JenREES 7/30/23
150th York County Fair: Hoping you can attend the 150th York County Fair this week! Full Schedule of
events at: http://www.yorkcountyfair.com. Raffle tickets are being sold for the York County Fair Foundation with proceeds used for projects at the fairgrounds. Only 400 tickets will be sold at $50.00 each. A total of 56 drawing winners will receive $150.00 each and the winning tickets get put back in the drawing for additional chances to win. Drawings will occur weekly from the first week of October 2023 through the last week of September 2024 (and daily winners during the 2024 York County Fair). Tickets can be purchased from Ag Society or Fair Foundation members, at a Fair booth in the Mercantile building during the County Fair, or at the York Co. Extension Office till Sept. 30 (or until all tickets are sold).
Weather Impacts: I keep saying we’re a long way from harvest and it seems like we continue to face difficulties. For me, it keeps reminding me that I’m not in control but I can look to and trust the One who is. Many worked so hard to keep livestock safe. Feel for those who unfortunately lost livestock to the heat and humidity. Farm Service Agency (FSA) asked that we remind producers of the Livestock Indemnity Program and to report livestock losses within 30 days of the losses occurring. Please call your local FSA office to provide an official notice of loss. The local office will share with you what is needed for appropriate documentation of losses.
It was a blessing to receive a widespread 2” of rain on Saturday morning! Also good to see something planted into some hail damaged fields. As storms continue to occur in different areas, what I’ve shared earlier in regards to forages still applies. Summer annuals can still be planted through Aug. 15 (unsure on haying depending on weather, but definitely can graze).
Flying/spreading oats, rye or other small grains with or without brassicas continues to be an option as well. Palmer is emerging. 2,4-D amine and 2,4-D ester are both labeled as “anytime” for applying before seeding any small grain. Read the specific label for any restrictions. Oats give the most fall forage. Earliest greenup in the spring is rye followed by wheat followed by triticale. Triticale will provide the most spring biomass but it comes on late (think June time-frame for haying).
Drought: By Friday afternoon, non-irrigated fields rapidly turned, were firing, and using fields for forage was the question, particularly from Nuckolls Co. I think most were just thinking ahead to having plans in place should they be needed. Reminder again, the field needs to be released by crop insurance. I called Dr. Mary Drewnoski to talk through grazing corn in brown silk to milk stages. We’re treating this as immature corn. So the considerations we gave before were the fact that nitrates would exist but that cattle would self-adapt as they graze the tops first. Any ears present will be mostly water. Mary’s main concern at this point was how much could be knocked down and under-utilized by allowing the full field vs. larger strip grazed areas. One can supplement with a few pounds of grain or with hay. She mentioned to not feed a non-protein nitrogen source (ex. lick tubs) when feeding high nitrate forages. Don’t turn out empty and allow access to plenty of fresh water. If plants end up completely brown before they’re released by crop insurance, it won’t change the nitrate concentration of those plants. Options at that point are still grazing or ensiling. For those who’ve shared they really want to hay the corn, know that your nitrate concentration will be highest with that option. Cut at least 8-12” above the ground. I would recommend sampling for nitrates after baling and also only consider this option if you have the ability to grind those bales and mix in a ration. Do NOT harvest or graze for at least three days following rain that “breaks” drought conditions. The rain causes an uptake of nitrogen from the soil, which is translocated into the plant. After three days, the nitrogen will have been converted to plant protein and is no longer in dangerous form.
Whether for drought or hail damage, for those trying silage, reposting Dr. Bruce Anderson’s silage info. “Fermentation usually (but not always) reduces nitrate levels and risk. Yield is about one ton per acre of silage for each harvested foot of earless corn plant (not counting the tassel). Feeding value is about 70% to 80% of well-eared corn silage. Corn with some grain (less than 50 bushels) tends to produce about one ton of silage for every five bushels of grain with a feed value about 80 to 90% of regular corn silage. Harvest timing is critical with silage to ensure the correct moisture for proper fermentation. Desired moisture level for silage is about 65%. Plants with any green leaves usually are too wet to chop for silage. For proper moisture, most leaves may need to be dead before chopping. The stalk and ear hold amazingly high water concentrations. For corn with no grain, even if all leaves are dead, the whole plant (and silage) moisture can be 70% if the stalk is still green and alive.
Once plants actually die they can rapidly dry down. There are several ways to reduce moisture content. If corn has pollinated, delay silage harvest until all chances of increased biomass tonnage have passed or plants naturally dry down to appropriate moisture levels. Corn can be windrowed and allowed to partially dry before chopping. Excessively wet material can be blended with drier feeds such as ground hay, cracked grain, or dried distillers grains. However, this can take a lot of material — about 500 lb of grain or hay to reduce each ton of chopped corn with 85% moisture down to 70% moisture. Silage inoculants may improve fermentation and preservation of drought-damaged silage.”
JenREES 7/23/23
Grateful for the rains we had earlier in July for green-up of plants and allowing some to take a little break from irrigating and for beautiful cooler weather during pollination!
Crop Update: There’s no southern rust yet. Minimal common rust, minimal GLS lowest leaves, minor northern corn leaf blight in some canopies. Mostly bacterial leaf streak from wind/hail and also physoderma brown spot which is common once pollination occurs.
Hail Damage Follow-Up: I would describe this week as a roller coaster for all dealing with hail damage again. Each passing day makes decisions more difficult because we’re running out of growing season. First, the fact that you’re going back and forth on decisions is normal-none of us knows the best decisions right now or how this season will end. I’m also grateful to hear how many are seeking input from others! The fact that all our farmers are weary from the stress of drought, irrigating since planting, and now some having to replant is real. The fact that some of you are at the point of being ‘done with trying to do something with damaged fields’ is also a common theme. Conversations I’ve had if it helps:
Beans: I can’t guarantee the beans you planted or are planting this week will make it, but a Group 2.0 or less will be close at this point. They are an easier option for some to get something covering the ground. You may feel better seeing something growing in a week.
