Soybeans and wheat were up; cotton was down; and corn was mixed for the week. This past week planting conditions have been excellent throughout most of the Mid-south and Corn Belt states. While this is good news for producers, it is important to remember that planting progress is largely uncorrelated with final yields. Weather moving forward will have the ultimate say in determining final 2015 yields. Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.
There are about 1000 North American species and most larvae in this family are slender, hard-bodied and shiny, which is how they got the name “wireworms”. Many are found in the soil where they feed on newly planted seeds and roots of plants, including some important crops such as corn, cereals, cotton, beans, and potatoes. Continue reading
That’s kind of a dramatic title, but it is true that thrips are always present on seedling cotton at some level. We’ve finally have some cotton getting out of the ground. It is almost a given that this cotton was treated with imidacloprid (e.g., Gaucho, Aeris, Acceleron FI). Thiamethoxam-based seed treatments such as Cruiser or Avicta are no longer recommended in cotton because Continue reading
Corn, soybean, cotton and grain sorghum are all being planted as fast as possible. In typical Tennessee weather tradition, we have gone from too wet to too dry in a very short period of time. The rain forecasted for this week did not appear and the best chance for rain will likely be early next week. There is no doubt we will need that rain!
There have been a lot of herbicides applied PRE and many of them will sit a good 10 to 20 days before our next best chance to get a rain to activate them. A common question has been “how long can those herbicides wait before a rain?” Continue reading
As reported by NASS on May 4, 2015
DRIER CONDITIONS ALLOW FARMERS BACK INTO FIELDS
A mostly rain-free week allowed fields to dry out to the point that field work could resume all across the state. Corn farmers made great strides in planting and some early crop soybeans were also planted. Hay producers began the first cutting of hay. Continue reading at Crop Progress 5 4 15.
As the rain in the forecast has diminished so has the risk for Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) in Tennessee wheat. Continue reading
Cotton was up; corn was down; and Soybeans and wheat were mixed for the week. This week, December 2015 corn futures established new lows for 2015. The December 2015 corn contract low was $3.64/bu set back on Oct 1, 2014. Despite strong export sales this week, USDA estimated corn exports still lag behind the needed pace to meet their marketing year estimates. Reduced export sales could push 2014-15 marketing year ending stocks close to 2 billion bushels (currently estimated at 1.8 billion) and continue to provide downward price pressure. Corn planting progress is a story of two regions. Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.
Ryegrass surviving glyphosate burndown continues to be a common call the last few days. Continue reading