Ask the Agronomist with Jon Klapwyk

PRIDE SEEDS
Market Development Agronomist for Ontario
Jonathan Klapwyk B.Sc.,(Agr.), M.Sc.
jklapwyk@prideseed.com

For More Agronomic Information Go to FieldTalk.ca

• 2008 Ontario Corn and Soybean Crop

• Determining Soybean Plant Population with the Hoop Method

• Seed Treatments Well Worth The Investment

• Why You Should Consider a Soybean Inoculant for 2008

• Value of Corn Traits

• Hybrid Selection

• What to Expect for 2007 Grain Corn Harvest in Dry Southwestern Ontario

• Corn Rootworm Biology

• Heat + Moisture Stress = ? Yield

• Soybean Aphids

• Determining Plant Stands

• Fungicide & Insecticide Seed Treatment

• Planting Check List

• Yield Data + Performance vs Price

• Growing Corn on Corn

• Trait Value Today

• Total Ration Brochure

• Sclerotinia White Mold in Soybeans

• Nodulation in Soybeans

• Imbitional Chilling Injury

• Start Your Engines

• Fertilizer Placement for Efficiency

• Consistent Trials & Plots lead to Consistent Results

• Monitoring On Farm Grain Storage

• Getting the most out of your corn - PONCHO PAYS
  
   

Determine Soybean Plant Population with the Hoop Method

Imbibitional Chilling Injury
How can we avoid subjecting our soybeans to this?

Doug Alderman, CCA-ON, Market Development and Agronomy Coordinator 

When soybeans are planted into cold soils, we usually witness an adverse effect on emergence. Soil temperature should be at least 10˚ C at planting and remain at this or above for the ensuing 6 to 8 hours to get the crop off to a good start.  

Horst Bohner - Soybean Specialist/OMAF writes: “Before seeds can begin to germinate they must take in water. This process is called imbibition or rehydration. Seeds make the transition from a dry state in which they have been for several months or years to a metabolically active state within a short period of time. For this reason, the soil temperature at planting time and for the next 24 hours is crucial and more important than the temperature following that period. After the initial hours of imbibition seeds become far less sensitive to cooler temperatures. If the initial water imbibed by soybean seed is too cold it disrupts membrane integrity, increases electrolyte leakage and may result in lower germination. This leakage may also result in increased pre-emergent damping off, since some pathogens use the leakage as an energy source. Cold temperatures also reduce hypocotyl elongation, which may also lower emergence.”

Studies have shown that planting in the morning (while the soil was still cold) or late evening (when soil temperatures cooled significantly), resulted in reduced emergence and ultimately yield. So, how can we maximize our emergence potential?

→      Take soil temperatures - avoid planting into soils below 10˚ C.

→      Watch the weather forecasts (especially for the following 8-24hrs after planting)

→      Avoid trying to “beat the rain” wherever possible – especially where a cold-front ensues.

→      Use certified seed – where cold-germ and vigour testing have been accurately performed in order to maximize germination. 

By paying attention to these details, along with seed placement, early season weed control and insect management, our soybean crop will get off to the best start possible.■ 

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 “Ladies and Gentlemen, Start your Engines…”

Doug Alderman, CCA-ON Market Development and Agronomy Coordinator

As I sit here Sunday afternoon, waiting for the Nextel Cup auto race to start, and writing this article, I can’t help but think of the parity between getting the car ready for the race and getting our planters ready for the spring planting season. Both require set-up and preparation, with pit stops and adjustments to be made depending on the track or in our case, field conditions. While growers cannot control environmental conditions, they can control the operation of their planter.

A properly set up planter will help ensure uniformly spaced seed placement to obtain a "picket fence" stand. Even stands reduce the plant-to-plant competition and take best advantage of sunlight to make corn grain. Doubles, triples, etc. and large gaps can result in lost yield potential. Research indicates that a one-inch increase in standard deviation of plant spacing results in yield losses up to 2.5 bushels per acre. Furthermore, studies indicate that yields may be negatively affected by 15-20% when the field suffers from a lack of uniform plant emergence. Plants that are one to two leaves behind throughout the growing season will generally not produce a harvestable ear.  As with all planters, it is important to be certain the row units are operating at a consistent depth. Erratic depth control or poor seed to soil contact can cause uneven emergence. "Planting speeds in excess of 6 mph and poor planter maintenance and adjustment are primarily responsible for uneven within-row plant spacing," says Ohio State agronomist Peter Thomison. 