Annual Forages: Lot’s of back/forth here. You should get enough growth for haying something like pearl millet or sorghum-sudangrass yet, but in the event you don’t, there’s always the option of grazing. I’ve mostly recommended this option for people who have livestock, have someone who wants to graze, or are more familiar with annual forage from an equipment, etc. perspective. I don’t foresee a problem with ‘getting rid’ of forage. If this seems too risky as we approach August or you’re too exhausted to consider this, go with the next options instead.
Ready to be Done but Want Ground Cover: I’m more concerned about palmer control than yields on these fields. We know how sickening harvest was last year. The ‘easier button’ at this point is to have someone fly or spread on something for you. There may be opportunities to use ground rigs from seed corn fields. You wouldn’t have to do anything with stalks right now.
- No livestock: If you want something to winterkill, options are a small grain like oats, brassicas like turnips/radishes, or if you don’t want the ‘divots’ from the bulbs, consider forage collards (more expensive). Rape is also an option. If you want something to survive winter, use rye or wheat.
- Livestock: The above are also options for those with livestock or those who may have someone to graze stalks. The stalks, regardless of height, can still be grazed at some point.
Hail Damage Recovery: Seeing new leaves on soybean plants. The problem is how many of these plants were close to R5 (beginning seed) at the time of hail. Fields that were R3 have more flowers coming, but fields that were in R4 or later are mostly just showing leaves with very few flowers. So, the pods that are currently out there are mostly it for what can be produced. For corn, in these fields with 25% or less tassels, pollination is spotty and poor. Some fields, there’s quite a bit of hailstone damage with mold already developing…I’m not trying to be a downer, just honest on what can be observed. Please take care of yourselves! Rural Response Hotline: 1-800-464-0258.
Field Days: July 31st at 7 p.m. is the Precision Fertigation Sunset Seminar at Jason Richter’s field on Road 8 between the York/Seward County line road and Road W in York County. This is an on-farm research study using the Sentinel Fertigation technology I’ve shared about…to apply fertilizer based on when the plant says it needs it using satellite imagery. Thank you to Jason for hosting! More info. and RSVP here: https://www.sentinelfertigation.com/sunset-seminars.
August 1 is the South Central Ag Lab Field Day near Clay Center from 8:45 a.m.-3:05 p.m. (Reg. at 8:30 a.m.). You choose the tours you attend from topics such as nutrient, disease, weed, irrigation, insect management. Noon speaker is Jackson Stansell with Sentinel Fertigation on “Reducing Nitrogen Use With Sentinel Fertigation.” RSVP at: go.unl.edu/scalfieldday.
August 3 is the Drones in Ag field day at the ENREC near Mead from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Reg. at 7 a.m.). This conference serves as a platform to exchange knowledge and experiences among participants. Topics include how to fly drones legally in the national airspace, including requirements to fly sprayer drones, practical uses of drones in agriculture, and tips and tricks to successfully use drones in a business. CCA credits pending. Details and RSVP at https://neata.org/.
Anyone else seeing this? Hard to tell in the pic but tried to draw lines. I’m seeing the old check strips left from last year showing up as greener than the rest of the fields in these fields hailed again this year. Unsure why…more N perhaps there? Also showing soybeans with pods that survived the hail in different fields where I’m not seeing new flowers.
Can see pollination had occurred on some kernels showing blister development and a lot of ugly looking ears between lack of pollination and from hailstone bruising. The top ear already shows mold growth from Fusarium towards the ear base.
So far nothing to be concerned about regarding corn diseases in fields I’ve looked at. Bacterial leaf streak (above) fairly common in fields right now from wind/hail damage. When backlit, you will see yellow halos around lesions and it looks worse from the back-side of leaves-nothing to do or worry about. Below: Upper left is northern corn leaf blight (cigar-shaped lesions in mid-canopy of some fields); Gray leaf spot (typical rectangular lesion that I found 3 leaves above the soil and not above that); Below that is damage from corn blotch leaf miner adults when the female is making ovipositioning sites; larger lower picture is physoderma brown spot lesions (dark purple/brown spots along midribs, leaf axils and leaf sheaths and also orangish colored ‘bands’ of circular lesions on leaves since this pathogen moves with water. Notice on the top part of this leaf is a white streak that appears transparent; that is from corn blotch leaf miner larvae feeding.
JenRees 7-17-23
(July 4th Left photo and July 10th Right photo of hail damage in Nebraska via Interactive Hail maps).
This week sharing on hail damage discussions I had with people depending on their individual field situations, previous herbicide, need for forage, all dependent upon crop insurance decisions. The July 4 and 10th hailstorms impacted an area from north of Thayer into Polk county down through Waco to east of McCool Junction and east through pockets of Utica area and Beaver Crossing/Goehner areas. As I’ve talked with people, there’s another level of mental difficulty in having to see it each day at one’s place vs. driving to fields to see it. Feel for everyone impacted, particularly those of you who were hit the past two years. Perhaps one opportunity now is growing much-needed forage as pastures are gone and many need feed for livestock.
Soybean assessments for yield are difficult when they were at R3-R4 (podding stages) prior to hail. There were new leaves/flowers the day after the storms which will continue to R5 (beginning seed). Tops were very broken on these stems so pods will most likely be low towards the ground from branching.
