April 23, 2013

                Another week behind us and another week of abnormal rainfall mixed with cold temperatures. The graph below shows rainfall totals from the past 7 days. Our area was fortunate to avoid the heaviest rains which have caused some serious flooding in southeast Iowa. These rainfalls, although frustrating, have provided relief from the past years drought.  Below is the most recent drought monitor released by the USDA this past Thursday. As you can see eastern Iowa has been lifted from the drought status. Add together the drought relief; a warm dry seven day forecast and things seem to be shaping up into favorable spring conditions.

Rainfall Totals April 16, 2013-April 22, 2013

 

 



 

 

 

                These spring rains bring many benefits to the ground soil. They provide moisture to recharge the soil profile which will significantly improve our soil moisture conditions for early-season growth and the rest of the growing season. Along with these benefits there are also some immediate negative impacts these rains can have on our soil such as, soil erosion and soil compaction.

                First we will take a look at soil erosion. Fields with intensive fall tillage can experience significant amounts of soil erosion. Fall tillage alters the soil surface enough to cause it to almost seal off which in return leads to more soil and sediment loss when heavy rains arrive. The main factor when it comes to soil erosion is the lack of residue on the soil surface. Fields that used cover crops or no-till practices will experience less soil erosion because of the residue left on the top soil. Residue management, buffer strips and waterways are all ways one can help slow water movement and provide more opportunity for water to penetrate into the soil profile.

                Another concern with heavy spring rains is soil compaction. Wet soil conditions present a challenge when it comes to spring field operations. As we all know we need to try and avoid entering fields when soil moisture is at or above field capacity, this is when the risk of soil compaction is at its greatest. Soil compaction can also occur at planting which can cause damage to the corn’s root system, which in return affects its ability to transport nutrients from the soil to the plant. It is important to monitor the top 6 inches of soil moisture before you decide to enter the field.

                Thanks for reading and don’t forget to stop in next week where we will update you with the construction progress in Jackson and talk about planting corn.

Citations

(http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2013/0419alkaisi.htm), Spring Rain: The good and the ugly.

(http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/climate/week.phtml)

(http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/)

 

4/16/13

                As another cool wet week goes by we are still at a standstill with spring field work. As you can see from the picture below much of the area has received 3-3.5” of rain these past seven days. These much need rains are what we have been looking for to recharge the drought plagued soil for spring field work. This Thursday the up to date drought monitor will be generated and it will be interesting to see if these local rains will provide any relief from the lingering droughty conditions. While it takes patience to wait until wet soils dry out, it is still early and we have not begun to lose yield from potential planting delays. The forecast for May shows above normal temperatures, so the crop will have a chance to get going and catch up if it is May before we get started.

Rain Fall Totals April 9, 2013 to April 15, 2013

                It seems like weather is the big talk this time of year considering all decisions hinge on what Mother Nature decides to throw at us. FFC has decided this year to add a weather station of their own, to help track local weather conditions. The station will be located in Jackson Junction for this year with plans to add a couple more to other locations in the future. The station will tell us wind speed, precipitation, heat units, growing degree days, 4” soil temperature, 1’ soil moisture reading and a 4’ soil moisture reading. We are hoping to have the station up and running within the next few weeks. You will be able to access the weather station information from either the blog or Fredericksburg Farmers Coop homepage.

                When the weather eventually straightens up the first seeds to be hitting the ground for some, will be small grains and alfalfa. We want to discuss a few things to refresh your memory when it comes to planting small grains and alfalfa. First off small grains, such as oats, will germinate at soil temperatures in the mid- to high 30’s. If you are planting alfalfa you are going to want to wait till soil temperatures hit the high 40’s. Oats should be seeded approximately 1” deep, and alfalfa and other forage legumes should be seeded about .25”-.5” deep, followed by press wheel or cultipacker. On average planting after mid-April, oats will lose an average of 10% of yield per week and planting after May 1 will lose about 15% of their yield per week. As we hit the mid April mark we are counting on the weather to change in order to try and avoid that yield loss.

                Thanks for reading and don’t forget to stop by next week where we will be discussing more local agronomy information.

