Author Archives: JenBrhel
Fire Damage to Fields
Reminder of the Fall Gardening Program this Saturday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m.-Noon at the York County Fairgrounds (4-H Building). No charge. Registration is requested but not required to 402-362-6601.
Fire Damage to Crops and Residue: With the dry conditions and the fires that have occurred, I’ve received questions regarding the nutrient value in the residue and/or soil impacts in addition to what to do with unharvested crops that were impacted. Make sure crop insurance is contacted.
For corn that wasn’t harvested, if the ears are still attached to stalks, take ears from a couple worst parts of fields and also least impacted areas of fields (if that’s possible). It usually takes me about 4 ears to get a quart-sized ziplock bag full of shelled grain. Send the grain in to a lab (ex. Ward Lab, etc.) that will perform energy and protein analysis of the grain. I’ve found the grain analysis helps in situations where, at first, the elevators/ethanol plants say they won’t take the grain. We’ve often found the fires move so quickly in the field that the starch and overall grain quality is not impacted, in spite of the grain having some charred spots. If elevators or ethanol plants won’t take it, it has also been mixed in feed rations for livestock, which the grain analysis helps there too.
For unharvested fields with downed corn, depending on how charred the corn is and how much corn is down, many have chosen to disk up the field and then plant a rye cover crop. Grazing these fields has been done very carefully by strip grazing and if you plan on doing that, I will put you in touch with Dr. Mary Drewnoski. We also share more in this article: https://go.unl.edu/8hi2.
Plan on soil testing, which is wiser to do so next spring, to determine nutrient levels prior to planting. The combination of drought + fire may result in greater nitrogen availability than what one may think.
Fire can often aid grasslands, so would say to let pastures work to recover on their own for now.
For crop residue that’s burned, most nitrogen and sulfur in the residue are lost; however, the phosphorus and potassium are retained in the ash (as long as they don’t blow away).
Short-term nutrient loss from the residue is none to minimal. Research from the University of Wisconsin looked at the need to replace nitrogen to the succeeding corn crop when soybean residue was either removed or not removed. They found no difference in nitrogen impacts to the corn crop regardless if the residue was removed, thus there’s no need to replace the nitrogen in burnt soybean residue. Research from USDA-ARS in Nebraska, when looking at corn residue removal prior to corn planting, also suggested no need to replace the nitrogen lost from the residue. They found increased mineralization due to the change in C:N ratio when residue was removed. Previous research compiled in this resource from South Dakota State shared the same sentiments: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1365&context=extension_extra. The SDSU resource is also helpful when walking through a dollar value of other loss considerations.
Perhaps the greatest losses to consider are organic matter, soil loss, and soil moisture. Regarding organic matter, the soil holds the greatest portion of this. One year of residue is minimal, attributed with the potential of increasing organic matter 0.03-0.06%, depending on tillage type, crop, etc. Soil erosion due to wind/water can result in organic matter loss and loss of more productive soil. This is hard to quantify. Perhaps the more important factor is the soil moisture losses in no-till, non-irrigated fields, particularly in a dry year such as this. Paul Hay, Extension Educator emeritus, years ago shared with me several documented situations where yield losses due to moisture loss were estimated. Corn planted into burned no-till, non-irrigated soybean stubble ranged from 15-28 bu/ac yield loss in two situations. There was 0-3 bu/ac yield loss associated with soybean planted into burned, no-till, non-irrigated corn residue in two situations. Use of soil moisture probes can give an indication of soil moisture differences between burned and non-burned areas of fields or between fields. Direct yield comparisons between fields are difficult to make due to planting dates, hybrids/varieties, agronomic practices, etc., but important to still collect and assess.
We’ve observed in the past is that the ash on the soil is fairly hydrophobic after a fire event. Thus, even when rain occurred, it took several rains before the ash on the soil was disturbed enough for any rain to soak in. Because of this and to reduce soil loss overall, we recommend to get a rye cover crop drilled into the field. We found that the farmers who drilled in the cover and had enough moisture to eventually get it germinated and established in the spring were able to better grow crops in those areas the following year (these were non-irrigated fields). The fields and areas of fields where rye didn’t get established had poor crops the successive year, which was also a drought year.
Resources:
Fire Damage FAQ: https://go.unl.edu/8hi2
Fire Damage and Crop Residue Impacts: https://go.unl.edu/0wgq
Upcoming November 2024 Events
Sharing this week on upcoming November events. Please be safe with the remainder of harvest and we’ll keep praying for rain!
