Grain Crops Update

Wheat Ahead of Schedule Changes N Plans

2012-01-26T14:33:00.000-05:00

Lloyd Murdock, Extension Soils Management, University of Kentucky The winter has been mild and the wheat has continued to grow and for the fields that were planted a bit early there is more than normal growth. Some of these fields are showing some N deficiency but the plants have enough tillers. So some of the questions are: Do I need to apply N a bit early to take care of the yellowing

Variety or Brand, Are you Buying Different Genetics?

2012-01-24T11:28:00.001-05:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky There have been some questions about varieties versus brands. Farmers may be purchasing different brands of seed from different companies, but those brands may be the same genetics - - the same variety. There is a difference between "brand" and "variety". You need to know that difference. Cindy Finneseth, formerly with the University of

Winter Wheat Meeting

2012-01-09T18:42:00.001-05:00

The University of Kentucky Winter Wheat Meeting is Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at the James E. Bruce Convention Center in Hopkinsville. The meeting begins at 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Topics include wide-row wheat, variable rate nitrogen, climate affect on wheat, herbicide resistant weeds and others. Lunch is provided by the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association.

2011-11-04T15:40:00.007-04:00

Commodity Price Level and Price VolatilityCommodity Price Level and Price Volatility Commodity prices are ever changing, due to continuously shifting market information. Both the price level and amount of volatility change over time. Looking at futures prices can immediately inform us of the current price level , and yes it is up - way up since just last year. It takes a few more calculations to

2011 Corn Hybrid Trials

2011-11-04T11:08:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky The 2011 Kentucky Corn Hybrid Performance Test is now available online. The test is also linked at the Corn Testing Website. The multiple location average is the best overall indicator for hybrid performance for next season. Look at hybrids that performed near the top (with one least significant difference of the top-yielding hybrid).

Late Planting but Early Harvest

2011-11-01T11:32:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Farmers in Kentucky completed corn harvest and had about 95% of the soybeans harvested according to the October 31 USDA Crop Progress Report. While harvest this year seemed late, especially with a late planting schedule, both corn and soybean harvests are ahead of schedule. The five-year averages are 91% and 69% for corn and soybeans,

2011 Corn Hybrid Trials, Preliminary Report

2011-10-24T11:22:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky The 2011 Preliminary Results for the Corn Hybrid Trials are available here. The trials include tables for Early, Medium, Late and White hybrids. There are annual, 2-year and three-year summaries for most tests. Be sure to only compare one hybrid to another in a single test. The final report will be coming soon and will be posted to the

2011 Wheat Yield Contest Winners

2011-10-05T10:22:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky The 2011 Kentucky Extension Wheat Yield Contest winners are reported below. The top overall yield was 112.07 bushels per acre reported by Double P Farms in Todd County. The top no-till yield was 107.53 bushels per acre submitted by Duncan Gillum. Area winners included Floyd Henry in Area 1 with 106.60 bushels per acre, Neil Rudy Farms

Fall 2011 Wheat Planting Decision

2011-10-05T08:52:00.001-04:00

Greg Halich, Extension Economist, University of Kentucky (Edited 10/04/11) Kentucky grain farmers in some parts of the state have been harvesting corn for a few weeks now and they will soon need to decide how much wheat to plant this fall. In Kentucky, wheat is almost always planted in the fall following harvest on corn ground, and then double-cropped with

Simazat Fall Applications and Atrazine Stewardship

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

Jim Martin, J.D. Green, and Bill Witt, Weed Specialists, University of Kentucky On July 14, 2011 the EPA approved a supplemental label for using of Simazat (a premix of atrazine and simazine) for fall applications to control winter-annual broadleaf weeds prior to next year’s corn crop. The recently approved label is the only one that allows the use of atrazine in the fall in Kentucky. A lot

Quick Reference to Corn Growth Stages

2011-09-14T10:18:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Now that corn season is nearly complete, we have a quick reference guide for corn growth stages and growing degree days. County agents and ag industry personnel were using a draft of this guide for the past several years. The popularity of the document convinced us to make it an official publication. The growing degree days are based off

Drying the 2011 Corn and Soybean Crops

2011-09-08T10:47:00.001-04:00

Sam McNeill, Extension Agricultural Engineer, University of Kentucky Wet weather this spring delayed corn and soybean planting in many areas and consequently pushed harvest later this summer. Good drying conditions normally occur in September and October and will reduce operating costs for all drying systems. Moreover, high temperature automatic batch and continuous flow dryers can be

Corn Stalks Getting Weaker

2011-09-01T08:25:00.003-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Perfect ear, but a strong storm knocked it to the ground. The hot weather earlier this summer and the dry weather late have combined to weaken stalks across the Commonwealth. As corn plants tried to fill seeds, they had to pull resources from the stalks. That process weakened the stalks while adding more weight to the ear. We