Citation

(http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/climate/week.phtml)

(http://www.extension.iastate.edu/winneshiek/page/crop-notes-brian-lang)

April 10, 2013

                 What a nice change in the forecast we have had this past week. Warmer weather last week has helped lift the frost and started greening up the grass. The rain this week is exactly what the doctor ordered. The gravel roads and fields have seemed to soak up the moisture we have received. Although this rain has fallen in substantial amounts we still aren’t out of the drought picture. The photo below is the drought monitor comparison to last year at this time. As you see the eastern Corn Belt looks to be back to normal but the western half is still in a moderate to exceptional drought.

Early April Drought Comparison 2012 vs. 2013

With the cooler spring weather questions have come up about the germation tests used by seed companies. There are two different tests companies use to rate the germ on their seed, a cold germ test and a warm germ test.

The cold germination test gives us a reasonable idea of emergence under less than ideal conditions. The seed is chilled 50°F for seven days without light and then moved to a 77°F for five additional days. The seeds are then evaluated to decide what the germ on the crop is. The cold germ test typically takes 12-14 days.

The warm germination tests are to give us a reasonable idea of field emergence under favorable conditions. This test is normally conducted at 77°F for 7 days. The sample seed is then evaluated and a warm germ score is determined. Warm germ tests are typically 7-10 days long.

The past week we have also been busy treating soybeans. There have been many different benefits discovered when using a seed treatment at planting. A few benefits include better emergence, additional defense against early season disease and prevention of early season feeding from the bean leaf beetle.         

Along with seed treatment we have been adding inoculant to some of the beans being treated. Inoculants have been around for a while and have been proven to aid the soybean in cool spring soils along with fields following a drought like last year.

 As the soybean plant starts growing roots it sends a chemical signal to the rhizobia in the soil. Once this process is done the plant then prepares itself for the infection of rhizobia. The rhizobia then starts to create the nodules on the root mass. These nodules are used to start the nitrogen fixation and create important protein for the plant. The more healthy nodules a plant has the more efficient this process is and the greater your yields will be.

The problem with cold soils is they delay the whole chemical process and the soybean takes longer to start its nitrogen fixation process. The seed inoculant we are applying to the beans helps kick start this process so there won’t be a delay in the nitrogen fixation.

The problem with soils following a drought year is the impact the drought has on soil microbial populations. The soybean plant needs these soil microbial popultions in order to provide plant nutrients and create the proper growing environment for the rhizobia. In return the rhizobia will turn atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia which is then used by the soybean plant. For all this to happen nitrogen-fixing bacteria must be present in the soil in relatively high numbers at planting. A drought will kill the bacteria needed in the soil and it will not be available to the plant at planting time. The innoculant we are using on our treated soybean contains the extra bacteria needed at planting that may have been  killed off during the drought.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check in next week for more information as we creep up on the spring season.

Citation:

(“The Soy Report” http://thesoyreport.blogspot.com/2012/12/drought-impact-on-soil-rhizobia.html)

(“Soybean Inoculation; its Science, Use and Performance” http://agcrops.osu.edu/specialists/soybean/specialist-announcements/SoybeanInoculation.pdf/view)

April 2, 2013

                The first week of April is here and the weather looks to be slowly changing for the better.  As the old saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers”.  With the start of April everyone in the agriculture industry is hoping there are indeed April showers. In the past 13 years April has had an average rainfall of 4” with an average temperature of 48 degrees. The way the 7 day forecast looks we will be right around normal on the temperatures and as the weekend rolls around hopefully we will find rain falling from the sky. The warmer temperatures and spring rainfall should help lift the frost and warm the soil temperatures. As you can see from the picture below the 4” soil temperatures around northeast Iowa are still in the mid 30’s.

                If you have been by our Jackson location along Hwy 24 you may have noticed all the construction taking place. FFC has added a 1.5 million gallon liquid 32% tank which will hold approximately 8,000 ton of liquid nitrogen. We will take advantage of the rail car access for the majority of our product deliveries. Along with the 32% tank we are adding on 4,000 ton of dry fertilizer storage to our existing fertilizer shed. The addition will consist of 5.5 fertilizer product bays along with one micronutrient bay. These improvements will help FFC take it to the next level when it comes to product and service.

Dry Fertilizer Shed

Liquid 32% Tank

 

Jackson Junction is having their seed pick up days, so stop by to pick up your seed corn, beans and alfalfa. For any questions regarding their seed pick up days or delivery of your seed contact Gary, Ernie or Josh.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check in next week, when we will be discussing more agronomy news and hopefully be a week closer to planting.