West Central Ohio Crop & Weather Report

January Crop Report for 2011 harvest

2012-01-13T16:18:00.000-05:00

NASS Ohio Farm Report Issue 1 dated January 13, 2012
- Ohio's 2011 average corn yield is estimated at 158 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from the November forecast, and down 5 bushels from the previous year. Producers harvested 3.22 million acres for grain this past year, compared to 3.27 million acres in 2010. Total State production of 508.8 million bushels is 5 percent below the 2010 total. Acreage harvested for silage is estimated at 140,000 acres, unchanged from the previous year. The average silage yield is estimated at 18.0 tons per acre.
- Ohio's average soybean yield for 2011 is estimated at 47.5 bushels per acre, up 1.5 bushels from the November forecast. Growers harvested 4.54 million acres of soybeans in 2011 from the estimated 4.55 million acres planted. Total soybean production is estimated at 215.7 million bushels, down 2 percent from the 220.3 million bushels produced in 2010.

- U.S. corn for grain production is estimated at 12.4 billion bushels, up slightly from the November 1 forecast but 1 percent below 2010. The average yield in the United States for 2011 is estimated at 147.2 bushels per acre. This is up 0.5 bushel from the November forecast but 5.6 bushels below the 2010 average yield of 152.8 bushels. Area harvested for grain is estimated at 84.0 million acres, up slightly from the November forecast and up 3 percent from 2010.
- U.S. soybean production in 2011 totaled 3.06 billion bushels, up slightly from the November 1 forecast but down 8 percent from 2010. United States production is the sixth largest on record. The average yield per acre is estimated at 41.5 bushels, 0.2 bushel above the November 1 forecast but 2.0 bushels below last year's yield. Harvested area is down 4 percent from 2010 to 73.6 million acres.

- Ohio wheat growers seeded 580,000 acres of soft red winter wheat this past fall, down 34 percent from the previous crop year.

Harvest is (nearly) finished

2011-12-20T18:19:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas this week and we are nearly finished with harvest. It's been a long year but we still have much to be thankful for. Even though planting was delayed for virtually every field in the county, yields were "better than expected". For some this was their best crop ever, and for others who were on the dry side of the road it was a little below average - but "not as bad as it could have been".

2011 Harold's best guess on Crop Yield
Corn guestimate on yield - 165 bu/acre
Soybean guestimate - 52 bu/acre

For 2012 we have to address ruts in fields, the lack of fertilizer yet applied and fall weed control that we will wish we had on. Watch the CORN newsletter (http://corn.osu.edu) for information on how to get past these last reminders of the 2011 crop season.

Lastly, I am moving on to another position on January 1st within OSU Extension - that of Extension Agronomist for Western Ohio. I'll be housed in the Logan County Extension office but will be working across much of western Ohio and will continue to work with Champaign County row crop producers and to add my comments to the West Ohio Crop & Weather blog.

Wet now, drier soon - I hope!

2011-12-06T16:30:00.001-05:00

The outlook for this week calls for heavy rain from early week to turn toward a colder and drier pattern for the second half of the week as another storm clips southeast Ohio Wednesday into early Thursday. Rainfall from this week will average 1-2 inches across most of the area with southwest Ohio to central Ohio getting in the 2-3 inches range.

Next week will see more some more rain across the state of Ohio with a chance of mixed precipitation northwest by Tuesday and Wednesday. Rainfall totals of 0.5 to 1.0 inches are possible with this system but there is a high degree of uncertainty. It could be less next week.

Overall, temperatures will be colder than it has been recently and it will not be as wet as the last 30-days over the next 1-2 weeks but there will still be some weaker systems so it will not be totally dry. We should have a break from much precipitation from mid-week this week until early to mid-week next week overall.

Longer range the trend is still supportive of wetter conditions than normal through winter with some flooding for Ohio as we have been discussing the last several months.

Jim

NOAA/NWS/OHRFC

Auglaize Co. Update for November 30, 2011

2011-11-30T11:02:00.002-05:00

Weather: Wet and cold.
Corn: The corn that has not been harvested yet will have to wait for freeze-up to be harvested. Upright ears are starting to show mold.
Soybeans: Soybeans are 98-99% harvested. Beans that are not harvested will have to wait for freeze-up to be harvested.
Wheat: Most wheat was planted late due to late soybean harvest. Growth has been slow and due to excess water many wheat fields will have drowned out areas.
Soil Moisture: Extremely wet.
Other Comments: Field tiling and manure hauling has stopped due to extremely wet fields.

Auglaize Co. Update November 22, 2011

2011-11-22T11:04:00.002-05:00

Weather: Cool and damp.
Corn: Combines were in cornfields Friday and Saturday. We are about 25-30% harvested in the county.
Soybeans: Soybeans are 98% harvested. Production was very good, particularly considering late planting and very dry growing period (50-65 bu. per acre).
Wheat: Much of the wheat was planted late due to late soybean harvest. Some wheat fields have bare spots due to heavy rains. Wheat is growing slowly.
Forages: Some hay fields were cut late. I hope they have enough root reserves to live through the winter.
Soil Moisture: Very adequate to excessive.
Other Comments: Many fields being tiled presently and manure being spread before freeze up.

Glyphosate’s Effect Upon Mineral Accumulation in Soybean

2011-11-21T15:16:00.001-05:00

Ryan S. Henry, Kiersten A. Wise, and William G. Johnson, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Abstract

Glyphosate has been demonstrated to reduce the macronutrient and micronutrient content of glyphosate-susceptible (GS) and first generation glyphosate-resistant (GR) or Roundup Ready (RR) soybean, possibly by complexation of the herbicide molecule with the nutrient. The recent release of newer GR soybean cultivars, second generation Roundup Ready 2 Yield (RR2Y), provides growers with newer technology for weed management programs, but it is unclear how the nutrient content of these cultivars is affected by glyphosate in a field setting. The objective of this experiment was to identify the effect of glyphosate on the concentration of macronutrient and micronutrients in RR and RR2Y soybean when grown using standard agronomic practices in Indiana. The macronutrients analyzed were nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, magnesium, and calcium. The micronutrients analyzed were boron, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, and aluminum. Our results indicate that while differences in accumulation of macro and micronutrients exist between the two cultivars tested, there was no consistent effect due to glyphosate treatment. Glyphosate-induced deficiency symptoms observed in previous reports were not observed in this study. Growers should continue to monitor soil nutrient levels to identify and correct nutrient deficiencies.

Link to full article: http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/sub/cm/research/2011/glyphosate/

from the website: www.coolbean.info

Ohio & US November 1st Crop Report

2011-11-09T20:11:00.004-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/09/11
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: WAYNE MATTHEWSREYNOLDSBURG, OH (614) 728-2100
Based on conditions as of November 1, Ohio's average corn yield is forecast at 159 bushels peracre, up 5 bushels from the previous month's forecast, but 4 bushels below the 2010 average yield.Total grain production is forecast at 512.0 million bushels, down 4 percent from last year's Statetotal. Corn growers expect to harvest 3.22 million acres in 2011 down 50,000 acres from one yearago.

The 2011 average soybean yield for Ohio is forecast at 46 bushels per acre, unchanged from lastmonth's forecast and 2 bushels”N below the 2010 average State yield. Total State production isforecast at 208.8 million bushels, down 5 percent from 2010. Harvested acreage is forecast at4.54million acres, down 50,000 acres from last year.

U.S. Corn production is forecast at 12.3 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the October forecastand down 1 percent from 2010. If realized, this will be the fourth largest production total on recordfor the United States. Based on conditions as of November 1, yields are expected to average 146.7bushels per acre, down 1.4 bushels from the October forecast and down 6.1 bushels from 2010. Ifrealized, this will be the lowest average yield since 2003. Area harvested for grain is forecast at83.9 million acres, unchanged from the October forecast.

U.S. Soybean production is forecast at 3.05 billion bushels, down slightly from the Octoberforecast and down 9 percent from last year. Based on November 1 conditions, yields are expectedto average 41.3 bushels per acre, down 0.2 bushel from last month and down 2.2 bushels from lastyear. If realized, the average yield will be the second lowest since 2003. Area for harvest isforecast at 73.7 million acres, unchanged from October but down 4 percent from 2010.

Want to know why we are behind?

2011-10-24T16:52:00.002-04:00

My comments come from reading the October 24, 2011 Ohio Crop-Weather Report from NASS. This first chart shows that we are 30 days behind on the number of days suitable for field activities compared to the 5-year average, the bottom is of the current soil moisture status - wet, everywhere!

Auglaize Co. Update for October 19, 2011

2011-10-19T08:27:00.003-04:00

Weather: Weather has been great for harvest and wheat planting.
Corn: Most of the corn has developed the black spot at the end of the kernel. Just waiting for dry down.
Soybeans: Soybean harvest has proceeded at a rapid pace, probably 75% finished. Production in the 55 to 65 bu. per acre at 9-15% moisture.
Wheat: Wheat is being planted as fast as soybeans are being harvested. I have seen some wheat up.
Soil Moisture: Moisture has been good for harvest – soils not too wet.
Other Comments: Manure is being spread and fields are being tiled. Some fall tillage is being done, as is strip tilling.

early frost tonight?

2011-10-01T09:15:00.001-04:00

Quick note, even though no widespread freeze is expected, some patchy frost is possible this weekend with lows of 35-40. It really depends on clouds and wind. The best chance for the patchy frost will be in the western part of the state as the central and east look to stay mostly cloudy.

Otherwise, not much change though it looks damp especially in the northeast and along Lake Erie. Few showers elsewhere. The low is going to be stubborn to move out this weekend.

The western cornbelt looks so much nicer with the warm and dry weather!

Jim, OHRFC

Corn Storage Webcast Produced in Focus on Corn

2011-09-28T22:14:00.003-04:00

This Focus on Corn presentation, authored by Dr. Ken Hellevang, Professor of Ag and Biosystems Engineering at North Dakota State University, will provide growers across the U.S. with various management practices for corn storage. The talk particularly covers required moisture contents for storage at various corn temperatures, recommended corn temperatures during storage, aeration, and procedures for monitoring stored corn. View this presentation. Also view Dr. Hellevang’s sister presentation on corn drying.

Auglaize Co. Update for September 28, 2011

2011-09-28T16:03:00.001-04:00

Weather: Cool and wet. It is slowing down crop dry down.
Corn: Most cornfields are in the dough stage. It will take them quite a few days to reach black layer.
Soybeans: All soybean fields, except second crop, are turning color and dropping leaves. I expect it to be at least a week to ten days before any appreciable harvest.
Wheat: Wheat planting is stalled due to soybean harvest.
Soil Moisture: Very adequate to excessive in some spots. Much more rain may make harvest difficult.

Darke County Update September 24, 2011

2011-09-26T08:51:00.000-04:00

Weather: Cool and wet conditions have replaced the hot and dry weather that predominated the past few months. Rain is forecasted for the next four days with moderate temperatures.

Corn: Early planted corn in Darke County has reached black layer and will continue to dry down until harvest. Very few fields around the county have been shelled. Corn that suffered hot dry conditions for a good portion of the summer began to lodge over the last few weeks. Small areas of less than an acre have fallen over.

Soybeans: As fall progresses soybeans continue to lose leaves and dry down. At most 1 to 5 % of fields have reached full maturity (R8). Most soybeans fall between R6 and R7.

There are no reports of wheat planting at this time.

Marestail continues to set and disperse seed. Marestail management next year will be a must!

Auglaize Co. Update for Sept. 16, 2011

2011-09-16T08:54:00.002-04:00

Weather: The cool weather is not producing very many “Degree Days” to finish the crops. Hopefully it will warm some.
Corn: In many cornfields the kernels are starting to dent. Corn is looking good to very good. It just needs more days before frost to reach black line. In many cornfields the husks are turning brown.
Soybeans: Soybeans are showing very little insect damage at this point. I have seen very few soybean aphids. Soybeans are podding very well; even the second crop beans are all podded even though those seeds are only very small at this point. About 60% of soybean fields are turning color.
Wheat: I hope none is planted yet.
Forages: At this date, alfalfa harvest should be complete, although some will still be cut. Some grass and summer planted grains will be harvested for forage.
Soil Moisture: Very good to excellent.

Soybean Drought Stress in Late Season

2011-09-08T13:20:00.003-04:00

Shawn Conley in Wisconsin has a nice video on late season drought stressed soybeans. We certainly have several fields in Champaign County that reflect this condition.

Please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXgyVwBDb3E to view a YouTube video on late season Drought Stress in Soybean

Or his website: http://www.coolbean.info

Labor Day weekend crop update

2011-09-06T15:08:00.000-04:00

Hot, dry!

Cold, damp!

What a turn around since 98 degree temperatures on Saturday to 50's on Monday. The crops were suffering from two weeks of dry and hot weather - and I fear will not recover in all areas often county with this rainfall we had this weekend. We had 1.25 inches at the office here in Urbana.

Soybean insect numbers continue low - few aphids, few Bean leaf beetle, few grasshoppers, etc.
Corn disease remains low as well. And now many fields around the county are at and past the dent stage, with several approaching black layer.

Auglaize Co. Update for Sept. 2, 2011

2011-09-02T10:06:00.003-04:00

Weather: Weather has been cooperating to complete corn kernel and soybean pod fill. Mostly in a good temperature range. Due to late planting, hope for no heavy frost until the last of October.
Corn: Early planted corn had some pollination problems due to heat and dry weather. Later planted corn looks very good at this point. Most fields look like they pollinated well.
Soybeans: Soybeans are looking excellent in most fields. Even second crop soybeans are starting to pod heavily even though they have a long way to go for maturity.
Wheat: Keep in mind September 27th is “Fly Free Date” for Hessian Fly. Preferably do not plant wheat ahead of that date.
Forages: Most of the hay crop has been made for the year.
Soil Moisture: Soil moisture is fair to good. We just need some timely rains to finish the growing season.

Champaign Crop report - Aug 19

2011-08-21T15:26:00.002-04:00

Aphids - a few out there, I can find some in every soybean field but at a very low level

Soybean leaf munchers - they are there too - Bean leaf beetles, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers - generally at low levels too, but early planted soybeans (May) do have a few more holes - watch these beans for pod feeding and then treat if they get too high.

Western bean cutworm - haven't seen any in 3 weeks.

