Season 3, Episode 3 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO1GFUQy5FE
In Episode 3, we joined Osler Ortez, the Ohio State Extension Corn Specialist in Wooster, Ohio, and Alex Lindsey, Crop Ecophysiology & Agronomy, at the Northwest Agricultural Research Station. Both locations had ultra-early plantings- March 27.
Germination of corn and soybean seeds occurred at the Wooster location, but there is no emergence yet (Figure 1). Though each crop experienced the same weather over the last 2.5 weeks, soybean showed more root growth compared to corn, shown by the length of the radicle (first root). The average air temperature since planting (March 27th to April 13) has been 46℉, and this location has received about 4.15 inches of rain (Table 1).
At the Northwest location, the soybean and corn seeds have also germinated (Figure 2). Similar to Wooster, soybean radicles were longer than corn radicles at this location as well. The Northwest location received 4.26 inches of rain since being planted on March 27th with soil (2-inch depth) and air temperature averaging 46°F over the past 2.5 weeks.
For both locations, there has been little growing degree day (GDD) accumulation. For emergence, corn needs 100 GDDs accumulated, and each location is well below this requirement (Table 1). As temperatures warm, emergence should occur in the next couple of weeks. Planting date two is expected to be planted this week at Wooster and Northwest if soil conditions allow. Due to wet conditions, crops have not yet been planted at the Western Agricultural Research Station, but may be planted this week if soil conditions allow.
Table 1. Precipitation, soil temperature, average air temperature, and cumulative GDDs at the Northwest Agricultural Research Station, and the Wooster location. Weather data retrieved from: https://weather.cfaes.osu.edu/.
|
Location |
Precipitation (Inches) March 27th -April 13th |
2- Inch Soil Temp March 27th -April 13th |
Average Air Temp March 27th -April 13th |
Planting Date |
Cumulative GDDs |
|
Northwest Agricultural Research Station, Wood County |
4.26 |
Min: 34℉ Max: 62℉ Avg: 46℉ |
Min: 23℉ Max: 73℉ Avg: 46℉ |
3/27 |
39 |
|
Wooster Campus, Wayne County |
4.15 |
Min: N/A* Max: N/A Avg: N/A |
Min: 24℉ Max: 73℉ Avg: 46℉ |
3/27 |
71 |
*Data not available for the Wooster Campus location.
As a recap, this research project includes five planting date timeframes, 1) Ultra early = late March to early April; 2) Early = mid to late April; 3) Normal = early to mid-May; 4) Late = late May-first week of June; and 5) Very late = mid to late June.
Keep following the ‘Battle for the Belt’ this growing season to learn more and get further updates! You can find the full video playlist of Battle for the Belt on the Ohio State Agronomy YouTube channel.