September 18, 2008
In this issue
§ Check summer seeded alfalfa in a few weeks to determine potential root rot damage to the new stands
§ Fall forage management for hay and pasture
§ Reducing soybean harvest losses
§ Fall wheat fertilization
§ Are your soils compact?
§ Soybean production and management information resource
§ Grain moisture measurements may divert mold and insect infestation
§ Custom machine rates guide
§ Web links to articles on corn harvesting
§ Employee dismissal
§ Regional reports
§ Weather
Richard Leep and Doo-Hong Min
Crop and Soil Sciences
Because of excessive rainfall in many areas of
Aphanomyces root rot can cause death and stunting of seedlings as well as more subtle disease of established plants that can result in significant yield reduction. This disease is caused by a soilborne fungal-like pathogen. Other diseases that occur in wet or poorly drained soils include Phytophthora root rot and Pythium seed and root rot. Plants infected with Aphanomyces usually become stunted and chlorotic (yellow) before they wilt and die, whereas Phytophthora and Pythium tend to kill seedlings quickly before plants become severely chlorotic. Another clue to a problem with Aphanomyces is root rot of an alfalfa cultivar that is highly resistant to Phytophthora.
Although not much is known about Aphanomyces root rot in
Fungicides are not available for control of Aphanomyces root rot of alfalfa. Phytophthora and Pythium root rots of seedlings can be controlled with fungicidal seed treatments, such as Allegiance-FL, Apron-XL, or Apron-FL, but these seed treatments are not effective against Aphanomyces.
Alfalfa varieties rated highly resistant (HR) or resistant
(R) to Aphanomyces root rot should be planted where slowly drained soils occur
and where Aphanomyces may be a problem. A list of varieties and their disease
resistance can be found at the Michigan State University Forage Information
Systems web site at http://www.msue.msu.edu/fis/
and clicking on the Extension bar and then the Perennial Forage Legume and
Grass Varieties for
The overall distribution and impact of races 1 and 2 of Aphanomyces are uncertain, but
Aphanomyces root rot should be considered as a potential problem in many parts of
For a photo of Aphanomyces symptoms on alfalfa, please look at this issue online at: http://www.ipm.msu.edu/cat08field/fc09-18-08.htm
http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegal/plantpath/alfalfa/aphanomyces/0093.7aphansymp.
Doo-Hong Min and Richard Lee
Crop and Soil Sciences
Among the four seasons, fall is one of the most important seasons in terms of preparing for winter survival and spring regrowth by storing carbohydrate and protein reserves in the crowns and roots. Fall is also the season for regeneration and the formation of the shoots or growing points. Since plants become dormant in the fall as air temperature is getting lower and day length is shorter, nutrient uptake becomes accordingly slower. The following are things to consider for fall forage management for hay and pasture:
1) Soil fertility and liming: Since the price of fertilizer is so high these days, it’s important to use phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) efficiently. One of the best ways to save fertilizer costs is to test soil phosphorus and potassium on the hay fields and pasture. In particular, potassium is directly related to winter survival rate and it’s more susceptible to winter kill when soil potassium level is lower than the optimum level.
Fall is also a good time for liming. Having optimum soil pH is a key to having a healthy forage stand. Grasses generally perform well at a pH of 6.0 or above while most legumes require a pH of 6.5 or more. With low soil pH, plant growth can be very poor caused by poor nutrient uptake, which results in poorer winter survival and more weed problems. This can also result in poor animal performance from low forage yield and nutritive value. Since increasing soil pH is a long-term process, it’s important to apply lime materials at least six to 12 months before the results can be shown, depending on the fineness of lime materials (the higher mesh numbers, the quicker response). It’s good to have fine lime materials, particles that pass a 100-mesh sieve react 100 percent with the soil in six months or less, to increase the soil pH in a short time period. In summary, it’s very critical to soil before putting any phosphorus, potassium or liming materials to the forage fields.
2) Fall harvest
management of alfalfa: In the late summer and early fall, alfalfa must
either be cut early enough so it can regrow and then replenish root
carbohydrates and proteins, or so late that the alfalfa does not regrow more
than eight inches and use root carbohydrates. This has resulted in the
recommendation in
3) Fall pasture management: Most producers want to extend the grazing season as late as possible before entering winter since the weather condition in the fall is suitable to some degree for forage growth. This can sometimes result in overgrazing the pasture, which is not desirable for stand longevity. Therefore, it’s important to leave six inches of stubble before entering winter, which will be helpful to catch snow and regrow in early spring. Like fall harvest management of alfalfa, testing soil phosphorus, potassium and pH will be important to maintain good quality pasture and follow the soil testing recommendations. In particular, if you have a new late summer seeding, leaving the new seeding without grazing will be important. Grazing newly planted pasture can be damaged by trampling and close grazing. Fall is also a good timing to check the status of your pasture to see if your pasture needs to be frost-seeded next spring using red clover. To do this, pastures should be closely grazed or mechanically mowed in the late fall or winter to open stands and expose soil. A chain drag or light disking can also be an option to help open the stand to increase the opportunity for better seed to soil contact.
