Agronomist Notes

Snow anyone? How about 6 inches plus an inch or two of rain?  To date, we’ve had at least five inches of rain at the farm and some areas recording up to eight. Yield potential is decent if we can get the crop off! Mitch and I finished seeding last Tuesday and by Friday it was raining. Good timing- any mistakes we made have been washed away.

The biggest news to date is the $2 to $3 per acre drop in price for wild oat herbicides like Simplicity, Velocity, Achieve Liquid and Puma Advance. Competition for market share is fierce and this time we’re on the winning side. I suspect we wouldn’t see the same price drop if wheat were still $6.00 a bushel and $10 canola.

In this week’s newsletter, we’ll discuss an interesting observation on a topic I’ve dubbed “mega-early seeding”. Next, with herbicide season quickly approaching, we’ll look at applying half rates of fungicides with our herbicide. We’ll also look at how to measure plant stand densities properly to help you fine tune your seeding rates. Last, I’ve provided a graminicide tank mix instruction sheet to help simplify herbicide tank mixing this year. We’ll finish with fundamental and technical grain market news.  

Pictured above: JD 1870 drill pulled by a JD 9360T at Starland Colony, near Morrin, AB, May 16, 2010.

Crop Staging (Calgary to Drumheller to Three Hills)

Seeded	April 23-31	May 1-7	May 8-15
Wheat	4 leaf 1 tiller	3 leaf	2 leaf
Canola	3 leaf	2 leaf	1 leaf
Barley	4 leaf 1 tiller	3 leaf 1 tiller	2 leaf
Peas	5th node	4th node	3th node

Steve’s tips of the week

• Do not spray herbicides like Odyssey, Viper or Solo during cold weather as their effectiveness is dramatically reduced. Wait for temperatures to warm at least to 15 degrees before you spray.
• For those of you in the wetter areas, start securing fungicide now. Disease risk is high.
• Monitor volunteer canola in wheat and barley fields. It can get out of control fast with warm temperatures.
• Monitor for wireworm, cutworm and flea beetle damage.
• Be sure to measure plant stand densities when weed scouting.

Agronomy

Weighing the risks of early seeded barley

Every year some producers try to push the envelope by seeding earlier than they did the year before. This spring, I remember hearing of a farm that was seeding in late-March. We all thought they were crazy but I think it makes for good conversation so let’s discuss “mega-early seeding”.

I visited this barley field yesterday. It was seeded March 22nd. Recent frosts have severely damaged the leaf tissue and will delay maturity as it tries to recuperate. I pulled a plant to check for staging: the one pictured is five-leaf, one tiller and popping a sixth leaf. This plant has completed the reproduction phase (tillering) and entered the stem elongation phase. Unfortunately, it will no longer produce tillers to compensate for the frost damage. The number of heads and yield has been set.

When you plant in late-March or early-April, you increase the risk of seedlings having to cope with cold soil temperature stress and numerous frosts. The stressful environment can lead to a reduction in tillering. You can, however, manage a reduction in tillering by planting at a higher density or seeding rate where you would aim for 30 plants/ft2 instead of 24. The higher seeding rate will produce more main stems and offset the reduction in tillers.

The downside to seeding mega-early is that maturity gains are minimal. Barley seeded April 20th is four-leaf one tiller, which is only ten days behind the crop seeded a month earlier. If we have another hard frost, the late-April seeded barley will have a greater yield advantage over the already weakened late-March seeded barley.

In the end, mega-early seeding may put the first 10% to 20% of your seeded acreage at risk but it could generate higher yields on the last 20% of your farm that gets seeded early. What we do know from bold producers like the ones seeding in late- March is that barley can tolerate a great deal of frost and cool soil temperatures, you just have to manage the risk accordingly. Use a seed treatment, provide optimal nutrition, and seed heavy for plant stand densities of 30 plants ft2. If you have trouble getting all your acres in by the second week of May, perhaps some mega-early seeding might be worth the risk. SL

Should I apply a fungicide at herbicide timing?

With the recent wet weather and cool temperatures some producers might be thinking about adding a half rate of fungicide with their herbicide this spring. I suspect we’ll see quite a bit of tan spot and septoria in wheat and scald and net blotch in barley early this year with the recent cool, wet conditions. There has been very little research done on half rates at herbicide timing but I’ve added a checklist here to help you decide whether a fungicide is warranted at this time.

To begin, only the top three leaves in barley and top two leaves in wheat contribute to grain fill. Applying a protectant or systemic fungicide like Tilt (propaconizole) or Stratego (propaconizole + tryfloxystrobin) at herbicide timing only protects the bottom leaves which don’t contribute to grain fill. It could be argued that under severe disease potential a half rate at herbicide timing may suppress the disease to buy you time until a flag leaf application is made.

An early fungicide application may be warranted if:

• The crop was planted into infested cereal stubble (ie. wheat on wheat stubble);
• The crop has a very dense and moist canopy due to tight row spacing (ie. reduced air flow);
• Lesions are observed on the newest leaf growth;
• The lesions are caused by stripe or leaf rust;
• The crop is of high value.

* If you answer “yes” to at least 3 of these items, then there may be an economic advantage to applying fungicide at the seedling stage.
 
Cereals in the seedling and vegetative stages are most susceptible to leaf spots because they are located close to the ground where conditions are more humid and closer to the disease inoculum from infected residue. This is why the most early and severe symptoms are seen in cereal crops planted into the same type of cereal stubble.
 
