this information, be honest and determine what your yield potential will be. If you have a crop that has the potential to top 150 or 175 bushels per acre put the amount of nitrogen on that will get the job done. If your crop looks like it will struggle to make 120 bushels do not fertilize for 175. There are several tools to use to make this determination. One of the best is The OSU Economic Nitrogen Rate Calculator for Corn Spreadsheet: http://agcrops.osu.edu/fertility/documents/New_Nitrogen_Recommendations_2009_new.xls
This site has been developed by OSU Soil Fertility Specialist Robert Mullen to help producers get the right amount of nitrogen on their corn based on information from their farm.
The other considerations are timing and application method. It is important to get nitrogen on as close to the stage of maximum uptake as possible and practicable. This period is usually 6 to 10 weeks after planting. The maximum uptake for nitrogen occurs just before and during the reproductive stage of the plant. At this time the corn is too big for practical application. The type of application method is up to the producer and what works best for him. You can knife in dribble on or broadcast nitrogen, but remember if you are broadcasting a urea based product there is the risk of volitization if it is not rained in or cultivated into the soil. For more information on nitrogen application, go to the OSU Agronomic Crops Team Website http://corn.osu.edu/ and click on fertility.

Here is how it is shaping up on a crop by crop basis:
Corn: 90% plus planted and 80% emerged
Soybeans: 80 to 90% planted 70% emerge. The biggest challenge for producers will be to get weeds under control. Do not wait to long to spray

Wheat: Has reached the fill stage and the risk of head scab is minimal. The crop looks excellent.

Oats: This crop is 100% planted and emerged. The biggest threat to oats is Cereal Leaf Beetle. Producers are treating many fields

Forages: Alfalfa harvest and grass hay is well underway and first cutting should come off in good condition if the weather cooperates

Pest Alert; Weeds: Producers need to get into the fields and clean weed problems ASAP. Weeds are maturing at a rapid rate and can out compete newly emerged crops.
Disease :No threats at this time
Insects: Oat producers need to be on the looklout for Cereal Leaf Beetle. Corn producers need to scout for Black Cutworm some damage has been documente.

Northeas Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-05-27T09:29:00.000-04:00

The week proceeding Memorial Day was just what crop producers needed to finish off planting. 80% of the crops are in the ground and much of the spraying has been completed. Early indications of emerging crops indicate excellent emergence and seedling vigor. The only problem facing growers planting late, is the dry conditions that are making it hard to properly fit soil. A good soaking rain would benefit everyone.
On the Forage front, hay and haylage harvest has gotten off to a good start with a lot of fields being cut and harvested.
Here is how it is shaping up on a crop by crop basis;Corn: 90% plus planted and 30 to 40% emerged
Soybeans: 70 to 80% planted 20 to 30% emerge. The biggest challenge for producers still planting into conventionally tilled ground will be to get good soil to seed contact. No-tillers will find very hard conditions and need to pay attention to seed depth and coverage. Wheat: The crop is starting to head out and the main concern is disease pressure. Keep scouting for leaf diseases.
Oats: This crop is 100% planted and emerged. Looks very goodForages: Alfalfa harvest is underway and Orchard grass is heading outPest Alert; Weeds: Producers need to get into the fields and clean weed problems ASAP. Weeds are maturing at a rapid rate and can out compete newly emerged crops.
Disease: Wheat growers monitor the wheat fusuarium head scab web site www.wheatscab.psu.edu/ for the risk level of head scab. As wheat reaches the flowering stage the risk of head scab increases especially if we enter a hot humid some what rainy period during flowering. Treatment may be necessary if the risk l reaches alert levels. Insects: Oat producers need to be on the looklout for Cereal Leaf Beetle. There is an article on thresholds for this pest in last weeks CORN Newsletter. There is link to CORN on this site. If we get rain be on the lookout for slug damage. Slug populations can be well advanced at this time of year and severe damage can occur.

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-05-14T10:50:00.002-04:00

Finally dry weather returned to Northeast Ohio and Farmers took advantage of the conditions. Significant progress was made on corn and soybeans. Southern Ashtabula and Northeast Trumbull Counties lead the way with 60% of the crops planted. The rest of the area is approaching 40% completed. Portage County is also making good progress with drier soils rapidly approching 50 % completed.

Rain will return over the weekend causing delays in planting. Right now most reports indicate that farmers will have 4 days of good weather starting next week. This should be enough time to see over 75% of the corn planted and a good portion of the soybeans in the ground.