Resistance by Corn Rootworm to Bt Corn Reported in Parts of Iowa

2011-08-30T15:06:00.003-04:00

Recently, Dr. Aaron Glassman* and colleagues have reported field resistance to Bt corn by western corn rootworm in portions of Iowa. Though this problem has been anticipated by many, this is the first scientifically documented & published occurrence of field-evolved resistance to a Bt toxin by the corn rootworm and any species of beetle. Prevention, and failing that, management of pest

2011-08-25T16:25:00.001-04:00

This is frogeye leaf spot of soybean. In order for frogeye to do much yield damage, it has to be active early. The frogeye is only able to infect leaves that are expanding or are scenescing. In other words, fully expanded leaves are basically immune to new infections and will only become susceptible once again when the leaves start to turn (pretty late in the game). The leaves that are showing

Drought Expanding Across Kentucky - and Midwest

2011-08-18T15:51:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky The dry weather is expanding across the state according to the drought monitor posted on Aug. 16, 2011. About 50 percent of the state - and 90 percent of the grain crops area - fall into the "Abnormally Dry" category. The map from a week earlier estimated that about 17 percent of the state was in the same category. Similar trends

Are you cooling your wheat?

2011-08-16T17:33:00.003-04:00

With 80o days and 60o nights, combined with low humidity, now is a prime opportunity to begin lowering the temperature in your wheat storage bins. Since the growth, reproduction, feeding and movement rates of insects are all governed by temperature, lowering your grain temperature will only help control stored product insect infestations. Certainly we will still have plenty of warm days left

Sidewall Compaction Early Hurts Yields Late

2011-08-16T17:33:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Earlier in the season, we tried to warn about planting too early and the risks of sidewall compaction. Nick Roy, County Ag Agent in Adair County did some yield checks in a field with and without sidewall compaction. Below are his reports. All yield checks are from the same field. Area 1) yield check: 161 bu/

Images of Downed Corn

2011-08-16T17:13:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky I visited a couple fields in central Kentucky today that had downed corn. The common theme was that the fields hurt the most by the wind were also hurt by dry weather. The lack of water compromised the stalks. The stalks were very susceptible to strong winds or other weather events that might knock corn down. Much of the corn was

Corn and Soybean Yield Contest Forms Available

2011-08-15T15:51:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, Extension Agronomists, University of Kentucky Forms for both the Kentucky Soybean and Kentucky Corn yield contests are available online at the Grain Crops Extension website. The Soybean contest includes divisions for both tillage and no-tillage as well as seed quality awards. The Corn contest has updated guidelines for its divisions. The four divisions

Corn Knocked down by Storms

2011-08-15T15:00:00.002-04:00

Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, Extension Agronomists, University of Kentucky Strong winds this past weekend knocked down corn in central Kentucky. Much of that corn was in the dent stage (growth stage R5) and had not reached blacklayer (growth stage R6). Those kernels will prematurely reach black layer and will be lightweight. Furthermore, these kernels will be above 35 percent grain

Corn and Soybean Production Forecasts are Higher for 2011

2011-08-15T13:18:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky In the August 16, 2011 Kentucky Agri-News Report, the National Agriculture Statistics Service expects corn yields for Kentucky are at 145 bu/acre and soybean yields are expected to be 40 bu/acre. Both yield forecasts are up from the 2010 season. The 2011 forecast has both corn and soybean at 27 percent increases from 2010, with

Bad Pollination - Heat a Culprit

2011-08-05T13:48:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Now is a good time check fields for pollination problems. The high temperatures may have caused problems in some fields. See the images below. While we don't expect all fields to look like this, some will. Scouting now will help producers identify some options for this fall (even if the only options left are in marketing). The blank

High Temperatures Could Hurt Corn Yields

2011-07-28T11:19:00.002-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky So, far, the month of July has been 2 to 4 degrees F warmer than normal in Kentucky, according to the university climate data. The heat could reduce corn yields. Determining how much yield loss is based on temperature, water availability and corn growth stage. Three excellent articles by my colleagues at Iowa State, Illinois and Ohio

2011 Wheat Variety Trials Available

2011-07-08T10:32:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky The 2011 Small Grains Variety Test is now available from the University of Kentucky. The direct link to the pdf is available here. In addition, you can go to the Small Grains Variety Testing website to access Excel files of the report. One hundred wheat varieties were harvested in replicated plots at each of six locations across the

To store or not to store this year’s Soft Red Wheat Crop

2011-06-20T22:21:00.032-04:00

By Cory Walters, Sam McNeill and Doug Johnson, University of Kentucky Each year producers decide whether to store or sell their Soft Red Wheat (SRW) crop. Producers typically choose the latter and sell their crop off of the combine. This year the Chicago wheat (SRW) futures contract is offering a large storage incentive. The relationship between July 2011 Chicago wheat futures and March 2012

Sidewall Compaction in Corn

2011-06-17T10:28:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Earlier, we posted about sidewall compaction with the understanding that farmers had to plant when they could plant and in some cases, this meant planting into fields that were a little too wet. Yesterday I visited a field where the farmer was concerned because the corn was "yellow and dying". The county agent and I visited the field at

2011 Wheat Yield Contest Forms

2011-06-13T11:03:00.000-04:00

The 2011 Kentucky Extension Wheat Yield Contest forms are available in both pdf and doc formats. The rules and procedures are the same as in 2010. The rush to get corn and soybeans planted, wheat harvested and double-crop soybeans planted might make this a challenging year to get entries in the contest. Thanks in advance to those who chose to compete this season.