Fall Gardening Program: The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District, USDA-NRCS, and Nebraska Extension are joining forces to present a fall garden workshop on Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the York County Fairgrounds (4-H Building). This event is free to attend. Registration is requested but not required to 402-362-6601.
The workshop will include time to visit booths, speak with presenters, and enjoy refreshments from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Presentations will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. From 11:30-noon, there will be time for Q&A with both presenters, gathering materials, and viewing demonstrations at presenter booths. A representative from the Nebraska Forest Service will also be on hand to answer your tree care questions. Ordering for the NRD’s Conservation Tree Program will kick off in November.
This event will feature Extension Educator Sarah Browning, who has presented at our gardening workshops recently, including one on vegetable gardening and another on fruit tree care. Browning will present a Solution Gardening session that focuses on “right plant, right place.” Which plants are best for shade/sun? How about sandy or wet soil? What if you have a wildlife problem? If something didn’t work as planned this past growing season, Browning may be able to shed light on why and help you create a new game plan for next year.
Learn about opportunities for small-scale and urban agriculture producers with Brach Johnson, USDA Nebraska State Urban and Small-Scale Agriculture Conservationist. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has technical and financial resources for urban dwellers to enhance their production system and protect our natural resources. Urban agriculture includes the cultivation, processing, and distribution of agricultural products in urban and suburban areas. Community gardens, rooftop farms, hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic facilities, and vertical production, are all examples of urban agriculture. Tribal communities and small towns may also be included.
Cover Crop Grazing Conference is being held Nov. 6th with registration and trade show from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and program from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte. This year’s theme is “Getting the Most Out of Every Acre”. This conference is designed for producers looking to enhance profitability and sustainability through innovative grazing systems. Topics and speakers include: Winter Grazing Opportunities with Annual Forages and Latest Findings on Using Cover Crops for Forage, by Dr. Bart Lardner, University of Saskatchewan; My Journey to Integrate Cattle on Crop Ground by Logan Pribbeno, Wind Glass Ranch; and Filling the Forage Gaps Using Cover Crops by Dr. Mary Drewnoski. Breakout session topics include: Tips for Selecting and Using Temporary Fencing and What You Need to Know About Planting Dates and Forage Production. There is a charge of $40 to attend. Registration is at: https://go.unl.edu/ccgc24.
Central NE Regenerative Ag Conference will be held Nov. 19th in Holdrege at the Phelps Ag Center. Program is from 8:45-4:30 p.m. (Reg. 8 a.m.). Featured speaker will be Rodney Saunders with NRCS in addition to farmer panels. More info. and registration at: https://www.cccneb.edu/agconference
Yield & Soil Impacts from Grazing Corn Residue
With pastures short on grass due to drought, it’s a blessing for producers to get cattle out on cornstalks. Sharing an update on long-term research showing no negative impacts to the subsequent yield or soil from cattle grazing corn residue.
Mary Drewnoski, et. al share on yield impacts, “Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of corn residue harvest on subsequent crop yields. In a long-term study (16 years), cattle grazing corn residue in the spring (February to the middle of April) or the fall (November through January) slightly improved subsequent soybean yields and had no effect on corn yields in an irrigated field maintained in an annual corn-soybean rotation at Mead, Neb. In a five-year study, fall grazing (December through January) or baling of corn residue had no effect on subsequent corn grain yields in a field maintained in continuous corn production at Brule, Neb. These data suggest that the grazing of corn residue in the fall or spring at or below UNL recommended stocking rates will have slightly positive or no impacts on subsequent soybean or corn yields.
The stocking rates utilized were consistent with UNL grazing recommendations, which result in removal of half the husks and leaves produced (8 lb of leaf and husk per bushel of corn grain produced). The corn yields ranged from a low of 186 bu/ac in 2004 to a high of 253 bu/ac in 2009, with a median over the 16 years of 203 bu/ac. Recommended stocking rates would have ranged from 2.1 to 2.9 AUM/ac with a median of 2.3 AUM/ ac.”
