TABLE OF CONTENTS
Recent Rain
Sunday Night, some Hail near Riceville-Lourdes Area
Review of Hail Damage to Corn and Soybeans
Watch for Soil Crusting with Sunshine following Rain
Events
June 6: Pasture-Walk, Prosper, MN.
June 14: Pasture-Walk, Waukon.
June 15-17: Master Gardeners Conference, Cedar Rapids.
June 16: Ag Professional Tour, ISU Northeast Research Farm, Nashua.
June 21-22: Farm Progress Hay Expo, Strawberry Point.
June 22: ISU Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm Crops Field Day, Crawfordsville.
June 23: Midwest Dairy Grazing School, Dairy Foundation, Calmar.
June 28: ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm Crops Field Day, Nashua.
June 29: ISU Northern Research and Demonstration Farm Crops Field Day, Kanawha.
RECENT RAIN
Sunday Night, some Hail near Riceville-Lourdes Area
Sunday night storms produced some hail. Reports included parts of northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin. Some confirmed hail damage included south of Riceville and to the east along A-46.
Review of Hail Damage to Corn and Soybeans
Corn still has its main growing point protected below ground. Hail can shred and defoliate plant tissue above ground, but yield loss is minimal. New growth will be noticed in just a few days. A good publication to review of hail damage to corn is at:
http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/agronomy.htm
First go to the above web site, then page down to the “Nation Corn Handbook” heading. Then click on the NCH-1 title “Assessing Hail Damage to Corn”.
Soybeans that are emerged and cut-off below the cotyledons are dead. Hail assessment views this as a reduced stand. However, a stand has to be reduced to 120,000 plants per acre before it starts to become a significant loss. Sometimes one cotyledon is knocked off by hail, but the other remains. As long as the growing point is intact, growth continues a few days after the hail storm.
Cotyledons are the first photosynthetic organs of the soybean seedling and are also major contributors for seedling growth. Unlike corn, whose growing point is below ground until it reaches V5-V6, the growing point for soybeans is between the cotyledons and moves above the soil surface at emergence. This makes soybeans particularly susceptible to damage from hail, frost, and insects like bean leaf beetles, or anything that can cut the plant off below the cotyledons early in its life. Stand reductions are therefore likely to follow hail storms.
For soybeans, there can also be additional assessments regarding stem bruising and broken nodes above the cotyledonary node. The following web site is a pdf file of the 2004 “Soybean Loss Adjustment Standards Handbook” (60 pages). It’s a little complicated, but the tables on stand reduction start on page 50.
http://www.rma.usda.gov/FTP/Publications/directives/25000/pdf/04_25440.pdf
In general, it is not recommended to replant soybeans if there is a relatively uniform stand of 100,000 plants per acre. Considering the average yield potential of replanted soybeans in early June, even a current stand of 75,000 healthy uniform plants per acre should be sufficient. The following publication discusses a number of issues on stand counts, planting dates, replanting, etc.
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1851.pdf
Watch for Soil Crusting with Sunshine following Rain
We just had a good rain in much of northeast Iowa; a pounding rain in some places. For those fields with corn or soybeans not yet emerged, watch these fields closely over the next few days as the predicted stretch of sunny weather to follow may cause significant soil crusting.
EVENTS
June 6: Pasture-Walk, Prosper, MN.
10:30 a.m. at the Bonnie and Vance Haugen farm (507-743-8326). Directions: N on Hwy 52 from Decorah to Hwy 52 & Hwy 44 intersection (just N of Prosper, MN). Proceed straight N onto Deer Rd (gravel). Follow Deer Rd. 1.5 miles to farm (12620 Deer Rd.). Field day covers 13th year of rotation grazing for seasonal dairy. Many grazing goals are being met,some are not. Attend and learn why.
June 14: Pasture-Walk, Waukon.
1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Jeremy Peake farm (563-568-3979). Directions: From the Jct. of Hwy 9 & Hwy 51 turn N on Apple Rd., go 1 mile N to Line Drive. Turn E onto Line Drive (319 N Line Drive). Field day covers 4th year since start-up of Jersey dairy. New lane system. Also, grazing chickens.
June 15-17: Master Gardeners Conference, Cedar Rapids.
http://www.mastergardener.iastate.edu/info/06uppermidwestmgconf.html
June 16: Ag Professional Tour, 9:30 a.m. to Noon, ISU Northeast Research Farm, Nashua.
The program will include observations and experiences related to current crop growth and development, soil fertility, and pest management problems as they develop across the area; a review of the various research projects underway on the research farm and with on-farm cooperators; and a discussion of the new technologies/ products that are or soon will be available to our clients. Brian Lang and George Cummins, Extension Crop Specialists, and Ken Pecinovsky, Farm Superintendent, will lead the discussions. The tour is organized by the Northeast Iowa Ag Experimental Association which owns the farm. 2.5 CCA credits can be earned. A $10 registration fee will be charged at the door ($25 for CCA credits). Pre-registration is not required.
