Welcome to this new blog where we will focus on many things related to production agriculture. Let me first tell you some of the guiding principles that drive my day by day activities, and guide my thought processes. You will see these principles guiding our conversations as I seek to put practical, functional agronomic information into a format that I hope can be helpful to you.

First, I have a passion for Agriculture and God has blessed me with the opportunity to work in Agriculture my whole career. Growing up on a dairy farm, I had to find a way to get out of milking the cows, so I spent as much time as possible out in the fields. Because of my love for the outdoors, I have developed a corny relationship with plants. I love seeing things grow, and I’ve never had a corn plant yell at me! I enjoy walking fields, trying to understand what’s growing on, and seeking to unlock the code to higher yields.

The second guiding principle I go by is, “You can’t save your way into prosperity.”To many times, decisions are made with a focus on “out of pocket” costs, rather than the potential “Return on Investment.” As farmers, we all have a multitude of decisions that we make going into every crop and season, and the financial commitments are significant, yet we must focus on our overall objective; which is to maximize our “Return on Investment.”
The third guiding principle is to remember, almost anything will work somewhere, and nothing works everywhere. Innovation in agriculture is astounding. Nearly every day you can come across something new, or some new way to do something. Sorting through all the things that are thrown at us, takes a determined perspective, and requires us to take the emotion out of the decision-making process. There are lots of really cool things we could purchase and some really great ideas somebody else came up with, but is it right for me? Does it fit into my farming needs? Does it increase performance and profitability?
The fourth guiding principle challenges me daily in my agronomy role. How do you find and remove that largest obstacle to higher yields in your production system? Taking an objective analysis of the most limiting factor, is the quickest way to find success in building higher yields, and the answer will be different for every farm.
This blog is a new venture for me, and I hope you find it helpful. We plan to put out agronomic articles monthly, and may add additional tidbits of information along the way as we uncover interesting things going on while we’re outstanding in your fields! We’ll also assist you with information about the features and benefits of our Power Ag brand of products.
I look forward to having those conversations with you; as together we focus on feeding a hungry world.

As growers look for ways to maximize productivity, the question comes up, “What is the best fertility recommendation?” The challenge growers have to deal with is, “What do I do with all the different opinions that are out there?

One of the first questions we need to sort out in the decision-making process is, “Are you going to feed the crop or are you going to fertilize the soil?” You probably will quickly respond, “Both.” Is there a difference? Does the difference change how you make your crop fertility decisions? Stop and think about it for a second, the plant doesn’t live in the soil,  it lives in the water (soil solution) within the soil profile. If you doubt me on that, just ask yourself what happens when you remove the water from the soil profile? The plant dies. So let’s think about your fertility strategy. Are you going to fertilize the soil or are you going to feed the crop?

 

 

Our traditional way of fertilizing the crop is based on soil testing and making recommendations based on the level of nutrients within the soil, the organic matter, the CEC levels, etc. all of which are very helpful tools. What if you took another step in your fertility analysis, and started looking at your fertility needs based on what the plant told you it needed? What if you started taking tissue tests frequently, of the crop you are growing, and then adjusted your nutrient applications to meet the growing and changing needs of the crop? Could you develop a data set over multiple years from your tissue tests, that would guide your fertility decisions, help you ensure you have adequate nutrients available during key growth stages?

Good solid foundational fertility programs are essential to maximizing productivity, but if we look at the basis of many fertility recommendations, they are based on fertility programs and recommendations that were developed many years ago with different genetics, different farming practices, different cropping systems, etc.

As a grower today, your “on farm efficiency” is so much greater than 25-30 years ago. In the past we slug fed fertility to grow crops. Today, input costs do not give us that liberty. Growers today do a much more efficient job of growing crops by utilizing nitrogen stabilizers, precision application, precision placement, and targeting nutrients during critical growth stages. According to data available from the USDA and the Fertilizer Institute, the total (lbs on the ground applied) of fertilizer used today in American agriculture is not that much different than 1980.

“What’s holding you back from higher yields?” Is some element of your fertility program limiting your effort to improve yields? Much emphasis is placed on the N, P, K, soil pH etc. within fertility recommendations. However, if you start to ask your soil lab questions about secondary and micro-nutrients needed to grow 300 bu corn, they often don’t have an answer. Try sending a soil test to the lab, and ask them for recommendations for 250 bu corn and then ask them to give you recommendations from the same soil test for 300 bu corn. For some labs, the only change they will make to their recommendations will be Nitrogen recommendations. Does the lack of recommendations focused on the other elements of fertility hold back yields?

