Tips for th eapproaching wheat harvest

Wheat is ahead of schedule and likely will see some area harvest in the next 10 days. Reports from other areas of the state are indicating an average to below average year and test weights ranging from 49 to 59 pounds per bushel and an average of 54. Head scab and associated vomitoxin levels rate from very low near zero to 9.1 regionally.

While the local survey showed some scab our number tended to be lower than other parts of the state. We also seemed to have a high incidence of glume blotch which reduces yield but does not produce toxins. (see previous article)

As we approach harvest I think we can maximize yield with some good harvest practices. I found an excellent reference from Kentucky. The highlights of the article are:

1. While we tend to harvest once wheat reaches 13-15% moisture we can capture more yield by beginning harvest at 20-24% moisture and doing some drying. The amount of drying depends upon the equipment available. If you have a high speed dryer moisture of 21-24% can be harvested, with a bin dryer with heat and stirring we can harvest15-20% and bin dryers without heat 15%. We also need to be aware of temperature. Heat above 140 degrees F affect milling quality and heat above 110 affects seed germination, so stay below these temperatures. Field trials have shown a 1.7 bushel yield loss per acre when wheat dries naturally from 23% to 13% moisture.
   
2. Adjust cylinder speed, concave clearance, screen opening and fan speed by manufacture's recommendations. If you have a field with high levels of head scab raise the cylinder or fan speed to blow out light weight kernels. If you have glume blotch you will not necessarily need to blow out the kernels but will have a lower test weight. Kernels on the ground equal to 20 seeds per square foot is equivalent to 1 bushel per acre yield losses.
3. Avoid over dry to below 13.5% which cost in excess energy usage and loss of weight of grain.

There are a number of potential adavtages to harvesting wheat and drying.

• Reduce potential for weather losses from sprouting and/or storm shatter or hail.
• Higher test weights. Test weights seem to go down when wheats goes through wetting drying after initial dry down.
• Potential for double cropped beans.

The full article from Kentucky on wheat harvest and drying is worth a quick read.

Head Scab Low in Northwest Ohio

If you have been following the news you may have heard about high levels of head scab and potential for vomitoxin issues in wheat. The best summary of the statewide information can be found in our Crop Observation and Recommendation Network Newsletter. Locally in the afternoons of June 17 and 18 I made scab head counts on 10 fields in Fulton(6) and western Lucas County(4). The range of head scab was 15% on the high end to 0% on the low end with an average of 3.6%. Our later flowering date coupled with a dry stretch at that time around Memorial Day gave us the right conditions to miss out on the higher infection rates that others are seeing.
Slight adjustments to the combine to blow out light weight kernels should help us avoid vomitoxin issues at the elevator.

I saw a higher incidence of wheat glume blotch than head scab in many fields. This was particularly true on our high sand areas of fields with low organic matter. While this disease may cause lighter weight kernels, it does not produce a toxin.

Decision Tips for a Late Planting Season

As farmers wait for another planting window, there are a number of decisions that need to be made in order to be ready to finish planting. If you participate in the Federal Crop Insurance Program there are a set of decision to make that affect coverage for 2010. Other common questions are: If you do not have your entire corn crop planted do I stick with the plan or switch crops to soybeans? Do I need to change any production practices considering the later planting date?

From the crop insurance standpoint the best advice is to check with your agent before starting planting again. The last planting dates without affect crop insurance coverage were June 5^th for corn and will be June 20^th for soybeans. For many the last planting dates will affect decision for both crops. Many have both unplanted corn and up to 30% of their soybean crop unplanted. These unplanted fields are likely wetter fields and will take some time to dry.

After the June 5 and 20 dates are reached farmer have three options to consider.

First farmers can plant a crop but insurance coverage will be reduced by 1% per day for each day planting occurs after the final planting date for 25 days from the original coverage level. After 25 days coverage will be fixed at the 60% of the original coverage level.

The second option is to take a prevent planting payment which is 60% of the original coverage and plant no crop except a cover crop that could be grazed after November 1.

The third option is to take 35% of the prevented planting payment and plant an insured second crop after the late planting period for the first crop has passed. This becomes difficult if the crop we are talking about is soybeans since there are no viable alternative crops but soybeans could be an option to corn.

More information on:

Crop Insurance: Prevented Planting, Final Planting Dates, and the Late Planting Period

Crop Insurance/Cropping Decisions When No Crop Has Been Planted and a Farm-Level Crop Insurance has been Purchased

The description here provides an overall look at options but with several type of insurance available you need to check with your agents to know for sure what your coverage is.

The question of switching from corn to soybeans is an easier discussion. With a late June planting date we can expect approximately a 50% yield loss with corn over early May planting. Soybeans planted in late June will yield 65-75% of normal yield. Generally this information will lead us to switch to soybeans unless we are planting corn for silage.

Soybeans planted in late June do require a change of management strategy to maximize yields. Varieties of soybean plantings should be the longest season variety that will reach physiological maturity before the first killing frost. Generally, stay with the same planned maturity (unless it is earlier than 3.0). For northern Ohio, a 3.5 may be used until July 1. Planting rate should be increased when planting after June 15 to 225,000 to 250,000 in 6-7.5 inch rows. More details on planting decisions can be found in The Crop Observation and Recommendation Network (C.O.R.N.) Newsletter.

More details on the decisions can be found on the Ohio State University Extension Website at http://fulton.osu.edu or by calling the office at 419-337-9210.