June 19, 2008
In this issue
§ Corn hybrids stressed after glyphosate applications
§ Yellow corn and soil nitrogen
§ Anthracnose leaf blight of corn
§ Pesticide application technology for soybean rust and soybean aphids
§ Custom machine work rates
§ MSU Extension history exhibit: Barn models from 1939
§ Ag Expo set for July 15-17
§ Regional reports
§ Weather
Wes Everman
Crop and Soil Sciences
I ran across some information the other day concerning stressed corn following glyphosate applications this spring, and thought I would make it available in case it impacts anyone in the state.
Corn growers who have planted Roundup Ready hybrids should
be aware that five hybrids have shown stress symptoms after glyphosate
applications; however, the symptoms are primarily due to environmental
stresses. The hybrids range in maturity from 100 to 103 days and come from a
single parent line making up less than one percent of total corn planted in the
§ Golden Harvest H-7542GT
§ Garst 87Y26GT
§ NK N48G-GT
§ NK N48R-GT
§ NK N48R-GT/CB/LL
Growers who have planted these hybrids are urged to contact Syngenta at 1-800-258-0498 before making any further crop management decisions, including application of glyphosate.
The entire press release can be read here . (http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc06-19-08.htm).
Darryl Warncke
Crop and Soil Sciences
Following the past couple of weeks of variable rainfall, many corn fields are showing light yellow areas. Where rainfall was heavy the soil has been compacted and the surface crusted. Some of the yellow areas are associated with lower areas in fields where nitrogen was lost by leaching and denitrification. In addition, the soil compaction and crusting is contributing to oxygen deficiency that makes it difficult for the roots to function properly in taking up water and nutrients. Opening up the soil by cultivation or by knifing in nitrogen will help aerate the soil and stimulate microbial activity to mineralize nitrogen and other nutrients and improve root growth.
Some of the nitrogen that was leached downward may still be in the soil profile where corn roots will eventually be able to access it. Results of the presidedress soil nitrate tests are presented in Table 1. Some of these samples were taken prior to the rainy spell, so the levels may have changed some. Twelve percent of the samples contain enough nitrogen so that additional N is required (> 25 ppm). In five percent of the samples the available nitrogen level is very low.
Soil Nitrate
N Percent of Samples
ppm
< 5 5
6-10 37
11-15 25
16-20 14
21-25 7
26-30 6
> 30 6
Jackie Smith and Steven Gower
MSU Diagnostic Services
Several corn samples have been submitted to the lab over the past few days infected with anthracnose leaf blight. All samples have come from fields where corn was grown last season.
Anthracnose of corn
is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum
graminicola. This fungus survives in corn residue, first infecting the
lower corn leaves as the spores are splashed from the soil surface. Leaf
spots are round to irregular, water-soaked lesions with dark tan centers and
yellowish-orange to reddish-brown borders. Lesions usually appear near the leaf
tip and mid rib. Lesions can coalesce causing the lower leaves to shrivel and
die. Fruiting bodies (acervuli) with
black, whisker-like setae can be seen with a hand lens on infected leaves.
Anthracnose fungus survives in corn residue, especially on the soil surface. Therefore, this disease may be more serious under reduced tillage systems and in continuous corn.
Anthracnose leaf blight is best controlled through the use of resistant hybrids along with crop rotation and tillage.
Ned Birkey
Monroe Extension ANR educator
Many farmers hire some farm work or perform custom work for others. What is a fair amount to charge one to do or to pay for such work? Michigan State University has Extension Bulletin, E-2131, revised October 2002, available free of charge, which outlines a free labor, tractor and machine rental rates as determined by a survey of farmers from around the state of Michigan.
Dennis Stein, MSU Extension farm management educator does a
survey of farmers in the Thumb area of
Some spring custom rate numbers for the following items might be helpful for farmers as they settle up accounts for tillage work. All rates are per acre unless otherwise noted.
Rates in
Farmers need to consider their current fuel prices and adjust their custom rate charge according to their actual costs.
Moldboard plowing $15.50
Chisel plowing $13.34
Mulch tilling (disk-chisel) $13.36
V-ripping (14 inches deep) $15.85
Tandem disking $11.75
Field cultivator $10.35
No-till corn planting $16.00
Drill, no-till soybeans $13.80
Mowing and conditioning hay $12.75
Custom spreading lime without GPS $ 5.25
Pull type pesticide spraying $ 5.38
The Monroe County Extension office has copies of E-2131 and
Dennis Stein’s
Coming to MSU's campus this summer? Don't miss the exhibit
at the
Included in the exhibit are seven accurate barn models, made
in 1939 to educate
In 1939 the MSC Co-operative Extension and the Agricultural Engineering Department collaborated with the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to produce the models which were rotated through county extension offices every few months to provide visual education for farmers across Michigan.The models were a part of a larger Extension program that offered blueprints, farm visits, town meetings, and construction assistance. Models and materials were also loaned to 4-H and Future Farmers of America for fairs and expos.
