Northwest Ohio Crop, Pest & Weather Report

How Will The Western Bean Cutworm Over Winter?

2010-11-23T12:13:00.007-05:00

2010 brought a new observed level of the Western Bean Cutworm to NW Ohio corn production. Defiance and Fulton Counties each caught over 400 WBC moths in their respective four traps during summer monitoring and each county located at lease one field with WBC larves in the corn ear. However, 2010 corn fields did not reach economic thresholds that would warrant rescue treatments.

Since 2006, WBC has increased in numbers here in Ohio to the point where NW Ohio might expect the insect to complete its life cycle by over wintering rather than only moth flight migrating to Ohio during the growing season.

How do they survive the winter? Large larvae (6th or 7th instar) emerge from the ear and fall to the ground, burrow 3 to 6 inches into the soil, and construct an earthen overwintering cell (Figure). They spend the winter inside this cell in a pre-pupal stage. Larvae pupate in late May followed by adults crawling up through the soil with emergence starting in early July.

OSU Ext Factsheeet: http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0040.pdf

reference: http://tinyurl.com/37asbqe (Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln)

Dry Soils Impacting: Tillage and Soil Sampling

2010-11-17T09:53:00.003-05:00

Moderate rainfall yesterday and overnight gives promise that area farmers might find relief to hard, dry soils. The Defiance Memorial Airport NOAA weather station reports 0.75" of rainfall during November 16 & 17, 2010. Farmers are reporting machinery repairs every 3-4 days or every 50-60 acres from excessive wear and tear on tillage tools.

An area farmer shared that "Replacement bolts, shanks, etc quickly add up to $1,200 each week. A small bag of high grade bolts seem to cost more this fall and they don't last long. The deep shanks bend and bow to follow the cracks in the soil rather than busting through."

Private consultants and farmers collecting soil cores are also feeling resistance. Power augers and hand probes are bending and worn and need maintenance and replacement more regularly.

Agronomists and farmers should anticipate that soil test results reported from very dry soil samples collected may have drought induced lower pH and potassium levels this fall. OSU and Purdue Ag Answers addressed this effect in an October 2010 article: http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/aganswers/story.asp?storyID=6109

Crop Development as of July 16- Fulton County

2010-07-16T13:11:00.005-04:00

I finally got a chance to go through my normal Fulton County survey route on July 14 and 15. I headed across County Roads L & B from boarder to boarder. I looked for insect and disease as well as crop development. Here is what I saw

Corn

This year there are 40 corn field on the route and 67% are in the R1 stage where pollination is occurring. The other 33% of the fields are in late vegetative stages V7 to V13. Most of the corn seems in pretty good shape but there are areas particularly west of 66/south of 20 and the south east corner that are under moisture stress.

Diseases are minimal to nonexistent. A little bit of rust. I have heard reports of gray leaf spot but did not see any. Areas of southern Ohio have been seeing a greater amount of gray leaf spot in 2010.

Insects we did find the first larval feeding of western bean cutworm in corn early in the week and have confirmation from OSU Entomologist. The infestation levels are low but it does indicate that this pest has advanced in from the west. For 2010 it more of a novelty and academic observation. At season end we will have a better idea of the extent and based on experiences from other areas help discuss management changes for 2011. You can also find European corn borer feeding as well but at fairly low numbers in non bt hybrids.

Soybeans

Soybeans have improved dramatically over the past two weeks. Rows have closed in and we are entering the flowering stages even pod set in some cases. There are 46 soybean fields on the route. Forty three percent were in vegetative stages and had not begun to flower. About 47% of the field were in R1 (a flower at any node) or R2 (flowers at the two top nodes) stage. Nine percent were in the R3 stage with pods setting on the upper nodes.

Disease were not a concern here as well. A little bit of brown spot could be found but that was basically it.

Insects were at very low levels. There was a little foliar Japanese beetle feeding but a extremely low levels. Soybean aphids were found in three fields in the southeast corner of the county with levels were less than 5 per plant.

Tips for th eapproaching wheat harvest

2010-06-28T14:09:00.003-04:00

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:

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.
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.
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

2010-06-18T09:05:00.009-04:00

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

2010-06-10T13:16:00.001-04:00

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.

Wheat entering heading and flowering stage

2010-05-21T13:59:00.005-04:00

On May 20th most wheat fields in the Fulton County area were hitting the heading stages. The wheat head is starting to pop open the sheath of the flag leaf with the wheat head emerging. The beginning of pollination or anthesis happens in 3-10 days after heading. The most mature part of the head is the center with flowering proceeding up and down the head florets until complete. For a more detailed description of wheat plant development click here.

As heads emerge farmer may note the anthers getting caught in the sheath and the head is bent or appears stuck. This phenomenon has happened over the years especially with a cool spring. Some time it is accompanied by twisted flag leaves. The picture at the left is from the spring, 2000. Often the continued emergence of the head will cause the head to break free even though it may stay bent until harvest. Pierce Paul, OSU Extension Plant Pathologist recently comment on the issue.

Wheat Heads Trapped in the Boot – Pierce Paul

Wheat in Ohio is between Feekes 9 (full flag leaf emergence) and Feekes 10.5.1 (flowering). Reports are coming in from some field going through the head emergence growth stage (Feekes 10.1-10.5) of a fairly high incidence of heads being trapped in the boot. This is not an entirely unusual occurrence in wheat fields, however, incidence as high as 20 or 50% in some cases is alarming and causing some producers to be concerned. One of the main causes of this is cold temperature. Relatively warm temperatures allow the heads to emerge quickly and easily from the leaf sheath, whereas cold temperatures slow down this process and may even prevent the heads from emerging completely, leaving them trapped by the tip. Since May 1, we have had fairly cool conditions, with an average high of 66F and low of 47F.

Fields planted with varieties that are more sensitive to cold temperatures were the ones most affected. However, this does not necessarily mean that these varieties with automatically suffer a yield reduction. Once the heads remain green and healthy and water and nutrients still travel up the stem to the spikelets, these plants will produce grain. Yield will only be affected if the heads are distorted to the point of blocking or stopping the flow of water and nutrients to the spikelets.

The last issue of the Crop Observation and Recommendation Network had a couple of good articles on head scab potential. If the weather as currently predicted for next week happens we should have a low potential for head scab. Click here for head scab articles.

Hail Damage to Wheat

2010-05-13T08:45:00.022-04:00

The storm on May 7 literally mowed off several hundred acres of wheat in southern Henry County and substantially damage the crop in other areas. Area farmers say the air after the storm had the smell of freshly mowed hay. The area of Henry County along and south of State Route 281 and east of Road 8 had some of the greatest crop damage. There was a progression of damage with the severest injury where the hail cut the stem at or below the head, while in other fields a percentage from 5-80 of the stems were bent over to the least injurious situation where only the flag leave was damaged.

Wheat Mowed Off Below Head.

Wheat with Bent stems 80%+

Wheat With Flag Leaf Torn

At this stage of May, the crop has gotten all the herbicide, and pest control inputs invested. Salvaging some value from the crop will be difficult in many cases. The follow are some considerations for farmers with damaged fields.

1) Contact your insurance agent. Hail insurance is an obvious claim to file. If you do not have hail insurance but do have some of the other crop insurance products for production and price still at least make a call to your agent. Replanting to another crop and other questions should be clarified before destroying a crop. You will also want to report to Farm Service Agency with your summer reporting changes in cropping. It is better to ask now rather than after you have destroyed a standing crop and miss out on benefits.

2) Harvest as a grain crop. The following chart was published in the Wisconsin Crop Manager Newsletter May 18, 2000 7(9):52. The chart gives yield potential based on stage of growth and 100% of the stems being bent. Most of the local crop was pre boot to the boot stage so 28-39% is the area of loss we are working in where the main damage was bent stems.

3) Abandon the grain crop and harvest as a forage. This is dependent on there being a livestock producer close enough to harvest as green chop. Another option is harvesting as hay. Some of the worst fields have half the dry matter on the ground plus as the crop continues to mature the feed value is lowering. So before harvesting for hay, some estimation of value should be made to see if it makes economic sense. In addition feed value the labels of products (insecticide, herbicides and fungicides) that have been used in the last 30 days should be consulted for harvest restriction. For example "Harmony and Harmony Extra labels state "do not graze or feed forage or hay from treated areas to livestock". Quilt has a 30-day restriction. Warrior has a 21-day restriction. " The CORN Newsletter Issue 12 has some other consideration for harvesting wheat as a hay crop.

4)Destroy crop and replant to corn or soybeans. Sometimes damaged plants can be very difficult to control. The following recommendations come from Dr. Mark Loux, Ohio State University Extension Weed Scientist, "Definitely plant a RR crop so the option of POST glyphosate applications to finish off the wheat can be made. At this time, use 1.5 lbs ae - 64 oz of generic, 44 oz PowerMax/WeatherMax, or 48 oz of Touchdown. Add AMS and don't mix any residual herbicides with it. Application in 10 gpa may be more effective than higher volumes."

Surrounding corn fields were also sheared off in a similar fashion but were only in a V1 growth stage with the growing point located below ground where it was protected. These plants will recover without difficulty. The only thing growers should remember is that the injury occurred and when staging the plants for future pesticide applications that the growth stage is 1 to 2 stages more advanced depending on how many leaves were destroyed. This is important for some herbicide applications.

A couple of soybean fields were just coming up as well. Plants were broken off below the cotyledon eliminating the only growing points on the plant. Fields where populations are less than 85,000 plants per acre or with large open areas will need to be replanted.

Planting Progress 5/12/2010

2010-05-12T09:12:00.002-04:00

Planting in the area has been held up by wet weather. Cool temperature have limited the growth of what has been planted but slowly we have seen crop emerge. It seems we are headed for a repeat of the spring of 2009 with a early window and then the rest of the crop planted around Memorial day.

Planting and crop progress at this point:

Corn around the county seems to be about 60% planted. Planting occurred from April 19- to the 24th. The majority of the fields were up as of May 6th with about half in the V1 stage and the rest just spiking through. Stands are generally good but there is some uneven emergence and in one case no emergence with a crusty compacted soil. In doing some digging where plants are not up no rots were noticed and a little warm weather may yet get the un-emerged crop up. Flea beetle activity was very light but with cool temperatures and slow growth this would be something to monitor fields for. As far as frost or in some cases hail damage, the growing point is still well protected below the soil surface until V5-V6. Plant can be completely cut off and will still survive.

Soybean planting is very limited with less than 10% of the crop in. In travels last I saw just one field planted and it was emerging with a good stand. The crop is vulnerable once emerge to hail and freeze injury if the injury kills the top portion of the plant below the cotyledon.