June 21-22: Farm Progress Hay Expo, Strawberry Point.
http://www.hayexpo.com/ME2/Audiences/Default.asp
June 22: ISU Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm Crops Field Day, Crawfordsville.
9:00 a.m. Special Session for CCAs. Earn 5 hours of CCA credit (including 1.5 hours in soil & water) by attending this special morning session and the afternoon field day. $50 Fee (if pre-registered by June 20). Send an e-mail note to < fawcett@iastate.edu > if you plan to attend. The morning session includes: “Goof Plots – Identifying Herbicide Injury Symptoms” (Jim Fawcett, ISU Extension Crop Specialist); “Tillage Impacts on the Soil Environment, Soil Compaction, and Root Development” (Rick Cruse, ISU Professor of Agronomy – Soil Management); “Know Your Spots – Identifying Foliar Soybean Diseases” (Alison Robertson, ISU Extension Plant Pathologist); “Does the N Calculator Work in High Yield Environments?” (John Sawyer, ISU Extension Agronomist – Soil Fertility).
Noon: ISU Dean of Agriculture Wendy Wintersteen will be featured at noon with a presentation on “Future Direction of Ag Research”
1:00: Tour begins… includes: Crop Season Review; Early Planting Options Using Polymer Coatings; Asian Soybean Rust Outlook & Fungicide Trial Results; Corn Population & Planting Date Trial Results; Diagnostic Tools for Nitrogen Management.
Lunch Reservation Deadline June 20: Please call the Johnson County Extension Office (319-337-2145) or e-mail Jim Fawcett.
June 23: Midwest Dairy Grazing School, Dairy Foundation, Calmar.
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in the compost barn of the Grazing Center on Hwy 150 south of Calmar located between NICC and The Dairy Foundation Center. The Dairy Grazing Center is an active learning environment and a cost-effective dairy operations start-up model. The grazing center was created to be a low cost operation by using 80 acres of cropland and existing pasture to create paddocks and lanes. A composting barn was added, and the existing 40 tie-stall barn was remodeled into a swing eight parlor and holding area. Larry Tranel, ISU extension dairy specialist, will present millionaire model farms, what they are doing, modified/seasonal calving and labor efficient facilities. Grazers vary on supplementation during the pasture season. Clint Renken, senior nutritionist with Nelson Dairy Consulting, will talk about diets to optimize rumen health and profitability. Dick Horn, Ag Banker, will share the financial picture behind the Grazing Center’s development from start-up to the present day. The Midwest Dairy Grazing School wraps up with grazing farmer panelists and presenters sharing their experiences. Pre-registration is requested by June 19. To register for the Midwest Dairy Grazing School, call Northeast Iowa Community College at 800-728-2256, ext. 399, or for more information, please call Mary Steen at ext. 341. The program, numerous exhibitors and a meal provided by Lynch Livestock will be held in the compost barn.
June 28: ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm Crops Field Day, 1:30 p.m., Nashua.
The Annual Spring Field Day to be held Wednesday, June 28th at the ISU Northeast Research Center near Nashua. The Riverton Lucky Clovers 4-H Club will serve dutch- treat refreshments from Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Headquarters Building at the Research Farm. Static displays related to crop production and utilization; environmental and water quality; and human health /safety issues will be available for viewing at this time.
The afternoon program 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. features:
1. An Overview of ISU Agronomic Research with emphasis on Corn Breeding Activities by Kendall Lamkey, ISUAgronomy Dept. Chair.
2. Maintaining Profitability with Higher Energy Costs by Mike Duffy, ISU Ag Economist.
3. N Management with Higher Fertilizer Costs by John Sawyer, ISU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist.
4. Corn Rootworm Management by Marlin Rice, ISU Extension Entomologist.
5. Alfalfa Management Issues by Brian Lang, ISU Extension Crop Specialist.
The field day is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required. CCA credits have been requested and available for a fee. The Northeast Research Farm is located on 290th Street, 1 mile south and 1.5 miles west of Nashua. Take Hwy 218 to Hwy B60. Turn west on Hwy B60 to Windfall Avenue. Go south on Windfall Avenue 1 mile to 290th St. Turn east (left) to the Research Farm. Additional information on the field day is available from your County Extension Office. Please extend this invitation to others who would find the field day of interest.
June 29: ISU Northern Research and Demonstration Farm Crops Field Day, 9:30 a.m., Kanawha.
Details included in the next Crop Notes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.
Brian J Lang, ISU Extension Crops Specialist
911 S. Mill Street, Decorah, IA 52101
Ph 563-382-2949, Fax 563-382-2940
Email bjlang@iastate.edu