Here is how it is shaping up on a crop by crop basis;

Corn: 40 to 50% planted. Big operators are taking advantage of relatively narrow opportunities to make significant progress. No-Tillers need to make sure seed trenches are closing properly.

Soybean: Even though corn has taken top priority some beans 25-30% have been planted. Again make sure, if your plans include no-till that the soil is dry enough and the beans are covering properly.

Wheat: The crop has reached feekes 8 and the main concern is disease pressure. Keep scouting for leaf diseases.

Oats: This crop is 100% planted and emerged. Looks very good

Forages: Alfalfa is approaching bud stage and Orchard grass is in the boot stage. Harvest is eminant in 10 days if we get warm weather to push the crop.

Pest Alert;

Weeds: Keep an eye on weed especially in no-till fields. Right most perennial weeds are 4 to 10 inches tall and many annual weed like lambsquarter have emerged. Even some annual grasses like foxtail are starting to show up.

Disease: Be on the lookout for leaf diseases in wheat and be ready to treat with a

Insects: Oat producers need to be on the looklout for Cereal Leaf Beetle. Ther is an article on thresholds for this pest in this weeks CORN Newsletter. There is link to CORN on this site.

2009-05-08T09:31:00.001-04:00

Northeast Ohio Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-05-08T08:36:00.003-04:00

Another week and another week of rain in most locations. However, some progress has been made in planting. Northern Trumbull County and Southern Ashtabula County appear to be approaching 50% planted corn and 30 to 40% planted soybeans. Geauga County and the rest of Ashtabula County have less than 10% planted at this time. The progress occured over the weekend of May 2nd 3rd and 4th .before the rains returned on the 5th. Normally at least 50% of the corn is planted by the 10th. Alot of tillage, spraying and fertilizer application was accomplished over that three day period. The next opportunity for planting appears to be from next Monday to Wednesday with rain returning on Thursday. Here is the progress report for NE Ohio
Crop Progress

Corn: 20% planted overall with some areas above 50%. Corn should be emerging this week.

Soybeans: 10% with some areas in the 20 to 30% range.

Oats: 100% planted and most fields have emerged with goods to excellents stands.

Wheat: Wheat has reached the feekes 7 stage, 2nd node is visible. All nitrogen and herbicide should be applied by this time. Producers need to be on the lookout for leaf diseases.

Forages: Both Grass and Alfalfa Hay are looking good and benefiting from the rain. Harvest on Alfalfa should be no more than two weeks away. Producers should be on the looklut for Afalfa Weevil.

Pest Alert
Weeds:
Producers need to get on top of weed control now, even though their focus is on planting. Mark Loux OSU Weeds Specialist is warning producers to control weeds before planting. Letting weeds get out of control makes it twice as hard and more expensive to bring them under control later in the spring. In case of winter annuals many will go to seed increasing the proability of wed problems next season.

Insects:

Small Grain Producers need to be on the lookout for Cereal Leaf Beetle. This insect pest attacks the leaveas of small grain crateing elongated hole in the leaves. This pest has been on the increase in recent years.

Cearl Leaf Beetle Larva

Producers also need to be on the lookout for slugs. The wet weather is creating the perfect enviornment for slugs and slug damage.