Images of Temporary Sulfur Deficiency in Corn

2011-06-07T18:11:00.001-04:00

In a recent blog post, Dr. Murdock talked about temporary sulfur deficiency in corn. Below are some images of what we believe to be sulfur deficiency and a couple images of zinc deficiency for comparison. The two can be a bit confusing in some instances.We do not expect the sulfur deficiency symptoms in these images to lead to yield losses. Once we get rain, the symptoms should dissappear.

Weed Control Options on Fallow Crop Fields

2011-06-07T17:27:00.001-04:00

J.D. Green and Jim Martin, Extension Weed Science, University of Kentucky June 7, 2011 Early season rains and major flooding of bottom ground has significantly impacted planting decisions by some corn and soybean producers. As a result there are likely to be cropland in Kentucky that will not be planted this season. However, a successful weed control program may still be a needed to keep weed

Temporary Sulfur Deficiencies are Possible this Spring

2011-06-06T16:43:00.000-04:00

Lloyd W. Murdock, Extension Soils Specialist Sulfur (S) is available to the plants in the sulfate form and it can be leached deeper into the soil with high rainfall on soils that have high amounts of sand. With the large amount of rainfall we have had this year the sulfate sulfur may have been leached from the top few inches of sandy soils. As the plant begins its early growth with shallow

Do as I Say not as I Do ... Challenges with Planting

2011-05-24T14:08:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Grain Crops Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Often this spring, I have warned farmers not to plant one day too early to avoid "mudding in" the corn or soybeans. When we plant just one day too soon, we increase the chances of getting sidewall compaction and run a higher risk of keeping the roots bound within the furrow. Roots trapped in the furrow can lead to some real

Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program for 2011

2011-05-23T13:53:00.001-04:00

Cory Walters and Greg Halich, Extension Ag Economists, University of Kentucky The deadline to enroll in the ACRE program for the 2011/2012 marketing year is June 1. We are about to complete the second year with the ACRE program in Kentucky. ACRE payments were made for the 2009 wheat crop of about $95 per acre. The wheat payment was driven by lower state yields and a lower national average price

Check Corn Planting Depth

2011-05-17T09:37:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Grain Crops Extension, University of Kentucky As producers rush to get corn planted, please remember to take time and check planter depth from field to field. The variability in soil moisture and soil type can affect the depth that seed is placed. Ideally, most corn seed should be planted around 1.5 inches deep. Corn seed depth should not exceed 2 inches and should not be less than

Wheat Field Day, Today

2011-05-17T08:56:00.000-04:00

The Wheat Science Field Day is today at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center in Princeton, Kentucky. Scientists will discuss the latest research efforts on wheat management in Kentucky. For more information, go to: http://www.ca.uky.edu/news/?c=n&d=838

Relative Efficacy of Single and Stacked Corn Traits Against Insect Pests in Kentucky

2011-05-09T07:18:00.013-04:00

Ric Bessin, Extension Entomology, University of Kentucky Latest update: May 2011 Corn TypesInsect toxins Dual modes of Action ECB SWCB BCW CEW FAW WCRW Min. Refuge Requirement YieldGard CBCry1Ab ++++ ++++ ++ ++ 20% block Herculex 1Cry1F ++++ ++++ ++ + +++ 20% block Agrisure CBCry1Ab ++++ ++++ ++ ++ 20% block YieldGard RWCry3Bb1 ++ 20%

Profitability Analysis of Late Planted Corn Compared to Soybeans

2011-05-02T20:57:00.000-04:00

Greg Halich, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky May 2, 2011 Background: Although new-crop corn and soybean prices are near record highs, planting conditions remain terrible throughout Kentucky as of early May 2011. It is estimated that only around 5% of the corn crop has been planted. Grain farmers throughout the state are now worrying whether they will get their

Wet Conditions Create Weed Management Challenges in Corn

2011-05-02T09:17:00.001-04:00

Jim Martin and J.D. Green, Extension Weed Specialists, University of Kentucky, April 27, 2011 The prolonged wet conditions this spring have created additional challenges in regards to weed control. The following are possible scenarios that corn farmers may encounter and factors to consider as we progress through the next several days. 1) Corn Not Planted And Herbicide Was Not Applied:

Later Corn Planting Means Faster Development

2011-04-26T17:51:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky Corn planted later will germinate and emerge more quickly, and go through crop stages faster than corn planted early. Typically, corn requires about 100 growing degree days (GDDs) to emerge and about 200 GDDs to reach the V2 growth stage. An accumulation of about 475 GDDs is required to reach V6, the stage when the growing point moves

