Wisconsin Agribusiness Classic
The Wisconsin Agribusiness Classic -“the Classic” (formerly the Wisconsin Crop Management Conference) is the Midwest’s premier agronomic inputs industry event. This conference encompasses three days of educational sessions and two days of agriculture industry trade show exhibits. The 2024 event is set for January 9-11.
List of Proceedings
- 2022 Proceedings
- 2021 Proceedings
- 2020 Proceedings
- 2019 Proceedings
- 2018 Proceedings
- 2017 Proceedings
- 2016 Proceedings
- 2015 Proceedings
- 2014 Proceedings
- 2013 Proceedings
- 2012 Proceedings
- 2011 Proceedings
- 2010 Proceedings
- 2009 Proceedings
- 2008 Proceedings
- 2007 Proceedings
- 2006 Proceedings
- 2005 Proceedings
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Many farmers in the Upper Midwest use agricultural tile drainage to produce crops. Farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota have been using agricultural tile drainage for Read more…
Many farmers in the Upper Midwest use agricultural tile drainage to produce crops. Farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota have been using agricultural tile drainage for decades. Tile drainage is used to achieve moisture conditions that improve field access, promote crop growth and yield, and decrease surface runoff. Tile drainage can also serve as a conduit for sediment and nutrient transport to surface waters and more information and education is needed to reduce this potential pathway for transport.
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Although there is a great deal of research on soil health, the concepts are still loosely defined, and there are not clear resources for farmers Read more…
Although there is a great deal of research on soil health, the concepts are still loosely defined, and there are not clear resources for farmers to determine their farm’s impact on soil. More research is needed to determine the most effective methods of measuring soil health, and whether those measurements relate to management decision and crop yield.
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Current manure application practices require nutrient analysis procedures that can lead to significant variation in manure nutrient application. Many time manure samples are not timely, Read more…
Current manure application practices require nutrient analysis procedures that can lead to significant variation in manure nutrient application. Many time manure samples are not timely, where samples are commonly obtained during application and analyzed at the laboratory using wet chemistry methods that provide results after application. This methodology only allows for updating maps and nutrient management plans to reflect the actual nutrient application rates and does not allow for adjustments during application. In addition, composite or limited samples are collected and analyzed which are used to represent the manure characteristics of an entire manure storage. These practices lead to inaccurate accounting of the manure nutrients applied to a field. This can result in yield reductions if under-applied or loss of valuable nutrients leading to negative environmental consequences if over applied. This project aims to assess the utility of a NIR nutrient prediction sensor using laboratory and fields methods to determine nutrient characteristics during application and vary the rate of manure to improve accuracy of manure nutrient applications. Data presented will show the variation in manure nutrient concentration from manure storages, variation in laboratory nutrient measurements, ability of a laboratory NIR system to measure manure nutrient concentrations, and the nutrient application rates measured in the field from a manure spreader equipped with an NIR sensor system and flow meter.
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Manure nutrients are beneficial when land applied but can contribute to environmental degradation when lost as runoff, emissions, or leachate. Applying manure nutrients to better Read more…
Manure nutrients are beneficial when land applied but can contribute to environmental degradation when lost as runoff, emissions, or leachate. Applying manure nutrients to better meet agronomic crop needs has potential to reduce losses but transporting manure nutrients to nutrient deficient fields is commonly cost prohibitive. Densifying manure nutrients into manure based products has the potential to reduce transport costs but current technologies, including solid liquid separation, composting, and pelleting, can remain cost prohibitive in areas of high livestock density. This project aims to assess converting manure solids to biochar and its impact on nutrient densification and availability. Data presented will show impacts on manure phosphorus and nitrogen during biochar production, and availability of phosphorous when manure-derived biochar is applied to a loam and sandy loam soil during a 182-day incubation study.
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Highlights of our recent potato and vegetable research include: • In the herbicide evaluation program, we’ve conducted field studies on over two dozen crops in Read more…
Highlights of our recent potato and vegetable research include:
• In the herbicide evaluation program, we’ve conducted field studies on over two dozen crops in recent years. This process typically starts with a multi-species herbicide screen, where we take a first look at many herbicide active ingredients across more than a dozen vegetable crops. Those that show promise are moved on to crop-specific replicated studies, and if there remains to be crop safety, added value for weed control and registrant interest, we then conduct refined studies to evaluate aspects such as crop variety tolerance, weed control spectrum, multiple soil types and viable use patterns (timing, rate, adjuvants, tank-mixes, etc.). We continue to work across regions to custom-tailor local solutions. While new herbicide active ingredient development is rather sparse in recent years, we still have several herbicides that are registered in other crops that look promising and are in various stages of the registration process. For example, in 2021 we began to evaluate a new herbicide proposed for use in potato that in Europe has already become the most widely used product for potato weed control. We’ll continue that work at multiple locations.
• We continue to work on ways to make small-seeded vegetables such as carrot, onion and cabbage more competitive with weeds in the early season and to optimize yield per unit of crop inputs, such as fertilizer and water. Our efforts recently have been focused on using natural plant growth regulators in combination with competitive varieties and seeding configurations to enhance production. We have a new graduate student starting on this project in 2022 and have established collaborations with researchers in multiple states.
• Similarly, we initiated work in 2020 to study the use of plant growth regulators to hasten uniform potato emergence and canopy development. The results of this preliminary study were interesting, suggesting that early-season potato growth can be significantly altered by low rates of plant growth regulator application. In 2021, we continued this work by looking at both seed and early foliar treatments and will follow these through harvest to determine tuber yield, size distribution and quality implications. In 2022, we’ll work to refine the application rates and timing that best improve competition with weeds while also monitoring tuber size distribution and yield.
With rapid spread of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth and waterhemp in central Wisconsin in particular, we anticipate continued adoption of synthetic auxin-resistant soybean. The applied research that we’ve recently conducted has been used to inform regulators, growers and processors about the risks associated with potential drift, volatility or tank contamination. We’ll continue to provide objective, science-based information to these important discussions such that they’re grounded in reality and not just marketing. Additionally, waterhemp management in potato and rotational vegetables will be an outreach focus in 2022 based on grower and consultant input.
• In 2021, we initiated preliminary investigations of using an interseeded rye cover crop in strip plantings every 4 potato rows or between each potato row as a potential mechanism to capture leachate below the potato root zone. One of the greatest challenges in mixed species cropping is herbicide selectivity – getting acceptable weed control without killing the cover crop. In 2022, we’re amending our methods to include fall-planted annual and perennial cover crops to improve that herbicide selectivity.
• We continue to lead related efforts and projects, such as serving on the DNR Groundwater Technical Advisory Committee and the Wisconsin IPM Program. We’re also now investigating potential economically viable alternative crops that could further diversify Wisconsin’s agricultural portfolio. In 2020, we established alternative crop studies in two central Wisconsin locations, Antigo and Arlington and continued this work through the 2021 growing season. The groundnut is of particular interest in the potato rotation and 2022 studies will focus on agronomic optimization of this crop that is a drought-tolerant, nitrogen fixing legume with high protein content.
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Corn growers continually face many production challenges including low grain prices, high input prices and regulatory pressure to minimize nutrient losses to the environment. Nitrogen Read more…
Corn growers continually face many production challenges including low grain prices, high input prices and regulatory pressure to minimize nutrient losses to the environment. Nitrogen management figures prominently into these challenges with questions surrounding selection of N fertilizer rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the profitability and efficiency of N rate selection tools currently used in Wisconsin.
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Soil phosphorus (P) tests used for crop nutrient recommendations should be correlated to crop yield response and calibrated to identify interpretation classes of responsiveness. Common Read more…
Soil phosphorus (P) tests used for crop nutrient recommendations should be correlated to crop yield response and calibrated to identify interpretation classes of responsiveness. Common soil P tests recommended for the U.S. north-central region have been correlated to crop yield response, and include the Bray-1, Mehlich-3, and Olsen tests. Which test is used more predominately in a state is a function of the recommendation systems in place, chemical reactions between soil constituents and the extracting solutions, and its overall intended use. Also important is the ability to use a test to extract and measure additional elements, which is the case for the Mehlich-3 test in Iowa or Bray-1 test in Wisconsin.
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Nitrogen use efficiency assessment in Wisconsin is an ongoing project. Please check out the following Discovery Farms publications: Nitrogen Use Efficiency: Statewide NUE benchmarking for Read more…
Nitrogen use efficiency assessment in Wisconsin is an ongoing project. Please check out the following Discovery Farms publications:
Nitrogen Use Efficiency: Statewide NUE benchmarking for corn grain and silage
https://uwdiscoveryfarms.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1255/2020/08/DiscoveryFarms-NUE-ForOnline.pdf
Nitrogen Use Efficiency: A guide to conducing your own assessment
https://uwdiscoveryfarms.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/1255/2020/07/NUE-A-guide-to-conducting-your-own-assessment.pdf
Project results will be continually updated on the Discovery Farms website (uwdiscoveryfarms.org).
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Tar spot of corn, caused by Phyllachora maydis, is a newly established and emerging disease in the United States. Since 2018, it has had significant Read more…
Tar spot of corn, caused by Phyllachora maydis, is a newly established and emerging disease in the United States. Since 2018, it has had significant yield impacts on corn production in northern Indiana and regions around Lake Michigan, causing an estimated 20 to 60 bu/acre yield loss. Tar spot has also continued to spread as it has now been confirmed in 14 states and Canada. The tar spot fungus can overwinter in the upper Midwest resulting in high inoculum levels that are able to cause disease in future seasons when favorable environmental conditions occur. In 2021, significant losses expanded beyond northern Indiana to pockets in the southern part of the state. A summary of our experiences in Indiana on the distribution and spread of tar spot will be presented, as we continue to improve our understanding of this disease.
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Sclerotinia stem rot (a.k.a. white mold) is a disease of soybean (Glycine max) caused by the fungal pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Roth et al., 2020). In Read more…
Sclerotinia stem rot (a.k.a. white mold) is a disease of soybean (Glycine max) caused by the fungal pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Roth et al., 2020). In highly conducive years, white mold can cause soybean yield losses of up to 61 million bushels in a single season (Bradley et al., 2021). Sclerotinia sclerotiorum most successfully initiates infections in soybean during flowering periods by releasing puffs of ascospores into the canopy of the crop. These ascospores then germinate and grow on senescing plant tissues such as flowers, leading to infection and colonization of soybean vascular parts. Upon full constriction of the soybean stem by S. sclerotiorum, the infected soybean plants begin to prematurely wilt and die, resulting in reduced seed fill and subsequent yield losses. While yield losses due to white mold can be substantial, a disease severity index (DIX) rating of 40% is needed for significant losses, with severe losses only being found at a DIX of 68% (Willbur et al., 2019). In order to prevent the development of white mold and the resulting yield losses, management practices for controlling this disease have been the focus of many independent research efforts.
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Tar spot of corn, caused by Phyllachora maydis, has become a major disease issue in corn production in northern Indiana. The annual impact of this Read more…
Tar spot of corn, caused by Phyllachora maydis, has become a major disease issue in corn production in northern Indiana. The annual impact of this emerging disease will be a function of the weather, hybrid and when the disease epidemic initiates, earlier vs. later in the season. Our research has found that some hybrids are more resistant than others, but strong hybrid resistance can be overcome by a favorable disease environment. Fungicide application can reduce tar spot severity, but product and timing are important. Fungicide application needs to occur close to the onset of the epidemic and the number of applications and optimal timing are going to vary year by year. In 2019 and 2020 in uniform fungicide trials, fungicides significantly reduced tar spot and protected yield by 1.5 to 7.9% over the non-treated controls. Products that had two or three modes of action (MOAs) decreased tar spot severity over not treating and products with one MOA. Three MOAs significantly increased yield over not treating with a fungicide or using a single MOA group. A summary of our research in Indiana will be presented as we continue to improve our understanding of tar spot disease management options to mitigate yield loss.
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Corn for silage is an important component of a dairy cow’s diet. This staple can be responsible for more than 50% of the total dry-matter Read more…
Corn for silage is an important component of a dairy cow’s diet. This staple can be responsible for more than 50% of the total dry-matter intake for the cow, especially in the winter. To produce high-quality silage the use of brown mid-rib hybrids (BMR) has become common. These hybrids have lower indigestible lignin and can produce a higher-quality feed than their counterparts. However, with low lignin comes the tradeoff in low disease resistance. Gibberella ear rot and stalk rot have become diseases of concern in silage corn production in the northern corn production belt of the United States. Gibberella diseases not only damage the plant and can reduce yield and quality but can also lead to the accumulation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). To manage these diseases and reduce DON on susceptible corn hybrids, farmers are becoming increasingly reliant on foliar fungicide applications. Research has indicated that foliar fungicide applications can lead to mixed success in managing Gibberella ear rot and stalk rot. Research has also demonstrated that DON can accumulate in the stalk and ear portions of the plant independently. Weather from one year to the next may play a role in the type of disease (ear rot or stalk rot) and where DON accumulates. The location of infection by the Gibberella fungus and accumulation of DON likely influences the success in using fungicide to reduce DON levels in finished feed. This presentation will discuss what we know about DON accumulation in corn plant parts. We will also discuss current knowledge on managing DON accumulation using fungicide. Other aspects of Gibberella infection and effects on silage feed will also be discussed.
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Cropping system diversity is an important aspect of agricultural sustainability. This is especially true in Wisconsin dairy systems where farmers seek forage and grain options Read more…
Cropping system diversity is an important aspect of agricultural sustainability. This is especially true in Wisconsin dairy systems where farmers seek forage and grain options that can potentially minimize nutrient loss and erosion over winter months and provide land for summer manure applications. Hybrid rye is a relatively new alternative crop option; however, we lack basic agronomic recommendations for our farmers. Two studies were conducted in Wisconsin to evaluate the nitrogen needs of hybrid rye. Studies were a split-plot design with four replications. Two varieties (KWS Propower and KWS Serafino) were fertilized at four fall (0, 17, 34, 50 kg N ha-1) and six spring (0, 34, 67, 101, 135, 168kg N ha-1) nitrogen rates. Trials were established in September 2020. One study evaluated nitrogen needs for forage production and the other for grain production. The forage trial was harvested at Feekes 10.1 in May 2021 and the grain trial at Feekes 11.4 in July 2021. The ‘lmer’ package in R was used for linear regression. Both fall and spring nitrogen had a significant impact on forage yield, with yields increasing as nitrogen rates increase. Results of grain yields were similar, although there was a stronger yield response to spring nitrogen application in treatments receiving no fall nitrogen. When compared to other forage and grain crops in Wisconsin, hybrid rye yields were comparable or better. Data on forage and grain yield and quality will be presented. These trials will be repeated at two locations in 2022 and data will be used to create preliminary nitrogen management guidelines for hybrid rye.
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Ransomware attacks continue to affect the food and agribusiness sector, with many instances hitting very close to home here in Wisconsin. It’s imperative that agribusinesses Read more…
Ransomware attacks continue to affect the food and agribusiness sector, with many instances hitting very close to home here in Wisconsin. It’s imperative that agribusinesses understand the implications of lax cybersecurity, how to protect your operations from a breach, and, finally, what to do if your systems are attacked by cybercriminals.
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A carbon credit is a tradable asset (similar to a certificate or permit) that represents the right to release or emit carbon into the atmosphere. Read more…
A carbon credit is a tradable asset (similar to a certificate or permit) that represents the right to release or emit carbon into the atmosphere. Typically, each credit represents one metric ton (2,204 pounds) of carbon dioxide or an equivalent amount of another greenhouse gas. Carbon credits are created when entities (compared to a set baseline) reduce their carbon emissions or sequester carbon.
A growing number of private initiatives are offering farmers compensation for the generation of agriculture carbon credits as well as other ecosystem services, such as improvements in water quality. Agricultural producers can create carbon credits in a variety of ways: moving from conventional tillage to reduced or no tillage, reducing stocking rates on pastures, planting cover crops or trees, reducing fertilizer rates, or converting marginal cropland to grassland. The result of this is an emerging agriculture carbon credits market that is a mixture of coexisting programs, each with different rules, incentives, and players.
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Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of five different at-plant insecticide treatments on two different sweet corn hybrids for control of seedcorn maggot (DIPTERA: Delia platura). Experimental Read more…
Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of five different at-plant insecticide treatments on two different sweet corn hybrids for control of seedcorn maggot (DIPTERA: Delia platura).
Experimental design: This trial was conducted at the University of Wisconsin’s Arlington Agricultural Research Station, located 3 miles southeast of Arlington, WI, on a silt loam soil in 2021. Two separate plantings were established intended to evaluate efficacy against the second and third generation of the seedcorn maggot lifecycle, respectively. The second generation planting was established on May 26, 2021, at coordinates 43.316713, -89.335280, while the third generation planting was established Jun 23, 2021, at coordinates 43.317012, -89.333932. Each planting measured 120 ft. wide by 135 ft long, containing four replicates of 12 adjacent 10 ft (4 rows on 30 in. spacing) by 30 ft long plots, with 5 ft of unplanted space along rows separating replicates. Seed was planted using a 2-row planter equipped with a cone feeder. Each 30 ft. row received 45 seeds, for an approximate seed spacing of 8 in.