Disease:
Managing Leaf Diseases of Wheat with Fungicides - Pierce Paul, Dennis Mills, Jim Beuerlein
It is time to start scouting wheat fields for leaf diseases. The wheat is now between growth stages 6 (jointing) and 8 (flag leaf emergence). This marks the beginning of the period during which we recommend that field be scouted to determine which disease is present and at what level. Fungicides are available to control these diseases in Ohio; however the decision to use these fungicides should be based on the susceptibility of the variety planted, the level of disease in the field, weather conditions, and the yield potential of the field. When the level of disease in the field is high on the top two leaves, wheat growers could benefit from applying fungicides, but in low disease years, fungicide applications would not be economical. Under favorable weather conditions, on susceptible varieties, leaf diseases cause substantial reduction in wheat yield. Yield response to fungicide application is directly dependent on the amount of disease in the field and the susceptibility of the variety to that disease. Resistant varieties rarely benefit from application of fungicides. Stagonospora leaf and glume blotch, powdery mildew, and leaf rust are the most important yield-reducing leaf diseases in Ohio. Of these, Stagonospora leaf and glume blotch are most common statewide and powdery mildew is most common in the northeast, east central and south central parts of the state. Most years, leaf rust is detected in the state after flowering of the crop and is usually considered too late to cause significant yield loss. The growth stage of the wheat crop when disease develops influences the impact on yield and timing of fungicide application. The earlier the growth stage, the greater the potential to impact yield. Yield losses are greatest when the upper two leaves of the plants become diseased at or before heading. When this happens, yield losses can be as high as 25 to 30%. Hence, the main purpose of making fungicide applications in wheat is to keep the upper two leaves and the head healthy between growth stages 8 (flag leaf emergence) and 10.5.4 (flowering). Scout wheat fields during the months of May and June to determine the need for fungicide application. The first disease to be detected is usually powdery mildew, a powdery white mold growth on leaf surfaces. This disease is important during the month of May and early June in mild seasons with high relative humidity. Randomly collect 30 to 50 tillers from throughout the field and look for the small white pustules on the lower leaves and leaf sheaths. If powdery mildew is present in a field planted to a susceptible variety you should watch its development over the next week or so and decide whether fungicides should be applied. Fungicides should be applied for powdery mildew control (on susceptive varieties) when 2 to 3 pustules are detected on the leaf (leaf two, counting from the top) below the flag leaf (the top-most leaf) anytime between growth stage 8 (flag leaf emergence) and 10 (boot). Stagonospora leaf and glume blotch is most severe when frequent rains occur during the months of May and June. Symptoms are lens shaped brown leaf lesions with yellow borders on the leaf surface and brown to tan blotches on the upper half of glumes on heads. Scout fields between growth stages 8 (flag leaf emergence) and 10.5.4 (flowering) and if 1 to 2 lesions are detected on the leaf below the flag leaf on a susceptible variety, fungicide should be applied. There are several different fungicides available for use on wheat. If powdery mildew is the target disease then Tilt or PropiMax should be applied. Tilt, PropiMax, Quadris, Quilt, Stratego, and Headline have good effectiveness against Stagonospora leaf blotch, other leaf blotch diseases and leaf rust. Obtain current pricing of fungicides to determine the most economical control option. Use 20 gal water/A with ground equipment and 5 gal water/A if applying by airplane. Using less water will lower effectiveness. Check labels for application timing restrictions. Help in diagnosis can be obtained from OSU Extension or other crop consultants and from the Ohio Field Crop Disease web site http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/wheat1.htm For updated information on wheat variety reactions; http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/Wheat%20Disease%20Reaction%20Table%20Print%2008.pdf

Northeast Ohio Crop Progress Report

2009-04-30T14:00:00.005-04:00

Corn and Soybean planting has begun in parts of Northeast. As of last weekend one producer reported over 500 acres of soybeans and over 200 acres of corn in the ground. The recent eighty degree weather has warmed up the soil allowing for germination. The next obsticle will be the forecast for a rain almost everyday during the first week of May. The weather may have slowed planting in this area, however, conditions are much worse to the west. Extreme Western Ohio, parts Indiana are experiencing very wet conditions. At this time last year 25% of the corn was planted in the western part of the state and only 5% has gotten planted this year. Here is how the crops are shaping up in Northeast Ohio.