Estimating Nitrogen Losses from Wet Soils, 2011

2011-04-26T17:32:00.000-04:00

Lloyd Murdock, Extension Soils Specialist, University of Kentucky Wet soils cause nitrogen losses, and determining how much nitrogen is lost is necessary to choose the proper management options. In cases where high intensity rain results in high runoff, leaching losses will probably be low. The primary nitrogen loss mechanism in saturated soils in Kentucky is denitrification, which occurs

Soybean Planting

2011-04-26T14:48:00.000-04:00

Jim Herbek, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky A very wet April has prohibited any early soybean planting. Little, if any, soybeans have been planted as of April 25. Wet weather forecast through the end of April indicates soybean planting may not get started until after May 1. Be patient; we still have time to get good yields on soybeans. Recent soybean planting date research in

Insect Updates

2011-04-26T14:13:00.002-04:00

According to the latest Kentucky Pest News, armyworm populations are tracking similar to the outbreak years of 2006 and 2008. Armyworms can cause problems in corn, wheat and other grass crops. Stay tuned to population counts to see if management is necessary. In the same Kentucky Pest News, Ric Bessin writes that the EPA has approved SmartStax refuge in the bag, being marketed as SmartStax

Wet Soils and Corn Seedling Disease Risks

2011-04-26T09:17:00.000-04:00

Paul Vincelli, Extension Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky Soggy soils certainly are favorable for important seed rots and seedling diseases of corn, especially Pythium diseases. However, two things are working in the producers’ favor: Pythium species attack stressed corn. Soils in May are generally warm enough that corn is better able to fight off infections than it would be in

Wet April, 2011

2011-04-25T15:48:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Grain Crops Extension, University of Kentucky Tom Priddy, with the University of Kentucky Ag Weather Center sent out the following link for April rainfall history. With six days left to report, Lexington and Frankfort both have the wettest April in history. Louisville is less than an inch from beating its record totals for rainfall. Bowling Green is fairing much better with 'only'

Good Reading in Rainy Weather

2011-04-21T13:31:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Grain Crops Extension, University of Kentucky No doubt many of you are finding ways to keep busy while we all wait for fields to dry by fixing the old tractor that always leaked fluid, mending the fence that the calves always seem to break at weaning, or cleaning up the shop, or... perish the thought... catching up on the honey-do list. One more thing you can do while you wait for

Scout for Stripe Rust in Wheat

2011-04-19T15:15:00.000-04:00

Don Hershman, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Kentucky Be on alert for stripe rust. The disease may have overwintered in your area and there may be some hot spots that could serve as fuel for a rapidly developing problem on a field by field basis. I wrote a KY Pest News article on this a couple of issues ago. It may not be a problem, but it is easy to miss things this time of year

Are University Corn Planting Date Recommendations any Good?

2011-04-08T16:50:00.002-04:00

Chad Lee, Grain Crops Extension, University of Kentucky The recommended window to plant corn in central Kentucky is April 15 to May 15. Yet, many producers will plant earlier than this if the weather allows. Often, we hear that the first fields planted have the best yields. But, this observation is confounded, because the earliest fields planted are often well-drained and best suited for

Kentucky Wheat Looks Good ... so Far

2011-04-04T21:47:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Grain Crops Extension, University of Kentucky The the USDA rates about 81% of Kentucky wheat either good or excellent for the April 3, 2011 reporting period in the Kentucky Weekly Crop and Weather Report. Meanwhile, the USDA reported that only 37% of the wheat was either good or excellent in 18 states for the same reporting period. Considering how much of the wheat was behind just a

Corn and Soybean Profitability 2011

2011-03-24T10:32:00.001-04:00

Corn and Soybean Projected Profitability 2011March 22, 2011 Greg Halich Department of Agricultural Economics University of Kentucky 859-257-8841 Greg.Halich@uky.edu Corn and Soybean New Crop Price Estimates for 2011 (Based on CME 3/22/11 Closing) Scenario: Corn Soybeans Low $4.75 $10.75 Baseline $5.75 $13.00 High $6.75 $15.25 Input w/Greatest Impact on Profit?

Did the heavy rains reduce nitrogen in wheat?

2011-03-23T15:29:00.000-04:00

The following are some comments from Lloyd Murdock, Extension Soil Scientist, University of Kentucky There a number of the low lying spots where the wheat is turning yellow due to water standing for extended periods of time. In some cases, these yellow areas are wheat streak mosaic virus, but in other cases the yellow color was probably due to the lack of oxygen for extended periods of time.

Wheat Soil-Borne Mosaic Virus Prevalent

2011-03-23T08:28:00.004-04:00

The following is in the Kentucky Pest News from Don Hershman By Don Hershman Over the past few weeks, we have been getting questions about fields that look similar to Fig. 1. Initially, we thought the problem was related to nitrogen deficiency in areas of fields that were subject to water saturation. In some cases, inadequate availability and/or uptake of nitrogen may be the culprit.