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Remote sensing is an innovative, timely, non-destructive and spatially comprehensive approach to improve existing in-season crop production management practices. Remote sensing typically provides several narrow Read more…
Remote sensing is an innovative, timely, non-destructive and spatially comprehensive approach to improve existing in-season crop production management practices. Remote sensing typically provides several narrow spectral bands (~ 3 to10 nm), which can capture fine absorption features of crop nutrients (e.g., leaf chlorophyll, water and nitrogen). So far many studies have indicated that remote sensing can be effectively applied to predicting crop parameters/variables, such as leaf area index, biomass, foliar N concentration, and leaf chlorophyll content.
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The corn-soybean rotation of the U.S. Corn Belt is the dominant cropping system. It is a relatively young cropping system that is currently challenged by Read more…
The corn-soybean rotation of the U.S. Corn Belt is the dominant cropping system. It is a relatively young cropping system that is currently challenged by many abiotic and biotic factors. A question often asked, “Is it sustainable?” Resilient, stable, and productive cropping systems are needed to endure increasingly frequent climatic extremes. Our objectives were 1) To identify superior corn-soybean cropping sequences for stability and resilience across environments, and 2) To explore the relationship between productivity, stability, and resilience of corn-soybean rotations. Productivity is the average yield across normal years. Stability is the minimal variability of yields across normal years. Resilience is the ability of a system to withstand a climatic crisis with high yields and not deviate during the crisis with the ability to recover from a crisis and the speed of this recovery. An experiment initiated in 1983 involving tillage and corn-soybean rotations was used to evaluate stability and resiliency. Crop rotations included continuous corn, continuous soybean, corn-soybean rotation, and 5-yrs corn followed by 5-yrs soybean. In every year all phases of the crop sequences was established. The rotation effect lasted two years for corn and slightly longer for soybean. Greatest yields were measured during first- and second-year corn and soybeans. The pattern for corn yield response to rotation phase is different than the pattern for soybean. First year soybean following 5-yrs of corn yields more than rotated soybean. In corn, stability was not affected by rotation phase. In soybean, stability decreases as rotation phase increases. The standard deviation range between rotation phases is + 15 to 17 bu/A for corn and + 5.1 to 5.6 bu/A for soybean. The resiliency of the corn-soybean yield response pattern is similar across rotation phase. Seasonal growing degree day accumulation does not affect grain yield as much as precipitation. Warm/dry stress years affect grain yield more than cool/wet years. For soybean, the year following a warm/dry stress year was better yielding than an average year. Management decisions involving cropping sequence should be based upon productivity rather than stability or resiliency.
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IN A BEAN POD: –Soybean A.I.-based cropping systems were, in general, successful in increasing yield and profit compared to typical systems –Across all locations, following Read more…
IN A BEAN POD:
–Soybean A.I.-based cropping systems were, in general, successful in increasing yield and profit compared to typical systems
–Across all locations, following soybean A.I. recommended systems would have increased mean yield by ~7 bu/ac and mean profit by ~$40/ac compared to typically used cropping systems
–The potential of corn A.I.-based cropping systems to increase yield and profit was not clear
–The corn A.I. tool recommended systems resulted in either increased or similar profit with typical systems by applying 19-223% lower nitrogen fertilizer rate
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How Ag Industry is Using New Technologies to Address Sustainability: Progress and Opportunities
2022Both abundant crop productivity and attention to stewardship of natural resources are foundations of solid agronomy and are aligned with objectives expressed as “sustainability.” These Read more…
Both abundant crop productivity and attention to stewardship of natural resources are foundations of solid agronomy and are aligned with objectives expressed as “sustainability.” These dual objectives for crop and soil management are challenging, but essential.
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Maize (Zea mays L.) yields have risen continuously since the adoption of hybrid maize in the US in the 1930s. About 50 to 60% of Read more…
Maize (Zea mays L.) yields have risen continuously since the adoption of hybrid maize in the US in the 1930s. About 50 to 60% of this increase has been attributed to genetic improvement with the remainder being credited to advances in crop protection, fertilization and other cultural practices.
Modern maize breeding programs are designed based on advances in genetics, biometry and experimental design and they usually demand large amounts of genomic and phenotypic data to pursue these goals. With the rapid decrease in sequencing technologies costs, there has been a recent “bottlenecking” in the acquisition and analysis of phenotypic data in the breeder’s pipeline. This situation has brought this new science of “phenomics” to the forefront of plant breeding.
The first part of this talk will provide a broad overview of the progress of maize yield in the last 100 years focusing on plant traits that have changed significantly as a response to selection affecting directly or indirectly grain yield (as yield components). The second part will emphasize how critical it is to obtain high throughput measurements of phenotypes to achieve genetic gain in modern breeding. Four examples of recent technologies delivered by academic research laboratories will be addressed: (1) A method for computing maize ear, cob and kernel attributes automatically from images (2) A system for automated image-based phenotyping of maize tassels, (3) High throughput non-destructive prediction of maize kernel composition and morphology measurements using an NIR flatbed scanner and (4) The use unmanned aerial systems to predict plant height and its relationship with yield.
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Smartstax Pro Technology: The First commercial Use of RNAI Technology for Managing Corn Rootworm
2022In 2022, Bayer Crop Science is planning a limited commercial launch of SmartStax PRO with RNAi Technology. SmartStax® PRO will be the first product with Read more…
In 2022, Bayer Crop Science is planning a limited commercial launch of SmartStax PRO with RNAi Technology. SmartStax® PRO will be the first product with three modes of action for corn rootworm control, two from B.t. proteins (Cry3Bb1 and Cry34Ab1/ Cry35Ab1) and one from a unique RNAi mode of action (DvSnf7 dsRNA). Large scale field studies implemented in 2021 assessed SmartStax® PRO Technology and other leading corn rootworm products, including SmartStax® Technology, Optimum® AcreMax® XTreme Technology, Qrome® Technology, and Agrisure Duracade® Technology across a range of corn rootworm pressure. SmartStax® PRO Technology consistently had lower node injury scores compared to the other corn rootworm technologies.
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As African swine fever virus (ASFV) continues to spread across Southeast Asia, classical swine fever virus (CSFV) reports occur in Japan, and foot and mouth Read more…
As African swine fever virus (ASFV) continues to spread across Southeast Asia, classical swine fever virus (CSFV) reports occur in Japan, and foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) spread continues with new strains emerging in China, there is increased concern that foreign animal disease (FAD) may enter naïve countries (Bachanek-Bankowska, 2018). Entry of FADs would be devastating to the livestock industry, but also to those that produce feed and ingredients. The ASFV incursion into China in 2018 illustrates this case. The disease quickly spread throughout the country, directly causing extremely high levels of swine morbidity and mortality, but also indirect repercussions throughout the entire agricultural industry. In May 2019, pig feed production was only 2/3 of the previous year’s production in the Shandong Province (FAO, 2019).
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With spring and fall seasons becoming increasingly wet and unpredictable when it comes to the weather, farmers and commercial manure applicators are looking for alternative Read more…
With spring and fall seasons becoming increasingly wet and unpredictable when it comes to the weather, farmers and commercial manure applicators are looking for alternative periods of time to apply livestock manure. Applying manure to corn (Zea mays L.) during the growing season, referred to as sidedressing, could provide farmers with a window of opportunity while maximizing nutrient uptake efficiency. The practice needs to be fine-tuned, however, to increase adoption by farmers in the region. Four studies have been conducted to evaluate different aspects of sidedressing manure, two involving the use of a drag hose system and two involving tanker application.
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There is growing interest in using cover crops to improve soil health and protect water quality. In cool, northern climates, however, the short growing season Read more…
There is growing interest in using cover crops to improve soil health and protect water quality. In cool, northern climates, however, the short growing season makes it more difficult to get cover crops established in the fall, especially on farms that also fall-apply livestock manure. Traditionally, manure is applied after the cash crop is harvested followed by cover crop seeding. This leaves little time – and growing degrees – for the cover crops to successfully establish. Interseeding cover crops into a cash crop allows more time for growth and is becoming popular. But how can manure be applied into a living cover crop without damaging it? Newer injection technologies allow liquid manure application beneath a living cover crop with minimal disturbance, but many questions about the practice remain. Our primary goals for this project were to develop and demonstrate best management practices for the integration of cover crops and manure injection. Secondarily, we evaluated whether the combination of practices has added beneficial effects when compared to each practice alone.
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Creating Opportunities for In-Season Manure Applications Using Cover Crops and Alternative Forages
2022Dairy manure is a valuable nutrient source for row crop production but requires judicious management to reduce potential application risks to ground and surface water Read more…
Dairy manure is a valuable nutrient source for row crop production but requires judicious management to reduce potential application risks to ground and surface water quality. The first-year nutrient “book values” of liquid dairy manure (< 4% dry matter, < 1 hour to incorporated or injected) is estimated at 7 pounds of nitrogen (N), 3 pounds of P2O5, and 11 pounds K2O per 1,000 gallons (Laboski and Peters, 2012). Therefore, manure applications followed by potential nutrient runoff and/or leaching events can pose water quality risks. According to the Wisconsin Water Quality Report to Congress (WDNR, 2020), 13% of Wisconsin’s evaluated surface water bodies are classified as impaired, with phosphorus as the most frequently cited pollutant. In terms of groundwater, nitrate is the state’s most widespread contaminant, with approximately 10% of private drinking water wells exceeding the safe drinking water standard (WDNR, 2021). It is estimated 90% of Wisconsin’s groundwater nitrate enrichment results from agricultural input use, including manure and fertilizer applications (WDNR, 2021).
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The 2020-2021 cropping season provided some unique opportunities and challenges for cover crop incorporation into Wisconsin cropping systems. 2020 fall field conditions led to early Read more…
The 2020-2021 cropping season provided some unique opportunities and challenges for cover crop incorporation into Wisconsin cropping systems. 2020 fall field conditions led to early crop harvest and cover crop establishment. This provided an opportunity for good fall growth and spring biomass production. A tremendous amount of biomass was observed from winter rye in late spring 2021. Spring crop planting conditions were challenging; dry soils, lack of rainfall, late spring frost, and on cover crop acres, tremendous biomass, created a perfect storm for challenging corn and soybean establishment. Fields were planted and, in some cases, re-planted in challenging conditions. Many issues observed in the field can be attributed to changes in anticipated conditions, but many could have been resolved with more planning. Cover crop termination plans/goals, planter set-up, down-pressure, closing wheels, and maintenance all contributed to field success and failures when planting into the greater than normal cover crop biomass accumulations. Throughout summer, cover crop biomass provided excellent weed control and help preserve moisture. With many areas of Wisconsin receiving less than normal precipitation, moisture management was going to be a key to retaining average crop yields. The lack of timely rains challenged cover crop interseeding and summer weed management program relying on residual chemistry. Late summer brought many late emerging weeds, especially waterhemp and fields with cover crop biomass helped hold off the germinating weeds. Fall conditions were ok for cover crop establishment although soil conditions remained dry in early fall. Early-November provided an excellent window for cover crop establishment. Moving into spring of 2022 keep an eye on snow cover, precipitation levels, and have a plan to terminate cover crops when appropriate. Take time to review planter maintenance, set-up and new techniques and technologies for implementing diverse crop rotations.
Further Information:
Cover Crops in Wisconsin http://fyi.uwex.edu/covercrop/
Nutrient and Pest Management Program Cover Crop Resources
https://ipcm.wisc.edu/covercrops/
Cover Crops 101: A4176 University of Wisconsin Publication
https://learningstore.extension.wisc.edu/collections/farming/products/cover-crops-101
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Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is an uncommon pest in the Midwest. You may have heard of FAW in the past as the insect to Read more…
Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is an uncommon pest in the Midwest. You may have heard of FAW in the past as the insect to evolve resistance in the field to Bt corn (Cry1F). That was in the mid-2000s in Puerto Rico. It has also been in the news in the last few years as an invasive pest, spreading from the Americas into tropical areas of Africa and Asia. FAW is a tropical insect. In the Americas, its native range is in South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean. Larvae don’t diapause, and thus they can’t survive freezing temperatures. In the US, moths spend the winter in southern Texas and south Florida, and occasionally into areas along the gulf coast. FAW moves north as temperatures warm. Unlike other moths such as black cutworm or true armyworm, it rarely gets to our region. If FAW does make it the Great Lakes region, it is typically in low numbers as too late in the year to be of concern. Over my career in Michigan, I have only seen it a handful of times, as a few larvae in corn ears. FAW will feed on many hosts, but prefers grasses. There are two strains, recognized genetically and also by differences in host range. The corn strain prefers corn, sorghum and broadleaf crops like cotton. The rice strain prefers rice, turf, pasture grasses and forage crops.
In late summer 2021, headlines read “Worst armyworm outbreak in 30 years” and FAW population “wreaking havoc in Wisconsin crops”. FAW infested and defoliated turf, small grains, alfalfa, clover, mixed hay, and various cover crops. This was clearly the rice strain of FAW.
Why did this happen?
• Favorable conditions (cool temps and rain) for population increase in mid-summer in the southern states; big populations appeared early
• Unusual wind patterns in late July and early August carried moths north into our region
• There were higher than average temperatures in August and well into fall, favorable for a tropical species. Several generations appear to have been completed.
• It was easy to miss feeding by small larvae, and larvae often feed at night.
• Once discovered, management was a challenge. Entomologists did not have a lot of experience with this insect. I personally kept hoping the weather would turn cold! And should sprays be done late in the season?
• Some insecticide applications ‘failed’, likely because larvae were much too large when sprays were made, thus difficult to kill. Also, insects could have been resistant to pyrethroids, since they are exposed to insecticide applications in southern crops.
What about the future? We can make a prediction that as the climate changes, FAW will become more of a problem in our region. Consider trapping for FAW so we know if/when it arrives. Lures and bucket traps are commercially available. The online Great Lakes & Maritimes Pest Monitoring Network is a place to see and contribute trap catches in the region.
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There are many defoliators in Midwestern soybean. Their feeding gets lumped together when estimating injury to determine the need to treat. Action thresholds in the Read more…
There are many defoliators in Midwestern soybean. Their feeding gets lumped together when estimating injury to determine the need to treat. Action thresholds in the region are similar among states: 30-40% in the vegetative stage, 15% at bloom, and then 20-30% up to R6 when spraying is not needed. These thresholds are good, developed in field trials in across many states, using both natural and artificial defoliation. The thresholds seem high, but remember the measurement is not of damage to pods or beans, but simply to leaf tissue which has some ability to replace itself. Also, spend some time under a typical soybean canopy – Its shady under there. While the top leaves capture full sunlight, the lower leaves aren’t working at full speed. They are extra capacity which can make up for defoliation at the top of the plant where insects like Japanese beetle, bean leaf beetle, and grasshoppers tend to feed.
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Alfalfa has been a foundational forage crop on Wisconsin dairy farms for decades, and for good reason. It has a reputation for its high quality Read more…
Alfalfa has been a foundational forage crop on Wisconsin dairy farms for decades, and for good reason. It has a reputation for its high quality forage and usefulness in a crop rotation. However, alfalfa has a tough time persisting in the poorly drained soils that characterize some of the state’s most dairy-dominant regions, leading to more tillage, expense and frustration for farmers already on tight profit margins. While alfalfa continues to be a great crop for many parts of the state, there are more appropriate options for areas with challenging soil conditions. Before alfalfa became popular, cool season grasses were the foundational forage crop. They are well-suited for Wisconsin, and while grasses are often perceived as being inferior to alfalfa in respect to forage quality due to higher fiber and lower crude protein, that is not necessarily always true. When managed appropriately, grasses have shown the potential to produce high quality forage, but this is not widely known across the industry as many nutritional standards and guidelines have been developed around alfalfa. Furthermore, the economic and environmental tradeoffs of managing grasses for high quality forage versus alfalfa are not well understood. Trials were conducted in 2020 and 2021 at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station to explore the potential of various perennial and annual cool season grasses when managed for forage quality goals. Several species and varieties of perennial grasses were managed under an intense cutting (5x) schedule to evaluate yield and quality through the season. Italian ryegrass was managed under a similar cutting schedule and 7 different fertilization regimes (sources, rates, application methods) to evaluate yield and quality through the season. Perennial grasses seemed to show greater yield and quality potential than Italian ryegrass with less inputs of fertilizer-nitrogen (N) than Italian ryegrass required. Italian ryegrass yield and crude protein significantly increased as fertilizer-N was increased, but high rates of fertilizer exceed University recommendations, add significant cost of production, and leave a high amount of residual N in the soil as opposed to moderate fertilizer rates and other sources of fertilizer such as manure.