Corn Progress: 10% Planted; planting has started and will continue as long as we have dry conditions.
Successful Corn Establishment in Late April and Early May - Peter Thomison Mistakesmade during the planting operation are usually irreversible, and can put a "ceiling" on the crop's yield potential before the plants have even emerged. The following are some tips that will help get a corn crop off to a good start. 1. Adjust Seeding Depth According to Soil Conditions Plant corn seed from 1-1/2 to 2 inches deep so as to facilitate adequate root development. In late April and early May, when the soil is usually moist and evaporation rate is low, seed should be planted no deeper than 1-1/2 inches. As the season progresses and evaporation rates increase, deeper planting may be advisable. When soils are warm and dry, corn may be seeded more deeply up to 2 inches on non-crusting soils. One risk associated with shallower planting depths is the possibility of poor development of the permanent (also referred to as secondary or nodal) root system if the crown is at or near the soil surface. Permanent roots may not grow under hot, dry conditions (resulting in the "rootless" and "floppy" corn syndromes). Another potential risk from planting less than 1-1/2 inches is shoot uptake of soil-applied herbicides. Seeding depth should be monitored periodically during the planting operation and adjusted for varying soil conditions. Irregular planting depths contribute to uneven plant emergence, which can reduce yields. 2. Adjust Seeding Rates on a Field-by-Field Basis. Adjust planting rates by using the yield potential of a site as a major criterion for determining the appropriate plant population. Higher seeding rates are recommended for sites with high-yield potential with high soil-fertility levels and water-holding capacity. On productive soils, with long term average yields of 160 bu/acre or more, final stands of 30,000-33,000 plants/acre or more may be required to maximize yields. Some recent studies conducted under favorable growing conditions on high yielding soils have indicated that final stands as high as 36,000/A were required for optimal yield. However at these higher plant densities the risk for major stalk lodging increases considerably. Lower seeding rates are preferable when droughty soils or late planting (after June 1) limit yield potential. On soils that average 120 bu/acre or less, final stands of 20,000 to 22,000 plants/acre are adequate for optimal yields. On soils that average about 150 bu/acre, a final stand of 28,000 plants per acre may be needed to optimize yields. Seeding rate can be cut to lower seed costs but this approach typically costs more than it saves. Most research suggests that planting a hybrid at suboptimal seeding rates is more likely to cause yield loss than planting above recommended rates (unless lodging becomes more severe at higher population levels) and harvest delays occur. Under moderate drought stress, high plant populations usually do not cause significant yield reduction on most Ohio soils. When planting occurs in cold soils, usually early planting dates, the seeding rate should be 10-15% higher than the desired harvest population. Follow seed company recommendations to adjust plant population for specific hybrids. 3. Perform Tillage Operations Only When Necessary and Under the Proper Soil Conditions. Avoid working wet soil and reduce secondary tillage passes. Perform secondary tillage operations only when necessary to prepare an adequate seedbed. Shallow compaction created by excessive secondary tillage can reduce crop yields. Deep tillage should only be used when a compacted zone has been identified and soil is relatively dry. Late summer and fall are the best times of year for deep tillage.
Soybean Progress: 10% Planted; Similar to corn

Wheat: Has reached feekes 5 to 6 stage. For the most part with the exception of some areas that have water winter damge the wheat looks good. Most nitrogen has been applied. Custom applicators are rapidly catching up with application.

Oats: 70% planted with 50% emerged. Condition good.

Forages: Last weekends warm weather has greened up both grass and alfalfa. Both look excellent with growth on target for this time of year.

Pest Alert:

Weeds:
Winter annuals and perennial broadleaves and grasses are growing fast. Some annual are starting to emerge. Be on the lookout for early emerging lambsquarter. Take advantage of dry conditions to apply burndown with residual herbicides while weeds are small and easy to control. We have experienced high winds along with the warm temperatures and this make herbicides like Glyphosate and 24D extremely volatile and off target drifting likely. Time your applications to avoid drift.

Insects:
None at this time. Ron Hammond is predicting a higher level of Soybean Aphid in 2009. Also forage producers need to be looking for Alfalfa Weevil, especially if the warm temps continue.

Disease:
Wheat Approaching Feekes 8, an Important Stage for Foliar Disease Management - Pierce Paul, Dennis Mills
The wheat crop is already a Feekes 8, flag leaf emergence, in some parts of southern and central Ohio and will reach this growth stage within the next 7 to 10 days in northern counties. This is am important growth stage for making fungicide use decisions for foliar disease management. Scout wheat fields to determine which disease is present and at what level before making a decision to apply a fungicide. Although several fungicides are available to control foliar diseases in Ohio, the decision to use these products should be based on the susceptibility of the variety planted, the level of disease in the field, weather conditions, the yield potential of the field, fungicide cost, and the market price of wheat. The first diseases to be detected are usually Septoria leaf blotch and powdery mildew. Septoria usually shows up in late April on the lower leaves and will develops up the plant if frequent rains occur. Powdery mildew is important during the month of May and early June in mild seasons with high relative humidity. Randomly collect 30 to 50 tillers from throughout the field and look for the small white pustules on the lower leaves and leaf sheaths. If powdery mildew is present in a field planted to a susceptible variety you should watch its development over the next week or so and decide whether fungicides should be applied. Fungicides should be applied for powdery mildew control (on susceptive varieties) when 2 to 3 pustules are detected on the leaf (leaf two, counting from the top) below the flag leaf (the top-most leaf) anytime between growth stage 8 (flag leaf emergence) and 10 (boot). Stagonospora leaf and glume blotch is most severe when frequent rains occur during the months of May and June. Scout fields between growth stages 8 (flag leaf emergence) and 10.5 (full head emergence) and if 1 to 2 lesions are detected on the leaf below the flag leaf on a susceptible variety, fungicide should be applied. Remember, for foliar disease management (powdery mildew, Septoria, Stagonospora and Rust) fungicides are usually not needed when resistant varieties are grown. An updated list of fungicides registered for wheat disease management can be found on the field crops disease web site at http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/OFCDwheatfungicides.pdf