Wheat is progressing toward the boot stage and head emergence and is generally in Feekes stage 9-10. Overall the crop looks good with little disease presence. There has been some significant hail injury in southern Henry County to fields in the path of the storms Friday night. A followup article on this will be available on May 13th.

Soybeans Growth Stages and Soybean Aphid

2009-08-26T11:46:00.002-04:00

Yesterday provided an opportunity to visit some soybean fields and check on growth stages and soybean aphid. The four fields I stopped at were all finished flowering and were in the R6 stage of growth. This is the full seed stage and where on pod on the 4 upper nodes has a seed filling the cavity. Soybean aphid counts were still less than 20 per plant but most all plants had aphids on them. It seems that we are getting to the point that soybean aphid will not be a problem for us in 2009.

Once we get into the R6 stage the plants can tolerate soybean aphid with less effect on yield. The last CORN Newsletter had an article which describe thoughts on higher level thresholds for soybean aphids in bean at these later stages.

2009-08-14T09:08:00.004-04:00

The August crop report from USDA gives us the first glimpse of yield estimates for the 2009 crop. If yields for Ohio hold true given the number of acres and estimated yield of 165 bushels per acre Ohio is looking at it largest corn crop ever. The big difference over 2009 from 2008 is the weather with more wide spread and timely rains even with a later planted crop. Soybeans will be 11 bushels higher for the state than in 2008. Below is a snap shot of information on average yield from the report.

	2009 Yield		2008 Yield
Crop	Ohio	US	Ohio	US
Corn	165	159.5	135	153.9
Soybeans	47	41.7	36	39.6
Wheat	71	47.2	68	44.2

This does change the inputs for those who look at the ACRE program. Trend line yield for Ohio corn were 154 and soybean 44. Given the August 2009 yield estimates of the 2009 crop, it will take corn prices on a cash basis (US Marketing Year) of less than $3.40 per bushel and soybean prices of less than $8.95 to generate revenues less than the state guarantee. With good yield and good prices we can certainly live without an ACRE payment but these numbers give some idea of the prices that would trigger payment s for the state of Ohio given the current 2009 production estimates.

The Ohio only report can be found at NASS-Ohio if you would like to see the total US picture that can be found at NASS.

Crop Growth Stages are Behind 2008

2009-08-05T13:24:00.009-04:00

During my travels this week, I got a good chance to observe crop growth stages. In 2008, this first week of August was also an observation point, so a comparison can be made between 2008 & 2009 growth stages for both soybeans (Table 1) and corn(Table 3) . The majority of the soybean crop is in the R3 stage which is beginning pod. Most of the corn crop is R1-R2 which is silking to blister.

You can see the GDD accumulation chart matches (Table 4) the expected growth stages for corn based off GDD accumulations. So as we progress through the season we can watch the GDD accumulation and predict corn development. Table 5 shows accumulation at OARDC NW Agricultural Research Station from April 1 and May 15 to August 4. We seem to be about 10 days to 2 weeks behind the 2008 growing season in crop development.

Table 1. Comparison of Soybean Stages for Fulton County in 2009 and 2008 During First Week of August (Numbers Represent Number of Fields at this growth stage).
Year	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6
2009	0	9	28	8	4	0
2008	0	1	5	11	15	10

Table 2. Soybean Reproductive Stages.
Stage		Description
R1	Beginning Bloom	One open flower at any node on the main stem.
R2	Full bloom	Open flower at one of the two uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf.
R3	Beginning Pod	Pod 3/16 inch (5 mm) long at one of four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf.
R4	Full pod	Pod 3/4 inch (2 cm) long at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf
R5	Beginning Seed	Seed 1/8 inch (3 mm) long in a pod at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf.
R6	Full seed	Pod containing a green seed that fills the pod cavity at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf.
R7	Beginning Maturity	One normal pod on the main stem that has reached its mature pod color.
R8	Full Maturity	Ninety-five percent of the pods that have reached their mature pod color. Five to 10 days away from 15% moisture.

Table 3. Comparison of Corn Stages for Fulton County in 2009 and 2008 During First Week of August ( Number Represent Number of Fields at that growth stage).
Year	RT	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5
2009	1	21	17	2	0	0
2008	0	1	6	21	7	1

Table 4. Corn Reproductive Stages.
Growth Stage	Description	Approx. GDDs	Cum.GDDs	Typical Calendar Date
VT	Tassel	60	1300	Jul 13
R1	Silking	60	1360	Jul 15
R2	Blister	300	1660	Jul 27
R3	Milk	200	1860	Aug 5
R4	Dough	140	2000	Aug 11
R5	Dent	300	2300	Aug 25
	1/2 Milkline	220	2520	Sep 5
R6	Black Layer	200	2720	Sep 17

Table 5. GDD Accumulations from April 1 or May 15 to August 4 of 2007, 2008 and 2009 at Northwest Agricultural Research Station, Custer, OH.
Time Period	2009	2008	2007
April 1-August 4	1921	1939	1968
May 15-August 4	1646	1691	1709

Soybean Aphids Increasing but Not So Fast

2009-08-05T08:50:00.004-04:00

Monday and Tuesday afternoon were spent looking at soybean and corn fields along the route I have setup along County Road's B & L. Soybean aphids were an observation to be made in all soybean fields. Basically I do this not to scout a field for threshold information, but get out in the field away from the end rows and look for the presence of aphids.

The route this year has 52 soybean fields. On the 8/3 and 8/4 scouting, 26 fields had aphids and 26 did not have aphids. If you remember back to my last report on aphids on July 17th only 2 of the 52 fields had aphids in them. So aphids are now easier to find. I would not be surprised if you spent time in a field until you found aphids, that you would be able to find aphids in nearly every field.

From my stops the past couple of days though, we still are not close to threshold of 250 aphids per plant. I went to one of the fields that had aphids back on July 17th and population were just 3-4 per plant and only 30% of the plants had aphids on them which was not different than most other fields. Most fields had 3-6 plants out of 20 with aphids on them or 15-30% of the plants. Numbers of aphids per plant were less than 10. As always there was a field that did not fit the mold and had 18 out of 20 plants or 90% of the plants with aphids, but the average was just 15 per plant . This is a field I will go back to over the next couple of weeks.

From a growth stage standpoint, most soybeans are in the R3 growth stage where there is one 3/4 inch long pod at one of the 4 top nodes on the plant.

Western Bean Cutworm in NW Ohio

2009-08-03T13:32:00.010-04:00

Since 2007 Ohio State University Extension has been monitoring the progression of Western Bean Cutworm moths as they move from the mid corn belt areas to the east. The first moth catch was in 2007 for Fulton County and the state. In 2008 we caught 13 moths in Fulton County and 105 in Northwestern Ohio. As of August 3rd we have caught 37 moths in Fulton County and 212 in the Northwest Ohio.

Western Bean Cutworm is an economic pest on corn in western states feeding on the ear and more specifically the grain on the developing and mature ear. This pest has a greater capacity to feed than our traditional corn earworm because multiple larvae survive in the case of Western Bean Cutworm versus one larvae per ear with corn earworm. A full description of WBC can be found in this fact sheet from Wisconsin.

We should not expect economic problems from this pest in 2009 but might see evidence of feeding which would be a first time for Ohio. The feeding of larvae on the ear is the most identifiable stage. If you are out in corn this year, whether it is sweet corn, popcorn or field corn and see holes through the husk and multiple worms feeding on the ear please call the extension office 419-337-9210 or send an e-mail to labarge.1@osu.edu. We want to confirm this activity so we can modify recommendations and future monitoring programs.

Dr Ron Hammond has produced a video on identification of injury from Western Bean Cutworm based on a visit to Michigan to observe the injury in 2008.

Pictures in this article are from a University of Nebraska posting on the web.

Wheat Performance Trials Now On-line

2009-08-03T08:46:00.004-04:00

The 2009 Ohio Wheat Performance Trials are now available on-line. Sixty soft red winter wheat varieties were included in the trials. A summary of yields and summary of the closest site located in Wood County are below.

Yield information from all test sites.
Location	High Yield	Average Yield	Low Yield
Wood	93.7	85.3	76.9
Crawford	113.6	106.1	98.1
Darke	101.9	88.8	87.1
Wayne	107.7	95.7	83.9

Details from Wood County Site.
	Yield	Test Wt.	Lodging	Powdery Mildew	Head Scab
High	93.7	63.9	19	10	23.4
Average	85.3	61.1	2	6.4	12.6
Low	76.9	58.9	0	2.5	2.8

Full result of the 2009 Trials which can be sorted by different characteristics can be found on the Performance Trial Website. The site also has resistance rating of Ohio common diseases for varieties included in the test as rated by Ohio State University Plant Pathology staff.

Hail Damage Near the Fulton County Fairgrounds

2009-07-31T15:32:00.004-04:00

With corn and soybeans in the critical reproductive stages rain is a four letter word we like to have often in the forecast. A four letter word we curse with rain is hail. That is what about a two square mile area between 16 and 17 from State Route 20A up through County Road K experienced on Tuesday evening. Crop injury at this point is an unwelcomed as it comes at the most vulnerable stage.

Below are tables on defoliation and yield loss for corn ( Table E) and soybeans (Table H) from the crop insurance adjuster book. The data charts are similar to other references that I have seen and shows a complete range of growth stages and yield loss.

New Technology for GMO Corn Approved will Reduce Insect Refuge Requirements

2009-07-28T08:39:00.002-04:00

Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences announced on July 20 that they have received registration approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are on track to commercialize SmartStax corn hybrids in 2010. This approval, or authorization, was also received in Canada. SmartStax hybrids contain eight transgenic traits - three for below ground insect control; three for above ground insect control, and two providing different types of herbicide resistance. The hybrids will express the following insecticidal proteins: Cry1F and Cry1A.105+Cry2Ab2 for European corn borer, black cutworm, fall armyworm, and western bean cutworm control, and Cry3Bb1 and Cry34/35Ab1 for corn rootworm control. SmartStax hybrids will also provide herbicide tolerance to glyphosate and glufosinate with the addition of the Roundup Ready 2 and Liberty Link genes. The approval will allow growers in the US Corn Belt who use the hybrids to reduce refuge size from 20% to 5%. The companies indicated they intend to introduce SmartStax hybrids across 3 to 4 million acres in 2010. Whether any will be available in Ohio is unknown at this time. Reprinted from the Crop Observation and Recommendation Network Newsletter

Corn Development and Temperature

2009-07-27T13:29:00.006-04:00

Every thought about this year would say it has been cooler than normal. Our memory and perception can sometime be a bit cloudy when we start looking at the data. Yes the corn crop is behind last year, no doubt but the reason is planting date rather than Growing Degree Day (GDD) accumulations. A good data source that is convenient to use for GDD accumulation is the weather station at the Northwest Agricultural Research Branch the data base is easy to use. I looked at 2007, 2008 and 2009 GDD accumulation from April 1 to 7/26/09 and May 15 to 7/26/09.