Corn rootworm - low levels - such as 1/5 per day or less - so I expect no CRW troubles for next year (so far).

Gray leafspot - is slowly creeping up the plants, but so slow it won't affect the crop.

Northern corn leaf blight - at low levels except in some isolated hybrids - choose well next year, this disease ain't gone yet.

Frogeye - we have some, but it appears in isolated areas by variety - make sure next year to get Frogeye resistant varieties.

Corn - some early crop is starting to dent - all is moving faster than you think it should. While it suffers from some dryness, I think we will have an average crop, just not up to the last three years yield.

Soybeans - also look better than expected - some early planted beans are FULL of pods and will do well, but most are June planted, and still looking good. I now think we will be in the mid-40 bu/A with continued rains.

Auglaize Co. Update for August 19, 2011

2011-08-19T15:19:00.002-04:00

Weather: Weather has been very conducive for crop growth with warm 80+ degree days, and in the 60 degree range at night with adequate moisture across the county.
Corn: The early planted corn had pollination problems due to heat and lack of moisture. Later planted corn looks to have pollinated very well.
Soybeans: Soybeans are podding very well. They just don’t need to experience frost until late October. I have yet to see soybean aphids. Very little insect damage at this point.
Forages: Third cutting alfalfa is about complete. It was a light crop.
Soil Moisture: Moisture is adequate lately, just need timely rains to keep up with the crop development.
Other Comments: Soybean fields are starting to show a variety of weeds that are apparently resistant to Roundup. Velvet leaf, volunteer corn, rag weed and giant rag weed, and marestail are the predominate weeds.

August 11 Champaign County Crop report

2011-08-12T11:56:00.002-04:00

It's been a busy summer and the crops have always been a step ahead of me. And they are making great progress - we have some corn denting already but most is not that far along. Soybeans - a very few acres are fully podded and on the downhill turn. For the rest of us we continue to get reasonable rainfall and can expect a good crop, although with reduced yield due to the late planting.

Aphids have appeared in several fields across Champaign County - the high (and this is low) is 5-10 per plant. The low is 1 I found in my trip across a field. So overall we are so far below the threshold of 250 per plant that we should not need any aphid control in soybeans this year.

Western bean cutworm moth flights have stopped - for the season we had maybe 60 or so trapped - a far cry from the 1,000 or more in NW Ohio.

First year corn rootworm - I am trapping again this summer with the yellow sticky traps - and have 9 beetles in 18 traps over the past 10 days --- again well below the threshhold for action in next years corn. I will continue to trap into September to see if the trend continues.

USDA August 2011 Crop Production Forecast

2011-08-12T11:38:00.001-04:00

Based on conditions as of August 1, Ohio's average corn yield is forecast at 158 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels from last year's yield of 163 bushels per acre. Total production is forecast at 525 million bushels. Growers expect to harvest 3.32 million acres for grain in 2011, 50,000 acres more than in 2010.

Soybean yield is forecast at 44 bushels per acre, down 4 bushels from the 2010 state average. If this yield is realized, Ohio's production would total 205.9 million bushels, down 7 percent from last year. Harvested acreage is forecast at 4.68 million acres, up 90,000 from 2010.

Winter Wheat yield is estimated at 60 bushels per acre, down 4 bushels from the previous forecast and 1 bushel below the previous year's state average. Total production is estimated at 52 million bushels, 13 percent more than the 2010 production. Acreage for harvest is estimated at 860,000 acres, up 110,000 acres from the previous year.

Ohio's oat yield is forecast at 58 bushels per acre, down 2 bushels from the previous month's forecast and down 12 bushels from the state's 2010 average. Total state production is forecast at 2.32 million bushels from an expected 40,000 harvested acres.

Alfalfa hay yield in Ohio is forecast at 3.0 tons per acre, down 0.3 tons from the 2010 state yield. Total production is forecast at 1.20 million tons, down 7 percent from last year. Producers intend to harvest 400,000 acres in 2011, up 10,000 from last year.

All other hay yield is forecast at 2.00 tons per acre, down 0.2 tons from 2010. Total state production is forecast at 1.42 million tons, down 10 percent from the previous year. Acreage for harvest is forecast at 710,000 acres, down 10,000 from last year.

U.S. corn production is forecast at 12.9 billion bushels, up 4 percent from 2010. If realized, this will be the third largest production total on record for the United States. Based on conditions as of August 1, yields are expected to average 153.0 bushels per acre, up 0.2 bushel from 2010, and the fourth highest yield on record. Acreage planted for all purposes is estimated at 92.3 million acres, unchanged from the June estimate. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 84.4 million acres, down less than 1 percent from June but up 4 percent from 2010.

U.S. soybean production is forecast at 3.06 billion bushels, down 8 percent from last year. Based on August 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 41.4 bushels per acre, down 2.1 bushels from last year. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at 73.8 million acres, down less than 1 percent from June and down 4 percent from 2010. Planted area for the Nation is estimated at 75.0 million acres, down fractionally from June.

U.S. winter wheat production is forecast at 1.50 billion bushels, up slightly from last month and up 1 percent from 2010. The United States yield is forecast at 46.3 bushels per acre, up 0.1 bushel from last month but down 0.5 bushel from last year. The area expected to be harvested for grain totals 32.3 million acres, unchanged from last month but up 2 percent from last year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 08/11/11
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JAMES E. RAMEY REYNOLDSBURG, OH

Now it's the heat!

2011-07-22T13:07:00.003-04:00

Last week I made remarks on the blog and in the Urbana Daily News about rainfall. And then Monday evening and Tuesday morning many of us got from 1-2 inches of rain. So if I say it's not that hot - maybe it will cool down?

For what it's worth, the heat is probably taking a toll on corn. Some of the corn is in tassel, as it should be. Corn in tassel and after is at the peak water usage - and when it's this hot the plant uses a lot of water for air conditioning and less for plant processes. So we are taking a yield hit on corn in tassel, corn that will tassel next week may fare better as it is supposed to be 10 degrees cooler. We still need an inch of water a week, and temperatures below the mid-80s for highs to make this a decent corn crop.

Darke County Crop and Weather Update July 22, 2011

2011-07-22T12:18:00.003-04:00

Weather: Hot temperatures this week have shutdown corn and soybean growth. Daytime temperatures have been in the mid nineties for the last week with warm evening temperatures. Compounding the problems caused by the heat is the lack of precipitation. Some rain fell this week but was highly variable. Some areas of the county received close to an inch while other areas received no precipitation. With the precipitation came high winds causing lodging of poorly rooted corn. A chance of rain and cooler temperatures this coming week will help corn and beans.

Corn: Stress from heat and lack of moisture is not an ideal proposition around tassel. Corn growth and development is about as variable as the rainfall. Fields planted mid-May are tasseling and silking. However, some fields have great diversity in growth stage. A field scouted last Friday ranged from V12 to V17. Leaves are rolling by early afternoon in some fields indicating heat and drought stress. The heat is holding back insect and disease pressure as important diseases like grey leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight will not grow above 90 F. Fungicide application are not recommended because of the lack of disease pressure and rolled leaves will not be thoroughly coated by fungicide.

Soybeans: Beans continue to suffer through the heat. The stress is beginning to show in areas of the field where root diseases like Phytopthora and Sudden Death have impacted root growth. Impacted plants are beginning to show signs of chlorosis. Some soybean flash has shown up in overlaps where glyphosate products have been applied. The flash is caused by a compound created as glyphosate is broken down through plant metabolism. AMNP is a compound that destroys chlorophyll (the green stuff in plants) and causes the impacted leaves to turn yellow, then white.

Weeds: Marestail that was not controlled in the spring is between a foot and four feet tall. It will start to flower and set seed in the coming month. There are no effective means for postemergence control in soybeans. Waterhemp in research plots has survived in glyphosate treatments. Ignite, Flexstar, and Flexstar GT are providing adequate control. Waterhemp in plots that received a preemergence product with residual control was typically below six inches in height. Waterhemp that did not receive a PRE was between one and two feet tall. The OSU Extension Darke County Facebook Page has been updated with new weed ID pictures and pictures of herbicide injury to soybean. To view the page paste on this link into your browser: http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt

Shelby Co Crop Report for July 22, 2011

2011-07-22T11:58:00.002-04:00

Weather: Extremely hot and dry. No real releaf in sight.

Corn: Most fields are showing drought stress, some extreme. Many of the fields still look good in the morning but show drought symptoms by mid morning. Heavy dews and light showers that supply moisture captured by the whorl are greatly appreciated. Fields that are pollinating will suffer some yield reduction.

Soybeans: Continue to grow but are becoming more stressed.

Forages: Little growth.

Weeds: Way too many weed escapes will be with us through harvest in soybean fields. Lack of fall treatments last fall and absense of 2,4-D in the burndown is painfully evident.

Insects: Western bean cutworm moths continue to be captured and reported to Ohio State University Entomologist Andy Michel, who reports them on the Agronomic Crops Team Website. Concerns of spider mite in soybeans will increase if drought continues. Potato leafhopper showing up in alfalfa.

Diseases: Dry weather has kept them to a minimum.

Rain (or lack of) comments

2011-07-18T15:51:00.002-04:00

Jim Noel with the National Weather Service was on the weekly conference call this morning, explaining that his predictions of this spring have come true. "It's gotten dry."

Expect this week: Hot - 90s to near 100 degrees in SW Ohio, and overnight temps of 70 to 80s in the SW.

Rainfall - scattered storms early in the week, then again over the weekend. Expect these as scattered storms, with strong winds.

Next week - a return to normal temperatures, low to mid-80s. With rain of 1/2 inch to 1 inch.. and that's the general forecast for rain - scattered with 1/2 to 1 inch over the next two weeks.

For August - "the trend remains your friend", so more of the same.

And in the for what it's worth column, we are the least impacted area across the cornbelt.

Managing Glyphosate Failures

2011-07-18T15:50:00.001-04:00

By Bob Hartzler and Mike Owen, Department of Agronomy

In the past week we have received numerous calls from farmers, agricultural chemical dealers and industry representatives regarding waterhemp and horseweed/marestail surviving glyphosate applications made in late June and early July. Although there are numerous reasons why a herbicide application might fail at controlling weeds, we are certain that a significant percentage of these failures are due to the presence of glyphosate-resistant biotypes in the field.

The common question is what can be done to rescue the situation in the field. Unfortunately, at this time of the year there are few options. If glyphosate failed earlier to control the weeds, it is unlikely that a repeat application will do any good in controlling the surviving weeds. The PPO inhibitors (Reflex, Cobra, Phoenix, UltraBlazer, etc.) are the other postemergence option available for waterhemp in soybean. However, the label restrictions regarding weed size are long past and thus these herbicides are unlikely to provide affective control. There also is a potential for serious crop injury with the high temperature forecast for the coming week. Furthermore, the harvest interval restrictions for each of these products should be reviewed.

Although not popular with the majority of growers, mechanical control is really the only available option to manage escaped and/or herbicide-resistant waterhemp and horseweed/marestail at this time. If only scattered plants are present in the field, hand-weeding the field would be worth the effort since this will slow the establishment and spread of resistance within the field. If the presence of surviving waterhemp and horseweed/marestail is more widespread, a trip back in time using a cultivator is really the only option to reduce the problems with these escapes.

Bob Hartzler and Micheal Owen are professors of agronomy and weed science extension specialists with responsibilities in weed management and herbicide use.

Auglaize Co. Update for July 15, 2011

2011-07-15T08:25:00.001-04:00

Weather: Warm and dry.
Corn: Most of the corn is from V5 to R1. Corn that was planted in wet soils looks like it is now showing lack of moisture stress.
Soybeans: Soybeans are from third trifoliate to R1.
Forages: Second crop alfalfa is being made now. Excellent weather for hay making.
Soil Moisture: Need a good soaking rain at this time.

Farm Science Review/ Madison County Weather and Crop Progress 7/11

2011-07-11T10:11:00.002-04:00

Wheat harvest is wrapped here. We completed harvesting on 7/6 as well as finishing the double crop beans. We baled a small field and had around 68 small square bales per acre. The post spraying is caught up until we get into more active growing conditions and new weeds become present. We targeted some no till Marestail in soybeans with Classic and a high rate of Glyphosate, included a surfactant and have received mixed results. The corn is clean and in about V9 growth stage. We are getting very dry and need some rain this week. The plots are progressing nicely and we are wrapping up sidedressing on the AgCrops Team demo plots today.

Auglaize Co. Update for July 8, 2011

2011-07-08T11:32:00.002-04:00

Weather: Changed from wet and cold to dry.
Corn: Corn is ranging from V2 stage to V9 stage depending on planting date. Some corn planted in wet soils is showing lack of moisture stress presently.
Soybeans: Soybeans are growing well. Early planted beans especially should be monitored closely for Bean Leaf Beetle and Soybean Aphids.
Wheat: Wheat is harvested and, what I have seen and heard, it was a very good crop.
Forages: Second cut alfalfa is being harvested and looks to be an excellent crop.
Soil Moisture: Could use a good soaking rain.
Other Comments: We are catching Western Bean Cutworm Moths in the traps. Growers of corn should be monitoring for larval damage as ears of corn develop. Soybeans planted early should be watched for Soybean Aphid development.

Champaign wheat head scab report

2011-06-27T14:53:00.002-04:00

I made wheat head scab counts a week ago, and now can add the use of fungicide to the report.

Location in Champaign County, and the % of the field with scabby heads

NE 2.7% of heads with scab no fungicide

EC 19.6% no fungicide

WC 2.3% fungicide

NC 14.1% fungicide

C 7.2% fungicide

Average 9.2% in 2011

for 2010 we had 39%

Reports from around the state indicate that fungicides reduced the incidence about 10%. We had a number of issues here related to timing of application of fungicides, mostly due to excessive rain at or near flowering. The dry weather and heat immediately after flowering likely reduced the incidence of head scab.

Reports of wheat harvest in areas to our south indicate that wheat yields are running in the 50-70 bu/A range. Roger in Shelby County indicates that large areas of fields there were drowned out and will be low yielding. By the end of this week we'll have harvest here, if we miss a few rains that is.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report June 16, 2011

2011-06-16T13:44:00.000-04:00

Weather: The latest weather front brought needed precipitation to the area. The last rainfall event added a quarter inch to the three inch total for June. Just enough to soften crusted soils and activate any PRE herbicides applied since the last rainfall.

