Agronomist Notes

It’s May 12th and many producers are now half to two-thirds finished seeding. The majority of wheat and peas are in with the tail end of canola to complete and the feed barley to start. Soil conditions have improved since last week with an inch of rain falling in some areas. Many producers were shut down for several days due to rain delays, but were happy for the moisture. At home, Mitch and I are 50% complete with the last of the wheat to finish today and hopefully the canola by Wednesday. The weather looks cool with spotty showers, so aside from rain delays, I would say most producers will finish seeding by the end of this week or early next week. 

With May 15th approaching quickly, the date I like to see seeding completed, I don’t think there’ll be much difference in maturity between seeding dates. There have been buds on the trees for weeks and we haven’t sprung any leaves yet. Soil temperatures have been hovering around 8 degrees Celsius which has reduced the speed of emergence significantly. Like the buds on the trees waiting to spring a new leaf, the crops will germinate and set root but take their time to emerge.  

In this week’s issue we’ll look at a how late seeding reduces yield and the importance of seeding depth and starter phosphorus. We’ll discuss increasing your wheat seeding rates to boost maturity if you find yourself seeding past May 15th. I’ll briefly discuss the seeding depth variability I’ve found this year and why it’s significant and I’ll provide some interesting research that claims glyphosate is harmful to soil microbes. Also, I’ll give you an update on the trials I’m working with this year. Bruce Love will give us an update on the developing carbon market in Saskatchewan. Finally, we’ll look at fundamental and technical grain market news along with international crop weather news. Have a great week. SL

Pictured above is Starland Colony, Morrin AB, applying pre-burn with a JD 4930, May 7, 2009.

Agronomy

Late seeding, seeding depth and the importance of phosphorus

In many areas across Western Canada, if seeding is delayed past May 15 we can expect a 1% reduction in yield for each day planting is delayed. Some farmers will say you lose a bushel per day after May 15. The main factor contributing to yield reduction after delayed seeding is the potential for higher temperatures during the 4 to 5 leaf stage, the growth stage when the number of kernels per head is determined. The number of kernels per head decreases whenever the maximum day temperatures climb above 17 degrees C during this specific growth stage, which is usually during the second week of June.

Understanding the risk to kernel production, I try to do everything possible to get our crops out of the ground as quickly as possible. This is why I pay close attention to seeding depth, starter fertilizer and soil temperature. Seeding wheat and barley below 1.5 inches with very little starter fertilizer is a killer, especially when soil temps are below 8 degrees C. You add in the 30/70 rule where 30 percent of the fertilizer blend goes with the seed, and you effectively apply next to no starter phosphorus with the seed.

Bottom line, if soil temps are below 8 degrees Celsius, you’re going to want to seed as shallow as you can without leaving seeds in the dust. With the conditions so far this spring, those of you who apply all of your starter phosphorus and potassium fertilizer with the seed on wheat and barley will be thankful. We are now experiencing the extremes my clients and I prepare for. Here are a couple of pointers to help get your crop out of the ground as quick as possible. 

• Keep a close eye on seeding depth and keep it as shallow as you can.
• If you have high pH, low phosphorus soils or low zinc levels, try using a nutrient seed primer with phosphorus and zinc. The conditions are ripe to see a response to P and  Zn seed primers in wheat and barley.
• Don’t be stingy with your starter phosphorus in wheat and barley. Apply at least 20 lbs acre, preferably with the seed if you can. SL

Chart source: Omex

Don’t be afraid to bump wheat seeding rates

One of our biggest risks to wheat production and profitability is an early frost in late August or early September. Early frosts can significantly reduce wheat yield and quality or both. With the cool spring so far, it might be wise to begin increasing seeding rates in wheat by 10% after May 15th. Research has shown that seeding rates have the largest impact on tiller numbers. The higher the amount of tillers, the more delayed maturity you will have. You see, on average, it takes roughly 3 to 4 days for a new leaf or tiller to emerge under average temperatures. Cooler weather can extend that period to 5 or 8 days thereby increasing your chance of fall frost. Thankfully, we can do something about it. Here is what I like to recommend.