Before you go spending the $3.00 to $3.50 an acre for a half rate of fungicide, be sure to measure the risk. The chances are with this weather pattern, the risk for disease in cereals will be high. Save your money now and plan to apply a fungicide at the right time, which is at flag leaf. Throwing in a half rate fungicide at herbicide timing for insurance is uneconomical. Remember, the top two leaves in wheat and top three leaves in barley is what you want to protect. Go through the checklist and be wise about your investments. SL

Links to fungicide information:

Fungicide/ Insecticide Selector http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app100/loadMain
Managing Cereal Leaf Diseases http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/diseases/fac43s00.html
Cereal Leaf Diseases –FAQs http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/faq6905?opendocument 
Crops- Disease http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=65976d1a-8c66-4510-a96d-874a2b2b47a6
Pest Management Research Report http://www.cps-scp.ca/Pest_Mangement-reports.shtml
Plant Disease Management Report http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/pub/trial/pdmr/
How fungicides work http://www.apsnet.org/education/introplantpath/topics/fungicides/default.htm

How to measure plant stand density

Now is the time to begin scouting for weeds and the best time to count crop emergence and measure plant stand density. As we know, measuring plant stand densities allows us to fine tune our seeding rates to achieve optimum yield and maturity. The best crop stage to measure plant stand density in peas is at the first node stage, cereals at the two to three leaf stage and one to three leaf stage in canola. In canola you may want to measure plant densities over a number of weeks to watch for any lag in emergence patterns. Seed to soil contact and stranded canola outside the furrow is a common problem that usually goes unnoticed if measured only once.

To begin counting plant densities I like to measure three feet of row to get a decent plant count and then divide that number by three for an average for one foot of row. As we know, air drills do a poor job of spacing seed evenly throughout each row. Counting just one foot of row could leave you with an inaccurate plant stand density count. For example, the picture on the right displays eleven seeds crammed into a six inch space and then a gap for three inches on the left. Your plant counts could be skewed if your foot of row fell into the higher plant density area. That is why it is important to count three feet of row first and then divide by three to give you a decent average.

Plants per square foot = Number of plants per 3 ft ÷ 3 ft ÷ row spacing (inches) x 12

To do an example, if the average wheat count was 64 plants per three feet of row and the row spacing was ten inches, then the average plant population would be 25.6 plants per square foot - just on the low range of target plant stands for spring wheat.

I suggest you do plant counts on at least four to five areas of the field to give you a solid average. Document the soil moisture, crop rotation, soil tilth and textures to help you decide why you did or did not reach your target. From there, if you measured five or ten percent below or above your target density, you can now make informed decisions about which way to adjust your seeding rate for next year. After two or three years you’ll start to see a pattern on certain fields and with certain crop rotations. Remember, measuring plant densities is the first step towards achieving the optimum plant stand density required on your farm. Throw away industry averages and recommendations. Find out how far you can push your own seeding rates to achieve the maturity and yield you want. SL

Quick Reference - Graminicides Mixing Instructions

Each year the list of wild oat herbicides gets longer and so do the product mixing orders. I’ve compiled a list you can print off and keep in the water truck or cab to help you mix in the right order this spring.

Achieve Liquid                                          
1. Add ammonium sulphate (for hard water)
2. Add Achieve Liquid
3. Add broadleaf herbicide
4. Add Turbocharge

Adrenalin
1. Add Adrenalin SC
2. Add surfactant (not included in package)

Altitude FX
1. Add AC 299, 263
2. Add Starane and MCPA Ester 600
3. Add surfactant (not included in package)

Assert 300 – mixing with Refine Extra, Express pack or Unity 75 WG
1. Add Refine Extra, Express Pack, Unity 75WG
2. Add spray water pH adjuster
3. Add Assert

Assert 300
1. Add pH adjuster
2. Add Assert
3. Add broadleaf herbicide component

Axial
1. Add broadleaf herbicide
2. Add Axial 100EC
3. Add Adigor surfactant

Avenge
1. Add broadleaf herbicide
2. Add Avenge 200-C

Baseline
1. Add Achieve Liquid
2. Add MCPA Ester or 2,4-D Ester
3. Add Turbocharge

Broadband
1. Add broadleaf herbicide
2. Add Broadband
3. Add Adigor surfactant

Everest
1. Add Everest 70 WDG
2. Add broadleaf herbicide
3. Add surfactant if necessary with tank mix

Harmony K
1. Add Refine Extra
2. Add Banvel II
3. Add Horizon
3. Add Score

Harmony Total/ Harmony SG
1. Add Refine Extra
2. Add Horizon
3. Add Score

Horizon NG
1. Add broadleaf herbicide
2. Add Horizon
3. Add Score

Horizon BTM
1. Add Mextrol 450
2. Add Horizon 240EC
3. Add Score

Puma Advance
1. Add broadleaf herbicide
2. Add Puma Advance

Puma Super
1. Add broadleaf herbicide
2. Add Puma Super

Simplicity
1. Add Simplicity
2. Add broadleaf herbicide
3. Add surfactant if necessary with tank mix

Sundance
1. Add pH balancer
2. Add Sundance granules
3. Add broadleaf herbicide
4. Add Merge

Velocity m3
1. Add Velocity
2. Add Velocity 2