Dry weather has already plagued some parts of the state. We do have some likely rains in the forecast, but for those who miss rain once again this weekend and are thinking about turning on the irrigators, included are some basic irrigation amounts for corn, soybeans and grain sorghum. Continue reading
Dry weather following sorghum planting is causing inadequate preemergence herbicide activation and thin stands, and I have gotten a number of calls requesting info on the recommended minimum stand in replant situations. Continue reading
With a substantial increase in sorghum acres, there are a lot of questions about managing insect pests. Sorghum will typically require more insect management then corn, especially in the Bt corn era. This means we are more likely to need one or more foliar insecticide applications. Below are some steps you should be thinking about for managing insects in grain sorghum. Continue reading
Over the last several years activation of PRE applied herbicides with timely rainfall has been more the rule than the exception in Tennessee. That is not the case for most of the state this year. The most common call in this regard the last several days have been on grain sorghum fields where the crop and the weeds have emerged together due to lack of an activating rain on the PRE applied herbicides. Continue reading
Tennessee farmers expect to harvest 28.3 million bushels of winter wheat during 2015 according to the Tennessee Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The expected crop for 2015 would be down 10 percent from the previous year. Farmers seeded 470,000 acres last fall with 410,000 acres to be harvested for grain. Based on crop conditions as of May 1 and assuming a normal growing season, farmers expect a yield of 69.0 bushels per acre, up 3.0 bushels from 2014. Continue reading at USDA TN NASS News release May 12, 2015.
May 12, 2015 – USDA World Supply and Demand Estimates
Corn
U.S. feed grain supplies for 2015/16 are projected to slightly exceed the record level of 2014/15 as larger beginning stocks more than offset lower expected production. Corn production is projected at 13.6 billion bushels, down 586 million from the record 2014/15 crop with a lower forecast area and yield. The U.S. corn yield is projected at 166.8 bushels per acre, down 4.2 bushels from the 2014/15 record based on a weather adjusted yield trend that assumes normal summer weather. Continue reading at Monthly Crop Outlook.
As anticipated the dry conditions that we experienced last week and that continue through today are not activating pre applied herbicides. Reports of Palmer amaranth already 1 to 2” tall with emerging crops appears to be common. How to proceed from here on weed management depends upon the crop as well as the herbicide tolerant trait in the crop. Continue reading
As reported by NASS on May 11, 2015
PLANTING PROGRESS MAKES HUGE STRIDES
Weather this past week brought producers great relief in the ability to get their crops in the ground. Corn planting surpassed the 5-year average while soybeans and cotton both made great planting progress. Producers continued to cut hay. There were 6.7 days suitable for field work last week. Continue reading at Crop Progress 5 11 15.