Agronomist Notes

Another fine week of warm, dry weather has helped dry down crops dramatically, though many fields are still weeks away. Late tillers, green strips and second flushes of weeds are the norm and many producers are opting to swath or pre-harvest to help speed things up. Waiting for a natural dry down isn’t going to work for most this year.

It seasonally time for the jet stream to move south and it could bring some cold weather with it by the end of the week. Here’s hoping the cool pattern doesn’t stay for long and canola swaths are well anchored for any windy gusts. 

In this week’s newsletter we’ll look at why we add ammonium sulphate to help improve glyphosate performance. Next, we’ll look at the popular wheat varieties AC Harvest and CDC Go in a nice little side by side maturity comparison. We’ll discuss spraying lygus bugs this late in the season. Also, we’ll talk about options to help dry down volunteer canola in wheat and what to do with canola after hail. With winter wheat seeding season upon us, I’ve included 10 tips for successful production. Bruce Love will give us an update on the carbon market in Saskatchewan and we’ll finish up with market news.

We’ve geared up for harvest in record time on our farm and have sent some dust flying already. That means Beyond Agronomy News will take a two-week sabbatical and return on Tuesday, September 22nd. Best of luck for an excellent start to your harvest. We’ll meet again in a couple of weeks with more timely, informative agro-economic news.

Agronomy

The use of ammonium sulfate with glyphosate explained

In earlier issues, I’ve mentioned the use of adding ammonium sulphate to the spray water to help improve glyphosate performance during pre-harvest. This time I thought I would explain what we’re trying to accomplish by it when targeting tough to kill weeds at this time of year. One of the main reasons I recommend ammonium sulphate is to reduce the hard water content which antagonizes glyphosate products.

The description of hard water is when water contains high concentrations of minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and iron. These minerals have a positive charge and are called "salts". High concentrations of these salts can antagonize or interfere with the activity of glyphosate. The positive charge of these salts is attracted to the negative charge of the glyphosate molecule and results in glyphosate-salt complexes. Unfortunately, some glyphosate-salt complexes are not as easily absorbed into leaves as others.

For example, a glyphosate-calcium molecule may be less readily absorbed than a glyphosate-ammonium or glyphosate-isopropylamine molecule. So essentially, what we’re trying to do is make sure the ammonium salt concentration in the water is high enough to out compete the unfavorable glyphosate-salt complexes. All this for $0.50 to $1.00 per acre at a rate of 0.5 to 1 L per acre of liquid ammonium sulphate depending on how big and green your weeds are at pre-harvest.

Now, there may be cases where you water doesn’t require the addition of ammonium sulphate but I would guess at this point in time, not many producers know how much calcium, magnesium, iron and sodium are in their water. For this reason, we must do everything we can to help dry down these big, nasty weeds so problems don’t occur at harvest or in the bin.

The picture above is a very dead kochia plant 11 days after application. The glyphosate product was called Wipe Out applied at 1L/ac plus liquid ammonium sulphate at 1L/ac. This pesky weed won’t be causing any concern in the hopper or the bin! SL

Reference: Ammonium Sulfate Requirements with Glyphosate. Chris Boerboom, University of Wisconsin. Internet

Comparing maturity between AC Harvest and CDC Go

The top two spring wheat varieties in my area are AC Harvest and CDC Go. CDC Go seems to yield very well, some say 10% more than AC Harvest. Many producers have said that Go is a later maturing variety compared to Harvest but I beg to differ after a side by side I saw last year. This year I have pictures and two years of visual data on their maturity.

In the top photo, we have Go on the left and Harvest on the right. Similarly, in the picture below I have seeds threshed out with Go on the left and Harvest on the right. Can you see the difference in maturity? I can’t. In fact, you could say the Harvest might be slightly greener than the Go. Anyhow, I suspect the difference in maturity that producers have found is due to seeding rate. We seeded our CDC Go at 145 lbs an acre due to the huge kernel weights this year. AC Harvest is a smaller kernel so if you seeded them at the same rate, you would have a higher plant stand density than CDC Go. This will force the CDC Go to tiller more, thus causing a decrease in maturity. If you’re wavering on planting CDC Go because of its maturity, perhaps next year you should give it a try. SL 

Spraying lygus bugs late in the season

I’ve heard of a few producers spraying to control lygus bugs recently and it has me wondering if it’s the best decision at this stage of the game. Lygus bug damage is most harmful at the end of flowering and early pod set because the young pods and seeds can be easily pierced by the lygus. Two to three weeks after the end of flowering you’ll start to see pods and seeds firm up, making it more difficult for the bugs to pierce the skin. The majority of canola yield is in the bottom two thirds of the plant and maturity starts from the bottom upwards. Be sure to check the entire plant to estimate how much of the plant is at risk at this time of year.