Corn: Corn is planted and poor areas have been replanted. Earlier planted corn is progressing through the early stages of growth and is nearing v5-v6. Some late planted and replanted fields are just emerging. Last week some fields were topdressed as weather conditions were optimal. There are reports of cutworm feeding but reports of heavy feeding are few and far between. If feeding is observed during scouting check 20 plants at 5 locations in the field. Determine the percent of feeding by using the following formula. (plants injured/total plants checked*100). If 3% or more of plants have been cut or tunneled, corn is between v2 to v6, and cutworm larva are less than an inch rescue treatment may be warranted. The goal is to preserve the corn stand to levels that will maintain optimum yield. If feeding appears to be reducing the stand below optimum levels for the variety and time of planting, treatment may be warranted. Consult the OSU Factsheet on Black Cutworm available from the Insects section of the Ag Crops website (http://agcrops.osu.edu).

Soybeans: The majority of soybeans are planted and are emerging. Reports of bean leaf beetle and other defoliators are coming in. Soybeans are relatively tolerant to defoliation in early growth stages. However, if defoliation is greater than 50% and defoliators are still feeding treatment may be warranted. To accurately assess defoliation refer to Bulletin 827, the Corn, Soybean, Wheat and Alfalfa Field Guide. The guide is available under the Publications section of the Ag Crops website or at a local Extension Office.

Wheat: Head scab is present in Darke County. Fields with a resistant variety or fields that received a properly timed application of an effective fungicide have incidence levels below 10%. Fields that did not receive a fungicide application and have susceptible varieties are above 10% incidence. Incidence is calculated by taking 10 counts across a field. At each location count the number of heads that have scab present in a foot of row and divide it by the total number of tillers in the same foot of row. The incidence of head scab in the field is related to the levels of vomitoxin that will be present. However, the actual amount of vomitoxin in the wheat will vary by variety, disease severity, and environmental conditions as wheat matures to hardened grain. Testing wheat grain and straw after harvest is the only way to determine an actual level of vomitoxin. For more information on best management practices for head scab visit last year’s issue of the CORN Newsletter 2010-17 (http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2010/2010-17) or keep an eye on the next few issues of the CORN Newsletter. To view photos of other common wheat diseases visit the OSU Extension Darke County Facebook page at: http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt.

Weeds: Many corn and soybean fields have marestail and giant ragweed that is taller than most labels allow for even the most effective herbicides. If marestail is not controlled in soybean by this point there is little hope for control. Giant ragweed in soybeans may respond to an application of glyphosate or two sequential applications of glyphosate or sequential applications of a PPO inhibitor like Flexstar/Cobra/Phoenix. Control of larger giant ragweed in corn is possible if atrazine or a growth regulator is included with glyphosate. Consult the 2011 Weed Control Guide for more information on herbicide programs and their efficacy. For pictures to aid in identifying problem weeds and to see what glyphosate + 2,4-D can do to even large weeds compared to glyphosate in a burndown situation visit the Darke County Ag Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt.

Shelby Co Crop for 6/10/11

2011-06-10T16:04:00.000-04:00

Weather: Most of the county received 3/4 to a little over an inch of rain since yesterday, providing much needed moisture.

Corn: Now 99% planted,the best looking corn is knee high, from conventionally tilled, to strip tilled to true no-till into soybean stubble and corn stalks. Many early planted fields needed some replanting of the "bald spots" as one farmer described them. Stands that were perfect early on lost stand on tighter soils, probably due to seedling blight and maybe some cutworm feeding. The replanted areas look good. Compaction was also evident in a number of early planted fields; on the end rows, in wheel tracks and diagonally across the field where anhydrous was applied to wet soils. Recently planted fields have emerged rapidly, except where seed was not planted to moisture.

Soybeans: 98% planted, presently ranging from just planted, through cracking, unifoilate stage to the first trifoilate.

Wheat: Seems to look a little worse every time it is looked at. Head scab is rearing its ugly head, even in fields with resistant varieties that have had fungicide applications. Some large areas of wheat fields have died entirely, likely due to long term soil saturation. Several days of temperatures above 90 degrees have likely shut down grain fill, probably resulting in low yields of poor quality wheat.

Forages: Most of the first cutting alfalfa and grasses have been made. A few red clover fields remain to be cut. Second cutting regrowth will be boosted by recent rain.

Diseases: Head scab in wheat will likely result in high vomitoxin levels in harvested grain. Seedling blight did in large areas of early planted corn fields.

Weeds: Herbicide resistant giant ragweed and marestail have obviously survived burndown applications.

Insects: Other than cutworm and alfalfa weevil earlier, few concerns have been made. Potato leafhopper likely to show up soon.

Auglaize Co. Update for June 7, 2011

2011-06-07T15:46:00.001-04:00

Weather: Weather has finally cleared so field work can be carried on.
Corn: I estimate corn is now 50-60% planted. With the heat and moisture, germination should be rapid. The corn that is up should be helped by the warm, dry weather.
Soybeans: Soybeans are 20-30% planted and should be helped by the present weather.
Wheat: The wheat is flowering or has completed flowering. There are spots in some fields that are dead from excess water. Some fields are showing extreme weed pressure. Also some starting to go down.
Forages: Hay making has started. Forage quality has started to decline with advanced hay maturity.
Soil Moisture: Still too wet in some areas and excellent in others.

Farm Science Review/ Madison County Weather and Crop Progress 6/7

2011-06-07T15:44:00.002-04:00

Very Hot, and beginning to get dry. What a swing in conditions in the last 10 days. We began planting corn here on 5/31 and completed planting on 6/4. The first corn planted is emerged and 2 leaf. We should be finished with soybeans tomorrow night. We are due a rain to replace some moisture we removed by tilling some ground that had gotten baked very hard with the high temps on saturated soil. Wheat is ripening quickly and the water damage is increasing too. Areas that were under water too long are burned up and dying. We hope to get some rain to fill kernels and complete grain fill soon. It looks to be and early harvest with rain needed if double crop beans are going to get planted.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report June 4, 2011

2011-06-04T16:49:00.003-04:00

Weather: Hot and dry weather has replaced cool and wet weather. Temperatures for the week are forecasted in the 80s and 90s. Only a slight chance of storms is predicted for the next week.

Corn: Corn planting is progressing thanks to the dry conditions. Growers in the southern part of the county have made the most progress. Some are reporting they are finished with corn planting, some are finished with beans too. Some fields have crusted over impeding emergence. Growers are resorting to rotary hoes to break the crust. Some are already considering replanting. Corn planting in the northern part of the county is progressing. Some evidence of cutworms can be seen in the field, however pressure is low.

Soybeans: Beans are being planted. If extra tractors and planters are available growers are seeding corn and soybean simultaneously. There are a few emerged fields in the south eastern part of the county.

Wheat: Wheat continues to progress through reporductive stages. Flowering occured last week with many acres receiving a fungicide application to protect against head scab.

Weeds: Weeds are growing rapidly. Giant ragweed is between 6 and 12"s in height, marestail is between 4 and 6"s, lambsquarters is seedling to 6"s and waterhemp is emerged and between seedling and 6"s. Some giant ragweed is already off label for control with glyphosate. For pictures to help identify problem weeds and to see what glyphosate + 2,4-D can do to even large weeds compared to glyphosate visit the Darke County Ag Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt.

Shelby County Crop Report for June 3, 2011

2011-06-03T09:40:00.000-04:00

Tilling, planting and making hay!

Shelby County Crop Report for 5/27/11

2011-05-27T16:15:00.001-04:00

Weather: Continued wet, now cool. Forecast is promising,

Corn: What little is planted looks good, only 2-3% is planted at this point.

Soybeans: Heard of some planted, have not seen any emerged but was told a couple of fields have emerged.

Wheat: Continues to struggle with all of the rain. Nitrogen availability and the ability of the wheat to take in nitrogen under saturated soil conditions is questionable. Rain has fallen at least 1/2 to 3/4 of days wheat has flowered. Some wheat was blown down during high winds this week.

Forages: Grasses have headed and are declining in quality fast. Alfalfa is just beginning to flower with clover not far behind.

Weeds: Annual and perenniel weeds are flourishing in fields not yet tilled or sprayed. Winter annuals have or flowering and setting seed.

Insects: Liminted numbers of army worm have been reported. Alfalfa weevil could cause significant damage if hay cannot be made this coming week.

Diseases: Leaf diseases were rampant in wheat fields with succeptable varieties that were not treated with appropriate fungicides. Aerial application of scab rated fungicides occurred regularly between showers.

Purdue Delayed Plant webinar

2011-05-26T23:23:00.001-04:00

Friday, May 27 (tomorrow), the Purdue Extension Field Crops team will host a free, public webinar and teleconference to answer questions related to delayed planting. The team includes specialists from agronomy, botany and plant pathology, entomology and agricultural economics departments.

Topics addressed will include:

* "Safe" corn hybrid maturities to plant over the next several weeks

* When and whether or not to switch to earlier-maturity soybean varieties

* Assessing available soil nitrogen from earlier applications of N fertilizer

* Weed control issues and options for late-planted crops or late herbicide applications

* Tillage issues and options for late planting conditions

* Looking ahead to late-maturity and harvest issues

* Crop insurance points of clarification

* Economics of prevented planting or switching from corn to soybeans

The session will run 2-3 p.m. To participate, dial 866-424-5561 and follow the voice prompts. To view the online portion of the session, log on tohttps://gomeet.itap.purdue.edu/anrtraining.

Those planning to participate are asked to register to Zana Griffey at zgriffey@purdue.eduby mid-morning on Friday so enough teleconference ports are available.

Additional delayed planting resources are available on Purdue Extension's Chat 'n Chew Cafe on the Corny News Network atwww.kingcorn.org/cafe, or in Ohio State Extension's Crops Observation and Recommendation Network (C.O.R.N.) newsletter at http://corn.osu.edu.

Thanks,

Jennifer Stewart

Auglaize County Update for May 24, 2011

2011-05-24T15:34:00.001-04:00

Weather: Very wet.
Corn: Still very little planted.
Soybeans: Still very little planted.
Wheat: Wheat is headed and starting to flower. Now is the time to put on a Fungicide to protect against Head Scab and Vomitoxin. ( Easier said than done)
Forages: Grasses are heading now and quality will drop very dramatically. Alfalfa is just coming into the bud stage. Still not seeing many Alfalfa Weevil.
Soil Moisture: Very wet.

Late planting planning articles on AgCrops Website

2011-05-24T14:51:00.002-04:00

Folks

FYI, there is a group of articles on the AgCrops site http://agcrops.osu.edu/links/2011-late-planting-resources/decision-resources-and-tools-for-2011-late-planting, that may help with late planting decisions.

Decision aid for Prevented Planting

2011-05-23T13:30:00.003-04:00

Folks

If you haven't made a decision yet on how to deal with delayed planting, then this Delayed Plant Decision tool may help: http://ohioagmanager.osu.edu/farm-policy/new-decision-aid-to-determine-late-planting-options/

The guys who work on the farm management team of OSU Extension created this to help. This tool assumes you have multi-peril crop insurance.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report May 23, 2011

2011-05-23T10:06:00.003-04:00

Weather: The weather has changed this past week form cool and wet to warm and wet. Another shower moved through early this morning between 3 and 5 am. Rainfall was variable but the total for the month of May is between 3.75 and 4 inches. Rain is expected this week with totals predicted around an inch but as high as 4 to 5 inches depending on rainfall events.

Wheat: Wheat as of Saturday afternoon was in Feekes 10 to 10.1 (Boot to head). It will undoubtedly flower this week with the warm temperatures. Head scab risk under these conditions is moderate to high. Timing is critical for control. A properly timed application of an effective fungicide to a resistant variety will give only 75%control of scab. Foliar diseases remain low with Septoria being the most prevelant in Darke County's wheat fields. For photos visit the OSU Extension Darke County Agriculture Facebook page at: http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt. For more information on Ohio's wheat diseases and their control visit agcrops.osu.edu/ and click on 'diseases' under the 'Specialists' column on the right hand side of the screen.

Corn: Some corn was planted this past weekend with most folks getting rained out Saturday night. Some contiuned to plant Sunday. The best quote to describe the conditions was "We are planting in mud".

Soybeans: Some beans may have been planted, however the total acreage is unknown.

Weeds: Most summer annuals are emerging. Marestail is 4-6 inches tall, giant ragweed is near 6 inches tall, lambsquarters is seedling to 4 inches tall. Pigweeds are up with waterhemp in the 2 leaf stage. Crabgrass is in the 2-3 leaf stage. For more information on weed control visit agcrops.osu.edu/, click on publications, and click the link to the 2011 weed control guide.

Wet again this week in Champaign County

2011-05-23T08:37:00.002-04:00

Jim Noel, NWS - expect to be wet again this week with 1-2 inches of rain. Temperatures above normal for the week.

Crop progress may be up to 10% corn, 1% soybeans planted. We are very far behind normal progress.

Shelby Co Crop Report for 5/20/11

2011-05-20T13:15:00.000-04:00

Weather: Saturated soil conditions and frequent showers

Corn: Little or none of the limited corn acreage planted was done in optimum soil conditions

Soybeans: Same as corn

Wheat: Some varieties have held up well disease wise to date. All fields show some nitrogen deficiency symptoms due to loss on N applied and/or inability of roots to take up N in saturated soils.

Weeds: More fields are showing that burndown treatments were applied earlier.

Insects: Little activity reported to date.

Diseases: Powdery mildew, stagonospora and spindle streak mosaic has been seen in wheat. Weather forecasts during wheat flowering are prompting large acreages to be booked for aerial applications of scab control products.

Farm Science Review/ Madison County Weather and Crop Progress 5/19

2011-05-19T17:23:00.002-04:00

Nothing planted here yet. Wheat is at Feekes 10.2. With warm temps coming the next few days we anticipate flowering to begin 5/24 or before. We will be applying additional fungicide at that time. We have some Septoria in places that's in high levels and have began to see lesions that look like Stagonospora beginning. Fungicide at full flag leaf seems to be holding them clean. We need a break in the precipitation and some warm temps before planting.

