Back-to-Basics: Regional Updates Archive

In many areas of the Corn Belt this year, conditions were less than perfect for planting. Many areas have been very wet and planting had to occur in very short windows of time as farmers pushed up against later planting dates that ran greater chances of reduced yield. These conditions, combined in many cases with nutrient rate reductions or complete omissions, mean that a watchful eye should be kept on the crop this season. Farmers and advisers should refresh themselves on visual symptoms of nutrient deficiencies and take occasional trips through some fields to do some monitoring, particularly early in the season.

Despite relatively cool weather this spring, most of the crops of the Northeast are in reasonable condition. Crop areas are largely similar to last year, with the exception of less wheat owing to difficult seeding conditions last fall. Environment Canada predicts a cool summer for most of Ontario and Quebec, with precipitation ranging from above normal in Ontario, and to below normal in Prince Edward Island.

Many factors affect availability of N from the soil, from manures, and from previous crop residues. Mineralization rates, leaching and denitrification losses, and volatile losses of ammonia are all controlled by the weather. A soil nitrate test this month will be very helpful. Cornell University provides a tool for calculating N sidedress rates based on real-time weather data at its Adapt-N website. Taking account of the weather is an important component of N management. Ontario corn N recommendations take into account many factors – check out the N Calculator at www.gocorn.net

June-December 2009. Dig It! The Secrets of Soil continues at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

5-7 August 2009. Sciences for Sustainability: Soils, Agronomy and Atmosphere. Joint annual meetings of the Canadian Society of Agronomy, Canadian Society of Soil Science and Canadian Society of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

The soils of the earth are a valuable resource that help mankind grow crops that are harvested for direct human consumption, such as food and fiber products, grow grain and forage plants for consumption by domestic animals used for both fiber (e.g. wool) and meat production, and to grow trees for lumber and fiber production. Some crops are grown without use of soils – for example hydroponic culture in greenhouses – but this is specialized production, and most crops are and will continue to be grown in soils.

Since soils are so vital in the production of human food and fiber requirements it is important that the health and productivity of soils be maintained. One factor of soil health is to manage soils so that required plant mineral nutrients are available and supplied in a sufficient quantity and time to allow crops to grow well. The 14 mineral nutrients required for plant growth are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), boron (B), chloride (Cl -), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni). Some of these nutrients can become depleted in soils and plant growth is limited due to nutrient deficiencies. The most common deficiencies are for N, P, K and S, while soil, location and crop specific deficiencies can occur for many of the other nutrients.

If nutrient deficiencies limit crop growth, they can be corrected by applying a nutrient-containing product to the soil. Usually this is most cost effectively done by using mineral fertilizers, but can also be supplied using recycled organic sources such as animal manures and composted crop residues, or a combination of mineral and organic sources. The important principle to follow is that the addition of nutrients be done in a manner to supply amounts sufficient, but not excessive for crop needs. Excess applications of certain plant nutrients can cause a build up and release to the environment in unwanted amounts. Excess nutrients going into waterways can contribute to blooms of algae growth in streams, ponds, lakes and oceans, where this overabundant growth can disrupt water ecosystems.

One challenge for mankind is that the productive soils of the earth are limited in extent and in fact are shrinking in size. In the past there have been vast areas of land that consisted of grassland or forest ecosystems (e.g. the grasslands of the Great Plains, mixed parklands and southern boreal forests in North America, the Savannas of South Africa, and the Steppes of Russia). These areas had soils and climates that are suitable for cropping and largely were converted into cultivated field crop agriculture over the past two centuries. At one time these areas seemed infinite in extent and it was believed that there was always new land available. However, most of the land that could support cultivated agriculture is already being used, and portions of the presently cultivated soils are being lost to urban expansion, and in some cases excessive erosion. Formerly productive areas can become less able to support crop growth due to depletion of needed plant nutrients if not replenished through nutrient replacement.

The challenge is to conserve, and to manage wisely the remaining cultivated land. One strategy is to carefully intensify cropped production in suitable areas and in less suitable and less sustainable areas convert this land back to grassland and mixed grassland-forest ecosystems. These less suitable areas are marginal at best for cultivated agriculture and are better conserved and managed in limited grazing or natural ecosystems. Maintaining the health of our soils is important so we can conserve present cropped land, and not need to expand farms onto marginal land where cropping would be more costly and less productive.

