CROP NOTES for February 4, 2008
Iowa State University Extension Information for Northeast Iowa
By Brian Lang, ISU Extension Field Agronomist
911 S. Mill Street, Decorah, IA 52101
563-382-2949
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Weather
Comments from Elwynn on Climate Change
Corn Rootworm 2007 Trial Data
Field Trials on Rotation Resistance for Westerns and Northerns
ISU Research Farms Bt Corn Rootworm Trials
Soybean Cyst Nematode
2007 Field Trails on Yield and SCN Resistance
Pasture
Consider Frost Seeding Pastures in Feb & Early March
Events
Feb. through Mar., 2008 Winter Crop Schools, Ames.
Feb. 5 through Mar. 5, Machinery & Labor Sharing Arrangements, various locations including Maquoketa & Postville
Feb. 8 to 9, Women Adding Value to Agriculture, Decorah.
Feb. 18, Initial Training for the Commercial Pesticide Applicator Test, Marion.
Feb. 20-22, Hawkeye Farm Show, Cedar Falls.
Feb. 23, 37th Annual Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference, Ottumwa.
Feb. 26 to 27, 2008 Iowa Water Conference, Ames.
Feb. 29-Mar 1., Iowa Holstein Convention, Hotel Winneshiek, Decorah
Mar. 5, Iowa Cattle Risk Management Workshop, Decorah.
Mar. 19, NE Iowa Ag Experimental Association Annual Mtg., Nashua
Mar. 20, NE Iowa Community-Based Dairy Foundation Annual Mtg., Calmar
June 25-26, The 2008 Hay Expo, Ossian.
WEATHER
Comments from Elwynn Taylor on Climate Change
The first thing to remember is that the climate is changing, it always has, it always will (with or without people on the earth). The second thing is temperature and precipitation is not all there is to climate. Third is that people build houses largely to give themselves a climate they like better. Fourth- We now use so much energy in making things so we like them better that it does have a world-wide impact.
Two aspects of climate we have changed:
1- The Ozone hole. In nature there would be an ozone hole every so often and it might last one or two years. But we released an un-natural gas (Freon and things like it) that stays around for 100+ years and causes a long-term ozone hole. We realized this and most everyone went along with the stop.
2- The CO2 increase. It would increase a bit with a naturally warming planet, it has increased that amount, + it increases as we consume coal and oil, faster than the earth creates them. We are almost 1/3rd of the way to doubling the CO2. We do not know what this will do to the earth. Some things good, some bad, perhaps, but it is still not a good idea to change everything when we do not understand the change we are causing.
CO2 is one of the so called greenhouse gases. It does have some influence of the temperature near the ground. Back in the 1980s there were wild ideas that it would heat the earth 15 to 50 degrees F if CO2 doubled. Some good scientists showed that that could not be. The current ideas of 2 to 5 degrees F are reasonable.
You hear of tipping point. This is a real concept. If it gets so cold then nature will just move us to a way colder level, if it gets so warm nature will just move us to a much higher level. This was computed by some fine Russian scientists about 1950 and no one can find anything wrong with their science or math. So we must treat it as a real concern. We are one-third of the way to the Russian's tipping point. The earth has been there before without us and will go there again. But it is not a good idea for us to cause it.
Now the question will be can we really cause or really stop climate change? My idea is that we can do just fine using more wind energy, solar energy, biofuel, perhaps atomic energy, without changing the CO2 climate of the earth and it is a good idea to move that way if we can. I am proud to see Iowa as a leader (if not the world leader) in this correction of our high energy demand path.
There are some fine books that give 50 to 100 pages on each of the above. Sorry there is not a 5-page one. Perhaps because it is so complex that there are almost no climatologists being heard about climate change (when I gave a talk for the Union of Concerned Scientists, I looked at the membership list.... in the climate change group there are no climatologists). Elwynn
CORN ROOTWORM 2007 TRIAL DATA
Field Trials on Rotation Resistance for Westerns and Northerns
Attached is a pdf file summarizing field trials on western rotation resistance in Iowa, and trials on northern corn rootworm development (or rather lack of development) in soybean fields. In summary, western rotation resistance is not yet a problem in northeast Iowa, and northern corn rootworms are not laying eggs in soybean fields.
ISU Research Farms Bt Corn Rootworm Trials
This summary was included in the ICM Newsletter, Dec. 10, 2007. Go to:
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/
SOYBEAN CYST NEMATODE
2007 Field Trails on Yield and SCN Resistance
At the following link you will find 2007 soybean variety trials established on known SCN populated sites to evaluate SCN resistance of varieties and final season yields. Go to:
http://www.isuscntrials.info/
PASTURE
Consider Frost Seeding Pastures in Feb & Early March
IF & WHEN THE SNOW MELTS to expose bare soil, it would be time to consider frost-seeding existing pastures that are thin, or pastures where you would like to increase the percentage of legume in the stand. Broadcasting seed in mid- to late winter gives time for freeze-thaw cycles to shallowly incorporate the seed. Some seasons have less freeze-thaw cycles than others, but fortunately, early spring rains also helps with seed coverage on bare areas.