GDD Accumulations from April 1 or May 15 to July 26 of 2007, 2008 and 2009 at Northwest Agricultural Research Station, Custer, OH.
Time Period	2009	2008	2007
April 1 to July 26	1717	1704	1744
May 15 to July 26	1445	1456	1482

Surprising is that GDD accumulations are very similar for the past three years given the same time period. Another good source of GDD accumulations is the Ohio Crop Weather Report which as of July 26th had Northwest Ohio only 102 GDD behind average since April 1. Really the big difference is planting date. We probably had 40-50% of the corn crop planted during the period May 15 to May 30 in this growing season.

A cool season has pros and cons that have been discussed in articles by both Dr Peter Thomison, Ohio State University Extension, Corn Specialist and Dr Bob Nielsen, Purdue Extension, Corn Specialist. Click on the specialist name to see their articles.

Basically the pro's of a cooler season are:
Good for pollination
Good for grain fill
Slow disease development

The con's are:
Slow development meaning wetter corn potentially at harvest
Silk balling where silks to not emerge from husk as normal affecting pollination

A warm late August and Early September would help in advancing corn to dry down and lower our drying bills.

How much does drainage mean to corn and soybean yields?

2009-07-23T16:16:00.005-04:00

Drainage is our most common problem particularly in the spring and fall. You may ask yourself what does it mean to yields if I invest in tile? Bruce Clevenger, Ohio State University Extension Educator recently put together some data from the Northwest Agricultural Research Branch of OARDC. The data helps put some economics to the importance of drainage for us here locally. The soil type is Hoytville Silty Clay and the data goes back to the 1980's but the most recent years are shown here.

The data from 200-2008 shows a 7 bushel advantage to soybean and 43 bushel advantage to corn from drainage over un-drained plots. Star putting in some commodity prices to this shows how quickly returns can be seen from drainage. At 9 dollar beans or $3.50 per bushel corn returns of $63 to $150 per acre are worth a look at.

Worrying about Small Soybeans?

2009-07-22T08:18:00.006-04:00

The following information was recently shared by Dr. Chad Lee, Associate Extension Professor, Grain Crops at the University of Kentucky. While most of our soybeans in northwest Ohio have closed rows, there are some fields that have not progressed to that point. In addition our soybean seems to match the description of development which is just a little behind normal and shorter which compares well to the situation in Kentucky. Dr Lee shares some thoughts on soybean development and if any sprays i.e. fertilizer, fungicide or insecticide can help soybean develop faster to reach canopy closure.

Some farmers are concerned that the smaller growth of soybeans could result in reduced yields. Some are questioning the use of foliar fertilizers and/or fungicides to help make up the difference.

Soybeans were planted late across most of the state. According to the latest Crop and Weather Report from NASS, soybean flowering is at 35%, behind the five-year average of 47%. Most farmers' "internal clock" says that soybeans should be larger by now. Most years, that is correct. This is not most years.

Some soybeans are getting to flowering (growth stage R1) and may be a little smaller than in previous years. The cooler temperatures combined with later planting dates will cause smaller plants. The smaller plants could be a concern if rows are not closed in shortly after flowering. If the soybean rows are closed, then height is less of an issue. As long as the rows are closed, tall plants do not automatically equal high soybean yields.

If the rows are not closed and the soybeans begin to flower, then yield potential is likely lost. As the soybeans move into pod development and the rows are not closed, yield potential is likely lost. If the soybeans get to seed fill and the rows are not closed, yield potential is lost. This brings us to the main question: will a foliar fertilizer or a foliar fungicide help? The short answer...probably not.

Fungicides will not improve the speed at which soybeans grow and will not help with canopy closure, in the absence of a disease. Fungicides will help soybeans retain leaves, if a disease is present in the field. However, the cooler night temperatures and the smaller soybean plants both contribute to less of a threat from diseases this season.

Foliar fertilizers will not compensate for lower temperatures. They will not increase the speed of growth, assuming P2O5 and K2O levels are adequate in the field. They will make the plants greener and that might make someone feel better.

If your, or your neighbor, is absolutely set on spraying something, then consider the foliar fertilizer. It will likely make the plants greener and it should cost a little less than the fungicide. Or, take that money you would have spent on the foliar product(s) and take a trip someplace warm. Someplace where you don't have to see the soybeans for a couple weeks. It just might make everyone happier, including your friends! For others, keeping that money in the bank may be the best stress reliever right now.

Bottom Line:
Small soybeans or late-planted soybeans that do not reach full canopy by flowering probably have lost some yield potential. Cooler temperatures also reduce the chances of soybeans reaching full canopy by flowering. In hindsight, the best management practice would have been to plant in 7.5-inch rows. The narrow rows would have improved the chances of getting complete canopy closure by flowering. Foliar fertilizers and fungicides will not make up the difference in temperatures, planting date or row spacing.

The July 20th Ohio Crop Weather Report from National Agricultural Statistics Service has 51% of the soybean crop blooming compared to a 2004-2008 average of 65%. The 2009 season is comparable to 2008 where 48% were in bloom. The percentage of the soybean crop setting pods are 6% in 2009 compared to an 2004-2008 average of 12% and 2008 number of 4%. So we are behind development wise from 5 year averages but comparable to 2008. Even though the development is similar to 2008, if we can keep the moisture coming, our yield outcome can be better for 2009.

Should I consider ACRE enrollment?

2009-07-21T12:09:00.011-04:00

ACRE (Average Crop Revenue Enrollment) was offered as an option in the 2007 Farm Bill to the traditional Counter Cyclical Program we have grown accustomed to. Basically ACRE attempts to incorporate both price and yield into a state revenue guarantee for commodities grown in the US. For Ohio we are primarily concerned with corn, soybeans and wheat. The deadline to make the final selection ACRE as the program farmers participate in for the 2009 crop season is August 14th. With the trends that corn, soybean and wheat markets have taken in the past 6 weeks, a reevaluation of ACRE is in order.

As stated, ACRE incorporates price and yield. The state guaranteed revenue is a combination of the average marketing year national cash price for a two year period and state Olympic 5 year yields. For corn and beans the marketing year is September- August and wheat is June-May.

The chart has predicted state guarantees based on current information. Yields are set, but two year average marketing price have to run through September to be know for corn and soybeans. The state guarantee for wheat is known at $394 per acre.

State Revenue Guarantee for 2009 Crop and 2009 Estimated Trigger State Revenue. Note + equals estimates subject to change. Actual payments subject to meeting farm level trigger as well.
Crop	5 Year Olympic Yield (A)	2-Year Average Market Year Price (B)+	State Revenue Guarantee (AB).90 +	2009 Yield +	2009 Marketing Year Price +	2009 State Revenue +	State ACRE Payment +
Corn	150	$4.13	$557	154	$3.43	$528	$29
Soybeans	46	$10.05	$416	45	$9.36	$421	$0
Wheat	66	$6.63	$394	75	$5.58	$419	$0

The question of how much will acre pay will not be known until late 2010 when State Revenue is known. The official number for state yield will be known next March when Ag Statistic Release their official numbers of yield. Market year price for 2009 corn and soybeans will be known September 30, 2010 and wheat will be known on May 31, 2010. The chart attempts to put some prices in based on current Chicago Board of Trade prices which have not been adjusted to cash price by accounting for basis.

It was easy to ignore ACRE when prices looked to be above $4.00 cash price for corn but as prices have fallen lower, another look before the signup deadline may be a wise move. The best thing will be to look at your farm and your numbers. A good tool to download and use for estimating what ACRE might offer versus the traditional programs for corn, soybean and wheat is the University of Illinois Fast Tools. This is one of several tools available for farmers to put their numbers into to compare programs.

For additional information Chris Bruynis, OSU Extension Educator, Wyandot Coutny has put together a informational sheet. Chris has done a number of programs and visited with farmers across Ohio on this decision. Click on this link to download Chris's thoughts.

Soybean Aphid Monitoring

2009-07-17T09:45:00.008-04:00

Soybean aphid are difficult to find at this point but I have now found them in 2 fields. The finds are on just a couple of plants in the field, and infested plants have less than 15 aphids per plant. Reports from across the region (Illinois, Indiana and the rest of Ohio) have tended to find aphids but populations are generally not increasing quickly. Our problem locally, if it develops, will likely come from a northern flight of the winged aphid moving into the area rather than a buildup of populations already here. Populations are reaching threshold and some spraying has occurred in Ontario particularly the eastern part, on the other side of Lake Erie. A national reporting system called the IPM-PIPE site is a central reporting location for entomologist. A picture of the 7/17/09 reporting is to the left and you can click here to see the latest updates.

In the meantime, you may want to refresh your knowledge of scouting and management of soybean aphid. First, the threshold is the same as past years, rising populations of aphids that reach 250 aphids per plant when soybeans in R1-R5 stages. This threshold provides a 3-7 day window for application to protect yield. Second, for early season scouting, you will want to focus on the growing point and plus the first fully open trifoliate. Inspect 5 plants, in 20 locations across the field. For more information on soybean aphid along with pictures see OSU Entomology Factsheet 0037.
Another thing you may want to start identifying is bee hives located near your soybean fields. It is the soybean growers responsibility to protect against loss of bees during application.

Below are some specific recommendations for environmental and pesticide factors that will lessen the potential for injury to bees.

1) Drift of pesticide not only can injury non-target plants but bees or other insects located within the canopy of non-target plants. Follow all precautions related to drift such as wind speed, direction identifying risk potential of neighboring crops. Recently we have seen more fields with filter strips or other conservation areas along borders. Plants in these border areas may be in bloom and harboring foraging bees. Drift or spray overlay has the potential to cause injury to bees and should be considered in pesticide applications.

2) Timing of application can limit bee injury. Applications in the evening or early morning are generally best. Bees are less active at these times of the day. Other times when the blooms are less attractive and lower bee activity are acceptable as well.

3) Formulations of pesticides will make an impact on toxicity. Dust and wettable powders are more toxic than emulsifiable concentrates. Ultra low volume applications versus a regular application are generally more toxic. No repellents can be added to tank mixes that will keep bees away from treated areas.

4) Toxicity of pesticides can differ. Most pesticide have been tested with bees in laboratory settings. Keep in mind there can be differences in field results versus laboratory results due to environmental factors as well as the sensitivity difference in populations of bees.

A listing of registered apiaries can be obtained from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The website is http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/plant/curr/ap/plnt-ap-index.stm. The list can be requested via e-mail to the address apiary@mail.agri.state.oh.us. More information can be found in CORN 2007-26.

