C.O.R.N. Newsletter: 2022-23
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Soybean Progress and Pod Set Growth Stages
Currently, most soybean fields in Ohio are at the R3 growth stage, meaning there is a pod at least 3/16 inch long (but less than 3/4 inch long) at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf. Some late planted fields may still be at the flowering growth stage while some early planted fields may be entering the R4 growth stage (pod 3/4 inch long at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf).
What does the soybean crop need to maximize yield during pod set? The number of pods per acre sets the maximum number of seeds per acre, which is the component most strongly related to final yield. Therefore, pod development becomes one of the most critical stages in the life of soybean. While stress at this time will result in aborted pods, seed number per pod and seed size may compensate for loss of pods. The R3-R4 growth stage is an important time to scout your fields for diseases, insects, and nutrient deficiencies and apply fungicide, insecticide, and foliar fertilizer if conditions warrant an application.
Misconceptions at the R3-R4 growth stage: There are several common misconceptions about soybean plants at the pod set stages.
Misconception
Reality
The soybean plant needs to retain most of its pods to maximize yield.
Pod abortion occurs naturally and allows the soybean plant to adapt to current environmental conditions. Many pods will still abort under stress-free conditions.
Presence of 4 and 5 bean pods is required for high yields.
Pod number and seed size affect yield more than seeds per pod.
Light needs to penetrate the whole canopy.
Complete canopy closure by this stage is important to capture all available sunlight, retain soil moisture, and reduce weed competition.
Making a sprayer trip across the field will either be beneficial or neutral.
Foliar fertilizers will be beneficial to provide nutrients to pods and will impact yield.
Data from across the U.S., shows no yield benefit to foliar fertilizer application at the R3 in the absence of a visual nutrient deficiency.
Late season nitrogen application will provide a positive return on investment.
Data from across the U.S., shows no consistent economic benefit to late-season nitrogen fertilizer application.
For more information on soybean pod set, see this Science for Success video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThlgsQ4lOiQ and also this Science for Success FactSheet: https://soybeanresearchinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Science-for-Success-Soybean-Growth-Stages-V3.pdf
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To Spray or Not to Spray…Foliar Products at R3
When should I spray a foliar fungicide?
First, consider the disease triangle. For a disease to develop, there must be: 1) a susceptible host (Is your soybean variety resistant or susceptible?), 2) a virulent pathogen (Is there a history of a certain disease in your field? Do you see any visual symptoms of disease?), and 3) conducive environmental conditions. Most foliar diseases, such as brown leaf spot and frogeye leaf spot, are favored by wet conditions.In our trials, brown leaf spot and frogeye leaf spot tend to be the two most common soybean diseases (Figure 2). In these trials, we’ve measured a yield response to foliar fungicide applied at R3 in 9 out of 28 environments, ranging from 4 to 8 bu/acre. At the responsive locations, which tended to be in central and southern Ohio, there were foliar disease present (brown spot and frogeye leaf spot). Additionally, these positive yield responses occurred in years with greater precipitation. Very little to no yield response occurred in dry years and in years when soybeans were flooded. If you have visual symptoms of disease, a conducive environment, and susceptible variety, R3 is a good time to spray a foliar fungicide.
Next, we must decide what fungicide to use and there are several products available for control of foliar diseases. Researchers across the U.S. constantly compare and evaluate fungicide efficacy for control of major soybean foliar diseases. The North Central Regional Committee on Soybean Diseases (NCERA-137) annually updates this information, which can be found here: Fungicide efficacy for control of soybean foliar diseases.
Finally, if you decide to spray, we recommend using fungicide products that contain active ingredients from different fungicide mode of action groups. This will minimize the risk of developing fungicide resistance by the pathogen. For example, resistance to the strobilurin (QoI – FRAC Group 11) fungicides has been reported in the fungus that causes frogeye leaf spot in Ohio; therefore, strobilurin fungicides alone should be avoided when managing this disease. Please contact your extension educator if you suspect that fungicide resistance is an issue in your field. To learn more about fungicide resistance, visit Fungicide resistance in field crops FAQs.