The Federal Art Project exhibit in the main floor Heritage
Gallery at
The MSU Museum is commemorating American's New Deal Heritage and the nationwide 75th anniversary of the New Deal in 2008 with "The Federal Art Project: Supporting Good Artists in Bad Times." The Art Museum at MSU is also taking part in this nationwide New Deal anniversary with an exhibit set for fall 2008: "Drawings by WPA Artist Edgar Yaeger." For more, see: http://www.newdeallegacy.org/ .
MSU’s 29th Ag Expo is set for July 15 through July
17. Show hours will be from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Tuesday and Wednesday and 9:00
AM to 3:00 PM Thursday. The event location is at the northwest corner of
For more information on this year’s Ag Expo, please visit: http://www.agexpo.msu.edu/.
Ned Birkey
Weather has been great for tourists, campers and parades. It
was enjoyable this past weekend for the MIS races, though it is a bit cool for
accumulating degree days for corn and soybeans. Soil moisture conditions remain
generally good with dry topsoil conditions. No one is complaining since
Alfalfa cutting continues over an extended period of time. We are well past full bloom stage, but much hay is sold by color to small, part-time and hobby farmers with livestock who want green hay. Earlier cut hay is regrowing nicely.
Corn is zooming
past knee high, at the V10 leaf stage, and mostly very green. Some sidedressing
on nitrogen continues and some post weed control is being applied. Plants have
mostly filled in between the rows. Corn borer numbers remain fairly low, 0-16
in traps in southeast
Soybeans have surprisingly covered the ground, although I guess that June is about two-thirds over. Many fields are at the V3 trifoliate stage. Weed control is very good in some fields and very poor in others. Post spraying is one of the top priority jobs for field crop farmers. No aphids found at the rust and aphid sentinel plots in Washtenaw or Lenawee counties this past week. I have not seen any Japanese beetles and suspect bean leaf beetle feeding causing holes in leaves.
Wheat has
finished flowering and farmers are getting combines ready. Speculation is that
harvest will be delayed by up to a week because of the cooler than normal
temperatures. I think we will have some fusarium head scab this year due to the
excess moisture about ten days ago, that lasted for several days. A farmer from
Crops look good in many fields considering that planting was delayed for much of April. Farmers are wondering how much to sell at with the recent price increases. Several farmers have grain (primarily corn) in storage and are delivering at previously sold (and of course, lower) prices. There are a few new irrigation systems and more grain storage that has been built this past winter and spring.
Bruce MacKellar
Fair but cool conditions have been the story in southwest
Commercial corn continues to grow well in this part of the region. The most advanced fields are approaching wait height, around V11, and are growing rapidly. Most commercial corn is V5-V6, and sidedressing operations are in full swing. Growers had to hustle in some areas where soils have been wet to be able to get nitrogen on before the crop gets too high. The weather conditions over the last few days have been ideal for working on nitrogen applications. We continue to see early instar European corn borer larvae in spots in some fields, and the occasional sign of early instar armyworm feeding as well. We have had some corn fields that were planted in killed rye cover that have been treated for armyworm outbreaks. At least one field in the Burr Oak area had significant infestation. We are beginning to be able to see the signs of Asiatic garden beetle white grub feeding on corn rotated from soybeans, but there appears to be less widespread damage from the grubs this year then last year at this time. These plants showed yellowing in irregular circular patches that are similar to what you might expect to see in soybean cyst nematode damage in soybean fields. Digging and observation of the roots can help you to determine if white grubs are active in areas with these types of symptoms. Cass County CED Dan Rajzer also reports seeing patches of yellowing in some corn fields that he thinks may be associated with a nutrient deficiency. We have seen significant impact from starter fertilizer on corn growth this season. Early nitrogen seems to have helped the plants get off to a good start, and rows where the planter applied less starter, or none, have significantly less growth. Pre-emergence weed control programs seem to be holding well. Some fields where glyphosate applications were delayed have had reduced growth where the weeds had gotten ahead of the crop before control.
The seed corn continues to grow well. While fields are spread out in terms of planting date to help with the processing plant capacity, the crop looks pretty good overall. I suspect that some fields may have been treated with an insecticide to help control European corn borers.
