Agronomy Notes

January 11, 2000

Contents

SOYBEANS

Dr. Alan Blaine

Soybean variety trial information is available in your county Extension office. By the time you receive this newsletter, the summary tables should be ready for distribution. Pay attention to varietal performance information (over selected locations); varieties appear to be more consistent in performance than in past years. Some bean varieties may be environment-specific (irrigated versus dry land), but a top performer is often a top performer at numerous locations. Review as many trials as possible. Concentrate on top performers in Mississippi and neighboring states, particularly Louisiana and Arkansas. Following yield, consistency is one of the most important factors in evaluating soybean varieties.

I have spent the last several weeks reviewing as much varietal information as I could find. Consistency is a factor I emphasize, and it should be a major criteria as you formulate your selections. We are once again compiling a list of high-yield-potential varieties. After 1999, plans are to trim this list even more because several previous choices really did not live up to expectations this year.

I have said this beforeó80 percent of the varieties available have nothing to offer you; they are "me-too" varieties. Spend some time evaluating varieties.

The following steps might prove beneficial when making soybean variety decisions: 1) Select from the top 5 to 10 percent. 2) Do not plant large acreage of untested or unadapted varieties. 3) Do not take anybody's word about performance; make a variety prove it to you. 4) Try new varieties (with 1-year data) but on a limited acreage. (This allows you to evaluate new varieties on a small scale. In addition, many of the newest lines will not be available in quantities greater than 10,000 to 50,000 units covering a large geographical sales area.) 5) The best variety trial conducted will be the one on your farm; however, don't be an experiment station. Stay with the varieties you know are rroven performers. 6) Select first for yield and then address specific concerns. 7) Use early maturity groups (IV and V and some VI's). 8) Obtain additional seed tests to accurately assess the quality of your seed. 9) Maintain accurate records for future use.

After 3 years of large-scaled planting of Roundup Ready varieties, a lot of mixed thinking still exists. Although some good varieties are available, Roundup Ready varieties, as a whole, have been more variable in yield and disease reactions; key in on consistency. Several good, high-yielding varieties are available, but you will need to be selective to stay on top of the best varieties. Nothing has changed regarding variety selection.

Variety selection is a monumental task, and I learn something new every year. Everyone wants to be on a recommended list, but it is not that easy. Since we began putting this list together, we have heard from many sources regarding varieties; this feedback provides viable information. We get criticized more for this list than anything else we do, but we put it together based on your requests. To let you realize even more how big a difference exists among varieties, in comparison to this year's list, my personal list can be counted on less than 10 fingers and that includes maturity Groups IV and V, both Roundup and conventional.

Over the last several weeks, many of you expressed concern about markets for Roundup Ready soybeans. Discussion has centered around whether or not elevators will be willing to purchase these beans in 2000. I have talked with several individuals who have been in contact with ADM, Bunge, and Farmers Grain; they report all have said the 2000 crop will be treated no differently from last year's soybean crop.

You might be wondering, Why all the fuss? That is a good question. It appears that some of the initial comments were probably a little premature, maybe an attempt to appease some of the non-grower types. Segregation or specific markets will be more prevalent this upcoming season in the Midwest than in the South. If you listen to some of the comments, I believe it can help ease your concerns. 1) They have stated they will not accept any unapproved traits. Roundup Ready soybeans have been approved although segregation may occur in some areas. 2) Comments have been made regarding premiums. Premiums may be offered for conventional beans. I am just glad someone is talking premiums; in the past, discounts only have been the norm. 3) I do not believe the industry has the system in place to do a lot of segregation so certain areas may participate while others may not. The Midwest has more storage facilities and more acres than the South, so it will be more prevalent in that area. 4) The U.S. farmer may find that he or she is at a serious disadvantage when segregation begins. After what I have seen over the last 3 years in the area of quality control and mass production of many new varieties, it would not surprise me if many conventional lines are mixed with Roundup Ready seed. This is not the grower's fault, not the end-purchaser's fault, but an overall disregard for high-quality seed production. Bigger and faster is not better, and we have seen the results of this in the last 3 years. 5) My suggestion for the 2000 crop is some type of contract. Ask your elevator for input, but I still believe you need to get a contract. Business is business, and no one needs the rules of the game to change after you make the decision and plant.