Personally, I’d only be concerned if lygus bug counts are above 5 per sweep at this time of the season. I’d let them take some yield knowing I’ll have a healthy beneficial insect population next year to control them naturally. If we apply insecticides year after year, we continue to wipe out the beneficial insects that kill lygus bugs and the cycle of insecticide use will never end. Beneficial insects build up a lot slower than lygus bugs after a spray application. At some point we need to bite the bullet and stop listening to the just in time decision making of economic thresholds. If your crop is at early pod fill, frost is a bigger concern to you than lygus bugs and opting not to spray might put a few dollars in your jeans. SL

Options for drying down roundup ready canola in cereals

Everyone seems to be looking for the silver bullet when it comes to drying down volunteer canola in cereals. There has been talk of mixing unregistered products like Express SG or 2-4-D with glyphosate to kill the canola during pre-harvest. I think we need to discuss what we’re trying to accomplish before people get carried away with pre-harvest cocktails. Here are five points to consider:

1. Most canola out there is green and leafy and full of water. The only way to dry down such a plant with a herbicide is to use a contact herbicide. The leaf tissue must be singed to a crisp to kill it.
2. The use of 2,4-D or Express SG with glyphosate will stop a plant from growing but not cause it to dry down. Adding a herbicide like 2,4-D will only cause the plant to twist and bend, and it won’t dry down until the frost hits it in a few weeks. By then it’s too late. Money was wasted on an unregistered mix and dry down wasn’t achieved. Not a good option.
3. Adding Liberty to the glyphosate is not registered for pre-harvest applications like it was before in the product called RoundUp Fastforward. The reason they pulled it from the market is because it couldn’t offer perennial weed control due to the quick acting nature of the contact activity in Liberty. It also costs $18.90 per acre, which is a few dollars less than the registered product Reglone.
4. Reglone is registered as a dessicant in cereals and it will dry down volunteer canola. Remember, contact herbicides require water volume so be sure you’re up to 15 gallons per acre. It’s a costly choice so the value of the crop had better be worth it.
5. Lastly, the most economical and effective method of drying down volunteer canola is swathing. Hopefully you’ll have some stubble to lay your swath on but at $10.00 acre for custom swathing, it may be your most economical bet. Picking up swaths on a field or two isn’t the end of the world, is it? SL

Swathing multi-staged canola after hail

I’ve spoken to quite a few producers who received major hail damage (70% and more) on their canola in the mid-August hail storms. A few have swathed already to get an early start on getting rid of all that material with the hopes of harvesting a few bushels. Unfortunately, when an indeterminate plant like canola gets hit by hail in August, it wants to re-grow, especially after a good shot of moisture and heat. The risk of swathing too soon is the potential for regrowth under and around the swath causing the dry down phase to take forever.

Here is what I’ve been suggesting if you’ve had over 70% hail: harvesting the crop is basically a salvage job, so  wait until the first -3C or better frost or a couple of -1C frosts before swathing. The frost will kill the regrowth and you can lay down the swath on to drier stubble. It will save you time and hassle. SL

Ten tips for successful winter wheat production

1. A pre-seed burn off may be required to keep weed competition minimal during early establishment of winter wheat.
2. Leave as much stubble standing as possible. Set the swather as high as possible.
3. Direct seed into standing stubble. Best results have been obtained when winter cereals are direct seeded into the standing stubble of an early maturing crop such as early seeded barley or canola.
4. Seed winter wheat between Aug 22 and September 15. Earlier seeding within this window has given most consistent results.
5. Seeding rates should be targeted to achieving fall winter wheat populations of 30 plants per square foot. Generally, seeding rates of 1.5 to 2.5 bushels per acre of a recommended variety should accomplish this goal.
6. Seed shallow (less than 2 cm or 1 inch) with on row packing to ensure good seed to soil contact.
7. Apply phosphorous fertilizer with the seed and nitrogen away from the seed.
8. You can apply all the required nitrogen in one pass in the fall. However, in higher moisture areas you may want to split apply nitrogen to reduce lodging.
9. Assess need for fall winter annual weed control in late September to early October. An application of 2,4-D or MCPA is the best option to combat winter annual weeds.
10. In the spring, when you assess the winter wheat, the plants may look as if all the leaves and roots are dead. This appearance does not mean the plants cannot recover. Dig up a few plants in the early spring, take them into the house and try to grow them for 7 to 10 days. If new roots develop, the plants are alive.

