Irrigation equipment is running non-stop as water use really ramps up for corn and soybeans. I am including approximate amounts to water each week for post silking corn and beans that are entering the reproductive stages. Continue reading
With the continuing dry weather, I have had more inquiries about the use of Aflaguard as an aflatoxin preventative. Aflatoxin is more likely to develop in fields with a history of the disease where conditions are hot and dry at silking. Planting early, good fertility and using Bt hybrids to reduce insect stress on the crop can help reduce the chances for developing the disease. Unfortunately, this year planting early has not guaranteed us good moisture and temperatures are already running high for May so there is real concern among grain producers.
Irrigation information is provided in this article for corn, including amounts to apply during the reproductive stages. Typically, corn will produce tassels about 60 days after emergence and it takes about 60 more days to go from silking to black layer or physiological maturity. Water needs increase dramatically through the grain fill period and taper off closer to black layer. Continue reading
Dry weather forced most producers to temporarily quit planting soybeans last week and into this week with planting resuming in limited areas that received rains this weekend. We are about 25% planted at this point but without enough moisture to get seedlings out the ground in many parts of the state, seeds are better off in the bag. Stands have been uniform and look good for beans planted in late April and the first few days in May but some folks that pushed it on moisture are going to have mixed results with partially emerged stands that will need to get some rain to finish the job. Beans that are Continue reading
Some fields that missed showers for the ‘nth’ time this spring are dry without a doubt. The bigger corn is trying to twist during the warmest parts of the day and overall color is more variable even where side dress nitrogen has been applied. Continue reading
What started out as a decent chance of rain today (Thursday) is quickly turning into isolated pop-up showers for a lucky few for most of the state except east Tennessee. The good news is our crop is young, water needs are low, and I think our corn and bean crops are in decent shape water-wise. But, as temperatures warm up and plants begin to grow, more water will be needed to support plant growth. Our earliest planted corn is at or near V-6 and some irrigation may be needed where Continue reading
With corn out of the ground, one of our next steps is to get layby nitrogen on the crop. Nitrogen seems to be in good supply but price has gone up on urea, and delivery for some sources has been a little slow due to heavy demand around the U.S. Some things to consider with nitrogen are rate and timing of material and the value of a stabilizer material. Continue reading
What an unusual spring- but in a good way this time! Several growers are reporting being 100% completed with corn planting (and gearing up to plant a few soybeans) or much farther along than is typical for us by mid-April. As of April 9 we were about 46% planted for the state compared to a 5-year average of 15%. Corn planted in mid to late March was out of the ground in one week. Corn planted a week later is emerging more slowly due to more cloudy and cool weather but stands generally look good and color is pretty good. If you have checked any fields today (friday) we can see some leaf damage to small corn from light frosts reported 2 nights this week around the state. Injury is sporadic (low spots, exposed hills) and some fields have no visible injury at all. I think with temperatures close to freezing but not really much below freezing, we missed the worst effects of a hard freeze. The growing point for corn is still below ground and light frost injury should not cause any effect on yields.