CORN

Dr. Erick Larson

Know your GMOs - Many GMO (genetically modified organism) corn hybrids will be available to plant in 2000. However, as you are likely aware, there is considerable consumer resistance to GMOs overseas and by some U.S. users. This has prompted several grain processors to signal that they must separate products and have different pricing for GMOs and non-GMOs, which means producers should expect the same. Because most producers have insufficient on-farm storage to hold their corn crop, and grain elevator systems are already strapped for capacity during harvest, this could create significant handling problems for Mississippi producers who grow GMO hybrids (similar to problems caused by aflatoxin contamination in 1998). Producers should seriously evaluate specific GMO production, handling, and marketing requirements with their market outlets before they consider planting that product. This will also likely lead to requirements for documentation of origin and/or purity, which will raise legal stakes for everyone involved.

GMO AcceptanceóEach genetic trait is accepted on an individual basis and many have multiple genetic events for a similar type (function) or trait. For example, Bt protection for corn borers is available as YieldGard (MON 810 and Bt11), Starlink (Cry9c), Bt-Xtra, (DBT 418), and NaturGard/KnockOut (E176) from different seed companies. GMO corn events that DO NOT have European Community approval include: Roundup Ready Corn -Monsanto (MON GA21) Starlink -Garst/AgrEvo (Cry9c) Bt-Xtra DeKalb (DBT 418) Liberty Link T14óAgrEvo (T14) DeKalb GR (gluphosinate R) (DLL25) YieldGard/Roundup Ready CornóMonsanto (MON 810/MON GA21) YieldGard/Liberty Link stackóPioneer (MON810/T25).

Hybrid SelectionóThe - new MSU Corn for Grain Variety Trials bulletin is available. This publication provides useful data for selecting hybrids to plant in 2000. I recommend growers plant several hybrids based upon three primary criteriaógrain yield, stalk strength, and maturity. High grain yield is obviously a primary consideration because grain is sold on a weight basis. However, variety trials may not reflect harvestable yields in a field situation unless stalk strength is considered. Leaning or broken stalks can lead to significantly reduced harvest efficiency in terms of harvest loss, time, and fuel. Hybrid maturity influences harvest date and can impact profit through its effect on grain moisture. Hybrids grown may differ in maturity by as much as two weeks. Producers who market their grains at harvest may benefit from growing early maturing hybrids because markets usually decline through harvest.

SOIL TESTING

Dr. Keith Crouse

Extension Soil Testing Laboratory personnel have received several questions about the cost of soil analysis. As of November 1, 1999, a new fee structure for routine soil and tissue samples was implemented. Out-of-state soil samples are $6 each and tissue samples are $15. For residents of Mississippi, soil samples are $3 each and tissue samples are $10. Remember that the Soil Testing Lab will not charge to process troubleshooting samples (those collected and evaluated by the agent).

If you have a client who lives out-of-state and who owns land in Mississippi, he or she will need to submit the samples with a Mississippi address or the computer will automatically charge an out-of-state price.

You can get appropriate submission forms from your county Extension agent or from Extension Supply at Mississippi State University. Mail your payments and samples to MSU Extension Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Laboratory, Box 9610, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

Remember. There is still plenty of time to pull and submit soil samples to MSU. A fertility recommendation is only as good as the soil sample submitted.

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Dr. Malcolm Broome

Sustainable Agriculture suddenly appears to be a new idea many people find many ways to define. The World Commission on Environment and Development put out a definition: "A sustainable society is one that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Obviously, this means long-range planning, looking further than the next crop in the case of agriculture, being flexible, and being wise enough not to undermine physical or social support systems. Many farming systems can allow for the satisfaction of local needs while also contributing to the supply of food on a regional or national level. Yet, some people believe this can only happen with sacrifice or stopping all growth. Growth will and must occur but with a discriminating purpose, or growth may also be a particular kind. A sustainable society, therefore, will apply values and knowledge of the earth's limits to choose the types of growth that will serve its goals.