Auglaize County Update for May 18, 2011

2011-05-18T11:35:00.002-04:00

Weather: Still wet and cold.
Corn: Very little planted and they probably wish it was back in the bag.
Soybeans: None planted.
Wheat: Wheat is reaching the critical stage. The Flag leaf is out and needs to be protected. It produces about 70% of the crop. Heads are starting to emerge and will be flowering in 5-10 days. If we have warm, wet weather, Head Scab could be a problem. Fungicide application at flowering of either Prosaro, Caramba or Folicur will help protect against Head Scab. Scout for armyworm and diseases.
Forages: Alfalfa and grasses have been growing very well. Alfalfa weevil has been minimal, probably due to cold rains. Forages first cut will not be timely this year, but will be ready when the weather breaks.
Soil Moisture: Soil moisture has been excessive. Reallly!!!!

How to stage head scab fungicide

2011-05-17T16:50:00.002-04:00

I have had several folks over the past few days ask how to determine when wheat is flowering, so they can stage a headscab fungicide application. This video from Shawn Conley at the University of Wisconsin shows the flowering of wheat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?index=11&feature=PlayList&v=7NJNE1wbVaU&list=PL44D622149CDDD748

And the Headscab website at PSU, helps with weather watching and headscab risk assessment: http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/, click on the Risk Map Tool link.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report May 16, 2011

2011-05-16T15:06:00.003-04:00

Weather: Cool and wet weather has returned this week posing a quandry to farmers who were considering planting late last week. Cool and wet weather will persist until the weekend when we have a chance of more sunshine and warm temperatures. The rainfall total for May so far is just shy of 3 inches. Growing Degree Days for the month of May are 146 compared to 178 GDD in 2010. GDD from April 15 are 248 for 2011compared to 275 in 2010.

Corn: Some farmers tried planting at the end of last week. Some planted one pass and called it quits, others planting in more fit soils reported planting several hundred acres a piece. Total planting is probably less than 5-10%. To be productive I planted a seed in a pot here in the office, the first seed is in the ground for the year!

Soybean: No reports of beans being planted.

Wheat: Most wheat is nearing boot stage (currently Feekes 9). Quite a few acres were sprayed with fungicides last week. Applications will only control foliar diseases like Septoria and powdery mildew. Of the fields I scouted only a few were showing signs of diseases last week. Some fields were suspected to have Septoria and a few powdery mildew. However diseaes were present on lower leaves making them hard to distinguish from symptoms related to senescence. A few fields received late topdress applications of nitrogen.

Weeds. Quite a few acres received burndown applications to control emerged weeds before the rains came Friday. Marestail is between the rosette stage and 6 inches in height. Lambsquarters, giant and common ragweeds, and other summer annuals are emerging. Pigweeds including waterhemp have not emerged yet. Some fields were receving tillage for weed/cover crop control. One tractor pulling a moldboard was visible from the road that was either abandoned due to rain or was stuck.

cool & wet this week in central Ohio

2011-05-16T08:04:00.002-04:00

Just heard from Jim Noel, NWS at Wilmington for our Ohio Ag weather report.

This week expect cooler and wetter (cloudy) conditions than last week. The low weather system is over eastern Ohio now and is expected to stay here for a while. Because we are under the storm, we can actually expect less rainfall amounts but about an inch (normal) and no drying with the cloudy conditions. Expect a pullout by Wednesday/Thursday. Expect more rain east and less west. Expect some drying by the weekend.

Next week will be warmer than average with normal (1 inch) rainfall.

Flying on a Fungicide now (before flowering) WILL NOT Prevent Problems with Vomitoxin

2011-05-14T14:46:00.000-04:00

1- Fungicide application at FLAG LEAF EMERGENCE, BOOT, or ANY TIME BEFORE HEADING WILL NOT CONTROL SCAB or VOMITOXIN.

2- The head scab fungus infects when the wheat crop is flowering i.e., when anthers are seen sticking out of the heads, causing scab to develop and producing vomitoxin.

3- Therefore, fungicides need to be applied to protect the flowering head to reduce infection, scab development, and vomitoxin production.

4- Between flag leaf emergence and boot, the head is in the leaf sheath of the flag leaf where it is protected from the head scab fungus, so scab will not cause a problem while the head is hidden, even during these constant rains.

5- Between flag leaf emergence and boot, the head is in the leaf sheath of the flag leaf where the fungicide will not reach it. These fungicides need to be applied like a protectant – ON THE PLANT PART just prior to infection. THIS PART FOR SCAB control is the WHEAT HEAD WITH ANTHERS HANGING OUT. So, if it becomes wet and humid after the heads emerge when the crop is at greatest risk for scab, applications made before flowering WILL NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION.

6- Fungicide application between flag leaf emergence and boot will provide EXCELLENT CONTROL OF LEAF DISEASES BUT NOT SCAB.

7- Fungicide applications made at heading (when the heads are fully emerged) will provide some suppression of scab, but are much less effective than applications made at flowering.

8- For scab and vomitoxin control, application by air may be the only option if it is too wet to get into the field, but THESE APPLICATIONS NEED TO BE MADE AT FLOWERING, USING A VOLUME OF 5 GALLONS/ACRE AND GETTING AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE WHEAT CANOPY.

9- APPLICATION BY AIR BEFORE FLOWERING is even LESS EFFECTIVE FOR SCAB control; quite frankly IT DOES NOT STOP SCAB.

10- So, if you are targeting leaf diseases, applying a fungicide at this time may be an excellent idea, given the wet weather that we have had.

11- However, if you are truly concerned about scab and vomitoxin, which is understandable after last year’s problems and the weather we have had so far, applying a fungicide now (before flowering), is both a waste of time and money.

12- Read product labels for proper timing, since not all fungicides can be applied as late as flowering.

Pierce Paul and Dennis Mills

Shelby County Crop Report for 5/13/11

2011-05-13T13:14:00.000-04:00

Weather: Dry enough to allow limited field activity on better drained soils. Isolated showers continue to delay spring work. A limited amount of hail was received this week.

Corn: Best guess is that about 2% is planted. One farmer admitted to working soils that were a little heavy. A couple of no-tillers known not to plant in wet soils were planting. Some fall strip tilled soybean stubble fields were reported to be in perfect condition.

Soybeans: Maybe a handful of fields have been planted.

Wheat: A few fields were finally topdressed for the first time. Some received their second shot of N. Several fields were rutted in the process.

Forages: Several fields of fescue were baled and wrapped. Pastures are looking good.

Weed control: Pre-plant burn down applications are being made on fields that can be trafficked.

Diseases: Fungicide was flown on wheat for septoria nad powdery mildew.

Insects: No insect challenges have been seen by this field scout, however some insecticide was applied as a throw in with wheat fungicide applications.

Auglaize County Update for May 11, 2011

2011-05-11T14:45:00.000-04:00

Weather: If we have 20 days like today, the corn and beans will be planted and first cutting hay made.
Corn: None planted.
Soybeans: None planted.
Wheat: Where N was applied it looks good. The Flag leaf is out and the head will be in boot in a few days. Some fields showing Canadian thistles, Yellow Rocket and Penny Cress.
Forages: Alfalfa looks good. Only checked one field that was heavy with alfalfa weevil. Most fields very low weevil population. If the fields could be cut by next weekend, there would be no need to treat for weevil.
Soil Moisture: Too much moisture. Need 4-5 days to get into most fields.

Wet Again!

2011-05-11T14:04:00.000-04:00

Our gage here at the office had 1.3 inches this morning. Local farmers say that 1 to 3 inches fell in Champaign County.

We did get some corn planted yesterday - may be up to 5% of the corn crop planted now for the season. No beans yet that I am aware of.

The Weather Pattern is Beginning to Change, Jim Noel NWS

2011-05-11T14:02:00.000-04:00

The weather pattern is beginning to change. As we had discussed since last summer, we had expected a very wet late winter into spring with La Nina and the negative North Atlantic Oscillation and we got it. Now, we expect La Nina to end by June but the effects will likely linger into at least early summer.

The rest of May will see improving conditions from what we saw in April and very early May. The outlook for the rest of May is as follows:

May 9-14 - Temperatures will average about 6 degrees above normal with rainfall near normal. Best chance for rain will be Monday night and Tuesday in the west half and late week into the weekend. Coverage will be more scattered and rainfall variability will be much higher than we have seen due to the warmer late spring weather pattern.

May 15-21-Temperatures will average near normal and rainfall above normal. Rainfall normally is near 1 inch for a week. Expect 1 inch west to 2 inches east on average but again variability will be high.

May 22-28 - Temperatures will average 5-10 degrees above normal as a large dome of high pressure builds in shifting the heaviest rains into the western corn and soybean belt. Rainfall is forecast to be below average.

Confidence in the summer outlook has been lowered. One of the best year to analog historically to may be 2008. The outlook will likely be for near normal rainfall trending to drier than normal by late summer. Temperatures are tricky. Near normal is forecast but anything may go. As soon as we gain confidence in the outlook in the next few weeks we will let you know.

Review of the week: What does probability of rainfall mean? When there is a 70% chance of rain, it means that historically at a given point for a given period of time (say 12-hours) 70% of the time with similar weather patterns we saw .01 of rainfall. A 20% chance of rain does not mean less rainfall totals than a 90% chance of rain. You can think of it more like an areal coverage (even though that is not exactly correct either since it is for a given point) for receiving at least .01 inches of rainfall for a given period of time, usually 12-hours. It also does not tell you how long it will rain. A 90% chance of rain does not mean it will rain all day. It simply means for a given say 12-hour period, it is very likely you will receive .01 of an inch or more of rainfall. You may receive .02 inches or 1.12 inches. Often times, rain chances are mis-interrupted.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report May 9, 2011

2011-05-10T16:13:00.004-04:00

Weather: I just heard the word hail mentioned in the office in reference to the latest storm. So far we are at 2.5" for the month of May in Darke County. Although, yesterday I did get a sunburn out scouting fields. More of these 70 and 80 degree days with some wind and fewer of these rainy days will help dry out the saturated fields

Wheat: Most fields are between Feekes 7 and 9, with some flag leaves fully emerged. Diseases are present in the fields however I have not seen anything close to economic levels. Septoria leaf blotch was present on lower leaves in patches in several fields planted with susceptible varieties. No powdery mildew was present on wheat in fields I scouted this week. Temperatures have been a little cool for powdery mildew although I have found it present on several weeds, so the source is there. With warmer temperatures it is imparative to scout for diseases in the coming weeks. Check your varieties for susceptibility to our most prevelent diseases at http://oardc.osu.edu/wheattrials/table6.asp?year=2010. That can guide your scouting efforts and help with decisions on fungicide applications.

Corn and Soybeans: still in the bag.

Weeds: Winter annuals are all flowering, marestail is bolting, wild buckwheat is starting to vine, and most summer annuals are emerging. To view photos of weeds and current conditions in wheat visit the Darke County Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt. You don't need to be a member of Facebook to view the page.

Shelby County Crop Report for May 6, 2011

2011-05-06T16:47:00.000-04:00

Weather: Continued cool and wet.

Wheat: Feekes growth stages 7, 8 & 9, most between 8 & 9
Concern for leaf diseases increasing with warmer, still wet
forecasts. Wheat in some low lying areas looking tough.
Tile lines can be easily seen due to soil saturation limiting
nitrogen uptake.

Weeds: Winter annuals seting seed. Perennials coming on strong.
Summer annuals emerging and showing rapid growth.

Forages: Alfalfa, clover and mixed hay looks good on well drained
soils. Grass hay and pastures ok except for wet areas.

Farm Science Review/ Madison County Weather and Crop Progress 5/5

2011-05-05T19:25:00.003-04:00

No activity in the past week. Still checking out equipment so we are ready to go when it hits. We have received about 2.0" of rain this week. I included a video of weed control on wheat back on 4/15. John Deere 4730 sprayer controlled by Trimble AutoPilot.

Auglaize Co. Update for May 5, 2011

2011-05-05T10:39:00.001-04:00

Weather: Wet and Cold.
Corn: None planted yet.
Soybeans: None planted yet.
Wheat: Wheat is in Feekes Stage 9. The flag leaf is starting to emerge. It is time to protect the flag leaf from disease. With the wet weather we have had, we could see a lot of disease coming on the flag leaf. If the wet weather continues through head flowering, you will also need a fungicide on the head to protect from Head Scab.
Forages: I am not seeing much alfalfa weevil larva. The wet and cold weather must have deterred them. Alfalfa for highest quality should be ready to cut by May 15.
Soil Moisture: Too wet!

Darke County Crop and Weather Report May 3, 2011

2011-05-03T09:01:00.002-04:00

The month of May already has 2 inches of rain accumulated. With a start date of April 1 there are currently 174.5 Growing Degree Days for Darke County compared to 285 at this time last year. In summation it is cold and wet.

Wheat is still moving along and is in the Feekes 6 and 7 growth stages. Scouting has been impeded by weather.

Corn and Soybeans continue to sit in bags. Reports of black cutworm and armyworm flights continue to come in from other states. Indiana is reporting high numbers of catches for black cutworm.

Winter annual weeds continue to flower and set seed while summer annuals continue to emerge.

A cool wet April, maybe a better May? Weatherman says it will break

2011-05-02T16:17:00.006-04:00

Just read the Crop Weather report for May 1st from NASS: www.nass.usda.gov

The 2011 days suitable for field work in April was 5.2 - total for the month!

Precipitation for the West Central area - 7.91 inches - that's 4.11 inches above the average!

Growing degree days since April 1st - 222, it takes about 200 to get corn out of the ground.

Shelby Co Crop Repost

2011-04-29T13:10:00.000-04:00

Weather: Cool and too darn wet...lousy forecast

Wheat: Concerns have been expressed about impending disease issues if wet conditions continue.

Forages: Some areas of fields are showing stress due to soil saturation. Pastures are muddy in spots.

Weeds: Winter annuals and dandelions are colorful and abundant.

Rainfall in April from our office gage

2011-04-27T13:56:00.002-04:00

We participate in the CoCoRaHS network for reporting our rainfall. http://www.cocorahs.org

We are Station OH-CH-2 and so far at this site we have 6.26 inches of rain. At 27 days into the month that is an average of 1/4 inch everyday. That's why we haven't made more progress on planting our corn.