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Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) has become a popular cover crop (CC) in corn (Zea mays L.)) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production fields Read more…
Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) has become a popular cover crop (CC) in corn (Zea mays L.)) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production fields across Wisconsin and beyond. With the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds across Wisconsin, there is increased interest in adoption of cereal rye as a cover crop as part of an integrated weed management strategy. Previous research has shown that a cereal rye cover crop can be effective at suppressing small-seeded weeds such as waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer]. The effectiveness of cereal rye in suppressing waterhemp is related to the amount of above-ground biomass produced which competes for resources (e.g., light, water, nutrients) while also providing a physical barrier. Achieving high cereal rye biomass can be challenging in corn-soybean rotations in the upper Midwest given the short window for cover crop growth. Research conducted in 2021 near Brooklyn, Wisconsin estimates that it takes ~7,000 lb of dry cereal rye biomass per acre to suppress waterhemp emergence by 50% however ~800 lb of dry cereal rye biomass per acre was enough to suppress waterhemp growth in 50%. Given the already narrow window which Wisconsin producers face for harvesting crops and planting cover crops, it can be difficult to obtain this level of cereal rye biomass. One strategy to help growers achieve more cereal rye biomass is targeting an earlier planting date of the cereal rye, which is not always an easy task with Wisconsin’s usually wet falls. Historically, the recommendation for terminating a cereal rye cover crop is 10 to 14 days before crop planting; however, some producers have started ‘planting green’ into a living cover crop to maximize its biomass in the spring and weed suppression potential. Over the last three years, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Cropping Systems Weed Science Program has conducted research on the value of fall-seeded cereal rye for weed suppression in corn and soybeans. Recommendations include fall-seeding cereal rye after corn preceding soybeans, pairing the cover crop with PRE-emergence herbicides containing multiple effective sites of action, and delaying termination of the cereal rye until the time of planting or 10 to 14 days after to maximize cereal rye biomass. Results will be summarized in this presentation to provide best management practices when considering adopting cereal rye as an additional tool as part of an integrated weed management strategy.
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Herbicide-resistant weeds have become commonplace across the Wisconsin row-crop landscape in recent years. Waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer] has become one of the primary troublesome Read more…
Herbicide-resistant weeds have become commonplace across the Wisconsin row-crop landscape in recent years. Waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer] has become one of the primary troublesome weeds for corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] producers due to its aggressive growth, extended emergence window, and rapid development of herbicide resistance. At current, waterhemp accessions have been determined resistant to ALS- (Group 2; imazethapyr), EPSPS- (Group 9; glyphosate), and PPO- (Group 14; fomesafen & lactofen) inhibitors in Wisconsin. The first comprehensive Wisconsin state-wide assessment of waterhemp response to a diverse group of herbicide site of action (SOA) was conducted by the UW-Madison Cropping Systems Weed Science Program in 2019 & 2020. Results suggest that imazethapyr and glyphosate POST are ineffective for waterhemp control and that atrazine PRE is ineffective for waterhemp control on silty clay loam soils in Wisconsin. Giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.) is another troublesome weed for Wisconsin row-crop producers due to its aggressive growth and extended emergence window. Resistance to ALS- and EPSPS-inhibitor herbicides has been previously confirmed in Wisconsin. In 2020, a putative fomesafen-resistant (PPO-inhibitor) giant ragweed accession was detected in in food-grade, non-GMO soybeans in Rock County, Wisconsin and a greenhouse experiment was conducted to confirm resistance. Results indicate that this giant ragweed accession is highly resistant to fomesafen. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed case globally of PPO-inhibitor resistance in giant ragweed. Fall panicum (Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx) is a reemerging troublesome weed in corn production and in 2020, a putative ALS-inhibitor (nicosulfuron) resistant fall panicum accession was detected in a sweet corn field in Dodge County, Wisconsin and greenhouse and molecular experiments were conducted to confirm resistance. This is particularly important as nicosulfuron is commonly used for POST grass control in sweet corn production. Results indicate that this fall panicum accession is highly resistant to nicosulfuron. This is the first confirmed case of ALS-inhibitor resistance in fall panicum in the USA. During this presentation, results will be shared to generate awareness on the current status of herbicide-resistant weeds in the state of Wisconsin and
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Increasing our understanding of the interaction of the effects of soil temperature, residue, and tillage type would potentially aid in developing new recommendations for corn Read more…
Increasing our understanding of the interaction of the effects of soil temperature, residue, and tillage type would potentially aid in developing new recommendations for corn production under reduced tillage practices. Therefore, the overall goal of this study was to determine the impact of conservation tillage on NUE and productivity of corn in Wisconsin.
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Field trials are commonly used to estimate the effect of different factors on crop yield. To date, evaluating the effectiveness of management practices to increase Read more…
Field trials are commonly used to estimate the effect of different factors on crop yield. To
date, evaluating the effectiveness of management practices to increase yield has been restricted
to specific soil types and weather conditions (i.e., environments) and background management
cropping systems. Thus, results of such experiments cannot be safely generalized to farms with
diverse soil types and background management. Currently, a method that evaluates and predicts
the effectiveness of tens of thousands of possible cropping system interactions to increase yield
in each specific field across the US does not exist. We have developed a novel approach to
perform such evaluation by aggregating data from thousands of experiments across the US by
leveraging the power of artificial intelligence algorithms. Our approach and algorithms can help
accelerate agricultural research by generating accurate yield estimates for thousands of cropping
systems and environments for specific fields. The result of this work can allow individual
farmers to identify the most appropriate cropping system (i.e., practice adoption) for their
specific environment and ultimately increase yield and/or profitability.
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Fungal diseases can have a detrimental impact on soybean and corn yield. Foliar fungicides are used to manage fungal diseases and minimize yield loss, along Read more…
Fungal diseases can have a detrimental impact on soybean and corn yield. Foliar fungicides are
used to manage fungal diseases and minimize yield loss, along with cultural practices like tillage
and crop rotation. Prophylactic foliar fungicide use does not consistently increase yield for corn
and soybean, especially when disease pressures are low. Also, there are concerns about the
impact of fungicides on non-target organisms, including fungi living in the soil. We tested the
effects of tillage, crop rotation, and foliar fungicide use on corn grain and soybean seed yield
over three growing seasons. For both crops, rotation was key to achieving high yields, although
there was an interaction of tillage crop rotation for soybean and crop rotation fungicide for
corn. For soybean seed yield, both foliar fungicide treatments showed a small yield increase over
untreated plots. Additionally, we assessed bulk soil fungal communities in a subset of treatments
(crop rotation and fungicide treatments in no-till plots), using ITS sequencing and PLFA-FAME.
We observed distinct fungal communities in the continuously cropped treatments, while annually
rotated communities were very similar. There was also greater overall microbial biomass and a
higher relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi associated with continuous corn.
There were no differences in soil fungal communities or microbial biomass associated with foliar
fungicide treatments. Based on our findings, we recommend that farmers use integrated pest
management strategies to manage fungal diseases, which may include fungicide applications, if
they are justified by economic disease thresholds or prediction tools.
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Alfalfa is unique from other crops as it requires a variety of machines to harvest. Whether it is being harvested for silage or hay, alfalfa Read more…
Alfalfa is unique from other crops as it requires a variety of machines to
harvest. Whether it is being harvested for silage or hay, alfalfa harvest can require up
to five different pieces of equipment per cutting. With this many machines traveling
through a field during a single harvest, a significant portion of production field can
be affected by machine traffic. Specific machines involved in alfalfa harvest include
a mower, merger or rake, tedder, forage harvester or baler and multiple different
types of transport vehicles. In the United States, over 6.7 million hectares of alfalfa
were harvested in 2019, worth over $9 billion (USDA/NASS, 2019) with some of
this area seeing multiple passes of machinery traffic. This substantial amount of
production in the US shows the impact machine traffic could have.
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Over the last decade, scientists at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, the University of Wisconsin, Michigan State University and Penn State University have been developing reliable Read more…
Over the last decade, scientists at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, the University
of Wisconsin, Michigan State University and Penn State University have been developing
reliable methods for establishing alfalfa in high yielding silage corn. Based on this work,
the following represents our current recommendations for implementing this practice
on farms.
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The goal of this presentation is to share published and preliminary results from studies where “Next Generation” cover crop and N fertilizer management were employed Read more…
The goal of this presentation is to share published and preliminary results from
studies where “Next Generation” cover crop and N fertilizer management were employed for
corn production.
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The abundance of late summer-harvested corn silage in Wisconsin means that there are many acres where manure can be applied between late summer and later Read more…
The abundance of late summer-harvested corn silage in Wisconsin means that there are many
acres where manure can be applied between late summer and later fall. Current nutrient
management guidelines estimate manure N availability based on animal source, solids content,
and application method, but no adjustments are made regarding application timing. A Wisconsin
Fertilizer Research program-funded research project evaluated how fall grass cover crops affect
the amount of N in the fall applied manure will be available to a subsequent corn crop. Results of
this research have shown that cover crop biomass influences the amount of N in the manure that
will remain for the next corn crop. If there is greater than 2,000 lb/ac of dry matter biomass, the
cover crop will have used all the N from the manure, while if there is less than 1,000 lb/ac of dry
matter biomass, the effect on the manure N credit is minimal.
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Management of agricultural crops relies on integrated pest management strategies to mitigate production losses due to insect infestation. Producers of field and vegetable crops depend Read more…
Management of agricultural crops relies on integrated pest management strategies to mitigate
production losses due to insect infestation. Producers of field and vegetable crops depend on local and
regional guidelines for pesticide applications to limit insect infestation and minimize associated damage
(1). Within an agroecosystem, a producer may need to manage multiple insect, pathogen and plant species
resulting in the application of several insecticide, fungicide and herbicide mode of action groups,
respectively (2). Pesticide applications used for the same cropping system can vary among producers and
can vary between different geographic regions. One pest of solanaceous crops which is often controlled
using a diverse set of cultural and chemical management practices, is the Colorado potato beetle
(Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say). If not properly managed, this specialist herbivore can cause significant
defoliation of the potato canopy that can result in yield loss and economic injury for the producer. In
addition to its ability to rapidly defoliate plants, L. decemlineata is considered a major pest species
because of its ability to develop resistance to insecticides at a rapid rate (3).
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Despite significant pandemic related restrictions on research and our ability to do things like travel or hire student workers, 2020 was an extremely productive research season. We adjusted to the times, but thanks to hard work by the team we were able to accomplish all of our objectives.
Despite significant pandemic related restrictions on research and our ability to do things
like travel or hire student workers, 2020 was an extremely productive research season. We
adjusted to the times, but thanks to hard work by the team we were able to accomplish all of
our objectives.
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Cucurbit downy mildew caused by the oomycete pathogen Pseudoperonospora cubensis has been a sporadic disease concern in Wisconsin for many years. Since 2004, the United Read more…
Cucurbit downy mildew caused by the oomycete pathogen Pseudoperonospora cubensis
has been a sporadic disease concern in Wisconsin for many years. Since 2004, the United States
has seen a novel introduction of a variant of the pathogen which overcomes the dm1 cucumber
host resistance to downy mildew. The work of Drs. Lina Quesada Ocampo of North Carolina
State University, and Mary Hausbeck of Michigan State University has greatly elevated our
knowledge of cucurbit downy mildew in the US since 2005. The information that I provide in
this piece comes from their work. Because Wisconsin sees sporadic and infrequent cases of
cucurbit downy mildew, my fungicide recommendations typically reference the trial outcomes of
Dr. Mary Hausbeck at Michigan State Univ. due to proximity to our production region.
Currently, we have two groups of cucurbit downy mildew pathogens. One group, termed Clade
1 infects acorn squash, pumpkin, butternut squash, watermelon, bittermelon, and balsam apple.
The second group, termed Clade 2 is the newly introduced strain and it infects cucumber,
cantaloupe and Buffalo gourd. An additional notable difference between the clades is that Clade
2 very quickly becomes resistant to single site mode of action fungicides, rendering them useless.
Monitoring of these clades has become critical in the southeastern US where both clades
routinely are present. Clade 1 tends to arrive in NC fields later than Clade 2. Most cucumber
varieties commercially available are resistant to Clade 1 (old strain), but there is no complete
resistance available for Clade 2. For pickling cucumber, ‘Citadel’ and ‘Peacemaker’ from
Seminis are tolerant to Clade 2. For slicing cucumber, SV3462CS and SV4142CL are tolerant to
Clade 2. Greenhouse growers should use tolerant varieties since chemical options in a
greenhouse are very limited and the risk of fungicide resistance is very high.
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The Central Sands region is the heart of Wisconsin’s premier vegetable production with its coarsetextured soils and abundant groundwater. However, this region is also the Read more…
The Central Sands region is the heart of Wisconsin’s premier vegetable production with its coarsetextured
soils and abundant groundwater. However, this region is also the epicenter of controversies over
groundwater reduction during the summertime when water is being pumped for agricultural irrigation, and
groundwater contamination by nitrate leached from highly cultivated fields. There is urgent need for research
exploring alternative vegetable crops and new farming strategies to mitigate the groundwater quantity
and quality issues, and improve vegetable production sustainability.
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Larval populations increased from historically low levels in 2018 to 2019 but remained extremely low overall. The state average count in 229 cornfields sampled this Read more…
Larval populations increased from historically low levels in 2018 to 2019 but
remained extremely low overall. The state average count in 229 cornfields sampled this fall
was 0.03 borer per plant, which is only marginally higher than the all-time low average of
0.01 per plant recorded during the two preceding seasons. All three of the state’s southern
agricultural districts showed averages less than or equal to 2019 levels, while negligible
increases were noted in the central and northern areas. Larvae were absent from 90% of the
fields sampled in September and October.
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Soybean aphid remains a significant pest of soybean, especially in Minnesota and parts of neighboring states. For about two decades, this pest has been managed Read more…
Soybean aphid remains a significant pest of soybean, especially in Minnesota and parts of
neighboring states. For about two decades, this pest has been managed primarily with
insecticides. Multistate research was used to develop guidance for scouting and decision
making for insecticide applications against soybean aphid. However, the continued reliance
on insecticides for management of this pest has resulted in the development of insecticide
resistance in soybean aphid and concerns about environmental contamination from these
insecticides.
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Use of Bt toxins to manage corn rootworms has been a primary, if not singular, control tactic. However, field resistance has been a concern for Read more…
Use of Bt toxins to manage corn rootworms has been a primary, if not singular, control tactic. However, field resistance has been a concern for several years, which has resulted in fields with unacceptable losses.
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The fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, causes the disease Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR; a.k.a. white mold) of soybean. This disease can cause severe losses under highly Read more…
The fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, causes the disease Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR; a.k.a.
white mold) of soybean. This disease can cause severe losses under highly conducive conditions
throughout the Upper Midwest (Roth et al., 2020). As a result, there is large interest in understanding the
most effective methods of controlling SSR. This includes the use of cultural and chemical control
methods in an integrated approach. In previous research, the use of wider row spacing (30 inches) resulted
in decreased levels of disease while narrow row spacing (10 and 15 inches) increased disease (Grau and
Radke, 1984). Additionally, research showed the use of planting populations above 175,000 seeds/acre
resulted in increased disease incidence compared to lower populations (Lee et al., 2005).
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Soybean gall midge (SGM) was identified as a new species in 2018 in the Midwestern United States causing extensive injury to soybean in eastern Nebraska, Read more…
Soybean gall midge (SGM) was identified as a new species in 2018 in the Midwestern United States
causing extensive injury to soybean in eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, southwestern Minnesota, and
eastern South Dakota.
Since it’s discovery, soybean gall midge adult emergence has been tracked each year from soybean fields
that were infested the previous year. In east central Nebraska, the duration of adult emergence from these
overwintering sites averaged 15 days in 2019 to 25 in 2020 with emergence beginning in mid-June each
year. This long duration of emergence from overwintering sites poses a significant challenge for
management tactics to mitigate soybean injury in adjacent soybean fields.
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Fungicide use on corn and soybeans has increased dramatically since the turn of the 21st century. This is partially due to the increased labeling of Read more…
Fungicide use on corn and soybeans has increased dramatically since the turn of the 21st century.
This is partially due to the increased labeling of fungicides for use on those crops, along with
significant epidemics of yield-reducing diseases in recent years, combined with physiological
influences that some of these products have on agronomic crops in the absence of disease. The
decision to apply a fungicide to corn and soybeans can be a complicated one. Farmers and
practitioners must balance the impending risk a disease might pose to a crop, the possibility of
fungicide resistance development in a particular pathogen if using a fungicide, the efficacy of a
particular product on a particular pathogen, and the return on investment (ROI) potential for a
particular program.
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Gibberella ear rot is the most common ear rot in Ontario and unfortunately has resulted in not only significant yield losses to farmers but reduction Read more…
Gibberella ear rot is the most common ear rot in Ontario and unfortunately has resulted in not
only significant yield losses to farmers but reduction in corn grain and feed quality due to
mycotoxin accumulation. Although the pathogen Gibberella zeae (Fusarium graminearum)
produces several mycotoxins including Zearalenone (ZEN) and T-2 toxin, the most economically
important in Ontario is Deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin or DON).
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Corn sprayer rodeo
2021 -
Recently developed herbicide trait platforms have provided soybean growers with additional tools for POST-emergent pigweed management including 2,4-D choline (Enlist E3TM soybean), dicamba (Xtend, Xtendflex), Read more…
Recently developed herbicide trait platforms have provided soybean growers with
additional tools for POST-emergent pigweed management including 2,4-D choline (Enlist E3TM
soybean), dicamba (Xtend, Xtendflex), and glufosinate (Liberty Link, LLGT27, and Xtendflex).