NW Ohio Field Crops Day-7/30/09

2009-07-16T11:49:00.003-04:00

The annual Field Crops Day at the Northwest Agricultural Research Station, Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center, OARDC is schedule for July 30 from 9:00 to 11:30. The field day is sponsored by OARDC and Ohio State University (OSU) Extension and is free and open to the public.

Topics included in this year’s field day include:

• “Production Economics: Budgeting Tools for Managing Input Costs and Determining Cash Rental Rates,” Barry Ward, agricultural economist, OSU Extension.

• “Field Crop Insect Concerns (Especially Soybean Aphids and Western Bean Cutworms) for 2009,” Ron Hammond, entomologist, OARDC and OSU Extension.

• “New Seed Technologies in Corn Production,” Peter Thomison, agronomist, OARDC and OSU Extension.

• “Nitrogen Management ESN (Environmentally Stable Nitrogen) on Wheat and Other Crops,” Ed Lentz, OSU Extension educator, agriculture and natural resources.

The Northwest Agricultural Research Station at Hoytville is one of OARDC’s 10 outlying research facilities throughout the diverse agriculture landscape of the Buckeye state. Field days at the Hoytville branch involve wagon rides around the research farm. These events are excellent opportunities for farmers to meet and mingle with one another as well as OARDC researchers.

The station is located 2.5 miles northeast of Hoytville at the corner of Oil Center and Range Line roads. OARDC and OSU Extension are the research and outreach arms, respectively, of Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

A copy of the flyer with details and direction to the station site are available by clicking here.

Cover Crops are an Option Worth Considering

2009-07-13T16:15:00.004-04:00

The following article was put together by my collegue in Shelby County and wanted to share it with you here. Rogers and others in western central Ohio put together a similar report as we share.

Thinking Outside the Box on Cover Crops
By Roger Bender, OSU Extension, Shelby County, Agriculture & Natural Resources

Within the past week, we have had four inquiries about the seeding of cover crops after wheat harvest. Traditionally, many farmers have underseeded wheat or oats with red or sweet clover. With denser crop stands often choking out sometimes costly legume frost seedings, many crop producers gave up on the traditional approach. If that is your case, now is the time to prepare for planting cover crops after wheat or oats harvest this summer. Your local seed dealer may not stock brassica or pea seeds and need to make a special order. Control of summer annual weeds and volunteer wheat could be needed before planting these cover crops.

Cover crops offer many benefits to producers that increase farm profitability and environmental sustainability. Legume (peas and clovers) cover crops are typically used to produce homegrown nitrogen. Grass cover crops help increase soil organic matter, recycle excess nutrients, and reduce soil compaction. Brassica crops are grown to loosen the soil, recycle nutrients, and suppress weeds. Some other cover crops can suppress insects, disease, weeds, or attract beneficial insects. Therefore, cover crops should be considered an integral part of any farming system that wants to efficiently utilize nutrients, improve soil quality, and increase farm profitability, according to Alex Sundermeier, Ohio State University Extension Ag Agent in Woody County. Refer to this factsheet for more about cover crops: http://ohioline.osu.edu/sag-fact/pdf/0009.pdf.

Decisions on which cover crop to plant need to consider the following: Brassica Oilseed radish (see photo from fall 08 plots in Defiance County) has the ability to recycle soil nutrients, suppress weeds and pathogens, break up compaction, reduce soil erosion, and produce large amounts of biomass. Freezing temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees will kill oilseed radish, which allows for successful no-till spring planting of subsequent crops. As a fast growing, cool season cover crop, oilseed radish is best utilized when planted after small grain, early soybean or corn silage harvest. Excess nutrients in manure amended soil are rapidly absorbed by this cover crop, thus preventing leaching or runoff of nutrients into water systems. Without an abundant source of nitrogen, oilseed radish growth will be limited, therefore its use is recommended after a manure application. Refer to this factsheet for more information: http://ohioline.osu.edu/sag-fact/pdf/Oilseed_Radish.pdf.

Homegrown Nitrogen
The availability and amount of the nitrogen produced can vary widely depending on summer planted legume growth and nutrient content. Soybeans can be used as an economical cover crop but might contribute to a soybean cyst nematode problem. Cowpea is better adapted to hot, dry weather and will grow rapidly until a killing frost in the fall. Austrian Winter Pea is a legume that may or may not survive the winter when summer planted. If winter pea is planted in mid-September, fall growth will be limited but winter survival is improved, and spring growth will contribute nitrogen. Summer planted clovers usually do not establish well in hot, dry weather.

Crop Progress as of July 10, 2009

2009-07-10T15:15:00.007-04:00

I spent some time on the road this week scouting fields along my route on County Road L and County Road B from east to west. Growth staging, populations counts, insect and disease were observations made on corn and soybean fields from Williams to Lucas County lines.

This is what I saw:

Soybeans stages range from v2 to R2. Many plants were showing flower buds but were not yet open, so in the next week we should be seeing many more plants move into R1 (Beginning Flowering). From an insect standpoint, I did find the first soybean aphids of the season near Fayette, but before you get two excited it was a spot in the field with 10-15 per plant on 20% of the plants and second spot in the field had no aphids. Also there were 50 other fields with no aphids to be found either. So we are very early in the development of this insect pest. Scouting the bud to the top fully expanded leaf would be the place to start. The threshold is a population building up to 250 aphids per plant. Other insects such as Japanese Beetle and Bean leaf beetle were hard to find as well. Diseases other than some brown spot were absent as well. The biggest observation is plants were finally starting to look good and canopy over.

From a population and row spacing standpoint on soybeans, this is what I saw:

2009 Soybean Row Sapcing and Plant Population Observations, Fulton County.
Number of fields	Row spacing (inch)	Population	Range
30	7.5	155000	90000-321000
13	15	130000	84000-188000
8	30	122500	96000-153000
Average	12.9	143250

Corn populations were 28,750 on average across 41 fields with a range of 24,000 to 36,000 plants per acre. No corn was yet in a reproductive stage. A couple of fields were in the V14 stage with one of those fields starting to show ear shoots. Growth stages ranged V5 to V14, but the majority was V10-V12. From an insect standpoint, I was finding European Corn Borer injury in 7 of 41 fields but the activity was less than 5% infestation and one borer per plant with one exception. The exception field had 40% infested plants and the larvae were an inch long. There was no evidence of disease on corn.

Wheat was starting to be harvested. Of 9 fields along the route, 2 were harvested; 2 had just been opened up and 5 were not yet touched. Moisture's are still above 16% in many fields and straw is tough in some locations, which is holding some back from making progress.

The obvious statement for the area is we could use a good drink of water. We are advancing towards the critical reproductive stages and there is some drought stressed crops out there both with sand ridges and some heavy clay soils. Hopefully rain will come tonight minus the bad things we get with thunderstorms.

Should I use a Fungicide on my Corn Crop?

2009-07-09T16:06:00.004-04:00

Several different Universities have addressed this question in their latest newsletter and all come to the same conclusions. "Fungicides are a very profitable in corn production when diseases that are controlled by the fungicide is present to a susceptible hybrid."

This goes back to the disease triangle that governs whether disease increases to yield limiting levels. Basically three things, when they are in place, cause disease to quickly develop: 1) a susceptible variety /hybrid 2) the pathogen is present and 3) the environmental conditions are suitable. For example we are harvesting our wheat crop and this year we experienced very little head scab. Across the varieties we plant we had susceptible varieties, the head scab fungus was very likely around but the weather conditions were not prime, so we see virtually no scab. In fact for 2009 you could plug several wheat diseases into this picture, with the same result, little disease pressure for 2009 and a fairly clean crop.

The latest issue of Crop Observation and Recommendation Network (C.O.R.N.) Newsletter has yields results from Ohio research last year showed the following "The untreated checks ranged from 73.6 to 177.96 bu/A, with an average of 109.8 bu/A, whereas in fungicide-treated plots, yields ranged from 68.19 to 188.49 bu/A, with an average of 109.55 bu/A. In 12 of the 20 trials, treated plots had numerically higher yields than the checks, however, the yield difference varied considerable from trial to trial. Yield differences between treated and untreated plots (treated minus untreated) ranged from -16.70 to 10.53 bu/A across all 20 trials, with an average difference of -0.28 bu/A. Similar fungicide trials were conducted by university researchers across the Corn Belt, with similar results. Depending on the fungicide, average yield differences between treated and non-treated were between -1.2 and 4 bu/A when foliar disease severity was less than 5% and between 1.6 and 10 bu/A when severity was greater than 5%."

Currently the corn crop does not have a diseases of note. In fact as of my latest scouting I did not see anything at all.

The University of Illinois crop newsletter The Bulletin and Kentucky Corn and Soybean Newsletter also have an article in their edition's this week.

Collection Days for Old Pesticide from the Farm Announced by ODA

2009-07-09T08:45:00.002-04:00

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has announced the dates and locations for the Farm Pesticide Collection Program. This pesticide collection service is free of charge for local farmers to properly dispose of unused farm chemicals. The program is for farm pesticides ONLY. No household or non-farm pesticides or chemicals such as paint, antifreeze or solvents will be accepted. No pesticides will be accepted from commercial companies.

The 2009 dates and locations are:

Clark County
August 12, 10:30 - 2:30
Clark County Fairgrounds
4401 S. Charleston Pike
Springfield, OH 45502

Huron County
September 9, 10:30 - 2:30
Transfer Station
2413 Townline Road 131
Williard, OH 44890

Noble County
September 15, 10:30 - 2:30
Noble County Fairgrounds
Caldwell, OH 43724

All collections will run from 10:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. For more information, contact Ohio Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Regulation Section, (800) 282-1955, ext. 31

The disposal is only for farm pesticides and not for commercial companies or homeowners. Information is also on the Pesticide Safety Education Program website at: http://pested.osu.edu/pesticidecollection.htm

Wheat Harvest in Full Swing

2009-07-08T09:03:00.004-04:00

On July 7th wheat harvest was in full swing south of the river in Henry and Wood County. About 20% of the acres had been harvested but combines were running full tilt. Bruce Clevenger, OSU Extension in Defiance County also indicated harvest was underway there as well. The Northwest Agricultural Research Station, OARDC completed their harvest of experimental plots on July 7. Yields were in the 80-100 bushel range. Test weight were in the 61 bushel area and moisture was around 14.5%. Wheat harvest in northern Henry and Fulton County was also underway as of July 8th.

Yield ranges from farm reports so far are in the 70 to a high of 115 bushels per acre range.

Price on the Downhill Slide

2009-07-06T13:43:00.005-04:00

From planting through late April through mid June prices took a steady upward path to around $4.70 for '09 corn and $10.90 for '09 soybeans on the Chicago Board of Trade futures prices. Since mid June prices have been lower with the steapest declines in the 09 corn price to $3.47 near what prices were back in late December 08. Below are charts from the CBOT for the December corn and November soybeans. For landlords and other market observers this decline may have been unnoticed but will certainly be felt for those who do not have these two grains forward priced.