Increase seeding rates by 10% after May 15th. So, for those who normally target 24 plants/ ft2, you may want to increase your target to 27 plants/ ft2. Those of you who target 28 plants/ ft2 can increase that target to 31 plants/ ft2. With an average seeding rate of 130 lbs/ac at a treated cost of $0.16 a pound, the additional $2.08 an acre is more than worth the investment if you can turn a number No. 2 or No. 3 grade into a No. 1. SL

Seeding depth variability caused by sprayer tracks

Part of my focus this year is to pay more attention to the variability in our seeding depth and what causes it. Differences in seeding depth across a field can reduce yield and revenue by tens of thousands of dollars without us even realizing it.

If you remember the March 31st issue of BA News, I calculated a $4.20 return for every percent we improve emergence. So, for example, if you could improve the emergence of just 3% of your wheat crop by three days, you could generate an additional $12.60 per acre in yield. 

With that in mind, I paid close attention to seeding depth across our fields that had traffic from compost spreaders, harvest traffic and the custom sprayer we hired. I measured the difference in seeding depth and compaction in the wheel tracks of the sprayer first. We hired a JD 4930 custom spraying outfit with 120-foot booms and 18-inch tires to do our pre-burn herbicide applications this spring. The seeding depth decreased by a ¼ inch each time the castor wheels hit the sprayer tracks. The seeding depth in the wheel tracks was a ½ inch shallower than outside the wheel tracks. After measuring the combine and compost spreader tracks, I noticed the same difference in seeding depth variability. My seeding depth varied by a ½ inch across every wheel track. This forced me to seed deeper than I would have liked at 1.25 inches so we wouldn’t go too shallow in the wheel tracks.

In the end, I’m looking at 31% of the field seeded a ½ inch shallower into a compacted layer. Perhaps I should ask the custom sprayer with the 1,200 gallon tank to buy wider tires. Bottom line, keep an eye on your tire footprints this year to see what kind of changes you can make to reduce wheel tracks and improve the consistency of your seeding depth. In my example here, I stand to lose yield potential on 31% of this field. Add another spray application in June at 3% wheel track coverage and over a third of this field will see a reduction in yield to some extent. I think this is unacceptable and it’s something we can change by focusing on the footprints of our equipment. SL

Steve’s ’09 farm trials

I’d like to give you a heads up on what I’ll be trialing this year at my place and with clients. If you have any farm trials you’d like to share with the readers, please let me know.

1. Seed treatment called BEST: This is a biological seed treatment with phosphorus, potassium and trace elements. It’s supposed to improve early root development and replace fungicide seed treatment.
2. Compost trials: Comparing compost at 4 Tonne an acre and 7 Tonne an acre against straight fertilizer and compost plus a balance of fertilizer.
3. Variable rate fertilizer: Comparing standard recommendation to VRT recommendation.
4. Variable rate seeding rates: Comparing emergence and plant stand densities across highly variable soil texture and topography.
5. Comparing emergence rates on the Seed Master drill, Morris Contour, Bourgault PHD and JD 1870.
6. Liquid GSR Calcium and Phosphorus from Sustainable Soil Solutions. Calcium is the tour guide and the referee to nutrients in the soil. Of all the minerals, calcium has the ability to lower the electrical conductivity. Minerals that were previously locked up become available for the plant's use. SL

Glyphosate is harmful to nitrogen-fixing bacteria

I came across information that sheds light on what glyphosate does to beneficial soil biology and thought I would share the most important points with you. I use and recommend glyphosate and it’s an awesome tool but I do feel we need to be responsible about its use. This is one of the reasons I grow InVigor canola so I can remove at least some glyphosate out of our cropping system. I’ve listed the key points out of a number of studies that reveal how toxic glyphosate is to soil microbes including nitrogen-fixing bacteria, mycorrhizae, actinomycete, and yeast isolates. We’ll revisit this information down the road.