Planting corn for silage, 2011

2011-03-20T23:25:00.002-04:00

Chad Lee, University of Kentucky email: Chad Lee Corn silage is a valuable feedstock for many dairy farms and some beef operations. The higher price of inputs this season puts even more pressure on maximizing yield without breaking the bank on inputs. Some of the following guidelines should help with a successful planting season and put the silage corn crop in the best position to reach

2011 Crop Insurance Plan Changes and Choices

2011-03-12T11:00:00.003-05:00

Cory Walters, Extension Economist, University of Kentucky email: Cory Walters The Risk Management Agency, who oversees the crop insurance program, released their new Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) or otherwise known as COMBO. COMBO represents a new insurance plan structure designed to simplify choices. In COMBO only individual plans not county level plans like Group Risk Income Plan (GRIP

Wheat Crop Condition, March 2011

2011-03-12T10:27:00.001-05:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky email: Chad Lee The cold weather and late emergence of some wheat across the state has many producers concerned about how their crop will do this spring. Much of the first application of fertilizer nitrogen has been applied as well. The warmer temperatures predicted for the week of March 14, 2011 should result in rapid wheat growth. There

Planting soybean into sod, 2011

2011-03-07T15:14:00.002-05:00

Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, University of Kentucky email: Chad Lee or Jim Herbek Planting soybean into sod is an option for producers looking to increase acres. Soybean could generate a gross return of $500 per acre, or more, depending on yield and marketing. Soybean is also a good option for producers who need to renovate pasture and hayfields. Some producers have a lot of experience with

Planting corn into sod, 2011

2011-02-28T16:06:00.002-05:00

Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, University of Kentucky email: Chad Lee or Jim Herbek Planting corn into sod comes with some general opportunities and challenges. Corn could generate a gross return of $500 to $700 per acre, or more, depending on yield and marketing. That is a large enough opportunity to consider taking old pasture or hay fields and converting them to corn for 2011. While some

Glyphosate and Potential Interactions with Diseases or Manganese

2011-02-18T16:07:00.001-05:00

Chad Lee, University of Kentucky Email: Chad Lee There have been some news articles about interactions between glyphosate and manganese (Mn). Other articles discuss possible links between glyphosate and plant diseases.Bob Hartzler at Iowa State does an excellent job of summarizing the current scientific research on the subject. His summary can be found at: http://www.weeds.iastate.edu/mgmt/2010

U.S. Ethanol Policy

2010-11-18T13:46:00.002-05:00

The Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) at Iowa State University just released a policy brief titled "Impact on Ethanol, Corn, and Livestock from Imminent U.S. Ethanol Policy Decisions". The policy brief highlights and analyzes important aspects of the U.S. ethanol policy decisions. You can find the article by clicking on the following link - http://www.card.iastate.edu/

One of the Driest Years Ever in Kentucky

2010-11-11T18:51:00.001-05:00

Tom Priddy, University of Kentucky Ag Weather Center According to preliminary data, since August 1st through November 9, the state has only received 6.10 inches of rain, which is over 5 inches below normal. Some west and west-central locations are 9 to 10 inches below normal for that time period. Here's the latest map of US Drought Monitor for Kentucky: http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/

The Bt Maze

2010-11-11T14:19:00.000-05:00

Refuge-in-a-bag, refuge in 2 bags, reduced refuge are all terms being used this fall about different Bt corn hybrids. If you are confused by all of the information, like me, there is an excellent resource that breaks down the latest information, and refuge requirements for the various Bt events. Dr. Ric Bessin, Extension Entomologist, has updated Bt-corn for Corn Borer Control (ENTFACT 118),

2010 Soybean Variety Trials now Online

2010-11-09T10:41:00.000-05:00

Chad Lee, Grain Crops Extension, University of Kentucky The 2010 University of Kentucky Soybean Variety Performance Report is now available online directly at: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/pr/pr607/pr607.pdf Soybean varieties are submitted by companies for testing. The varieties are tested at five locations across Kentucky. Each test is broken into different maturity groups. Variety

Request for Help Evaluating the Wheat Fusarium Head Blight Prediction System

2010-11-01T17:52:00.002-04:00

The web-based prediction tools at(http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/riskTool_2010.html) provide daily estimates of disease risk for 25 states east of the Rocky Mountains. This multi-state effort requires considerable resources to maintain, and scientists involved in the project would like to gather some input to justify continued investment of time, computing resources and funds needed to sustain the

Kentucky Corn Hybrid Trials now Online

2010-11-01T17:35:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky The 2010 Kentucky Corn Hybrid trial is now available online at: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/pr/pr606/pr606.pdf Print copies will be out in about two weeks. The 2010 season began with heavy rains in the spring followed by little to no rain during pollination and seed fill. The corn hybrid test normally has six locations across the states.