Sign up to Receive Wheat Head Scab Alerts on your Phone and Email

2011-04-27T12:31:00.000-04:00

Pierce Paul,
Dennis Mills

After the problems we had with head scab in 2010, growers are encouraged to be as prepared as possible to protect their valuable wheat crop against this disease and its toxin (vomitoxin) in 2011. It has been a rainy spring so far, and if the rains continue during the month of May, especially during the time the wheat crop is flowering, we could end up having more problems with head scab and vomitoxin this season. The best and only way to protect your crop against head scab once it is already in the field is to apply a TRIAZOLE FUNGICIDE (Prosaro or Caramba) AT FLOWERING. These products will not provide 100% control of scab, but will certainly reduce disease and vomitoxin levels. However, the decision to apply a fungicide for head scab control is not always that straightforward. It has to be made at flowering, well before the disease develops and before the produce knows if it will actually develop.

The scab forecasting system (www.wheatscab.psu.edu) is an excellent tool to help guide fungicide application decisions. Based on the flowering date of his/her crop and the weather conditions leading up to flowering, a producer can use this tool to estimate the risk of scab occurring and make a timely fungicide application to protect the crop. In addition, the commentary section of the scab forecasting website provides up-to-date information on the state of the crop and disease risk, along with disease management recommendations.

Producers can now gain access to the commentaries from the forecasting system directly on their cell phones or in their emails, without having to go to the website. As the wheat crop develops and we begin to approach flowering, the commentaries will be updated regularly and sent directly to the emails or phones of those who sign up to receive the alerts. Once there is cell phone coverage and email access, you will receive the alerts anywhere in the country. You can then visit the website to see whether your crop is at risk and contact your state specialist for more information.

To sign up, click on this link: http://scabusa.org/fhb_alert.php and complete the form with your name, email address, cell phone number and other requested information. You can choose whether you want to receive the scab alert via email, test message (on your cell phone), or both. You can also choose whether you want to receive alerts from all over the country or only from the Mid West / Mid South Soft Winter Wheat region.

Farm Science Review/ Madison County Weather and Crop Progress 4/25

2011-04-25T16:07:00.003-04:00

We have received 4.1" of rain in the past 7 days. Fields are not flooded at this time as they were one week ago but Deer Creek is running full. Field work was limited 10 days ago and nothing has been done since. Wheat weed control was completed 4/13.We finished topdress on wheat with split applications of 28% on 4/14. We began preplant NH3 on 4/15. We are prepared to go the field and plant as soon as conditions improve. Wheat is currently at Feekes 6-7.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report April 25, 2011

2011-04-25T09:57:00.001-04:00

It's not often that you think of a cool, overcast Easter as good day to be outside, but at least it wasn't raining. The rainfall total for April is just shy of 6 inches. Cool temperatures have kept growing degree days far behind last year. We are currently at 133 for April 2011. By this date last year 213 GDD were accumulated. The NOAA report for May through July is predicting near normal temperatures and precipitation patterns in May followed by normal precip but a 40% or greater chance of cooler temperatures throughout June and July for Ohio. We'll have to see if this holds true.

Wheat is currently around Feekes 6 with more advanced fields/tillers at Feekes 7. When splitting more advanced tillers open with a knife the head is visible. Visit the Darke County Facebook page (http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt) to see pictures. The cool and wet temperatures are raising concern about disease becoming an issue. So far the most susceptible varieties in several fields are only showing early sings of Spetoria tritici leaf blotch, which typically only impacts lower leaves of the wheat plant and rarely causes yield loss. No signs of powdery mildew yet in the fields I have scouted. If current weather conditions continue and a susceptible variety is in the field a flag leaf fungicide application may be warranted if disease symptoms are present at concerning levels on or below the flag leaf. Consult the Corn, Soybean, Wheat, and Alfalfa Guide (Bulletin 827: http://ohioline.osu.edu/b827/)or the plant pathology wheat website http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/wheat1.htm for information on diseases and economic thresholds.

Corn and soybean are still in the bag, hopefully dry in the barn.

Weeds are still emerging in cool wet conditions. A late burndown/residual application will have some challenges and benefits this year. Keep an eye on the CORN Newsletter Wednesday for information on burndown options, fertilizer concerns and much more.

Shelby Co Crop Report for 4/22/11

2011-04-22T13:13:00.002-04:00

Weather: Saturated soils and cold soil temperatures continue to delay fieldwork. Rain and cool weather is forecast for 11 of the next 15 days. It looks like planting opportunities are virtually shot through the first week in May anywhere locally and until at least the middle of May for poorly drained fields.

Wheat: Much of the wheat is now jointed. A few more fields were top dressed recently. Fields not yet top dressed will likely be converted to corn or soybeans. Several fields suspected to be infested with a type of wheat soil borne mosaic virus have been sampled by Justin Petrosino, OSU Extension's Darke Co. Agronomist and forwarded on for testing.

Forages: Look excellent so far. Excessive moisture in pastures is resulting in mudded areas.

Oats: Probably less than 1/2 of the original intended acreage was planted. Earliest seeded fields are now up and look good.

Winter annuals: Evidently, last fall's dry field conditions were not taken advantage of to apply fall weed control. Healthy stands of purple dead nettle, henbit and other winter annuals seem to be everywhere. Marestail and other seedlings are also prominent.

Champaign Crop Report April 20

2011-04-20T10:48:00.004-04:00

To me April 20th is the official start of the growing season - I like to have some percentage of my crop planted by now but the most would be planted in the next 10 days, typically. This year that's not the case. In Champaign County we are much less that 1% planted at this point. I know of only 5-6 farmers with fields planted. We do have some burndown herbicides applied and several thousands of acres of ammonia applied and even several thousand acres tilled... but little to no seed in the ground.

Rain this week is about 3 inches and 4.5 inches for the month, you can check out the rainfall for the area on the CoCoRaHS website: http://www.cocorahs.org/Maps/ViewMap.aspx, and even post your rainfall amounts there if you want to sign up as a participant.

Aid on understanding crop fungicides

2011-04-20T10:45:00.002-04:00

Carl Bradley at the University of Illinois has put together a chart on fungicides use in field crops: http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=1454

Carl's remarks -

As the growing season approaches, we see more and more advertisements for foliar fungicides. Several new products have come onto the market, which has created confusion about the active ingredients in various products as well as what products are registered for use on particular crops. I hope to provide clarity about both product active ingredients and the amount of active ingredient(s) applied.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report April 18, 2011

2011-04-18T14:33:00.002-04:00

Sunny skies are giving way to clouds in expectation of more rain. The rainfall total for April is 3.34 inches. Growing Degree Day totals are 105.5 for the year with 74.0 accumulated in April. Soil conditions are cool and wet, optimal for disease and terrible for field work. Field operations may be delayed until the last week of April or first week of May depending on weather.

Wheat: Across the county the wheat crop looks excellent. As of Friday some tillers were in first hollow stem and a few were jointing. Most fields were topdressed before the last line of storms hit.

There are no official reports of corn or soybeans being planted, not even gossip.

Weeds: Fall emerged field pennycress, purple deadnettle, and henbit are flowering and beyond the point of control. Spring emerged winter annuals are still small enough to control. Very little marestail emerged during the dry fall but the wet spring has seen a flurry of emergence. Summer annuals are beginning to emerge including wild buckwheat, giant ragweed, and common lambsquarters. Poison hemlock and curlydock are showing up in fencerows and along waterways. For pictures to help you ID your weeds or growth stage of wheat visit OSU Extension Darke County's Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt. You don't need to be a Facebook memeber to view the page.

Shelby County Crop Report for 4/15/11

2011-04-15T15:23:00.003-04:00

Weather: Generally cool with a couple of warm days mixed in. Enough rainfall to keep most fields too wet for fieldwork. Some wheat fields have not yet been topdressed due to soil conditions.

Wheat: Most advanced fields will reach Feekes 6 (first node visible/jointing)this weekend. Numerous stands are likely to be converted to corn and soybeans due to various challenged coupled with high corn and soybean prices. It appears that a soil borne wheat mosaic virus may be at significant levels in several area wheat fields. Those fields will likely be shifted to corn and soybeans.

Oats: Not much planted to date. Some will not be seeded due to lateness of year.

Corn: Supposedly at least one field of corn has been planted via no-till into soyben stubble.

Weeds: Purple dead nettle, henbit and chickweed are well represented in some wheat fields plus in corn stalks and soybean stubble.

Darke County Crop and Weather Report April 11, 2011

2011-04-11T15:30:00.002-04:00

Rain, Rain, Rain! With another 0.10 inches received this morning the total for April is 2.71 inches in 11 days. Total GDD for the year are 85.5 with 30.5 of those being accumulated in March, and 50 GDD so far in April. The wheat is looking good with the overwhelming majority already topdressed. The forecast includes the possibility for another 0.23 inches by the end of the day. The next significant precipitation event forecasted is Friday with a 60% chance of Thunderstorms.

Making the Decision to use Fungicides in Small Grains — Alyssa Collins, Director Southeast Research & Extension Center

2011-04-06T22:42:00.001-04:00

Deciding to apply or not to apply fungicides in your small grain crops should be on your to-do list for this season. As a result of production practices like no-till and corn-to-small grain rotations, we have the potential to face higher levels of fungal disease in our small grains than in past years. This decision is further complicated by the fact that some of these fungi can produce toxins, so yield impact is no longer the only consideration for your bottom line.

Randy Weisz, small grains specialist at NC State, likes to boil down the decision to three questions:

1. Is there disease present?

2. What is the disease?

3. How much do you have?

The first disease we typically see is powdery mildew. To tell the difference between powdery mildew and fertilizer burn, pull up a few plants. Fertilizer injury is mostly on the tips of leaves or in larger lesions, while powdery mildew lesions will be closer to the bottom of the plant. Take a close look at any spots you might see. If any of them are fuzzy (light tan-light brown), you likely have powdery mildew. A spray decision guide for powdery mildew action can be found here: http://lebanon.extension.psu.edu/Agriculture/FarmMgt/SmallGrainsFCIPM.htm. This fungus likes overfertilized, N-rich leaves, but is less damaging when N—P—K are in the proper balance. The powdery mildew fungus also prefers temperatures of 50°–70°F. This fungus does not produce mycotoxins. Many wheat varieties carry some resistance, but usually this does not take effect until plants are older. You may be able find out about your variety’s disease resistance here: http://oardc.osu.edu/wheattrials/table6.asp?year=2010, or contact your seed dealer.

Other diseases to be on the lookout for as the season wears on include the rusts on wheat and barley. We typically see only leaf rust and stripe rust in our region. An excellent rust identification guide can be found here: http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/ad_hoc/36400500Cerealrusts/Rust_Diseases_National.pdf. A spray decision guide for rusts is also located at: http://lebanon.extension.psu.edu/Agriculture/FarmMgt/SmallGrainsFCIPM.htm.

A very important disease that may appear just after flowering is head scab (Fusarium head blight). The scab fungus is the culprit responsible for vomitoxin contamination in wheat and barley. Use an on-line assessment tool to find out if conditions are going to be favorable for disease development in your area. The Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center can be found at: http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/. For this disease, sprays need to be applied at flowering before you see symptoms, so this prediction tool is beneficial.

Once you have figured out what disease(s) is a problem in your field, and have used a guide to make a decision on fungicide use, this chart can tell you what product will be most effective: http://www.ipmnews.msu.edu/fieldcrop/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=2HcjHAh%2bVHk%3d&tabid=56

Most of these online resources can be obtained through your county extension office, as well.

Shelby Co Crop Report for April 1, 2011

2011-04-01T12:48:00.000-04:00

Weather: Cooler than expected

Wheat: Most wheat has been topdressed but numerous fields are still too wet. Some rutting has occurred during topdressing. A few fields exhibit discoloration similar to barley yellow dwarf. Additional diagnosis is needed. Most of the clover cover crop has also been frost seeded.

Oats: Just a couple of fields have been planted. The majority of land is still to wet.

Tillage: Several farmers were chisel plowing 2010 wheat stubble this week. Soil conditions looked good.

Tiling, fence row cleaning and planting equipment tune up and maintenance were also accomplished this past week.

Farm Science Review/ Madison County Weather and Crop Progress 3/30

2011-03-30T07:34:00.003-04:00

We topdressed wheat in the past two days. Conditions finally dried up enough to allow for application equipment. Alot of other wheat in the area has been done this week as well. We have now been over a week with no precipitation. Worked ground in our area is drying very nicely as well as some of the well drained no till fields. We may be able to get some ammonia applied near the weekend.

West Ohio Wheat Production Workshop 7pm 3/24

2011-03-22T12:28:00.000-04:00

West Ohio Wheat Production Workshop 7pm March 24 Sidney, Ohio THIS THURSDAY NIGHT !

How do you top the beauty of wheat greening up this time of year? By dedicating time to management practices that boost your chances of a profitable crop! The 7pm March 24th (this Thursday) West Ohio Wheat Production Workshop in Sidney should help farmers better care for the 2011 wheat crop. Plan to bring wheat samples (both good and bad) from some of your fields to enhance the workshop discussion. The Shelby County Agricultural Center, located about ¾ mile east of I-75 off Exit 90, at 820 Fair Road in Sidney is the location for the interactive meeting.

For the most part, wheat overwintered well, but there is still talk of ripping up fields for corn and soybean production. If that is what you are thinking, please hold on! Granted, last year’s head scab debacle soured many growers on wheat, but planting of scab resistant varieties and availability of many production aids should help farmers harvest a bountiful crop and enjoy the rotational benefits of wheat as well.

Discussions will center on:

Wheat disease management including head scab…if fungicides are needed, how timely do you need to be?

Nitrogen Rates/fertilization timing

Weed control…when does it pay?

Insects to watch out for and best ways to control them (only if needed which is seldom)

Does wheat pay its own way?...or should you switch to another crop?

Plenty of time is slotted for your questions and looking at wheat plants brought to the meeting.

Let us know you are coming, and we can prepare for refreshments. Email watters.35@cfaes.osu.edu, petrosino.3@cfaes.osu.edu, orbender.5@cfaes.osu.edu, or call 937.498.7239 or just show up!

Roger
937.498.7239(O)
937.489.5217(C)

Wheat Scouting March 21, 2011

2011-03-21T20:36:00.003-04:00

I scouted four fields this afternoon throughout the county. Overall the wheat crop is looking good. There are some patches that were under water and looking brown but there is new green growth and new roots on most of the plants. Winter annual weeds are green and growing, including fall and winter emerged marestail. Late emerging winter annuals and early emerging summer annuals are starting to pop up. To see some photos visit the Darke County Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/e6GVZt. If you like what you see on Facebook, like the Darke County page and our updates will appear on your Facebook homepage. For more information on wheat management visit the Ag Crops website at http://agcrops.osu.edu/ or keep an eye on the CORN Newsletter at http://corn.osu.edu/.

