Agronomist Notes

It’s hard to believe but this is the 45th and second last issue of Beyond Agronomy News for 2009. Time flies when you’re having fun or when you’re so busy you don’t stop to check the calendar!

I had a great time at the AgriTrend event last week and an even better time at our own RTK and controlled traffic meeting (that ended at 12:30am).  Jeff Zeigler with Roydale New Holland led a great discussion on the value of wireless RTK systems and special guest, Tim Neale of Queensland, Australia, gave us a mind bending exercise on setting up and implementing controlled traffic. Mitch and I are keener than ever to get the ball rolling on our farm.

In this week’s newsletter, I’ll begin with the results from the newly released 2009 Prairie Canola Variety Trials. Next, we’ll look at the role of nutrient balance in crop nutrition with a handy reference chart. I’ll also give you the highlights from the AgriTrend conference and controlled traffic meeting. Bruce Love will set the record straight on the Alberta tillage offset protocol and we’ll finish with fundamental and technical grain market news. Have a tremendous week!       

Pictured above is Robert Ruwoldt harvesting one of his lentil crops last week near Horsham, Victoria.

Agronomy

2009 Prairie Canola Variety Trials

The 2009 PCV trials just came out last week and InVigor canola held the top five spots. I recommended IV 5440 to all my clients in 2009 and will recommend it again in 2010. IV 5440 performed very well in one of the most challenging years I’ve experienced. No, Bayer did not pay me to say that. I grow InVigor canola for two reasons. The first is to reduce glyphosate use in our cropping systems. The last weapon I want to lose in my arsenal is glyphosate. The second reason is the ability of InVigor varieties to withstand stressful conditions. It’s that simple. The weed control is weak with Liberty herbicide but can be managed properly with the right timing and water volumes.

I’ve included a summary chart below to give you a brief overview of this year’s results and I’ve also included a link to the entire 2009 PCV trials. SL

2009 PCVT: http://canola.ab.ca/uploads/PCVT/PCVT_2009_for_web.pdf

Mulder’s nutrient chart provides insight into nutrient balances

One of the most complex issues surrounding crop nutrition is the concept of balancing nutrients. Whether you subscribe to theories of optimal base saturation ratios or nitrogen to sulphur ratios, a basic understanding of nutrient balance is necessary. The chart below developed by D. Mulder demonstrates the effect that elements have on nutrient availability.

Some nutrients interfere with the availability or uptake of another which is called antagonism. In Mulder’s chart, the lines coloured green indicate an antagonistic relationship between each connecting element. Also, some elements can stimulate the uptake or increase the availability of another. These lines are indicated with the colour purple.

To give you an example of the antagonistic and synergistic effects between nutrients I’ve listed a few examples of interactions below.

Excessive phosphorus applications will reduce the availability of iron, calcium potash, copper and zinc.  Effect: Increase in sterile florets, ergot, lodging and disease.

High levels of calcium will reduce the availability of phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, potassium and manganese.  Effect: Reduction in seedling vigour, tillering, standability and maturity. 

High nitrogen fertilization can reduce the availability of boron, potash and copper. Effect: Increase sterility, ergot, reduced flowering, increase lodging and increased transpiration.

Increased levels of boron will increase the availability of nitrogen. Effect: Increased chlorophyll, protein and amino acid production. The application of higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in our crop nutrition programs may continue to induce nutrient deficiencies. For example, though I can only speculate, how many people applying high rates of nitrogen (80+ lb/ac) each year have found increasing levels of ergot? Could you be inducing a copper deficiency even though soil test levels say copper is sufficient? Would an application of copper reduce ergot levels and allow you to continue applying higher nitrogen rates? It might be worth looking at.

You can’t talk about nutrient availability and not mention soil pH so I’ve included a chart that shows nutrient availability along the pH scale. To develop a proper crop nutrition program, a good understanding of Mulder’s chart and how pH affects nutrient availability will get you on the right track to creating your own crop nutrition program. It will teach you to troubleshoot nutrient issues before they occur or help address hidden deficiencies. Half the battle is knowing what to look for in soil and tissue tests results and when a nutrient deficiency may occur. SL

Quick take on Beyond Agronomy wireless RTK and CTF meeting

Jeff Zeigler, Roydale New Holland

• If you have an RTK capable GPS, you could purchase the RTK unlock codes for roughly $4,200 and the hardware and subscription for Roydale’s wireless RTK for about $3,500 bringing the total to around $7,700. Annually, you’re looking at $1,500 for the subscription plus cellular connection ($30/month max. in busy months).
• RTK is the only GPS signal that will provide you with repeatability, which is the ability to return to the exact same spot, year after year +/- one inch. You can’t do that with Omnistar HP or XP subscriptions.
• GPS correction (WAAS, Omnistar, SF1, SF2) signals are sent through the atmosphere twice before you receive a signal on your GPS receiver. Solar disturbances in the atmosphere will increasingly interfere with GPS signals going forward. The uncorrected GPS (or raw GPS) makes one trip.
• Get rid of your single frequency GPS receivers like the Outback GPS because their signal will get worse over time and don’t provide the same accuracy as a dual frequency receiver like Trimble or Starfire GPS. Dual frequency receivers provide better correction and accuracy.The article here http://www.novatel.com/support/faqs.htm explains single and dual frequencies. 
• RTK set up is simple. Hardware includes a modem installation that allows you to transfer data and receive the internet in the tractor plus two high power cellular antennae to communicate to the tower. That’s it.

