CORN
Crop Observation and Recommendation Network

September 30 - October 6, 2002
C.O.R.N. 2002-33

In This Issue:

A) Corn Stalk Quality Declining Rapidly
B) Is Ear Drop in Corn More Common This Year?
C) Flexstar and Spirit/Exceed Carryover Considerations
D) Get Those Dandelions Before Wheat Emerges
E) Combine Adjustments for Harvesting Short Beans
F) Livestock Compensation Program

A) Corn Stalk Quality Declining Rapidly - Pat Lipps CORN Questions

Most corn fields in Ohio have been under severe stress throughout the growing season. Stalk quality issues were recognized in fields as early as mid August as stalk rot fungi were detected in rotted roots and lower stalks. The stalk rot situation has become even more critical as plants matured. Recent rains have made the stalk rot problem more severe. Additional wet weather predicted for later this week will continue to favor deterioration of stalks and increased levels of stalk lodging. There is little growers can do at this point other than focus on harvesting fields as soon as possible. Stalk rot problems in addition to insect and mold damage to ears are all affecting the overall quality of the crop. Take advantage of any fair weather to harvest as promptly as possible since stalk quality will continue to decline rapidly.

B) Is Ear Drop in Corn More Common This Year? - Peter Thomison CORN Questions

I've heard reports lately from Extension and seed company agronomists that ear drop in corn may be greater than normal this year. There are several factors that may be contributing to "ear retention" problems. In many fields, European corn borers (ECB) are present in the shank or in the stalk near the ear, and ECB feeding and injury may be causing ears to drop. However ears are also falling in fields not infested with ECB. Another explanation may this year's drought stress and premature plant death which may have affected shank strength. It's been suggested that the ear shank, sort of a modified stalk, may be cannibalized for carbohydrates by the ear just like the main stalk, which can lead to shank deterioration and eventually ear drop. Dr. Pat Lipps, OSU Plant Pathologist, has isolated Fusarium from ear shanks this year, suggesting that fungal infections may also play a role in shank deterioration. Ear shank length has also been observed to be shorter than usual, at least in certain hybrids. Again, this may be related to the drought stress that has occurred in many corn fields this year, and it may be affecting ear retention. As is the case with high levels of stalk rot, fields exhibiting a high percentage of plants dropping ears should be marked for early harvest. Remember, the loss of one "normal" sized ear per 100 feet of row translates into a loss of more than one bushel/acre.

C) Flexstar and Spirit/Exceed Carryover Considerations - Mark Loux CORN Questions

We discussed the risk of Scepter carryover in last week's newsletter, but there are several other herbicides that could carryover due to the dry weather this summer. Flexstar carryover to corn has been extremely rare in Ohio, and has occurred primarily from late-summer applications under dry conditions. The Flexstar label does not address the effect of dry weather on rotation restrictions. While we assume there is an increased risk of Flexstar carryover due to the dry weather, we are unsure whether this warrants any change in crop rotation plans.

Prosulfuron, one of the herbicides in Spirit and Exceed, is also more likely to carryover to soybeans under dry conditions. The labels for these products contain the following statement: "If severe drought conditions develop (less than 12 inches of rain/irrigation within the first 5 months following application of Spirit/Exceed and/or less than 1 inch within the first 4 weeks after application) rotate only to field corn, sorghum, wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, proso millet, forage grasses, or STS soybeans which have enhanced tolerance to certain sulfonylurea herbicides the next year or crop injury may occur." STS soybeans will protect against Spirit/Exceed carryover, and we suggest checking with seed suppliers soon if you need are considering use of STS soybeans next year (especially if you are looking for stacked trait STS/Roundup Ready soybeans which are not widely available). We do not expect any increase in carryover risk of Beacon and NorthStar, both of which contain primisulfuron. We suggest contacting a Syngenta representative if you need more information on management of carryover risk for Flexstar, Exceed, or Spirit.

D) Get Those Dandelions Before Wheat Emerges - Jeff Stachler CORN Questions

Many brownish colored soybean fields are turning completely green after harvest. In most cases dandelion is the most prevalent weed, although with good moisture in the last two weeks other winter annual weeds are appearing in large numbers as well. In fields where dandelion are prevalent there are only two options prior to soybean planting. One is tillage, which will work well for light pressure populations, but will only take out about half of the population in heavy pressure fields. The other option is to apply glyphosate prior to planting or wheat emergence. To get maximum dandelion control apply glyphosate at 0.75 pounds acid equivalent per acre (22-32 oz/A depending upon the formulation). If cost is a concern, lower rates could be applied, but complete dandelion control cannot be guaranteed.

Everyday that wheat planting is delayed, dandelion control will improve as long as a hard freeze has not occurred. The continuing delay in wheat planting will also allow for better winter annual weed control if glyphosate is used. For those fields that receive a glyphosate application after mid-October, enough winter annual weeds may be controlled that a Spring herbicide application may not be needed.

If the wheat is up and dandelions are present, there are two control options yet this fall, however, suppression of the dandelion is as good as it gets. Peak and Stinger can be applied in the fall to wheat that is emerged and actively growing and in the three leaf stage, respectively. The two products can be tank-mixed which may provide the best control in the fall after wheat has emerged. Stinger should provide more suppression than Peak. If either product is used, double-crop soybeans cannot be planted.