• Glyphosate destroys nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Plants are dependent on the availability of inorganic nitrogen in the soil. In order to be utilized by plants, nitrogen must be fixed by the addition of oxygen. Nitrification, the oxidative conversion of ammonium ions to nitrate, produces the principle form of nitrogen assimilated by higher plants, and is under control of relatively few species of bacteria. Hendricks, C.W. (1992), "Effects of glyphosate and nitapyrin on selected bacterial populations in continuous-flow culture." Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology v. 49, 417-424.
• One study found that glyphosate inhibited the growth of 59% of selected naturally occurring soil microbes. Carlisle, S.M. and Trevors, J.T. (1988), "Glyphosate in the environment." Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 39:409-420.
• Glyphosate, by inhibiting the growth of some microbes allows the overgrowth of others. This includes microbial plant pathogens. Fusarium is a naturally occurring soil fungus that is a plant pathogen. Fusarium invades the roots of plants and either kills the plant outright or prevents normal growth. Subsistence farmers in Colombia have noted that fields accidently sprayed with herbicides in attempts to destroy Coca do not produce at the same level as they did prior to being sprayed, and in some cases, no crops grow at all. Levesque, C.A. (1987), "Effects of glyphosate on Fusarium spp.: its influence on root colonization of weeds, propagule density in the soil, and crop emergence." Can. J Microbiol. Vol 33, pp354-360. Sanogo, S., et al,(2000) "Effects of herbicides on Fusarium solani f. sp glycines and development of sudden death syndrome in glyphosate-tolerant soybean." Phytopathology, v. 90 (N1): 57-66.
• Mycorrhizae are soil fungus that function to increase nutrient uptake by plants through a symbiotic association with the roots. Mycorrhizae have been implicated in the improved resistance to stress, and are necessary for the proper growth and development of most vascular plants. Studies have shown that glyphosate inhibits the growth of mycorrhizae. Killing of beneficial mycorrhizae can result in overgrowth of toxic or pathogenic fungus, such as Fusarium. Estok, D. et al (1989), "Effects of the herbicides 2,4-D, glyphosate, hexazinone, and trichopyr on the growth of three species of ectomycorrhizal fungi." Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology v 42, pp 835-839. Levesque, C.A. and Rahe, J.E. (1992), "Herbicidal interactions with fungal root pathogens, with special reference to glyphosate." Annual Review of Phytopathology v.30, 572-602.

Source: http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/pesticides/Profiles/glyphosate.html

Carbon Market News

Is Saskatchewan the next market for GHG offsets?

May 11, 2009- Given the incredible lack of direction and leadership of the Federal Government on climate change, it should come as no surprise that the provinces are taking action on their own to position their interests ahead of pending regulation in the USA. Saskatchewan appears to be following in the footsteps of Alberta and has proposed its own climate change legislation to reduce GHG emissions from large final emitters (LFEs) over time.

Earlier this year the Province of Saskatchewan held a number of industry and stakeholder consultations to gather input to develop climate change legislation. The results of those consultations are in and draft legislation is receiving first reading today in the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly. Bill No. 95, “The Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Act,” is expected to have some very familiar themes to those seen in Alberta’s GHG legislation.

While the details are not available yet, the Saskatchewan legislation is expected to propose absolute GHG reductions on LFEs relative to a previous period with the interim goal of 20% reductions from 2006 levels by 2020. LFEs can meet their regulatory obligations to reduce through; you guessed it, internal reductions, offsets, and contributions to a science and technology fund. Like the Alberta system, the Saskatchewan Government set out with the policy goals of promoting investment in low-carbon technology, ability to harmonize with Federal regulations over time, and to minimize capital outflows. In other words, it’s a made in Saskatchewan solution that adds to the growing list of other provincial jurisdictions acting ahead of the Federal Government.

Given the timing of the Saskatchewan legislation, look for regulations implementing the Act to arrive this fall. This is important for anyone in the offset market, since the regulations will help define the costs and requirements for compliance worthy offsets to be created and used in the Province. Combine this with the expected timing of GHG reduction regulations from the USA and a potential global deal on GHGs in Copenhagen later this year and we have the makings of a really interesting year for offsets. And we won’t have to leave Canada to be experts on regional GHG offsets and markets.

Reference: Bruce Love, Preferred Carbon
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author only and are not intended to represent financial advice.

Market News

Fundamental Analysis

Updated May 12, 2009 USDA 

Technical Indicators

I have set up these weekly updates to include market entry indicators to help you improve the timing of your grain marketing. Also, I added market trend indicators to give you a sense of the short and long term market trends.

