Agronomist Notes

I’ve had a number of discussions over the years with producers wondering if they should switch from conventional to a no-till, direct seeding system. The questions I usually face are, “What kind of air drill, toolbar and seed boots do I need?” The question that seldom comes up is, “How do I manage no-till differently to make it work on my farm?”

Have you ever driven by a field wondering what on earth went wrong, later to find out the poor fellow just switched to no-till? Do we conclude that no-till is a risky proposition? We conveniently forget the years when our canola didn’t geminate for three weeks while sitting in powder dry conventionally tilled soils.

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen in the transition phase from conventional farming to no-till is managing both systems the same way. Although, there are many things to be addressed before making the transition, I would like to provide you with information on nitrogen management under no-till systems and the subsequent change in nitrogen use efficiency.

Agronomy

Nitrogen Removal In No-Till

Nitrogen removalshows how much N is lost from the field when a given yield is taken. The portion remaining after harvest contains the balance of the N uptake. This organic N will be released slowly over time. However, early in the adoption of a no-till system, more nitrogen fertilizer will be needed because the nitrogen in the residue is not available until it decays, which happens more slowly when left on the soil surface. After 3 to 4 years of no-till, there will be a relatively continuous supply of nitrate from the decomposing residues. Then nitrogen fertilizer rates may be reduced if crop yields are not increasing.

Nitrogen Use Efficiency Will Increase

Fertilizer nitrogen usage will probably increase while converting to no-till due to two phenomena: 1) increased yields from better moisture use efficiency, and 2) slower release of nitrogen from the crop residues left on the soil surface. By leaving the crop residue on the soil surface, organic matter level will stop declining and will soon show an increase. It takes nitrogen to do this. Also by leaving residue on the surface, more water is saved to enhance crop yields.

Full Article: http://www.notill.org/leading_edge/nitrogen_plant_nutrient_%20p178-184.pdf

No-Till Increases Fertilizer Use Efficiency

While crop yields often trend higher with long-term no-till, especially if good rotations are used, the efficiency of fertilization also improves. In other words, it takes fewer units of applied N fertilizer to make a unit of grain for harvest.

Spring Wheat, 2002

Treatment	N Rate	Yield	Protein	Net
	(kg/ha)	(bu/a)	(%)	($/a)
20+ yr No-Till	0	42.6	13.3	55.02
	30	44.8	13.7	61.86
	60	49.1	14	76.62
	90	51.5	14.2	83.51
	120	49.8	14.4	72.94
1 yr No-Till	0	26.2	10.9	-26.76
	30	32.9	11	-9.3
	60	40.2	11.6	12.39
	90	47.9	12.3	39.39
	120	47.7	13.1	42.82

Table 2. In canola stubble. Part of a longer study being conducted by Guy Lafond, a scientist with Agri-Food Canada at Indian Head, Sask. The ’03 to ’05 data are similar, Lafond says, although not yet published. Note that the optimum N rate in the short-term no-till was only half as profitable as the optimum rate in the long-term no-till. Economic returns included protein premiums, and used the then prevailing prices in Canada, such as $0.27/unit for N. Source: Lafond, 2005.

This might be surprising, since something must feed the organic matter accumulation. However, losses from the system (erosion, denitrification, runoff, leaching, etc.) can be decreased sufficiently in well-managed long-term no-till such that N requirements can be less. This efficiency is highly dependent on crop sequence, crop species, method & timing of N application, etc. Improved root exploration of the soil, mycorrhizal activity, and free-living N-fixing bacteria could also account for some of the enhanced N-efficiency.

Full Article: http://www.notill.org/leading_edge/LE%204-3%20Web%20p264-267.pdf

New Innovations in Nitrogen Fertilizer

Some new products are being developed to increase N fertilizer efficiency. These N fertilizers are more costly but the technology allows for better N efficiency. For those producers with soils that have trouble holding N, or are growing crops that are quite sensitive to N fertilization timing, the products may have high value. Some of the new products are discussed so you have some idea if they fit a scenario.

Polymer-coated urea is being developed to control release of urea from the coated granule. As the temperature increases, the permeability of the polymer increases to release a greater amount of urea. Crop growth increases with rising temperature, so the release of the urea coincides with growth. The technology is most suited to sandy soils susceptible to leaching and/or soils that are wet or waterlogged early in the growing season of the crop. ESN SmartNitrogen produced by Agrium is a polymer- coated urea product available currently. Another PCU product being introduced to the market is Nitamin by Royster-Clark.

Agrotain is a urease inhibitor that can be added to urea or UAN solution. It inactivates the urease enzyme and does not affect soil microorganisms, earthworms, or other soil life. Agrotain could be used where urea or UAN solution must be broadcast over crop residues.

