20
Oct
2015
After harvest 2015 is complete, it’s important to conduct a review of product performance and management practices for the year. Lessons can be learned each year regarding what worked and what didn’t. Although each year can be uniquely different, noticing trends that lead to higher yields and greater returns on investment will continue to be important.
Categories: Agronomy Talk
Tags: Illinois, Indiana, Practical Farm Research, Chad Kalaher, Agronomy, Beck's, Agronomy Talk, Wisconsin, nitrogen stabilizers, sidedress, Beck's PFR Book, Beck's Winter Meetings
Stalk quality can be negatively affected by three factors: disease, nutrient deficiency, and environment. Fungal diseases like fusarium, anthracnose, and gibberella stalk rot cause decay of the internal pith tissues of the stalk. Nitrogen deficiency can lead to the ear cannibalizing the stalk to feed itself. Extended straight line winds in excess of 60 mph can cause any hybrid to lodge; especially those fields that have experienced stress from the other two factors. Harvest prioritization will be especially important this fall.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Ohio, Brent Minett, Agronomy Talk, stalk lodging, stalk quality, stalk cannibalization, harvest prioritization
This year can be called the year of leaf diseases! We have seen gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, and even southern rust. Corn has filled out well, but stalk quality is a concern as plants have cannibalized with the late dry stress. Harvest will be a chance for us to evaluate our fungicide applications. Many diseases came in late and the residual from the fungicide may be gone. In some cases, these diseases may not have affected yield dramatically. If you are planning to go corn after corn, consider what diseases you had and plant a hybrid with good tolerance to them.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, harvest, corn, soybeans, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Steve Gauck, Cover Crops, Agronomy Talk, fungicide applications, Gray leaf spot, Northern corn leaf blight, Farmserver, southern rust
As harvest progresses, you will see yield variabilities that are unparalleled. For many farmers, this will be a first time experience! You will see hybrids and varieties respond with wide yield swings. Just about any stress you can think of has shown up in our region this growing season. Rainfall intensity and frequent occurrences, planting delays, nitrogen losses, and compaction are the big four. Any one, or a combination of these, will hinder product performance this year.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Nitrogen Loss, Denny Cobb, Cover Crops, Cereal Rye, Agronomy Talk, Michigan, yield swings
Sep
This is our one last chance to scout fields and evaluate the year before harvest begins. As you walk corn fields, be sure to evaluate disease levels and look to see which hybrids handled diseases better. Ask yourself if you are happy with your fungicide applications. Look at grain fill and pollination. Take a final assessment of weed control, record notes on what weeds are present and if they need to be targeted next year. In soybeans, be on the lookout for Palmer amaranth. It has been identified in southern Indiana and we do not want to run the combine through a patch of it and spread the seeds out.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, harvest, corn, soybeans, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Steve Gauck, Cover Crops, Agronomy Talk, fungicide applications, Palmer amaranth
As harvest begins, it’s extremely important to review and execute your soil sampling and analysis plan. Due to potential sampling and lab screening delays, don’t wait until all your fields are harvested to initiate this process. Be sure to ask for soil test analysis including the basics plus CEC, base saturations and micronutrients. In 2015, spring soil and tissue samples collected during the growing season continue to indicate common nutrient deficiencies that are not being addressed in many fertility plans. Many farmers who have their pH, phosphorus, and potassium at optimum soil test levels may be ignoring important yield-limiting nutrients.
Tags: Illinois, Indiana, Chad Kalaher, Agronomy, Zinc, Beck's, Soil Sampling, Agronomy Talk, Wisconsin, soil sample tests, soil analysis, micronutrients, N P & K, sulfur, boron
The 2015 growing season has been one most of us would rather forget. Cool and wet followed by warm and wet followed by dry in a few isolated areas. Nitrogen loss and leaf disease have added to the problem as summer has progressed. As harvest approaches, we need to consider how we are going to handle this crop. Here are a few thoughts:
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Ohio, Brent Minett, Agronomy Talk, Don't delay harvest, fuel price, lower cylinder/rotor speed, drying temperatures
This early fall period gives farmers the opportunity to implement management practices that will benefit them during the 2016 crop season and beyond. Our agronomic area experienced extraordinary rainfall events this past season. The intensive rain events of 2015 have created surface compaction as well as stagnant soils with limited amounts of oxygen and micro life. Cover crops are an excellent means to help cure these issues.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Cover Crops, Agronomy Talk, Michigan, soil compaction, Beck's corn champion mix
Aug
Record precipitation totals for June have caused concern for corn and soybeans heading into harvest. Many corn fields lost nitrogen and will have a limited ability to adequately fill kernels. Because of this, I expect many corn fields will have ears displaying aborted kernels. In addition, saturated soils may have pre-disposed corn plants to stalk rot infection.