Soybean replant for federal crop was July 5th. Leaving fields alone is one option. For soybeans that lost most of leaves and upper stems, depending on crop insurance decisions and producer goals, have talked about splitting the rows to plant or else drilling beans (due to concerns of open canopy for weeds). Considerations include costs such as seed and seeding, fungicide seed treatment, herbicides. Increase seeding rate to at least 150,000 seeds/ac, use a fungicide seed treatment, and aim for a Group 2.0 maturity or less to reduce frost risk. A table at jenreesources.com shows yield ranges and when physiological maturity could occur via running historical York weather station data in a model with a July 20th planting date. The clock is ticking for replant soybeans to make seed prior to frost. Beans that freeze prior to maturity are often ‘lima-shaped’ beans at harvest or have an off-green color. That color will lesson some over time.
Others felt bean fields provided an opportunity for seeding forage. In that case, the field needs to be released by crop insurance. Check soybean herbicides used for any replant restrictions; you assume the risk of the cover crop seed germinating if you seed before a restriction ends.
Corn decisions are fairly clear to me. Hail also finished off some of the drought-damaged corn. Seed corn is each company’s decision by field-greensnap and bacterial top rot in fields I’ve seen. For corn that’s mostly stripped but was nearing tasseling or had ear development, watch for bruising. Past observations showed bruising from hailstones to ears during silking stage results in ear mold development. There’s nothing you can do about it but be aware of it for harvest and storage. Bruising to stalks allows for stalk rot to set in. Fungicides at some point can help with stalk strength. For fields with some tassels amidst mostly mowed off plants above the ears, watch pollination if they’re not released. Fields with tall stalks mowed just above or below the ears can be forage opportunities. Some considered grazing first and then planting a forage crop. Have also talked about flying brassicas like turnips/radishes into these taller stalk fields to allow for grazing of the stalks with the brassicas at some point. Check for any corn herbicide grazing restrictions. Also know it’s your risk to seed cover crops prior to any replant restrictions from corn herbicides used. Don’t turn cattle in empty, provide fresh water, no strip grazing, avoid grazing lowest 8″ of stalk, and consider supplementing hay/energy for any nitrate concerns.
Some planned to shred the stalks and replant with beans instead. Some planned to shred the stalks and drill in something like sorghum sudan, pearl millet, or sudangrass now. Some planned to plant a small grain like rye/oats/wheat or a combination of them in August/September time-frame depending on if they wanted the cover to winterkill (oats), wanted less growth next spring (wheat), or more growth next spring (rye). I know rye especially got a bad rap this year in the midst of drought, but again, we’re in a drought. For any of these options, you’ll need to check replant restrictions and know the risk is on you if you plant prior to it.
The following contains more info. for planting annual forages in July or August: https://go.unl.edu/ypgc. Additional considerations are cost/availability of seed, seeding, equipment, will forage be hayed/grazed/both, will you use it or do you have someone to use it, or can you grow something to sell. Some with hay have considered using these forages for their livestock and selling their hay at some point for the higher price. Haven’t heard anyone from the July 10 hailstorm talking about short season corn for silage but did talk to others from earlier hailstorms in the State regarding that. There was also greensnap to varying degrees and bent but not broken plants (where ear abnormalities can occur). Willing to listen if you want to bounce off ideas. Ultimately, please take care of yourselves! Rural Response Hotline: 1-800-464-0258.
Silage: This really depends on plant height and ability to harvest for silage. Dr. Bruce Anderson shared in a 2012 CropWatch article Using Weather Damaged Corn as Forage that, “Fermentation usually (but not always) reduces nitrate levels and risk. Yield is about one ton per acre of silage for each harvested foot of earless corn plant (not counting the tassel). Feeding value is about 70% to 80% of well-eared corn silage. Corn with some grain (less than 50 bushels) tends to produce about one ton of silage for every five bushels of grain with a feed value about 80 to 90% of regular corn silage. Harvest timing is critical with silage to ensure the correct moisture for proper fermentation. Desired moisture level for silage is about 65%. Plants with any green leaves usually are too wet to chop for silage. For proper moisture, most leaves may need to be dead before chopping. The stalk and ear hold amazingly high water concentrations. For corn with no grain, even if all leaves are dead, the whole plant (and silage) moisture can be 70% if the stalk is still green and alive.
Once plants actually die they can rapidly dry down. There are several ways to reduce moisture content. If corn has pollinated, delay silage harvest until all chances of increased biomass tonnage have passed or plants naturally dry down to appropriate moisture levels. Corn can be windrowed and allowed to partially dry before chopping. Excessively wet material can be blended with drier feeds such as ground hay, cracked grain, or dried distillers grains. However, this can take a lot of material — about 500 lb of grain or hay to reduce each ton of chopped corn with 85% moisture down to 70% moisture. Silage inoculants may improve fermentation and preservation of drought-damaged silage.”
150th York County Fair: We’re asking for copies (no originals) of fair photos through the years for a display in Ag Hall. Feel free to share a brief memory/who is in the photo on the back. Please bring your copies to the York Extension Office by July 21st if possible. Thanks!