When should I spray a foliar insecticide?
Often, if a farmer plans on spraying a foliar fungicide, they will tank-mix a foliar insecticide. Over the past several years, we’ve tested foliar insecticide in 28 Ohio environments. Out of those 28 environments, we’ve only found a yield response in one environment (+5 bu/acre) with an insecticide applied at the R3 growth stage. In the other 27 environments, soybean yield was unaffected by foliar insecticide with defoliation levels in the mid- to upper canopy at <15%. For soybean, insecticide application is advised when defoliation levels reach 30% in pre-bloom stages, 10% in bloom, and 15% during pod fill to harvest. Keep in mind that defoliation is measured and averaged across the entire plant—not just the leaves that look the worst. Defoliation may be isolated to one portion of the canopy and sometimes just the field edge (Figure 3). For more information on estimating defoliation, please see “Soybean Defoliation” pdf.When should I spray foliar fertilizer?
In Ohio, the most common micronutrient deficiency is manganese. However, even then, we’ve only measured a yield response to manganese foliar fertilizer in two out of 20 Ohio environments. Soybeans are most likely to respond to foliar fertilizer when there are visual symptoms of deficiency. Interveinal chlorosis is a visual symptom of manganese deficiency (Figure 4). Manganese deficiency tends to occur in fields with high pH or high organic matter (muck), especially if soils are droughty. In dry soil, manganese is converted to a form that is unavailable for plant uptake.
Recently, soybean agronomists across the U.S. evaluated foliar fertilizers in 46 environments and found no soybean yield increase when the products were applied prophylactically (no visual deficiency symptoms). For more information on this study, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DtNagk6ghI. In most situations, foliar fertilizers are unnecessary.Summary
Multiple trials in Ohio and across the U.S. have shown that prophylactic applications of foliar fungicide, insecticide, and fertilizer provide no yield benefit. Before applying these products, it’s important to scout your fields for disease, insects, and nutrient deficiencies. If you decide to spray, we recommend leaving untreated strip checks (at least three per field). Comparing treated and untreated areas will improve decision making in the future. -
Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2022
Farming is a complex business and many Ohio farmers utilize outside assistance for specific farm-related work. This option is appealing for tasks requiring specialized equipment or technical expertise. Often, having someone else with specialized tools perform tasks is more cost effective and saves time. Farm work completed by others is often referred to as “custom farm work” or more simply, “custom work”. A “custom rate” is the amount agreed upon by both parties to be paid by the custom work customer to the custom work provider.
Ohio Farm Custom Rates
The “Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2022” publication reports custom rates based on a statewide survey of 223 farmers, custom operators, farm managers, and landowners conducted in 2022. These rates, except where noted, include the implement and tractor if required, all variable machinery costs such as fuel, oil, lube, twine, etc., and labor for the operation.
Some custom rates published in this study vary widely, possibly influenced by:
- Type or size of equipment used (e.g. 20-shank chisel plow versus a 9-shank)
- Size and shape of fields,
- Condition of the crop (for harvesting operations)
- Skill level of labor
- Amount of labor needed in relation to the equipment capabilities
- Cost margin differences for full-time custom operators compared to farmers supplementing current income
Some custom rates reflect discounted rates as the parties involved have family or community relationships, Discounted rates may also occur when the custom work provider is attempting to strengthen a relationship to help secure the custom farmed land in a future purchase, cash rental or other rental agreement. Some providers charge differently because they are simply attempting to spread their fixed costs over more acreage to decrease fixed costs per acre and are willing to forgo complete cost recovery.
New this year, the number of responses for each operation has been added to the data presented. In cases where there were too few responses to statistically analyze, summary statistics are not presented.
Charges may be added if the custom provider considers a job abnormal such as distance from the operator’s base location, difficulty of terrain, amount of product or labor involved with the operation, or other special requirements of the custom work customer.
The data from this survey are intended to show a representative farming industry cost for specified machines and operations in Ohio. As a custom farm work provider, the average rates reported in this publication may not cover your total costs for performing the custom service. As a customer, you may not be able to hire a custom service for the average rate published in this factsheet.