Northeast Ohio Crop Report

2009-04-20T15:11:00.003-04:00

It is the 7th of April and the arrival of spring has suffered a slight setback in Northeast Ohio. It appears that local farmers will have to deal with 4 to 6 inches of partly cloudy before they can get back into the fields. Up until now a good deal of tillage had been done and some oats were planted. The return of winter will delay in any thoughts of early corn or soybean planting. Moisture levels have been adequate and a few days of dry weather will leave the soil dry enough for farmers to return to the field. Keep in mind that the recent cold weather has left the soils in a very cool condition.

It takes a soil temperature of at least 50 degrees in the top 2 inches of soil for corn seed to germinate. Thanks to new hybrid technology and seed treatments corn seeds can survive up to three weeks in cold soils if they are not too wet. The decision of when to plant is always a balancing act between planting early for optimum yields and the risk of replanting a crop that was put into soils that where to wet and cold for proper seed development. Extra caution should be taken if a No-till System is being used. In No-till, soils not only need to be warm they need to be dry. If you can take your soil and squeeze it into a mud ball it is probably to wet, No-till soils need to be friable for proper seed to soil contact and for seed trench closure.

The application of fertilizer is one of the first filed operations that farmers do in the early spring. This edition will be devoted to crop fertility and fertilizers. In this edition I have included articles by Ohio State University Soil Fertility Specialist Robert Mullen and Crop Production Specialist Ed Lentz that will address the fertilizer issues facing farmers this spring. They include the best time to top dress wheat and managing P & K in your cropping system. Also included, is the web address of the newly updated Nitrogen Recommendation Calculator It can be accessed on line at http://agcrops.osu.edu/fertility/.

The price of fertilizer continues to be high, especially P & K. If your soil test shows a strong availability of either of these nutrients then chances are very good that you can cut back on one or both and not suffer a yield loss. However, fertility levels must first be documented with a soil test that has been taken in the last three years. Cutting back on fertilizer without knowledge of your current nutrient levels is very risky. Just as risky is the use of non-traditional soil amendments to replace conventional fertilizer. Before using these products check to see that the claims of product performance have been backed up with replicated university research. Robert Mullen has recently written and article that tells how to evaluate the value of these non-traditional products.

Considerations for Selecting Phosphorus and Potash Rates - Keith Diedrick, David Henry, Robert Mullen

On calling your fertilizer dealer for the latest prices, you may experience sticker shock and think about cutting rates of these pricey inputs. What should you think about when making rate decisions? First of all, what does your less-than-three-year-old soil test show? The best (and rather inexpensive) tool we have for making input decisions is a recent soil test report from a reputable lab. If you are well above the critical levels of P and K (30 pounds P2O5, 225 pounds K20), or have applied manure in the recent past, you are unlikely to benefit from additional P and K inputs. If you are right at those critical levels, consider an application of some P and K (see Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations), since your soil test report is an average; some parts of the field are above that test level and some are below. We want to make sure that the lower-testing soils in the field are getting sufficient P and K nutrition. These additional materials in the higher testing areas are not lost and are available for future crops. Secondly, if funds are limited, purchase inputs for the nutrients that are most limiting. More benefit per pound of fertilizer is realized at the lower soil test levels than those with higher test levels, that is, 50 pounds of P from MAP or DAP will have a greater benefit to the crop in terms of yield at soil P levels of 8 pounds versus 30 pounds per acre. For example, if P is cheaper per pound than K, spending the same amount for fewer pounds of K may produce more of a positive crop response than supplying P if initial P levels are closer to the critical soil test level. Thirdly, shop around and consider all sources of the inputs in terms of cost per pound. The actual form of P or K is not terribly important, as most commercial fertilizers become plant available in the soil quickly. See our article on phosphorus forms and formulations (http://corn.osu.edu/story.php?setissueID=280&storyID=1665) for more information on this topic. Please note, that even though rock phosphate is inexpensive compared to MAP and DAP, it is not a recommended P source for land application as it is not water soluble, thus, unusable by plants.