Oats after Wheat for Forage

2009-07-01T08:59:00.005-04:00

We have seen feed prices increase over the past several years as grain production and forage production compete for acres. On way to increase forage production is to double up on acres and one recommendation that has been productive is planting oats after wheat harvest. OSU Extension Program Assistant, in Fairfield County Stan Smith has worked on this project over the past seven years and has found results of a early August planting resulting in 2-5 tons and pretty consistent 3 plus tons of dry matter. There is a need for a little bit of nitrogen fertilizer 40-50 pounds, a glyphosate application to knock down weeds and 80-100 pounds of seed oats.

The latest issue of the Beef Cattle Newsletter has a nice article summarizing what Stan has found works best and links to additional information on their work from the past seven years. A few folks have used the practice up this way and generally found it to be a practice worth considering.

Below are a couple photo's from Fairfield County and summer sowed oats.

Soybean Aphid Update as of 6/30/09

2009-06-30T15:30:00.004-04:00

The every other year appearance of soybean aphid levels that reach thresholds levels of 250 aphid aphid per plant would be expected in 2009 if history is a guide. The reality is that since 2005 when a high percentage of soybean acres were sprayed we have not seen much of this insect. 2007 was a complete bust due to a April freeze. The question of how bad a year this year will be is still open.

Some area of Ohio and the midwest have found high levels of soybean aphid already on some of the first planted fields. Trumbull and Wayne County (NE Ohio) plus Sandusky have reports of finding low levels of soybean aphid.

I scouted three of the early fields today in Fulton County (these fields were emerged in the Ve stage on 5/16/09) which were V5-R1 stage. I was unable to find any aphid activity on any of the plants. Keep in mind the look alike insect that can be confused with soybean aphid. One field did have an active population of potato leafhopper. The difference between leafhopper and aphid is easily seen with the activity of the insect. Aphid will not move at all while the leafhopper will skate quickly across the leaf when disturbed.

I will continue to scout and let you if we see any development of soybean aphid.

An excellent article highlighting the status of soybean aphid can be found in the 2009-20 issue of the C.O.R.N. newsletter.

Soybean Rust Appears Ready to Repeat History in 2009

2009-06-25T09:45:00.008-04:00

Soybean Rust has been a threat lurking in the background of our soybean production seasons since it discovery in the US in November of 2004. SBR's overwintering location in the southern US and the biology of the disease have not come together to threaten the main soybean production areas of the midwest during the growing season. The 2009 season appears to be following the pattern of past growing season-soybean rust is in the south in isolated areas and development is slow enough that we are not concerned in Northwest Ohio. Shown are observation map from June 25, 2008 and 2009. The 2009 map shows more counties with observations of soybean rust as compared to 2008 but the progression has slowed as the weather has dried. This is good news in that the threat of soybean rust is not any greater than historically for 2009.

For more information on SBR see the Ohio State University Soybean Rust website or the SBR PIPE website for US observation information.

Rainfall varies across area

2009-06-22T14:38:00.009-04:00

Rainfall varied across Northwestern Ohio from around an inch to over 4 inches from Friday and Saturday night rains based on local reports. The table below shows weather site data available on 6/22. To date we have accumulated 945 GDD since April 1.

Location	Rainfall 6/19-6/20	GDD since 4/1/09
Wauseon	2.31	-
Napoleon	-	-
Montpieler	1.96	-
Toledo Express	2.75	-
Northwest Ag Research Station	2.16	945

Size Matters with Yield Loss from Weeds

2009-06-22T14:29:00.004-04:00

Yield losses from competing weeds is a matter of timing and size. Weeds that emerge with the crop are most competitive because the weeds tend to grow faster than the crop they are planted in. This is very true for Giant Ragweed. Picture 1 shows a 8 inch weed in a soybean field. Picture 2 shows a 15 inch weed in the same soybean field. The 8 inch weed has already reduced yield by 5-6% and the 15 inch has reduced yield by 10% plus even when they are removed at this stage based on research from across the midwest. Put a priority on weed control in these fields over the next few days.

Wheat Head Scab-Early Reports Indicate Low Year

2009-06-19T15:06:00.002-04:00

Early report from southern Ohio found low levels of head scab in wheat. (See Crop Observation and Recommendation Network Newsletter 2009-18). Early scouting from Northwest Ohio are showing the same. Report from Putnam and VanWert indicate levels less than 3%. Scouting two Fulton County fields yield a 0% rating. One field had a few scattered heads that did not show up in random survey stops and the second field was a true zero with not any scabby heads seen. I will be scouting a few more fields next week.

As far as any other diseases the first field was very clean. The second field did show have some rust and also a physiological burn on the flag leaf. The lower canopy of the field also had stagnospora lesion but this never progressed to the flag leaf.

Replanting Soybeans

2009-06-12T09:21:00.003-04:00

Soybean emergence has less than desirable in some areas of fields. Wetter areas or soils with higher clay content and cool conditions have been responsible for thin stands. Much of the replanting going on at this point is the no-brainer type of decision,if there are no plants there is no yield potential. Areas that have stands become somewhat questionable as to whether we patch in or take what we have.

Generally if we have 75,000 plants per acre we can expect near maximum yields. For a 30 inch row we need 5 plants per foot of row, 15 inch rows we need 3 plants per foot, 10 inch rows need 2 plants per foot and 7 inch rows 1 plant per foot to meet this threshold plant number. These type of stands will not suffer yield losses, but weed control maybe more of a challenge which will be a problem for most fields this year given the calendar date and sizes of plants.

Stand of less than 50,000 start to loss 5-7 bushels per acre. While this loss is real it is also a given teat soybeans planted in mid June to early July will not have as great a yield potential as earlier planting dates. So likely the decision to replant even stands at 50,000 is a wash economically.

A couple of good references on the soybean replant decision can be found from Iowa State University and Purdue University for further reading.

How fast does corn grow?

2009-06-02T10:13:00.002-04:00

With corn sidedressing just beginning and several days of wet weather for the week some may become concerned about getting the job done before the corn is too tall. In survey's late last week most of the corn was just emerging to V2-3. If we use the leaf collar method of describing corn growth we would like to be done before we hit the V6-7 stage.

Dr Nielsen from Purdue University has a guide for how many growing degree days it takes to advance the crop on collar stage. It takes approximately 82 GDD to grow a leaf collar. For the week of May 25 to 31 we averaged 15 GDD per day. In this case we will advance a growth stage every 5.5 days.

The other fact working for a longer sidedress period in 2009 will be that generally later planted crops do not have as much height to them. So a v6 in 2009 will be shorter than the same stage in an earlier planted year like 2008. We should expect a longer access period to get nitrogen on crops this year.

Do higher corn prices justify more nitrogen?

2009-06-02T10:02:00.005-04:00

With rising grain prices and rain keeping us out of the fields it may be worthwhile to take a look at nitrogen rates for 2009. The table shows various nitrogen cost and $4.50 per bushel corn to calculate the maximum return to nitrogen application. Rates that approach 180 seem to be in the ballpark except with nitrogen above 50 cents per unit.

The nitrogen rate calculator for Ohio can be found at: http://agcrops.osu.edu/fertility/documents/New_Nitrogen_Recommendations_2009_new.xls

Crop Progress as of 5/29

2009-06-01T08:34:00.005-04:00

I took the usual route along County Road L and County Road B on Friday in Fulton County. As suspected, since 5/19 a lot of progress in planting was made. Corn was planted in 39 fields and were 100% emerged, 38 soybean fields with 50% emerged and 10 fields were not planted. Generally emergence in these fields is excellent. Even a couple of fields with crusted soils on 5/19 have good stands. Corn planting is nearly complete and soybean planting is 98% completed for the county.

There are 10 wheat fields and the growth stage was generally in growth stage 10.5 (flowering) with 1 field at 10.1 (just prior to flowering). While head scab would seem to be a concern, the head scab model shows a low potential for head scab http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/riskTool_2009.html.

Rainfall Benefits Area

2009-05-29T10:42:00.002-04:00

After a good stretch of weather from May 17 until the 26 allowed a lot of planting progress to occur. I will be traveling through the west half of the county this afternoon to get a better idea of progress that has been made in this area which had been unable to make much progress as of the 19th.

Rainfall for the 27th and 28th seems to have varied a great deal across the area. Local reporting station saw the following amounts:

Wauseon 1.54 inches
Napoleon 1.00 inches
Montpilier 2.28 inches
Defiance (missing data)
OARDC NW Ag Research Station .55 inches
Toledo Airport 1.00 inches

Local reports have been in the 1 to 2.5 inch rangewhicxh included Pettisville and Delta in the 2 inch range. So the heavy showers were spotty.

The rainfall should help fields that were crusted over and improve emergence. The rains generally came measured out so that little standing water was seen.

Planting Progress Update

2009-05-20T09:56:00.003-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I traveled the route I have been using to monitor crop progress the past 2 years that runs the width of the county using Road B and L. I have fields in every mile that I stop at to make observations. Yesterday I was primarily concerned with planting progress and emergence. The Table below shows observations from yesterday and also compares to the planted crop for 2008.

The area of the county west of 108 has areas with very little planting. Some tillage was happening yesterday but soils were still wet. Hopefully the next day or two will change that condition dramatically.

Corn progress has been made and based on yesterday I would suspect we are 55-65 % completed on corn planting. About 50% of corn has emerged with stands looking good. In a couple of area surface hardness maybe a problem with emergence of corn planted in the last week.

Soybeans are really just off to a good start are we are in the 10 -20% planted range. Emergence is just a couple percent but stands looked good here as well. There was a field with surface compaction that could be a problem with emergence.

Wheat is entering the Growth Stage 10 or the boot stage. The crop is "clean and green". I could really find no evidence of disease or insect in the crop.

Hopefully Mother Nature will spare us rain into late next week and we can get planting knocked out soon.

Did Freezing Temps Affect Wheat?

2009-05-19T08:39:00.003-04:00

The cold temperatures on the morning of May 18 have a some questioning whether there will be any effect on the wheat crop. Based on reports from area weather station the lowest recorded temperature was 34 for Toledo, 35 for Wauseon, 36 at OARDC NW Ag Research Station and 37 for Napoleon,& Defiance. The coldest temps lasted for about 1 hour based on hour by hour data from OARDC NW Ag Research Station. The current CORN Newsletter address wheat development and cold temperatures. Based on this information it would seem we have little concern of injury in wheat from the cold temperatures Monday morning.