Source: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex94 
Source: http://www.wintercereals.ca/tools/index.html

Carbon News

Update on Saskatchewan GHG Reduction Policy

August 31, 2009- Recently some attention has been drawn to the proposed Saskatchewan greenhouse (GHG) offset market as several carbon credit aggregators have begun soliciting farmers to contract their potential carbon credits. In our opinion, it is still too early to consider committing potential offset opportunities when both the policy and regulations defining this market are still in development, particularly when these rules significantly impact the offset values and all market participants have to abide by them to participate anyway. All this leaves us wondering why a farmer would want to turn over confidential information in hopes of getting some answers that just don’t exist today and will be publicly available soon.

“The Management and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases Act – Bill No. 95” that sets out the legislative authority to create mandatory GHG reductions and an offset system in Saskatchewan has only received First Reading. The Bill still has to receive Second and Third Readings, not to mention the possibility of various legislative committees reviewing it as well. Then there is always the formality of the Bill finally receiving Royal Ascent. Subsequently, it has a ways to go before becoming law.

Implementing the proposed Act requires regulation which is also in development and is not expected out until late this fall, for implementation in 2010. This includes the regulations that create the proposed offset system and the details surrounding it. Included are the important details that specify the requirements for GHG offset protocols, verification standards, and use of the offsets; all factors that help define the value of the offsets, including the demand for them.

An important feature of GHG offset or carbon credit markets is their direct dependence on regulation. Without this all we have is a voluntary market that offers limited value for agricultural offsets in Saskatchewan, or we have speculation of what a compliance offset may look like. Given that we consider the compliance market as the highest value market for carbon credits, it is the most important market development to watch. An excellent source of information on the progress of the Saskatchewan legislation and regulations can be found at http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=9192fbe8-23fe-4077-ac7d-30b7b269bdbf.

Once the GHG offset regulations are available, the calculation of a farm’s potential offsets will likely be a fairly straightforward process. If it’s anything like the Alberta system, the tillage based offsets will be in a look up table and will be public information. Regardless of the approach taken and what anyone says, you will just have to wait until the Government gets done with the regulations to find out what you may have.  Who knows, you may even get a better price by waiting.

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

International Crop Weather News

Western Canada: General harvest has begun across the Prairies, with the spring wheat harvesting getting underway in most southern growing regions and the winter wheat harvest approximately half complete. Favourable weather conditions prevailed across the Prairies last week, with mainly dry conditions and normal to above-normal temperatures. Frost-free conditions are needed for at least two more weeks to avoid crop quality degradation.

United States: In the West, hot, dry weather is promoting fieldwork and crop development, although wildfires remain a threat in parts of the West Coast States. In southern California, active wildfires have consumed more than 50,000 acres of vegetation. On the Plains, isolated showers are confined to southern portions of the region. Warm weather is returning to the northern Plains, where spring wheat harvesting continues, but chilly conditions linger across the central and southern Plains. In the Corn Belt, cool, dry weather prevails. Scattered frost—but no freeze—was reported this morning across the upper Midwest, where temperatures dipped below 40 degrees F as far south as northern Iowa.

Europe: Occasional showers over Europe maintain favorable soil moisture for reproductive to filling corn and sunflowers, but rain is not heavy enough to disrupt winter grain and oilseed harvesting. Cooler weather in the Balkans eases stress on filling summer crops. In contrast, heat and dryness on the Iberian Peninsula continue to reduce yield prospects and irrigation reserves for sunflowers and corn.

Former Soviet Union: In Ukraine, generally dry weather allows small grain harvesting to near completion. In western Russia, mostly light showers cause only temporary interruptions in small grain harvesting. Additional rain is needed for summer crops in the filling stage. Drier weather prevails across major spring wheat producing areas of Russia and Kazakhstan, while unseasonably cool weather slows crop development.

East Asia: The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Morakot bring more flooding to eastern China and the Korean Peninsula, causing minor damage to rice. Continuing dry weather reduces soil moisture for filling corn and soybeans in western Manchuria.

Southeast Asia: Monsoon showers return to Thailand, benefiting reproductive rice and corn. Drier weather in the northern Philippines eases flooding.

South Asia: Rain provides much-needed soil moisture for rice in eastern India. Dry, unseasonably hot weather in northern India reduces yield prospects for cotton and rice. Persistent dry weather in central and southern India reduces soil moisture for oilseeds and cotton.

Australia: Showers in Western Australia maintain generally favorable conditions for winter grains and oilseeds. In southeastern Australia, widely scattered showers maintain local moisture supplies for winter grains. Unfavorably dry weather is expanding in Queensland and northern New South Wales, further reducing moisture supplies for jointing winter wheat.

South America: Warm, dry weather dominated most Argentine growing areas, and the effects of long-term drought remain a concern in most other farming areas. Heavy rain keeps vegetative winter wheat excessively wet in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Mexico: Throughout southern Mexico, corn and other rain-fed summer crops are in need of moisture.

Source: USDA