When we understand some of the fundamentals to agronomy, such as “Corn needs 1 unit of nitrogen to grow a bushel of corn” and “For every 8 units of Nitrogen applied you need 1 unit of Sulfur” or “For every 9 parts of Phosphorus applied you need 1 part Zinc,” you might ask yourself, “Why aren’t the recommendations for secondary and micro-nutrients changing when we attempt to achieve higher yields? Are they limiting factors in your fertility program?

Many times, the answer to finding higher yields and increasing on farm profitability is found by asking the right questions. Keep asking questions until you uncover the roadblock that limits your ability to increase your yields.

The time for Nitrogen application is upon us, and in some areas the first nitrogen application has already been applied with the support of nitrogen stabilizers. The wheat plant’s greatest need for Nitrogen begins around feekes stage 6, which is when the first node forms at the base of the main stem. Once that stem begins to elongate, the plant begins to uptake a lot of Nitrogen. Feekes stage 6 usually occurs in early to mid-April here in PA. Split applying Nitrogen, to time the application of nitrogen to critical growth stages, may be the most effective way to maximize overall yield and productivity.

Let’s take a look at a few other key elements to high yield wheat, such as Potash, Sulfur, and Boron.

Potash

Potassium is very important because of its impact on the process of photosynthesis, whereby the plant utilizes energy from the sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates to feed the plant. Potassium increases the chlorophyll and protein formation within the plant and assists in moving sugars through the plant to feed the new cell growth that is happening in the plant. Potassium also increases stalk health and strength, improving stand-ability of the wheat crop.

Cold, dry soils or soils high in Calcium or Magnesium may decrease the availability of potassium to the plant. High Nitrogen rates also reduce the ability of the plant to uptake Potash simply because the Nitrogen is more readily available and clogs up the vascular system of the plant limiting the flow of Potassium into the plant. We frequently recommend spiking your Nitrogen applications with Potassium or foliar applying some Potassium to help maximize the uptake of Potash into the plant.

Sulfur

Sulfur is another element that is important for protein and chlorophyll synthesis. Sulfur brings out the dark green color in the plant due to its impact on chlorophyll production. Sulfur helps the plant fight off disease, helps to influence test weights, and generally contributes to overall yield increases by developing a healthier more robust plant that can support higher yields.

Boron

Boron is sometimes the forgotten ingredient in wheat production. Boron is a vital component of plant growth, because of the role it plays in forming and building cell walls. Boron is needed at the growth point of the plant, where cell division and new cell formation is developing. Boron helps transfer nutrients like sugars and carbohydrates to the new cells that are forming. An inadequate supply of Boron to the plant can retard the growth of fast growing tissue, impacting plant development. Boron can help the plant during flower set, pollination, and kernel formation, allowing the plant to express more of it’s genetic potential.

Boron does not re-mobilize in the plant, which means it doesn’t move from old growth into new growth. Therefore, the plant needs an adequate supply of Boron through early growth stages into the grain fill period. Also, its important to remember that soil pH above 6.5 ties up the availability of Boron to the plant.

Plants do not need high amounts of Boron, but it is important to keep this key element available because Boron also has an impact on the uptake and transportation of Potassium within the plant.

Boron deficiency is most often expressed at the growing point of the plant. You may see underdeveloped new leaves, or you may see saw tooth leaf edges or a crinkling pattern on the leaf, or even plant cell death at the growing point of the plant, which is indicated by brown necrotic leaf edges.

Wheat growers are anxiously watching the weather patterns this spring. Having just experienced a warmer than normal February, the question is, what will March and April bring. With the unseasonably warm February, wheat started to green up and break dormancy earlier than normal.

While scouting small grain fields across portions of PA, I have noticed many small grain fields look uneven, and in some areas we have noticed significant winter kill, which is a result of excessive freezing and thawing over the past few months. Since we didn’t have a deep freeze, and we had a lot of temperature swings, the freeze thaw activity has jacked the crowns up out of the soil and exposed the roots. In areas where the soils have been dry, the roots are drying out and as a result we are seeing some plant death and stand loss.

The next question I am already getting is, “How much should we be concerned about cold temps over the next 60 days?”

Below is a chart that shows stages of growth and the temperatures at which the wheat crop could be at risk.