Pigweed (waterhemp and Palmer amaranth) management in soybeans can prove rather difficult
as previously there were limited POST herbicide options available. Recent research from the
UW-Madison Cropping Systems Weed Science program has shown that resistance to glyphosate
(Group 9), imazethapyr (Group 2), and PPO-inhibitor (Group 14) is widespread in waterhemp
populations across Wisconsin. With limited POST options and widespread herbicide-resistance,
we anticipate a heavy reliance on 2,4-D choline, dicamba, and glufosinate in the coming growing
seasons. Alone, these POST herbicides will not be enough to provide season long waterhemp
control in soybeans and growers will need to adopt more effective integrated weed management
strategies. It is imperative that herbicide stewardship is used when relying on these herbicides so
that their effectiveness is preserved, and the onset of herbicide resistance is delayed. Moreover,
previous research from our lab indicates that season long waterhemp control is more likely when
effective PRE-emergence residual herbicides are adopted.
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Giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) has become one the most difficult weeds to manage in row crops in the U.S. Corn Belt. Due to giant ragweed’s Read more…
Giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) has become one the most difficult weeds to manage in row crops
in the U.S. Corn Belt. Due to giant ragweed’s early emergence, rapid growth and biomass accumulation,
high photosynthetic rate, and ability to adapt to diverse environments, when no properly managed it can
quickly outgrow and outcompete the crop and other weeds for resources such as water, nutrients and light.
The extended emergence window of some giant ragweed biotypes makes it difficult to control this weed
with POST-emergence herbicides alone. Moreover, ALS- and EPSPS-inhibitor resistant giant ragweed
have been confirmed in 7 and 12 U.S. states, respectively, including Wisconsin. These characteristics and
current state of herbicide resistance indicates a need for effective integrated management strategies to
control giant ragweed season long.
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Cover crops are a promising integrated management strategy for Palmer amaranth and other troublesome weed species. Multiple factors contribute to weed control associated with cover Read more…
Cover crops are a promising integrated management strategy for Palmer amaranth
and other troublesome weed species. Multiple factors contribute to weed control
associated with cover crops. This presentation will review data describing the impact of
cover crops on weed suppression in field crop production systems with an emphasis on
Palmer amaranth and other troublesome species that occur in Kansas. Studies conducted
between 2017 and 2020 in corn, soybean, and grain sorghum at various locations in
Kansas will be discussed, as well as supporting data from other locations. When
considered collectively, the data suggest that the primary factors influencing weed
control by cover crops in Kansas are timing of weed emergence and cover crop biomass
production.
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Impact of cereal rye cover crop on weed dynamics, herbicide fate and crop productivity in Wisconsin
2021Integrated weed management involves combining multiple weed management tactics into a program that allows a farmer to achieve sustainable weed control. Simplification of production systems Read more…
Integrated weed management involves combining multiple weed management tactics into a
program that allows a farmer to achieve sustainable weed control. Simplification of production systems
with reliance on herbicides for post-emergence weed control has led to the development of herbicide
resistant weed populations and potential for the loss of herbicides as effective weed management tools
(Young, 2006). Systems which integrate CCs and herbicides for weed control reduce the selection
pressure for the development of herbicide resistance and can improve cropping system resiliency by
reducing soil erosion (Blanco Canqui et al., 2015), improving nutrient retention (Brandi Dohrn et al.,
1997), and improving soil physical quality (Steele et al., 2012). Field research was conducted in the 2019-
2020 growing seasons to study the use of integrated weed management with a fall established cereal rye
(Secale cereale) CC and Pre-emergence herbicides (PRE) in Wisconsin corn-soybean systems. Data
collected included early season weed biomass/density, visual weed control prior to post-emergence
herbicide application, crop yield, and soil persistence of PRE herbicides. Treatment combinations of PRE
herbicide (yes or no) and six soil management strategies including tillage, no-till, and four CC termination
timings/strategies (early, at plant, forage harvest at plant, and late) were included to collect 4 site-years of
data for each crop.
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SnapPlus is nutrient management (NM) planning software designed for Wisconsin farming systems and landscapes. This software usually has annual updates to add features and accommodate Read more…
SnapPlus is nutrient management (NM) planning software designed for Wisconsin farming
systems and landscapes. This software usually has annual updates to add features and accommodate
changes to nutrient management guidelines. Every year following the first release in 2005,
the SnapPlus development team from the Univ. of Wisconsin Department of Soil Science has
teamed with Wis. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Nutrient
Management staff to do training and discuss new features in the software at this conference.
This year will be different. We will be virtual, and we will be discussing options for a major
redesign of SnapPlus. The SnapPlus code is due for an update, and while we are at it, we are
updating the way information is displayed in the program to better suit the needs of the type of
planner. We know that agronomists who write many plans do not have the same needs as
farmers writing their own plans. In this session, we will review ideas on how SnapPlus can
better assist professional NM planners. These include:
- Planning for field areas with seasonal manure prohibitions
- Selecting fields for manure application
- Post-harvest updates of crops, tillage, and applications
- Providing farmers with information help them understand the benefits of their
management.
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Nutrient management planning for livestock operations that are large enough to be required to obtain a water quality discharge permit (aka CAFOs) is more complicated Read more…
Nutrient management planning for livestock operations that are large enough to be required to
obtain a water quality discharge permit (aka CAFOs) is more complicated than for other farms.
This is both because of additional NM requirements and restrictions and the large number of
fields that are part of these operations. We will propose options for simplifying CAFO NM
planning, with a focus on the following areas:
- Planning for SWQMA buffers and other no-manure areas,
- Record-keeping for manure applications, manure analysis, and yields,
- Providing farms with clear management direction through custom reports.
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Comprehensive nutrient management planning has become an increasingly important aspect for agricultural land management throughout Wisconsin. Phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural lands can adversely impact Read more…
Comprehensive nutrient management planning has become an increasingly important aspect for
agricultural land management throughout Wisconsin. Phosphorus (P) loss from agricultural lands can
adversely impact the quality of receiving water bodies. For dairy and beef farms, P loss originates from
cropland, grazed pastures, and open-air cattle lots, such as feedlots, barnyards, exercise lots, or overwintering
lots. From a whole-farm perspective, P loss from all sources should be evaluated to effectively
identify the major P sources to target remediation practices. Research shows cattle lots can be significant
sources of P loss for two reasons. First, the high concentration of cattle leads to high rates of manure
deposition and P accumulation relative to pastures and cropland. Second, cattle holding areas can be partially
or completely devoid of vegetation and have a compacted or impermeable (e.g., concrete) surface, which can
lead to high rates of runoff and erosion. This combination of a concentrated P source and active transport
pathways creates the potential for high rates of P loss. In areas with both non-point source P pollution issues
and a high prevalence of cattle farms with outdoor lots, there is a need to assess the P loss impact of lots
relative to other agricultural land uses to see if alternative lot management is needed. Computer models can
be cost- and time-effective tools to help quantify P loss from farms and identify alternative management
practices that reduce the impact of agriculture on water quality.
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Soil health is important for productivity and ecosystem services of agricultural systems. However, research continues to try to identify which soil properties are the appropriate Read more…
Soil health is important for productivity and ecosystem services of agricultural systems. However,
research continues to try to identify which soil properties are the appropriate ones to measure. Soil
properties that relate to soil health and function likely vary between regions. The objective of this work is
to investigate which soil methods are relevant for soil health assessment in Wisconsin.
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Subsurface tile drainage from agricultural fields removes gravitational water from the soil profile which creates benefits for agricultural production including better plant establishment, growth, and Read more…
Subsurface tile drainage from agricultural fields removes gravitational water from the soil profile which
creates benefits for agricultural production including better plant establishment, growth, and yield and can
reduce the risk of surface runoff and associated soil and nutrient losses. However, tile drainage also
presents additional pathways for potential nutrient movement and it is important to understand the
agricultural management practices that can limit this risk. Discovery Farms programs in Wisconsin and
Minnesota have conducted edge-of-field tile water quality monitoring since 2004. This includes work on
49 farms and 187 site years of data. This comprehensive dataset has assessed differences in surface runoff
and tile drainage and identified management practices to enhance agricultural production and reduce
water quality risks.
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The goals of a Sustainably Intensified Agriculture (SIA) system are to maximize agronomic production, while minimizing environmental degradation. Thus, fulfilling and aligning with all four Read more…
The goals of a Sustainably Intensified Agriculture (SIA) system are to
maximize agronomic production, while minimizing environmental degradation. Thus,
fulfilling and aligning with all four pillars of sustainability, human, social, economic, and
environmental. The demand for increased agriculture production due a growing human
population is a reality within the state and globally. On the same scale, there is a need to
develop row crop sustainable agricultural systems that can meet the production demand,
while not violating the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability is also
pressing and critical. Tile-drained row crop agriculture has been identified as a major
contributor of nitrogen (N) from the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) to the
hypoxic zone of the Gulf of Mexico. Cover cropping has been identified as the most
effective in-field conservation strategy that can be adopted on a large scale to achieve the
non-point nutrient loss reduction goals.
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Continued improvements in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield have generated interest towards more focused input applications within enhanced managed systems. However, maintaining or improving Read more…
Continued improvements in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield have generated
interest towards more focused input applications within enhanced managed systems. However,
maintaining or improving profitability has become increasingly important as broad implementation
of enhanced management has not produced consistent yield gains. Several field studies
conducted over the last several years evaluated multiple inputs including autumn starter
fertilizer, plant growth regulator, greater rates of N, sulfur, fungicide, and seeding rates. Autumn
applied starter fertilizer was the only individual input to consistently produce a grain yield
response and accounted for 71% of the grain yield difference between enhanced (i.e., multiple
input) and traditional (i.e., base N only) management systems. In each scenario where autumn
starter positively affected grain yield, pre-plant soil nitrate concentrations have been < 10 ppm
and wheat planted prior to October 1. Autumn starter fertilizer increased straw yield 30-50% on
average compared to no starter fertilizer with responses varying by cultivar mean height. Plant
growth regulator used solely in combination with greater rates of N has not significantly
increased grain yield. Despite some grain yield increases to specific inputs, producers need to
consider site-, soil-, and plant-specific characteristics in combination with realistic yield
potentials and economics prior to implementing enhanced wheat management.
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Biochar is a carbon rich product resulting from the pyrolysis of organic materials. Biochar produced through this process is generally used as a soil amendment Read more…
Biochar is a carbon rich product resulting from the pyrolysis of organic materials. Biochar produced
through this process is generally used as a soil amendment or incorporated into other agricultural nitrogen
management systems and is thought to reduce nitrogen leaching and improve available nitrogen for crop
production. However, biochar characteristics vary significantly based on the feedstock and production
characteristics. The varying production characteristics and feedstocks can significantly alter the surface
chemistry which leads to varying impacts when integrated into the soil or other agricultural nitrogen
management systems. When biochar was applied to soil systems in agricultural filter strips, it was able to
significantly reduce cumulative nitrate leaching by 40% in a field trial (Sanford and Larson, 2020a). Most
of this nitrate leaching reduction was attributed to the retention of nitrogen within the soil matrix. When
biochar soil amendments were further investigated in laboratory soil column studies, nitrate reductions
were attributed primarily to retention of organic nitrogen and nitrate within the soil (Sanford and Larson,
2020b). In addition, the integration of biochar within these soils resulted in reductions of nitrous oxide
emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. Biochar has potential to reduce losses of nitrogen to the environment
and retain this nitrogen within the soil matrix for crop needs.
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Increases in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) biomass production have some practitioners questioning whether reduced interplant competition from below recommended seeding rates may provide opportunities Read more…
Increases in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) biomass production have some practitioners questioning
whether reduced interplant competition from below recommended seeding rates may provide opportunities
for greater response to early and mid-season nutrient applications. Additionally when soil test
nutrient concentrations are above critical, soybean producers often question whether alternative in-season
nutrient management strategies may improve yield and profitability. Below recommended seeding rates
can reduce input costs without decreasing soybean grain yield while simultaneously increasing biomass
production, nutrient uptake, and yield per plant. However, non-irrigated nutrient management strategies
may not directly transfer to irrigated production and vice versa. Multiple field studies conducted over the
last several years evaluated soybean grain yield, dry matter accumulation, nutrient uptake and partitioning,
and net economic return as affected by seeding rate and in-season nutrient applications under both
irrigated and non-irrigated environments. Seeding rates included 60,000, 120,000, and 180,000 seeds A-1.
Fertilizer strategies consisted of: no fertilizer, 150 lb. MESZ (12-40-0-10S-1Zn) A-1 applied two inches to
the side and two inches below the seed (2×2) at planting, 15 gal. liquid K2O (0-0-28) A-1 applied using a
Y-drop applicator at growth stage V6, 16 gal. 10-34-0 A-1 applied using a Y-drop applicator at growth
stage R1, and a combination of the MESZ, liquid K2O, and 10-34-0 fertilizer applications. Results from
the 2020 growing season indicate fertilizer applications should not accommodate for alterations in
seeding rate, and that nutrient application beyond what is recommended in accordance with soil test
concentrations may not increase grain yield or profitability regardless of environment (i.e. irrigated or
non-irrigated). Although fertilizer application (especially starter fertilizer in a 2×2) may increase early
season biomass production and likely nutrient uptake, accelerated crop growth rate and the ability of
soybean to compensate for inter-plant competition could diminish early season differences. Among the
tested seeding rates, 120,000 seeds A-1 increased grain yield at the non-irrigated site. However under
irrigated conditions, seeding rate did not impact grain yield. Economic return was not impacted at the
irrigated or non-irrigated site due to high seed cost offsetting greater grain yield.
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Farmers across a wide range of US soybean growing environments are interested in using foliar nutrient products to increase yield and profitability. But, applying foliar Read more…
Farmers across a wide range of US soybean growing environments are interested in using foliar nutrient
products to increase yield and profitability. But, applying foliar fertilizers increases on-farm expenses
and could decrease profitability where these fertilizers are not associated with a yield increase. In 2019,
we established field trials to better understand which growing environments may see a yield increase
when foliar nutrient products are applied. Trials were placed in 20 locations across 13 states in fields
with different environmental conditions and yield potentials. Yield averages for each location can be
found across the 20 environments in Figure 1.
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Nitrate is the most widespread groundwater contaminant in Wisconsin, and it is especially prevalent in areas with highly permeable soils. The majority of the state Read more…
Nitrate is the most widespread groundwater contaminant in Wisconsin, and it is especially
prevalent in areas with highly permeable soils. The majority of the state relies on groundwater
as their source of drinking water, and numerical groundwater standards for nitrate are in place to
protect public health. While Wisconsin adopted statewide performance standards and
prohibitions for agricultural and nonagricultural facilities in 2002 to achieve surface water and
groundwater quality standards, evidence suggests that the statewide standards and prohibitions
are insufficient to achieve groundwater standards for nitrate. The Department of Natural
Resources is developing targeted performance standards and prohibitions to achieve the
groundwater standard for nitrate in areas of the state that are susceptible to groundwater
contamination. The DNR convened a Technical Advisory Committee during 2020 to provide
input on rule development, and in 2021, the department will seek public comment on a draft
rule.
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Summary of recommendations for Wisconsin farmers for the 2021 crop year: 1. Corn: Signup for PLC 2. Soybeans: Signup for County ARC (ARC-CO)* 3. Wheat: Read more…
Summary of recommendations for Wisconsin farmers for the 2021 crop year:
1. Corn: Signup for PLC
2. Soybeans: Signup for County ARC (ARC-CO)*
3. Wheat: Signup for PLC
4. Oats: Signup for County ARC (ARC-CO)
5. Sorghum, Barley, Sunflower Seeds: Signup for PLC
*Note, if you want to buy SCO (Supplemental Coverage Option) with your crop insurance, you
will need to choose PLC for all of your soybean acres.
Additional Resources (https://aae.wisc.edu/pdmitchell/extension/arc-plc-signup/)
- Video: Signup Recommendations for 2021 (https://youtu.be/z8OBrPXzdlk)
- FarmDOC ARC/PLC Payment Simulator (https://fd-tools.ncsa.illinois.edu/)
- Video: How ARC and PLC work (https://youtu.be/piyOLFnPMnI)
- Video: How ARC-IC (Individual Coverage) works (https://youtu.be/fQeDQSC-d0s)
- Video: Who Should Consider ARC-IC in 2021 (https://youtu.be/Kfz0A2beQGk)
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Grain market outlook
2021This past year has been a rollercoaster ride. The corn market has seen a roughly 30% increase in price since last January. Depending on your Read more…
This past year has been a rollercoaster ride. The corn market has seen a roughly 30% increase in
price since last January. Depending on your cash market the low price of the year was either the
end of May or the end of August. Since the low of the year, and depending on your cash market,
prices have increased between 61% and 66%. Soybean price has seen a similar pattern. Since
January 2020, soybean price has increased 44%. The low soybean price occurred the end of May
and since that time price has increased 66%.