Air temperatures dropped to an average of about 35 degrees on at least two nights over the past week. Understandably, some wheat producers are concerned that these relatively low temperatures may have caused some damage to their crop. Thirty-five degrees is really not a problem, however, we do not know what temperatures the wheat head actually experienced. We will have to see what happens over the next few days. At our current growth stage, between Feekes 9 and 10, in northern counties and between heading and flowering in southern Ohio, the yield effect of frost can range from moderate to very severe if temperatures drop to 24 - 28 F for two or more hours. It all depends on the variety, the growth stage, how cold it was, and the length of time plants were exposed to the cold temperatures. The amount of damage is a function of both time of exposure and the temperature, but no one has any numbers that we know of. We just don't know. For example, 28 degrees for 30 minutes may be as bad as 31 degrees for a long period.

Freezing temperatures between boot and flowering may cause spikes to be trapped in boot, leaf discoloration, floret sterility, and damage to the lower stems. The damage tends to be most severe with the greatest yield impact between heading and flowering. The head has some protection from cold temperatures until it emerges, but is easily damaged after emergence. Sterility and stem damage may lead to yield loss, however, since it is highly unlikely that all the plants in a field were at the same growth stage and were equally exposed to temperatures below 30 F, the overall damage may be minimal and restricted to low areas of the field. At most there may be some leaf tip burn on more sensitive varieties. Wheat is a winter crop and can tolerate cold temperatures.

The visual symptoms of frost injury to the heads appear as bleached glumes (and can be confused with scab or take-all). Additionally, freeze damaged florets appeared to be lighter green in color than unaffected florets on the heads. Remember, you can not detect damaged fields from the roadway; you will need to walk the field and inspect individual heads to see if there is any damage.

Cereal Leaf Beetle

2009-05-18T10:59:00.003-04:00

I have not had specific reports but cereal leaf beetle seems to be more prevalent the past few years and something you may not have seen. The following information appeared in the last issue of Crop Observation and Recommendation Network Newsletter.

Reports of the insect being more active than usual in lower central Michigan and other locations in northern Ohio. All of this suggests that wheat growers should begin scouting their fields for potential problems.

Of more importance is the cereal leaf beetle threshold. Ohio has historically used an average of 2 or more larvae per stem as the economic threshold, the time when an insecticide application should be considered. This has been in effect for the past 30-40 years, during which the cereal leaf beetle has not been a major concern. We have recently searched the literature on cereal leaf beetle thresholds on wheat from many wheat growing states, including some of our neighboring states. It became evident that our threshold is perhaps too high; most if not all the other states have a lower threshold of one larva per stem or flag leaf. Thus, we believe it appropriate to lower the threshold for cereal leaf beetle in Ohio to one larva per stem or flag leaf.

As mentioned last week, insecticides for control are available at http://entomology.osu.edu/ag/images/sgiclb.pdf . And for organic growers, remember that Entrust is a spinosad product that is permissible on organic crops, being that it is OMRI listed.

Planting Progress

2009-05-12T13:35:00.001-04:00

Frequent rains have put spring planting behind. Ohio Agriculture Statistics reports spring planting of corn through May 10 was at 22% in 2009 compared to 47% in 2008 and soybeans were 13% and 19% respectively. Locally as of May 12, we have about 30 to 35% of the corn and maybe up to 10-15 % of the soybean crop in the ground. In 2008 we had a couple week period that allowed many folks to complete their corn planting in April.

We have missed some rains and with some well drained field, planters were working over the weekend. While a week ago we were behind some southern areas of Ohio we have caught up over the past week,” said Greg LaBarge, Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension.

Soil temperature conditions have been cool but not necessarily more so than in 2008. At the Northwest Agriculture Research Station of OARDC 2 inch soil temperatures for the first 10 days of May were 57.5 degrees in 2009 and 57.9 degrees in 2008.

Wheat Scouting Report 5/8/09

2009-05-11T08:29:00.003-04:00

Late last week I scouted wheat in the southeast portion of Fulton County. The wheat growth stage is near growth stage 9 in two fields and generally 8-9 would catch the majority of fields.

From an insect standpoint there were just a few aphids at 1 per foot of row would be the average on 2 of 5 fields.

Disease was not present. Powdery mildew was non existent and no signs of any other diseases as well.

Timely tips for late 2009 corn and soybean planting

2009-05-05T10:40:00.003-04:00

There is nothing more important at this point in time than to focus on planting. The most recent Crop Observation and Recommendation Network (C.O.R.N.) Newsletter has articles on weed control and planting corn and soybeans that will be valuable in knowing what to focus on in late planting and maybe some steps to skip to increase your efficiency as the weather breaks. The highlights are:

Corn-

Skip P & K Starter on high soil testing soils above 40 ppm P or with conventional tillage between 20-40 ppm P.
If No-tilling then use starter when soil test are between 20-40 ppm.
Apply 30 pound N banded or broadcast in cool wet soils.
Minimize tillage passes.
Do not worry about hybrid changes until after May 20 planting long season hybrids first.
Seed rates that were higher for early planting can be reduced to normal to account for warmer soils.

Soybeans

Soybeans planted later in the season benefit more from narrow rows since vegetative growth will be limited.
Make sure seed placement is controlled. In other words keep travel speeds reasonable to assure good seed placement.

Weed Control

A later start means larger weeds that maybe beyond what tillage will get so use glyphosate prior to planting as a burndown. More detail can be found in this article from Mark Loux.
If you want to eliminate 2,4-D from the burndown for soybeans to meet label restrictions on planting then the most comprehensive burndown in soybeans is likely to occur with a mixture of glyphosate and a chlorimuron-containing product (Canopy, Valor XLT, Synchrony, Envive). Next best would be a mixture of glyphosate with a cloransulam-containing product (Firstrate, Sonic, Gangster, Authority First), which can be more effective on marestail and ragweeds than mixtures of chlorimuron and glyphosate, but may be less effective on most other no-till weeds. A full article can be found here.

ODA Approves Simplified Private Applicator Pesticide Recordkeeping Rules

2009-05-01T08:45:00.001-04:00

The new ODA rules on private recordkeeping have been finalized and are posted on the Ohio Department of Agriculture's website at: http://www.agri.ohio.gov/apps/odaprs/pestfert-PRS-index.aspx

The new record changes are simplifications of the previous recordkeeping requirements and should make recordkeeping easier for growers. Previously, Ohio growers had to keep more items than federal law and many other states required. For private applicators, the items now required are the same as the federal recordkeeping requirements and will be consistent with many other state requirements. Growers using the old recordkeeping requirements, are NOT out of compliance--they will just be keeping more items than are now required. Below are the new requirements.

Private applicator restricted use records must be kept for three years and must include:

(a) The responsible private applicator's name and license number
(b) The brand or product name and EPA registration number of the restricted use pesticide applied
(c) The total amount of the restricted use pesticide applied
(d) Location and/or field number for area treated and total area or acreage treated
(e) Crop treated
(f) Month, day and year of application

Note: Under the new rules, if a grower applies either a general use or restricted use pesticide for a neighbor under the neighbor exemption (Revised Code 921.26 (D)) he/she must record this information for all applications.

However, we always recommend that growers keep records of all their pesticide applications whether required by law or not.

Alfalfa Weevil Activity and Scouting

2009-04-30T13:53:00.005-04:00

We have accumulated enough Growing Degree Days that small alfalfa weevil larvae should be active in fields. Generally this pest does not develop into a problem but there have been a couple of years out of the last 20 where a spray to control would be warranted. Alfalfa feeding should be focused at the growing tip of the crop. At this point the larvae will be very small with a black head as they develop the size and amount of feeding increase.

To sample for alfalfa weevil, gather 10 stems per area and shake the stem into a bucket dislodging the larvae and counting the number of larvae in the bottom of the bucket. The number of larvae are then compared to the height of the stem to determine if treatment is warranted using the chart below:

A fact sheet reference with more detail can be found at: http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0032.pdf

Wheat is in Growth Stage 6 to 7-Jointing

2009-04-27T15:06:00.003-04:00

Wheat is in Growth Stage 6 to 7 which is jointing. This is a crucial stage for management decisions.

First, by now we should have applied topdress nitrogen. From this point on delays in adding N will decrease yield. The majority of the wheat appears to have been topdressed but if any fields remain make them a priority.

Second, any herbicides used from this point on require a careful label review. Some herbicides will cause crop injury when applied after jointing. The 2009-7 CORN Newsletter has an article the topic. If weeds need to be controlled from this point on you can refer to the Ohio/Indiana Weed Control Guide Bulletin 789. Page 141 of this publication shows growth stages and herbicide products graphically.

Third, scouting for diseases should happen in the next couple weeks. A priority would be varieties that are susceptible to powdery mildew, Septoria blotch and Stagonospora blotch. Bulletin 785 has more information on yield loss by suceptibility that is a useful scouting guide. A handy reference on fungicides is also available.

Do not Just Look at the Herbicide Trade Name Look at the Active Ingredient

2009-04-24T08:18:00.003-04:00

In recent years there has tended to more remixing of current active ingredients in new premixes rather than the introduction of new chemistry due to the competitive nature of today's herbicide market. Thus from year to year a product with a simliar trade name may have a very different mix of active ingredients and/or concentrations that could change there use and precautions.

An article in The Bulletin from the University of Illinois by Aaron Hager highlight the active ingredients from several common herbicides. He made the following observation:

A brief examination of names of herbicides currently on the market demonstrates that several active ingredients are marketed under more than one trade name/formulation. For example, the active ingredient isoxaflutole is marketed as Balance Pro and Balance Flexx. Even though the active ingredient in the two products is identical and the trade names are very similar, several important differences between the products mean that their use patterns are not necessarily interchangeable.

Other differences among the various products also become apparent. Resolve DF and Resolve SG are different formulations of rimsulfuron that contain the same amount of active ingredient per unit of formulated product, so application rates are identical. However, while Resolve Q also contains rimsulfuron, it has thifensulfuron as well. Both Flexstar and Flexstar GT can be applied postemergence to glyphosate-resistant soybean varieties, but only Flexstar can be applied to non-GMO soybean varieties.

The full article can be found at http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/bulletin/article.php?id=1095 provides a table of product formulations and active ingredients applied at label rates.

Does Early Planting = Higher Soybean Yields?

2009-04-21T10:13:00.003-04:00

D.B. Egli and P.L. Cornelius from the University of Kentucky recently took a number of planting date studies from across the US, including Ohio. and did an analysis of maximizing yield by planting date. What they found is that there was no consistent advantage to early planting. The study divided out results by region, midwest, upper south and deep south. They found very similar responses to planting data regardless of region. Planting dates from mid-April to late May resulted in similar yield averages. What the data did show was a definate yield loss when planting date was delayed past May 30 in the Midwest (0.7 % per day), June 7 in the upper south(1.1% per day) and May 27 in the deep south(1.2% per day).