Early Bird Meetings, 2010

2010-10-25T17:27:00.001-04:00

Three Early Bird: Crop Management Series meetings have been scheduled in November to help farmers make decisions on early purchases and pre-purchases. The meetings will be at the following sites: Henderson, KY on Nov. 9, Expo 9:00 am - 2:15 pm (includes lunch), Henderson County Expo Center Sedalia, KY on Nov. 11, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm (includes lunch), Sedalia Restaurant Hopkinsville, KY, Nov. 11,

Sampling corn fields in autumn for nematodes

2010-10-25T17:17:00.001-04:00

Paul Vincelli, Extension Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that attack roots of corn and other plants (Fig 1.). In corn, nematodes affect yield by damaging the root system. They become more important when there are other root-related stresses in the same field, such as moisture shortage, root damage from insects, or compaction. There is increasing

Aflatoxins in Corn

2010-10-20T14:18:00.000-04:00

Paul Vincelli, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Kentucky Sam McNeill, Extension Agricultural Engineer, University of Kentucky Aflatoxins are showing up in occasional lots of harvested corn from this season’s crop. Aflatoxins metabolites of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, are potent toxins and carcinogens in animals, and may also be human carcinogens. Aflatoxins are probably the most

Missouri Soybean Yield Record Broken Again

2010-10-15T13:23:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky The Missouri Soybean Association announced that Kip Cullers has broken the record again with a soybean yield of 160.6 bu/acre in the 2010 Missouri Soybean Yield and Quality Contest. To make this valid entry, Kip had to harvest at least two (2) acres and then harvest a re-check of at least (2) acres. This contest field had to be in a field of

Bt Corn Benefits Farmers, Including non-Bt Corn Farmers

2010-10-15T12:37:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist Researchers just published an article on the impact of Bt-corn in the corn belt in the October 8, 2010 edition of Science. They specifically examined Bt-corn with resistance to European (and Southwestern) corn borer. By examining insect counts in Bt and non-Bt fields along with production statistics, etc. the authors concluded that the benefits for using the

Commodity Price Update. Monday October 11, 2010

2010-10-11T15:31:00.003-04:00

Commodity prices have soared since Friday morning when the USDA released their October Crop Production report. From Friday morning to the end of the trading on Monday October 11, 2010 Corn price has climbed over 11 %, soybeans are up over 8%, and wheat is up over 7%. Price increases were being driven by the significantly lower than expected US average corn production number of 12.6 billion

Wheat Planting: Two Options and Neither is Great

2010-10-07T11:28:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, University of Kentucky Getting wheat into the ground right now is a real challenge because of the dry, hard soils. Since many producers have locked in high market prices for next summer, we are assuming that all producers reading this fully intend to plant wheat. So, in the discussion that follows, we are removing the option of “not planting wheat”. With this in mind

Drought Expands Across Kentucky

2010-09-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

Tom Priddy, University of Kentucky Ag Weather CenterDrought conditions continued to expand and deepen this past week across theBluegrass state. Get the latest update and webcast concerning these dryconditionsin the state at the below listed UKAWC link:Kentucky Climate Update:http://wwwagwx.ca.uky.edu/weather_presentation.shtmlAnd, expanded drought info on UKAWC's Drought page, at:http://

X-Large Fall Armyworm Caterpillar Population Should Be Past.

2010-09-23T12:27:00.003-04:00

The X-large population of fall armyworm (FAW) caterpillars generated by the X-Large population of FAW moths in late August (as indexed by UK-IPM trap counts, See: KPN 1245 Aug 31, 2010) should be past. This does NOT mean that the threat from FAW is over. It simply means that the large pulse of caterpillars generated by the extraordinary number of moths have completed the damaging stage of their

Commodity Price Update

2010-09-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

Corn, soybeans, and wheat prices continue to be volatile due to market uncertainty. The most unknown factor is the size of this year’s crop. The USDA has helped paint some of the picture by reducing the U.S. corn crop by more than 200 million bushels between August and September to 13.1 billion bushels. For soybeans the U.S. crop was increased by 50 million bushels between August and September

More Strange Things in Corn

2010-09-13T10:26:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, Plant and Soil Sciences More strange things are being reported in the corn crop this year. Last week, a producer called to say he was checking ears and the kernels were falling off of the cob. Even stranger, the kernels looked deep, the cob appeared to be of decent quality, but when he pulled back the husks, many of the kernels simply fell off the cob. When these

Fertilizer Use in Argentina

2010-09-10T10:43:00.001-04:00

Note: The following is an update on fertilizer practices in Argentina over the past 20 years. The changes in fertilizer practices over time in Argentina are impacting fertilizer demands in a global fertilizer economy. Martin Navarro, Graduate Student, Plant and Soil Sciences John Grove, Agronomic Soil Science, Plant and Soil Sciences It will soon be spring in Argentina, and fertilizer purchase

Moth Flights of Important Field Crops Pests Increase Dramatically

2010-08-27T16:11:00.003-04:00

Fall armyworm moth counts have sky rocketed!Capture of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) moths has sky rocketed as indexed by the UK-IPM pheromone baited traps at the UK-REC in Princeton, KY.(Fortunately this does not seem to be the situation in Lexington.) Last week (20 Aug 2010) our capture was a normal, 52 moths/trapweek; today’s count (27 Aug 2010) is 1,038 moths/trapweek!

