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Ohio State University Extension

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C.O.R.N. Newsletter: 2015-03

  1. Warm days make me think of spring, or how to avoid diseases losses in 2015

    Author(s): Anne Dorrance

    My dog, Lily, and I were dodging ice patches on our nightly walk this week and could finally sense a hint of spring.  It is time to start getting ready for the field season.  As I look back over my data and pictures of wipe outs in Ohio, the biggest losses have occurred when the super susceptible soybean variety or corn, or wheat, was planted into a field where inoculum (pathogen population) was high and environmental conditions often occur.  The disease triangle is a great tool to remind us that limiting one of the factors (susceptible variety, inoculum, or environment) can greatly reduce losses due to diseases.  Producers have the most influence over the variety that is planted in a given field.  Now that the seed is ordered, or if you have field that has a risk of developing Sclerotinia white mold, Phytophthora seedling blight or stem rot or high populations of SCN, order that seed so you don’t get stuck later on down the road.

    Phytophthora sojae- this is in all fields in Ohio that have high clay content and are poorly drained.  We have a large and highly variable Phytophthora population here in this state, which most of the Rps genes are no longer effective.  It is critical for these parts of the state to choose varieties with high levels of partial resistance (also called tolerance or field resistance).  For the new producers in the state, an Rps gene is one that gives the plant resistance to some of the pathogen population but not all.  Breeders love them as they are single genes and very easy to add to a new variety.

    Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes Sclerotinia stem rot or white mold and is most often in a problem in northeast Ohio, north central, and last year there were also reports of this disease in the southwestern part of the state.  The sclerotia can survive for a long time, so it is important choose varieties with resistance.  Again, each company has a different rating scale so it is important to read the information on the resistance.  In the field, resistance is going to look like a fewer number of plants that infected and this resistance can be overwhelmed when conditions are very conducive to infection.  Planting at lower populations, enhancing air drainage (don’t surround that field with corn).

    Frogeye leaf spot.  This fungus disease is caused by a Cercospora that is specific to soybean.  There have been a few highly susceptible varieties that were planted in Ohio over the past decade.  The trick to this one is to rotate, this fungus can survive on the residue that is left in the field.  For the folks that insist on beans-back-to-beans, and for those that saw this in their fields last year – check the variety score for resistance to this pathogen and choose the best resistance.

    Soybean cyst nematode.  In addition to planting a resistant variety it is also good to know your numbers. Sounds like a cholesterol warning doesn't it?  In the case of SCN, less than 500 eggs per cup of soil and keeping it under 1,000 is what we need to shoot for on some fields.  Non-detectable levels are like gold.  If you haven’t tested in a while, my first question is, were the yields on each field above? Equal? or below the county average?  How many fields was the overall yield down to 30 bu/A.  Target the lowest yielding fields first.  If you have yield maps, especially for no-till farmers, target the low yielding pockets.  SCN will stay in that one pocket, but the pocket will get larger over time with no-till.  With cultivation, the pocket will get larger in the same direction that you till.

      

    All of these diseases are readily managed with host resistance, but it is up to you to know which fields have the highest amount of disease pressure/inoculum.  Read the seed company literature about their varieties, unfortunately some of the best information is in the teeny tiny print at the bottom of the tables.  Honestly soybean varieties are not all resistant to everything.  So take the time to know what you purchased, wish to purchase, and put it in the correct field.  Don’t get sold a variety targeted for western Iowa – they do well there but not here.

  2. OARDC Agronomy In-service: March 5 and 6, 2015

    Author(s): Pierce Paul

    The 2015 OARDC Agronomy In-service is fast approaching. This in-service is designed to give Extension Educators, Certified Crop Advisors, and stakeholders up-to-date and hands-on training on disease, insect, fertility, and general crop management issues facing the corn, wheat, and soybean industries in the state and across the country, with presentations and demonstrations by Extension State Specialists Drs. Peter Thomison, Pierce Paul, Andy Michel, Anne Dorrance, Laura Lindsey, and Steve Culman. To encourage participation and facilitate hands-on exercises, the number of attendees will usually limited to 35 per day (a total of 70 over the two days), on a first-come, first-serve basis. For program details visit: http://agcrops-cms.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/corn/newsletters/2015/2015-03/OARDC Agronomy In-service March 2015_Final.pdf and contact Teresa Funk at funk.67@osu.edu and 614-292-4077 regarding registration.        

  3. 2015 Soil Fertility On-Farm Projects

    Author(s): Steve Culman

    The Ohio State Soil Fertility Lab will be starting a number of projects this year that will only be successful with participation from farmer cooperators across the state. We are asking for your help with the projects outlined below.

    1) Revising Fertilizer Recommendations in Corn, Soybean, and Wheat

    We are in the process of updating the Tri-State Recommendations, looking specifically at N, P and K in corn, soybean and wheat. This is a major undertaking that will require a collective effort from numerous OSU extension personnel, crop consultants and farmer cooperators. We will cast a broad net to collect data from a large number of farms across the state and determine economically-optimum fertilization rates to maximize farmer profitability.

    Experiments will involve either applying additional fertilizer or no fertilizer to replicated strip plots. Farmers can choose which nutrient they’d like to work with and will have a large degree of flexibility in the plot layout and applied rates. We are ideally looking for farms that capture a diversity of soil types, and are especially interested in fields that test low in P and K. For a limited number of sites, the soil fertility lab can come in after planting and impose treatments and handle all the data collection. Farmers will be paid for their time and effort.