Dr. Mary Drewnoski wrote an updated Beefwatch article about soil compaction and grazing. “One of the most common concerns about grazing corn residue is that cattle will cause soil compaction. A long term grazing data (16 years) conducted at the UNL has shown no compaction when grazing in the fall or the early spring. In this long-term study, grazing did not impact soil nutrient content. This fits well with expected impacts given that cows in mid-pregnancy retain very little nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium. Thus, they excrete in manure and urine most of what they consume resulting in very little nutrients being removed from the land. With long term grazing there was an improvement in subsequent soybean and corn yields. This could have been due to the nutrient cycling being sped up as there is an increase in microbial biomass in the soil in the grazed areas.
More recently, a study was designed to test an extreme scenario for spring grazing. The thought was that if grazing was to cause compaction, it was most likely to happen when the soil is wet and thawed and when a high stocking density was used. The field was grazed at the recommended rate by starting in mid-February with 3 hd/ac for 45 days (normal stocking) or starting in early March with 9 hd/ac for 15 days (high stocking). Turn out of the higher stocking density groups was delayed until it rained to have the worst-case scenario. All groups were removed mid-March. There were some minor increases in bulk density (measure of compaction). The penetration resistance was also higher, and thus more down pressure had to be applied to get the soybeans planted. Down pressure applied at planting was 265 lbs in the non-grazed and 290 lbs in the grazed treatments. Much of the increase in penetration resistance is due to the soil having less cover and thus less surface soil moisture. The planting speed was also reduced due to the surface roughness. However, the subsequent soybean yields were still improved by grazing. While it is not recommended to graze late into the spring as this does have some downsides when it comes to planting, if cattle happen to be left out when a warm-wet spell occurs, there is no long-term damage to the land.
Overall, when managed correctly, grazing corn residue can be a win-win for both the crop and cattle producer. Want to see the data for yourself? Check out these Nebraska Beef Reports:”
Effect of Corn Residue Removal on Subsequent Crop Yields
Effect of long-Term Corn Residue Grazing on Soil Properties
Effect of Corn residue grazing or Baling on Subsequent Crop Yield and Nutrient Removal
Impact of Spring Corn Residue Grazing on Soil Physical Properties and Crop Yield
Dry September 2024
Dry Conditions: With the dry conditions, harvest has been rapidly progressing. Two weeks ago, soybeans had green stems with seeds that were drier than people thought. Last week, many were harvesting soybeans in the 7-8% range. For corn I’ve been hearing a lot of 13-15% moisture and a couple reports down to 11%, but still with good kernel depth and quality. There’s unfortunately nothing we can do about this other than prioritize which fields to harvest. We’re in a race against time and the low moisture is due to weather conditions and hybrid specificity.
I’ve never seen it so dry in September. Eric Hunt, Extension Meteorologist, showed that September 2024 was the driest September in Nebraska on record (132 years). He also shared there’s no relief in site moisture-wise with above-average temps till at least the latter half of the month.
The lack of relative humidity and precipitation, intense sunshine, higher temperatures, and wind have all led to the grain moisture loss we’re seeing (which can be as much as 0.8-1.0 percentage points/day). Dr. Bob Nielsen, Extension Emeritus Corn Specialist from Perdue shared, “It is not uncommon for grain moisture to decline more than one percentage point per day over a period of days when conditions are warm, sunny, windy and dry.” Research that he and others conducted back in the 90’s showed that when corn matures also impacts drydown rate. Corn that matured in late August had a daily average drydown rate of 0.8 percentage points per day while corn that matured in late September averaged 0.4 percentage points per day. The corn borer pressure on non-gmo hybrids and late season disease pressure on all hybrids also led to plants dying/maturing early.
Corn hybrid characteristics can also impact kernel moisture. Hybrids that have thinner or permeable pericarp layers (outermost layer of the corn kernel), are more subject to moisture loss and faster drying rates in the field. I’m unsure how one knows this characteristic though.
You can look for these other characteristics resulting in quicker drydown: lower husk leaf number and thinner husk leaf, how soon the husk leaf tissue turns brown, how well the husk covers the ear (less coverage allows for faster drying), how tight the husk is (as looser husks will increase moisture loss), and how fast the ear turns down vs. remaining upright.