Increased cost of starter fertilizer has farmers seeking alternatives
Jim Camberato, Purdue Extension Soil Fertility SpecialistAg Answers 3/17/09

With the phosphorus-containing starter fertilizer 10-34-0 averaging nearly $1,000 per ton, many farmers are asking, “Do I really need to include phosphorus in my starter fertilizer?” A Purdue University specialist said it depends on soil temperature and tillage, soil phosphorous level, irrigation and yield potential. The starter fertilizer 10-34-0 is also known as APP or ammonium polyphosphate. “Contrary to popular belief, more often than not the corn crop responds to the nitrogen component and not the phosphorous component of starter fertilizer,” said Jim Camberato, Purdue Extension soil fertility specialist. “The crop actually benefits only 5 to 10 percent of the time from having the phosphorus banded with nitrogen and the rest of the time the nitrogen gives the full response. “In most instances 28 percent urea ammonium nitrate is equivalent or better than APP as a starter fertilizer.” Camberato explains that including phosphorus in the starter fertilizer is most likely beneficial when: * Planting into cold, wet soils * No-till is practiced * Soil testing shows low phosphorous levels * Soils are irrigated or consistently high yielding “When phosphorus in the starter fertilizer is beneficial, APP is a convenient source of it,” he said. “A 3-to-1 ratio is recommended when mixing UAN and APP. After combining the two, the mixture should yield between 30 pounds and 40 pounds of nitrogen per acre and between 10 pounds and 20 pounds of P2O5 per acre in a placement 2 inches to the side and 2 inches below the seed. This is optimal—if you apply less you don’t get the full starter benefit and there is no benefit to applying more.” This rate of P2O5, although adequate as a starter fertilizer, is insufficient to replace crop removal, which is about 0.37 pound P2O5 per bushel of corn or 60 pounds P2O5 per acre at 160 bushels per acre, Camberato noted. “With current prices, broadcast monoammonium phosphate (MAP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP) are more economical than APP as sources of phosphorus to replace crop removal,” he said. Phosphorus from MAP and DAP recently cost about 60 cents to 75 cents per pound of P2O5 whereas phosphorus from APP has been more than $1.25 per pound of P2O5. “Unless convenience is an overriding factor, APP is currently a costly source of phosphorus,” Camberato said. “There is only so much time to get the crop planted and if the soils don’t dry out until late, it may be worth paying the additional fertilizer cost to avoid another trip across the field.” For questions and more information, contact Camberato at 765-496-9338 or http://www.blogger.com/Local%20Settings/Temp/jcambera@purdue.edu.

Nontraditional Fertilizer Products, How Can You Evaluate Their Usefulness? - Robert Mullen, Edwin Lentz

Many products are frequently marketed as the latest and greatest technology that will improve agronomic productivity of all major crops in Ohio. The question is which ones are legitimate and which ones are wastes of money? Here are a few simple ways to evaluate whether or not what you are being sold is real or bogus. 1.If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This old adage is almost always true. So if something is promising tremendous yield improvements by supplying adequate nutrition, suppressing weeds, improving soil health with a small application rate, it is most likely not going to deliver the desired benefits. 2.Take a lesson from the first law of thermodynamics (that states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed – it simply changes form). In our case nutrients can neither be created nor destroyed, they can only be shuttled between different pools. So if a product states that application of this material is equal to 50 pounds of phosphorus per acre, and the material fertilizer analysis (required on the bag by law) has 20% phosphorus and the application rate is not 250 pounds per acre, you are not supplying the same amount of nutrients at a rate of 50 pounds per acre. The maximum efficiency of any system is 100%, so how can this product magically supply more than is being applied? 3.Look for un-biased research results. Many products are vetted through land-grant universities to determine their potential usefulness. Just because a product works at some remote location does not necessarily mean it will work on your farm (this is why land-grant universities conduct field research). If the individual selling you the product is also the individual conducting the research be wary. 4.Before completely adopting an alternative product to be used on the entire farm, evaluate the product on a limited basis and make simple comparisons to current practices. If you see no yield advantages, you have your answer. Remembering these simple rules can help you separate good products from bad. In addition, university research and extension soil fertility specialists in the Corn Belt also maintain a data base on non-traditional ag products (Ohio State University participates with this committee). The criteria to be included in the data base follows these guidelines: 1) at least two site-years of research, with multiple crops or varieties substituting for a site-year; 2) authors listed; 3) replicated with statistical analysis; 4) reasonably applicable to north central USA crop production; 5) reference source available; and 6) author permission. These are also good guidelines for a producer to consider for legitimacy of a non-traditional product. The web site is located at http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/compendium/index.aspx . Please contact Ed Lentz or Robert Mullen for more information about this committee. If you would like to evaluate a non-traditional product, contact your county Extension Agriculture Educator to set up an on-farm experiment.