Darke County Circa 1967

2011-03-18T10:44:00.002-04:00

While digging through our storage room today looking for records for the county farm I found a ledger that belonged to E.F. Kuester, the Darke County Agent from 1945 to 1970. The book is quite a treasure trove of information from the 1960s. Of note are Darke County yield averages from 1967 to give us some perspective on how far we’ve come (Table 1). In 1967 Darke County also had 39,400 cattle, 13,300 dairy cows, 80,100 hogs, and 10,500 sheep according to Mr. Kuester’s notes.
We also think of ourselves as innovators in extension by having weather reporters in each township of our counties, but apparently that was being done back in the 1960s. Table 2 has some selected townships and their weather conditions during the 1967 growing season. Notice the growing season is from May to October.

Table 1.
Yield (bu/a) 1967 2010
Corn 70 170
Soybean 21 51
Wheat 35 62

Table 2. Township Weather Data from the 1967 Growing SeasonTownship May June July Aug Sept Oct
Allen Max Temp 70.6
Min Temp 45
Rainfall 4.2 2.8 2.6 1 x 2.7
Brown Max Temp 72
Min Temp 44
Rainfall 4.9 3.3 0.7 1.2 0.32 4.96
Harrison Max Temp 78
Min Temp 44
Rainfall 8.1 5.2 2.08 1.2 2.4 3.8
Mississinawa Max Temp 69.5
Min Temp 42.7
Rainfall 4.55 3.55 2.05 1.65 1.05 4.15
Richland Max Temp 75.3
Min Temp 4.76
Rainfall 4.8 3.25 2.4 1.035 1.66 3.36
Greenville Max Temp 69.6
Min Temp 46.6
Rainfall 6.45 4.8 0.45 1.07 1.9 3.55

PUCO rescinds administrative rules applying to private commercial motor carriers

2011-03-17T14:21:00.000-04:00

COLUMBUS, OHIO (March 16, 2011) - The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today rescinded administrative rules applying to private commercial motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds operating in intrastate commerce.

"The PUCO has received feedback from numerous interested parties, including lawmakers and industry members, that these rules deserve additional review," said PUCO Chairman Todd A. Snitchler. "It is important for the PUCO to operate at the speed of business and implement regulations that promote safety while at the same time allow businesses to compete and operate efficiently. Today's decision is a step in that direction."

In 2008, the Commission approved amendments to Ohio's motor carrier safety rules that applied PUCO jurisdiction to private commercial motor vehicles with a GVW between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds that transport property or passengers on a not-for-hire basis within Ohio. The Commission later delayed active enforcement of the rules until 2012 while it conducted an outreach program to further educate affected carriers.

The PUCO hosted a series of listening sessions across Ohio this winter to gather input from affected carriers about the operational and financial costs of compliance with the rules. Based on feedback from interested parties, the Commission finds it prudent to rescind the rules while changes to the rules are considered. As a result, roadside educational stops for these affected carriers will no longer take place.

The Commission directed PUCO staff to file a report within 90 days containing an analysis and recommendations for possible future rule amendments. In preparing the report, staff will take into account Gov. John Kasich's Executive Order 2011-01K "Establishing the Common Sense Initiative," which accounts for the impact a rule has on small businesses.

Farm Science Review/ Madison County Weather and Crop Progress 3/11

2011-03-11T09:29:00.002-05:00

Things are wet and snowy this morning in Madison county. We have had over 3.5" of rain already in March and a bit of wet snow last night. On a brighter note the 10 day forecast looks much better. We have not been able to topdress wheat as of yet. Our wheat began to green up around 2/20 following the 3 consecutive 60 degree days. We are preparing to run NH3 when conditions allow and look forward to kicking off another successful crop year at FSR.

Will the Wheat Crop Make it This Year?

2011-03-07T12:51:00.002-05:00

After last year’s wheat crop many growers are wondering if this crop will do any better. The crop this year was planted on time thanks to last year’s early harvest, but suffered through dry conditions. This winter seemed very harsh and spring doesn’t seem to be going any easier on the wheat. Thankfully over the winter we had good snow cover and wheat is a very resilient crop.

In early winter wheat goes into a period of dormancy where metabolic processes are decreased, water content of leaves is decreased, and the plants ability to survive freezing temperatures increases. The growing point of wheat during dormancy and tillering is safely protected below the soil surface. It takes temperatures as low as -9 to -11 F to kill the growing point of wheat. A stress that may cause some losses this spring is ponding. If there is standing water in the field that persists for more than a few days anoxic conditions and root diseases like Pythium may take a toll. Unfortunately by now our seed treatments have worn off and there are no fungicides labeled for such a condition with Pythium. Thankfully any losses caused by these conditions typically don’t warrant abandoning the crop because they only affect a small portion of the field.

After we ride out the next few weeks of rain and changing temperatures wheat management becomes all about timing. The majority of our wheat receives a spring top dress of nitrogen. We have a broad window between March 1 and April 30 to get nitrogen to the wheat. To maximize the efficacy of a nitrogen application try to avoid applying right before major rainfall events where runoff and ponding occur. Only about a half inch of rainfall is needed to incorporate broadcast N. The problem here is finding a weather forecast accurate enough to base a decision.

Herbicides and fungicides can be effective management tools if they are needed. A spring application of a growth regulator like 2,4-D can provide cheap, effective control of most broadleaf weeds, including marestail if you haven’t frost seeded clover. Application costs can be decreased by applying the herbicide with the N application. However, growth regulators need to be applied before wheat begins jointing, usually by mid April. For more information on spring weed control in wheat you can pick up a copy of the 2011 weed control guide here at the extension office or you can view the guide online at http://ohioline.osu.edu/b789/index.html.

Of all the management tools, timing is most critical for fungicides. Just a reminder fungicides are needed when we have a susceptible variety, a disease organisms present, and weather conditions are right for growth. On-farm research by Dr. Pierce Paul, our state wheat pathologist, and many others in the academic community shows that if disease conditions are right a fungicide application between Feekes 8 and 10 growth stage will protect the flag leaf and return more dollars than green-up and split applications. Protecting the flag leaf helps prevent losses from diseases like Stagonospora and powdery mildew. For head scab effective fungicides need to be applied when wheat is flowering. Because this is a very narrow window and our best fungicides have limited control of scab relying on varietal resistance is probably our best management tool for scab. For more information on disease management in wheat consult the Ohio Agronomy Guide available in the office or online at http://ohioline.osu.edu/b472/index.html, the Ohio Corn, Soybean, Wheat Pocket Guide, or visit the Plant Pathology website maintained by Dr. Pierce Paul at http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/wheat/wheat1.htm.

Wheat is a very resilient crop. I’ve seen it survive temperature swings from the mid 80s down to 16 F overnight followed by a week in the 20s and 30s only to be pounded by hail two days before harvest. With a little fertilizer, herbicide, and fungicide, if they are needed, and a lot of luck this year’s crop will hopefully rebound from a slow start.

New Cover Crop Selector Tool Available from MCCC

2011-03-04T11:56:00.000-05:00

The Midwest Cover Crop Council (MCCC) has launched their cover crop selector website for Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. The MCCC is an organization based out of Michigan State University (not that other blue university from Michigan) devoted to increasing the use of cover crops throughout the region. The MCCC has members from academia, government agencies, commodity groups, and production agriculture. The majority of members are from states in the Great Lakes region including Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Manitoba, Ontario, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota.
The cover crop selector tool was a response to farmers wanting local information on growing cover crops. Farmers can select their state, county, crop the cover crop will follow, soil drainage class, and key benefits of the cover crop. A list will be generated showing the growing season for the cover crops. Once a crop is selected you can print out a report on planting information. To dive head first into the tool without reading instructions (as I always do) you can visit: http://mcccdev.anr.msu.edu/. For those who prefer to do their research beforehand visit: http://mccc.msu.edu/ and follow links to instructions and the tool.

Crop Insurance deadline approaching

2011-02-17T15:54:00.000-05:00

Now that half of February is over, base prices and volatilities can be more accurately estimated, leading to fairly accurate estimates of crop insurance premium.

The Crop Insurance section of (University of Illinois) farmdoc has online 2011 Crop Insurance Premium Calculators. Also available for download is the 2011 Crop Insurance Decision FAST Tool, a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet useful in premium estimation and crop insurance evaluation.

The 2011 iFarm Crop Insurance Payment Simulator returns estimates of premiums, frequency of payments, average payments, net costs, and risk reductions associated with alternative crop insurance products and election levels.

On Demand Webinars are also available describing the new COMBO product. Don’t miss the presentation entitled “Crop Insurance and Risk Managements Strategies for 2011” which gives suggestions for choices of crop insurance products.

All of these farmdoc Crop Insurance resources are available at:

http://www.farmdoc.illinois.edu/cropins/index.asp

Scouting this Season: Insects

2011-02-16T20:52:00.002-05:00

If you’ve been as busy as I have, you might not have noticed but spring is only a month away. It’s even closer if you believe the varmint out in PA. In the next few articles we will focus on some of the key insects, diseases, and weeds you might come across this year. Let’s start out with insects

This year we have a few developments in bugs. Actually they are called insects. The true bugs are the Hemipterans, an Order of the Class Insecta. Nomenclature aside bugs are bugs and we aren’t happy until they are squished! When wheat breaks dormancy this spring we need to be on the lookout for two insects. The cereal leaf beetle used to be controlled by a parasitic wasp, but for some reason in some areas the wasp isn’t doing as good of a job as it used to. Starting in May you should be scouting your fields looking for the larvae covered in a slimy substance. After sampling 30 plants in the field if you have 2 or more larvae per stem you have reached the economic threshold. I’ll monitor reports from Kentucky on armyworm flights and come June will let you know if they will be a problem.

In corn we have good news and bad news. The bad news is western bean cutworm numbers are on the rise. The moths have been flying in from the west over the past few years. Last year we found the first fields with eggs deposited in Ohio. However, none of the fields reached the economic threshold of eggs or larvae on 8% of the plants. This year I’ll have traps throughout the county to monitor the flight and I’ll put out information starting in July. If eggs or larvae are present on 8 corn plants out of the 100 plants you check in the field, treatment is warranted. If you do not see eggs or the larvae have made it into the ears insecticide applications will be a waste of money. There are Bt hybrids available with the Cry1F gene for control, but they can be pricey. Proper scouting and monitoring can save you a lot of money on seed if you use a Non-GMO.

Possibly, a good consequence of folks using Bt hybrids is the decrease in European Corn Borer and Corn Rootworm populations. Are we ready to say, ‘stop using Bt hybrids because populations are that low’? Not yet, unless you plan to scout and monitor populations throughout the season. Corn rootworm typically was a problem in rotations with corn following corn because of its lifecycle. Simply rotating to another crop is enough to control the Western and Northern Corn Rootworm. However, the first year variant of the western corn rootworm does lay eggs in soybean fields which infest next year’s corn. There are several solutions to this problem. One is to rotate to wheat, simple and effective. You can use a Bt hybrid with root worm control. Another option costs you only a couple of dollars and gets you some exercise. Monitor 6 yellow sticky traps in your bean field starting mid July for 6 weeks. If you get more than 5 beetles per day, use a full rate of a seed treatment or Bt hybrid next year. Too much work to save a few bucks? If you’ve got a son/daughter or grandson or granddaughter old enough to hike out in the bean field and ID beetles they could always use one more chore to teach them responsibility.

Aphids have been on a two year high/low cycle since the 90s when we realized the pattern. 2011 is shaping up to be a high year somewhere in the state. We should monitor fields for 250 aphids per plant in soybeans. If that population is on the rise it’s time to treat. Populations of insects fluctuate throughout the season. When we apply insecticides willy nilly with an ‘insurance’ program we risk two things. The first is resistance. Over use of pesticides causes us to find resistant pests. We’ve been through this with ALS herbicides, glyphosate, insecticides, and now strobilurin fungicides. If we abuse it we have the potential to lose it and the product to replace it, if we have one, is always more expensive. We also risk killing beneficial organisms. If your aphid population, or other insect for that matter, is declining and you treat, you can kill the ladybugs and lacewings that are causing that decline. Save the insecticides for when they are actually needed. An application that is not warranted or poorly timed is a bad investment.

For more information on these pests, our state specialists Dr. Ron Hammond and Dr. Andy Michael have a great website at http://entomology.osu.edu/ag. If you are interested in monitoring for western bean cutworm or first year corn rootworm contact Justin Petrosino at OSU Extension, Darke County (937) 548-5215 or petrosino.3@osu.edu.

Scouting this Season: Diseases

2011-02-16T20:50:00.001-05:00

Let’s dive in with the disease that is still on everyone’s mind, head scab. Why was it such a problem last season? We fulfilled our disease triangle. We had inoculum from previous infection of corn, we had warm, wet weather at flowering, and we had a lot of susceptible varieties planted. The big question is will it happen again? The answer is maybe. If we meet those three criteria I listed previously it may come back again. If you caught my article last July or read the CORN newsletter you will already be ahead of the game. As a refresher to reduce the impact of head scab you should avoid rotating corn to wheat or vice versa. You should also plant varieties that are less susceptible to scab. If we do see warm, wet weather during wheat flowering a fungicide may be beneficial if it is timed correctly. However, our best fungicides, Metconazole, Prothioconazole, and Tebuconazole are only rated fair to good (50% efficacy) on scab. We do not have any fungicides that are labeled excellent for control.

In soybeans we have several seedling rots that can take a toll early in the season. Phytopthora and Pythium have similar management strategies and tend to show up in poorly drained or compacted areas. Management includes improving drainage if possible, increasing rotation intervals out of soybean, and use of seed treatments containing metalaxyl and mefenoxam. Phytopthora can also be managed by planting resistant varieties. If you plan on using a seed treatment as a part of a management plan for Phytopthora the treatment must contain a full rate of either of the two products to be effective. If you are unsure which disease you are fighting you can find more information in OSU Extension’s bulletin 827, the Corn, Soybean, Wheat, and Alfalfa Field Guide. Still unsure, you can submit a sample to the C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. For more information on submitting samples contact Justin Petrosino, OSU Extension, Darke County at (937) 548-5215 or the Diagnostic Clinic directly at (614) 292-5006.