Fire Conditions: With the dry conditions and low humidity, we have a high risk of fire potential. I’m grateful to Nebraska DOT for posting the fire danger on signs throughout the state as a reminder to those traveling. Hopefully that will help reduce cigarette fires. Please keep thinking safety including fire safety with harvest. Days like Saturday are days to take a break from the field. Have fire extinguishers with you and charged, disks at fields, blow out combines regularly. Roads are so dangerous with the dust; turn lights on when traveling in the daylight. Please be safe! Safety resources: Educational Resources | College of Public Health | University of Nebraska Medical Center (unmc.edu)
Cover Crops and Small Grains: With the dry conditions, I’ve heard of several semi loads of wheat returned and not planted in the southern counties I serve. It’s hard to know what to do, but if a small grain is part of one’s rotation (which I feel there’s many benefits of), I’d recommend to stay the course with planting the current rotation and evaluate the situation next spring. It’s something to also discuss with crop insurance. Regarding irrigated ground, I have been recommending to put on 0.5”, potentially with two shots if needed, for cover crops. This may seem like a waste of water, so my explanation. The covers are an investment for soil erosion loss, uptaking excess nitrogen, aiding with weed control next year, and/or for grazing. With no soil moisture, the low amounts of irrigation are to get seeds growing or keep seedlings alive for the time being.
Trees and Lawns: We also need to be deeply watering trees in landscapes. Push a screwdriver in the ground to determine wetting depth. Kentucky bluegrass is shallower-rooted and doesn’t take heat as well as fescue. However, bluegrass will go dormant without dying, whereas fescue, even though it’s deeper rooted and more drought-tolerant, doesn’t go dormant from drought-stress, so it can die. After bluegrass has reached three weeks of dormancy and fescue has changed color, it’s recommended to water 0.5”/week to keep both grass species from dying.
Soybean Seed Size-Yield Impacts
Soybean Seed Size and Yield: It’s been awhile since we’ve seen full pods throughout plants (instead of flat pods with shrunken seed) and I’ve also noticed more 4-bean pods on upper nodes of plants this year. It has been deceiving in that soybeans with greener stems and some leaves were right at that point of being ready to harvest in the 13-14.5% range. Now I’m hearing a lot of dry beans are coming out again.
For the most part, soybeans have been of good seed size and quality. There are areas where “bb’s” are being observed again. I’ve heard reports of this from producers in the non-irrigated portions of southern Seward county and Saline counties. In those situations, plants often held onto leaves and just died due to lack of moisture; however, the seed number is still allowing for decent yields. This made me think of information I shared last year from Dr. Jim Specht, Emeritus UNL Soybean Physiologist, so resharing.
During soybean reproductive development, three stages — R1-R2 (flowering), R3-R4 (podding), and R5-R6 (seed-filling) — occur successively during July and August in the growing season. Soybean yield is ultimately a function of two components: the harvested seed number (in terms of unit land area), and the seed mass (weight of the average harvested seed). Seed number is set during the R1 to R4 stages of flowering and podding, though abortion of pods or seeds in those pods can occur in the later R stages. Seed mass (i.e., size) is set during the R5 to R6 stages of seed-filling, as the seeds undergo enlargement until the R6 stage ends at the onset of the R7 (physiological maturity) stage.
Jim and colleagues conducted a 3-year study in the 1980’s looking at the drought-stress sensitivity of seed number and seed size during different R stages. It involved 14 Group 0-Group 4 soybean varieties using seven treatments — each consisting of a single irrigation application, but each treatment differed with respect to the R stage coinciding with the single irrigation event.
When the single irrigation was applied during flowering, they saw a substantial increase in seed number, yet also a lower seed mass compared to the control rainfed treatment. This indicated that when water stress is mitigated during flowering (but not thereafter), soybean plants will set more seeds, but also end up making those seeds smaller when water is not adequate thereafter. We normally don’t recommend irrigation during flowering to avoid disease onset. This year we had some rains with cloudy conditions during a portion of the flowering period. However, rains shut off for the most part after that. I think that’s why we’re seeing the smaller seed size with lots of beans in some of the extremely dry areas.
In contrast, when a single irrigation is applied during seed-fill (R5-R6), fewer seeds are set (and/or retained) due to prior water stress, but the mass of those fewer seeds is optimized due to the late-applied single irrigations that mitigate any coincident water stress.
They also found a response pattern coinciding with an irrigation event occurring at R3.5 and R4.5 (podding) that showed plants in that stage are conditioned to enhance seed mass while still increasing seed number to some degree. Irrigating at this stage resulted in the highest yields among treatments. Thus, why we typically encourage first irrigation of soybeans at R3 in our silt-loam soils. Additional research in the early 2000’s verified this.
