Crop Alert: July 26, 2013

This Crop Alert was originally written for and distributed to farmers and other members of the agricultural industry in western New York.

By Bill Verbeten, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Late Season Nitrogen on Corn
With the extremely wet weather in 2013 there has been an interest in applying nitrogen in corn around the tasseling growth stage (VT). Work from Iowa and Indiana both at research stations and commercial farms has shown a 5-10 bu/A response to applying 30-60 lbs/A of nitrogen. If you apply nitrogen make sure it’s with drop nozzles that will get down through the canopy.

Fungicide Effectiveness on Corn & Soybeans
If you have an interest in applying fungicides to corn or soybeans check the efficacy tables on the NWNY Dairy, Livestock, & Field Crops Team’s website at Soybean Fungicide Table and Corn Fungicide Table.

Small Grain Harvest Update
The wheat continues to come in across western NY. Intensive management wheat farmers harvested between 80-100 bu/A with test weights of 55+lbs/bu. Less intensive management systems, flooded fields, and lodged fields have come in around 40-60 bu/A. DON levels have been surprisingly low given the weather conditions, continue to send a sample in before you deliver a load of grain. Some oats have been harvested, but most will probably come off during the next couple of weeks. Most of the approximately 300 acres of spring malting barley in western will be harvested in the next few days.

Late Summer Forage & Cover Crop Plantings
Many forages will be planted in August and early September. New seedings of alfalfa, clover, and grasses should establish well these next couple of months. It’s too late to plant sorghum-sudangrass or other warm season grasses for fall silage or grazing. Oats (2 bu/A) with some nitrogen (about 50 lbs/A) will give good tonnage for a late September-early October harvest. Winter triticale should be planted in September---fields planted in October last year did not yield as well as the those in Sept.

Cover crops planted in August (mostly after wheat) and September (after soybeans and corn silage) will be more productive than later planting dates. Small grains and clovers have performed well in western NY. Some varieties of radish are good cover crops (grow quickly, winterkill, and do not produce seed), but others are not and all require some nitrogen at planting.

For more information on these topics see the August 2013 Ag Focus for the articles by Mike Stanyard and Bill Verbeten. If you do not receive Ag Focus, please contact Cathy Wallace: 585.343.3040 x138 or cfw6@cornell.edu

Triticale Silage Survey
If you grew winter triticale silage in 2013 please take a couple of minutes and fill out this 10 question survey. Thank you to all of you who have sent in forage analyses from your triticale silages. The preliminary results from the statewide nitrogen rate trials (44 farms, 15 in western NY) generally have shown a yield response to applying nitrogen fertilizer in the spring. More specific recommendations that take into account manure history, soil types, and forage quality will be available over the winter.