Table 1. Yield Potential of Maturity Groups Planted on July 15 or 20, 2023 in the York, NE area via the SoySim model (thanks to Dr. Jim Specht for running this for me). One week makes a big difference between July 15 and July 20th for yields and reaching physiological maturity. Note average 30 year frost date for York at 31F is October 14th and at 28F is October 21st. I bolded the July 20th planting dates as that’s what’s realistic now.
| Maturity Group | Planting Date | Low Yield (bu/ac) | High Yield (bu/ac) | Average Yield (bu/ac) | Physiological Maturity Date |
| 1.0 | July 15 | 21 | 33 | 26 | September 24 |
| 1.5 | July 15 | 27 | 39 | 34 | October 4 |
| 2.0 | July 15 | 33 | 44 | 39 | October 13 |
| 2.5 | July 15 | 35 | 46 | 43 | October 20 |
| 3.0 | July 15 | 28 | 47 | 43 | October 27 |
| 3.5 | July 15 | 23 | 38 | 35 | October 28 |
| 1.0 | July 20 | 18 | 29 | 24 | October 2 |
| 1.5 | July 20 | 25 | 34 | 30 | October 13 |
| 2.0 | July 20 | 25 | 37 | 32 | October 21 |
| 2.5 | July 20 | 20 | 40 | 32 | October 28 |
| 3.0 | July 20 | 15 | 42 | 31 | October 29 |
| 3.5 | July 20 | 10 | 36 | 24 | November 2 |
Pictures from various soybean fields showing soybean damage to tops of plants, tiny pods that survived in some axillary buds, and new regrowth. Lowest pods were at beginning seed (R5) in lowest nodes of some fields I checked which means upper parts of the plant were most likely between R3-R4 (podding stages). New growth (new leaves and flowers) was seen in axillary buds the day after hail damage. Will be tough to get much top growth with shredded stems and as many nodes have been cut off. Most new growth will most likely branch and be lower on plants that were more severely affected.
Corn plants mowed off around the ear or below in various fields. These provide opportunities for forage should one be interested in that. There are some who have talked about shredding stalks and planting beans as well as an option.
Photos from later-planted seed corn with greensnap and bacterial top rot setting in. Fields like this are hard to tell the extent of damage from the road.
These are all fields with some amount of tassels remaining. The first picture represents all those fields with less than 25% tassels and the rest of the stalks cut off around ear height. Will need to watch pollination in those fields. Fields with damage to ears that were silking may have hailstone bruising. Ear mold is something to watch in those situations but nothing one can do about it.
JenREES 7/9/23
It was sad to see several get hit with devastating hail for a second year in a row from the July 4th storm. It was also such a blessing to get the unexpected gift of a fairly widespread 1”+ rain last Friday morning!
For those dealing with hail, I don’t have any great new ideas for planting into totaled crops beyond soybeans or some type of forage crop at this point. For replanting with soybeans, we suggest 0.5-1.0 maturity less than you normally plant, make sure you have a fungicide seed treatment (wouldn’t have to have anything for SDS, just for seedling diseases), increase your seeding rate, and consider narrower rows to close canopy quicker. Phytophthora root rot is something I tend to see fairly often with replant soybeans, thus the rec for the fungicide seed treatment. For acres damaged on fringes, I recommend leaving existing soybean stands of 50K, which is trickier now that we’re at R2-R3 in many fields. In corn fields with less damage, we will have to watch what happens on timing of silks/tassels.
For those interested in planting annual forages in July or August after hail/drought/wheat harvest, the following contains more info. on seeding rates, tonnage, species, etc.: https://go.unl.edu/ypgc.
Annual Forage Insurance is an opportunity for obtaining crop insurance (in Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota) to protect against the primary production risk of low precipitation. This is for annual forage crops used for grazing, haying, grazing/haying, green chop, grain/grazing, grazing/green chop, or silage. The current sign up period ends July 15 for coverage on annual forage planted from July 16, 2023-July 15, 2024. This insurance uses the two-month rainfall index intervals with coverage up to 90% of normal precipitation (similar to perennial forage insurance). Recorded webinar with info: https://go.unl.edu/3d57.
Japanese beetles: Adults emerge from grassy areas (lawns, pastures, road-side ditches for at least 4-6 weeks (last year was around 10). So, even if you treat, they can come back. Threshold is 30% defoliation on vegetative corn. Upon silking, the threshold is 3 or more beetles/ear with silks clipped to less than ½ inch and pollination is less than 50% complete. For soybeans the threshold upon reaching flowering is 20% defoliation (watch for pod clipping too). More info. on chemical options for crops at: https://go.unl.edu/osyi. The following are chemical options for landscapes/fruits/gardens: https://go.unl.edu/bke4. The hardest thing has been to tell people they can’t eat produce or fruit from using products that weren’t labeled for the plants they applied to. Crazy how many livestock and crop products were used in landscapes last year….please follow pesticide labels.
We know how uneven these corn fields are-even irrigated ones. Many labels specify no NIS between V8/V10 till Tassel. Even if applying ‘at tassel’, realize that not all plants in the field will be at tassel, so you run the risk of abnormal ear development with the wrong adjuvants/surfactants present. If disease/insect pressure doesn’t warrant an app, I prefer delaying till at least brown silk to apply products to help alleviate any potential risk. I tend to be called out to many field problems. Since I started talking about this, the number of calls with messed up ears due to wrong timing of application the past three years has dwindled significantly. So, just a consideration as we begin to see more tassels shooting.
Western Bean Cutworm: It’s recommended to start scouting when 25% of moth flight occurs based on a GDD model. Lincoln hit 25% on July 2nd, Grand Island July 6, Columbus July 7, York July 8th, Clay Center July 10th. Threshold is 5-8% egg masses/live larvae. You can learn more about the GDD prediction tool and predictions for your area at: https://go.unl.edu/438o.
JenREES 7/2/23
This week thinking about gratitude. In spite of difficulties, we’re truly so blessed! Grateful for freedom as we celebrate this 4th! Grateful for all the smiles I saw towards the end of last week from farmers/families who had received some rain…whether it was 0.20” or over 1” over the few days. I think many of us just needed to feel/see/smell how fresh everything is after it again! Grateful for whatever corn unrolled! It’s so hard for those who still keep missing rain with how spotty it is. The mental toll is real with the stress and exhaustion so many producers are experiencing. I also feel for those who live in parts of the State/other states who got such bad hail and wind…I know many of you can empathize with them too.