The research also showed a full-season multiple irrigation treatment that resulted in maximized seed number, but seed mass was not increased beyond the increase achieved with single irrigation at R3.5. Thus, by irrigating all season (or in a season where rainfall provides no water stress), seed number (which is set before seed mass) is prioritized by stress-free plants relative to optimization. While the weather is outside our control, I hope this is helpful in thinking through this past year. For risk mitigation going forward, I think it shows the importance of planting varying maturity groups to help spread risk with variations in weather conditions each year.
The full articles can be found at UNL CropWatch: One contains a quick method to determine yields using seed size just prior to harvest. The other is about water stress timing.
For Alex Harrell from Georgia with the record breaking yield of 218 bu/ac in 2024, he mentioned aiming for large seed size. Based on this chart, assuming around 450 seeds per square foot, he’d be achieving around a 1500 seeds/pound seed size.
In 2023, Alex Harrell reported a record soybean yield of 206.8 bushels/acre in 2023, and he suggested that the harvested seed in field likely had a seed mass of around 1,675 seeds/pound. Thus, a large seed size with (doing the math) around 477 seeds per square foot on a plant population of 77,000 plants/ac.
JenREES 9/22/24
Harvest is here and it’s been wonderful to see some good yields thus far! I was not expecting what we’re seeing for non-irrigated corn yields with how dry it’s been. And, it’s wonderful to finally see good soybean yields again! So far, non-irrigated, depending on area, is going 50-70 bu/ac and irrigated is going 70-high 80’s. The beans are also beautiful in size and quality so far this year!
Harvest Safety: For all of us as we’re on the roads, please be alert and slow down. It’s also important to talk about safety with teens who drive. Key things for us all: don’t pass in any designated “no passing zones”. Also don’t pass within 100 feet of an intersection, bridge, or railroad crossing. Don’t assume a tractor is going to turn right (another reason not to pass within 100 feet of an intersection). I always appreciated how dad pulled off into the right-hand side of the intersection when on highways or paved roads if he wanted to make a left-hand turn in a tractor because one never knows what vehicles behind you will do.
It’s so dry and hard to see on gravel roads when there’s traffic. Please be safe, slow down/stop at intersections and railroad crossings, headlights on, and be watchful/slow down as you come up on slow moving vehicles. For our farm families, we know things happen so quickly so please think safety with machinery, watch for people and objects around you, watch for power lines, and take your time on machinery and bin steps. Brandy VanDeWalle, Extension Educator, shares additional info. on her blog: http://vandewalleviews.com/2024/09/13/harvest-safety-12/. Here’s wishing everyone safety and good yields this harvest season!
Tar Spot vs. Southern Rust: With corn leaves drying down, people are wondering about the black spots they’re seeing on leaves. Right now, the majority of what is seen is either southern rust teliospores or saprophytic fungi feeding on dead/decaying material. Both of those can make for a dusty harvest. I have photos on my blog showing differences again between southern rust teliospores and tar spot. Tar spot just has a totally different look and color of black compared to what southern rust looks like. Hopefully the photos help ease people’s minds as most of what is out there is southern rust.
UNL Beef Extension online learning opportunities: Nebraska Beef Extension has planned several online learning opportunities that cover a variety of topics (listed below). For more information and registration please visit https://beef.unl.edu.
- Increasing Feed Value of Grazed Corn Residue: Sept. 24, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (CDT)
- 2025 Beef Heifer Replacement Price Forecast: Sept. 26, Noon (CDT)
- UNL Heifer Development Center First Year Wrap-up: Oct. 2, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Cornstalk Grazing Fundamentals, Leases and Agronomic Impacts Webinar Series 7 p.m.:
- Oct. 8, Corn Residue Grazing Fundamentals
- Oct. 10: Grazing Leases, Prices and Finding and Renting Residue
- Oct. 15, Agronomic Impacts for Grazing Corn Residue
- Oct. 17: Producer Panel-Challenges and Opportunities
- Knowing, Growing and Grazing Grass: Oct. 14, 17, 21, 24, 28 & 31, 7:30 – 8:45 p.m. (CDT)
- Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Insurance for Livestock Producers: Oct. 24, Noon (CDT)
- Leveraging Genetics to Improve Profitability: Nov. 4 & Nov. 6, 6:30 – 7:45 p.m. (CDT)
- Cattle Cost of Production, part of the Ag Smart Money Week series: Nov. 4
- Fundamentals of Feeding the Cow: Nov. 11, 14, 18 & 21, 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm
Differentiating Soybean Problems
Crop Update: It was great catching up briefly with so many people at Husker Harvest Days last week! We didn’t get the traditional rain anytime during husker harvest days and soybeans and non-irrigated crops turned quickly. Please slow down and watch out for slow moving vehicles as harvest has started in the area. Here’s wishing everyone a safe harvest season!