It is recommended that you calculate your own costs carefully before determining the custom rate to charge or pay. It may be helpful to compare the custom rates reported in this fact sheet with machinery costs calculated by economic engineering models available online. The following resources are available to help you calculate and consider the total costs of performing a given machinery operation.
Farm Machinery Cost Estimates, available by searching University of Minnesota.
Illinois Farm Management Handbook, available by searching University of Illinois farmdoc.
Estimating Farm Machinery Costs, available by searching Iowa State University agriculture decision maker and machinery management.
Fuel price changes may cause some uncertainty in setting a custom rate. Significant volatility in diesel price over the last several months has caused some concern for custom rate providers that seek to cover all or most of the costs associated with custom farm operations. The approximate price of diesel fuel during the survey period ranged from $4.50 - $5.25 per gallon for off-road (farm) usage. As a custom farm work provider, if you feel that your rate doesn’t capture your full costs due to fuel price increases you might consider a custom rate increase or fuel surcharge based on the increase in fuel costs.
For example, let’s assume the rate you planned to charge for a chisel plow operation was based on $4.50 per gallon diesel costs and the current on-farm diesel price is $5.50 per gallon. This is a $1 per gallon increase. The chisel plow operation uses 1.15 gallons of fuel per acre so the added fuel surcharge could be set at $1.15 per acre (1.15 gallons x $1 gallon).
The complete “Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2022” publication is available online at the Farm Office website:
https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/custom-rates-and-machinery-costs
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Scioto Watershed Whole Farm Conservation Event on August 16, 9:00am – 12:00pm
Registration:
- RSVP by emailing Brent Nicol at brent.nicol@tnc.org or clicking here
- By August 8, 2022
- Attendance limited to the first 40 people
Location:
- All Occasions Catering; 6989 Waldo-Delaware Rd. Waldo, OH 43356
Contact:
Brent Nicol brent.nicol@tnc.org
Description: This event will discuss:
- Return on Investment of Conservation Practices
- Incentive/Cost Share Opportunities
- Practical Application of Conservation Practices with Soil Health Presentation
- Targeting Practices to Reduce P Loss
Sponsored by: Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District, The Nature Conservancy, American Farmland Trust, Ohio Department of Agriculture, BetheChangeforCleanWater.org, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, and Bird Agronomics
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Southwest Ohio Corn Growers & Fayette County Agronomy Field Day: Tuesday, August 16th, 2022
Fayette County will be the place to be on August 16th, 2022. The Southwest Ohio Corn Growers Association, in conjunction with the Fayette County Agronomy Committee and the Fayette County Extension Office, will hold their annual field day and agronomy plot demonstrations. The event will be held at the Fayette County Research and Demonstration Farm, located northeast of Washington CH at 2770 Old Route 38, at the Fayette County Airport. The field day will be from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. It is free to attend and will include a free lunch and do not forget the free homemade ice cream. Certified Crop Advisor credits will also be available for the various sessions of the event.
The event will begin promptly at 9:00 am in the Equipment Building with our keynote speakers, Eric Romich and Barry Ward. Romich is a Field Specialist for Energy Development with the Ohio State University. He will be speaking on “Energy Contracts for Landowners”. Ward is the Leader for Farm Business Management with the Ohio State University. He will be discussing “Land Values, Cash Rental Rates, Input Costs, and Budgeting”. After our keynote speakers, there will be a variety of other educational sessions in tents around the exhibit area and the Equipment Building. The sessions will include presentations by Jim Hershey of the No-Till Alliance on the “Benefits of Soil Health”, “Fungicide and Soybean Cyst Nematode, Soybean Research” presented by Horacio Lopez-Nicora from the Ohio State University, “Tar Spot – Status, Identification, and Control” presented by Pierce Paul from the Ohio State University, “Hot Topics in Corn Production” presented by Osler Ortez also from the Ohio State University, and the Fayette County Master Gardeners will be presenting on “No-till Gardening”. Additionally, representatives from the National and Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers will give updates on state and national activities the organization has been monitoring and participating in.