Nitrogen Recommendations for Wheat - Edwin Lentz

Spring nitrogen should be applied between greenup (now) and beginning stem elongation (Feekes 6). Ohio State University research has shown that yields are not affected by delayed nitrogen until after early stem elongation (generally the end of April). Studies over the last five years have shown that yields were the same or slightly better when a single application occurred at Feekes 6 (first node visible of early stem elongation) compared to initial greenup. Yields dropped 10 – 15% when a single application was delayed to early boot stage. At this time, we would recommend producers to apply N as soon as field conditions allow application equipment. Since we are applying N between initial greenup and early stem elongation, any nitrogen source would be appropriate, so selection should be based on cost and availability. Ohio State University still recommends the Tri-State Fertility Guide for N rates in wheat. This system relies on yield potential of a field. As a producer, you can greatly increase or reduce your N rate by changing the value for yield potential. Thus, a realistic yield potential is needed to determine the optimum nitrogen rate. Once you have selected a value for yield potential, the recommendation may be based on the following equation for mineral soils, which have 1 to 5% organic matter and adequate drainage: N rate = 40 + [1.75 x (yield potential – 50)] We do not give any credit for the previous soybean crop, since we do not know if that organic N source will be released soon enough for the wheat crop. Generally, we would recommend that you subtract from the total (spring N) any fall applied N up to 20 lb/A. Based on the equation above and deducting 20 lb from a fall application, we would recommend a spring application of - 110 lb N per acre for a yield potential of 100 bu, - 90 for 90 bu potential; - 70 for a 80 bu potential and - 40 lb N per acre for a 60 bu potential. Since greenup has started across the state, price should be the main factor in selecting a N source. Volatilization losses should still be minimal for urea based fertilizers at this time. Potential loss of N from 28% solution may be furthered reduced by applying in a band (dribble bar). For more information on wheat soil fertility, obtain the Extension Bulletin 938, Improving Wheat Profits in Ohio.
Importance of Knowing the Growth-Stage of Wheat - Pierce Paul, Dennis Mills, Mark Loux, Edwin LentzAdequate timing of nitrogen, herbicide, and fungicide applications is important for a successful wheat crop and depends on correct growth stage identification. Failure to correctly identify these growth stages may lead to inadequate timing of applications, which may result in violation of pesticide label restrictions (products being applied off label), inferior efficacy, and injury to the crop. Growth staging wheat in early spring involves identifying and counting leaf and nodes on the main tiller. Coming out of the winter, the crop is usually between Feekes growth stage 3 and 4. Warmer temperatures and precipitation in the spring will favor rapid growth and development. Wheat in northern Ohio is currently at, or will soon be at, Feekes' growth stage 4 to 5 when the leaf sheaths begin to become erect. Early planted fields in southern Ohio are at Feekes’ GS 5. Each wheat plant now consists of a number of tillers and will continue to develop new tillers until the stems begin to elongate (growth stage 6) or day length exceeds 14 hours. Tillers with at least three leaves have the potential to develop heads, but the actual number of heads produced per plant will depend on weather conditions in late April and early May and the level of fertility. One of the most important growth stages for early management decision making is the end of tillering and the beginning of stem elongation or jointing (Feekes' growth stage 6). Depending on spring temperatures, growth stage 6 generally occurs around April 20 in southern Ohio and the end of April in northern Ohio. This growth stage is identified by examining the larger tillers in the fields for the first node. Dig up plants from multiple locations in the field, remove secondary (smaller) tillers, and observe the main stem. Strip down the lower leaves and leaf sheaths to check for the presence of the first node at the base of the stem. The node typically appears as a small, slightly swollen region, of a slightly different shade of green from the rest of the stem, at about an inch or so above the soil line. It can be felt by gently running the fingers up and down the base of the stem. If the first node is found, then the crop is at Feekes 6. All top dressed nitrogen should be applied by this time in order to maximize yield. This is also the growth stage at which dicamba herbicide can no longer be applied.