The authors reasoned that the steady decline from late planting could be a response to changes in the plant or changes in the plant's environment or some combination of these factors. The discuss photosynthesis, temperature, reproductive versus vegetative among other issues that explain this response.

Their conclusion was if the soil is ready in late April farmers should start planting but realize it may not necessarily increase yields.

The full article can be found http://agron.scijournals.org/content/vol101/issue2/ under 'Production Agriculture'

Four Steps to Better Bean Yields

2009-04-20T10:44:00.003-04:00

"We use to see 40 bushel beans in the 1940's when we first started growing soybeans and last year I was still growing 40 bushels beans" was a question from the hallway last Friday with a couple area farmers. Their question has been on my mind. I do not have all the answers but a few things that could lead to better bean yields if the proper attention has not been given to these areas. I assume the first question of are we picking high yielding genetics has already been answered and is the starting point.

What soil borne problems do you have? Probably the two biggest things we need to consider is phytohpthora root rot, pythium and soybean cyst nematode. If we are not accounting for the presence of these diseases in our production we are losing yield. Phytothora needs to be looked at in a total management way with use of genetic resistance, variety tolerance and seed treatments in a total package to control this critical disease. Pythium likewise needs to be controlled with seed treatment and the treatments are similar to phythothora. An detailed article for more reference Soybeans :When to use a seed treatment and which seed treatment to use? was in a recent CORN Newsletter article. The other consideration from a soil standpoint is soybean cyst nematode. This is a silent yield robber resulting in stunted plants that could be from any number of other things. If you have have not checked field for this problem it can make a significant difference. More information can be found in SCN Factsheet.
Soil Compaction is another concern. Soybeans have a tap root and compaction layers can substantially alter the root system. Last summer I watched a field that had a compacted area that seemed to be behind all year long. The root system went down about 4 inches and made a 90 degree turn. The plants got growth to them late season and it would have been easy to just write it off as just wet area but the yield was substantially lower.
If you are letting weeds get more than 6 inches tall before controlling them in May and June you are losing yield. Post emergence applications should be planned to assure these first weed flushes do not get ahead of the crop. By 9 inches tall you have lost 6% or 3.6 bushels on 60 bushel beans or at 12 inches 10% or 6 bushels. A good article on weed competition and yield loss in beans is Benefits of Pre Herbicides in Roundup Ready Management Systems.
Don’t forget the inoculant! For a number of years, Dr. Jim Beuerlein has evaluated these and they have provided a return on investment. If you are applying inoculant at the same time as the seed treatment be sure that it is a safe combination. 2007 data from these studies can be found at http://agcrops.osu.edu/soybean/documents/12007INOCFINALREPORT.pdf

Before You Destory a Wheat Field...

2009-04-17T11:25:00.004-04:00

If you have a field that will be destroyed and planted to corn or soybeans you do need to visited with Farm Service Agency and file some paperwork. They will need you to fill out a failed crop report and need some information from you about the planting being destroyed. If you have crop insurance you will want to contact your agent as well before destroying the crop.

Wet feet affects wheat

2009-04-17T09:13:00.002-04:00

The wet weather since mid march has taken wheat back in some areas of fields and in a few cases nearly entire fields. Just a few reminders on evaluating wheat stands.

Plant stand for good yields. We look for a minimum stand of 12 tillers per foot of row, but we like to see 20 or more per foot of row.
Evaluated plant health. If there are low-lying areas in the field or areas with unhealthy-looking plants, remove a few plants from those areas and observe the roots and crowns for discoloration. Gently remove (preferentially by washing) the dirt from the roots, and look for darkish areas or lesions. Healthy roots and crowns typically have a milky-white color, compared to the dark discoloration usually seen on infected roots. Remember, it is not uncommon for the older, lower leaves of the plant to die at this time of the year.
What nitrogen rate should I use. Studies over the last five years have shown that yields were the same or slightly better when a single application occurred at Feekes 6 (first node visible of early stem elongation) compared to initial greenup. To determine N rates consider yield potential N rate = 40 + [1.75 x (yield potential – 50)]

Based on the equation above and deducting 20 lb from a fall application, we would recommend a spring application of
- 110 lb N per acre for a yield potential of 100 bu,
- 90 for 90 bu potential;
- 70 for a 80 bu potential and
- 40 lb N per acre for a 60 bu potential.

For more information on nitrogen rates refer to http://corn.osu.edu/story.php?setissueID=283&storyID=1684

Crop, Disease & Insect Update Fulton Co

2008-08-08T09:30:00.003-04:00

Soybeans have improve in appearance and yield outlook over the past month. The dry weather has allowed the plants to root down, nodulation to provide nitrogen and some of the damaged plants to recover. During my August 6&7 trip through the county, the bean stage of growth ranged from R1 to R6 with 84% of the beans in R4-R6 stage. R4 is the full pod stage where a 3/4 inch pod is on one of the four upper nodes. R6 is full seed where a pod containing a green seed fills the cavity at one of the four upper nodes.
Soybean Insects-From and insect standpoint Japanese beetle are the most prevalent insect, some bean leaf beetle were found and a few grasshopper. For these defoliating insect plants in R4-R5 can tolerate 15% defoliation and R6-R8 (Maturity) 25% defoliation when looking at the entire plant.
Soybean Aphid were found in 6 of 44 fields but at very low levels of less than 1 per plant on average. The highest single plant counts were 10 aphids per plant. Fields that had aphids also had Asian Lady Beetles active on plants with higher populations. The threshold for insecticide treatment is still 250 aphids per plant plus with the advancing growth stage most field will not require treatment. Instead what we are seeing is the normal off year build up of populations in the fall. Monitoring fields in flowering stages or double crop would be suggested. Another scouting focus would be field that were treated with insecticides during the week of July 28th. Fields treated this week would have had beneficial insects killed which may allow for the rapid build up of Soybean Aphid is those fields depending on the residual length of the insecticide used and the growth stage of the plants.
Disease is generally limited to brown spot on the lower leaves but some downy mildew is beginning.

Corn has all progressed into the reproductive stages. Some corn is still pollinating and is in the blister stage. A majority of the corn is the R3 or milk stage which is very comparable to what we eat as sweet corn in appearance. A few fields show aborted or unpollinated kernels and ear tips not filled to the end. Diseases are still generally very low. The 2008-25 issue of C.O.R.N. has two articles worth looking at Assessing the Success of Pollination in Corn and Evidence of Drought and Heat Stress Appearing in Corn Fields You can now find grayleaf spot and rust is still present but has generally not spread very far. Insects are low as well a few corn rootworm beetles and some evidence of European Corn Borer can be seen.

Wheat while 2008 crop is in the books 2009 planning has already begun. The 2008 Wheat Performance Trial Information is available on line and an article on Wheat Fungicide Seed Treatment can be found in the C.O.R.N. newsletter 2008-25 edition. If you are planning to use your own seed please take a close look at this for recommendation for wheat scab and glume blotch (Stagonospora nodorum) control since both were seen in the area with the 2008 crop.

Does the level of Corn Disease justify spraying?

2008-07-29T15:58:00.004-04:00

The answer here is no, unless you are working with a susceptible hybrid or variety and the disease is present. The most damaging diseases for Ohio would be Gray Leaf Spot and Northern Corn Leaf Blight. This year does seem to be providing the proper environment for rust and we are seeing high levels reported on popcorn and sweet corn which have low resistance to rust. Most all of the field corn have a good rust resistance built in. Information on corn rust can be found in the factsheet AC 0031-01 Common Corn Rust found below. All other scouting results have shown other common diseases to be at very low levels.

So why spray corn with fungicides? Bob Nielson, Purdue University Corn Agronomist has put together a compilation of some articles on this topic from around the country in an article entitled "Corn Fungicide Hoopla 2008". Dr Nielson provides the definition of hoopla and then links to several articles addressing the third party suggestions and evaluations of the practice.
If you want to get right to the yield data the best summary of midwestern data is assembled by the University of Illinois Making Profitable Fungicide Applications in Corn.

Common Corn Rust

AC-0031-01

Common corn rust rarely causes significant yield losses in Ohio field (dent) corn. However, occasionally field corn has been damaged when environmental conditions favor the development and spread of the disease. Sweet corn is generally more susceptible than field corn. Common rust can usually be found in corn fields sometime during the growing season, but generally does not appear before tasseling. In those years with exceptionally cool summers, and especially on late-planted fields or sweet corn, yield losses may be expected when the leaves above the ears become severely diseased.

Symptoms

Common rust of corn can be easily recognized by the development of dark, reddish-brown pustules scattered over both the upper and lower surface of the corn leaves. Pustules appear oval to elongate in shape, are generally small, less than 1/4 inch long, and are surrounded by the leaf epidermal layer, which appears as a whitish covering. These pustules may appear on any above ground portion of the plant, but are most abundant on the leaves.

Causal Fungus

Puccinia sorghi is the fungus causing common rust in corn. The reddish-brown color of the pustule is actually the coloration of the repeating spore or uredospores. These spores are produced throughout the summer and infect new leaf tissue and are responsible for the spread of the disease. As the corn plant matures the pustules turn a brownish-black color due to the development of the darker pigmented spores or teliospores. In tropical regions teliospores infect the rust's alternate host, wood sorrel (Oxalis species). In temperate areas, including the U.S. cornbelt, the fungus does not infect wood sorrel and the teliospores have no real function.

Disease Cycle

The rust fungus overwinters as uredospores on corn or as other spore forms on wood sorrel in subtropical and tropical regions. Spores capable of infecting corn are blown northward during the growing season and become established on the corn crop. Rust development and spread is favored by prolonged cool temperatures ranging from 60° to 74°F and high relative humidity. When these protracted cool, humid conditions exist, susceptible corn hybrids and sweet corn varieties can become seriously affected.

Control

Although rust is frequently seen on corn in Ohio, very rarely has there been need for control on field corn. In field corn, highly resistant hybrids are available and most hybrids possess some degree of resistance. Pop and sweet corn can be quite susceptible. In seasons where considerable rust is present on the lower leaves prior to silking and the weather forecast is for unseasonably cool, wet weather, chemical control may be necessary. Fungicides are available for rust control. Consult label recommendations for rates and application timing. Early application is necessary for effective disease control.

Crop Progress Pest Report as of 7/11/08-Fulton County

2008-07-22T08:21:00.003-04:00

Thursday and Friday afternoon last week I traveled the route of Road B and Road L between to Lucas and Williams County lines. I visited the same 35 Corn, 42 Soybean and 25 wheat fields that have been on the route. I was unable to get to a couple fields due to an accident investigation nearby.