The soybeans are growing very well, with ample moisture and sunlight this week. Bean leaf beetles can be found in most fields, but mostly well below threshold numbers. I have not seen soybean aphids yet. Weed control still remains the larger challenge, with some weedy areas getting ahead of the crop before they can be sprayed. I have seen some septoria brown spot on sandy fields, but in general, stands seem to be fairly good this year.
Driving down the road, the winter wheat crop looks really good across the region. We hope that this translates into good yields. Berrien County MSUE educator Mike Staton reports that he can find only very low amounts of fusarium head blight in fields in that part of the region. Grain fill is underway and we should be able to see if fields have challenges over the next week. There appears to be significant varietal differences for susceptibility to diseases such as septoria leaf and glume blotch and powdery mildew in fields in that area. We also are beginning to see wheat rust in some fields. Producers should check their wheat field for the incidence of rust.
Alfalfa hay producers have finally found the window of opportunity to harvest hay with less chance of it getting wet. A great deal of delayed first cutting hay was being cut and baled throughout the region this week. Producers that were able to get the first cutting harvested during the planting season have been harvesting a very good second cutting as well. Potato leafhopper numbers are fairly low at this point, but regrowth on alfalfa bears watching, because it takes so few leafhoppers when the plants are small to cause yield reducing injury.
Fred Springborn and Roger Peacock
The weather is back
to cool and damp. Rain showers have been quite light this week with most receiving
a trace to a tenth of an inch over the last few days. Flooding has been
minimal, the poorly drained soils have had some ponding of water from last week’s
rain. High temperatures were in the low 80s for the first half of the week and
upper 60s for the second half. Low air temperatures have been in the 50s. Low
soil temperatures have been in the mid-60s
Crop report
Alfalfa is blooming in many fields. Grasses are maturing quickly. Harvest of the first cutting continues with 40 percent of the crop cut or harvested. Early cut fields are regrowing nicely. Potato leafhopper adults are present.
The majority of the corn crop is at the V5 to V8 growth stage. Color has paled in many fields, and growth has slowed this week with the cool, cloudy conditions. Some of the heavier soils have small areas of water damage.
Early planted soybean fields are at V2 to V3. Few insect or disease problems have been reported. Stands are generally adequate, but variable.
Oat fields are headed with little disease or insect pressure.
Dry beans planting is progressing this week with 30 percent of the crop planted, early planted fields are in the unifoliate stage.
Bob Battel
Weather has been cooler and wetter than normal. Most of the area has received between 0.75-inch to just a bit over one inch of rain the past week, and we have had many small rain showers almost every day to reach that accumulation.
Some alfalfa fields remain uncut, and other cut fields remain unharvested. New growth on harvested fields is very good with about 20 to 22 inches of regrowth. Leaf hoppers are active, but generally below threshold.
Wheat is mostly pollinated and generally continues to look very good with little disease pressure, though some fungicidal spraying has occurred. There is a concern about infection of fusarium head scab as we have had several periods of moisture and wet plant conditions within the past two weeks.
The majority of corn is at the six to eight leaf stage, and generally looking good. Some fields are yellow due to high moisture conditions and likely denitrification. Many fields are weedy as well.
Soybeans range from second to third trifoliate, with a majority falling in the second trifoliate stage. Weeds are also a problem in many soybean fields.
Sugar beets generally range in the eight to twelve leaf stage.
Dry bean planting continues as filed conditions allow. Planting is about two weeks behind schedule. Depending upon maturity, dry beans should be planted no later than June 24 for full season varieties and July 4 for early season varieties.
Jeff
Andresen
Agricultural Meteorology
Geography
A large area of training thunderstorms (storms which form
and move repeatedly across the same areas) brought torrential rains and
widespread flooding to sections of northwest lower Michigan last Thursday and
Friday (June 12-13). More than six inches of rain fell from Mason and Manistee
counties northeastward into Wexford,
In contrast to the stormy and quickly changing weather
experienced during the past couple of weeks in
In the medium range forecast, the upper air pattern
mentioned above is expected continue for much of the remainder of June, The
National Weather Service 6‑10 day
and 8-14 day outlooks covering June
24 through June 28 and June 26- July 2 both call for precipitation totals to
remain at below normal levels. Mean temperatures are forecast to remain at
below normal levels during the 6-10 day period, moderating to near normal
levels during the 8-14 day time frame. Further ahead, it is interesting to note
that forecast guidance is also hinting that the very turbulent, active upper
air pattern of late May and early June may return to the upper