Canola – November Futures
Insert chart
Wheat – December Futures
Insert chart
Barley – July Futures
Insert chart
Canadian Dollar – Sept futures
Insert chart

International Crop Weather News

United States: In the West, showers are affecting the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies, where cool conditions persist. On the Plains, warm, breezy conditions prevail in most areas in advance of a developing storm system. However, showers are developing across the northern Plains, while much cooler air is overspreading Montana. By May 10, the spring wheat planting progress in Plains States bordering Canada ranged from 13% (versus the 5-year average of 74%) in North Dakota to 48% (vs. 77%) in Montana. In the Corn Belt, cool, dry weather prevails. Corn and early-season soybean planting operations are advancing across the northern and western Corn Belt, but soggy soils continue to hamper fieldwork elsewhere in the Midwest. On May 10, corn planting was severely behind schedule in Illinois (10% planted, versus the 5-year average of 84%), Indiana (11% vs. 70%), and North Dakota (7% vs. 57%). ï‚· In the South, fieldwork delays persist in many areas—despite a return to dry weather—due to lingering wetness from recent downpours. As of May 10, cotton planting was at least 20 points behind the normal pace in Tennessee (6% planted, versus the 5-year average of 29%), Arkansas (32% vs. 57%), Alabama (30% vs. 60%), and Missouri (26% vs. 62%).

Europe: Persistent warmth and dryness in Poland and eastern Germany depletes topsoil moisture for wheat and rapeseed. Wet weather favors heading to flowering winter grains over southern and western Europe but slows summer crop planting.

Former Soviet Union: Several weeks of drier-than-normal conditions in Ukraine, Belarus, and southern Russia reduce soil moisture for winter grain development and spring-sown crop emergence. Warmer weather follows in the wake of last week’s freezes, promoting crop growth in areas with sufficient soil moisture.

Southeast Asia: Monsoon rains benefit newly planted main-season rice and corn in southern and eastern Thailand. In the Philippines, flooding from tropical cyclones Chan-Hom and Kujira delays summer rice and corn planting and causes localized damage to spring rice and corn.

East Asia: Dry weather on the North China Plain reduces topsoil moisture for filling winter wheat, while warm conditions spur crop development. Light showers benefit emerging corn and soybeans in Manchuria.

South Asia: Strong thunderstorms across northern India interrupt late winter wheat harvesting. Seasonal showers in northeastern India boost soil moisture for rice planting and establishment.

Middle East: Widespread showers over Turkey and Iran favor jointing (north) to filling (south) wheat and barley. Dry weather from the eastern Mediterranean Coast into Iraq is detrimental to filling winter wheat.

North Africa: Showers in Tunisia and Algeria maintain abundant soil moisture for flowering to filling wheat. Mostly sunny skies in southern Morocco accelerate winter grain maturation and early harvesting.

Australia: In east-central Australia, dry weather favors summer crop harvesting and initial winter wheat planting. In southeastern Australia, widespread showers help condition topsoils for upcoming winter grain planting, but persistent rainfall is needed to end the drought that has gripped this region since 2002.

South America: Drought conditions intensify in central and northern Argentina, fostering dry down and harvesting of summer grains, oilseeds, and cotton but limiting moisture for early winter wheat planting. In Brazil, dry weather supports rapid soybean harvesting but moisture is limited for normal development of secondary row crops, notably safrinha corn, in key southern growing areas.

South Africa: Light showers boost moisture levels for germination of winter wheat in Western Cape and winter farming areas of the corn belt, but additional moisture is needed to ensure proper establishment.
Canada: Mostly dry conditions and warmer temperatures across the Prairies last week allowed farmers to make good seeding progress as soil temperatures improved. Overall, seeding is estimated at just under 20-per-cent complete, a few days behind normal pace. Precipitation was limited to light rain and snow in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan and parts of Manitoba. Delays are still an issue in flood-affected areas of south-central Manitoba and in parts of northern Saskatchewan. Dry conditions are beginning to raise concerns in west-central Saskatchewan and east-central Alberta.