For about 10 days I was getting called to fields and answering calls about sudden death syndrome in soybeans. The majority of the situations I was called out to actually wasn’t sudden death syndrome. So, I’d like to share what to look for in order to differentiate soybean diseases. Even though soybeans are turning now, it’s helpful to know what you’re truly dealing with as you think about soybean varieties in the future.
Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and Brown Stem Rot (BSR) are both soil-borne fungal diseases in which the fungus is in the root and/or stem but toxins from the fungus create yellowing/brown between leaf veins on the plants. For SDS, I can usually pull those plants very easily from the soil as there’s a clear rotted taproot associated with that disease. Sometimes, you will see gray/blue fungal growth on the rotted taproot as well.
I also split the stem open, especially if the plant didn’t pull easily yet had the leaf symptoms. If the pith is brown in discoloration and is “stacked” like there’s layers of plates of tissue in it, the culprit is most likely brown stem rot. There are instances where you will have both a rotted taproot and a brown stem. In those cases, both SDS and BSR are present.
Brown pith tissue that is hollowed out and has sawdust in it is from dectes (soybean) stem borer. Dectes will not cause the leaf symptoms that SDS and BSR will. It will create a petiole with a trifoliate leaf that “flags”, meaning, it looks wilted and dying.
To be honest, the most common thing I’ve seen is the lack of a disease present. Most of the time, the taproot is in tact with a good root system, and often, there’s either whole fields or “lines” to where the symptoms are present. In those cases, I’ve suggested that this isn’t a disease issue but instead, Triazole fungicide phytotoxicity. These symptoms typically occur 2-3 weeks after a fungicide has been sprayed and either follow a spray pattern (including drift in some cases) or have field-wide distribution. Triazoles are in the Group 3 fungicide class and they move in the xylem (water-carrying vessels of the plant). Thus, their movement is dependent upon moisture. Plants that are drought-stressed lead to the fungicide product being in the tissue longer, allowing for greater injury. Other characteristics that impact the level of triazole phytotoxicity include the fungicide rate, adjuvants used, soybean genetics, and environmental conditions at the time of application. Usually leaves in the upper canopy are impacted as they were undergoing cell division (expanding) during the time of the fungicide application. For more info. please see: https://go.unl.edu/t4cg and https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/news/fungicide-phytotoxicity-on-soybean-triazole-injury-sparks-concern.
Why is this important to know? Because the next time you grow soybeans, it’d be helpful to know if you need to look for specific disease resistance in the variety selected or if one needs to consider a seed treatment for SDS. If the culprit ends up being triazole fungicide phytotoxicity, take note on the fungicide and adjuvants used and also the specific soybean variety as all those factors make a difference.
(Above photo captions): Yellow/brown chlorosis between the leaf veins in the left photo due to SDS (but very similar with BSR) (photo by Jenny Rees). Right photo shows yellow/brown chlorosis between the leaf veins due to triazole fungicide phytotoxicity which looks very similar to the leaf symptoms on SDS and BSR. (Photo via Kyle Broderick).
Photos Above: Dectes stem borer hollowed out the pith of this stem. Notice the hollowed out look and absence of “stacking” in the pith. One will also observe sawdust if dectes is present. Splitting the stem further the dectes stem borer can be found (right picture-I accidentally cut it). I don’t worry about dectes for causing yield loss; we’ve been dealing with it in Nuckolls/Thayer counties since before I started in Extension. It eats out the pith but the vascular bundles in soybean are on the outside (think of tree rings)…so they’re not causing xylem and phloem disruption (or very minimal if so). The main issue with dectes is creating lodging if a windstorm occurs prior to harvest.
JenREES 9/8/24
Water use till maturity for Corn: Beginning Dent 5”, ¼ milk 3.75”; ½ milk 2.25”; ¾ milk 1”.
Water use till maturity for Beans: Beg. Seed 6.5”; Full Seed 3.5”; Leaves beg yellow 1.9”.
Crop Update: The past few weeks have resulted in a rapid decline in non-irrigated crops and crops that have been impacted by Goss’ wilt, Fusarium crown rot, and stalk rots. There’s already been quite a bit of discussion about this, but prioritizing harvest for those fields is important.