Technology is believed by some to have no place in sustainability; however, look how well we as a society function today compared to 50 years ago. There is no reason a society should be technically primitive. Each farm in the food-production system can be a focal point for changing how agriculture is practiced, but change must occur within a global system as practiced today.

Some people think a sustainable society would stop using nonrenewable resources, because, by definition, their uses are not sustainable. There is no reason not to use available resources such as oil or coal mined from the earth, but pricing can become a way to limit use and to encourage the development of renewable substitutes. This, in turn, fits the definition of sustainability by ensuring future generations built on the use of such a resource do not suddenly find it is no longer available. Others speculate a sustainable world would be rigid with population or production or everything else held profoundly constant. Certainly as it is today, a sustainable world would have rules, laws, standards, agreements, etc. Some of the necessary rules would be different from those today; for example, the international agreement on global warming is already under way but this doesn't ban our freedoms.

So how does this impact agriculture? The creation of agriculture allowed humans to go from nomadic hunter following game or gatherer of wild plant resources to larger groups in settlements with a steady food supply. This allowed more security and time for development of the other aspects of a society. Many civilizations developed because of agriculture and then ignored this fact by exploiting their natural resources as well as farmers, leading to destruction of that civilization. As early as 800 BC, the good soils of Italy, Greece, and north Africa were destroyed and today are now desert. This mistake could be made again but would have a much larger impact because of practices used worldwide. Today, this would leave no land or water resource untouched, thus no place for people to go for new land. If sustainable agriculture is going to occur over the long term, the productive capacity of the earth will have to be maintained by a society willing to live within its meansófrom households to communities to nations and to the world.

RICE

Dr. Joe Street

Variety selection has not been a difficult decision with two-thirds to three-fourths of the Mississippi acreage planted with Lemont for the past several years. New variety introductions will provide more options. Cocodrie from Louisiana, Priscilla from Mississippi, and Wells from Arkansas are all high-yielding rice varieties. No variety is perfect, and these varieties are no exception. Get a copy of the 1999 Rice Variety Trial Bulletin from your county Extension agent and evaluate the varieties for agronomic characteristics. With any new variety, plant it on a small portion of your farm, and plant the remainder of your acreage with a proven variety.

Priscilla was grown on 18 percent of the Mississippi acreage in 1999. In general, yields ranged from the same as Lemont to 36 bushels more than Lemont. The average yield increase over Lemont was about 20 bushels per acre. In research plots, Priscilla has always milled just under Lemont, which was offset by the higher yields. In several cases in 1999, on-farm milling was much lower than expected for Priscilla and Lemont. Rice dried quickly after draining, and moisture at harvest was low in many cases. The high heat took its toll on the large seed of Priscilla and Lemont. You will recall that most growers were not happy with Lemont during its introductory year.

Many growers vowed never to plant it again, and you know the rest of the story. I hope that is the case with Priscilla and we learn to grow it. In research plots, Priscilla continues to mill similar to Lemont. With some adjustments in harvesting techniques, I trust on-farm-milling yields will be satisfactory.

I know it is early to be thinking about rice water weevils, but it is time to think about treating seed with Icon for water weevil control. If you have a history of water weevil damage on your farm, you can expect to have them in 2000. Icon can be applied only by an authorized seed dealer, so it is a good idea to order seed early for treatment. Icon has done an excellent job of controlling rice water weevils, and it reduces the need for scouting for adults. Other options include Dimilin and Karate Z for controlling the adult water weevils just after permanent flood establishment. Both insecticides provide excellent control of water weevils. Whether Icon is used or not, a good fungicide seed treatment should be applied, especially if you intend to plant early during cooler weather.