Last week there were those desperate for forage for livestock who decided to graze non-irrigated acres. I sent out an email mid-week about crop insurance and grazing info. Won’t share all that here; it’s in this article: https://go.unl.edu/dhi9. First talk with crop insurance before making any decisions on drought or other disaster-impacted acres. If those acres are used before talking with insurance, a ‘0’ could be assessed for your 2023 APH which stays with you for 10 years. Loss will be assessed via stand reductions (minimal loss) or the permanent wilt method. The permanent wilt method assesses plants firing, lower leaves crumble easily in one’s hands, leaves don’t unroll at night, and plants don’t respond to moisture. Farmers also may have the option to leave strips that will be assessed at harvest (like you did with last year’s hail) if you prefer that.
Grazing makes the most sense to me on these acres desired for forage. Check for any herbicide restrictions then check with crop insurance. If the corn is released for grazing, there will be nitrates. We aren’t as concerned about grazing corn higher in nitrates prior to ear development compared to if the grazing would occur after an ear was put on. Protein is higher when grazing corn in these vegetative stages. Don’t turn livestock out empty. Providing plenty of fresh water will help reduce nitrate risk. Cattle should self-adapt by eating the tops of plants first and then will be more adapted to eating the higher nitrate areas lower in the plant. Don’t strip graze; allow open access to the field to allow more time for cattle to self-adapt to the nitrates. You can consider supplementing hay, grain, or both. There’s thoughts a little grain may be beneficial to provide energy to offset nitrates. We’re all learning so please share your observations. Additional forage info. here: https://go.unl.edu/dhi9.
Last week I investigated any potential in non-irrigated corn to better determine when it was done. Photos at jenreesources.com. Corn that is silver/gray and never unrolled with the rain is obviously done. But I was also grateful to see how much corn did unroll when it looked so toasted last Wed.! While very short, some put on several stacked leaves. There’s also a lot of corn rolled again after minimal rain. As I dissected plants in fields throughout the York/Seward county area that were at least 10 leaf (whether these plants were around knee high or above waist high), I found the primary ears and saved them. Carefully dissecting them, I then put them under the microscope. In all fields I was finding 10-16 rows around! So, I was wrong! A few weeks ago I shared I didn’t think we’d have more than 4-8 rows around on these very stressed plants during that 5-8 leaf development time-frame. I’ve wrestled this week in sharing this as I didn’t know if it would provide encouragement or discouragement. We’ve got a long way to go with receiving adequate moisture to get to pollination, timing of pollen-shed/silking coinciding, etc. Yet, I also felt sharing could provide some hope and much-needed encouragement of some potential for those who got some rain and saw leaves unroll. Hopefully this info. does a little of the latter for you. For me, no matter what happens, with my faith, it gave me such an awe of the Creator in seeing these tiny kernels.
As tasseling approaches in irrigated fields, think through your decisions regarding costs. You’ve put a lot of money already into irrigation with a long season ahead. I’m always the outlier on this, but consider if/when you really need fungicide/insecticide apps instead of automatically applying. Delaying till needed buys you time with the residual. Also, please take at least 10 minutes a day to stop and take a break with positive activity to refresh one’s mind. Maybe even jot a few things down you’re grateful for each day? Sometimes stress can lead to unwise decisions-please take care of yourselves!
In case Japanese beetles explode this week, here’s a printable resource for homeowners in advance: https://go.unl.edu/bke4.
A tale of three corn plants from the same non-irrigated drought-stressed field that were rolled for well over 20 days. These are heights on me so much shorter for all you taller individuals!
JenREES 6/25/23
Crop Updates: Irrigated crops are moving along with corn approaching the late vegetative stages and many beans in beginning to full flowering. Spidermites in stressed fields; no point doing anything. Small grasshoppers and Japanese beetle adults starting to emerge…sorry everyone, I groaned too!
Soy Problems: Past 10 days received calls and texts from a large area regarding soybean often having yellowing to some extent, growing slowly, some with stacked internodes and some dying. Chem may not have broken down with the dry conditions from last year’s corn herbicides. Most situations had some type of Group 27 chemistry and yellowing of newer trifoliates and buds could be seen. In irrigated fields, the soybeans are growing out of it with water and time. In non-irrigated fields, the drought isn’t helping with plant metabolism and breakdown of herbicide.
Also, a number of reports of soybean plants dying. Work through each situation to determine if herbicide carryover, drought, seedling disease, other issues, or a combination of factors are the issue. Many times I’m seeing a combination of factors. Seeing some plants in non-irrigated situations have a red lesion on the stem with rotted roots, which can be an indication of Rhizoctonia root rot (disease that occurs with stress, particularly herbicide injury and drought). Some soybeans dying in irrigated situations were replanted beans that didn’t have a seed treatment fungicide on them and they have characteristic phytophthora root rot (dark lesion from soil line up and rotted roots), sometimes also in combination with herbicide carryover symptoms. Many have mentioned beans are short and not growing quickly. Dry conditions and often also Group 15 products can result in slowed growth as the beans are trying to metabolize those products. Most are aware of the heart-shape/club shape as normal to leaves of beans from metabolizing Group 15 products.
Crop Insurance Question: Several asked about gravity irrigated soybeans that are too small to ridge in gravity irrigated fields and pivot corners if they could just change the designation to non-irrigated beans. Another consideration, some wells are sucking air and they’re concerned about keeping pivots going. In talking with someone from crop insurance, he said that designations are based on whatever the intent at planting was and that can’t be changed. However, they are receiving the same questions and being unable to ridge beans can be an insurable cause of loss, so please talk with your crop insurance agent about your specific situation.