Even though we haven’t had as long of an irrigation season as 2023, the breakdowns experienced by farmers this year has made it feel long. We unfortunately haven’t received that last August rain that normally finishes us up on corn. Corn still needs 1″ of soil moisture at 3/4 starch. Be careful not to quit applying water too early on beans. Soybeans still need nearly 2″ of water when the leaves begin to turn yellow. Technically, when the white membrane has separated from the seed inside the top several pods, they are no longer using moisture. Evaluating the soil moisture status in each field will help you determine if/how much more irrigation you need. Here’s wishing a safe finish to the growing season and harvest to all!
Fall Planting: Kelly Feehan, Extension Horticulture Educator shares the following, “Fall is a good time to plant, but timing is important. For lawns, seeding is recommended by September 15, especially turf-type tall fescue. Kentucky bluegrass could be seeded a little later and be fine, unless there is an early hard freeze. Fall is a very good time to plant many shrubs, shade trees and evergreens. Shade trees can be planted almost up until soil freeze. Evergreens are best planted in September or early October to allow time for root establishment and reduce the risk of winter dessication. While it’s getting late to plant most vegetables, cool season vegetables with short days to maturity could be planted in early September for a fall crop. This would include vegetables like radishes, green onions, and lettuce. Spring flowering bulbs and garlic are best planted after soil temperatures have cooled, usually in early October. It’s important to keep the soil of newly planted plants moist, but not saturated, up until the soil freezes.
Early September is the best time to divide peonies. While peonies can go years without division, dividing them can increase blooming for many years. Peony division also helps reduce disease and provides more plants for the garden. To divide peonies, first cut the stems to near ground level. Next, dig up the plant, saving as many roots as possible. Remove soil from roots gently by hosing it off. Using a sharp knife, divide the root clump into small sections. Each division should have healthy roots and three to five buds, which are usually pinkish. When replanting, select a location with at least half a day of full sunlight, but more is better. Dig a hole large enough to hold the root ball, but shallow enough so buds are only covered by one to two inches of soil. Planting peonies too deep can prevent them from blooming. After planting, water thoroughly; then keep the soil moist up until the ground freezes to encourage root growth.”
JenREES 9/1/24
Reminder this week of York Co. Corn Growers Plot Tour 5:30-7:30 p.m. near Doug Perdue’s on Sept. 3rd and the Interseeding Cover Crops Field Day at Jordan Uldrich’s near Milligan from 2-4 p.m. on Sept. 4th.
Fleas: I hope we’re past this situation, but sharing in case. For about two weeks, we received a number of calls about fleas in homes from the York/Polk County area. I’m unsure why we’re seeing higher numbers here compared to other counties. I was even seeing them coming into buildings when doors were left open and would suggest closing doors. The majority of these situations involved cats that were infested, but a few also involved situations with no indoor pets. According to Kait Chapman, Extension Entomologist, optimal conditions for flea development is 70-85F and 70% humidity. We’ve certainly had a lot of humidity but those cooler conditions happened either before or after the first week of August.
Regarding bites, adults typically get bit below the knee and children all over the torso. Families without pets can get fleas from wildlife and feral animals. Flea larvae look like legless worms that live in pet resting areas; adults can live there too. We’ve received a couple of calls on treating animals and would recommend you contact a veterinarian instead of us. Wash and vacuum all pet resting areas. Vacuuming alone is difficult to control the larvae. Professional companies can provide insecticide applications. External treatment may be needed regardless if one owns pets or not. Wildlife removal of outdoor animals nesting under the porch or crawlspace is also a management tool. For more information, please see: https://go.unl.edu/oz96. Another resource with more in depth information is: https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/HUDGB7C6GUID.PDF.
Pricing Silage: I’ve had a few questions regarding silage. Shannon Sand, Extension Ag Economist, shared the following, “Determining a fair market value for silage involves several considerations. UNL research has shown that corn silage priced standing in the field before harvest should be valued at 7.65 x the price per bushel of corn where a ton of corn silage is harvested at 60-65% moisture. This multiplier value is consistent regardless of corn price. As of August 20, 2024, December, corn for the West Central part of Nebraska is estimated to be at $3.71 per bushel. Corn at $3.71x$7.65=$28.38 per ton. This accounts for harvest grain price, not having to combine or haul grain to market, increased grain price due to storage and the cost of silage storage.
