5/30 Crop Report for Fulton County

Corn planting is completed. Emergence is progressing well and stands are good. Some nitrogen sidedressing is under way. Several have asked about nitrogen rates recommended by OSU. Midwest universities have moved away from a crop response model for N rates and have adopted an economic model that takes into account the current price of nitrogen and corn. The rates suggested are based on crop response models but acknowledge the wide range in corn yield response to various nitrogen rates. The model uses an Excel Spreadsheet format and can be found at Nitrogen Spreadsheet. For example with a corn price of $5.60 and anhydrous price of $900 a ton ($0.55 per pound of N) a total of 149 to 158 pound of N is recommended.

Soybeans are 65-75% planted. Emergence of the earliest planted beans began this week.

Wheat is in the 10.1 (head emergence) and will soon be in the 10.5 stage (flowering). This is the time to monitor for the potential for head scab. The wheat scab predictor website is an excellent monitor of weather conditions by region. Remember, scab develops best when wet, humid conditions occur during the seven days before flowering, so even if it is dry at flowering, any three to six days of extended rainfall during the seven days before flowering would be enough to increase the risk of scab. Now that we have fungicides labeled for head scab suppression, the risk tool would be of great value to help guide fungicide application decisions. Proper timing of fungicide application is critical for head scab suppression. It is extremely important to apply the fungicide at anthesis (when fresh male floral parts are seen sticking out of the heads), well before visual symptoms are seen on the heads. Symptoms usually develop about three weeks after anthesis (depending on the weather), so the risk tool can be used as a predictor of the risk of scab occurring to help guide fungicide decisions. In general, fungicides provide about 45 to 55% reduction in scab and vomitoxin, if applied at anthesis. Applications made 3 days before or 3 days after anthesis will reduce the level of suppression.

Alfalfa harvest has continued this week and should eliminate the potential for alfalfa weevil damage. Only a few fields have had the presence of this insect and damage has been fairly limited.

Defiance County 5/28 Crop Progess

Corn planting is essentially complete with approximately 30-40% emerged. Some concerns about sidewall compaction as the soil continues to dry. Soil crusting after planting has been noted on some tilled ground which may make emergence difficult. Rain showers are forecasted for Thursday night and Friday that could improve emergence.
Soybeans are 50-60% planted with approximately 10% emerged. Soybean seed supply remains tight. Current conditions and weather forecast suggests not a lot of widespread replant for 2008.
Alfalfa first cutting has begun with the remaining to be cut over the next 1-2 weeks. Some fields were sprayed for alfalfa weevil last week as larvea counts were greater than 2 per stem, defoliation greater then 50%, and harvest more than 2 weeks away. Approximately 25-30% of the alfalfa acres were damaged or distroyed by winter injury. Many of those fields have been killed with herbicide and planted to corn.

Garlic? Onion? Star of Bethlehem...

A plant was recently brought in as a weed in a corn/soybean rotation that caused me to spend a few minutes going through possibilities and then deciding I had something different. At first it looked like onion, but the bulbs did not have an onion odor, maybe wild garlic but no garlic odor, it really had no odor at all. I then noticed a distinct white mid-vein. The flower bud was there but not yet open could only tell that the plant had a white flower. A few minutes on the web and I had identified Star-of-Bethlehem. Not an common weed in a corn/soybean rotation that is in fact an escaped horticultural plant found in northern US and Canada. As you can see from the field view picture, the plants can be very thick in the field and one can image planting difficulties plus the potential moisture loss. The bulbs range from very small up to about quarter size. When in flowering you can note the 6 petal, white flower. The plant primarily spread by the bulbs so field to field spread is from tillage. Research from Southern Illinois University showed the best 12 month control came from Gramoxone application in the spring. SIU Factsheet on Star-of-Bethlehem.

5/21/08 Crop Observations for Fulton County

Wheat is generally between Feekes growth stage 9.0 and 10.0. Growth stage 9 is where the collar region of the flag leaf has cleared the end of the stem and Growth stage 10 would commonly be referred to as the boot stage where the head is still inside the stem but close to emergence. Generally few diseases are noted with only certain susceptible varieties with significant powdery mildew observations. No significant reports of wheat insects- aphids or armyworm have been received. Reports of injury from fall 2,4-D applications have been recieved from Fulton County. See previous article for more details or the CORN Newsletter.