Irrigating Beans: Glad to see moisture has been pushed into the third foot in more corn fields. Typically we’d avoid irrigating soybean at flowering to avoid disease onset such as sudden death syndrome and white mold, but this year depends on your current soil moisture status, if it’s canopied or not (less favorable for disease if it isn’t yet), and the disease history of the particular field. If there’s no subsoil in bean fields with minimal canopy cover, I’ve been saying to irrigate deeply and less frequently during soybean flowering.
ET (Evaporation from the soil surface and Transpiration of water through the leaves) has been higher in our area this year. Factors that contribute to ET include humidity, temperature, wind, cloud cover. We’ve had low humidity (unusual for us-thus lack of rainfall), intense sun with minimal cloud cover, and a few days with some wind. Knowing ET helps one understand how the crop uses water to better schedule irrigations. UBBNRD sends out ET info. from the York 2W mesonet station; please let Terry Julesgard know if you’d like to receive it. Otherwise ET info. at: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/gdd-etdata.
Forage insurance webinar on June 29th at Noon. Info. at: https://go.unl.edu/k6s7.
Weed Science Field Day June 28th at South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center where a number of corn and soybean herbicide programs are showcased. Herbicide programs with planting green, interseeding cover crops also shown. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Reg. at 8:30 a.m.). RSVP: https://agronomy.unl.edu/fieldday
Graze Master Event June 28-29th in Seward County featuring tours of area producers’ operations and many speakers. Info. and RSVP: https://www.grazemastergroup.com/events.
Tomato leaves curling: Lots of reasons. Lower leaves curling often due to heat/water stress. Upper leaves curling could be virus, insects, or herbicide damage. Look at all plants in the garden. If only tomato plants impacted, and only certain ones with upper leaves, most likely a virus-remove those plants. If upper leaves curling due to growth regulator (2,4-D/dicamba) injury, I say remove any current fruit on the plants and just keep watering to dilute it in the plant. If new growth in several weeks looks normal, you can eat new fruit. More info. from Backyard Farmer video: https://youtu.be/gsaWvzghaYQ.
Please take care of yourselves! Recent webinar recording about stress: https://go.unl.edu/5oje Nebraska Rural Response Hotline: 1-800-464-0258.
JenRees 6/18/23
Drought: Several have asked about the yield potential of non-irrigated pivot corners if they were irrigated at this point. I don’t know if anyone really knows. This column reaches such a wide area. There’s part of the area I serve that I don’t think there’s any yield potential. For other places, my guess is ears wouldn’t be more than 4-8 rows around. I asked a plant breeder for his perspective. He shared it could be possible for 100-120 bu/ac with rain, depending on how long it had been rolled, and for corn further along (late vegetative stages). I’m seeing non-irrigated corn in most area drought-stressed fields are 4-7 leaf vs. 8-12 leaf in the pivot irrigated portion. The research I found says, from Emergence to 12 leaf corn, an estimated 1-3% yield loss occurs for each day after 4 consecutive days of stress. Some corn in the area has been rolled for nearly 18 days. Here’s some math for consideration if it can help (I’m going to use 20 days of stress). Let’s say you typically receive 180 bu/ac non-irrigated yield. 1% yield loss/day for 20 days would result in a loss of 36 bu/ac. A 2% yield loss/day for 20 days would result in a loss of 72 bu/ac and a 3% yield loss/day for 20 days would result in a loss of 108 bu/ac.
I’m honestly surprised that the drought-stressed corn is still gray-blue/green in color overall with only a few scattered plants firing now. I know it’s hard to see the corn dying. Each situation varies regarding well capacity and if there’s other wells to water corners, how long the corn has been stressed, etc. Overall, my suggestion has been to not divert water from pivots to save corners. For beans, they’re putting energy into deeper roots with less above-ground growth. These small beans will most likely flower shortly and yield loss will be from aborted flowers, pods, or death of plants if we don’t get rain.
Several have also commented on weed control difficulties with drought-stressed weeds. There’s two well-written articles in this week’s CropWatch https://cropwatch.unl.edu about drought-stressed weeds.
ET/GDD info: The CropWatch ET (evapotranspiration) info. is now available at: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/gdd-etdata.
2nd Cutting Alfalfa: Non-irrigated alfalfa fields are short (6-12”) with some blooming. Received a question regarding to cut or not. Dr. Bruce Anderson had shared in previous years that one needs to obtain at least 0.5 ton/acre in order to pay for harvesting costs. With higher hay prices and short forage, you can determine what’s best for your situation. Alfalfa that goes dormant will regrow when rains occur. By leaving it alone, the alfalfa will go dormant and eventually lose the leaves from the stems. If you hay or shred it, it may try to regrow, but with no moisture, it will also go dormant. There’s also potential to damage crowns from driving on extremely stressed alfalfa. If you can fence it and have water access, grazing full-bloomed alfalfa is also an option and is low-risk for bloat at that stage.
Lawn Watering: Lawns are really showing drought stress. 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.