Tags: Illinois, Indiana, Chad Kalaher, Agronomy, Beck's, White Mold, Disease, Agronomy Talk, Sudden Death Syndrome, Wisconsin, aborted kernels, stalk lodging, brown stem rot
It has been a challenging growing season and although you might feel like giving up, don’t! Here are few scouting tips that could add a few bushels to this year’s crop.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Ohio, Brent Minett, Agronomy Talk, frogeye leaf spot, late planted corn, small stunted soybeans, bean leaf beetle
Early corn grain fill will be occurring during this period. Virtually all controllable production practices will have been completed with the exception of monitoring non-GMO corn for second generation European corn borer (ECB) infestations, and treating appropriately. This generation generally occurs mid-July to late-August in our area. Trapping adults proves to be the most accurate method of deciding to treat or not. Second generation ECB can be yield devastating. One borer per plant can reduce yield by 7 Bu./A. or more.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Agronomy Talk, Michigan, second generation European Corn Borer, late season soybean insecticide
27
Jul
As Indiana corn continues to grow, scouting efforts have become more difficult. With some fields averaging over 8 feet tall, patterns are impossible to see from inside the field, which in turn makes diagnosing a field much more difficult. UAV's have proven to be a useful scouting tool in our research this summer, allowing agronomists to see the field from a broad perspective without getting into an airplane or helicopter.
Categories: N Indiana, Michigan
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Christy Kettler, Japanese beetles, UAV, drone, UAVs, NCLB
Every year at this time farmers make the decision “to spray or not spray” their corn fields with fungicide. Understanding all the factors that need to be evaluated before full tassel helps eliminate confusion and hand wringing when the planes are ready and available.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Ohio, Brent Minett, Agronomy Talk, Fungicide, Spray
Spring was challenging for many farmers due to inconsistent weather patterns, fluctuating temperatures and heavy precipitation. In most cases, stand reductions in corn and soybeans were a result of this. Some corn experienced an imbibitional chilling effect and/or corkscrewed mesocotyls. Replant was necessary where very heavy rainfall occurred shortly after planting and prior to crop emergence. Most of the agronomic challenges experienced were related to cool and/or wet conditions. In some areas, stand challenges were magnified by timing of a herbicide application and specific herbicide chemistry, especially in soybeans. In corn, interveinal leaf striping and rapid growth syndrome were both found near V3-V6. Again, both of these can be related to environmental conditions and typically improve with favorable conditions.
Tags: Illinois, Indiana, Chad Kalaher, Agronomy, Beck's, Disease, Agronomy Talk
22
Jun
In her fourth week of scouting central Indiana fields, sales intern Christy Kettler has been noticing some additional stressors to corn plants currently in the V5 growth stage. See her report below to learn more about the stink bug damage and yellow leaves she has been seeing, as well as her trap findings and what you can expect in the coming weeks.
Categories: Agronomy, N Indiana
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, corn, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Scouting, Christy Kettler, stink bug, crop damage, corn damage, yellow corn leaves
This is when many of you will likely be making in-crop, post emergence herbicide applications to both corn and soybeans. All post applications should reinforce your earlier herbicide applications. Careful attention and decision making should include: crop growth stage, weed height, environmental conditions, and tank mix additives. If you carefully manage these four key factors, you will not only achieve greater crop safety, but also enhanced herbicide effectiveness.
Tags: Beck's Hybrids, Indiana, Agronomy, Beck's, Denny Cobb, Agronomy Talk, Michigan