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Agronomic Crops Network

Ohio State University Extension

CFAES

C.O.R.N. Newsletter: 2015-06

  1. Wheat is starting to green up...

    Author(s): Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul, Ed Lentz, CCA

    Spring is coming (thank goodness!), and the winter wheat crop is starting to green-up.  Similar to what we’ve seen in the past few years, wheat planted shortly after the fly-free date looks better than the wheat that was planted late.

    Our current recommendations.  Fields should not be evaluated until completely green from warmer temperatures for at least 10 to 14 days. Stand evaluations will be more accurate when made during weather periods that promote growth.  Yield potential is reduced if tiller numbers fall below 25 per square foot after green up. Pick about 10 to 15 spots in the field and count the number of plants per foot of row. A stand with an average of about 12 plants per foot of row may still result in a good population of head-bearing tillers per acre. For those fields with tillers, 15 tillers per square foot is considered minimum for an economic crop. The number of tillers per square foot is equal to the number of tillers in 19.2 inches of 7.5-inch wide rows. Our studies have shown that under adequate weather conditions, tillering may compensate for relatively poor initial stand establishment.

    Coming Soon… With funding from the Ohio Small Grains Marketing Program (wheat check-off), we established a trial at three Ohio locations (Wood, Crawford, and Pickaway County) to determine the minimum wheat stand that will be profitable.  We won’t have yield data until July; however, this data will help us evaluate and revise (if necessary) our current recommendations. 

  2. Planter Check-up for March

    Author(s): John Fulton

    Even though the snow is falling here this evening, it is time to check the planter. Here is a list of suggestions for planter setup and maintenance.

    ·         Check meters on a test stand in order to visually inspect parts and evaluate performance.

    ·         Inspect all mechanical drive components and look for any excessive wear including down pressure springs, parallel linkages and bushings.

    ·         Check seed tubes for any wear in particular the bottom section that can wear or become damaged.  Replace if damaged or has excessive wear.

    ·         Check size, wear and spacing for opening discs; always replace disc openers in pairs.

    ·         Inspect gauge wheels and ensure opening discs are making proper contacting with the discs.   Adjust the shims for each gauge wheel arm to ensure the correct contact with the disc. 

    ·         Inspect closing wheels or discs and ensure bearings are in good shape and that the down force spring is properly set. Replace wheels if worn excessively.

    ·         For vacuum planters, check all lines for damaged tubes. Check hydraulic motor for leaks and make sure fan is clean.

    Once at the field here are four important items to check:

    ·         Planting depth - Check periodically since seeding depth can be influenced by soil and field conditions. The planter row unit must have sufficient weight so the gauge wheels operate firmly on the soil surface.

    ·         Row cleaner setting - make sure the row cleaners are not tilling the soil. They are for biomass removal and only need to function or rotate when excessive biomass is encountered.

    ·         Closing wheel pressure – need sufficient pressure to close the furrow but adjust to the soil conditions. In general, higher pressure is needed in dry soil and light pressure in wet soil to avoid over-compaction. 

    ·         Gauge wheel pressure – there should be sufficient contact pressure in order to firm the soil surface at the specific depth setting but not so much contact pressure that the depth wheels excessively compact soil adjacent to the seed zone.

  3. Cover Crop Strategies Field Day on Tuesday, April 7th

    Author(s):

    There is a Cover Crop Strategies Field Day on Tuesday, April 7th. This is a follow-up to a field day held last fall when the cover crops were green and growing. This spring the focus is on what’s been happening “below” the soil surface!! Some of the specific points to be discussed will include managing cover crops in the spring, preparing to plant the next crop, and year-round tips for effective cover crop use.

     

    This Field Day will be held southwest of St. Marys on SR 364, just north of SR 219. The field is located just south of the St. Marys Township House (10752 SR 364). The “Open House” is from 2p to 7p with informational tours scheduled at 2:30p, 4:30p, and 6p. Other information will include crop insurance and the use of cover crops and EQIP funding through the NRCS. The High-Boy seeder that was used to seed into the standing corn last August will be onsite. This Field Day is being hosted by OSU Extension Shelby, Mercer, and Auglaize Counties; and Vantilburg Farms, Celina.  There is no cost to attend.

  4. Spring is in full swing

    Author(s):

    Spring is in full swing. Expect big swings in weather the next several weeks.

    Remainder of March Outlook:

    • Expect overall colder than normal with precipitation above normal

    April Outlook:

    • Near normal temperatures and slightly wetter than normal

    May-July Outlook:

    • Slightly warmer than normal and normal to slightly drier than normal

    The climate models continue to point toward wetness giving way to some dryness as we go from planting season to summer growing season.

    http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/people/wwang/cfsv2fcst/htmls/usPrece3Mon.html

    The climate models continue to point toward a trend from cooler than normal to warmer than normal as we head from spring into summer.

    http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/people/wwang/cfsv2fcst/htmls/usT2me3Mon.html

    • Rain risk - Risk for rain favors slightly elevated risk for wetter versus drier weather into April. Some planting delays are possible if wet weather lingers through April.
    • Frost/freeze risk - Near normal last dates of frost and freezes in mid or late April
    • Temperature risk - Risk remains toward colder side of normal into early April
    • Soil Moisture Risk - Soil moisture remains slightly drier than normal in northern and northwest Ohio and normal in southern Ohio. Expect no changes to slight wetting in the coming weeks. Monitor soil moisture here:
    • Soil Temperature Risk - 4 inch soil temperatures are below normal and likely to remain below normal the next few weeks. Since soils are not as wet as they were in 2014, we expect soil temperatures to recover faster this spring in response to air temperatures. This still could delay planting some.
    • Drought Risk - No drought is forecast at this time.

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 Bennett (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Amanda Douridas, CCA (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Eric Richer, CCA (Field Specialist, Farm Management)
Glen Arnold, CCA (Field Specialist, Manure Nutrient Management )
Les Ober, CCA (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Mark Badertscher (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Mike Gastier, CCA (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Sam Custer (Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources)
Sarah Noggle (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.

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.