Mike Staton
MSU Extension Agricultural Educator and Soybean 2010 Coordinator
Reducing harvest losses is a simple and effective way to increase soybean yields and profitability. Losses of 10 percent are typical and can reach 15 percent. With careful maintenance and operation, harvest losses can be maintained at three percent. Reducing harvest losses from 10 to three percent in a 45 bushel per acre soybean crop will increase the marketable yield by 3.1 bushels per acre. With market prices projected to be around $12.00 per bushel, this translates into more than $36.00 per acre of additional income.
Properly timing your harvest operations is critical to reducing harvest losses. Harvest operations can begin any time after the beans have initially dried to 14 to 15 percent moisture. Depending on weather conditions, this is usually about five to 10 days after 95 percent of the pods have reached their mature color. Try to harvest as much of your crop as possible before the moisture level falls below 12 percent to reduce splits and cracked seed coats. Shatter losses have been shown to increase significantly when seed moisture falls below 11 percent and when mature beans undergo multiple wetting and drying cycles. Shatter losses can be reduced by harvesting in the morning or the evening when relative humidity is higher.
Before harvest operations begin, inspect and repair the cutting parts on the header. Make sure that all knife sections are sharp and tight. Check the hold-down clips to ensure that they hold the knife within 1/32 of an inch of the guards. Adjust the wear plates to the point that they lightly touch the back of the knife. Consider switching to quick cut knives if the existing knife sections need replacing or if shatter losses have been high.
Information from the
Nearly 80 percent of harvest losses occur while cutting and gathering the plants into the combine. Most of these are due to shattering. The following recommendations will reduce gathering losses:
§ Maintain ground speed at three mph or less. Slower speeds will be required if the crop is lodged or if the stubble is high and ragged. Higher speeds are possible when using quick cut knives.
§ Set the speed of the reel to run 25 percent faster than the groundspeed. If the beans are lodged, increase the reel speed up to 50 percent faster than the ground speed. Setting the reel speed too fast will cause the beans to be beat out of the pods before reaching the combine. Setting the reel speed too slow will cause cut plants to fall forward and out of the combine.
§ Position the reel axle six to 12 inches ahead of the cutter bar. Ideally, the reel should leave the beans just as they are being cut. Set the height of the reel just low enough to control the beans. Positioning the reel too far forward will increase shatter losses due to excessive flailing action. In lodged conditions, operate the reel as low as necessary to pick up plants. Setting the reel too deep in the canopy will also increase shattering and cause plants to ride over the reel.
Darryl Warncke
Crop and Soil Sciences
Planting time fertilization of wheat is very important for phosphorus and potassium nutrition of the crop. Having adequate phosphorus and potassium available for fall growth is important for root system development, winter survival and tillering of the plants in the spring. A 100 bushel per acre wheat crop removes 63 lbs P2O5 and 37 lbs K2O in the grain. And each ton of straw contains 13 lbs P2O5 and 23 lbs K2O. Therefore, a 100 bu/a wheat crop with two tons of straw per acre removed will remove 76 lbs P2O5 and 60 lbs K2O per acre. Be sure to soil test to determine the available level of phosphorus and potassium in the soil. Generally, no yield benefit occurs from applying phosphorus when the soil test value is above 25 ppm. Below this value, wheat yield may be improved by applying the recommended amount of phosphate.
The critical potassium soil test ranges from 85 ppm in sandy
soils to 125 ppm in clay loam soils. Above these values yield benefit does not
usually occur from K application. Below the critical value applying recommended
amounts of potash may improve crop wheat. Even when soil levels of phosphorus
and potassium are adequate, applying 25 lbs each of P2O5
and K2O per acre along with 25 lbs N/a will insure good fall root
establishment and plant vigor. Studies in
In an MSU study of the 2007 - 2008 growing period, various combinations of phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur broadcast just prior to seeding did not improve wheat grain yield over applying only nitrogen even though the soil potassium level was below the critical value. Including copper, manganese and zinc had no effect on yield.