When estimating costs in the silo, harvest, hauling and packing expenses can vary. The 2024 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates publication showed an average custom rate of $15.13 per ton. At $28.38 per ton in the field plus $15.10 per ton for harvesting, hauling, and packing we come out to $43.48 per ton in the pile. When $3 per ton is added for storage expense, the price per ton is $46.48.
When valuing silage out of storage and into the bunk, remember the ensiling process will cause shrink and dry matter loss from 10-20% or more from when silage is packed into the silo until it is removed to be fed. With 10% dry matter shrink, the value of silage delivered to the bunk would be $51.13 per ton. Ultimately, the price of silage is a dynamic factor influenced by market conditions, production costs, and more. By utilizing some calculations, Nebraska producers can gain a greater understanding of their operation’s finances.”
State Fair: Congrats to all the 4-H and FFA youth who exhibited at the Nebraska State Fair! I’m especially grateful for and proud of a group of youth who have worked really hard with plant and insect identification through the years. Some of them chose to compete at State Fair this year. York County youth won 1st place in the Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Team divisions of the 4-H Weed and Grass ID Contests at State Fair this year! It’s exciting to see youth continue to learn and grow and develop these life skills!
JenREES 8/26/24
Corn diseases have been the main question this past week. A few weeks ago, splitting open stalks revealed stalk rot setting into nodes while internodes looked healthy. The root crown of plants was also rotted. As I walked fields last week, an increasing number of plants are showing white/pink fungal growth on the outside of nodes and/or plants that are broken/bent a few nodes above the soil line. I believe all of this is mostly due to Fusarium crown rot. The diagnostician at the plant and pest diagnostic lab in Lincoln also felt that was the biggest culprit. It always stinks sharing news like this before harvest, but if you’re seeing plants breaking over in your fields, consider harvesting those fields earlier.
Goss’ wilt continues to be a problem in some corn fields as well. We’ve seen the systemic version since V7 this year, primarily in York, Seward, and Hamilton counties. We’re seeing more of the foliar type now, but if you see whole plants dying, most likely it contains the systemic version of the bacterium too. The way to tell systemic Goss’ wilt is to cut a cross section of the stalk. Orange/brown discoloration of the vascular bundles indicates potential systemic Goss’ wilt.
As southern rust changes spore types from the orange uredineospores to the black teliospores, there’s been numerous questions if they have tar spot. Tar spot will be on both sides of the leaf, raised, and won’t rub off on your fingers or with water. The black teliospores of southern rust tend to be concentrated around the midrib of corn leaves, from what I’m seeing now, and they will only occur on one side of the leaf. A helpful resource with pictures differentiating southern rust, tar spot, and saprophytic diseases can be found here: https://go.unl.edu/46uw.
York County Corn Growers will have a plot tour on Tuesday, September 3rd from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Doug, Jason, and Karah Perdue hosted the large plot this year and we’re grateful for their efforts! Come hear about the hybrids from the companies represented and enjoy a shrimp boil (shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes). Guess the highest yield without going over and win a $50 gas card (must be present to win at the winter corn grower banquet). All are welcome and corn grower members are asked to bring friends. For questions please contact Jason at: 402-366-2821 or Jenny Rees at 402-362-5508.
Soil Health Field Day in conjunction with the Upper Big Blue NRD and The Nature Conservancy will be held at Jordan Uldrich’s farm near Milligan on September 4th from 2-4 p.m. Gather first at Charlie’s Pub (524 Main St, Milligan) with refreshments and introductions before heading to the field. Jordan will share his experiences with interseeding cover crops into corn fields. It’s also an opportunity to network with producers and share ideas. For questions please contact: Valerie Paul at 402-362-6601 / vpaul@upperbigblue.org or Nicholas Arneson at 402-676-1618/ nicholas.arneson@tnc.org.
Nebraska Sorghum Producers Field Day will also be held on September 4th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Mike Baker farm near Trenton, NE. From Highway 25 north of Trenton go to County Rd 717, then west 4.5 miles.
Husker Harvest Days near Grand Island are September 10-12 this year. New this year is free admission if you register online ahead of time at: https://huskerharvestdays.com. Otherwise they are $25 at the gate for adults, $10 for youth ages 13-17, and free for youth 12 and under. The show hours have also been adjusted this year to 9 a.m.-4 p.m. all three days.
JenResources 