Tim Neale, Precision Agriculture

• Increasing our WUE by 3 times in W Canada will give us 18 bu/ac of wheat, 21 bu/ac barley and 12 bu/ac canola for every inch of water! That’s an additional $60 to $80 an acre in revenue in 2009.
• Frosts may break apart some compaction but makes no difference if you keep compacting each field every year with random traffic.
• Matching wheel track widths on machinery is not difficult if you have the right support. Contact Tim Neale at http://www.precisionagriculture.com.au/contact-us.php
• Soil compaction from machinery covers roughly 60% of every field each year. 90% of soil compaction is caused by the first wheel track over the field.
• Compaction reduces water infiltration and plant available water by 40%. Compaction reduces earthworms by 60%.
• CTF reduces horsepower needs by roughly 100%!
• CTF has increased water use efficiency by 3 times the Australian average!

Quick take on AgriTrend Farm Forum Event

Dr. Don Huber, Purdue University

• Glyphosate is a strong chelator, meaning it binds tightly to heavy metals and positively charged cations like calcium, magnesium sodium, iron and manganese. I suspect that’s why we add ammonium sulphate to help bind glyphosate to ammonium instead of calcium, magnesium and sodium.   
• Excessive use of glyphosate in Roundup Ready corn and soybeans has created an environment where manganese deficiencies occur more frequently. Glyphosate kills the oxidizing bacteria that make manganese available.
• High rates of glyphosate like 2 litres per acre per year have caused poor germination in winter wheat when seeded directly into pre-harvest glyphosate stubble.
• Dr Huber showed a slide of poorly emerging wheat that was planted two days after a pre-burn glyphosate and a vigorous wheat stand that was planted 14 days after the glyphosate treatment.
• If you are going to apply manganese to the soil, be sure to apply it at least 8 to 15 days after a glyphosate application, 8 days if warm and 15 days if cool.
• The majority of glyphosate is tied up in the crop residue. Roots that are close to the surface take up the glyphosate which reduces root growth at a critical stage.
• Glyphosate increases Take All and Fusarium Head Blight in wheat.   
• Oats produce exudates that reduce the bacteria that fix manganese. Oats can reduce Take-All in wheat the following year.

Jerry Stoller, Stoller USA

• Do not save and reuse seed from average to poorly productive fields. Always use saved seed from your highest producing fields. They will produce higher nutrient value and energy in the seed. 
• Stoller research broke the world soybean yield with a yield of 166.8 bu/ac. The only difference between the check which was 91 bu/ac and the record yield was one application of a PowerPlus plant hormone at flowering. A 76 bu/ac increase!
• Copper can be used to lower a wheat plant’s risk of frost by 3 degrees Celsius. An application of copper at soft or hard dough will kill the bacteria which act as condensation nuclei.
• An application of a product called Balancer will help shorten plants for those who are pushing high fertility rates. It can be used multiple times. Application timing is at bolting.
• Plant roots stop developing during the reproductive phase. If you can find a way to allow continued root growth during a plants reproductive phase, you will increase yield dramatically. That is what Stoller did to increase soybean yield by 76 bu/ac over the check.
• The hormones Auxin and Cytokinon are transported by the phloem and combine together to form new cells. The presence of Ethylene blocks the auxin from combining with cytokinon causing the plant to produce more tillers instead of bigger heads.
• High nitrate nitrogen levels encourage cytokinon production.

Greg Patterson, A & L Labs

• Zinc, Manganese and Boron are crucial for proper seed germination.
• Excessive nitrogen inside the seed favours shoot growth versus root growth.
• You cannot have high nitrate production in a plant and good carbohydrate production.
• High magnesium levels in your tissue sample actually mean you have a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium accumulates in the leaf tissue under deficient situations.
• Magnesium helps turn organic phosphorous into plant available phosphorous.
• Poultry manure is a great source of calcium for soils.
• Potassium brings photosynthates from the leaf tissue down to the root.
• Potassium carbonate the most effective form for foliar applications.
• Calcium with sulphur which is included in gypsum will displace magnesium faster than calcium alone.
• Urea and nickel applied at flowering in wheat boosted yields by 10% in trials. Nickel combined with urea increases urease enzyme activity which converts urea to ammonium faster. SL

Carbon Market News

Setting the record straight on Alberta tillage offsets

November 23, 2009- There seems to be some confusion over how long early action tillage offsets are good for. Early action offsets refers to greenhouse gas (GHG) offsets created from actions taken since January 1, 2002. Tillage based GHG offsets have a ten (10) year credit period which means that GHG offsets can be created from 2002 data until 2011.