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Nitrogen management on sandy soils is challenging by limited nutrient capacity couples with rain events exceeding the water storage capacity of the crop root zone, Read more…
Nitrogen management on sandy soils is challenging by limited nutrient capacity couples with rain events exceeding the water storage capacity of the crop root zone, which can quickly change plan available nitrogen. The findings presented here are from the first two years of a three-year study with two objectives: firstly, to compare in-season plant tissue samples, petiole, whole leaf and whole vine and total nitrogen for determining plant nitrogen status and correlation with final yield; secondly to compare optimum applied nitrogen rates of developing varieties to varieties widely grown in Wisconsin.
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Fall applications of manure have the potential for high nitrogen (N) losses. Cereal/grass cover crops have been shown to take up fall applied N. Similary, Read more…
Fall applications of manure have the potential for high nitrogen (N) losses. Cereal/grass cover crops have been shown to take up fall applied N. Similary, using nitrapyrin (Instinct) has been shown to prevent loss of fall applied N. No studies have been conducted to evaluate combining these tools to prevent N loss. This experiment was performed in 2016 and 2017 on a well-drained and somewhat poorly drained silt loam soils. This study was conducted to determine if using Instinct and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) with fall applied manure could improve nitrogen availability to corn (Zea mays) due to a synergistic effect.
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In Ohio, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) recommendations for corn and soybean were last updated in 1995 with the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations. Water quality and Read more…
In Ohio, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) recommendations for corn and soybean were last updated in 1995 with the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations. Water quality and nutrient management issues in the state have stimulated interest in re-evaluating these recommendations after more than two decades. From 2014-2018, we conducted 102 on-farm trials in P in corn and soybean and 84 trials in K for corn and soybean in Ohio.
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At the risk of gloom-and-doom, let’s cut to the chase: traditional weed management as we’ve known it has been significantly challenged in recent years and Read more…
At the risk of gloom-and-doom, let’s cut to the chase: traditional weed management as we’ve known it has been significantly challenged in recent years and the future isn’t looking much brighter.
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Implementing a nutrient management (NM) plan is one of the best practices farmers can use to protect their soil and water resources and farm profitability. Read more…
Implementing a nutrient management (NM) plan is one of the best practices farmers can use to protect their soil and water resources and farm profitability. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) annually tracks NM plans on farms through NM plan checklists submitted from farmers, agronomists, and agency staff. A NM plan follows the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) WI 2015-590 NM Standard. A NM plan is prepared by a qualified planner. The planner is the farm’s owner, operator, or a certified crop advisor.
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Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides worldwide and are typically deployed as seed treatments (hereafter NST) in many grain and oilseed crops, including soybeans. Read more…
Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides worldwide and are typically deployed as seed treatments (hereafter NST) in many grain and oilseed crops, including soybeans. However, there is a surprising lack of information regarding NST effectiveness in increasing soybean yield, and most published data suggested weak, or inconsistent yield benefit.
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Soybean Midge Update
2020Soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima, is a relatively new insect pest of soybean found in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Missouri. To date, it Read more…
Soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima, is a relatively new insect pest of soybean found in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Missouri. To date, it has not been found in Wisconsin.
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Honey bees and other pollinators often forage within and near agricultural environments. A recent research focus has been investigated how and where bees may encounter Read more…
Honey bees and other pollinators often forage within and near agricultural environments. A recent research focus has been investigated how and where bees may encounter agricultural pesticides, in order to minimize their exposure by moving bees out of harm’s way, changing practices, or a combination of the two approaches.
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Grain Market Outlook
2020 -
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In the early 1900s, Wisconsin emerged as a leading producer of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) as a fiber crop. There were several pushes to Read more…
In the early 1900s, Wisconsin emerged as a leading producer of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) as a fiber crop. There were several pushes to regulate hemp production and Wisconsin harvested its last hemp crop in 1957. Cannabis was banned under the Controlled Substances Act in the 1970s.
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In-season application of N on sandy soils has been well established as a best management practice to reduce N leaching and increase profitability. Over the Read more…
In-season application of N on sandy soils has been well established as a best management practice to reduce N leaching and increase profitability. Over the past few years, interest in in-season or split N applications has risen because of a desire to increase N use efficiency and profitability of corn production.
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Red clover, when interseeded (or frost-seeded) with winter wheat offers the potential for economic return in the form of N credits, rotational yield bump and Read more…
Red clover, when interseeded (or frost-seeded) with winter wheat offers the potential for economic return in the form of N credits, rotational yield bump and the potential for harvest as forage, all without idling cropland for the sake of cover cropping. This study was conducted during the 2017-2018 and the 2018-2019 growing seasons, with red clover being frost-seeded into water wheat for the first year and corn yields being evaluated in the second year.
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During this talk links between soil health and water quality as they relate to agricultural production will be reviewed.
During this talk links between soil health and water quality as they relate to agricultural production will be reviewed.
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This study was conducted to determine the impact of cereal rye and dairy liquid manure application method (surface, low-disturbance, and deep injection) on phosphate losses Read more…
This study was conducted to determine the impact of cereal rye and dairy liquid manure application method (surface, low-disturbance, and deep injection) on phosphate losses from soil under corn silage production.
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Soil health has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past decade, and it appears that interest is only continuing to increase. But despite all of Read more…
Soil health has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past decade, and it appears that interest is only continuing to increase. But despite all of the attention, how much progress has actually been made?
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There is no one size fits all solution to improve groundwater quality with respect to nitrate. A combination of strategies and techniques that considers a Read more…
There is no one size fits all solution to improve groundwater quality with respect to nitrate. A combination of strategies and techniques that considers a year-round approach to managing nitrate will be required. Meaningful progress requires creativity, experimentation, and collaboration from both the agricultural community and water quality researchers to develop a range of solutions to a complicated problem.
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Phosphorus export from agricultural fields continues to create water quality concerns in Wisconsin. The UW Discovery Farms program, along with Discovery Farms Minnesota have collected Read more…
Phosphorus export from agricultural fields continues to create water quality concerns in Wisconsin. The UW Discovery Farms program, along with Discovery Farms Minnesota have collected 125 site-years of edge-of-field monitoring data which can be used to better understand the relative effects of inherent soil properties (slope, drainage class, texture), management practices (manure application, tillage, crop rotation, cover cropping), and soil test P values on seasonal (frozen and non-frozen conditions) losses of dissolved P(DP) and total P (TP).
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There is a considerable amount of excitement surrounding the idea of “soil biology” and its role in agriculture today. Maintaining healthy soil is important, and Read more…
There is a considerable amount of excitement surrounding the idea of “soil biology” and its role in agriculture today. Maintaining healthy soil is important, and certainly involves paying attention to the living organisms in the soil. However, studying soil microbiology is complex, there are limitations to the current methods of research, and there is a lot of information and claims out there that can be hard to sift through. This session will cover how a microbiome study is typically conducted, outline some limitations of this type of study, and present results regarding crop rotation and soil bacterial communities.
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2020 Fertilizer Market Update and 4R Case Studies
2020 Fertilizer Market Update and 4R Case Studies
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In Wisconsin, soybean yield potential is decreased by 0.4 to 0.5 bushels per acre for every day planting is delayed after April 20. But, planting Read more…
In Wisconsin, soybean yield potential is decreased by 0.4 to 0.5 bushels per acre for every day planting is delayed after April 20. But, planting date is limited by weather and equipment availability. This research focused on in-season management decisions that can help maximize yield within early or late planting scenarios.
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How to Maximize the Benefits of Nitrogen Fixation in Soybeans: Current Understanding and Prospects
2020Soybean is the most widely cultivated crop legume in the world and was introduced into the United States in the mid-eighteenth century. Most legumes develop Read more…
Soybean is the most widely cultivated crop legume in the world and was introduced into the United States in the mid-eighteenth century. Most legumes develop a symbiotic association with soil bacteria collectively called rhizobia, which leads to the development of root nodules that host nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. Soybean, in particular, associates with certain species of Bradyrhizobium and Sinorhizobium. These rhizobia are not native to the United States, so inoculation of soybeans was initially essential to establish the use of soybeans into our cropping systems. However, more than a hundred years later, the necessity to inoculate soybeans needs to be reevaluated.
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In Wisconsin, dairy cows eat on average 100 pounds of feed a day, about half of which typically is corn silage. Corn silage is an Read more…
In Wisconsin, dairy cows eat on average 100 pounds of feed a day, about half of which typically is corn silage. Corn silage is an extremely important part of a dairy cow’s diet and provides much of the needed calorie and nutrition input. When making corn silage, the whole plant, including the stalk and ear is chopped and put into bunkers. In these large, cement bunkers the chopped corn is packed down tightly and covered in order to begin fermentation as quickly as possible. Ensiling through fermentation is the best way to preserve the quality and nutrition of feed and prevent degradation.
The objectives of our study were:
- Understand the impacts of fungicide treatments on deoxynivalenol production by Fusarium graminearum in silage corn.
- Understand the location of deoxynivalenol accumulation within the ear and stalk portions of the corn plant.
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White mold of soybean is caused by the fungal pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and is a devastating disease in the Great Lakes growing region of the Read more…
White mold of soybean is caused by the fungal pathogen, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and is a devastating disease in the Great Lakes growing region of the United States. The integrated management techniques used to control this disease are multi-level including the manipulation of row spacing, adjusting planting population, and using fungicides along with genetically resistant cultivars.
There is a significant need to test all combinations of control strategies together to measure the full effect on white mold control. Thus, the objective of our current work are as follows:
- Improve management of white mold by determining the greatest methods for reducing disease pressure.
- Develop soybean lines with high white mold resistance while also retaining favorable agronomic traits.
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Weather patterns not only affect crop growth and development, but also the plant pathogens, beneficial and harmful insects, and weed species present in the agro-ecosystem. Read more…
Weather patterns not only affect crop growth and development, but also the plant pathogens, beneficial and harmful insects, and weed species present in the agro-ecosystem. In recent years, there have been disease outbreaks directly related to extreme weather events including white mold and sudden death. Researchers predict that leaf and root pathogens will be more problematic because of an overall increase in humidity and frequency of heavy rainfall events projected for many parts of the United States. However, other extreme weather events such as drought, hail events, and high winds also will affect diseases from year-to-year and region to region.
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Viral infections in soybean can affect the health and quality of the seed in a number of ways, but especially when they are transmitted to Read more…
Viral infections in soybean can affect the health and quality of the seed in a number of ways, but especially when they are transmitted to the plant’s progeny. Alfalfa mosaic virus, Soybean mosaic virus, Tobacco streak virus, and Tobacco ringspot virus are viruses that infect soybean and transmitted by seed. Soybean vein necrosis is an emerging virus that causes soybean vein necrosis.
The study objectives are:
- Survey of variety trials in Wisconsin to assess the occurrence of soybean vein necrosis virus and tobacco streak virus infections.
- Monitor populations of thrips that transmit sobean vein necrosis virus, using sentinel crops to determine the timing of arrival of viruliferous thrips.
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Fungicide-resistant strains of the pathogen that causes frogeye leaf spot was first found in Iowa in 2017 and Septoria brown spot in 2018. These findings Read more…
Fungicide-resistant strains of the pathogen that causes frogeye leaf spot was first found in Iowa in 2017 and Septoria brown spot in 2018. These findings have changed the efficacy of fungicide products used in the Midwest. We conducted a state-wide survey of strains of the fungus in 2019 and found that EVERY isolate of the pathogen was resistant to the QoI (sometimes called strobilurins) fungicides. Similar findings have been reported in several other Midwestern states. This confirms that the resistant strain of the pathogen is widespread and this should affect our decision on which fungicides to use moving forward. One place to gather information on fungicide efficacy is the Crop Protection Network webpage.
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Understanding how plants can talk provides us with an opportunity to eavesdrop into their conversation and explore how this exchange of information is affecting plant Read more…
Understanding how plants can talk provides us with an opportunity to eavesdrop into their conversation and explore how this exchange of information is affecting plant health. I will illustrate using research examples, how quickly crop plants are able to detect and respond to the presence of neighboring weeds. I will attempt to prove the crop plants such as corn and soybeans growing in the presence of weeds are in a state of constant communication. This communication results in molecular, physiological and morphological changes that help explain crop yield loss caused by weeds. These results also provide a scientific basis for the importance of early season week control.
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Alfalfa has often been replaced in rotations by corn silage, in part because corn produces greater forage dry matter yield than alfalfa. First year yields Read more…
Alfalfa has often been replaced in rotations by corn silage, in part because corn produces greater forage dry matter yield than alfalfa. First year yields of spring-seeded alfalfa are particularly low, often being one-half that of subsequent full production years. Planting small grain, grass, or legume companion crops with alfalfa can modestly improve forage yields in the establishment year, but seeding companion crops with alfalfa often reduces forage quality. Thus new approaches are needed to increase the yield of alfalfa, especially during its first year of production.
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Harvesting alfalfa for hay production requires mowing, raking and baling; while silage harvest requires mowing, merging, and chopping passes. Each harvest practice impacts the plants Read more…
Harvesting alfalfa for hay production requires mowing, raking and baling; while silage harvest requires mowing, merging, and chopping passes. Each harvest practice impacts the plants on re-growth as well as the soil due to ground pressure applied by the tires of harvest machines. A research project at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison is aiming to stimulate these traffic patterns to assess the impact of wheel traffic on alfalfa yield and quality while monitoring impacts on the compaction incurred by the soil.
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With the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds in row crop production throughout the US, there is need for new tools to be incorporated into POST-emergence weed Read more…
With the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds in row crop production throughout the US, there is need for new tools to be incorporated into POST-emergence weed management programs. Novel soybean herbicide-tolerant traits have been emerging in recent years allowing POST applications of glufosinate.
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Soil health has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past decade, and it appears that interest is only continuing to increase. But despite all of Read more…
Soil health has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past decade, and it appears that interest is only continuing to increase. But despite all of the attention, how much progress has actually been made?
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Palmer amaranth is ranked as the most troublesome weed species in the southern US. In recent years, Palmer amaranth has become more predominant in the Read more…
Palmer amaranth is ranked as the most troublesome weed species in the southern US. In recent years, Palmer amaranth has become more predominant in the southern part of the Midwest, further increasing the complexity of weed management in corn and soybean production systems in the region.
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Summer annual forages are chosen by many farmers to fill the summer slump experienced by cool-season perennial forages or when needing an emergency forage if Read more…
Summer annual forages are chosen by many farmers to fill the summer slump experienced by cool-season perennial forages or when needing an emergency forage if facing a challenging year with winterkilled fields. Whichever the case, the need is for the combination of high yield and nutritive value in addition to rapid growth, drought tolerance and quick response to fertilizer because of the short window for summer production.
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Cover crops can provide important ecosystem services in agricultural systems by reducing the risks of nutrient losses to the environment. Reducing nutrient losses from farmland Read more…
Cover crops can provide important ecosystem services in agricultural systems by reducing the risks of nutrient losses to the environment. Reducing nutrient losses from farmland should also help improve agricultural viability by reducing the amount of nutrients that need to be imported back to the farm.
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Alfalfa is one of the most important perennial forages in Northern regions of the USA. It provides a high yielding and quality forage as well Read more…
Alfalfa is one of the most important perennial forages in Northern regions of the USA. It provides a high yielding and quality forage as well as key ecosystems services as part of a rotation with annual crops.
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The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop production forecast have two components-acres to be harvested and expected yield per acre. Preliminary corn and soybean Read more…
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop production forecast have two components-acres to be harvested and expected yield per acre. Preliminary corn and soybean acreage estimates are made using data obtained from a survey of farmers conducted during the first two weeks in June. Expected corn and soybean yields are obtained monthly, August through Novemer, from two different types of yield surveys.
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Adding legumes to grass pastures can result in multiple benefits including increased forage nutritive, extended grazing season and increased grass yield due to N fixation. Read more…
Adding legumes to grass pastures can result in multiple benefits including increased forage nutritive, extended grazing season and increased grass yield due to N fixation. White clover, a short lived perennial with prostrate growth habit, is one of the most important and widely adopted legume in grass-legume mixtures worldwide. In addition, red clover, another short-lived perennial, is widely grown in grass-clover mixtures in Wisconsin.
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Rearing dairy heifers for optimal body weight gains (1.8-2.2 lb/day for Holstein breed) is needed to allow for breeding at 13 months of age and Read more…
Rearing dairy heifers for optimal body weight gains (1.8-2.2 lb/day for Holstein breed) is needed to allow for breeding at 13 months of age and reaching an ideal weight by calving. Heifer rearing costs are significant for a dairy farm ($2.50-3.00/day) with feed costs being about 50% of these costs. With the increased interest in meadow fescue for grazing due to its improved quality, this project’s objective was to evaluate heifer growth, forage yield, and forage quality when grazing either meadow fescue or orchardgrass.