As the soil temps begin to rise and alfalfa comes out of dormancy, it’s a great time to take a walk and evaluate your alfalfa stands. High yields start with thick healthy stands. One-year-old stands should have 12-25 plants per square foot, two-year-old stands 8-12 plants per square foot, and 3+ year old stands should have a minimum of 5 plants per square foot, to maximize yields. Another way you can evaluate your stand is to do stem counts when the alfalfa is 4″ to 6″ in height. Stem counts above 55 per square foot, will allow you to achieve maximum yields. Once the stem count drops below 40 per square foot, it is time to rotate out of alfalfa.

As you walk your fields, take a moment to observe root and shoot health. Dig up a few crowns and slice open the tap root. Look to see if the inside of the root is creamy white. Off colored roots may indicate the presence of disease. Heavy wheel traffic can crush or split crowns, leaving them susceptible to disease or decay which will shorten stand life.

A good fertility program for alfalfa starts with maintaining a soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0. A soil pH above 7.0 may cause some micronutrient shortages to occur. Alfalfa requires a lot of Potassium to maximize yields. For every ton of dry forage you harvest, you remove 60-70 lbs of potash from the field, making it necessary to provide ample potash levels to the soil in support of high yields throughout the life of the stand. Excessively high potash levels within the soil can reduce the availability of some key micronutrients like Zinc, Copper, and Manganese. Phosphorus is also an important element for alfalfa. Each ton of dry hay removes 12-15 lbs of phosphorus from the soil. It is important to remember if soil pH drops below 6.5, that reduces the amount of phosphorus that is available to the alfalfa plant.

Calcium, Magnesium, and Sulfur are secondary nutrients that are also very important in alfalfa production. Most times the amount of lime needed to maintain the required pH gives us the amount of calcium needed for optimum yields. Magnesium also correlates to soil pH; however, in low CEC soils, Magnesium availability may be limited. Magnesium helps to carry nutrients within the plant like, potassium, sugars, and starch. Magnesium is also critical for chlorophyll and enzyme production within the plant. Alfalfa uses about 30 lbs of elemental Sulfur per season, much of it coming from the soil structure. Sulfur is a catalyst to chlorophyll production and is a structural component to protein formation. With less Sulfur being deposited by industrial sources, Sulfur is an element we need to monitor more closely.

Boron is widely recognized as a critical micronutrient in alfalfa production. Compounding the Boron issue, is the fact that soil pH above 6.5 ties up the boron, making it less available to the plant. Boron is also highly soluble and mobile within the soil. High organic matter soils help to hold the nutrient longer. Growers have resolved these issues over the years by making foliar applications of products like BORPOWER multiple times throughout the growing season. Alfalfa needs 2-3 lbs of elemental boron per growing season, some of which is pulled from the soil.

ALFAPOWER MP is a product formulated to meet the micronutrient needs in alfalfa production like Copper, Manganese, and Zinc. Copper improves the respiration within the plant. Manganese improves the assimilation of carbon dioxide and nitrates into the plant, helping to produce chlorophyll and protein. Zinc stimulates the production of auxins within the plant, acting as a growth promoter. Zinc also regulates the flow of sugars to the growing point of the plant.

As you look for ways to improve your alfalfa yields, it’s always important to maintain a proper balance in soil fertility. Start strong by building a good fertility base prior to stand establishment, and then feed the crop to maximize productivity, throughout the life of the stand.

Now that corn has begun to emerge, it’s a great time to scout and observe what may be creeping through your fields. Each year is different, and the weather patterns that we have encountered since the past growing season may have some impact on the level of pest pressures we find. I’ve been watching closely the reports from various universities in our region and beyond, and for the most part they are indicating significant pest pressures across various crops, which is what we would expect based on the relatively mild temperatures we experienced over the winter months.

Black Cutworm (BCW) -This pest doesn’t usually overwinter in our region, but earlier this spring, growers, and entomologists reported seeing large larvae feeding in wheat and other species, which indicates the mildness of the past winter. BCW most often arrive with the spring storms and lay their eggs into decaying green tissue. Fields most likely to have high populations are those fields that had heavy winter annual weed pressure or cover crops. Once the egg is laid, the larvae will emerge after 300 Growing Degree Days have accumulated. Populations of the moth flights have been high in multiple areas this spring, so be prepared to scout and protect your new seedlings, as feeding has now begun.