Oak Leaf Tatters: Received calls in the Henderson/Bradshaw area about oak trees with leaves that looked like they’d been eaten; no insects were present. Several calls earlier in the year were regarding malformed oak leaves, primarily on young oak trees (1-5 years old). Oak leaf tatters is a condition characterized by Iowa State, where cold stress when tree leaves are emerging coupled with herbicide injury causes oak leaves to look deformed, tattered, or look like they’ve been eaten. I see problems every year with oak trees, primarily in lawns when ‘weed and feed’ products are applied when oak tree leaves are emerging. So, in the future, avoid those products in lawns during leaf emergence. There were also some late cold snaps that likely impacted oak trees when leaves were ready to emerge. There’s nothing to do other than to water to avoid drought stress. All the trees I looked at are developing new growth; they’ll look more ‘normal’ in 10-14 days. The cold snaps may have also impacted apple and other fruit tree varieties that were in the pink/white bud stage or already starting to bloom, thus why some trees don’t have fruit.
Please take care of yourselves! Rural Wellness website: https://ruralwellness.unl.edu/ and Nebraska Rural Response Hotline: 1-800-464-0258.
JenREES 6/11/23
Last week I heard the following repeated themes:
- What are we going to do with dryland crops/pivot corners/endrows?
- I just keep lying awake at nights trying to figure out how to feed livestock. I need to sell cows.
- I’m exhausted and it’s only early June.
- I have no idea how I should be irrigating right now.
- This may sound crazy, but I’m thinking…
For the majority of us, this is unchartered territory for making decisions and seeking to advise. Yes, we’ve had drought before. The extra significance with this year is the fact that, for the majority of us in our lifetimes, we haven’t experienced this lack of subsoil moisture. As I continue to probe fields, non-irrigated subsoil moisture doesn’t often go below 8-10” into the ground and irrigated subsoil moisture doesn’t often go below 20-24”. We all know this; we desperately needed this past weekend’s rains which too many in the area didn’t receive.
With every challenge is opportunity, and for me, the opportunity here is learning. I keep listening to stories from older generations or those out west. Even those out west who experience drought shared that they usually have some subsoil moisture and corn often gets to at least waist tall before dying. Corn dying at ankle to knee high for us is very hard to see.
Consider talking with others. There may not be ‘right’ answers, but instead, making the best decisions we can with the information we have right now. We’re learning together.
Several mentioned trying to keep some armor (residue/plants with roots) on the soil to protect pastures which means getting cattle off earlier in spite of forage being tight. The hardest conversations have been around selling cows because that’s a livelihood and people have built up genetics.
For irrigation, the comment many of us shared was trying to get moisture down into the profile for later in the season as water levels continue to decline and with low capacity wells. Steve Melvin and team wrote a CropWatch article that shares additional thoughts: https://go.unl.edu/80w2.
For non-irrigated crops, forage has been on my mind all year. Thus, why I wasn’t recommending full chem loads and side-dress nitrogen applications depending on the individual field situations. My thought has been these non-irrigated crops become opportunities for grazing where that’s applicable. There’s considerations first such as being released by crop insurance, waiting till the crops have died as today’s hybrids and varieties are more resilient than the past, and checking herbicide grazing restrictions (I have pics of those from the UNL Weed Guide on my blog). I’ve been talking to a lot of people about how to graze corn and soybeans or other options and will share in future weeks if we need to go there.
For those considering planting an annual forage species (sorghum or millet species) after non-irrigated corn and soybean (that died from drought), we need 4-6” of rain to germinate seeds and for some subsoil moisture as that profile would’ve been completely depleted from the previous crop. We may not have enough moisture till closer to August. In the meantime, would recommend checking herbicide plant-back restrictions and that you consider the opportunity for annual forage insurance. There’s upcoming workshops (Beatrice & Hastings on June 20) where you can learn more: https://go.unl.edu/ubyt.
By the end of last week, I realized I was doing a poor job of encouraging people and finding positives in situations. I needed a change in perspective. For me, I have nothing without my faith and renewing my hope in a much larger eternal perspective was necessary. It helped me to get away to a Christian concert festival with friends and family and to hear an encouraging sermon at church. What may help you may differ, but I’d encourage you to take some time to de-stress and seek encouragement through positive activities. Whether through your faith, spending time in nature, music, exercise, journaling, reading, woodworking, seeing friends, etc., be intentional to take time away with positive activities. Also rest. Brandy VanDeWalle also shared thoughts on drought’s impacts on people in her blog: https://vandewalleviews.com/2023/06/09/drought-impacts-on-people/.
JenREES 6/4/23
Drought discussions: Grateful for any rain that anyone received! It’s amazing how even a small amount of rain can lift moods. Drought isn’t a fun topic but sharing questions I’ve received the past few weeks.
I think part of the reason why irrigated ground in general also greatly lacks subsoil moisture is because we irrigated far later into the season than typical with the replant crops in addition to not getting precipitation for recharge. Our silt-loam soils can hold at least 2.2”/foot of moisture with around half of that (1.1”) readily available to the plants. Soil moisture sensors or probing fields can give you an idea what’s even available in the soil profile and provide the reality of how much we really need to recharge the profile at this point. Also, various colorations of yellow/purple/blue/gray corn are all indications of drought stress based on how long they continue to roll leaves or are struggling to transport water and nutrients. Some hybrids have more of a purpling tendency upon stress due to their genetics.
Drought stress during V5-V8 corn can impact rows around on the developing ear. Hard, dry surface ground can also impact brace root development. In soybeans, stress right now makes the plants shorter and roots deeper. Iowa State showed a chart that when corn is drought stressed for four consecutive days from V1-V12, an estimated yield reduction of 1-3% per day is possible.
I think the discussion more than yield right now is how long/if these non-irrigated crops will survive. Some are hoping they can survive long enough to obtain any type of forage. If we don’t get rain, things are looking pretty bleak past potentially next week.