The following are some tips for improving the uniformity of seed placement during planting:

·         FIRSTLY, check to be sure that the planter frame is level and the correct hitch height is achieved. This is probably one of the most important checks, as it will have a direct impact on the down-pressure of the units and the proper closure of the seed trench. Without achieving this, we will see erratic seed placement.

·         Avoid excessive tillage trips and tilling wet soils.

·         Distribute residues evenly over row areas.

·         With plate-type planters, match seed grade with correct plate size.

·         Planters with finger pick-ups should be checked for wear on the back plate and brush. Use a feeler gauge to check tension on the fingers, and then tighten correctly.

·         Check for wear on double-disk openers and seed tubes.

·         Make sure sprocket settings are correct on the planter transmission.

·         Check for worn chains, stiff chain links and improper tire pressure.

·         Lubricate all chains and grease fittings.

·         Make sure seed drop tubes are clean and clear of obstructions.

·         Clean seed tube sensors if the planter is equipped with a monitor.

·         Make sure coulters and disk openers are properly aligned.

·         With air planters, match the air pressure to the weight of seed being planted.

·         Make sure press wheels are adjusted to close the seed slot.

·         Check seed depth and seed soil contact during planting.

·         Plant at speeds between 4.5 to 5.5 mph.

·         Use trash whippers in no-till or min-till situations to avoid trapping trash in the seed furrow creating poor seed to soil contact. Uneven seed emergence may be associated with minimum and no-till systems when crop residues are uneven throughout a field, keeping some areas of fields cooler and wetter than other areas.

·         Adjust the depth and tension of no-till coulters from field to field, day to day.

·         Do not cut deeper with the coulter (in line with the disc opener) than the depth of seeding.

Careful planter preparation may be the single biggest factor in obtaining uniform emergence. Management time spent before planting may also play a critical role in emergence uniformity. If the field is left too uneven, if residue is bunched or if surface compaction has not been uniformly alleviated, even the most carefully prepared corn planter may not be able to deliver.  The countdown to the spring race is here. Is your equipment ready to roll? ■

Sources:  Purdue Extension Bulletin AGRY-91-01, "Stand Establishment in Corn,"; Chapter 36, "Effects of Uneven Seeding Emergence in Corn," in the National Corn Handbook.  Tips to Reduce Planter Performance Effects on Corn Yield AGF-150-01Greg La Barge Extension Agent, Ohio State University; Extension Dr. Peter Thomison Extension Specialist; Agronomy Guide for Field Crops Publication 811Pride Seeds Agronomy.

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Fertilizer Placement For Efficiency
Allan Spicer, Harbour Lights Crop Management

With the cost of fertilizer at all time highs,  it is difficult to justify broadcasting any essential crop nutrients.  Banding fertilizers provide the potential to give more bang for the buck.  The use of pop up or in furrow starters sets the stage for fertilizer efficiency.

There are several choices:  9-18-9,   6-24-6,  8-25-7,  10-20-10,  10-34-0 calcium based and acid fertilizers.  Rates range from one to five gallons/acre.

There is little risk of salt injury to corn if manufacturers’ rates and equipment orientation specs  are followed.  It is no different than observing OMAF guidelines on  2”x2”  dry  fertilizer placement limits for  free ammonia, salt or combinations of both.  Mini Map is an alternative to liquid pop ups, but is far less flexible, and is not as user friendly.

Banding  nitrogen by definition allows for a 20%  reduction in the rate per acre. 
Banding potash, also allows for the same yield result with a lower rate.

HERE ARE SOME OPTIONS FOR CORN FERTILIZER EFFICIENCY

1)    Use pop up -- with Zn and S options.

2)    Use a Dry Box formulation in a 3.5”x3.5” band of urea and potash  - 
       For legume/manure credits this might be the complete fertilization program.

3)         With higher rates of nitrogen - Side Dress UAN or 14-0-7-1(mg).

Note:  The above approach works well with  Glyphosate Tolerant Corn, Battalion,  Callisto or other post emergent  herbicide regimes.  Applying nitrogen with pre-emergent herbicides is easy, but extremely inefficient and leaves fields open to rather large losses of nitrogen with surface placement.

Do not  apply a pop up and side dress nitrogen only.  There could be a lag in N uptake from the soil in spring or until the roots get to the side dressed N.  This loss of N nutrition cannot be replaced later in the season.  Nitrogen, like Zn is the precursor to the plant growth hormone for corn.