Most of the nitrogen is usually applied for wheat in the spring prior to green up. Slow release nitrogen fertilizers now in the market place make it possible to apply more nitrogen in the fall prior to seeding with minimal concern for loss. In nitrogen studies conducted in 2005 through 2007 (harvest year) wheat yields with broadcast-incorporation of nitrogen as polymer coated urea (ESN) in the fall resulted in grain yields equal to those produced with urea or UAN applied at the same rates just prior to green up in the spring. However, applying the ESN prior to green up resulted in the best yields, six to eight bushels more than fall applied ESN or spring applied urea or UAN. Slow release nitrogen materials provide another option for nitrogen management in wheat.
Darryl Warncke
Crop and Soil Sciences
With harvest operations comes trafficking over the fields by combines, tractors, wagons, grain carts, trucks etc. With trafficking comes soil compaction. The degree of compaction that occurs depends on soil moisture. Excessively wet soils will compact more than dry soils. The larger the tire, the deeper the compaction occurs. Compaction is most evident during harvest, but compaction may also have occurred during seedbed preparation. Chiseling or subsoiling can be done to help alleviate the effects of compaction, but prior to doing this find out at what depth the compact layer occurs. Studies have shown that chiseling two inches below the compaction zone or depth is very effective in breaking up the compaction layer. Chiseling deeper than this depth provides no additional benefit, and uses a lot more fuel. The presence of a compaction layer and the depth can be determined with a tile rod or even a soil probe when there is good soil moisture. An increase in resistance to pushing the rod in the ground is an indication of compaction. Some consultants may have a penetrometer to use that measures the actual resistance the rod encounters as it is being pushed into the ground. Probe the soil in several different spots in a field to determine whether or not compaction is a concern or the depth of compaction. Also, check the soil moisture at the depth of subsoiling. The soil should break apart when handled and not stick together in a clump when squeezed. If the soil is too wet, subsoiling will not be of benefit. The shanks should shatter the soil and not create a smeared channel.
Diane Brown-Rytlewski
Plant Pathology
There is a great resource for soybean producers available at the Plant Management Network at the Focus on Soybean website. The site contains webcasts with PowerPoint slides narrated by university researchers from around the country, with presentations related to crop production, and crop protection. Topics include use of foliar applied fungicides for soybean in the North Central United States, choosing specialty soybeans for the right niche market, sudden death syndrome, soybean cyst nematode: biology, scouting and management and others. A sample webcast, Seedborne Pathogens of Soybean can be accessed at: http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/edcenter/seminars/SampleWebcast/
The soybean new section contains timely articles related to soybean production. One of the latest articles posted was written by Mike Staton, “Strategies Available to Help Soybean Growers Reduce Harvest Losses.” A subscription to Plant Management Network includes access to applied journals, pesticide trials, crop management variety trials and more. Subscriptions are $45 per year and can be ordered at : http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/Subscriptions/
Note: This article was originally
published on August 28, 2008 by Sharon Durham on the USDA web site.
Grain
storage bins are routinely monitored for temperature to control insect and mold
problems. Now an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist and his
colleagues at Kansas State University (
Grain
moisture content and temperature are the primary factors affecting grain
deterioration in storage. If these factors are not properly monitored and
controlled, grain quality can deteriorate quickly due to mold growth and insect
infestation.
ARS
engineer Paul Armstrong at the agency's Grain and Marketing and
Relative
humidity and temperature can be used to estimate grain moisture, while carbon
dioxide levels indicate the amount of respiration due, primarily, to molds.
Current technology allows relative humidity and temperature sensors to be
placed at multiple points within the grain mass. Carbon dioxide sensing is more
feasible at an aeration duct.
In
the study, sensors were placed at different depths in the bin. High-moisture
grain, comprising about 11 percent of the volume, was placed at the top of the
bin and produced high amounts of carbon dioxide, which in most cases was easily
detectable during aeration.
Lowering
grain temperature with aeration diminished the amount of carbon dioxide
produced, making it more difficult to detect unless the carbon dioxide sensor
was located very close to the wet grain.
Relative
humidity and temperature sensing gave good estimates of grain moisture for all
conditions, but under some grain conditions, high carbon dioxide levels
persisted for grain considered to be at safe moisture and temperature
conditions. Combining relative humidity, temperature and carbon dioxide
measurements gave reasonably accurate measurements of grain moisture content as
well as overall storage conditions. ARS is the Unites States Department of
Agriculture's scientific research agency.