Corn has progressed to the early pollination stages. In fact 12 (34%) of the fields were in the R1 stage (silking) , 9 (25%) fields were in VT (tassel) and 14 (40%) fields were in late vegetative (V10-V15). The crop generally looks good but there are water damage areas. Insect pressure is low with some European Corn Borer that had entered the stalk (4 of 35) and very limited numbers of Corn Rootworm beetles (2 of 35). It maybe just a little bit early to evaluate rootworm numbers but we after historically high numbers in 2007 it was noteworthy that very few were found. From a disease standpoint the only disease noted was leaf rust and it was generally just a pustule or two on a leaf and extremely limited in intensity.

Soybeans have generally taken this wet weather harder than the corn. Much of the worst loss of crop was east of 13. One 80 acre field was around 50% lost to flooding from July 2 and 3 rains. From a growth stage standpoint there were 5 (12%) fields in the R1 (beginning bloom), 34 (81%) in R2 (full bloom) and 3 (7%) in R3 (beginning pod). Digging up plants you were starting to see significant regrowth of the roots and some new nodulation. A few leaf feeding insects were present Japanese beetle and been leaf beetle could be found. From a disease standpoint brown spot was the most common disease with some phytopthora in a couple fields. More information on scouting for soybean disease can be found at http://ohioline.osu.edu/b827/0003.html

Wheat was harvested in all 28 wheat fields I had been following. There were still a couple wheat fields not harvested in between stops but we were approaching completion. Wheat yield reports appear to be in the 70-95 range with more it seems in the mid 70-80 range. It seems that 75% of the field were or will have the straw removed. From a nutrient standpoint a ton of straw contains 11 pounds of N, 3 pound of P2O5 and 15 pounds of K2O which at today's fertilizer prices are about $20 a ton plus the value of the organic matter. A general straw yield is 2.7 tons per acre.

Wheat Harvest Between Rainfall

2008-07-08T15:42:00.005-04:00

Wheat harvest began in Defiance County over the Independence Day weekend. A few well-drained fields were dry enought to support harvest equipment whereas, wetter fields wait for improved field conditions and for the crop to rippen. Early report provide good yields in the range of 70-85 bushel per acre with excellent test weight. Grain moisture is reported in the range of 14-16% with a few growers harvesting wheat a bit sooner than normal to plant double crop soybeans.

Forage harvest continues to be a challenge with the recent rainfall. Alfalfa producers should scout for potato leaf hoppers during the regrowth period following 1st cutting.

Soybean plants that remain in saturated soils are beginning to show phytophthora stem rot. Classic sympotoms are plants, scattered throughout the wet areas with the chocolate brown canker moving up the plant. The upper part of the plant will turn yellow and wilt.

Corn has entered a period of rapid growth and will soon be determining the number of kernals per row on the ear. This is usually complete about one week before silking (R1) or about the V17 stage.

July 2-3 Rains bring flooding concerns

2008-07-03T15:28:00.004-04:00

Today's rainfall report are astonishing. It appears the heaviest rainfall was north of the turnpike. Rainfall in the Wauseon area was 2.5 inches but north of the turnpike reports of 5-7.5 inches are common across much of northern Fulton County. Below are articles reprint from 2003 edition of CORN newsletter on flooding in corn and 2006 CORN related to soybean and flooding injury.

Early Season Ponding and Flooding Injury to Corn-Dr Peter Thomison

Recent heavy rains have generated questions about flooding and ponding injury in corn. The following are some tips to consider when evaluating possible damage from water saturated soil conditions.

The extent to which flooding injures corn is determined by several factors including: (1) plant stage of development when flooding occurs, (2) duration of flooding and (3) air/soil temperatures. Prior to the 6-leaf collar stage (as measured by visible leaf collars) or when the growing point is at or below the soil surface, corn can usually survive only 2 to 4 days of flooded conditions. The oxygen supply in the soil is depleted after about 48 hours in a flooded soil. Without oxygen, the plant cannot perform critical life sustaining functions; e.g. nutrient and water uptake is impaired, root growth is inhibited, etc. If temperatures are warm during flooding (greater than 77 degrees F) plants may not survive 24-hours. Cooler temperatures prolong survival. Once the growing point is above the water level the likelihood for survival improves greatly.

Even if flooding doesn't kill plants outright, it may have a long term negative impact on crop performance. Excess moisture during the early vegetative stages retards corn root development. As a result, plants may be subject to greater injury during a dry summer because root systems are not sufficiently developed to access available subsoil water. Flooding and ponding can also result in losses of nitrogen through denitrification and leaching.

If flooding in corn lasts less than 48 hours, crop injury should be limited. To confirm plant survival, check the color of the growing point. It should be white to cream colored, while a darkening and/or softening usually precedes plant death. Also look for new leaf growth 3 to 5 days after water drains from the field. Sometimes the growing point is killed by bacterial infections during and after flooding, but plant growth continues in the form of non-productive tillers (suckers).

Disease problems that become greater risks due to flooding and cool temperatures include pythium, corn smut, and crazy top. Despite fungicide seed treatments, pythium root rot contributed to serious stand reductions in many corn fields last year. The fungus that causes crazy top depends on saturated soil conditions to infect corn seedlings. There is limited hybrid resistance to these diseases and predicting damage from corn smut and crazy top is difficult until later in the growing season.

Flooding Injury to Soybeans - Anne Dorrance

Several past studies have evaluated the effects flooding on soybeans. Research projects led by Dr. Tara Van Toai of the USDA-ARS and Department of Horticulture and Crop Science. In one study, soybean plants at the V2 and V3 stages were flooded naturally due to excessive rainfall, something we are all familiar with. Two 9-m wide transects across the flooded area within each field were divided into plots of 9 m by 9 m according to flooding duration: no flooding, 1 to 3 d, 4 to 6 d, and 6 to 8 d. Yield was reduced primarily due to reduced plant populations, shorter plants and fewer pods developing per plant. Other studies showed yield losses of 20% when soybean fields were flooded for greater than 2 days, but it should be noted they still had a yield. Some varieties can tolerate flooding more than others. For those fields with greater than two days of total saturation, ponding, can expect to see some long term effects. Secondary factors, such as root rots, will also contribute to the damage. Growers should note the varieties and compared varieties that were flooded for the same length of time. Some varieties will be impacted to a greater degree than others.

Head Scab Present but Low Counts

2008-07-02T09:18:00.006-04:00

On June 24 & 25, twelve fields across Fulton County were scouted for head scab. Head Scab causes part of or all of an individual head to be bleached out on close observation you may see a orangish-pink growth where the kernel is attached and the lower glume. Every field had some scabby heads in them. The average was 5.6% of the head affected. The range was 1-15%. Counts were made per foot of row. The average head count per foot of row was 38 heads. The head count compares with previous years 2006-38.8 and 2005-39.

Two fields had noticeable levels of Glume blotch which is a black coloration of the glumes that surround the kernel. This particular disease can impair grain fill and result in lower test weights.

Fulton County Crop Scouting Update 6/23/08

2008-06-23T09:13:00.008-04:00

During the past week I have done a crop scouting transect across Fulton County using County Road L and County Road B from the Lucas to the Williams County line. At each stop within a mile I noted crop growth stage, row width and plant population. Plus noted any weed, disease or insect presence. This is a summary of those observation.

The Corn crop has really taken off. The average growth stage would be V6 with a range of V3 to V9. Not surprisingly the crop is all planted in 30 inch rows the average plant population was 29,750 plants per acre. The range was 24,000 to 36,000. I did observe 1st generation corn borers at low levels in 3 fields of 37 fields scouted.

The Soybean crop is starting to work through the yellow stage from V1 to V2 where the seed nitrogen has run out and the nodules are fully fixing nitrogen. The average growth stage is V3 with a range of V1 to V6. Population and row widths are noted in the table below. The biggest pest problem is weeds which if they have not been taken care of should be a top priority. Lambsquarter, ragweeds and others are growing well in addition to the soybeans. Some Bean Leaf Beetle activity was noted but a very low levels. From a disease standpoint typical brown spot is seen but nothing that would be economical to treat.

Wheat continues to mature. A big change in color can be seen in the last week. Armyworm was being found in low numbers 1-3 per linear foot of row. Most wheat is at the point where all we need is a couple more weeks and we will be in harvest. Typically we start around July 10 and this seems to be our time frame at this point. Any high temps from this date on will hasten drydown. Harvest of wheat can begin as moisture reaches 18-22%. If you plan to double crop soybeans harvesting at higher moisture and running air on the wheat in the bin to finish drying to 13% can provide a couple day earlier planting date for double crop beans. Planting double crop beans after July 10 becomes increasingly less profitable and is why it is not a common practice here in NW Ohio. But has been successful if we have moisture about 1 out of 5 years. With soybean prices trading above $14.50 some will consider it. The current longterm weather forecast is somewhat favorable with the one month forecast of below average temperatures and above normal rainfall and the three month forecast of normal rainfall and temperatures .

More information on double cropping soybeans can be found at the link highlighted in the previous text.

What to Do with Thin Soybean Stands

2008-06-11T14:44:00.004-04:00

Most corn and soybean fields in the local area have gotten off to a good start. There are some soybean fields that are the exception and a decision on what to do with these fields will need to be made soon.

The thought process on replanting is sometime straight forward where large areas have not emerged. Several of the field I have seen are not quite as straight forward. The stands are thin or rows are missing but there are some beans there. Likely we are seeing the effects of some of the germination problems that were associated with some lots of seeds and difference in some cases of planting depth from row to row.

The first question to answer is, Is this a fairly even stand. If the stand is even then it is worth doing a stand count and if the population is 75,000-90,000 plants per then the potential of 90% is doable. This stand may require an extra herbicide pass to keep weeds under control, but this type of stand may at this point be best left alone.

If the stand is fairly uneven then a closer evaluation is required. A publication on soybean replanting from Iowa State does a good job of summarizing the stand evaluation process and I would highly recommend taking at look at it. Soybean Replant Decisions.

5/30 Crop Report for Fulton County

2008-05-30T13:55:00.003-04:00

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

2008-05-28T07:49:00.008-04:00

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...

2008-05-21T14:09:00.009-04:00

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

2008-05-21T13:23:00.002-04:00

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

2008-05-20T08:50:00.006-04:00

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

2008-05-14T15:20:00.005-04:00

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

2008-05-12T09:00:00.003-04:00

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

2008-05-05T08:50:00.000-04:00

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.

Fulton County planting progress is slow

2008-04-25T15:18:00.000-04:00

A slow start to planting due wet cool soils. Average soil temperatures reported at OARDC Northwest Agricultural Research Station are 56 degrees over the past week. Soils are starting to dryout with sunshine and winds helping but persistent wet spots are making most fields unsuitable for much heavy equipment. Most activities in the past week have been preplant fertilizer applications, hauling manure and preparing for planting.

Wheat is near Feekes growth stage 5. Good progress has been made on wheat topdressing.