With the excellent dry weather during the fall of 1999, much precision land leveling was accomplished. Soil fertility is generally one of the limiting factors in good rice production on the recently leveled fields. There is almost always some nutrient deficiency in the cut areas of the leveled fields. The most common deficiency I observed last year was phosphorus, which can definitely limit yields. Only soil analysis reveals the true nutrient needs of the field. Grid sampling and variable-rate-application technology can be used to get the needed nutrient on the correct portion of the field. It is better to correct the nutrient problem before planting than after symptoms occur on the crop.

WEED CONTROL

Dr. John Byrd

Weeds in wheat can be difficult to control. Many of the annual winter weeds such as annual bluegrass, henbit, common chickweed, sibara, sheperd's purse, little barley, rattail fescue, and Carolina geranium are unsightly but not likely to cause economic yield losses unless they are present sufficiently in high populations to choke out wheat plants. Some of the perennials such as curly dock, ryegrass, and wild garlic, however, are likely to reduce yield and/or cause a price dockage if the grain is contaminated. Wheat growers should scout fields to see where these weeds exist, and they need to use appropriate treatment tactics. While 2,4-D at 1 quart per acre (4-pound formulation) provides fair control of dock and garlic, a mixture with Clarity at 4 ounces per acre is recommended for good control. Applications should be made before jointing.

The best treatment for dock and garlic is Harmony Extra at 0.3 to 0.6 ounce per acre. Nonionic surfactant is needed with Harmony Extra, and applications should be made while garlic is actively growing but before booting. Harmony Extra and the mixture of 2,4-D and Clarity control many of the other winter annual broadleaf weeds that occur in wheat.

Hoelon is the standard treatment for ryegrass; however, several populations of Hoelon-resistant ryegrass have been identified in Mississippi and surrounding states. Few options exist for postemergence control of Hoelon-resistant ryegrass. Researchers in Arkansas have reported good preemergence control (of Hoelon-resistant ryegrass) with Axiom. This may become a widely used treatment as these resistant populations spread.

Weeds in winter grazing can be easily controlled with an application of 2,4-D or Weedmaster. Yellow buttercups exist across the entire state and can easily be controlled with 1 pint per acre 2,4-D if is applied early. Most producers don't think about treating buttercup until flowers are present then it requires a higher rate to get acceptable control. Late February early March would be a good time to make the application and still get good control, depending on winter weather conditions. Avoid applications of high rates of Weedmaster or 2,4-D on small ryegrass. Ryegrass can be damaged by high herbicide rates, and reduced growth or crop stand reduction may occur. Based on my experience, I'd advise against making applications of Grazon P+D to ryegrass. In the demonstration work I've done, this treatment can severely stunt ryegrass growth, reducing available forage for grazing.

Soil and Nutrient Management

Dr. Larry Oldham

Good business involves using management to operate labor, capital, and land for maximum profit, not total income or yield. Central to good business management in farming is knowing the land. Now, more than ever, it is important to be on a good soil testing program and to fine-tune tillage management for profit.

Lime and fertilization programs can be evaluated only by regular soil testing. There are several different philosophies of fertility management used by consultants and universities, but some may not be the proper strategy in the current economic environment. If soil tests are at the high or very high index, there is no benefit to fertilizing for "build-up." No ideal cation ratio exists for soil nutrients, despite fervent advocacy by some. In fact, occasionally there are detrimental side effects in trying to adjust cations and adjustment can be quite costly.

Tillage trips cost money. If compaction is not a problem, there is limited benefit to spending $11 per acre for a tillage operation that, according to research, may net an additional 18 pounds of 50-cent cotton. Spending $11 to get $9 doesn't keep you in business.

My industry sources tell me a lot of fertilizer went out in this dry fall, so some optimism still exists. Let's plan to have good crops in 2000 and hope these will be the 'bad old days' in the near future.

COTTON

Dr. Will McCarty

According to the November 1999 Crop Report, Mississippi was to pick 1,180,000 acres and yield 716 pounds per acre for a production of 1,760,000 bales. This compares to 940,000 acres harvested in 1998 with a yield of 737 pounds per acre and a production of 1,444,000. Quality of the 1999 crop was affected by environmental conditions. While staple length averaged 34.19, more than 26 percent of the bales classed had a length of 33 and shorter, which placed them in the discount range. Average strength was 28.02, uniformity 81.58, and mike was 4.56, with 0.7 percent being below 35 and 16.5 percent being above 50.