So what to do? For those with poor stands I’ve been advising to wait and see if we get rains by the federal crop deadlines. I’ve been asked by some if crop insurance will require replanting poor stands. In talking this through with someone in crop insurance, it sounds like they’re also recommending people to wait for now and replant won’t be required if we don’t get rains, because we have no surface moisture to germinate anything. He said they have allowed for replant in parts of the state that had some good recent rains but it’s really a case by case basis with as spotty as the rains have been. Many are concerned about weed control going forward, especially after our palmer problem last year. Without rain, we can’t activate chemical on these non-irrigated fields, so I don’t have good answers right now. We’ll have to see what happens.
Thinking about POST- herbicides and weed control, I’m late in sharing this but had several conversations the past 10 days. Most with non-irrigated fields weren’t throwing the whole load out there but instead some type of contact herbicide to burn down weeds present and wait and see what happened with rain. This was due to concerns over not having rain to activate residual, keeping options open if the current crop is destroyed and a forage crop could be planted later in the year, and concern over small, stressed corn/soy having to deal with a large chem load. We recommend residual products receive at least 0.5-0.75” within 5-7 days of application to activate them. Sometimes we can still get some activation with certain products up to 14 days after application, but from what I’ve heard from chem reps and weed scientists, that’s the max we can hope for.
Re-sharing this webinar on drought assistance: https://go.unl.edu/r24y. I also added a key graphic to my blog that shows when the livestock forage disaster program kicks in. It’s based on the drought monitor and it’s all triggered by county, not where the “line” is drawn in counties between drought designations. Most of the counties in this area of the State have now triggered D4 so the program kicks in for a 4 month payment factor. When a county is in D4 for 4 weeks, the payment factor increases to 5 months. There are several programs within USDA drought assistance including helping with feed and water transportation costs and for those who’ve had to sell off livestock. The webinar does a good job going through the programs and answering questions. You can also contact your local Farm Service Agency office with questions.
Final thoughts, in spite of how weary people are of irrigating and the craziness of having to lay pipe just to get plants going, I think most still feel blessed if they have irrigation. The corn in irrigated fields changed from the ‘ugly duckling’ stage to the pretty green stage this week and corn likes the day/night temps we’ve had. We will keep praying for rain and it will come in time!
JenREES 5/28/23
This time of year, when flags start lining the streets in towns, it’s always such a beautiful site to me. I also like visiting different cemeteries to see the veteran’s memorials and the flag displays. On Sunday, the way the large number of flags were unfurled in the wind at the cemetery in Utica was breathtaking…to the point on HWY 34, the two cars in front of me and I all hit our brakes and drove by slowly to take it in. Scenes like that or a beautiful rendition of the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ will always get me. I’m so grateful God allowed me to be an American; I don’t know why He allowed the life I’ve had vs. others in the world, but I’m grateful. I’m grateful for the service members throughout history and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice so our Country could remain free. I’m grateful to their families for the sacrifices made, especially those left behind. In spite of everything going on in our Country and the world, and in spite of how differently people view freedom, we still are so blessed to live in this Country! So this Memorial Day, as we spend time with family and friends, as we remember and honor loved ones who have gone before us, may we also remember and be grateful for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, those families left behind, and may we keep praying for our Country and leaders, military members and their families.
Drought: One thing I was grateful for this week was, in general, the lack of high winds and high heat with as dry as it’s been. Heat and wind would make this situation even more difficult. I was also grateful the Drought Monitor acknowledged we needed to be moved into D4 and expanded the D3 area. These designations are important, particularly on the forage and livestock disaster assistance and insurance side. There’s many conversations that occur behind the scenes each week. Whenever I feel we can get a designation that better reflects our situation, I’m grateful. Special thank you to those who share info. on what you’re receiving for yields on alfalfa cuttings, pond, and pasture situations. Your input greatly helps me put together a better picture for those making decisions to consider. I share what I’m seeing but having specific info. from producers to share always helps. Others are welcome to share with me as well if you’d like!
USDA FSA with Nebraska Extension held a drought assistance programs webinar earlier this month. If you missed it and wanted to learn more, you can watch the recording here: https://go.unl.edu/r24y.
Regarding releasing of wheat for forage, several were also concerned about the potential for high nitrates. What Dr. Mary Drewnoski has observed through her research, demonstrations, and what we’ve seen with producer situations, is that yes, forages often test high in nitrates, but these immature small grains are also high in quality. She has found high quality and high energy help to off-set high nitrate danger. The following NebGuide walks through nitrate situations and considerations: https://go.unl.edu/bjdf.
Several also had conversations with me about pasture turnout. Some are turning out now/shortly with the goal of getting cattle off by mid to late-June. Others are hoping to graze/feed wheat or alfalfa first and then turn cattle out to pasture in June. Regardless, with short pastures, we need to think about pasture management too, even if we do get some rain. And, with pasture management comes thinking about potentially altering pasture leases.
Insects in Crops: Link to article on scouting emerging corn for insects: https://go.unl.edu/pg2c and light trap data for stations throughout the State: https://entomology.unl.edu/fldcrops/lightrap
Birch and other established trees: Trees that prefer moist soils, like some river birches, have branches that died down from the top. Sometimes only half the tree is leafed out. Young birch trees may be forgiving and recover if the dead is pruned out. As we think about established trees (birch or other species), lawn irrigation can be enough for established trees in our area in ‘average’ rainfall years. But with the drought stress, consider using soaker hoses and bark or wood chip mulches to help keep the root zones of trees cool and moist. When watering, moisten the soil 8 to 10 inches deep for trees (push a screwdriver in the ground to determine depth of moisture). Don’t overwater! Only apply 2-4” deep of bark mulch around trees and avoid placing mulch next to the tree trunk as that can create rotting of the trunk. Also don’t fertilize stressed trees.
JenResources 