Corn Root Worm (CRW) – The CRW overwinter as eggs in the soil. These eggs may be anywhere from just below the surface to several inches deep in the soil. Harsh, cold winters usually have little impact on the survival of the eggs. CRW in our region is primarily a problem in corn on corn acres. It generally takes 2-3 yrs of corn on corn for the CRW populations to expand to the point they reach an economic threshold. CRW has mostly been controlled either by using an in-furrow insecticide or by using transgenic traits.

There has been an increase in trait failures over the past few seasons, and there are ways we can manage differently to reduce the chance of trait failure on each farm. Here are a few tips that can reduce the chance of trait failure.

1. CRW traits, regardless of trait provider, only control the CRW larvae during the 1st instar stage of development. CRW traits are considered low dose events. This is very important to remember, because it sets up the following points.
2. Weed control, particularly grass control is vital. Did you remember that corn is a grass species? Did you know that the CRW larvae will eat any grass root, not just corn? If you have grasses or cover crops containing grass species such as cereal grains, you’ve just set the table for the CRW larvae. If the CRW larvae have a food source and are developed beyond the 1st instar, and then you take that food source away by applying a herbicide, the CRW larvae will then move to feed on the corn roots. If the larvae are developed beyond the 1st instar, the CRW transgenic trait will not have a high enough dosage to knock them dead, and you may experience root feeding. In this situation, it is not a trait resistance issue, it’s a management issue that can be remedied. I’ve seen this situation multiple times over the past few years.
3. Planting date also is important in managing transgenic traits. CRW eggs hatch based on heat units, Delayed planting or late planted corn will be the most susceptible to trait failure. If the crop is planted in a scenario where the CRW larvae have developed beyond the 1st instar stage of growth, the CRW transgenic trait dosage will be unable to control the pest. Other methods of CRW control, such as insecticides are best deployed to manage CRW pressures in delayed planting situations.
4. Use multi-stacked traits. Know what trait versions you are using. Having more than one mode of action against the CRW pest, can help manage against any potential resistance issues. Don’t plant the same trait package in the same field year after year. Most seed companies have access to multiple trait providers and rotating your CRW options is a good risk management tool.
5. Crop rotation is the best pest management tool. Just remember that rotating corn to cereal grains and then back to corn is not sufficient to manage CRW resistance because you are not changing crop species. Rotate to soybeans or alfalfa or some other non-grass species to manage the CRW populations.

European Corn Bore (ECB) – These pests often overwinter as larvae and reside in the corn or weed residue. ECB are usually not affected by the variation of temperatures, but can be impacted otherwise. Mild, wet springs can make the larvae susceptible to a disease pathogen that may kill off some of the populations. Other factors like fall stalk chopping or fall tillage can a reduce ECB populations. ECB moths often move from field to field or across town to lay their eggs, and successive generations occur in a single season. 1st generation ECB tunnel thru the lower part of the stalk, weakening the stalk and providing and entry point for various pathogens to infect the plant. Common stalk bore can sometimes be mistaken for ECB, and is not controlled by all transgenic trait versions. Non-traited acres are often under heavy pressure and should be scouted and monitored.

Managing insects, weeds and monitoring your fertility sets you up for a good crop year, so invest the time to see what’s happening in your fields.

It’s time for the mid-year review. What does your performance look like? As you evaluate your crop and review the management decisions you’ve made, here are a few things you might want to look for as you are out standing in your fields.

1. Ear Counts vs Stand Counts
2. Root Zone Issues
3. Fertility
4. Potash Levels
5. Insects
6. Pollination & Tip Fill

 

Ear Counts vs Stand Counts

Uniform emergence is critical to uniform ear size and placement.You fine-tuned your planter, and made every effort to establish a picket fence stand, but is that what you got?

The planting season and early spring weather made it difficult to establish optimal stands in 2017. Along with the difficult weather patterns, many growers were challenged with slug feeding and other factors that contributed to erratic stands. So, as you walk your fields, you likely will find some small ears or undeveloped ears that indicate uneven emergence or slug feeding early on. Your planter may have performed just fine, but you were overruled by other factors.

Root Zone Issues

Take a shovel along and look below the surface. Any sign of limited root growth can indicate tight or compacted soils. Limited root growth will also affect the plants ability to extract nutrients from the soil. Healthy roots are white and grow at a 45-degree angle. Twisted, kinky looking roots indicate tight soil. How deep are your roots penetrating? How deep was you seeding depth? Are your brace roots at or above the soil line? Ideally, you want your planting depth to be deep enough that the brace roots are expressed at the soil line, anchoring the plant and pulling up nutrients.