Wheat harvest is well under way in the region. This year’s crop tends to be pretty poor in the southern and western areas, and improves northward (into Nebraska). Harsh conditions, including drought and late freeze, have taken their toll on the crop in some areas. The current Palmer drought index shows most of the region in relatively good condition, with a couple of droughty areas in the west and southwest. The corn crop is planted and off to a good start for the most part. Other spring planted crops are mostly planted as well. In the major cotton area of the Texas South Plains, rainfall has been very spotty, so the dryland cotton condition is variable.

With the dramatic fertilizer price changes we’ve experienced over the past couple of years, some growers across North America have faced tough choices on cutting back or even eliminating application of key nutrients, particularly K. Of course, the question of the impact of this decision on crop yields depends on several factors. Soil test level is one of the most important considerations, and weather conditions can also be a key variable. IPNI staff members have recently prepared a series of regional publications to take a closer look at factors affecting these input decisions. The topic for the Southern and Central Great Plains Region is bermudagrass and K input. The complete list of titles is shown below. These publications can be accessed on the IPNI website (link).

Crop production in the Southeast USA is often limited, not by the amount of fertilizer applied, but rather by the distribution of nutrients within the field. Spatial variability in soil nutrient supply, soil moisture and physical characteristics, and crop yield potential is quite high in the soil types found throughout the region. Typical recommendation strategies involve a single nutrient rate applied to the entire field, which results in some areas receiving more than what is needed, and others receiving less than what is required for optimal growth. Precision agriculture technologies and variable-rate fertilization can improve nutrient use efficiency by redistributing fertilizer in the field according to site-specific requirements.

Precision agriculture specialists at Auburn University recently published a timely article discussing the basics of variable-rate technology. Highlights of the article include:

The complete article and several other precision agriculture-related topics can be accessed at www.aces.edu/timelyinfo.

For even greater access to current topics in the precision ag industry, consider attending the InfoAg Conference.

InfoAg 2009 will be held July 14-16, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, IL. The InfoAg conference is a biennial event in precision agriculture. The 2009 edition figures to be another fine showing as precision technology expands its user base. InfoAg participants include software and hardware vendors as well as an array of service providers in the CropLife Exhibit Hall. The 16 hours of program include practitioners throughout the production chain. Experts will share their insights on how to put this technology to work. It is a networking opportunity like no other, offering a wide variety of speakers addressing the issues that count.

Online registration is available here. Be sure to consider the pre-conference tour in your plans.

This year's pre-conference tour starts at the Brandt Consolidated research farm in Pleasant Plains. A tour of the fields and discussion of the trials will be complemented by an equipment demonstration from Jenner Sales. Lunch will follow at the Brandt headquarters building in Springfield.

After lunch we will visit Johnson Grain which loads and ships 110-unit trains to Texas and Mexico. Following this stop will be a tour of the DICKEY-john electronics facility at Auburn.

The tour runs 8 am to 5 pm Monday, July 13. The $50 fee includes comfortable charter bus transportation, lunch, and InfoAg apparel. We have applied for 4 CEUs for the tour.

The InfoAg program is online and features 13 sessions of five concurrent tracks plus three plenary sessions sure to stoke the imagination. The program features 66 speakers including producers, input suppliers, crop consultants, industry experts, extension specialists, and scientists. The line-up of speakers and topics provides a wide range of viewpoints on precision ag. The program is sure to stimulate ideas for every attendee on how to apply technology in their own work environment.

Several years of drought continue to plague California irrigators. New court decisions and regulatory rulings keep cutting into the already limited water supply. Other Western states have an adequate water supply to get through the irrigation season. Cropping patterns have been adjusted to eliminate some crops in order to save water for perennials, orchards, vineyards, and high-value crops. Cotton continues to disappear from traditional areas in California and Arizona due to low prices and limited water availability.

Changing commodity prices have made everyone reconsider many decisions that have been made the past few years. Fertilizer prices have softened considerably from last year, making it easier to get back onto a long-term nutrient plan. Prices for many crops have dropped during the last year. The dairy industry is in a slump that has trickled down to hay producers and grain growers. Low milk prices are placing pressure on dairy farmers to reduce herd numbers and reduce production.

The dramatic slowdown in the housing market has put a big dent in certain sectors of agriculture. The production of ornamentals and turf is a major industry in the region. As new home and commercial construction has largely ceased in most of the region, the need for new landscaping has also dwindled.

There is always optimism for a good growing season. Let’s hope that the weather cooperates and economic conditions continue to improve to make a successful season. Successful farming does not happen by accident. Make a thorough plan to minimize costs and maximize efficiency. Use all the resources available to get the plan done.