Ned Birkey, EANRA
Many farmers hire some farm machine work to be done or else
perform custom work for others. What is a fair amount to charge or to pay for
such work?
Because there is no standardized market structure for custom machine services, determining a fair price can be difficult. Rates will vary across the state due to many factors, such as field size, weeds or stones in the field, non-farm traffic and transport, weather, distance to the field or elevator, timeliness of work, and even the yield.
Custom machine charge usually includes the machine, power unit, fuel and operator. Determining a fair custom charge can be difficult and there can be many other factors that can influence the cost of custom machine work.
Some custom machine rate numbers for the following items might be helpful for farmers as they settle up accounts for tillage work. The following numbers are average rates, which means half of the survey numbers are lower and half are higher. All rates are per acre unless otherwise noted.
|
Moldboard plowing |
$15.00 |
|
Chisel plowing |
$12.50 |
|
Mulch tilling (disk-chisel) |
$13.15 |
|
V-ripping (14 inches deep) |
$15.75 |
|
Tandem disking |
$10.15 |
|
Soil finisher |
$11.25 |
|
Field cultivator |
$8.40 |
|
No-till corn planting |
$17.70 |
|
Drilled, minimum till soybeans |
$14.40 |
|
Mowing and conditioning hay |
$10.25 |
|
Baling small square bales of hay |
$ 0.50 per bale |
|
Baling small square bales of straw |
$ 0.45 per bale |
|
Tractor rental 100-149 hp |
$28.60 per hour |
|
Four wheel drive tractor over 175 hp |
$47.90 per hour |
|
Custom spreading lime without GPS |
$11.00 |
|
Pull type pesticide spraying |
$6.15 |
|
Harvesting wheat |
$21.30 |
|
Hauling grain (not sugar beets) |
$0.17 per bushel or $2.25 per loaded mile |
The price of diesel fuel has increased since this survey was taken. The MSU county Extension offices should have copies of E-2131 available free of charge.
The
In most fields, corn residue remaining after grain harvest
is incorporated into the soil with tillage or is left on the soil surface.
Currently, corn residue is being harvested by some livestock producers, and
there is interest in producing ethanol from corn residue in the near future
(Perlack et al., 2005). However, soil productivity (synonymous with soil
carbon) will be reduced if all corn residue in a field is harvested regularly
and there is not another source of carbon being returned to the soil to replace
the carbon removed with the residue.
Read more at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/cropenews/2008/08MNCN28.html
Energy costs for corn
drying and cooling
The purpose of this brief article is to provide enough
information so that readers can estimate costs for drying and cooling corn.
Grain needs to be dry to be stored through warm weather and it takes some
energy to remove moisture from grain, but there are things that can be done to
manage energy use.
Read more at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/cropenews/2008/08MNCN27.html
Vera Bitsch
Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics
Dismissal is the involuntary termination of an employee’s employment. Because emotions are often high, dismissals need to be handled with great care, or avoided. How can managers avoid dismissals? Careful selection, training, and management decisions serve to reduce the number of dismissals. In any case, a dismissal should only be considered after other options have been tried and did not lead to the desired results. Except in cases of gross misconduct, the dismissal should not come unexpected to the employee. Managers need to make sure that sufficient opportunities for changes were provided and a fair disciplinary process was followed. In addition, regular evaluation of an employee’s performance and a paper trail regarding performance appraisals and disciplinary actions is a must should a terminated employee challenge the dismissal in court.
The implied-contract exception is brought on by an employer’s oral or written assurances with respect to job security or disciplinary procedures. For example, an employee handbook describing procedures to be followed if disciplinary action becomes necessary or statements to the effect that no employee will be fired without just cause create an implied contract. Then the employer needs to follow the described procedures. Also, if a manager in charge of hiring, or the employee’s supervisor tells him or her that the employment will continue for as long as the work performed is adequate, an implied contract is created.
If an employee’s dismissal does not comply with the law or does not comply with contractual agreements stated or implied in handbooks, application forms, or other company documents, it is considered a wrongful discharge. A wrongful discharge may be actionable in court. Even if a plaintiff does not prevail, management time and attorney costs are reasons to carefully review company policies before dismissal decisions, in particular when the dismissal is without cause. As a preventive measure employers need to review and regularly update their employment documents, if they want to ensure an at-will employment relationship with their employees. However, less job security may also result in less loyalty from the employees.
Other important decisions in dismissal are how to conduct a termination interview and whether to offer severance pay.