E) Combine Adjustments for Harvesting Short Beans - Paul Jasa, Extension Engineer, Univ. of Nebraska CORN Questions

Because of the drought and heat this year, many producers are harvesting short soybeans. Not only are the plants shorter, the lower pods are closer to the ground than usual. The short plants may not be tall enough to fall into the auger when cut off by the cutterbar. The plants accumulate on the platform until there is enough of a pile to be caught by the auger. This results in "bunch feeding" which makes threshing and separation less efficient and results in a loud "whump" sound under the seat of the operator. Producers can do several things to help get every bean into the combine and to make sure that the short plants feed into the combine evenly.

Operate combine headers as close to the ground as possible to harvest the lowest pods. A flex header with automatic height control provides the closest cut. In rough or uneven fields, the operating speed may need to be slower to allow the header time to react to the surface, keeping it close to the ground without gouging.

By tipping the header slightly forward, the effective cutting height can be lowered to help catch the lowest pods. However, the cutterbar may gouge the ground or push residue more easily, especially if the residue is damp. Also, the soybeans must then move up a slanted platform to the auger which may increase bunch feeding.

To reduce bunch feeding, make sure that the beans get into the auger as soon as possible after cutting, don't let them accumulate on the platform between the cutterbar and the auger. In normal soybeans, the reel should be set to lay the soybean plants over from the cutterbar onto the auger. The reel is run fairly high to reduce shatter losses and wrapping. In short beans, the reel may have to be moved lower and closer to the auger to keep the crop feeding into the auger properly. Reel sweeps, rubber or plastic flaps about a foot long, can be attached to the reel to help sweep short plants and loose beans into the auger.

Producers should check the edge of the auger flighting. If it has been used for several years, the leading edge is probably worn and rounded. Use a hand grinder to square it off or to taper it slightly to the back edge. This allows the auger to effectively grasp the plants better for more uniform feeding. Also, the clearances from the auger to the header floor and to the back should be checked and adjusted, if needed, to help the auger grip the plants.

Some producers add an "air reel" to the combine header, either with or instead of the conventional reel, to move the crop across the cutterbar and into the header. The crop is constantly blown back to the auger and slugging is reduced because there is a uniform flow of material. Also, loose beans in the header are less likely to roll off the platform because of the airflow into the header. In a year such as this with short beans, an air reel may pay for itself in reduced shattering, threshing, and out-the-back bunching losses.

A low-cost, effective addition to the header for harvesting short soybeans is a full width piece of rigid, three inch suction hose, fastened to the platform directly behind the cutterbar. The short soybean plants briefly lean up against the hose after being cut. As the reel comes around, it "flips" the plants over the hose and into the auger rather than laying them on the platform. The hose reduces slug feeding by effectively shortening the platform in front of the auger and by getting the plants directly into the auger. This hose, however, may increase shattering by the reel in taller soybeans as it doesn't allow the plants to fall directly onto the platform away from the reel immediately after being cut.

As in any year, the combine should be properly set to gather, thresh, and separate all the beans from the plants to minimize losses and damage. Any beans shattered out in front of the header or tossed out the back of the combine are lost yield potential. In addition, any damaged beans may be docked, reducing profit potential. For tips on setting the combine for a better soybean harvest, check the combine owner's manual and an article in the September 1, 2000 issue of Crop Watch. The article is available on-line at: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/archives/2000/crop00-21.htm

F) Livestock Compensation Program - United States Department of Agriculture CORN Questions

Approximately $752 million is being made available for a new program, the Livestock Compensation Program, for cattle, sheep, goats and buffalo producers in counties that have received primary disaster designation due to drought in 2001 and/or 2002. In addition, producers in counties which have disaster designation requests pending as of September 19, 2002 which are subsequently approved will also be eligible to participate in the program. Sign up will begin Oct. 1 at county Farm Services Agency offices, with payments made soon thereafter. Assistance will be available in specified counties in Ohio.

The funding for the program announcement will come from Section 32, a permanent appropriation that since 1935 has earmarked the equivalent of 30 percent of annual customs receipts to support the U.S. agriculture sector. Payments will be based on standard feed consumption data for each eligible type of livestock. The payment rate is $18 per animal consuming unit, which is indexed against beef cattle. Types of livestock adjusted by these factors are:

Beef Cows $18.00/head
Dairy Cows $31.50/head
Stockers $13.50/head
Goats $4.50/head
Sheep $4.50/head

For more information about this program and other drought and weather-related information, visit USDA's website at http://www.usda.gov

Readers can subscribe electronically to this newsletter by sending an e-mail message to: corn-out-on@postoffice.ag.ohio-state.edu. A successful subscription message will receive by an automatic reply from the listserv. Contact your local Ohio State University Extension Office or e-mail labarge.1@osu.edu if you have problems subscribing.

Past versions of C.O.R.N. can be found on the World Wide Web at: http:/www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~corn/archive/

C.O.R.N. is a summary of crop observations, related information, and appropriate recommendations for Ohio Crop Producers and Industry. C.O.R.N. is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, State Specialists at The Ohio State University and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. C.O.R.N. Questions are directed to State Specialists, Extension Associates, and Agents associated with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center at The Ohio State University.

Editor: Andy Kleinschmidt        Web Editor: Tom Rosati

Information presented above and where trade names are used, they are supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Ohio State University Extension is implied. Although every attempt is made to produce information that is complete, timely, and accurate, the pesticide user bears responsibility of consulting the pesticide label and adhering to those directions.

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Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.

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