Beyond the educational sessions, agricultural equipment, technology, lending, marketing, seed, and chemical companies will be available throughout the event to answer questions and display their newest, innovative products. If you are interested in being an exhibitor, there is still availability to participate. Go to fayette.osu.edu to download a registration form to become an exhibitor. At lunch, a drawing will take place for Corn and Wheat Grower members. The drawing includes two gift certificates for $500, one for seed and one for equipment parts at participating businesses. Membership is available the day of the event and members are eligible to win one of the gift certificates. Winners must be present to win.
The Fayette County Health Department and Fayette County Hospital will also be present to offer health screenings and tetanus shots for those interested. Please fast prior to the health screening for blood testing, these will begin at 8:30 am. The Fayette County 4-H program will be serving hot breakfast sandwiches and coffee to start the day.
At 6:30 pm the Fayette County Farm Bureau organization will be hosting their 2022 Annual Meeting in the Equipment Building at the event site. For tickets and additional information contact the Fayette County Farm Bureau office directly at 937-382-4407.
Questions about any portion of the day’s events can be directed to either:
Ken Ford, Fayette County ANR Educator at 740-335-1150, ford.70@osu.edu or Tony Nye, Clinton County ANR Educator at 937-382-0901, nye.1@osu.edu
Additional information can be found at the following websites: www.fayette.osu.edu and www.clinton.osu.edu
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Crop Water Use in Corn – What Do We Know?
When traveling across the state, many corn fields show well-developed tassels. Hopefully, closer field inspection also finds emerged silks that are needed to pollinate ovules on the developing ears (Figure 1). On July 10, USDA reported 7% of the Ohio Corn silking. In the July 18 report, the percentage of silked corn fields is expected to be much higher as a lot of crop progress can occur in a week if adequate conditions exist (e.g., water, temperatures).
Water availability can be a critical challenge at this point in the season. Crop water use is a significant factor in obtaining high yields (Figure 2). A 200-bushel corn yield is estimated to utilize about 20 inches of water throughout the season. Crop water use consists of two components: water losses from the soil (evaporation) and water losses from the crop (transpiration), which can occur simultaneously. If crop canopies have closed, the primary route of crop water use is through transpiration (direct losses of water from soil evaporation are much lower as most light energy is absorbed by the canopy).
Yield components in corn are determined during both vegetative and reproductive stages. Corn requirements vary depending on the development stage, with corn's water use reaching its peak daily need during the pollination period (when tassels are developed and silks are receptive to pollen). Hence, water availability at the tasseling and silking stage is critical. Previous research has shown that corn at tasseling/silking can use 0.28 to 0.30 inches of water per day (Table 1), which is ~2 inches per week.
Table 1. Water use rates for corn at different growth and developmental stages using the leaf collar method.
Stage
Water Use Rate
Inches per dayPrior to 12-leaf stage (<V12)
<0.20
12-leaf stage (V12)
0.24
Early tassel (VT)
0.28
Silking (R1)
0.30
Blister (R2)
0.26
Milk (R3)
0.24
Dent (R5)
0.20
Any water deficits or drought issues can affect the crop in multiple ways that at the end would reduce crop yields. If drought conditions are a concern, Drought-Tolerant Corn Hybrids can be a resource to mitigate some of that. Research in Ohio on drought tolerant corn can be found here:AGF 516 - Drought-Tolerant Corn Hybrids: A Risk Management Tool for Ohio? Part 1
AGF 517 - Drought-Tolerant Corn Hybrids: A Risk Management Tool for Ohio? Part 2
On the other hand, if good moisture conditions are available for your crop, that is excellent news. However, be aware that some pests and diseases may be benefitted too. Monitoring fields and making timely decisions will be essential to keep any potential issues under control. If there is too much water, that can be a concern too though flooding during grain fill stages typically results in less yield loss than flooding during early vegetative stages.