Another soybean disease on the rise is Sudden Death Syndrome. This disease tends to pop up when wet weather follows planting and when soybean cyst nematode levels are high. Although we see intervenal chlorosis and necrosis on the leaves, sudden death is actually a root disease. With sudden death digging up the plant will reveal rotted roots and possibly a blue hue to the taproot. This is actually the fungus growing on the root. Management for SDS may seem redundant after reading the last few paragraphs but planting resistant varieties, improving drainage, and increasing crop rotation can help. Also since it is correlated with soybean cyst nematode reducing nematode populations with rotation and resistant varieties can help.

If I were to cover every disease we deal with in Ohio I could easily take up your entire day. There are twenty for wheat alone! To learn more about these diseases or get more agronomic information visit the AgCrops website at http://agcrops.osu.edu/. There you will find information on diseases, insects, weeds, and more.

Scouting this Season: Weeds

2011-02-16T20:46:00.002-05:00

Its time to talk about my favorite topic in pest management, weed control! Actually I should say management, control denotes a reactionary measure. We want to be proactive when it comes to taking care of our weeds. This is especially true when it comes to tough to handle weeds like marestail. It’s also important to know your enemy. Knowing a little about our weeds lifecycle can help us plan a program to manage it.

In my column in the Darke Journal, Daily Advocate, and Bob Robinson’s blog I covered marestail. Dr. Loux has done a great job of covering that in the CORN Newsletter. I’m going to talk a little bit about giant ragweed and waterhemp. Both are summer annuals that typically begin emerging at noticeable rates in the spring (ragweed a little sooner than waterhemp) and can continue emerging well into the summer. Both can be highly competitive although waterhemp does a little better against soybean than it does corn. Being summer annuals with similar emergence patterns flowering and seedset can also coincide. One area where the two differ is herbicide resistance.

Giant ragweed can be ALS resistant or it can be resistant or show reduced susceptibility to glyphosate. Glyphosate resistant giant ragweed does exist and in fields where we find this utilizing a PRE containing cloransulam-methyl or chlorimuron in soybeans can be an effective start to a program. POST applications should consist of Ignite 280 SL in Liberty Link beans applied when ragweed is 4-6 inches tall. Another option, although not as consistent, is to use PPO herbicides like Flexstar, Cobra, or Reflex. PPOs are not as strong on giant ragweed so pairing them with an ALS like FirstRate (if ALS resistance isn’t present) can improve control. Also label recommendations for adding COC or MSO should be followed. If populations are heavy a second POST application will most likely be required. One problem with using PPOs is the potential for reduced efficacy of grass herbicides. It often requires the application of a grass product several days before or a week after application of a PPO.

Resistance does exist but we can also see reduced susceptibility of giant ragweed to glyphosate. This usually results from two conditions. As the plant ages it thickens cuticle layers on the leaves which can limit herbicide uptake. We also see stem boring of the ragweed plants which limits herbicide translocation. I have cut 8 foot tall ragweed plants down to find that even though they were green and still growing their stems were almost completely hollowed out by borer activity. To avoid these situations follow weed height limits on the herbicide label.
In corn we have many more options for control of giant ragweed. The majority of PRE herbicides have some activity on giant ragweed but adding atrazine can significantly increase control. POST applications are typically needed. There are many POST products with activity on giant ragweed but utilizing a product like glyphosate or Ignite and adding products like atrazine or dicamba can increase control. If you are fighting just broadleaves including giant ragweed in corn a POST application of atrazine + dicamba can control most problem weeds.

When it comes to waterhemp weed control can be very spotty. At the North Central Weed Science Society meeting this year I listened to a story from a chemical rep. He was putting down a company’s newest wheat herbicide and found a waterhemp population out west that was resistant to their newest bleacher and bromoxynil. It just so happened to be resistant to atrazine, ALS herbicides, and have reduced susceptibility to glyphosate. Talk about a bad day at the office. First time he put that product down for a demonstration plot (and the first time a bleacher was used on that field) he found waterhemp resistant to their best and brightest herbicide.

Here in western Ohio we are most likely looking at ALS and glyphosate resistance. We’ll know more in 6 weeks when the herbicide screening is done. It most likely arrives in a field in manure or it can be brought in with recently purchased equipment. When buying a combine from a private seller it might pay you to bring up in conversation some of those hard to control weeds. If you get a 30 minute rant on marestail or waterhemp or even a weed he doesn’t know what it is add the cost of controlling a new weed to your pro and con list for the combine. Make sure tillage and planting equipment is free of dirt or residue. Waterhemp seeds are smaller than a pinhead and are a very shiny red to black color. Stop by the office and I can show you firsthand what they look like.

When it comes to waterhemp control, multiple modes of action in season may be required. In corn PREs containing atrazine, metolachlor, and/or a bleacher can be very effective. POST programs should include a combination of atrazine and a bleacher or atrazine and growth regulator can be very effective. Glyphosate and Ignite can offer control but may need atrazine or a growth regulator to increase control.

For soybeans PREs containing a PPO like flumioxazin (Valor products) or sulfentrazone (Spartan/some Authority products) are effective. Cell division inhibitors like S-Metolachlor can be an option; however control will not be as good as PPO products. POST programs utilizing glyphosate (where resistance is not an issue), Ignite, or PPO herbicides can be effective. Be careful with utilizing PPO products PRE and POST alone because PPO resistance in waterhemp has been identified elsewhere. A new option this year is Warrant by Monsanto. It is a POST formulation of acetachlor that only has residual activity on emerging seedlings. If emerged plants are present at the time of application, glyphosate or another POST product will need to be applied. In two years growth regulators will be an option in soybean and will be another effective tool.

For all weeds some good practices to follow are to start clean, stay clean until the canopy closes, and evaluate your program throughout the season. Starting clean with tillage or a strong burndown will give the crop a competitive advantage over weeds. Yield loss from weeds is generally higher when weeds emerge before or at the same time as a crop. Weed impacts on crops decrease as weed emergence is delayed through the season. Weeds that emerge after the crop canopy closes typically don’t impact yield, although they may produce seed.

Scouting and evaluating weed populations in the field can help you preemptively respond to shifts that may occur. Weeds will respond to our management strategies. If we rely on a single product or program we will select for the weeds that survive under those circumstances. We may need to tweak a program every few years or in the case of herbicide resistance overhaul the program. One final thought on programs deals with program failures. If you make an application of an herbicide and a single weed species in the field survives resistance may be present. If you make a follow up application tank mixing in another mode of action with activity on that weed will increase your chances of control over coming back with the same product as before.

West Ohio Agronomy Day Monday January 10

2011-01-04T06:53:00.002-05:00

West Ohio AGRONOMY DAY, Monday January 10 in Ft. Loramie, Ohio provides farmers and agricultural businesses the opportunity to learn crop production information from Ohio State University and Purdue University Extension specialists.

Practical daytime and evening sessions also recertify private and commercial pesticide applicators and provide Certified Crop Advisors with up to 5 1/2 CEU's for soil and water, nutrient, crop and pesticide management.

Morning registration begins at 8am with a grain marketing session kicking off at 8:30followed by the crop agenda at 9:30 A 5:15 evening registration precedes a grain marketing segment at 5:30, with the crop agenda embarking at 6pm.

Purdue's Dr. Bob Nielsen of KingCorn.org fame and Dr. Kiersten Wise their new crop disease specialist join OSU's soil fertility guru Dr. Robert Mullen and insect pest expert Dr. Ron Hammond.

The agenda also includes discussion on resistant weed management, planter and drill adjustments, weather data systems and an update on Grand Lake St. Marys.

Register by Thursday, January 6 and save $5. The base fee is only $10, which includes a free Extension publication, food, handouts and much more. Pesticide and CCA credits have an additional charge.

Check out our registration flier at:

http://shelby.osu.edu/topics/agriculture-and-natural-resources/ and scroll down to the Agronomy Day brochure.

If you have additional questions please email bender.5@cfaes.osu.edu or call Roger Bender at 937.498.7239(O) or 937.489.5217(C).

We hope to see you there!

Rainfall for Champaign County for 2010

2010-12-17T18:39:00.003-05:00

We check our own rain gage regularly throughout the season.

Today I totalled the month by month amounts for us in Urbana. We had a dry April, wet May and wetter June, dry July then a wet August.

2010 Rainfall in inches, Urbana, Gage OH-CH-2
	on the CoCoRAHS network.
Month	total	high for month
April	1.88	0.65
May	4.11	0.72
June	5.72	1.37*
July	2.06	1.00*
August	4.03	1.10*
September	1.77	0.41
October	1.20	0.48
November	4.75	1.89
* measured over 2 days http://www.cocorahs.org/

Why Do New Tractors Have All That Extra Exhaust Apparatus?

2010-12-02T11:46:00.001-05:00

By Gene McCluer, OSU Extension Educator (with information from University of Illinois)

That new diesel tractor you buy after the first of the year will have some different exhaust technology that may take some “getting used to.” Air quality regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency, affecting only new equipment, will add cost to the tractor, and may give off blacker smoke, but the engines are expected to lower emission level of nitrous oxide. That is one of the “greenhouse gases” which are currently being blamed for climate change issues. But what does it mean for Hardin County farmers?

New EPA regulations for diesel powered equipment, called Tier 4, pertain to non-road diesel engines with more than 175 horsepower in 2011. The regulations will apply to smaller horsepower tractors put into service in 2012 and later. By 2015, the regulations require tractors and other non-road diesel equipment to have reduced both nitrous oxide and particulate matter (soot) by 90%. The regulations have only been applied to over the road diesel engines up until now, but farm tractors will not have their turn.

There are two primary technologies being used by tractor manufacturers. Caterpillar, Cummins, Deutz, John Deere, Komatsu and Perkins are using EGR technology to comply with Tier 4 regulations. AGCO, Case IH and New Holland are using SCR technology. The EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) technology takes 20% to 30% of the exhaust gas, pipes it into a cooling chamber on the side of the engine. When it is cooled, its oxygen content is lowered. It is then piped into the intake manifold where it lowers the oxygen content and lowers the overall combustion temperature. That results in less nitrous oxide, but possibly more soot.

The SCR (selective catalytic reduction) technology utilizes a storage tank on the tractor which holds diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), a combination of urea and de-ionized water. One gallon of DEF is blended with 25 gallons of diesel fuel during the tractor’s operation. This technology eliminates the particulate matter with a high exhaust gas temperature, resulting in reduced levels of nitrous oxide.

The DEF liquid that will have to be replenished regularly, and farm petroleum suppliers should be planning to sell it. It is 68% water, and will not only freeze at 12º, but will gel at a -25º. Don’t plan to operate your tractor without the DEF, since an engine without the DEF will have a loss of power, but will be able to get an implement to the edge of the field or your fuel tank. Horsepower will drop intentionally, when the computer senses the DEF tank is empty. Manufacturers are addressing all of these concerns with their new products.

What is the impact of the technology on farmers? The EPA has indicated the additional cost will be 1-3% of the cost of the equipment. Should you buy before the new models are on the market? This would delay the impact on your farm until the next time you update your equipment. That apparently is what happened when the regulations were applied to the over the road trucks before the Tier 4 diesel engines were installed. As with any new technology there will be some issues that have to be resolved after the equipment is used in the field and unforeseen problems occur. While adding more cost to each machine, the new engines are expected to be both more energy efficient and emit lower levels of nitrous oxide.

Shelby Co Crop Report for 11/26/10

2010-11-26T09:01:00.002-05:00

Rainfall over the past several days has totaled over 3 inches for some, less for others in Shelby County. Some standing water seen on Thanksgiving pretty much disappeared by today, indicating a soil profile with a significant capacity for more recharge.

Wheat has perked up as a result of the rain.

Please note the January 10, 2011 West Ohio Agronomy Day on your calender. Learn from the best Ohio State University Extension and Purdue Extension has to offer. A tentative agenda will be available within 10 days. Grain marketing sessions begin at 8:30 am for the daytime agenda and 5:30 pm for the evening agenda.

Please keep in mind, we organize West Ohio Agronomy Day with our main priority to provide excellent agronomic information. Any Ohio farmer who needs private pesticide applicator recertification credits can earn all those related to crop, forage and livestock production during the program. Commercial pesticide applicators will be able to earn up 3 hours of credits. Certified Crop Advisors can earn up to 5 1/2 hours of CEU's.

Contact us at 937.498.7239 or bender.5@cfeas.osu.edu

Rain in Champaign November 16th

2010-11-17T09:30:00.002-05:00

Folks

we had 0.69 inch here at the Champaign County Communication Center in Urbana. At my house northeast from here in Union County I had 0.68 inch so over the area we generally had about the same amount of rain.

I must point out though that this is a small amount of the recharge we need for next year. A tilled field I passed this morning had clods wet only on one side.

Storing Corn from the 2010 Harvest: Aerate and Monitor

2010-11-16T13:40:00.000-05:00

from Matt Roberts, Grain Quality Extension Specialist and Richard Stroshine, Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department - Purdue University

The 2010 corn harvest season has been almost the exact opposite of the season producers experienced in 2009. In 2010 growers and researchers reported almost no field molds and harvest moistures were considerably lower than in years past. Based on conversations with growers around the state, some who started harvesting early had moistures around 25%, while the bulk of the corn was harvested at moistures between 14% and 18%. Although grain drying was not much of a concern for many producers this year, it is still important to minimize the chances of spoilage by applying the basic principles of grain storage, which include aeration and monitoring. There have already been reports of grain in storage going out of condition and in many cases this can be attributed to ignoring those principles.

Aeration: Aeration of grain in storage helps to equalize not only temperature differences, but also moisture differences throughout the grain mass. It is especially important to aerate grain that was taken out of the field and placed directly into storage. While the field average may have been 14% or 15% moisture, there may have been pockets of 16% or 18% moisture grain in the harvested corn. Aeration will help to cool this corn and may move some of the moisture out of those wetter pockets.