To read Dr. Bitsch’s complete newsletter go to her website
at http://www.msu.edu/user/bitsch.
Under “News” click on “Agricultural Labor Issues in
Ned Birkey
Weather has
finally given southeast
Alfalfa seeding will finally take hold. The third cutting was minimal, with potato leafhopper damage and likely Boron deficiency as well. There will probably not be enough time for regrowth for a fourth cutting this fall. I expect hay prices to be high again this winter.
Corn plants have been drying up with some combines starting to roll. I have heard reports of grain moisture running from 23 to 29 percent. Test weight is light, 52 pounds in one case and ear diameter is small. Stalks are brittle and weak in many fields due to the excessive and prolonged dry weather in late July, throughout August and into September. Some lodging occurred over the weekend. Some harvest will begin this week as the fields dry out. Insect traps were pulled out a week ago as there was very little European corn borer, corn earworm, variant western corn rootworm and western bean cutworm activity.
Soybean harvest started before last week’s rains. Initial yield reports are low due to the dry weather. Harvest will begin in earnest as fields dry out this week. I doubt that the STARS fungicide, insecticide and foliar fertilizer plots will produce a benefit this year as we were too dry for soybeans to do any mid- to late season growing. I suspect that Hurricane Ike sent viable soybean rust spores our way this past week. I will be monitoring the double crop soybeans for rust until we get a killing frost.
Wheat planting will begin as soon as the soybeans are off the fields. It will be interesting to see if more soft white wheat gets planted this fall as Nabisco wants more white wheat. Farmers with on-farm grain storage would benefit the most as they could combine at slightly higher moisture next summer and keep the wheat in good condition.
We need good fall harvest weather to salvage the lower yielding crops.
Paul Gross
The region has been receiving more than adequate rains over the past weeks. The rains last week brought over four inches in some areas. This has left fields saturated in some areas and brought field work to a halt. Some farmers are getting back into the fields Wednesday to chop corn silage. We expect field work to continue with the warm dry weather the last few days.
Harvest of corn silage is starting again as fields dry out. Some areas already have silage harvest wrapped up while in the northern part of the region harvest is just getting under way. The yields vary widely and depend mostly on how much rain was received over the summer. Harvest of high moisture will begin soon while grain harvest is several weeks away. Most farmers think yields will be all over the board depending on rainfall. Farmers are advised to scout fields for western bean cutworm. We have been finding this pest in nearly all parts of the region.
Soybeans are beginning to turn rapidly and some harvest should begin later next week if field conditions allow. Most farmers are expecting average yields as the dry weather in August was just more than the crop could tolerate.
Alfalfa harvest of third and fourth cutting is underway or just complete. Most are reporting very good yield and quality. This year seems like last in that the later cuttings are higher yielding than the earlier cuttings. While forage supplies are still short across the state, we are starting to see inventories build.
Dry bean harvest has been halted by the rains over the past week. Some farmers are optimistic about yields where rains were adequate.
Wheat planting will get underway when field conditions allow and soybeans are harvested. Most wheat acres follow soybeans in this area
Sugar beets are doing very well with the rains. They are putting on the tons. Yields estimates and prospects look very good.
Jeff
Andresen
Agricultural Meteorology
Geography
What a difference a week makes. During the latter half of
the 2008 growing season, the majority of
This year, we have really beaten the odds, as three separate
tropical-origin systems have impacted the state. The first was Hurricane
Gustav, or more precisely, its remnants, which initially made landfall in
This past weekend (September 12-14),
The spatial pattern of rainfall during the last 30 days
illustrates well the movement of the three tropical systems into the
In contrast to the turbulent weather of the past week, high
pressure across the
A weak cool front is expected to move through the state late Friday into Saturday, but given little moisture ahead of the front, any rainfall with the system should be light and isolated, with most locations remaining dry. Temperatures will fall back a few degrees Sunday and Monday following the passage of the front, but warmer temperatures, highs back into the 70s to near 80°F in many locations, are likely again much of next week with the eventual formation of an upper air trough across western sections of North America and ridging across the east, which typically results in a warmer and drier than normal pattern in Michigan.
NOAA medium range forecasts follow this trend as well, with National Weather Service 6 ‑ 10 day, covering September 23-27, and 8 ‑ 14 day, covering September 25-October 1, outlooks both calling for above normal mean temperatures statewide. Precipitation totals are generally forecast to range from below normal levels in eastern sections of the state to near normal levels in the northwest.
Longer lead outlooks from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center
(CPC) for the next few months in