Corn stands looking weak from stress

2010-08-21T11:15:00.000-04:00

Chad Lee, University of Kentucky In the the Aug 17, 2010 edition of Kentucky Pest News, Dr. Vincelli warns of aflatoxins and diplodia in corn. Another concern is final stand of the corn crop. Much of the corn crop was under stress from heat and a lack of water. Those conditions usually cause the each plant to pull photosynthate from the stalks and put them in the ear in an attempt to produce

Wheat planting when futures are high and seed might be short

2010-08-21T10:57:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, University of Kentucky Many producers locked in wheat contracts for 2011 at or over $7 per bushel and some are growing wheat for the first time in five years. There are rumors that seed supply is tight. If these rumors are accurate, there may be some temptation to skimp on seeding rates in order to cover more acres. If you are one of those producers, just know what

Wheat in 15-inch rows will work but might cost yield

2010-08-21T10:48:00.001-04:00

Chad Lee and Jim Herbek, University of Kentucky With the increased interest in wheat from futures prices and the anticipated increased acres planted this fall, many farmers are asking if they can use their 15-inch soybean planter to plant wheat. The quick answer is yes, but you might loose some yield. We have investigated three varieties of wheat at Princeton and Lexington in 15-inch

Check Corn for Pollination and Seed Set

2010-07-19T01:56:00.001-04:00

Cory Walters just posted an article about how good prices look right now for corn. In addition, the corn crop looks great from the road. But before you decide to contract that rest of your expected yields, get into the fields and make sure pollination went well. We have received several reports from county agents of fields with poor pollination. Perhaps the most unsettling report came from Tom

Grain Market Update, July 18, 2010.

2010-07-18T19:43:00.000-04:00

Since the first week of July Corn, Soybeans, and wheat futures prices have all significantly increased. December 2010 corn futures reached contract lows before rebounding $0.62 (or 18%) to close around $4.07 on Friday, July 16, 2010. Corn futures have not been this high since the beginning of March. November 2010 soybean futures gained about $0.85 (or 9.4%) to close around $9.85 on Friday,

Hot, Dry Weather at the Worst Time for Corn

2010-07-07T08:35:00.002-04:00

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, Plant and Soil Sciences Much of Kentucky has turned hot and dry at the worst possible time for corn. About half of the corn crop was silking or complete with silking as of July 5, 2010, according to the USDA Crop and Weather Report. Corn is most sensitive to stress around silking and blister development. In addition, corn uses the most water at silking, as much

Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) 2010 Payment Simulation Results

2010-05-22T13:32:00.003-04:00

By Cory G. Walters and Greg HalichThe deadline for deciding whether to enroll in the optional ACRE program over Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) is fast approaching, June 1, 2010. The purpose of this short article is to identify the likelihood of ACRE payments for both the 2010 crop year and the entire life of the farm bill, 2010-12 crop years.ACRE program provides revenue protection

ACRE meetings scheduled across Kentucky

2010-05-10T23:38:00.000-04:00

ACRE meetings scheduled across KentuckyBy Katie PrattLEXINGTON , Ky., (May 10, 2010) – With the June 1 sign-up deadline fast approaching, University of Kentucky agricultural economists Cory Walters and Greg Halich will host meetings across the state to explain Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) and help producers determine whether it fits their operation. ACRE is an optional risk protection

Herbicide Issues in Flood Damaged Corn Fields

2010-05-07T10:14:00.000-04:00

Jim Martin and J. D. Green The following are herbicide related issues involving flood damage corn fields: 1) Previous Herbicides Applied May Affect What Crop to Plant: The specific herbicide(s) used in the initial planting may determine what crop can be planted in flood damaged fields. See Corn & Soybean News April 2007, Vol 7 Issue 5 http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CornSoy/cornsoy7_5.htm#3

Estimating N Losses in Wet Soils

2010-05-06T11:19:00.001-04:00

Greg Schwab and Lloyd Murdock Wet soils cause nitrogen losses. In cases where high intensity rain results in high runoff, leaching losses will probably be low. The primary nitrogen loss mechanism in saturated soils is denitrification, which occurs when soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) is converted to nitrogen gas by soil bacteria. Two to three days of soil saturation is required for

Flood Damage to Corn

2010-05-03T16:42:00.004-04:00

The heavy rainfalls over the past weekend has many fields under water. According to the latest USDA Crop Progress & Condition report, about 80% of the corn crop in Kentucky is planted and almost 60% is emerged. Two resources on assessing damaged corn include AGR-193: Assessing Flood Damage to Corn and AGR-195: Replanting Options for Corn. The impact of flooding on corn depends on the depth of

Grain Market Update

2010-04-22T23:11:00.000-04:00

Over the past few weeks, new crop corn and soybean prices have shown some gains. December 2010 corn is trading in the $3.75 to $3.95 per bushel range and November 2010 soybeans are trading in the $9.20 to $9.60 per bushel range. Price movements have been a function of outside price pressure stemming from both the financial industry and energy market. Now that we are entering the growing