This year the temperature of a large portion of the corn was put in the bin at temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees. At such high temperatures there is greater risk that the corn will spoil. Corn at 16% moisture with a kernel temperature of 70 degrees can begin to spoil in approximately 30 days. Therefore as soon as corn is placed in the bin, it should be aerated and, if it was above 70 degrees, the first cooling cycle should begin when the average outside air temperature (average of the daily high and low temperatures) drops by about 10 degrees. Cooling should continue in a stepwise process throughout the fall months and into the winter. A new cooling front should be moved through the bin when the average outside air temperature has dropped another 10 to 15 degrees. Ideally, corn should be cooled to just above freezing using two or three aeration cycles. Grain temperature near the top surface of the grain mass can be determined by placing a thermometer (such as a metallic oven thermometer with a long stem) 1 to 1.5 to feet under the surface of the grain where it is left for about 5 minutes before the reading is taken. If the cooling front has moved through the bin, the temperature of the grain below the upper surface should be the average temperature when aeration was begun. Length of time for an aeration front to move through a grain mass can vary greatly depending on bin and fan size. For a small bin with a large fan it may take only a day for the cooling front to move through the bin. For a tall bin with a smaller fan it may take several weeks for the cooling front to reach the top surface.

Air takes the path of least resistance. Therefore it is important to “core” the bin by pulling a load of the grain out of the bin to level the top of the grain mass. Because of the lower harvest moistures and particularly if combine cylinder speeds were higher than necessary, there may have been higher percentages of broken kernels in the corn. Broken kernels tend to accumulate near the center of the bin and reduce airflow through that part of the grain mass. Coring the bin removes the corn with higher fines. In larger bins it may be necessary to take several loads from the bin to reduce the concentration of fines in the center of the bin.

After aeration is completed for the year the fans should be covered to prevent entrance of outside air and to keep out rodents and pets.

Monitoring: It is necessary to check a bin for signs of spoilage at least once every two weeks during the winter and weekly in the fall and spring when the outside air temperatures are warmer. The suggested way to do this is to climb to the eave door, look inside and smell for any signs of spoilage. Also, observe the roof for any frost or current or past signs of condensation. Turning on the fans during this time will assist in detecting musty odors associated with spoilage. If an observer is present it may also be useful to enter the bin and walk around on the top of the grain to determine if grain has started to spoil and clump together.

West Ohio Agronomy Day January 10, 2011

2010-11-16T08:26:00.002-05:00

Plan now to engage fellow crop producers at the Monday, January 10 West Ohio Agronomy Day. Featured are:

Purdue's Dr. Bob Nielsen of KingCorn.org fame plans to detail the keys to profitable corn production.

Purdue's Dr. Kiersten Wise will provide the latest advice on wheat, soybean and corn diseases as well as seed treatments and fungicides.

Ohio State's Dr. Robert Mullen our Soil Fertility guru intends to share insight on how to best allocate your fertilizer dollars.

Ohio State's Dr Ron Hammond, Entomologist extraordinaire, will be digging into what's "bugging" your crop...aphids, beetles, leafhoppers, etc, etc.

Cover Cropper David Brandt on nutrient providing, soil loosening, weed smothering plants

Morning and Evening Grain Marketing sessions: Where do we go from here?

Plus private and commercial pesticide recertification and training, CCA credits, FSA's new Conservation Enhancement Program, a Grand Lake St. Mary's update, managing resistant weeds, rainfall data systems and more.

Please check back for more information or email me at bender.5@cfaes.osu.edu

Ohio and US Crop Production estimates update November 2010

2010-11-09T11:10:00.001-05:00

Based on conditions as of November 1, Ohio's average corn yield is forecast at 165 bushels per acre, down 2 bushels from the previous month's forecast and 9 bushels below the 2009 average yield. Total grain production is forecast at 541.2 million bushels, down 1 percent from last year's State total. Corn growers expect to harvest 3.28 million acres in 2010 up 140,000 acres from one year ago.

The 2010 average soybean yield for Ohio is forecast at 48 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month's forecast and 1 bushel below the 2009 average State yield. Total State production is forecast at 224.64 million bushels, up 1 percent from 2009. Harvested acreage is forecast at 4.68 million acres, up 150,000 acres from last year.

U. S. Corn production is forecast at 12.5 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the October forecast and down 4 percent from last year's record production of 13.1 billion bushels. As of November 1, yields are expected to average 154.3 bushels per acre, down 1.5 bushels from the previous month and 10.4 bushels below last year's record of 164.7 bushels. Forecast yields decreased from last month throughout much of the Corn Belt, with the biggest decline forecast in Missouri, down 7 bushels per acre. The expected yield in South Dakota declined 5 bushels from last month while the Nebraska yield dropped 4 bushels per acre. Record high yields are forecast in California, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

U.S. Soybean production is forecast at a record high 3.38 billion bushels, down 1 percent from the October forecast but up slightly from last year. Based on November 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 43.9 bushels per acre, down 0.5 bushel from last month and down 0.1 bushel from last year's record high yield. Compared with last month, yields are forecast lower or unchanged in all major-producing States except Delaware, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. The largest decreases in yield from last month are expected in Kansas, Nebraska, New Jersey, and South Dakota, down 2 bushels each. If realized, the forecast yields in Illinois, Louisiana, New York, and Wisconsin will be record highs and the forecast yield in Michigan and North Dakota will tie the previous record high. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at 76.8 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast but up 1 percent from 2009.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/09/10 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JAMES E. RAMEY REYNOLDSBURG, OH (614) 728-2100

Shelby Co Crop Report for 10/21/10

2010-10-21T10:22:00.003-04:00

GRAIN QUALITY ALERT !!!!!!!!!

Check those bins. We just received a report of a bin of soybeans sweating to the point of moisture dripping from the roof and down the sides of the bin. With soybeans coming off so dry and our concept that beans are easy to store, some farmers may be forgetting a key factor. All grain needs to be cooled down to avoid condensation as described previously. Yes, the soybeans may have been binned at 9-10% moisture, but harvested at 80 degrees F, setting up an ideal condensation scenario when outside temperatures dip into the 40's and below.

Much of the farm storage of soybeans is in bins without stirrators and some of those bins may have inadequate ventilation.

We are more likely to track grain condition in corn bins but once again may be lulled into thinking if we do not need to dry it, why air it? Once again, remember that more stored grain goes out of condition because temperatures are not controlled tahn for any other reason.

Since grain is a good insulator, it does not cool uniformly as outside temperatures drop. Air near the bin wall cools and settles toward the bin bottom creating a convection current. The air then rises up through the warm grain picking up moisture in the form of water vapor. The air continues to move towards cooler grain near the surface, where the moisture condenses and can cause spoilage.

The most common location of wet or spoiled grain is at the center top of the bin. Another location for storage problem symptoms is the grain near the bin wall, often the colder north wall.

Source: Grain Drying, Handling and Storage Handbook, Midwest Plans Service

PLEASE keep in mind your stored grain is like money in the bank, but only if it is properly cared for.

Shelby Co Crop Report for 10/15/10

2010-10-15T14:11:00.000-04:00

Weather: Wednesday’s showers and just a bit overnight on Thursday reportedly added from .3 to .8 inches of rain in different areas of the county. The moisture helped germinate wheat, incorporate recently applied wheat starter fertilizer, add moisture to soybeans and corn, cut the harvest dust and give everyone a breather.

Soybeans are almost off, wheat fields are greening up and many farmers are done with corn, with others a couple of weeks of harvest still on the horizon.

Fall tillage, liming and manure application are keeping many others busy.

Cover crops & Crop Insurance issues

2010-10-11T13:01:00.000-04:00

Is Planting Cover Crops Affecting My Crop Insurance Coverage?

by Chris Bruynis, OSU Extension Educator

There are many reasons that cover crops are planted in Ohio such as additional forage, nutrient recycling, soil erosion control, and improving soil tilth. In recent years the number of acres seeded to cover crops in Ohio has been increasing with the introduction of various legumes and barassica (oil seed radish, turnips, etc.) crops. With this renewed interest in cover crops, care needs to be taken not to inadvertently terminate crop insurance coverage.

According to the Risk Management Agency (RMA) cover crops are considered a crop generally recognized by agricultural experts as agronomically sound for the area for erosion control or other purposes related to conservation or soil improvement. Depending on the stage of crop development, cover crops may make the intended insurable crop ineligible for crop insurance. Understanding the subtle interpretations of the RMA rules becomes important to securing crop insurance coverage. This issue will be demonstrated through the following examples.

RMA rules do not permit crop insurance coverage for small grain crops planted for harvest that are inter-planted with another crop. This inter-planting rule specifically prohibits use of a grain drill or other tillage-based planting of the cover crop seed. Therefore, the only method available to establish a cover crop seeding in standing wheat, such as red clover, is through broadcasting the seed over the top of the wheat. Once the wheat is harvested, mechanical seeding is acceptable.

For most crops, crop insurance policies state that any acreage following another crop that has reached the head (or bud) stage and/or that has been harvested in the same calendar year is not insurable. So cover crops seeded following wheat, soybeans or corn would not be insurable. What about seeding wheat, soybeans or corn after a cover crop? The goal would be to make sure the cover crop does not reach the head or bud stage of growth development. Under this provision, farmers would need to destroy, either mechanically or chemically, the cover crop prior to the head or bud forming for the following crop to be insurable. However, if the cover crop were harvested for forage instead of being destroyed, the following crop may or may not be insurable, depending on the insurance product purchased.

After harvesting a cover crop for forage farmers cannot plant and insure crops such as corn and soybeans with Yield Protection and Revenue Protection policies. However, farmers can use GRP and GRIP policies to insure these crops after harvesting cover crops. This article is not intended to answer all the questions concerning cover crops and crop insurance, but simply to increase farmer’s awareness of the potential issues. Farmers who want to plant cover crops to gain the benefits they provide, should check with their crop insurance provider prior to planting cover crops to make sure their farming practices do not result in a loss of insurance coverage due to a misunderstanding of the rules.

Shelby Co Crop Report for 10/8/10

2010-10-08T16:00:00.000-04:00

Weather: Excellent for harvest following last Saturday's light rain.

Corn: Continuing to come off very dry for the most part. Most of the fields that had been lodging have been harvested.

Soybeans: Most fields yet to harvest have had replanted areas. Double crop soybeans are all yellowing at this point.

Wheat: Excellent conditions for seeding and germination. Earliest planted fields are emerging or will this weekend.

Fall liming and tillage is well underway.

October 1 Ohio Crop Estimates from Ohio Ag Statistics Office

2010-10-08T11:24:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/08/10 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: JAMES E. RAMEY REYNOLDSBURG, OH (614) 728-2100

Based on conditions as of October 1, Ohio's average corn yield is forecast at 167 bushels per acre, down 6 bushel from the previous month's forecast. Total grain production is forecast at 547.76 million bushels, up slightly from last year's State production total. Corn growers expect to harvest 3.28 million acres in 2010, up 140,000 acres from one year ago. Based on administrative data, planted acreage is estimated at 3.50 million acres, down 100,000 acres from the June estimate.

The 2010 average soybean yield for Ohio is forecast at 48 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month's forecast, but 1 bushel below the 2009 average State yield. Total State production is forecast at 224.64 million bushels, up 1 percent from 2009. Harvested acreage is forecast at 4.68 million acres, up 150,000 acres from last year. Based on administrative data, planted acreage is estimated at 4.7 million acres, unchanged from the June estimate.

Alfalfa production in 2010 is forecast at 1.22 million tons, down 5 percent from last year. All other hay production is forecast at 1.54 million tons, down 3 percent from last year.

U. S. corn production is forecast at 12.7 billion bushels, down 4 percent from the September forecast and down 3 percent from last year's record production of 13.1 billion bushels. Based on conditions as of October 1, yields are expected to average 155.8 bushels per acre, down 6.7 bushels from the previous month and 8.9 bushels below last year's record of 164.7 bushels. Forecasted yields decreased from last month throughout much of the Corn Belt and Tennessee Valley. Illinois showed the largest decline, down 14 bushels per acre. Indiana and Iowa are both down 10 bushels from the previous month, while Missouri and Nebraska declined 9 bushels per acre. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.3 million acres, up less than 1 percent from the September forecast. Acreage updates were made in several States based on administrative data.

U.S. soybean production is forecast at a record high 3.41 billion bushels, down 2 percent from September but 1 percent above last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average a record high 44.4 bushels per acre, down 0.3 bushel from last month but up 0.4 bushel from last year. Compared with last month, yields are forecast lower or unchanged in all major-producing States except Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin. The largest decreases in yield from last month are expected in North Carolina and Virginia, down 5 and 4 bushels, respectively. If realized, the forecasted yields in Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, and Wisconsin will be record highs and the forecasted yield in Minnesota will tie the previous record high. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at 76.8 million acres, down 1 percent from the previous estimate but up 1 percent from 2009. Acreage updates were made in several States based on administrative data.

crop update Champaign County October 7th

2010-10-07T17:01:00.002-04:00

I made a trip around the county over the last 24 hours. At this point by my count we are 49% harvested for soybeans and 21% harvest for corn. Not a bad schedule for October 7th especially compared to last year.

But we should be further along - for instance in corn we have been mature (35% moisture) since September 1st, and crop moistures can drop 0.66% per day with the conditions we have had most of the last month - so harvest moistures are theoretically below 15% in our entire corn crop. I have heard of grain moistures at 6-8% for soybeans and 10-14% for corn. And today I see at least one corn head with a pick up reel - meaning the corn is down. All beans are mature except the double crop fields, and even much of that will be ready this week or next.

Wheat is in or going in. Some is up already - so we do have enough moisture to get wheat germinated. Quite honestly after last year having a wheat crop go in dry agrees with me.

Tillage, I assume this is to break up compaction layers - I'll leave it at that.

Auglaize Co. Update for October 6, 2010

2010-10-06T08:53:00.001-04:00

Weather: Cool and dry. Great for harvest!
Corn: Corn harvest is progressing rapidly, and not much rain to stop harvest. Most corn is standing fairly well.
Soybeans: Soybean harvest is also progressing at a rapid rate. No bad weather to slow down or stop harvest for more than a day or so.
Wheat: Wheat planting is progressing as soybeans are harvested. A recent small rain has added to topsoil moisture which should be good for germination.
Forages: Forage harvest should be complete to let the plants gain root nutrients and survive the winter.
Soil Moisture: Fair to poor. The rain we had recently (1/2 to 1-1/4 inches) helped some, but subsoil moisture is very depleted.

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