References
Licht, M., and Archontoulis, S. 2017. Corn Water Use and Evapotranspiration. Integrated Crop Management News, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2017/06/corn-water-use-and-evapotranspiration
Lindsey, A., Thomison, P., Minyo, R., and Geyer, A. 2014. Drought-Tolerant Corn Hybrids: What is the Fit for Ohio?. C.O.R.N. Newsletter. https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2014-40/drought-tolerant-corn-hybrids-what-fit-ohio
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Lep Monitoring Update WBC Numbers on the Rise, Scouting Recommended
Western Bean Cutworm
Western bean cutworm (WBC) numbers have increased in many counties across Ohio from July 11 - 17. For the week ending July 17, averages were greater than 7 moths per week and scouting egg masses is recommended in Ashtabula, Defiance, Fulton, Huron, Lucas, Paulding, Sandusky, and Wood counties (Figure 1). Overall, the statewide average was 8.2 moths per trap (this is an increase from a statewide average of 1.0 moths per trap from July 4 – 10).
Western Bean Cutworm Moth Map
July 11 – 17, 2022
Figure 1. Average western bean cutworm (WBC) moths captured from July 11th through July 17th. The large number indicates the average moth count for the week and the small number in parentheses is the total traps set up in the county.
WBC Scouting guidelines
Scouting for egg masses is recommended in counties with adult WBC trap counts averaging 7 or more moths per week, particularly in corn fields that are pre-tassel approaching tassel. Newly laid egg masses are white and laid on the uppermost 3 -4 leaves (Figure 2). As the egg masses mature, they turn a purplish color. Hatch will occur within 24–48 hours once eggs turn purple.
To scout for egg masses:
1) Randomly choose 20 consecutive plants in 5 locations within a field (a total of 100 plants per field).
2) Inspect the uppermost 3–4 leaves of the corn plant. It is helpful to look at the leaves with the sun behind them. Oftentimes the shadow of the egg mass will show through the leaf making the egg mass easier to see.
3) Record the number of plants with egg masses or larvae to calculate the percentage of plants with WBC present.
For more scouting information, view our WBC scouting video https://aginsects.osu.edu/news/western-bean-cutworm-video
WBC Treatment
Field corn should be treated with a foliar treatment if more than 5% of inspected plants have eggs or larvae. Sweet corn should be treated if more than 4% of inspected plants have eggs or larvae (processing market), or 1% of plants (fresh-market). Timing an insecticide application is critical and must happen before the caterpillar enters the ear, but after the eggs hatch. If the eggs have hatched, applications should be made after 95% of the field has tassels. If the eggs have not hatched, monitor the egg masses for the color change.
Figure 2. A) Western bean cutworm egg mass on upper leaves of corn plant. B) Close up of WBC egg mass, pencil for scale.Corn Earworm
The number of Corn earworn (CEW) has decreased again this week. Van Wert county numbers have decreased from last week but are still the highest out of all monitoring counties with an average of 3.5. The total number of counties finding CEW has fallen to three, which include Van Wert, Madison, and Brown counties (Figure 3).
Corn Earworm Moth Map
July 11 – 17, 2022
Figure 3. Average corn earworm (CEW) moths captured from July 11th through July 17th. The large number indicates the average moth count for the week and the small number in parentheses is the total traps set up in the county
Fall Armyworm
Of the 5 counties that are monitoring Fall Armyworm (FAW), 2 counties have reported catching FAW the week of July 11 – 17. Clark reported an average of 6, while Van Wert reported an average of 2.3 (Figure 4).
Fall Armyworm moth map
July 11 – 17, 2022
Figure 4. Average fall armyworm (FAW) moths captured from July 11th through July 17th. The large number indicates the average moth count for the week and the small number in parentheses is the total traps set up in the county.
European Corn Borer
This week’s numbers for European Corn Borer (ECB) have decreased. No counties reported adult ECB from July 11 – 17 (Figure 5).
European Corn Borer Moth Map
July 11 - 17, 2022
Figure 5. Average European corn borer (ECB) moths captured from July 11th to July 17th. The first number indicates the average ECB-IA followed by a comma and then the average ECB-NY moth count for the week. The small number in parentheses is the total traps for each species set in each county.
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
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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