Fertility

Look for symptoms of deficiency
Nitrogen – Summers like this where we have excessive rainfall events, put a lot of pressure on nitrogen management programs. Multiple applications of nitrogen timed to meet the demands of a maturing crop, prove very beneficial under these conditions. If you are not already using nitrogen stabilizers, consider using them in the future. Products like N-Ergize prevent the leaching and denitrification of the nitrate, enabling you to maximize yields.

We’re seeing quite a few locations where the crop has run short of nitrogen early in the grain-fill period, and this will have an impact on yield.

Potash Levels

Potash shortages continue to be a challenge across much of the Mid-Atlantic region. We’ve had excellent yields over the past 5 years or so, and many growers are removing more potash than they are re-applying, which depletes the soil bank of this very important nutrient. Test your soils and carefully evaluate your crop to keep potash levels in balance.

Insects

Look for Japanese beetles, Corn Root worm beetles, Fall Army worm, Corn Ear worm, and stalk bore. A few quick things to look out for – Have the silks been pruned? If so, do you see any jap beetles or corn root worm beetles around? Did silk feeding affect pollination?

Even if you are using BT traits to control corn rootworms, most of those traits do not control the hatch of the corn rootworm beetles, which feed on silks and pollen. If you find multiple rootworm beetles per plant, you should consider using additional rootworm protection the following year in corn or rotate to another crop species. Also, if you have a heavy infestation of jap beetles, they will lay their eggs and become white grubs that feed on roots the following spring. So, mark those fields and take necessary precautions to protect the crop the next season.

Pollination & Tip Fill

Pollination issues can stem from multiple issues, such as insect feeding, excessive heat stress, excessive rain.

Pollination starts at the butt of the ear and extends out toward the tip. Sometimes you’ll see one end that has been affected, sometimes the whole ear. At times you will see long silks hanging off the ear, which indicates there was stress during the pollination window. Hot temperatures will retard the expression of pollen, while the silks will continue to grow around 1.5″ per day. Once pollination is completed, the silks will change color, and eventually turn brown and crispy. Here is a link that shows you how to determine when pollination is complete.

Tip fill can be influenced by multiple factors such as fertility, moisture stress, heat stress, etc. As the corn plant matures and fills the ear, the ear will pull all the nutrients possible to build yield. If the plant is unable to extract enough nutrients from the soil, it will cannibalize itself and pull all the nutrients that are stored in the leaves and stalk to support yield, but this comes with a penalty. You may see tip back, you may see reduced test weight, you may also experience more lodging issues if the stalk has been compromised.

How much did the recent cooler than normal weather pattern impact the 2017 crop?

Data from my local weather station shows us we had only one day above 90 degrees during the month of August. Even though we entered the month of August, ahead YTD for Growing Degree Days (GDD’s), that lack of heat in August and into September, has significantly delayed the maturity of the crop.

 

The secondary factor in the delay of maturity, may have been overlooked. Low night time temperatures had an impact. Growing conditions like we’ve seen this summer are infrequent enough that there is still much debate about the full impact of night time temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s during grain fill. The last season we had a similar growing pattern was 2009. In 2009, we saw a similar growing season, a warmer than normal March-April, followed by cooler, damp conditions for much of the summer, and then a lot of cool nights toward the end of the growing season.

 

Canadian researchers, a few years back, documented that the rate of photosynthesis declines sharply, as much as 30%, following nighttime temperatures in the 40’s and low 50’s. Multiple nights in a row may also compound that effect. The photosynthesis process is critical to building yield as it converts sugars into starch and grain fill. The cold night temperatures seem to make the plant sluggish, and it takes bright, sunny, warm days to snap the plant back into full productivity. As you look back over the past 30 days, we have had cool temperatures, followed by a significant amount of cloudy days. So, to wrap it all in a nutshell, the lack of GDD’s in August and September, compounded with cloudy skies and cool nighttime temperatures, has compounded the delay in maturity and harvest.

 

Once corn reaches physiological maturity, black layer, you can track GDD’s to estimate the time of harvest. Generally we figure it takes 150 GDD’s to drop the grain moisture from 30% down to 25%, and it takes another 40-45 GDD’s to extract each point of moisture below 25%. So far, here in the month of September, we are accumulating around 13-15 GDD’s each day.