Book Cotton Seed EarlyóComplete results of variety testing will be available soon. For Preliminary Results of the 1999 Cotton Variety Test, you may call your county Extension agents office or visit the following Web site: http://ext.msstate.edu/anr/plantsoil/ Click on cotton and then variety trials. Pick your varieties based on proven performance on your farm and on your soil types. Plant the bulk of your farm in proven performers and try new ones only in limited quantities.

Tillage ProgramsóIt is never too late in a cotton production program to make or adjust tillage decisions. Going into the year 2000, it could be the best interest of growers to consider reduced-till production systems. Each time an unnecessary trip is eliminated, you can see potential savings; however, reducing trips across the field will generally increase management requirements. Also, reducing tillage and planting no-till or stale-bed will generally require adjustments to seed treatments, herbicide, and perhaps fertilizer programs.

When planting into a stale bed, burn-down applications are critical. When the field is planted, all vegetation in the field should be dead or about to die. Plan to plant clean and keep the field clean. Burn-down programs may vary, depending on location and vegetation present. These decisions will need to be made on a field by field basis. Generally, it is best to burn down several weeks before planting this allows applications to be made on smaller weeds for easier kills and allows lower rates of materials to be used. Also, burning down early will reduce the risk of vegetation, removing all the water from the beds in dry years. Such situations will delay planting.

Control Traffic SystemsóA system that controls traffic or confines traffic to a particular set of rows has shown tremendous promise in research and demonstrations. Confining all trips across the field to the same middle, coupled with down-the-row sub-soiling and ripping nontraffic middles, is a system that can reduce trips across the field while maintaining or increasing yields.

Row Up Clay Soils in Fall or WinteróFor those who farm cotton on soils with high clay content, rowing up in fall and planting on a stale seedbed is the preferred option. It can mean the difference in planting on time or very late.

Ultra-Narrow RowóThis practice continues to show promise, especially for upland soils of the Hill area. Ultra-narrow-row farming is not for everyone, but it has potential in many situations. There seems to be interest from the equipment companies in making improvements to existing harvest equipment. I have seen enough of this system to feel comfortable; growers can produce cotton in profitable levels. This may be a way to keep acres in cotton. Think about it.

Taking a Representative Soil SampleóSoil testing is another important practice for fall. Soil fertility is not an area to neglect if you want a profitable cotton production program.

Sampling When Bands Locations are KnownóTo ensure an average sample for the field when the band locations are known, the number of cores to be taken between the bands for every core taken in-the-band are equal to eight times the band spacing. Example, if the band spacing is 30 inches, 20 cores (2.5 feet x 8) should be taken between the bands for every sample taken in the band.

When Band Locations Are Not KnownóWhere the band locations are not known, pair sampling when the first sample is taken at random and the second sample of the pair is taken at 50 percent of the band spacing from the first sample and perpendicular to the band direction. These guidelines were developed from phosphorous use but probably are also valid for potassium and/or mixed fertilizers as well.

Fall Fertilizer ApplicationsóThe application of potassium and phosphate in the fall and winter is an acceptable practice. Potassium is a little more mobile in the soil than is the phosphates but not enough to present a leaching problem. On sandy soils that have a CEC of seven or less, delay potassium application until spring. It is not a bad practice to split the total potassium needs into more than one application. Research has shown an advantage in combining broadcast and band applications. The band application can be made before, at, or after planting, as apart of the sidedress nitrogen application. Regardless of the fertility program used, the heart of that fertility program is a sound soil testing program.

Know Nematode PopulationsóSoil testing for nematodes should also be part of your program. Nematodes are stealing yields in many fields. Research and demonstrations in 1994 showed tremendous response to the application of Termik at the recommended nematode control rates. Take soil samples and test for nematodes.

High-yielding, early maturing varieties are especially the ones to look at closely. To be sure you get your favorite seed, book your seed now.

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