C.O.R.N. Newsletter: 2020-25
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Drought Conditions Expand but Some Relief Ensues
As of the Thursday July 30, 2020 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, 37% of the state is covered by D1- moderate drought conditions (Figure 1). Hot and mostly dry conditions continued through much of June and July, with only scattered areas of heavy rain throughout the state. This has depleted soil moisture and lowered stream flows. If you are seeing drought impacts in your area, consider submitting a report to the Drought Impact Reporter.
Figure 1: U.S. Drought Monitor for Ohio as reported on Thursday, July 30, 2020
Over the last two weeks, the frequency and coverage of showers and storms have increased. West central, north central, and areas near the Ohio River have picked up widespread 2-4” over the last 14 days, with some local amounts greater than 5”. Coupled with cooler temperatures this past week, drought conditions have relaxed in these areas of Ohio. For more information on recent climate conditions and impacts, check out the latest Hydro-Climate Assessment from the State Climate Office of Ohio.
Though we are dealing with a frontal boundary with showers and storms moving through the region through Tuesday, drier and less humid conditions are expected to set up for most of the week. Temperatures will be below average on Wednesday through Saturday, generally in the mid to upper 70s across northern Ohio and upper 70s to low 80s across the south. Overnight lows will likely drop into the 50s several nights this week. Showers and storms may return for Sunday and Monday, though we are only expecting light precipitation over the next 7 days (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Forecast precipitation for the next 7 days. Valid from 8 pm Monday, August 3, 2020 through 8 pm Monday, August 10, 2020. Figure from Weather Prediction Center.The latest NOAA/NWS/Climate Prediction Center outlook for the 8-14 day period (August 11 – 17) shows the heat returning, with increased confidence in above average temperatures and slightly elevated probability of above average precipitation (Figure 3). Normal highs during the period are in the low to mid-80s, normal lows in the low to mid-60s, with 0.80-0.90” of rainfall per week. The 16-Day Rainfall Outlook from NOAA/NWS/Ohio River Forecast Center shows about average rainfall over the period. This is likely to bring some continued minor improvement to drought conditions throughout Ohio.
Figure 3: Climate Prediction Center 8-14 Day Outlook valid for August 11 to 17, 2020 for temperatures (left) and precipitation (right). Colors represent the probability of below, normal, or above normal conditions.
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Ten Counties on WBC Scout List as Statewide Numbers Begin to Decrease
Western bean cutworm (WBC) trap counts for the week of July 27 – August 2 show a downward trend in the majority of monitoring counties. Despite the overall decrease in WBC numbers, ten counties are currently at the threshold (an average of 7 or more) indicating to scout for egg masses including, Ashtabula, Fulton, Geauga, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Sandusky, Wayne, Williams and Wood. A total of 27 counties monitored 87 traps, resulting in 418 WBC adults (a statewide average of 4.8 moths per trap) (Figure 1). Monitoring for WBC moths will continue in many counties until the end of August.
Figure 1. Average Western bean cutworm adult per trap followed by total number of traps in the county in parentheses for week ending August 2, 2020.
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NRCS Seeks Comments on 590 Nutrient Management Standard Update
USDA’s Ohio Natural Resources Conservation Service is inviting input, until August 31, 2020, during a 30-day comment period on their draft revisions to the Nutrient Management Practice Standard (Code 590). If approved, this Nutrient Management Standard would revise the current Ohio Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) and provide the criteria and considerations required for all USDA Farm Bill financial and technical assistance related to the application of plant nutrients and manures.
“NRCS, with our partners, is committed to increasing the knowledge of nutrient loss risk and we will continue to implement a comprehensive approach to protect and enhance water quality,” said Terry Cosby, state conservationist for Ohio. “The task force is to be commended for achieving consensus, given the complicated issues involved, the need to both protect Ohio’s water resources and agricultural industry, and the need to develop something that was responsible yet practical, simple, and economical for Ohio’s farmers to adopt.”
A broad and diverse 19-member sub-committee of the State Technical Committee (590 Task Force) worked diligently over a six-month period to develop a science-based and implementable farm scale standard that uses the 4R approach as the basis to draw down high Phosphorus soils over time. The revised standard will protect Ohio’s water quality and is practical and realistic for Ohio farmers to implement.
“I appreciate the committee’s work to develop science-based guidelines to keep nutrients on the land,” said Greg LaBarge, field specialist, Agronomic Systems Ohio State University Extension. “I look forward to continued work on site specific tools that help farmers identify better conservation practice placement.”
Summary of the draft Nutrient Management Standard achievements:
-The draft standard will better protect Ohio’s Water Quality by reducing losses of nutrients from crop fields.
-Simplified the language and made the standard more practical and usable at the field/farm level.
-The recommendations align with the newly revised Tri State Fertility Guide and are converted to the now standard Melich III soil test extraction method.
-Developed a more defined path to draw down high soil test phosphorus fields.
-Updated numerical criteria, including establishment of an upper soil test phosphorus limit on manure applications.
-Wider use of in-field and edge-of-field trapping practices was incorporated into the recommendations.
-Updated nutrient assessment procedures and tools identified to help farmers reduce risk of phosphorus loss at all soil test levels.
-Made a commitment to continue the work of the 590 Task Force to improve and refine assessment tools and procedures to evaluate nutrient loss risk.
“These new guidelines include revisions that incorporate updated scientific research while emphasizing that conservation on all farm fields is needed to achieve both agronomic crop needs and protection of Ohio’s valuable waters,” said Jessica D’Ambrosio, Ohio agriculture director for The Nature Conservancy and 590 Task Force member.
NRCS will continue to involve the 590 Task Force and its expertise as the process moves forward through the public comment period, to the adoption and implementation phase.
"We are appreciative of the process used by NRCS to review the Nutrient Management Standard here in Ohio,” said Dr. Larry Antosch, senior director of Policy Development and Environmental Policy for Ohio Farm Bureau. “It provided the opportunity for all stakeholders to have a voice and to have their questions answered. The final draft document reflects the viewpoints of the diverse workgroup as all sides were able to come to agreement on the final draft document."
To view the draft Nutrient Management Standard (Code 590) documents open for public comment visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/oh/technical/.
To submit a comment, email SM.RC.OH.StandardComments@USDA.GOV.
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.
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