 

One of the benefits of slower GDD accumulation like we had this year, is the lack of heat stress on the crop, and the extended grain fill period that comes with a delay in maturity. Often the combination of these two factors contribute to longer, larger kernels that build more yield. We have been blessed with a very good crop this year.

Soybeans are not affected as much by heat unit accumulation, since they are a light sensitive crop. As you look at the soybean crop, we grew a lot of foliage early in the growing season, but have lacked the bright sunny skies needed to maximize productivity. Flowering, pod set, and pod fill can all be impacted by the amount of sunlight the crop receives during critical stages of growth. As the soybean crop nears maturity, bright sunny days will help the plant produce larger fruit, building more yield.

The importance of maximizing efficiency, effectiveness and economics in agriculture is always driving us to be better at what we do. The Streamline product is a tool that can help you do all three.

 Streamline is an adjuvant that allows you to improve the efficiency of the chemistry you apply, by reducing the amount of small droplets in your spray pattern, while greatly reducing the possibility of off-target drift, and delivering more spray to your intended target.

 

Increased Effectiveness

Streamline also increases effectiveness, by improving the performance of the nozzles you select. By increasing the consistency of the droplet size, Streamline helps you penetrate deeper into the crop canopy, providing better coverage of the crop or the weeds. Penetration and coverage are very important in targeting tough-to-control weeds or when you are applying fungicides and overlaying a protective layer on the leaf surface to prevent disease infection.

Cost Effective

Streamline is a very cost-effective way to enable you to get the maximum return on your crop protection investment. Streamline reduces the amount of large droplets that may just bounce off the target during application. By increasing the amount of product that stays on the leaf, you improve overall product performance and ROI.

Easy To Use

Growers and applicators often comment on how easy Streamline is to use. It is a low use rate product and mixes well with herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. Weather patterns are not always favorable for application, and the use of Streamline may keep you going in less than ideal circumstances.

Today we farm in an era where everything is under scrutiny, in our communities and beyond. Finding better ways to be good stewards of the land, is always on our minds, and helps all of us in the ag community.

The use of a product like Streamline, can help you to manage your crop protection applications, by reducing drift, getting more of the product being applied on target, and improving levels of control.

Click here to see a video from Robert Santini, about the importance of Streamline in his growing farm operation.

Is there such a thing as an ideal planting date? When is it? Are questions that often get asked by corn and soybean growers. There are many different factors that affect the answer to those questions, so let’s explore a few of those in this discussion.

First, we know from many years of research that there is a primary window of time, usually about 30 days, where we can maximize yields at or above 95% of yield potential for that growing season. The challenge is that you can’t just pick a day or week of the year and say that is always the best time to plant corn. Research also tells us, that if we push outside that primary planting window of time by more than 10-15 days, it will have a significant impact on yield.

For much of the Mid-Atlantic region, our primary planting dates are between April 1 and May 10 for corn, and April 1 to May 25 for soybeans. Here in 2018, we are off to a cooler than normal and moist spring so far, and as we look at the calendar, we realize this may be a spring where we need to look at other factors to determine the best time to plant this year.

Soil temperatures are one of the primary indicators of when to start planting, if soil conditions are right. However, it is also important to observe the upcoming weather forecast! It is always best to plant into a warming weather pattern as opposed to planting just before a cool rain or just a few days before a week of cool, cloudy weather.

Planting into cool soils, or into a cooling weather pattern can affect the uniformity of emergence. The corn seed often takes it’s first drink of water 30-36 hours after planting, and if that first drink is cold, (below 50 degrees) it will result in imbibitional chilling, which can cause the cell tissue to rupture during expansion, causing the mesocotyl to be twisted or damaged. This injury may result in corkscrewing or leafing out below ground, reducing the chance of uniform emergence or stand establishment.

Even if the seedling injured by imbibitional injury does successfully emerge, the injury is likely to prevent proper nutrient uptake of the young seedling, restricting normal development and leaving the plant susceptible to insects or seedling diseases.

Soybeans require different planting conditions than corn. Soybeans take on water more quickly and normally emerge quicker than corn, however, the ideal soil temperature for soybeans is above 55 degrees. Once the soybean plant has germinated and emerged, the growing point is immediately exposed to the elements, whereas the corns growing point stays below ground until about V6 growth stage.

