Category Archives: Seeding

Cutworms Are Out!

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cutwormsNEWS FLASH – We found cutworms today! When you are out looking at your fields, especially your winter seeded crops, make sure to take a close look under the trash cover. These fellows were found in a Triticale field north of Coaldale, AB.

Cutworms are named for their annoying habit of cutting down seedlings, usually right at or near the soil surface. They vary in color and markings according to species, but a common behavior of cutworms is their tendency to curl into a letter C shape when disturbed. Cutworms generally overwinter as larvae, so they’re ready to feed as soon as temperatures warm and the crops are planted and start emerging. By late spring, the caterpillars have tunneled into the soil to pupate. Adult moths emerge in summer, when they mate and lay eggs. A singe female may lay hundreds of eggs, often on weeds in the crop. The new generation of larvae feed until temperatures drop low enough to send them into hibernation for winter.

Please, check your fields! If you are not sure what you are looking for, the team here at McRae Holdings would be happy to check things out for you.

From Amanda Archibald, Agronomist with McRae Holdings.

Spring Fertilizer Options

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How much fertilizer do we place where and when? Spring is upon us and seeding is around the corner. Every year your crop planner gets asked this question in one form or another, Can you improve our fertilizer logistics? To answer this question, we need to get to the 4R’s of fertilizer: right rate, right reason, right amount and right placement.

Different crops have different fertilizer needs. For example canola needs a lot more nitrogen than flax does. They also have different tolerances to seed placed fertilizer. Generally, the bigger the seed the better tolerance to seed placed fertilizer. For instance, barley has a different tolerance than timothy seed and soya beans are hyper sensitive to seed placed fertilizer. Salt indexes, aka fertilizer burn, also vary among fertilizers. Furthermore, fertilizers are highly hygroscopic, meaning it attracts soil moisture. The fertilizer competes for water with the seed. Small seedlings cannot handle the “competition” for the water.

Different fertilizers behave differently in or on the soil. Such as urea nitrogen, it volatilizes and ammonium sulfate does not (or very little). There are options available to mitigate nitrogen loss. Agrotain™ is a product that can minimize these nitrogen losses. The cost depends on the amount of product you put on. Generally, Agrotain™ gives you 10 days coverage under broadcast conditions. Incidentally it is also a neat product for those that are single shooting!

There are innumerable options on product combinations.

One of the tough calls we make every year is, how much of a pain will it be filling up the seed drill? Most folks do not have sufficient humor in filling up the seed drill every 5 minutes. However, as difficult as it may seem that we make things, we do it with the best results in mind. A properly seeded crop is half grown!

We make very tough calls on every field, how much to broadcast, how much to seed place, how much to sideband, how much to fertigate etc.

Bear with us, if we ask for difficult or hard strategies we do it for a reason. On the other hand if some things cannot be done due to technological limitations, tell us. The customer is always right and we will work hard to make it work for all.

Confusing? Now you know why crop consultants don’t have much hair, they pull it out during crop planning season!

Till next time!

Jack Feenstra

Soil Conditions in the Pincher Creek Area- March 28, 2013

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meYesterday, we went out to check where the frost was in the ground since seeding is just around the corner. We were not surprised with what we found. The soil temperature is just above zero and depending on the trash cover, the ground is still frozen.

Any land that was worked up and cultivated is by far much further along. The sun is able to penetrate through and the black soil just absorbs whatever heat it can. There is still frost in these soil conditions, but you don’t hit it until you are about three to four inches into the ground. The stubble fields vary a bit, but the frost is starting to come of them. On the average, the frost starts about one inch into the soil. Any field that has any trash cover (straw) on it is still completely frozen.

Basically, the ground is not ready for seeding just yet. The temperature is too cold and the soil is on the verge of being too frozen. With some heat in the upcoming forecast, I predict it won’t be long until we see the seeders rolling!

Amanda Archibald, Agronomist with McRae Holdings

Soil Temperature

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Spring is here, even though it might be hard to see under all of this snow. I am sure that you are itching to get into the field and start preparing for seeding. However, it is still too early. Soil temperature is the key. This can serve as a useful guide for your seeding timing. Once the seed is planted, it is important that germination occurs uniformly and without delay. If the soil is too cool, germination is postponed, which results in seed damage and uneven or poor plant emergence. It may even be necessary to reseed. Any thermometer that will measure temperature at a specific depth can be used to measure soil temperature.

 

Minimum Temperature oC

Preferred Temperature oC
Wheat

4

20
Barley

3-5

20
Oats

5

15-20
Canola (Argentine)

5

15-20
Canola (Polish)

7-10

15-20

Old to Us, New to Others

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ESNRecently visiting a client, he mentioned a couple things I was surprised at. One was about ESN. I guess I shouldn’t take for granted that everyone knows that is a polymer coated urea that releases over time with temperature and moisture. It is a good agronomic product in its place. He likes the idea that he won’t lose nitrogen to the atmosphere. Herein lays the slight misunderstanding. With higher yields expected, higher rates of fertilizer are recommended. The higher rates can push the limits of seed safety if you only have a single shoot seeder. One option is to broadcast the nitrogen on the ground before seeding. He felt this was a too great a risk because some volatilization can occur. He thought ESN would allow him to put more nitrogen through the drill, and stop that risk. He was also concerned with the extra cost of a broadcast application. Justified concerns, but what are the economics?