ACRE Program Could Pay Big for Kentucky Wheat Farmers in 2009

2010-04-07T13:56:00.000-04:00

Contact: Cory Walters, 859-257-2996 Greg Halich, 859-257-8841LEXINGTON , Ky., (April 7, 2010) – Kentucky wheat growers who signed up for the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s optional Average Crop Revenue Election Program , or ACRE, will likely see big payments this year, said Cory Walters and Greg Halich, agricultural economists in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.“In

Corn Seeding Rates

2010-03-31T15:43:00.001-04:00

Choosing the proper population on corn will help you maximize yields and protect your bottom line. Our old recommendation was to plant a maximum of 30,000 seeds/acre on better soils. We will increase that recommendation to about 33,000 seeds/acre for better soils. But, as our own data shows, picking the ideal seeding rate can be a bit of challenge. Available water has a huge impact on the ideal

Keeping up with Argentina

2010-02-20T08:52:00.000-05:00

If you have an interest in some of the things I am seeing in Argentina, you can take a look at a separate blog, Argentina Update. This blog is a rough draft of my notes. I will include as many images as since they tell a better story. I will keep notes on the crop progress, agronomics, farm management, and groups and organizations that help producers.

Crops from Way Down South

2010-02-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

The full season soybeans are in pod stage and the corn is about 1/2 milkline. Yield potentials are excellent as long as it doesn't rain too much over the next month. This probably seems like an odd report in the middle of winter, but it is exactly what we are seeing down south. . . in Argentina. A group of farmers from the Kentucky Soybean Board and UK extension faculty visited with farmers,

Grain Storage and Drying Calculators

2009-11-25T11:16:00.001-05:00

A lot of the grain harvested this fall was wet. Immediate sale of this grain resulted in dockage at the elevator. On-farm storage and artificial drying of the grain also has costs. Now that farmers have most of their grain out of the field, they can pay closer attention to how much on-farm storage is costing compared with the expected dockages at the elevators. An excellent website on Grain

2009-11-23T15:31:00.003-05:00

Over the last few years, commodity marketing has been incredibly challenging for producers, largely due to a major increase in price volatility. This increase in price volatility signals a changing marketplace and has affected how many producers feel about using the futures’ market to manage price risk. One factor that has changed is the addition of new futures’ market participants. The purpose

Soybean Reports Now Available

2009-11-17T15:54:00.000-05:00

The Kentucky Soybean Performance Test is available online. The report is linked to the Grain Crops Extension home page and the University of Kentucky Variety Testing website. The soybean varieties are divided by maturity and compared in one of four studies: 1) relative maturities 2.7-3.0 2) relative maturities 4.0-4.5 3) relative maturities 4.6-4.9 4) Maturity Group V Table 5 reports

Corn Hybrid Performance Report

2009-11-11T10:54:00.000-05:00

The 2009 Kentucky Corn Hybrid Performance Report is now available online. You can access the publication at the Variety Testing Website or at the Grain Crops Extension home page site. There were six locations for the tests this year with early (112 days or less), medium (113 to 117 days) and late (118 days or more) maturity tests. In addition to those tests, white corn hybrids and hybrids for

Soybean Purple Seed Stain Widespread in Kentucky

2009-11-03T14:47:00.004-05:00

A month or so ago I blogged about the prevalence in KY of Cercospora leaf blight, a fungal disease caused by Cercospora kikuchii. I mentioned that a phase of the disease - purple seed stain - was also likely to be prevalent once harvest got underway. Well this is now the case and many questions are being raised about purple seed. First of all, the purple coloration is caused by a plant toxin

Harvest Information at One Location

2009-10-28T09:19:00.000-04:00

Crop harvest is going slow if and when it is going at all. The latest USDA estimates have the Kentucky corn crop at about 70 percent harvested and the soybeans at about 35 percent harvested. As you sip on some coffee, check the markets and wonder what this weather is doing to your crop, be sure to take a look at an excellent compilation of the latest information about the harvest: http://

Frost Damage and Corn Silage Options

2009-10-23T12:06:00.005-04:00

The recent freezing temperatures essentially stopped corn growth for most of Kentucky. Farmers that had corn planted late for silage are wondering if the corn crop is still suitable for silage. The following is a brief summary, mostly from AGR-183: Late Season Frost-Damage to Corn for Silage. Corn will ensile well at moisture levels less than 70% for upright silos and less than 75% moisture

Watch for Gibberella Ear Rot in Corn

2009-10-23T10:47:00.004-04:00

Paul Vincelli, Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky Last month, I wrote an article about Diplodia ear rot, our most common corn ear rot in Kentucky. Diplodia has no known associations with mycotoxins in corn. Gibberella ear rot is associated with mycotoxins and in some cases may look very similar to Diplodia. Normally, Gibberella ear rot is not a widespread problem in Kentucky, but this is