    Data to be collected:

    Soil sample before planting

    Leaf nutrient analysis at early reproductive stage

    Grain yields at harvest and nutrient analysis of grain

    Short questionnaire about soil management

     2) Soil Active Organic Matter Testing

    Active organic matter is only a small fraction (5-20%) of the soil’s total organic matter, but is very important to crop nutrition since nutrients in this fraction are rapidly cycled and taken up by crops. This project’s goal is to better understand active organic matter and to develop a robust farmer-test to compliment traditional soil testing. We are looking for farms of all types of crops and sizes- both conventional and certified organic. Farmers will mail in soil from their fields with a short questionnaire. A full standard soil test (total OM, pH, CEC, extractable base cations and micronutrients) will be run, as well as three new soil tests of active organic matter with no charge to the farmer. Individual soil results will only be shared with the farmer, while summarized results from across the state will be shared with all cooperators. Farmer participation in this project requires a relatively small commitment.

      3) Soil Amendment and Foliar Application Evaluations

     Finally, it is worth mentioning a new service starting in 2015: independent evaluations of proprietary soil amendments and foliar applications aimed at improving the mineral nutrition and productivity of crops. The goal of this service is to provide farmers with timely and valuable information on products that enhance soil biological and/or chemical function. Similar to variety trials conducted at OSU, yearly reports will be generated and posted online to help guide farmers’ decisions about product use on their farms.

     Interested cooperators please contact Steve Culman at culman.2@osu.edu or call (330) 263-3787.

  4. 2014 Northwest Ohio Corn Silage Test

    In 2014, 53 corn silage hybrids representing 16 commercial brands were evaluated in a joint trial with Michigan State University (MSU). One Ohio location is combined with Michigan's two southern (Zone 1) silage locations. The Ohio test site was located in our Northwest Region at Hoytville (Wood County). The two MSU sites are located in Branch and Lenawee counties, which are on the Ohio/Michigan state line.  The test results from the three 2014 locations are treated as one region. The plots were planted with 4-row air type planters and maintained by each respective state utilizing standard production practices. The center 2 rows were harvested with MSU’s self-propelled forage harvester. Silage tests were harvested uniformly as close to half milk line as possible. Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) Quality Analysis was performed by MSU using the updated 2014 equation established for silage quality. Silage results present the percent dry matter of each hybrid plus green weight and dry weight as tons per acre. Other data presented include percent stand, the percentage of in vitro digestible dry matter, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber digestibility, crude protein and starch. Milk production in pounds per ton and pounds per acre were estimated using MILK2006 (UW-Madison Dairy Science Department). 

    A complete summary of the Ohio results will be available online at: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/silagetrials.  More information on procedures and additional 2014 MSU silage test data can be viewed on the web athttp://www.css.msu.edu/varietytrials/corn/corntrials.htm. For more information on Ohio States crop variety testing, visit:  http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~perf.

  5. Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference

    The Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference (CTC) will soon be upon us.  This year it will be held Tuesday, March 3 and Wednesday, March 4 at Ohio Northern University in Ada.  Each year the CTC gives farmers and crop consultants an opportunity to not only catch up on the latest conservation tillage information, but also serves as a valuable source of up-to-date Cover Crop and Soil Health programming in addition to the traditional Corn University and Soybean School programs which bring participants to this annual conference looking for ways to increase crop production efficiencies while stretching that bottom line.

    Also, as a feature this year, the CTC will be having concurrent sessions on Precision Seeding and Placement along with Big Data usage from farm fields to farm machinery to effective use in making management decisions.  Besides these exciting new topics, Certified Crop Advisors and farmers alike won’t want to miss out on Advanced Scouting sessions.  The Ohio Ag Nutrients Law will be another focus area this year as experts will be addressing the issue of how to solve the Phosphorus and Nitrogen problem and what the best management practices are for Nutrient Management.  Strategies will be discussed for keeping the nutrients in the field where they can increase crop yields, while helping to keep them out of our lakes and waterways.

    Outside of the many presentations, participants will be able to network with other producers and exhibitors.  Over 40 company representatives will be on hand to share the latest agribusiness innovations, products, and technologies available on the market.  If the two days of the CTC aren't enough for you, make plans to attend a day early to participate in the biofuels and bioproducts session or stay a day later to get your fertilizer certificate from the 3-hour Fertilizer Applicator Certification Training.  It’s no secret that this conference offers plenty of CCA and CLM credits, including 10 hours of Nutrient Management and 10 hours of Soil & Water continuing education.  Go to: http://fabe.osu.edu/CTCon to check out the complete schedule and spend time at the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference this year.  Those who register by the early bird deadline of February 21 will be able to take advantage of discounted registration fees. We hope you will choose to join us and over 900 others for this innovative and cutting edge program.

Crop Observation and Recommendation Network

C.O.R.N. Newsletter is a summary of crop observations, related information, and appropriate recommendations for Ohio crop producers and industry. C.O.R.N. Newsletter is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, state specialists at The Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). C.O.R.N. Newsletter questions are directed to Extension and OARDC state specialists and associates at Ohio State.

Contributors

Amanda Douridas, CCA (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Andy Michel (State Specialist, Entomology)
Eric Richer, CCA (Field Specialist, Farm Management)
Glen Arnold, CCA (Field Specialist, Manure Nutrient Management )
Greg LaBarge, CPAg/CCA (Field Specialist, Agronomic Systems)
Mike Gastier, CCA (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Nathan Douridas, CCA (Farm Science Review Farm Manager)
Peter Thomison (State Specialist, Corn Production)
Sam Custer (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Sarah Noggle (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Ted Wiseman (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)

Disclaimer

The information presented here, along with any trade names used, is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is made by Ohio State University Extension is implied. Although every attempt is made to produce information that is complete, timely, and accurate, the pesticide user bears responsibility of consulting the pesticide label and adhering to those directions.

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