How early is to early to plant soybeans? Progressive growers today start planting soybeans about the same time as corn. The target for soybeans is to have the plant flowering during the longest days of the growing season, which is the end of June. Since soybeans are alight sensitive crop, flowering during the longest days of the year, allows for maximum pod set at each node on the plant.

We know there is a connection between planting soybeans into cold damp soils and the incident of Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), so when planting early season soybeans, choose genetics that will give you the best possible SDS Resistance. The SDS pathogen enters the young seedling but doesn’t express itself in the plant until the time flowering begins.

 The date you started planting may not be the most important factor in 2018!Getting the seedling off to a great start is very important to achieving high yields. Readily available nutrients close to the seed, sets the stage for uniform emergence and healthy vigorous plants.

Products like MegaPower MP which feed the soil microbes and fungi, while providing additional zinc and sulfur, help make nutrients readily available to the new seedling. Starter fertilizers like Xcelerate Corn provide readily available nutrients that you can place directly in the seed zone, delivering essential nutrients to meet the fertility needs of a rapidly growing young plant.

Set your crop up to maximize yield by giving it a vigorous healthy start this spring!

As we look to drive soybean yields higher, we realize that many of the fertility recommendations used in recent history, are based off research done in the middle of the past century. Do today’s genetics require different fertility recommendations? I’ll answer that in this article. There are fundamentals in agronomy that do not change, as well as factors that change over time, and we’ll discuss both below.

When I think of keys to success in high yield soybeans, I think of 6 areas of focus.

1. Weather
2. Planting dates
3. Fertility – Soil fertility and foliar options
4. Seed Genetics and Traits
5. Row spacing and seeding rates
6. Disease protection – Seed treatments and foliar protection

 

6 Keys to Success in High Yield Soybeans

1. Weather

We all know the biggest variable is often the weather, and we think there is nothing we can do about it but is there? Well, I’ll touch on that in a bit when we get to planting dates. We do know that one of the most critical times for a weather effect on yield is during the pod fill stage of growth. The final 2-3 weeks of pod fill determines around 50% of the yield for the season. Moisture stress, heat stress, or lots of cloudy days during pod fill will impact yields.

 

2. Plant Dates

Planting dates are something more growers are paying attention to. We know that soybeans are a light-sensitive crop, and if we can get the crop to flower during the longest days of the year, late June to early July, we will have an opportunity to increase pod set. Planting in late April or early May sets you up to flower during the longest days of the year. This timeline also helps us to avoid flowering during the hot days of August, reducing the chance of pod abortion. In this way, we can impact the weather’s effect on the crop.

 

 

3. Fertility

Adequate nutrient availability is key to high yields. N-P-K and S are all very important as well as key micronutrients.

To provide adequate N, we must first get great nodulation. High levels of N availability in the soil can decrease nodulation, which can negatively impact grain fill during the reproductive stages. Some studies are suggesting that foliar applied N can be helpful at R2-R3, specifically when yields exceed 75-80 bu/acre. Soybeans utilize the equivalent of 4-5 lbs. of N for every bushel produced, and at very high yield levels, we may be restricted by how much nutrient flow we can actually move from the root and through the plant to support yield.

Are you focused on Phosphorus availability? Did you know that the need and uptake of Phosphorus increases each day from germination out through the next 70-80 days? Have you considered that with earlier planted soybeans and cooler ground conditions there could be a benefit to having more readily available Phosphorus?

We all know that Potash is vital to high yield soybeans, and that maximum uptake of Potassium begins to occur about 40 days after planting (or just before R1) and continues to increase for the next 40-50 days, (through R5). The soybean plant takes in 3 lb. of Potash per acre, per day, during these stages of growth. This is often a time when growers apply small amounts of foliar K to maximize nutrient availability to the plant.

Zinc is vital to early plant growth and is key to chlorophyll production within the plant. Boron helps the plant produce protein and is especially needed during the vegetative and flowering stages of growth, pulling nutrients through the plant to the point where cell division and growth occurs. Manganese plays an important role in photosynthesis, and since soybeans are a light-sensitive crop, soybeans are more sensitive to Manganese deficiency than many other crops. Manganese also supports the production of chlorophyll within the plant.

As you consider nutrient availability, it is important to remember that different soil health, soil types, soil pH, tillage practices, and soil moisture content all contribute to actual plant accessible nutrients. Finding ways to bridge the availability gaps will set you up for increased yield potential. Test your soils frequently and utilize tissue samples as needed to identify key fertility issues that you can address to build yield. PowerAG has several products to use in soybeansthat you may want to consider such as MegaPower MP, HarvestPower MP, BorPower, PK Power, just to name a few.