Corn planting has progressed somewhat and we are nearing 60-70% planted which could fairly quickly change with a few more sunny days. The earlier planted crop is emerging. Stands appear to be very good, even in wet spots and emergence is not being delayed within the row. As expected with the cold days and nights the emerged plants are yellow with some of the common purple edges.

Soybean planting is generally just off to a good start. Maybe 15-20% have been planted with the first emergence just beginning.

Alfalfa is fairly advanced in growth and the first cutting was seen on May 20. Some alfalfa weevil activity has been noted but seems to be more scattered than reports just to the south of us. The weevil that have been found are also very small so more damage could potetnially be seen if harvest is delayed.

2,4-D Herbicide Injury to Wheat

Wheat fields that received an application of 2,4-D herbicide last fall are showing injury sympoms. The damage found ranges from 10% up to 90%+. The injury appears as distorted stems, crinkled leaves and stunted plants. Difference have been noted by variety, planting date and stage of tillering last fall. Observations and labels information have been summarized by Dr Mark Loux, OSU Extension Agronomist in the May 19th CORN Newsletter from OSU Extension. "Many of the fields that were most severely affected were treated with a combination of Peak and 2,4-D last fall, and the use of 2,4-D in these treatments may be a primary cause of the injury. Peak is labeled for postemergence application to wheat in fall or spring, from emergence until the second node is detectable in stem elongation (Feeke’s Growth Stage 7). Labels for 2,4-D products vary in their wording on the use of 2,4-D in wheat. The more conservative labels state that 2,4-D should be applied in the spring after wheat has fully tillered, while others (including some products used in the affected fields) state that application can be made after tiller initiation with no mention of fall versus spring application."

Options maybe limited for the most severely affected fields. 1) The Peak label has a 10 month recrop restriction for soybeans. pH above 7.8 also play into decisions about replanting. Refer to product label for details. A bioassay maybe used and is outlined in the previously mentioned CORN Newsletter article. 2) Field could possibly be harvested as wheatlage then replanted to corn. Restrictions on forage use should be checked. 3) Field could be sprayed with roundup and planted to corn. These fields would then need to be scouted for armyworm development.

For more details see the Crop Observation and Recommendation Newsletter-CORN.

Defiance County 5/14/08 Progress Report

Alfalfa grow is progressing rapidly with typical stem heights of 10-16 inches of growth. Growers should be scouting for alfalfa weevil. On 5/9/08 I visited three (3) alfalfa fields and observed noticiable tip feeding on about 20-30% of the stems. Further inspections revealed small (1/8-1/4 inch) alfalfa weevel larvae tucked in the cluster of new leaves and leaf petioles. Levels were below economic threshold but will require rescouting by 5/16/08. (Economic threshold)

Corn is about 40-50% planted with some early corn emerged. Rain delays may force the question of switching to shorter hybrids but full-season hybrids should still be considered until early June.

Wheat development is at Feekes stages 8-9. Growers should scout for foliar diseases on suceptable varieties first and determine the presence and severity. (Ohio Wheat Diseases)

Fulton County 5/12/08 Progress Update

Wheat has entered the Feekes 7.0-9.0 stage. These stages are past the point where most herbicide applications are labeled. Application can result in sterile heads so carefully look at stage before making any further herbicide applications. Report and scouting I have done have identified very little wheat disease. Stagnospora was found in one field. I have not found powdery mildew but it likely exist at very low levels. No insect problems are being identified but we will continue to look for armyworm.

Corn planting did progress in the county to where we appear to be around 50-60 percent complete. Some are reporting being done while others are just getting started. The earliest planted corn has emerged and stands are good.

Soybeans are just started with around 10% planted.

Planting between the rain showers

Planting has progressed primarily focused on getting corn out. Friday morning was very active as I drove through the western half of the county with tractors rolling and dust flying. I have reports of some farms with all nearly all of the corn planted and others that just have a field or two in. Most of the farms nearly complete are in the eastern half of the county where sandier soils allow for an earlier start. Some farmers are planting around the wet spots in hope to come back later and fill in.

Wheat nitrogen topdressing was finally finished up last week. The wheat has generally hit growth stage 6 and thus need to be careful with applications particularly herbicides due to potential injury. The canopy is closing in and the crop will advance quickly so scouting for disease particularly where the variety is susceptible to powdery mildew or stagonospora.

Since April 20th we have received 117 GDD. Rainfall for the week of April 28th inculed .30 inches Monday and 1.3 inches Saturday. The low temperature of 28 degree made for a cold morning but should have had limited effect except for the most tender of vegetation.