Let’s use a rate of 100 pounds of actual N as a target. ESN is always at a premium to urea, at least $135 per metric tonne. So the premium no matter the cost of urea is almost $14 for that application. (Call me if you want the math explained.) Putting on an extra 10% (110 pounds of N) at current prices is just over $6. Custom application is under $7. So it’s a wash then? Not exactly, there is the $1 difference per acre, and that is if the premium is only $135. Additionally is 100 N seed placed safe even with ESN? Not in my opinion. Will you lose 10% of your nitrogen from a broadcast application? It is possible, but not likely if done correctly. So now we can be looking at the full $14 per acre cost. That covers a lot of crop planning and scouting. Suddenly the advice of an agronomist doesn’t cost you money but actually makes you money, but then again that is one of the things that is; “old to us new to others”.

Jason Trowbridge CCA, McRae Holdings, Cardston

 

Money Well Spent

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Testing your seed this winter? Why do we do it? Is it just because I always do it or is there some real reason we spend the extra money? Well let’s start off with saying that it is money well spent. Understanding germination, cold vigor and seed weight is very important in increasing the chances of success next year.

The germination rate of your seed sample is probably the primary reason why you send a seed sample in. Unfortunately, a standard germination test can give you results that are misleading, as the standard test is specifically designed to bring every bit of life out of a given seed by giving it the most ideal conditions to grow. A vigor analysis, unlike a standard germination test, is designed to impose a controlled level of stress on the seed, giving a more accurate indication of what you could expect to see next spring. The test most commonly used is referred to as a cold saturation test, and this test exposes the seeds to increased water and reduced temperatures during germination. The specific intention here is to kill or damage any seedlings that may arise from weak seed.

Within a germination analysis, you may notice are that the number for dead and abnormal seedlings. A dead seed count is pretty self-explanatory, but an abnormal seedling is a seedling that initiates the germination process but due to a deficiency or physical damage will not produce a viable plant. This abnormal seed can be this way because of physical damage and or chemical damage. Physical damage is exactly as it sounds. Its damage caused to a seed that has had some form of physical stress imposed on it that leads to abnormal germination or death. Causes of this type of damage can occur at any time when the seed is physically handled including harvest, auguring, falling to the bottom of a bin, etc.

The majority of chemical damage that is detected in a seed analysis is the result of exposure to the non-selective herbicide, like glyphosate. In instances where growers use glyphosate to desiccate their crop prior to harvest, chemical damage can occur. Contrary to common belief, if a grower applies glyphosate at the correct timing a fine layer of the chemical adsorbs to the seed coat which has no effect on the seeds ability to germinate. If the seed is sown into a soil medium for testing, the glyphosate will resolubilize but is quickly adsorbed by the soil and rendered inactive. However, if you have not timed the glyphosate application properly and the plant is still moving water and nutrients into the seed, glyphosate will be translocated to the seed rendering it abnormal. My personal advice don’t do it keep glyphosate treated crops out of the seed bin lessen the chance for a wreck.

When we take into account all the information we gather on a good seed analysis, germ, vigor and TKW we can make a better decision on how much seed to clean this winter and how much to plant next spring. It’s never too early to plan for a bummer crop. For further advice or testing of your seed feel free to contact us, let us help you succeed.

Terry Bonertz, CCA

 

Let’s Talk Crop Plans

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Having a fully planned out crop plan on January 1 of the year may be a difficult thing for most producers to do, but it is important to plan early. Why you may ask? Planning ahead has always led to successful execution of a said plan when the time has arrived. We like to talk about crop plans early so that when the drills hit the field, we are not asking the question, so what are we doing on this field? Here are some helpful tips when making your crop plans for this upcoming 2013 crop year.

- Rotation. When making crop plans crop rotation can be one of the most important components to take into consideration. Not only is it for disease pressure, but includes chemical rotation as well. Certain weeds are starting to have chemical resistance issues so rotating chemicals can be as important if not more important than crop rotation. Disease pressure is another reason for rotating crops. Tight rotations of canola for example could lead to possible disease pressures under the right conditions.

- Straw residue. We like to mention this following a big production year because when there is excess straw and chaff residue our nitrogen requirements go up. We will require more N to help break down remaining residue, which is an important factor prior to seeding.

- Seed selection. We like to discuss seed selection in advance because good seed is important for establishing a healthy crop. Sending away seed samples for germ and vigor tests as well as a disease screen is also very important. We want to give our crop the best chance we can right at the start. Also, proper seed selection can be important if your area has disease challenges such as club root, black leg, stripe rust or powdery mildew, just to name a few.

- Seeding timing. Proper planting timing is very important for all crops. For producers that are planting multiple types of crops proper seeding timing is important to plan prior to hitting the field. Some crops should be planted early while others can wait till a bit later. A proper seeding plan will save time and help prepare you for potential weather events or delays.