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Alfalfa has often been replaced in rotations by corn silage, in part because corn produces greater forage dry matter yield than alfalfa. First year yields Read more…
Alfalfa has often been replaced in rotations by corn silage, in part because corn produces greater forage dry matter yield than alfalfa. First year yields of spring-seeded alfalfa are particularly low, often being one-half that of subsequent full production years. Planting small grain, grass, or legume companion crops with alfalfa can modestly improve forage yields in the establishment year, but seeding companion crops with alfalfa often reduces forage quality. Thus, new approaches are needed to increase the yield of alfalfa especially during its first year of production
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Water is an invaluable resource for the Wisconsin vegetable industry. In recent years, agricultural irrigation has been linked to reduced ground and surface water levels Read more…
Water is an invaluable resource for the Wisconsin vegetable industry. In recent
years, agricultural irrigation has been linked to reduced ground and surface water
levels in the Central Sands region, where the majority of the Wisconsin vegetable
production is located. Therefore, new technologies and strategies that can improve
the irrigation efficiency of vegetable cropping systems have become a top priority
for the industry. About 99% of Wisconsin vegetable growers are using center pivot
irrigation systems, and Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) has been adopted by some
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The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), is an agricultural pest of solanaceous crops which has developed insecticide resistance at an alarming rate. Up Read more…
The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), is an agricultural pest of solanaceous crops which has developed insecticide resistance at an alarming rate. Up to this point, little consideration has been given to unintended, or inadvertent effects that noninsecticide xenobiotics may have on insecticide susceptibility in L. decemlineata. Fungicides, such as chlorothalonil and boscalid, are often used to control fungal pathogens in potato fields
and are applied at regular intervals when L. decemlineata populations are present in the crop. In order to determine whether fungicide use may be associated with elevated levels of insecticide resistance in L. decemlineata, we examined phenotypic responses in L. decemlineata to the fungicides chlorothalonil and boscalid. Using enzymatic and transcript abundance investigations, we also examined modes of molecular detoxification in response to both insecticide (imidacloprid) and fungicide (boscalid and chlorothalonil) application to more specifically determine if fungicides and insecticides induce similar metabolic detoxification mechanisms. Both chlorothalonil and boscalid exposure induced a phenotypic, enzymatic and transcript response in L. decemlineata which correlates with known mechanisms of insecticide resistance [Clements, 2018]. -
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Interest in improving nitrogen (N) use efficiency of corn production to increase farm profitability and reduce the deleterious effects of N on water quality has Read more…
Interest in improving nitrogen (N) use efficiency of corn production to increase farm profitability and reduce the deleterious effects of N on water quality has resulted in a greater focus on N application timing. A Midwestern study conducted in Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin from 2014 to 2016 was designed to evaluate the profitability, potential N loss, and N use efficiency associated with at plant and split N application timing. In each year, two
sites were selected in each state representing a high and medium/low productivity
soil. Missouri had three sites in 2016. Selected sites had no manure history in at
least the three previous growing seasons. The previous crop was soybean at 43 sites,
corn at 5 sites, and sunflower at 1 site. The tillage system was either reduced tillage or no-till. All sites followed a standardized research protocol with regard to N treatments as well as soil and plant sampling. Nitrogen was applied at either planting or in a split application (40 lb N/a at plant plus sidedress), with N applications ranging from 0 to 280 lb N/a in 40 lb N/a increments. The economic optimum N rate (EONR) was calculated for each N application timing at each site. -
Variable-rate nitrogen management (VRN) is a fairly hot topic right now. The outcome of VRN promises improved efficiencies, economics, yields, and environmental sustainability. As the Read more…
Variable-rate nitrogen management (VRN) is a fairly hot topic right now. The outcome
of VRN promises improved efficiencies, economics, yields, and environmental
sustainability. As the scientific community learns more about the crop’s response to
fertilizer nitrogen and the soil’s ability to provide nitrogen, the complexity of providing VRN recommendations, which both maximize profitability and minimize
environmental risk, becomes more evident. -
The effectiveness of a herbicide application relies on two factors, (i) maximizing the biological effect, and (ii) minimizing environmental contamination through off-target spray movement. These Read more…
The effectiveness of a herbicide application relies on two factors, (i) maximizing the
biological effect, and (ii) minimizing environmental contamination through off-target spray movement. These two factors are often in competition with one another, like being on opposite sides of a seesaw. As a result, herbicide applications have become more challenging and reductions in weed control have been observed due to the current emphasis on reducing spray drift through more restrictive herbicide labels and increasing spray droplet size. -
Waterhemp and giant ragweed, respectively, are currently ranked by stakeholders as the most troublesome weed species in corn and soybean production in Wisconsin (Zimbric et Read more…
Waterhemp and giant ragweed, respectively, are currently ranked by stakeholders
as the most troublesome weed species in corn and soybean production in
Wisconsin (Zimbric et al., 2018; Werle and Oliveira, 2018). Due to widespread
occurrence of resistance to glyphosate, PPO- and ALS-inhibitors in waterhemp
populations across the state accompanied by the shortage of effective POSTemergence
herbicide options in conventional and RR2Yield soybean systems, the use
of effective PRE-emergence herbicide programs becomes imperative and the
adoption of novel herbicide tolerance traits, such as Xtend (dicamba tolerance) or
Liberty Link (glufosinate tolerance), appealing for providing additional effective
POST-emergence weed control options. -
Amaranthus species are among the most troublesome weed species in agronomic production systems because of their innate ability to cause crop yield loss and their Read more…
Amaranthus species are among the most troublesome weed species in agronomic production systems because of their innate ability to cause crop yield loss and their propensity to develop resistance to various herbicide site-of-action families. Several Amaranthus species are regarded as weedy pests across the Great Plains region, including the monoecious (male and female flowers on the same plant) species redroot pigweed (A. retroflexus), smooth pigweed (A. hybridus), Powell amaranth (A. powellii), tumble pigweed (A. albus), prostrate pigweed (A. blitoides), and spiny amaranth (A. pinosus), and the dioecious (separate male and female plants) species common waterhemp (A. rudis) and Palmer amaranth (A. palmeri). Among these species, smooth pigweed, redroot pigweed, Powell amaranth, Palmer amaranth, and the waterhemps are most common in Illinois corn and soybean fields. Historically, Palmer amaranth’s range was limited in Illinois but the species appears to be expanding its range in the state.
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Pesticide applications are complex processes with many variables potentially impacting the biological outcome of the application. Additionally, greater regulatory demands have increased the need for Read more…
Pesticide applications are complex processes with many variables potentially
impacting the biological outcome of the application. Additionally, greater regulatory
demands have increased the need for more precise application methods.
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) sprayers provide an opportunity to increase precision
through variable rate flow control by pulsing electronically actuated solenoid valves at each nozzle. The solenoid valves are pulsed a designated amount of times per second (standard = 10). The percentage of time each valve is open (duty cycle) determines the flow rate. -
Grain Market Outlook
2019 -
This presentation will provide a first look at the major policy changes in the newly passed Farm Bill. The presentation will focus mostly on commodity Read more…
This presentation will provide a first look at the major policy changes in the newly
passed Farm Bill. The presentation will focus mostly on commodity support
programs such as ARC, PLC and crop insurance, as well as conservation programs
(CRP and EQIP). The goal will be to help farmers, crop consultants, and other
agricultural professionals become aware of the available options under the new Farm
Bill, what to expect in terms of income support, and recommendations of how to
evaluate and use these options. -
Wisconsin has a very broad industrial hemp law that encourages participation and innovation. No limits on the number of licenses or acreage provides great opportunities Read more…
Wisconsin has a very broad industrial hemp law that encourages participation
and innovation. No limits on the number of licenses or acreage provides great
opportunities for farmers, citizens, and businesses of any size, in any location in
Wisconsin, to participate in and grow a new industry. -
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In order to be agriculturally productive tile drain systems are often installed in areas with low permeability soils or high water tables, to lower the Read more…
In order to be agriculturally productive tile drain systems are often installed in areas with low permeability soils or high water tables, to lower the water table depth. Some benefits of tile drainage include providing an aerobic root zone for crop growth, improved field trafficability and creating conditions where soils can warm more quickly in the spring. Tile systems also pose environmental risks such as the increased potential for loss of soluble nutrients (nitrate and phosphorus) along with pesticides and pathogens. In addition, soil macro-pores such as shrinkage cracks and earth worm holes can deliver low solids content injected manure directly into tile lines. Keeping injected manure solids content greater than 5%, tilling prior to injection to break up macro-pores or avoiding tiled areas can reduce the risk of manure loss through tiles. Tile systems are gravity-flow systems and in order to function properly must have a free-flowing outlet. In cases where field elevation and grades don’t allow for a gravity flow, a pump lift station will be required, which will increase installation and maintenance cost. A relationship exists between depth and spacing of tile laterals. For uniform permeability soils deeper drains can have wider spacing (within reason). Tile system design performance is specified by the drainage coefficient (Dc), which is equal to the depth in inches of water removed from a field in 24 hours. Typical Dc values range from 0.5 to 1.0 inch per day. A higher Dc equals a higher system flow rate, larger pipes and higher cost. Field- and crop-specific conditions will dictate the appropriate design Dc to use.
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Plants are associated with a complex microbiota that contributes to nutrient acquisition, plant growth, and plant defense. Nitrogen-fixing microbial associations are well characterized in legumes Read more…
Plants are associated with a complex microbiota that contributes to nutrient
acquisition, plant growth, and plant defense. Nitrogen-fixing microbial associations
are well characterized in legumes but are largely absent from cereals, including
maize. We studied an indigenous landrace of maize grown in nitrogen depleted soils
in the Sierra Mixe region of Oaxaca, Mexico. This landrace is characterized by
extensive development of aerial roots that secrete a carbohydrate-rich mucilage.
Analysis of the mucilage microbiota indicated that it was enriched in taxa for which
many known species are diazotrophic; was enriched for homologs of genes encoding
nitrogenase subunits; and harbored active nitrogenase activity as assessed by
acetylene reduction and 15N2 incorporation assays. Field experiments in Sierra MIxe
using 15N natural abundance or 15N-enrichment assessments over 5 years indicated
that atmospheric nitrogen fixation contributed 30 to 82% of the nitrogen nutrition of
Sierra MIxe maize.
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Nematode-protectant seed treatments are available for managing the soybean cyst nematode (SCN). Information about how these products affect specific aspects of the biology o SCN Read more…
Nematode-protectant seed treatments are available for managing the soybean cyst nematode (SCN). Information about how these products affect specific aspects of the biology o SCN is limited. Research methods were developed at Iowa State University to determine how seed treatments affect the biology of the nematode (Beeman et al., 2016; Jensen et al., 2018a), and then those methods were used in experiments with Avicta, Clariva, Ilevo, and Votivo seed treatments (Beeman and Tylka, 2018; Beeman et al., 2018; Jensen et al., 2018b). Results of experiments revealed that soybean roots grown from seeds treated with Avicta, Clariva, Ilevo, and Votivo did not attract or repel SCN juveniles. Leachates of soil in which Avicta-treated seeds were planted reduced the speed, movement, and curvature of SCN juveniles, and penetration by nematode juveniles of roots grown from Avicta-treated seeds was reduced. Movement of SCN juveniles incubated in leachates of soil planted with Clariva-treated seeds also was reduced, and development of the juveniles in roots grown from Clariva-treated seeds was slowed. Leachates of soil in which Ilevo-treated seeds were placed reduced hatching, speed, and movement of SCN juveniles, and penetration of roots from Ilevo-treated seeds by juveniles was reduced.
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The 2018 Wisconsin corn growing season was a challenging one when it comes to diseases. There were substantial disease epidemics across the entire corn belt Read more…
The 2018 Wisconsin corn growing season was a challenging one when it comes to diseases. There were substantial disease epidemics across the entire corn belt of Wisconsin in 2018, with some fields hit by multiple diseases. Gray leaf spot started earlier than normal in the southwest portion of the corn growing region of Wisconsin. The emerging disease, tar spot, then moved in. Tar spot started in the south and southwest but moved north and east leaving many corn fields to dry down abnormally quick. Northern corn leaf blight also caused some issues in the central and northern corn production areas of the state. Then ear rots started to show up near harvest, with mycotoxin levels, like vomitoxin, being a significant issue in corn silage and some grain fields. To add insult to injury a new bacterial disease of corn was also reported for the first time in Wisconsin. Bacterial leaf streak, caused by a Xanthomonas sp., showed up in one field in Pierce Co., Wisconsin. Admittedly, the tar spot epidemic was probably the most impactful, followed by issues with ear rot and vomitoxin contamination.
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Nematode-protectant seed treatments are a relatively new strategy to manage the soybean cyst nematode (SCN). And many such products now are available (see Table 1).
Nematode-protectant seed treatments are a relatively new strategy to manage the
soybean cyst nematode (SCN). And many such products now are available (see Table 1). -
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True armyworms are an occasional pest in Wisconsin’s corn and wheat production systems. Typically, field damage is superficial and spotty in nature. During the summer Read more…
True armyworms are an occasional pest in Wisconsin’s corn and wheat production systems. Typically, field damage is superficial and spotty in nature. During the summer of 2018, we had few, if any, reports of damage from the spring (migrating) generation. However, there were several significant, if not severe, damage from the summer generation throughout the state.
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When good BTs go bad
2019 -
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Neonicotinoids are a popular and widely-used class of insecticides whose water-soluble nature and 20-year usage history has led to questions about their potential to accumulate Read more…
Neonicotinoids are a popular and widely-used class of insecticides whose water-soluble nature and 20-year usage history has led to questions about their potential to accumulate in the environment and harm local ecosystems [1–6]. When first registered in the United States in 1995, these compounds promised increased efficacy, long-lasting systemic activity, lower application rates, low vertebrate toxicity, and reduced environmental persistence, all of which contributed to the rapid adoption and widespread use of this class of insecticides, which now account for over 25% of the entire global pesticide market [7]. Over 6.7 million pounds of neonicotinoid insecticides are now applied annually on 140 different crops in the United States, with the three most popular compounds, imidacloprid (IMD), clothianidin (CLO), and thiamethoxam (TMX) making up over 90% of agricultural usage nationally [7,8].
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Dairy production systems rely on alfalfa as a key component in their ration. Alfalfa provides a high yielding and quality forage as well as key Read more…
Dairy production systems rely on alfalfa as a key component in their ration. Alfalfa provides a high yielding and quality forage as well as key ecosystems services as part of a rotation with annual crops. One of the under-valued services is weed control as it has been documented that alfalfa stands can reduce weed populations if managed correctly (e.g., Clay and Aguilar, 1998; Goplen et al., 2017). Few annual weeds can compete with alfalfa stands and do not germinate unless alfalfa stand density is below recommended levels or the alfalfa is stressed due to lack of precipitation or pest (insect disease) damage. What few annual weeds that emerge are not able to produce viable seeds due to the frequent harvest interval present in a dairy system (every 28 to 35 days). For example, giant ragweed, a highly competitive annual weed that is capable of germinating throughout the spring, had emergence reduced by 59% when grown under alfalfa compared to corn and didn’t produce any viable seeds in a research project in Minnesota (Goplen et al., 2017). Unfortunately established alfalfa systems are currently being invaded by waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer), a weed species that has the potential to germinate and produce viable seed within this
competitive forage system. -
Adjustment of the kernel processor in a Self-Propelled Forage Harvester (SPFH) is critical to high quality feed production. Particle size reduction of the corn kernels Read more…
Adjustment of the kernel processor in a Self-Propelled Forage Harvester (SPFH) is
critical to high quality feed production. Particle size reduction of the corn kernels contained within chopped and processed corn silage makes the starch more available in the rumen, increasing digestion and in-turn increasing milk production. Increased milk production is the most common train of thought when considering the economic benefit of properly setting a kernel processor, but machinery management and efficiency metrics should be considered as well. Kernel processors utilize a high percentage of the power produced by the engine during corn silage harvest. A substantial amount of material is being forced through a very small gap, causing the power requirements to process the crop to increase substantially. While maintaining the smallest gap possible will produce smaller geometric mean particle sizes of the corn kernels, opening the kernel processor gap just 0.5 mm would reduce the load on the engine. This reduced load would allow the machine to move more quickly through the field or increase the fuel efficiency of harvest. Optimization of the kernel processor gap setting could take move the industry closer to a more efficient harvest. -
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Potato and vegetable weed management in the 2018 season was challenged yet again by variable and extreme weather events, the spread of new and often Read more…
Potato and vegetable weed management in the 2018 season was challenged yet again by variable and extreme weather events, the spread of new and often herbicide-resistant weeds and regulatory headwinds. Despite these hurdles, the future looks relatively bright if we’re willing to take an innovate and integrated approach to weed management.