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Consistent Trials & Plots lead to Consistent Results
Fred Sinclair, CCA-ON, Manager Product Development

On-farm testing and field trials allow growers the opportunity to evaluate new technologies and material without investing large dollar amounts.  On-farm testing is particularly important because each farming operation has different wants and needs.  By using some sort of an on-farm testing program, individuals can have a good idea of what will work on their particular operation. This being said there are also reasons for looking at information beyond your own farm.  This is discussed more later. 

Many producers do an excellent job in setting up their own plots, and to support these efforts, here are a few tips as we enter another growing season.

·         Be in the same field. In order to receive accurate results from the investment of doing an on-farm trial or side-by-side, make sure to use like compares (apples with apples).  All plots should be located in fields where the intended trial is treated as a single field unit year over year.  This includes the same crop, herbicide, fertility, manure application program and other agronomic practices.   This will help to ensure that no underlying variation from the previous year(s) practices will be the cause of inconsistent results this season.

·         Manage field variation.   Field variation may affect only one or two varieties in a trial leading to incorrect results. Where possible, plots should be located perpendicular to known sources of potential variation such as tile, primary tillage, dead furrows, gullies or low spots that cut across trial area.  The goal is to reduce variation over the whole plot or where variation cannot be removed, to at least have it occur equally across all treatments.

Placing plots in areas of compaction, weed pressures, change in soil pH etc. should be avoided.   Try to keep away from the edges of fields, previous headlands, etc.  Leaving a good border strip will eliminate some of these unforeseen problems (from previous years) along fields and fence lines.

·         Use consistent application strategies.  Application of inputs to the whole plot should be done as accurately as possible.  This will help reduce the potential of introducing variation into the plot because one or a few treatments received more or less fertilizer or a higher or lower rate of herbicide, etc., than adjacent treatments. If possible, apply inputs perpendicular to plot varieties.  This will ensure that any application errors are even across all treatments (difficult to do though with post emerge applications).

·         Use check strips.   If plots are more then 3 - 4 varieties wide, a check strip should be placed in between to measure if variability is taking place and if so, to help make adjustment in results. 

·         Keep it simple and accurate as possible when laying out the area for field trials.  Consistent field layout and cropping practices over the entire season will lead to results that offer a payback for the work done.

Although on farm trials are good to see things first hand, the analysis of how good a hybrid is depends a great deal on the number of comparisons that have been conducted under different conditions.

Due to the variability in weather and the inability to predict the seasonal weather patterns and crop stresses in advance, there is certainly an advantage to using data from outside the county lines as well in decision making.  In most cases, the weather or pest problem that occurred within 80 to 120 Km of a particular field one year may be just as likely to occur in that field the next year.  Lacking any good way to know what will happen in a particular field, the best way to choose inputs is to average results from a large number of trials, run over a large area, and include conditions that might reasonably be expected to occur in the field this year. 

The idea that only comparisons done on the farm are useful to chose inputs is simply wrong. In order to get enough information to be reasonably predictive, we must use results from a variety of sources, with results averaged over consistent well-done multi-trial locations and years.  This allows us to see how hybrids react under conditions that might be different from what were experienced in one location.

We have a very good opportunity now that our line-up offers corn hybrids and soybean varieties that fit into many maturities and with technologies that are suited for almost every grower’s situation.  With conventional, Bt, Roundup Ready, Liberty Link, Roundup Ready Bt, new G3 Roundup Ready, Corn Borer and Corn Rootworm resistance, Poncho 250 and 1250 all in or on the seed, we have a well rounded line-up to sell to producers.

Whether it is a customer wanting soybeans, forages, grain corn or silage, Pride Seeds can supply the individual with a product that will fit into the particular operation.  On-farm trials are one way to get on the farm and grow your seed business with that customer.■
Source: Modern Corn and Soybean Production, Agronomy Guide for Field Crops, Pride Seeds.

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Monitoring On-Farm Grain Storage
Doug Alderman, CCA - ON Market Development and
Agronomy Coordinator, Pride Seeds

With a large crop this past fall, many producers have stored corn in bins - some having inadequate aeration. Many producers have also had corn go into the bin at 17% or less in moisture… good for drying costs.  However, this corn should not be ignored in terms of aeration – especially where outside temperatures have varied dramatically over the past two months.  There have been a few reports of grain corn deterioration already this year in Michigan bins.  Bins can deteriorate quickly under the conditions we have been getting this winter. The question is how is your stored grain holding up?