- Budget. Planning a budget early is very important. With fluctuating markets for grains and fertilizer having a budget plan laid out can help make important seeding decisions. With a carefully planned budget it may make sense to change up certain seeding plans. A full budget would include the following costs: seed, seed treatment, fertilizer, herbicide, fungicide, insecticide, planting, chemical application, irrigation, harvest, custom work, taxes, rent lease or land payments, labor, fuel, equipment, and any other fixed or variable expenses. Knowing these and planning for these expenses ahead of time will prepare you for any surprises.

- Soil tests. Planning for fertilizer requirements is a very important factor in a crop plan. A properly taken soil test can be invaluable for making fertilizer recommendations. We encourage producers to take soil samples so we know what amounts of nutrients may be required. Remember it all starts at the roots.

By taking these points into consideration we can begin making our 2013 crop plans. We invite producers that are having a difficult time making crop plans to contact any member of the agronomy team at McRae holdings to assist them. A new year means new opportunities and all of us at McRae’s wish you all the best in the 2013 crop year. Happy farming.

Dan Konopelski

 

What’s the Fate of Your Seed?

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The harvest is over and the grain is in the bin now it’s time to protect your investment. Chances are the bins were checked after filling, but it’s a good idea to periodically check the bins over the fall and winter months. In warm temperatures grain can start to spoil depending on the moisture content and temperature. Infestations from insects, mold, and fungi can also happen and need to be monitored while in storage. With the current high grain prices, quality losses while in storage could be costly. What are your intentions for the grain in the bins, feed or seed?

Seed testing is a good idea to determine what to do with your harvest. Once you know the germination, vigor and TKW of the seed one can decide if it’s viable to use for seeding this coming spring, or if its fate is feed. Knowing this gives you ample time to locate a different source of seed if needed. It also helps with the planning of your seeding operation. The TKW is required to determine the seeding rates for an optimal stand. Our agronomists can help you determine the correct number of plants per square foot for your soil type and area. Once this is determined we can agree on the weight of the seed and how much is needed to obtain your desired plant population. Remember, when you are buying or selling grain for seed, knowing the Fusarium levels is a must.

Keep an eye on your bins and watch for signs of trouble this winter. A few extra checks could make a huge difference. It’s never too early to test your seed and prepare for a new crop year.

From Amanda Archibald, Agronomist with McRae Holdings.

 

Soil Sampling vs Yield

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Yield and quality work hand in hand. Without one it’s hard to get the other. The importance of a nutrient management program is demonstrated by the picture below.

The first building block for a program is a soil analyses. Step two is to be involved with an agronomy team with the ability to interpret the results. Step three is to spend the time that it takes to sit down with your agronomy team and design the best program for your own soil analysis. Step four is to find a retail outlet that understands the nutrient products that you need and has the willingness to stock those products. Team McRae agronomy in conjunction with McRae Holdings Ltd. bring these solutions to your management table.

Below are three examples of winter wheat all of which were seeded with the same equipment in the same field with three different fertilizer programs. Sample one on the left had a weak fertilizer program some seed placed fertilizers and broadcasted nitrogen in the spring. Sample two in the middle had a good program seed placed including Phosphate, Potassium and Micros as per required on the soil sample. Sample three on the right had a full balanced nutrient program as per indicated by the soil sample. As we moved from good to better to best we continued to have significant increase in quality and production.

 

 

 

 

Yield data and economic benefit on this field will be made available on our web site as soon as the field is harvested.

Terry Bonertz, CCA

Your Report card on Germination

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Most crops are in the ground and a large portion of them are already out. Now, it’s time to assess how you did. Walk your fields and dig in a few places to check seeding depth. You cannot do much about poor seeding depths or seed/fertilizer separation problems now, but while things are still fresh in your mind, you may be able to remember why you had issues and make the necessary notes or changes so it does not happen again next year.

Seeding depth is the biggest issue I have seen this year again. Like most years seeding is started and sometimes even completed in cool wet soils. Under these conditions plants do not grow very quickly and they use more energy thus making seeding depth even more important. Planting depth should be determined by the length of the coleoptile.

Speed is another factor that contributes to poor emergence. If, for example, you were seeding too fast and there was some mixing of the seed row and banded row, germination could be effected because of the salt index in and near the seed. Speed can also bury seed under excess soil as it does not roll back over the shoe as it is designed to do. Exposed seed can also be a speed/ shoe design issue. Find an optional speed and stick to it despite the rain clouds over head.

Soil texture is another major reason for seed depth variations. When you move from one field to another soil texture likely also changes due to the soil characteristics. Your seeding equipment will likely sink deeper in a sandier soil than a clay soil so adjustments need to be made. Did you make them?

No matter how unlimited or limited our budget is after seeding we cannot change our seeding depth or speed. Do it right the first time. If you were too busy to check every field when you were seed now is the time to face the piper and check to see if you passed or failed.

Terry Bonertz, CCA