 

4. Genetics & Traits

Plant breeding and technology have greatly increased the opportunity for higher yields. Several researchers together with folks at the University of IL recently did a study called, “Modern Soybean Varieties Nutrient Uptake Patterns.” In their research they point out that today’s genetics require higher nutrient accumulation of N, P, Mg, and Ca by up to 18% to support higher yields.

 

5. Row spacing & Seeding Rates

I’ve seen growers produce 100 bushel per acre soybean yields on both 7″ and 30″ row spacing, so who’s right? Either row spacing has merit, depending on your growing conditions, disease pressure, fertility, and date of planting. There are good reasons to choose either. I suggest that more important than the spacing discussion is the precision with which you plant your crop. Are you getting great seed-soil contact? Are you getting uniform planting depth and coverage? I suggest stand counts between 140-165,000 plants per acre if you desire to achieve 100 bushel beans or higher. I summarized the average plant populations of yield contest winners here in PA, and the average stand counts usually are in the 155-165,000 ppa range.

 

6. Disease & Pest Protection

The use of seed treatments has increased and become a great tool to fight off seedling disease issues and increase seedling populations. Targeting pests where needed and diseases with a foliar program is recommended where disease thresholds justify the crop protection investment.

 

Although you’ve probably heard all these tips mentioned before, the growers who pay attention to details in all these areas, are most likely to achieve higher yields.

After a cool, rainy spring we enter the summer months wondering how the fertility plan we started with is holding up to the demands of the crop for this growing season. Just how much Nitrogen has been lost?

 

The amount of Nitrogen loss depends on multiple factors including rainfall amounts, soil temperatures, use of an N stabilizer and the source of Nitrogen applied. Denitrification is a primary concern because Nitrogen losses are most significant when the N is converted to the nitrate form. Beneficial soil bacteria are at work converting the Nitrogen into a nitrate form which is readily available to the plant. However in the nitrate gas form, soils that are saturated with water will leach away significant portions of the available N, as is easily observed in poorly drained soils, compared to the well drained areas.

 

Not every heavy rainfall event sweeps away large portions of nitrate. If the soil is well drained, denitrification is less significant. Excessive water levels can drain away up to 3-5% of the nitrate for each day of soil saturation.

 

However, we must remember there are other factors to consider. Remember, the Nitrogen losses are most significant when in the nitrate form. Different forms of applied Nitrogen convert to nitrate at different rates, over a period of time. For example…

 

Urea – by 3 weeks after application has converted 50% to nitrate, and by 6 weeks is at 80%.

 

UAN – by week 1 is at 25%, by week 3 is at 60% and by week 6 is 80% unless a Nitrogen stabilizer is added.

 

So, let’s do a little math to illustrate the process described above.

 

Let’s say I applied 200 units of Nitrogen in the UAN form without a Nitrogen stabilizer, and 3 weeks after application, we have a steady, heavy rain of 5-7″ which keeps the soil saturated for 7+ days. 200 units of N X 60% in nitrate form = 120 units of N nitrate. Let’s suppose it takes 2 days for the saturation process to occur, and then we lose 4% (3-5%) for the next 5 days of saturation, for a total of 24 lbs of Nitrogen.

 

200 N X 60% = 120 N X 4% Nitrate loss X 5d = 24 lbs lost N

 

Now the question is, the corn is V7, should I go in and side-dress more N or just let it go? That question is answered differently based on yield goals, stand establishment and high yield objectives. Do you have a good, uniform stand to support high yields? What is your yield target? How can you best maximize your ROI? Remember, 24 units of N can support 25-30 bushels of yield.

 

You can also test for Nitrogen levels by tissue testing or pulling soil samples. If your soil test shows you have 25 ppm N or more, you likely have adequate Nitrogen available to finish the crop.

 

Also remember all the other nutrients. Is your corn crop set up to build big yields, or should it be supported with products like HarvestPower MP or NitroSR? The choice is yours.

 

It’s important to monitor the overall nutrient status of the plant. It’s a little like pulling the dipstick to check the oil or glancing at the fuel gauge before heading to the field. Following up on nutrient availability at this stage of growth, can re-assure you that your crop will develop properly during critical stages of growth, and help you maximize yield.

 

At PowerAG, we stand ready to help you with additional information and products to support your fertility decisions. Finish Strong!