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Alfalfa has often been replaced in rotations by corn silage, in part because corn produces greater forage dry matter yield than alfalfa. First year yields Read more…
Alfalfa has often been replaced in rotations by corn silage, in part because corn
produces greater forage dry matter yield than alfalfa. First year yields of spring-seeded alfalfa are particularly low, often being one-half that of subsequent full production years. Planting small grain, grass, or legume companion crops with alfalfa can modestly improve forage yields in the establishment year, but seeding companion crops with alfalfa often reduces forage quality. Thus, new approaches are needed to increase the yield of alfalfa, especially during its first year of production. -
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There are advantages and disadvantages to tillage. Advantages include smooth seedbed preparation, weed control with reduced risk of herbicide resistance, and break-up of compacted soil. Read more…
There are advantages and disadvantages to tillage. Advantages include smooth
seedbed preparation, weed control with reduced risk of herbicide resistance, and
break-up of compacted soil. Destruction of soil aggregates, creation of plow pans,
and increased production costs are often referred as disadvantages. There is
increased interest in no-tillage and its use is increasing. However, some form of
tillage is still widely used by most farmers. Are there benefits to both approaches?
Certain soils and crop rotations might be more conducive to one approach versus the
other. Soils with high soil organic matter contents, high amounts of aggregation, and
in flat fields can be quite productive when tillage is used. However, this increased
crop productivity is often at the expense of organic matter and soil health. Other
practices, such as crop rotations, manure application and cover crop use, might help
offset declines in organic matter and soil health brought by tillage. A combination of
approaches are most likely to provide benefits for a wide range of soils and conditions.
In this presentation, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of
tillage practices on soil health, organic matter, and productivity. -
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Manure processing is generally incorporated into livestock systems to change the characteristics of manure in order to gain a higher value end product, reduce operational Read more…
Manure processing is generally incorporated into livestock systems to change the characteristics of manure in order to gain a higher value end product, reduce operational burdens, or reduce risks associated with the land application of manure. Some common manure processing systems include composting, sand separation (SS), solid liquid separation (SLS), and anaerobic digestion (AD). For many processing systems, the processed manure or at least a fraction of the processed manure is still land applied, therefore understanding the impacts to the manure characteristics is critical for increasing nutrient use efficiency following land application. Processing technologies aside from composting are rarely found at facilities with less than 1,000 animal units, or the number of animals requiring a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit. For those permitted facilities SS is the most common processing technology reported from those that were surveyed with AD and SLS also being incorporated by many farms.
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One of the simplest and most comprehensive measurements of soil health is soil organic matter (SOM). Soil organic matter is connected to the ability of Read more…
One of the simplest and most comprehensive measurements of soil health is soil
organic matter (SOM). Soil organic matter is connected to the ability of the soil to
provide nutrients, retain water, and improve yields. As farmers seek to increase the
SOM in their fields, it is important to reflect on the management practices that will
lead to increases in SOM, the long-term nature of the gain in SOM, and inherent soil
factors that dictate the ability of farmers to increase (or decrease) their SOM rapidly.
Soil OM is measured as loss on ignition, which requires burning the soil and
measuring what remains. Soil OM is typically about 50% carbon. Most scientific
studies measure and report SOM in terms of soil organic carbon (SOC). The SOC
can be multiplied by two to estimate SOM percentage. -
Plant Industry Bureau Laboratory (PIB lab) provides diagnostic services for DATCP pest and disease surveys and inspections. In 2018, the lab diagnosed 1,767 samples for Read more…
Plant Industry Bureau Laboratory (PIB lab) provides diagnostic services for DATCP pest and disease surveys and inspections. In 2018, the lab diagnosed 1,767 samples for plant diseases, nematodes and insect pests. These are the highlights from the 2018 season.
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White mold is caused by the fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and frequently results in significant damage to soybeans in the upper Midwest. The white mold fungus Read more…
White mold is caused by the fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and frequently results in significant damage to soybeans in the upper Midwest. The white mold fungus has a notoriously wide host range, which can result in large reservoirs of inoculum in and near soybean fields. The primary inoculum (ascospores) are born on cup-shaped structures called apothecia. These apothecia form when the weather conditions are cool and wet, the soybean canopy is dense, and flowers are present. The presence of a susceptible host (e.g., flowering soybeans), active pathogen (e.g., sporulating), and conducive weather has to happen at the same time, in the field to result in infection. This can be difficult for farmers to anticipate for predicting if they might have white mold, or if they want to implement an in-season management strategy (Willbur et al., 2019a). To take some of the guess-work out of managing white mold, soybean farmers have been interested in learning more about resistant soybean cultivars, what fungicides might be available for controlling white mold, whether it is economical to spray fungicide under certain conditions, how to anticipate favorable weather to better time fungicide applications, and cultural practices such as row-spacing and planting population that lead to less white mold, but don’t negatively affect yield. The Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology team in conjunction with the Wisconsin Soybean Team have been conducting research to address these questions.
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The recently signed 2017-19 state budget contained changes to the fee structure for Wisconsin’s pesticide, fertilizer and feed licensing fees and structure. These changes result Read more…
The recently signed 2017-19 state budget contained changes to the fee structure for
Wisconsin’s pesticide, fertilizer and feed licensing fees and structure. These changes
result from the RevEx project, DATCP’s Bureau of Agrichemical Management’s
outreach effort to representatives from regulated agribusinesses with the goal of
aligning the Bureau’s revenues and expenditures to be more fair, efficient and
effective. Changes include a fee holiday for the ACCP surcharge, meaning it will not
be assessed in 2018for the 2018 license year (dates vary). The surcharge holiday will
be extended if the ACCP Fund balance on May 1 exceeds $1.5 million. and probably
for several years beyond. License years have been adjusted in a few cases as well.
This is a summary of the changes. More detailed information is available online at
https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/RevEx.aspx. -
This article is based directly on a recently published article that appeared in the Center for Disease Control’s journal: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Read more…
This article is based directly on a recently published article that appeared in the Center for
Disease Control’s journal: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) by Shutske, et
al (2017). See full reference at the end of this document.Original adapted article title: Notes from the Field: Death of a Farm Worker After Exposure
to Manure Gas in an Open Air Environment — Wisconsin, August 2016On August 15, 2016, at approximately 6:30 a.m., a previously healthy male employee of a
Wisconsin beef farm was found dead near the edge of an outdoor 60,400 square foot (1.4
acre) manure storage basin. The basin was approximately 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep and
nearly full. The victim, aged 29 years, was discovered by another worker; the coroner was
notified at 6:50 a.m., and he pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Thirteen dead cattle
were discovered in an adjoining pen; three others were struggling to stand and were
euthanized. The owner of the farm reported that at 3:00 a.m., the victim had used a tractorpowered
agitator to agitate the manure,2/ which a contractor was scheduled to pump and
spread on cropland later that morning. The last contact from the victim was a social media
post at 4:10 a.m. At the time he was discovered, he was approximately 3 feet downslope
from the rear of the tractor, which was running… -
“The Label is the Law,” a statement you probably have heard over and over again. However, this is a simple as it gets. When you Read more…
“The Label is the Law,” a statement you probably have heard over and over again.
However, this is a simple as it gets. When you purchase or use a pesticide you enter
into an agreement that you will use this tool according to its label. However as
custom applicators you are being contracted out to go on other people’s property to
use this tool. Communication between you and your customer is important, in fact it
can be state law.
Having an idea from your records or from your customer of sensitive areas around
the application site is important. Arial applications require at least 24-hour notice
before the application. Although it is the landowner’s responsibility to notify any bee
keepers who have requested pre-application notification, it is your responsibility to
let the customer know that you are applying a pesticide that is “Highly Toxic to
Bees,” and in enough time for them to do this.
The Worker Protection Standard requires that your customer notify their workers
orally or by signs of fields that have been treated. They are also required to post
information about the applications that occur on their farms. For a customer to do
this, they will need to know that you are applying and what. At the time of application
any important safety information has to be provided. An example of this might
be the Restricted Entry Interval. Provide any specific safety information that might
be on the label just before or just after application.
Finally, record keeping is the responsibility of the applicator. However, there is
information that has to be given to the customer after application. You have 30 days
after application to provide after application information. Most companies provide
this in their bill of sale or invoice of service. These include: Applicator or business
phone number; applicator license number; the crop; commodity or site to which the
pesticide was applied; specific location of application; date; start and stop time;
pesticide brand name or product name or chemical name; EPA Registration Number;
amount applied; Post-application precautions (pre-harvest interval, REI, irrigation
restrictions, etc.); copy of pesticide label or notice that they can get one on request. -
Soybean aphid remains a significant pest of soybean in parts of the north central U.S. Recent development of insecticide resistance in this pest creates a Read more…
Soybean aphid remains a significant pest of soybean in parts of the north central U.S.
Recent development of insecticide resistance in this pest creates a new challenge for
soybean production. Multiple lines of evidence, including reports of field level
failures, and data from replicated efficacy trials and laboratory bioassays, that
indicate that some populations of soybean aphid from Minnesota, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Iowa and Manitoba have developed resistance to some pyrethroid
insecticides (bifenthrin and lambda-cyhalothrin). -
The fall European corn borer population declined to 0.03 larva per plant, tying 2012 and 2014 as the second lowest state average in the survey’s Read more…
The fall European corn borer population declined to 0.03 larva per plant, tying 2012 and
2014 as the second lowest state average in the survey’s 76-year history. The lowest average
of 0.02 larva per plant was recorded in 2015. Minor population reductions from 2016 were
found in six of the state’s nine agricultural districts, while an insignificant increase was
noted in the east-central area. The northeast and southeast district averages remained
unchanged at 0.0 and 0.04 larva per plant, respectively. One hundred and ninety-six of the
229 (86%) fields examined showed no evidence of corn borer infestation. Results of the
2017 survey suggest that Wisconsin corn producers are maintaining a high Bt use rate which
continues to provide overall effective suppression of the European corn borer.
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A secondary insect pest is an insect species that, because of a natural or man-made disturbance, has become an economic problem. The focus of this Read more…
A secondary insect pest is an insect species that, because of a natural or man-made
disturbance, has become an economic problem. The focus of this article will be on the
below ground insect pests in corn. These insects, especially seedcorn maggot, wireworm
and white grub, are difficult to manage because only preventive treatments are effective. An
understanding of the insect biology can help target control practices when needed. -
Stink bugs are emerging as a new threat to crop production in the region. An invasive species, the brown marmorated stink bug, is spreading through Read more…
Stink bugs are emerging as a new threat to crop production in the region. An invasive
species, the brown marmorated stink bug, is spreading through the region. In addition,
reports from several states indicate that the abundance of native stink bugs may also be
increasing. Because stink bugs have historically been infrequent pests in northern states,
many growers and consultants have little experience managing these pests. -
U.S. soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production has increased by 60% from 1996 to 2016 due to a 30% increase in area planted to soybean, Read more…
U.S. soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production has increased by 60% from 1996 to
2016 due to a 30% increase in area planted to soybean, and due to better genetics and
improved crop management practices. While these historic seed yield increases have
been substantial, U.S. soybean producers continually search for opportunities to optimize
crop management and increase soybean seed yield, including applying fertilizer
N to soybean.
Soybean has a large nutrient requirement throughout the growing season, and has an
especially high N requirement due to its seed protein content that averages about 40%
based on seed dry weight (Bellaloui et al., 2015). Soybean N requirements peak in the
R3 to R6 growth stages (Gaspar et al. 2017; Harper, 1974). The N requirement of soybean
is generally fulfilled by biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) plus N uptake from soil
(Salvagiotti et al., 2008). However, BNF activity can be limited by a number of environmental
conditions such as low soil moisture, extremes of soil pH and temperature, and
soil compaction, any of which can result in insufficient N supply to the soybean plants
(Purcell and King, 1996).
Proceedings -
Farm data has become a current topic in agriculture as well as other industries and is known as ‘big data’. Debate regarding the ownership of Read more…
Farm data has become a current topic in agriculture as well as other industries and is known
as ‘big data’. Debate regarding the ownership of the data and who should receive value from
the use of that data are hotly debated. The myths of big data in agriculture are dispelled here
and insights into best management practices with respect to using data isolated to a given farm
as well as within a larger community are offered.
The valuation of agricultural data has been elusive whether from a single field or data
aggregated in near real time across many farms. Data from a given farm has finite value to
that specific farm, but data aggregated into a community is considered to have much greater
value… -
Previous research (Wang et al., 2015) on snap bean response to N provided interesting results, but it is unclear if the results are applicable to Read more…
Previous research (Wang et al., 2015) on snap bean response to N provided
interesting results, but it is unclear if the results are applicable to all fields. This
previous research was conducted in Plover, WI with high yielding DelMonte varieties.
Results suggested that 100 lb-N/ac was the optimal N rate (20 lb-N/ac in starter and 80
lb-N/ac in-season) when yields are greater than 9 ton/ac. However, typical yields for
snap bean are in the 4-5 ton/ac range (personal communication with processing crop
agronomists), which may not require 100 lb-N/ac (current UW recommendations are 60
lb-N/ac for yields up to 6.5 ton/ac). In addition, the previous research also indicated that
for non-nodulating varieties (i.e. varieties that do not allow root infection of rhizobium,
and thus do not directly obtain N fixed from the atmosphere), had an N utilization
efficiency of 68% when 100 lb-N/ac was applied. For nodulating varieties (in this case
the high-yielding Del Monte varieties) additional analysis using 15N stable isotope
concentrations was necessary to determine the true removal efficiency as it is unknown
how the addition of N fertilizer will inhibit the amount of N that is fixed. Preliminary
analyses of these results indicate that the 100 lb-N/ac rate completely inhibits N fixation
in snap beans. Now, it may seem counter-intuitive, but this is actually beneficial for
water quality. It means that the applied N is replacing the N fixed by the atmosphere
and is actually well-utilized in the system. If applying N fertilizer did not completely
inhibit N fixation, then much of the N that was applied would not be used and thus
leached to groundwater. However, 100% inhibition of N fixation occurred at the 100 lb-
N/ac rate, with lower N rates inhibiting a small percentage of N fixation. Now, if more
commonly used varieties require less N inputs (in the 50 to 80 lb-N/ac range) it is
important to know what the true N use efficiency is as less N on lower yielding varieties
may be less efficient than more N on higher yielding varieties. With all of the issues
concerning nitrate concentrations in the Central Sands, we know little about the actual
fate of N (or at least the utilization of applied N) in snap bean production systems. -
Irrigation management is vital for the production of processing vegetable crops in Wisconsin. The use of water and improving the long-term sustainability of this absolutely Read more…
Irrigation management is vital for the production of processing vegetable crops in
Wisconsin. The use of water and improving the long-term sustainability of this
absolutely critical resource has become a hot topic in the Wisconsin vegetable
industry in recent years, because there has been increasing pressure to manage
irrigation more efficiently and reduce unneeded agricultural water use. -
Regulatory updates: We’re still waiting on some national regulatory reregistration decisions that may affect herbicides used in potato and vegetables, including diquat and linuron. Stay Read more…
Regulatory updates:
We’re still waiting on some national regulatory reregistration decisions that may affect herbicides
used in potato and vegetables, including diquat and linuron. Stay tuned for updates on any label
changes that may result from that process. Additionally, the Wisconsin special local need labels
for a few herbicides expired in 2017, including Dual Magnum on several vegetable crops and
Tough on mint (as well as Stinger on strawberry and cranberry in the fruit world). In each of
these cases the registrant has or is submitting a new special local needs request that will be
evaluated by WI DATCP. -
In a world where we can splice genes, split atoms and transplant organs it is hard to believe that we still have not figured out Read more…
In a world where we can splice genes, split atoms and transplant organs it is hard to believe
that we still have not figured out a way to spray agricultural pesticides with zero spray drift.
Although newer developments in application technologies have helped to contain spray drift;
nearly all focus on increasing or stabilizing droplet size as their primary goal. Nozzles, pulse
width modulation, boom add-ons, and even drift reduction adjuvants can all be placed in this
category. As an applicator, it is critical to understand the technologies you are utilizing for proper
sprayer management in drift prone conditions. -
The Food Safety Modernization Act is something that affects nearly all animal food production facilities. The deadline for CGMP compliance for small and large companies Read more…
The Food Safety Modernization Act is something that affects nearly all animal food
production facilities. The deadline for CGMP compliance for small and large
companies has come and gone.
For small facilities, September of 2018 is the compliance deadline for the
preventative control and hazard analysis part of the Food Safety Modernization Act.
We will be talking about how to identify hazards at your facility, along with how to
use your SOP’s and policies to create a prerequisite program to handle those hazards.