N-Serve is a nitrification inhibitor that has been used for years with anhydrous ammonia to slow conversion of ammonium to nitrate. Ammonium is a cation (positively charged ion) that is held on the cation exchange complex. Ammonium does not leach, but nitrate does. By keeping the N fertilizer in the ammonium form longer, less nitrate leaching occurs. Therefore, the nitrification inhibitor improves N-use efficiency and reduces potential nitrate movement to the groundwater.

Final Thoughts

The key to the successful management of nitrogen under no-till systems is to approach the transition asking the right question. How do I manage nitrogen differently under a no-till system? The majority of research compares conventional tillage using cultivation as a primary tillage source. However, if the only tillage being applied is through a fall NH3 application using ¾ inch knives with minimal disturbance, the nitrogen changes will not be as drastic as the research suggests.

Market News

Wheat – The monthly cycle in the wheat market is in its down phase

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Wheat prices continue to remain choppy as spring (important U.S. growing season) approaches. Also, the market will watch to see how many wheat acres are tilled up in favor of planting corn. The market should have a better handle on weather and plantings at the end of March.

Daily Hard Red Spring Wheat

In the short term, look for prices to continue to be choppy. Overall the long-term outlook for wheat is negative, but with global grain inventories at a low of 57 days of use, just one day above the record low level of the early 1970's, the likelihood of a price collapse is distant. In fact, the rising demand for grains in the world will likely see global grain ending stocks fall to new record low levels, supporting prices.

Canola Outlook Bullish Long Term; Near Term Unclear

While the longer term outlook for canola remains positive, the short and intermediate term are more clouded, Ken Ball, a broker with Union Securities in Winnipeg, said. Through March, the market outlook is neutral as it awaits the March 31 U.S. Department of Agriculture planting report. Ball felt that the market would be choppy and range-bound facing the acreage uncertainties. For the more intermediate term, Ball felt that, unless there were "surprises" in the acreage report, the market would be volatile. "Of course we will get a few weather scares that will bring volatility into the market, but the potential exists for the market to sag during the growing season," he said.

Full story: http://www.agriculture.com/ag/futuresource/FutureSourceStoryIndex.jhtml?storyType=grain&storyId=84600655

Hedging Barley with Options

Global grain and oilseed markets have been evolving at a rapid rate over the last few years, says the monthly Informa article posted on the WCE website.

The development of the biofuels industry, production problems in various regions and changes to government support policies have all had an impact on these markets.

On a Western Canadian level, the possibility of moving to a dual market in barley has many users and producers wondering what actions they might have to take in order to properly market their barley in the future.

Informa has posted a brief look at a potential marketing strategy that both producers and end users of barley can use to reduce market related risk using options offered by the WCE. This strategy could be used regardless of whether or not there is a dual marketing system in place for barley.

To read the article: http://www.wce.ca/WebContent.aspx?Web_Content_Id=551

Quick Ethanol Facts Update - DTN Update Conference Call

• As of February 22, 2007 the US has produced 5.6 billion gallons of ethanol.
• The US has the potential to produce 32.1 billion gallons this year if all 300 plants are up and running.
• There were 120 ethanol plants in operation as of Feb 27, 2007.
• There are 77 ethanol plants under construction.
• There are 300 ethanol plants in the planning stages.
• Investors are starting to pull funding from plants under heavy debt load.
• Majority of investment is coming from the Agriculture and Petroleum Industry as well as General Investors
• The biggest challenge is transportation and logistics.
• The net profit in September was $0.71 per gallon and in January was $0.24 per gallon.

Canada Pulse & Special Crops Outlook

Average prices, over all types, grades and markets, are forecast to increase for dry peas, lentils, dry beans, chickpeas, mustard seed, canary seed and sunflower seed, and be stable for buckwheat. The main factors to watch are weather conditions, especially precipitation, during the growing and harvest periods in Canada. Other factors to watch are the exchange rates of the Canadian dollar against the US dollar and other currencies, ocean shipping rates and growing conditions in major producing regions, especially India, Pakistan, Mexico, United States, European Union, Turkey and Australia.

Canada Grains & Oilseeds Outlook

For 2007-08, areas seeded to canola, durum, barley, corn and oats will increase in 2007.

World and Canadian wheat prices are expected to increase, despite a return to normal growing conditions in the US and Australia. World and Canadian prices for corn and oilseeds are expected to increase on support from the growing biofuel sector in the United States (US) and the European Union (EU). Canadian barley prices are expected to decrease due to significantly higher barley production in Canada and Australia.

The main factors to watch are: the condition of the US winter wheat crop, weather conditions, especially precipitation, during the seeding and growing periods in Canada, petroleum prices, exchange rates, and growing conditions in the major importing and exporting countries.

If there is room.

USDA Monthly World Weather Highlights

Weather highlights for the eleven of the major crop producing countries in the world.

Full article: http://www.agweb.com/get_article.aspx?pageid=134841&src=weathernews