Tomorrow, 24 April 2012, we will start our corn planting activity.  Soil temperatures at 4 inch depth were 46° F at 8:00 am.  The minimum overnight air temperature recorded was 34° F at the Agronology 10 Research Center.  Remember to plant your corn 2 to 2.25 inch depth and plant soybeans at 1 to 1.5 inch depth.  Have a safe and productive 2012.

                                              

I have been in the field this week planting the 800 stakes necessary to lay out the Agronology 10 Research Center.  Some observations from my time in the field this week:

1. 
    Soil temperatures have varied dramatically.  At the 4 inch depth at 8:00 a.m., soil temperature on corn ground on 11 April was 41° F while 13 April soil temperature was 50° F.  This great diversity in soil temperatures is caused by the lack of soil moisture in the upper soil profile.
2. 
   I am seeing alfalfa fields that are very uneven in growth and color.  The dry weather with the early season growth is creating sulfur deficiencies.  The best solution is to add 10 lbs. sulfur per acre after the 1^st harvest.  The first harvest could be significantly earlier than past years.     

                                                              

    The 23 March 2012 issue of the Kiplinger Agricultural Letter reports some interesting facts concerning current China:

 

1. 
    China produces 60% of the world’s pigs.
2. 
   The cost of pork production is 86% higher than U.S. cost.
3. 
   Corn in China is 57% more expensive than U.S. corn.

It is being reported that the current average soybean production per acre in China is 50% of the U.S. production levels.                                                           

                                                          

 

Activity at the Liqui-Grow Agronology 10 Research Center on 29 March 2012 included the application of our early spring dribble nitrogen and the application of our pre-plant herbicides for both corn and soybeans.  We added 35 oz./A of Instinct to our dribbled 86 and 136 lbs. N/A applications since we have been having these warm temperatures lately.  Soil temperatures were measured at 48° F and 50° F for the corn ground and soybean ground at 4 inch depth at 9:10 am.  Overnight, we received .4 inch of rain.

                                                    

 

On 21 March 2012, the 1^st day of spring, the Mississippi River temperature was reported at 61º F.  Generally in early spring, the river temperatures will be close to the morning 4-inch depth soil temperature.  For your consideration, I have included the data in Table 1 which reflects the average last 32º F temperature in the spring based on 1971–2000 NOAA data.

 
Table 1          Last 32º F Temperature in the Spring for Iowa____

                       
County                                                Date
Franklin                                             1 May
Tama                                                 28 April
Scott                                                  22 April
Washington                                     19 April
Henry                                                 16 April
______________________________________________________
                                                                                                              Source:  NOAA

 

 

Table 2 gives you a general guide for starting corn planting.  Normally, it is important to know your bare 4-inch depth soil temperature in the morning and the short-term weather forecast for the next 2 to 4 days after planting.  But, your soil conditions need to be right. 

 

 
Table 2         Suggested Planting Date For Iowa______________

 

                                                                                        Planting Dates________ __

 
                        County                                  Normal                      Earliest Practical

 
                        Franklin                                 25 April                      20 April
                        Scott                                      20 April                      15 April
                        Washington                         15 April                      10 April
                        ______________________________________________________

 

Reviewing data from Illinois for the two southern most districts, and having a 3 out of 4 year probability of the last 32º F frost, April 2 and April 3 were reported as the date for that last spring frost.

 

Today, I would direct my planting activities to seeding alfalfa and sowing grass waterways.

                                                  

 

 

A post application of a fungicide and an insecticide on soybeans can be worthwhile.  The application needs to be made at the R3 growth stage for the soybeans.  Our data, Table 1, for the two years, 2009 and 2011, demonstrate an approximate $10.00 per acre net increase for the management decision to spray.

Table 1          Fungicide and Insecticide on 2009 and 2011 Soybeans___________
                     Post Treatment*_____________                           Yield (Bu/A)________
   Fungicide__                      Insecticide__                              2009              2011

Quadris @ 8 oz/A        Warrior II @ 1.6 oz/A                           54.9               76.0
      None                                   None                                          53.0               70.1_______

*At R3 Growth Stage                                      Source:  Twin State, Inc.

                                                                                                Agronology 10 Research Center

                                                                                                Walcott, IA  

The R3 growth stage for soybeans is when the pod is 3/16 inch long at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed trifoliolate leaf node.

                                                          

Why should you rush to plant your 2012 soybeans early?  According to Dr. James Specht, a University of Nebraska researcher, the following list is why you should plant soybeans early:

1. 
    To capture more seasonally available solar radiation (sunlight)
2. 
   To transpire a greater fraction of the seasonally available water
3. 
   More nodes – after V_1, a new node develops every 3.7 days

These three factors (1-3) give to us the opportunity to increase soybean yields for no additional out-of-pocket expense.

                                                    

The Iowa State University current optimum soybean planting recommendation for the southern 2/3 of Iowa is the last week of April and first week of May for the northern 1/3 of Iowa.  Purdue researchers also indicate that a 3-day delay in planting will cause a 1-day delay at harvest.  At our Agronology 10 Research Center in Walcott, we have planted our soybean on average the 26^th of April for the time period 2001 thru 2011.  These soybeans have had an average yield of 65.7 Bu/A.  

 

In your soybean seed selection process, “yield” is still number one.  But, in 1989 I experienced a 21 Bu/A yield difference between a susceptible and moderately resistant variety for Brown Stem Rot at the Agronology 10 Research Center.  Risk management is an extremely strong second factor.  This means we need to match known history of diseases within a field to a high yielding disease resistant variety.  We need to select varieties with good resistance or tolerance to our major diseases.  A list of criteria should be made up for the following in each field:

1. 
    Soybean cyst nematodes (SCN)
2. 
   Sudden death syndrome (SDS)
3. 
   Brown stem rot (BSR)
4. 
   Phytophthora root and stem rot (PRR)
5. 
   Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC)

Remember, defensive traits in your soybean selection process are an insurance policy for yield.                                

                                             

For many of our soybean producers, a hope and prayer is the extent of their management efforts for their soybean crop.  I would suggest we continue to pray for our crop, but add a more comprehensive approach to dealing with our soybean management needs.  My list of management needs for soybeans include:

1. 
   Plant early
2. 
   Select defensive traits in your variety selection process
3. 
   Fertilize soybean the preceding fall (strip band)
4. 
   Use a seed treatment and possibly an insecticide on the seed
5. 
   Control plant diseases and insects throughout the plant life
6. 
   Utilize narrow rows
7. 
   Rotate crops