Red clover has been the most consistently successful forage species to establish using frost-seeding. Other legumes and timothy can be frost seeded with slightly less success than clovers. Grasses other than timothy are difficult to establish with frost seeding because the seeds are large and fluffy, although modern ryegrass varieties have also had some success. Iowa producer experience has been best when legume seed is broadcast on the thinnest, least vigorous pasture areas. Success has also been improved where the previous grass stand has been heavily grazed, thus, exposing more areas of bare soil. Successful frost-seeding also requires average or better rainfall and growing conditions in spring. While frost-seeding is the easiest and likely the least expensive pasture seeding approach, using a drill for more precise seed placement and seeding when soil conditions are more supportive of quick germination usually provide better and more uniform stand densities.
EVENTS
Feb. through Mar., 2008 Winter Crop Schools, Ames.
Classes include: Corn Production, Weed Management, Soil and Water Management, Alfalfa Production, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management, Soybean Production, Beginners Crop Scout School. For details, go to:
http://www.aep.iastate.edu/
Feb. 5 through Mar. 5, Machinery & Labor Sharing Arrangements, various locations including Maquoketa & Postville
Includes information on organization issues, planning and implementation, etc. For details, go to:
/coops/workshops/workshops.html
Feb. 8 to 9, Women Adding Value to Agriculture, Decorah
Gather with other rural women to network and learn how to add value to agriculture. Choose workshop sessions in farm marketing, value- added agriculture, and personal enrichment and be inspired by special speakers. For more information, agenda, registration, etc., go to:
http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/wava/home.html
Feb. 18, Initial Training for the Commercial Pesticide Applicator Test, Marion.
All commercial pesticide applicators must take exams in order to become initially certified. A training session designed to help prepare individuals for the commercial pesticide applicator examinations will be offered on Monday, Feb. 18, in the Linn County Extension Office at 3279 7th Ave., Marion. Training will begin at 9 a.m. The training sessions will cover the Iowa Core Manual and Categories 1A (Agricultural Weed Management), 1B (Agricultural Insect Control), 1C (Agricultural Crop Disease Management), 3O,T, and G (Ornamental, Turf, and Greenhouse Pest Management), 4 (Seed Treatment) and 6 (Right-of-Way). Training on the Iowa Core Manual will be from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Training on the other categories will begin at approximately 10:45 a.m. and conclude in early afternoon. There is a $20 fee per person at each training session. These training sessions do NOT qualify as continuing instructional courses. For more information, please contact Jim Fawcett at (319) 337-2145.
Feb. 20-22, Hawkeye Farm Show, Cedar Falls
The annual farm show at the UNI Dome will once again include presentations from ISU Extension. These include:
Feb. 20, 11:00 AM, Dr. Craig Chase, "Managing Higher Corn and Soybean Production Costs".
Feb. 20, 1:00 PM, Brian Lang, "Foliar Fungicide Applications in Corn and Soybeans".
Feb. 21, 11:00 AM, Robert Tigner, "Managing Corn and Soybean Margins".
Feb. 21, 1:00 PM, George Cummins, "Soybean Production Issues for 2008".
Feb. 22, 11:00 AM, Kelvin Leibold, "Storage and Handling Issues in the Bio-economy".
Feb. 22, 1:00 PM, George Cummins, "Corn Production Issues for 2008".
More information about the Hawkeye Farm Show is at:
http://www.farmshowsusa.com/Mains/HMain.htm
Feb. 23, 37th Annual Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference, Ottumwa.
The largest conference of its kind with over 70 exhibitors and numerous presentations. For more information go to the Iowa Beef Center web site at:
http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/
and under “Workshops & Events”.
Feb. 26 to 27, 2008 Iowa Water Conference, Ames.
Agenda includes: Gulf of Mexico hypoxia action plan; Biofuels and water quality; Wetlands and drainage; Building a culture of conservation; Farm bill implications; and more. CCA credits. For details, go to:
http://www.aep.iastate.edu/water/
Feb. 29-Mar 1., Iowa Holstein Convention, Hotel Winneshiek, Decorah
Details coming soon.
http://www.iowaholsteins.com/calendar.htm
Mar. 5, Iowa Cattle Risk Management Workshop, Decorah
Participants to learn about Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), forward cash contracts, and CME futures and options. For more information go to the Iowa Beef Center web site at:
http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/
and under “Workshops & Events”.
Mar. 19, NE Iowa Ag Experimental Association Annual Mtg., Nashua
Details coming soon.
Mar. 20, NE Iowa Community-Based Dairy Foundation Annual Mtg., Calmar
Details coming soon.
June 25 to 26, The 2008 Hay Expo, Ossian
The Hay Expo dates and location was just announced. For details about the expo go to:
http://www.hayexpo.com/
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 Field Agronomist
911 S. Mill Street
Decorah, IA 52101
Ph 563-382-2949
Fax 563-382-2940
Email bjlang@iastate.edu