Grain corn being used regularly for feed can be monitored as it is being used. However, one must remember to check the bins that have not been touched through the winter.  By diligently monitoring storage bins, producers can detect the warning signs of possible spoilage problems and take appropriate action to prevent further reductions in quality.

During the winter, grain should be checked weekly and the fan should be run periodically for a day or two during good weather when the outside temperature is near the temperature of the grain. Large temperature differences result in condensation in the cold grain.

What Happens Inside the Bin….
Temperature differences in a bin of stored grain cause moisture to migrate from warmer areas to colder areas. Figure 1 shows moisture migration in a bin when grain temperature differences are created due to colder weather.

The warm air rising in the center of the bin cools when it reaches the cold grain near the surface. This results in moisture condensation near the surface and leads to rapid spoilage when the weather turns warmer. In this case, it is better to move the air upward to carry this warm air out of the bin rather than draw it downward through the rest of the grain. Moisture can also migrate to colder grain near the bin walls during cold winter weather. It is also possible to get moisture migration inward if the outside temperature is warmer than the grain.

The Grain Warming Process….

If the grain has been cooled below 30° F and is to be kept into July, it is desirable to warm it to 50 to 60° F by the middle of June. Running the fans in fair weather (night and day) when the average 24-hour temperature is 10° F warmer than the grain is the best way to address the grain-warming process. Typically we are able to begin this process around the middle to end of March, depending on weather forecasts etc.  The fan should be operating continuously when the minimum daily temperature is about the same as the bin exhaust temperature.

When the exhaust temperature increases to the new level, wait until the weather warms up another 10° F and bring the temperature up another stage. The producer can check to see if aeration is complete by probing with a thermometer or checking the temperature of some grain unloaded through the center hopper. Be sure to bring the entire bin up during each stage. If the fan is shut off before the entire bin has warmed up, there may be some condensation in the area between the cooler and warmer parts of the bin. This causes spoilage if left more than several days. The condensation is more severe with larger temperature differences.  If the grain is between 50 and 60° F and the duct or plenum chamber is open, there may be condensation in this cooler grain during warm, high humidity periods during summer. This may result in spoilage next to the ducts.

Bin Monitoring Checklist:

·         Turn on your aeration fan.

·         Look inside the bin from the roof - inspection door. Look for signs of moisture on the underside of the roof and if moisture droplets or ice are present, aerate the bin. (This moisture stems from the grain and has been carried into the attic space and condensed on the roof metal). Other signs of moisture accumulation can include crusted grain (usually at the top center of the grain surface); wet, slimy grain; ice or frost accumulation on the grain (especially under roof surfaces, hatches, and vents, or in cold grain near the bin wall, often on the north side), and heating.

·         Run the aeration fan if a light dusting of snow has been driven into the top of a storage bin. It will dissipate and be discharged as harmless water vapour. If much greater amounts of snow are found, shovel it out.

·         Smell the grain. A musty or moldy odor indicates the beginning of a storage problem; a fermented or sour odor indicates a serious problem. The air should smell like clean grain.

·         Monitor the static pressure or the working pressure of the fan in the plenum under the aeration floor since last inspection. A decrease is no cause for concern. An increase in this pressure indicates that something has increased the resistance of the air as it moves through the grain mass. Investigate further.

·         Use a long, slender rod to pinpoint problems.
Poke into corn mass in several places to find hard, compacted, or moist areas.

·         Record grain temperature. Attach a grain thermometer to the end of a metal rod to detect hot spots, or record temperature of the first air that comes through the grain. The thermometer can be left at an 8-ft. depth to get a weekly temperature check. A rise of only 3-4 degrees indicates a possible problem; monitor temperature daily.

·         Enter a bin only if you know its history--when it was filled or unloaded--and when others know where you are.

·         Always turn off unloading equipment before entering a bin.

·         Watch for molds and dust inside the bin; you may need respiratory protection.

·          Look for any signs of insect activity.

·         Record your notes in a monitoring logbook for comparison with the next scheduled readings.

For producers with bins which have no aeration systems, monitor the grain as described above. If signs of deterioration are present, it will be necessary to move the grain out as soon as possible, in order to avoid continued spoilage.■
References:  Iowa State University Extension; OMAFRA publication 811; Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension Service; NDSU Agriculture Communication Article, Dec. 2004; Pride Seeds Agronomy.

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