The Climate Change and Emissions Management Act of 2007 created the Alberta GHG reduction scheme that included GHG offsets as a compliance option for regulated entities, or large final emitters (LFEs). The regulations under the Act, or Specified Gas Emitters Regulation (SGER), describes the implementation of the Act and gives general guidance on what qualifies as an offset and in particular allows for GHG offset projects to earn credits from 2002. Specific guidance on the creation of GHG offsets can be found in “Offset Credit Project Guidance Document, February 2008, Version 2.1, Alberta Environment” (available at http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/7915.pdf ) and it would seem very clear just how long tillage based GHG offsets can be created.

The detailed guidance provided for offset projects sets out the credit duration period for GHG offsets. The guidance very clearly indicates that tillage management projects have a “credit duration period of 20 years” which means as the law stands today, tillage management offsets will be recognized for 20 years from 2002, or 2021. There are two distinct 10 year credit periods for the tillage protocol: 1) from 2002 to 2011 and, 2) from 2012 to 2021. The coefficients will likely be adjusted by no-till and reduced till adoption levels at the 2011 period (likely by 2011 census rates), and new coefficients will be used for the next 10 year period. This means that GHG offsets can be created from 2002 data until the end of 2011 using the current coefficients in the tillage protocol to calculate GHG offsets.

The law and guidance on the time periods for GHG offsets created from tillage management practices appear to be very clear. This can always change as Canada moves forward to develop a continental carbon market and requires Alberta to harmonize with that strategy. However, before any changes are made to the Alberta GHG offset system, assurances have been given that notice and industry consultations will occur. Since there have been no notices issued at this point in time and Canada has no Federal GHG reduction plan, there is no reason to believe that the current system is about to change anytime soon.

Preferred Carbon has received a significant number of inquiries from farmers and others concerned over the expiry of tillage management offsets based on early action. The SGER guidance details the timelines for early action GHG offsets created from tillage management practices and this is a detail all aggregators should understand. If you are being contacted by aggregators suggesting that your early action offsets are about to expire, you are being misled. If you want further clarity apart from asking us, or would like to lodge a complaint, please contact Robyn Kuhn, Alberta Environment at (780) 644-6958, or Robyn.Kuhn@gov.ab.ca

Reference: Bruce Love, Preferred Carbon

Market News

Technical Update

Canola: January futures
HRS Wheat: December futures
Canadian dollar: December futures
Crude Oil: December futures

International Crop and Weather News

United States: On the Plains, mild, mostly dry weather continues to promote late-season fieldwork, including corn, cotton, sorghum, and sunflower harvesting. In the Corn Belt, rain showers are ending a 3-week window of opportunity for fieldwork across the upper Midwest. Meanwhile, fieldwork remains sluggish in parts of the middle Mississippi Valley due to soggy soils in the wake of last week’s heavy rain. In the South, dry weather has returned to the western and central Gulf Coast States, following recent rainfall. Some of the heaviest rain (2 inches or more) fell in areas of southern Texas still experiencing some lingering drought. Currently, scattered showers are confined to southern Florida and the southern Mid-Atlantic region.

Middle East: A brief window of drier weather allows producers to resume winter crop planting, although showers in Turkey hamper fieldwork by week’s end.

Europe: Showers in central and eastern Europe provide additional soil moisture for vegetative winter crops. However, locally heavy rain in Greece and southwestern France hampers summer crop harvesting. Dry weather in central and southern Spain reduces irrigation reserves.

Former Soviet Union: Showers in Ukraine, Belarus, and western Russia boost soil moisture for winter wheat establishment. Dry weather persists in portions of southern Russia, reducing moisture for winter wheat.

East Asia: Locally heavy snow blankets recently emerged winter wheat in Henan and Hebei. Heavy showers cause localized flooding for winter rapeseed in the eastern Yangtze Valley.

Southeast Asia: In Indonesia, increasing rainfall across Java benefits rice transplanting and establishment. Drier weather in the northern Philippines eases excessive wetness for winter-grown rice.

South Asia: Tropical Cyclone Phyan brings unfavorable wetness and delays to cotton harvesting in Maharashtra, India. Showers boost soil moisture for emerging winter wheat and rapeseed.

Australia: In Queensland and northern New South Wales, showers continue to benefit cotton and sorghum. In southeastern Australia, hot, dry weather hastens winter grain maturation and harvesting.  In western Australia, showers slow the dry down and harvesting of winter grains and oilseeds.

South America: Lingering drought limits corn, sunflower, and soybean planting in Argentina’s western and southern production areas. However, rain boosts moisture in previously dry northern farming areas, and conditions are overall favorable in high-yielding farming areas of Buenos Aires. Prospects remain overall favorable for soybeans and other summer crops throughout Brazil.

Africa: Rain favours germination and establishment in central and southern sections of the corn belt.

Source: USDA