We will also be discussing when we may have to use preventative controls and what
that looks like. -
No-till planting into high residue environment remains a challenge for Wisconsin producers, especially when considering planting into cover crop residue. There are several aspects to Read more…
No-till planting into high residue environment remains a challenge for Wisconsin
producers, especially when considering planting into cover crop residue. There are several
aspects to planter set-up that can have an impact on seed placement and emergence. To maintain
a reasonable scope for this study a set of differing closing wheels was selected for assessment. -
To date identification of causes of yield gaps (difference between maximum yield potential and measured yield in producer yields) has been restricted to small geographic Read more…
To date identification of causes of yield gaps (difference between maximum yield potential
and measured yield in producer yields) has been restricted to small geographic
areas. In this study, we developed a novel approach that combines producer-reported
data and a spatial framework to identify explanatory causes of yield gap over large
geographic regions with diversity of climate, soils, and water regimes (rainfed and
irrigated). We focused on soybean in the North-Central United States region, which
accounts for approximately one third of global soybean production, as a case study
to provide a proof of concept on the proposed approach. The specific objectives of
this project were to evaluate the proposed approach for its ability to: (1) benchmark
producer soybean yields in relation to yield potential of their fields, (2) identify key
management practices that explain yield gaps, and (3) explain the drivers for some of
the observed (M)anagement × (E)nvironment interactions. -
The alfalfa seed industry has introduced coated seeds over the last decade to improve establishment of alfalfa seedlings. These coatings can be light or heavy Read more…
The alfalfa seed industry has introduced coated seeds over the last decade to improve
establishment of alfalfa seedlings. These coatings can be light or heavy but are still sold in
50 pound bags. As a result, farmers are getting less Pure Live Seed (PLS) in a bag; while
these coatings may enhance each individual seed’s ability to establish successfully, it does
reduce the total number of seeds in a bag when purchased by weight. Rhizobium bacteria,
fungicide, colorant and polymers that bind the material are the most common constituents of
“coated” seeds. Due to these changes, farmers have been asking UW-Extension educators
“What seeding rate should we be using to maximize our plant establishment?” -
The extent of kernel processing has an effect on animal feed quality and machine fuel usage. Current methods require laboratory equipment which results in a Read more…
The extent of kernel processing has an effect on animal feed quality and machine fuel
usage. Current methods require laboratory equipment which results in a delay between sampling
and results. An image processing algorithm to determine the size distribution of corn kernel
particles was developed. The algorithm was verified through analyzing images of particles with
a known diameter. Kernels processes with 1, 2, 3, and 4 mm roll gap settings were analyzed and
compared with the standard sieving method. This method can accurately determine the extent of
processing in the field while adjustments to the harvest can still be made. -
Objectives 1. Evaluate stripe rust-resistant cultivars and fungicide timings (integrated management) in the wheat-growing region of Wisconsin for control of stripe rust. 2. Identify the Read more…
Objectives
1. Evaluate stripe rust-resistant cultivars and fungicide timings (integrated management) in the
wheat-growing region of Wisconsin for control of stripe rust.
2. Identify the primary chemotype of the Fusarium species complex in Wisconsin and
understand the impact chemotype has on isolate aggressiveness on winter wheat. -
Foliar fungicide use in field corn has increased dramatically in some areas of the country during the past decade. The benefits of foliar fungicides for Read more…
Foliar fungicide use in field corn has increased dramatically in some areas of the
country during the past decade. The benefits of foliar fungicides for managing
several fungal leaf diseases has been well-documented. Although, questions about
application timing, plant health benefits, and which products to choose can make
fungicide treatment decisions difficult. In this session, we will review results from
foliar fungicide trials conducted on corn in Nebraska. -
Enhanced resistance in soybean germplasm and RNAi transgenic plants will provide another set of tools to add to our “toolset” of using cultural practices, predictive Read more…
Enhanced resistance in soybean germplasm and RNAi transgenic plants will
provide another set of tools to add to our “toolset” of using cultural practices,
predictive models, and fungicide application to manage white mold.
Objectives
1. Improve white mold resistance and agronomic properties of soybean through
breeding in multiple environments and through multiple generations.
2. Improve white mold resistance through RNA-interference and transgenic plants. -
Bacterial leaf streak (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum, was reported for the first time in the United States in Nebraska in 2016. Since Read more…
Bacterial leaf streak (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum, was reported
for the first time in the United States in Nebraska in 2016. Since then, the disease has been
confirmed in 60 Nebraska counties and 8 additional states, including Colorado, Kansas,
Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas. Previously, the pathogen
had only been confirmed on corn in South Africa and on sugarcane in numerous other
countries around the world. Numerous other grass and palm hosts were identified in other
countries, as well, including sorghum species. Results from additional host range testing
conducted in Nebraska also confirmed several additional crop, weed, and native perennial
grass species as hosts. Symptoms on corn can be difficult to differentiate from other
diseases, especially the gray leaf spot fungal disease. Typical symptoms of the disease on
corn and other hosts are narrow interveinal streaks that can appear bright yellow when
backlit. The pathogen overwinters in infested crop debris thus, disease develops in the same
areas repeatedly when susceptible hybrids are grown and favorable weather conditions
persist. Severity of the disease varies considerably on corn hybrids, particularly on some
popcorn hybrids that can be quite susceptible. High relative humidity and leaf wetness favor
disease development. Results from additional research trials will be shared, as well as more
information on additional emerging diseases, such as tar spot and Diplodia leaf streak. -
Maintaining proper root zone soil moisture conditions optimizes yields and improves field trafficability. When soil voids are free of drainable water, air flow can occur Read more…
Maintaining proper root zone soil moisture conditions optimizes yields and improves
field trafficability. When soil voids are free of drainable water, air flow can occur
that supports important chemical and biological processes needed for plant growth.
Other benefits include deeper plant rooting depth and a dry soil will warm up more
quickly in the spring than a wet soil. However, tiled soils have an increased risk of
manure, pesticide and pathogen losses to surface waters. Macropores (earth worm
burrows and shrinkage cracks) and tile surface inlets can act as direct conduits to
tiles and in turn surface waters. Replacing tile surface inlets with blind inlets can
help reduce this risk. Tile typically drain into surface drainage ditches. Maintenance
of tile outlet ditches is critical to the proper performance of the tile system. When
maintenance should occur is dictated by site specific conditions, particularly tile and
ditch grade along with what a landowner is willing to tolerate. Ditches should be
inspected annually and after major storm events to identify problems before they
become severe. Clearing of trees and debris will likely be required more frequently
than sediment removal. There are both private ditches and ditches that are part of the
public drainage system created under WI Chapter 88 of Wisconsin Statutes. This
law established the county drainage districts. Maintenance of and connecting to
private ditches are the responsibility of individual property owner(s), which can lead
to conflicts and disagreements. The public drainage system was developed to
coordinate and better address drainage ditch issues involving multiple landowners.
Any connections to or maintenance of public ditches must involve the County
Drainage Board. It is also important to keep in mind that drainage ditch maintenance
may require permits or review by government agencies such as the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Conservation Service, the
Army Corps. of Engineers and your local County Planning and Zoning Office.
Additional information on tile drainage can be found on the UWEX tile drainage
web site at the following URL: fyi.uwex.edu/drainage/.
__________________________ -
Soil health is the ability and capacity of soil to function within environments and ecosystems to promote plant and animal health, sustain biological productivity, and Read more…
Soil health is the ability and capacity of soil to function within environments and ecosystems
to promote plant and animal health, sustain biological productivity, and maintain
environmental quality. Intensive agricultural land use has been widely shown to degrade
soil quality and health. Functional and structural integrity of the soil can be improved or
potentially return to pre-disturbance conditions with soil conservation practices. The goal
of this work was to 1.) quantify the effects of land conversion from native vegetation to
agricultural cultivation and 2.) measure the rate and degree of soil recovery from both
short-term (less than 15 years) and long-term (greater than 15 years) soil conservation
practices. Conservation measures ranged from management modifications that maintain
crop productivity including practices such as conservation tillage and cover crops to
removal of sensitive land from crop production through the Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP). A variety of soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters were investigated
including bulk density, aggregate stability, infiltration, total organic carbon, carbon dioxide
flux, and microbial biomass. Results show land conversion slightly impacted (less than
20% change from pre-disturbed condition) aggregate stability, moderately impacted (20-
50% change from pre-disturbed condition) bulk density, total organic carbon, and carbon
dioxide flux, and severely impacted (greater than 50% change from pre-disturbed condition)
infiltration and microbial biomass. Both short and long-term crop management
modifications (cover crops and conservation tillage) showed minimal recovery of soil
quality indicators. CRP enrollment showed some recovery of soil quality indicators in the
short-term with more significant recovery over longer timescales; however, even 30 years
of grassland management was not sufficient to recover all parameters to their pre-disturbed
state. Our findings reinforce the importance of investing in significant long-term conservation
initiatives. -
Wintertime land-applications of manure are a common practice because of the high cost of manure storage (Srinivasan et al., 2006). However, the presence of frozen Read more…
Wintertime land-applications of manure are a common practice because of the high
cost of manure storage (Srinivasan et al., 2006). However, the presence of frozen soil and
snow creates challenges for on-farm nutrient retention, as up to 75% of annual runoff can
occur during thaws (Good et al., 2012). Therefore, we 1) tested practical management
techniques that may reduce runoff on fields receiving winter applications of liquid dairy
manure, and 2) used a soil physics approach to identify weather and soil properties that
control infiltration, runoff, and nutrient losses during thaws. -
There is an ever-increasing focus on climate change and corresponding changes to rainfall patterns. It seems like more extreme rainfall events are observed every year. Read more…
There is an ever-increasing focus on climate change and corresponding changes to rainfall
patterns. It seems like more extreme rainfall events are observed every year. Wisconsin and
Minnesota Discovery Farms Programs have monitored 127 site years of edge-of-field
surface runoff. During these site years, 2,184 surface runoff events were measured. These
runoff events and the corresponding rainfall data were analyzed to answer the following
questions:
• Are a large portion of nutrient and soil losses driven by extreme rainfall events?
• Can you control the weather (or the impact of it) on your crop fields? -
Corn silage provides an economically important source of feed for dairy and beef cattle, with nearly one-million acres harvested in Wisconsin annually. Corn silage may Read more…
Corn silage provides an economically important source of feed for dairy and beef
cattle, with nearly one-million acres harvested in Wisconsin annually. Corn silage
may present environmental challenges, however, as very little crop residue remains
in the field and manure is often applied after harvest. This creates conditions
possibly vulnerable to soil erosion and nutrient loss from runoff over the fall-tospring
fallow period. -
Waterhemp has become one of the most troublesome weeds in row crop production in the Midwest. Though not as widespread like in southern neighboring states, Read more…
Waterhemp has become one of the most troublesome weeds in row crop
production in the Midwest. Though not as widespread like in southern neighboring
states, glyphosate-resistant waterhemp populations have been confirmed in 25
Wisconsin counties; moreover resistance to ALS- and PPO-inhibiting herbicides in
waterhemp have also been confirmed in the state (see Stoltenberg’s paper in this
proceedings for complete information). Reduced tillage, herbicide resistance, and
less diversified herbicide programs and crop rotations are the main factors that have
contributed to waterhemp establishment in row crop production systems (Nordby et
al., 2007). -
Resistance is defined as the inherited ability of a plant to survive and reproduce following exposure to a herbicide dose normally lethal to the wild Read more…
Resistance is defined as the inherited ability of a plant to survive and reproduce
following exposure to a herbicide dose normally lethal to the wild type (WSSA, 2017). Two
important points of this definition are that the resistance trait(s) must be heritable (passed on
to progeny) and that the resistance response is compared to that of herbicide-susceptible
plants (“the wild type”). -
We currently have more tools available to help with corn nitrogen management than we have ever had. Each of these tools has the potential to Read more…
We currently have more tools available to help with corn nitrogen management than
we have ever had. Each of these tools has the potential to help us make better
decisions, but none of these tools on their own should be viewed as a complete
solution. -
Let’s start with what happened in 2017. Lots of rain in Wisconsin April through June. Wet all along, and especially the last half of June Read more…
Let’s start with what happened in 2017. Lots of rain in Wisconsin April through
June. Wet all along, and especially the last half of June in southern Wisconsin.
Did this cause nitrogen loss? Yes.
Was it huge? No. -
NVision Ag uses the color of your crop, measured from above (Fig. 1), to determine the level of N stress and how much N to Read more…
NVision Ag uses the color of your crop, measured from above (Fig. 1), to determine
the level of N stress and how much N to apply. We supply this information in the
form of a rate control file (Fig. 2). Just plug it in and drive, knowing that sound
research backs the rates that you are putting out. -
Nitrogen management for corn is complicated. Timing, rate, source, and placement can all have significant impacts on success. My research findings on N timing have Read more…
Nitrogen management for corn is complicated. Timing, rate, source, and
placement can all have significant impacts on success.
My research findings on N timing have been the most surprising to me. They
include:
• In the absence of excess rain, effects of N timing on corn grain yield are
rare. Even quite late applications can give full yield. This probably is not
true for silage corn.
• In the presence of excess rain, programs with all N applied before planting
usually perform poorly. In-season N is needed to produce full yield.
• I have never seen early N stress reduce ear row number enough to worry
about. In 2017, after 11 years of continuous no-till corn, the zero-N
treatment was 135 bushels behind the best treatment but only 0.3 rows
behind.
• Pre-plant N rarely matters. In 90 experiments comparing treatments with
and without pre-plant N, there were only 2 where the treatment without
preplant N lost yield. In both of these the first N was applied when the
corn was thigh-high.
• Nitrous oxide emissions were cut by 60% by using all-sidedress N
management. -
Calculating nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) on a field-by-field basis can be a valuable tool for assessing N management on a farm. There are four key Read more…
Calculating nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) on a field-by-field basis can be a valuable
tool for assessing N management on a farm. There are four key ways to evaluate
nitrogen: Partial Factor Productivity (PFP), Agronomic Efficiency (AE), Partial
Nutrient Balance (PNB), and Recovery (or Uptake) Efficiency (RE). Table 1 provides
calculations and interpretations. -
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Ag Policy Update
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Improving nitrogen (N) use on dairy farms provides both economic and environmental benefits. The goal is to have more N recycled on the farm (from crops Read more…
Improving nitrogen (N) use on dairy farms provides both economic and environmental benefits. The goal is to have more N recycled on the farm (from crops to cows to manure used as fertilizer), which results in fewer N inputs purchased and brought onto the farm and less N lost to the environment. But because N cycles through the whole farm system, positive changes in one part of the N cycle might create negative tradeoffs in another part of the N cycle. Two emerging dairy industry trends are used to elaborate the complexity of N use and N loss from dairy production systems (1) feeding less protein to reduce both feed costs and emissions of ammonia and nitrous oxide (the most potent agricultural greenhouse gas) from the farm, and (2) feeding more corns silage and less alfalfa silage to feed more cows and reduce feed costs.
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Palmer amaranth was initially discovered in Harrison County, Iowa in August 2013 in a fallow crop field. Following that discovery, five more infestations were discovered Read more…
Palmer amaranth was initially discovered in Harrison County, Iowa in August 2013 in a fallow crop field. Following that discovery, five more infestations were discovered in Page, Fremont, Muscatine, and Lee counties in 2013 and 2014. In July 2016, two landowners, both professional agronomists, detected Palmer amaranth in fields planted this spring to native seed mixes for conservation purposes. One discovery was in a quail habitat (CP 33) conservation planting in Muscatine County and the other was in a pollinator habitat (CP 42) conservation planting in Madison County. Since those initial discoveries in conservation plantings, Palmer amaranth was confirmed in an additional 41 Iowa counties in 2016 (Fig. 1). At least 35 of those counties are on the map as a result of the unintentional seeding of Palmer amaranth with native seed for conservation purposes.
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The 4R concept (right source, right rate, right time and right place) provides a useful structure to achieve increased crop production, improved farm profitability, greater Read more…
The 4R concept (right source, right rate, right time and right place) provides a useful structure to achieve increased crop production, improved farm profitability, greater environmental protection and better sustainability. However, crop nutrient management should go beyond the 4Rs of fertilizer and manure stewardship. Other soil management factors that affect crop productivity, farm profitability, the environment, and sustainability should be considered when thinking about crop nutrient management. While fertilizer and manure applications affect nutrient availability to crops short-term (e.g., current growing season or following year), other soil management factors affect nutrient availability longterm. More specifically, factors that affect crop residues after harvest and soil structure/ aggregation affect the availability of nutrients in future years. One such soil property is soil organic matter content.
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Gypsum is a mineral whose chemical structure consists of calcium sulfate with two water molecules in its structure (CaSO4 ⸳ 2H2O). This mineral has been Read more…
Gypsum is a mineral whose chemical structure consists of calcium sulfate with two water molecules in its structure (CaSO4 ⸳ 2H2O). This mineral has been used in agriculture as a fertilizer for centuries, mainly as a source of calcium and sulfur. There are three main sources of gypsum available today for agricultural use: mined, recycled wallboard, and flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum. Chemically these sources are identical, with the exception of recycled wallboard gypsum, which might contain pieces of paper within the material. Currently there is considerable interest in FGD gypsum for agricultural use as it is readily available. Flue-gas desulfurization gypsum is generated in air scrubbers engineered to remove sulfur from exhaust gases in coal-burning electric power plants. This type of gypsum typically has a smaller particle size than mined sources; thus it dissolves and reacts more readily.
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Application of liquid dairy manure by traveling gun or center pivot irrigation systems is becoming more common because it offers several potential benefits: reduced road Read more…
Application of liquid dairy manure by traveling gun or center pivot irrigation systems is becoming more common because it offers several potential benefits: reduced road impacts from hauling, optimal timing for crop nutrient uptake, and reduced risks of manure runoff and groundwater contamination.
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While weed management across the Wisconsin vegetable acreage was generally quite good in the 2016 season, regulatory and resistance issues continue to loom and threaten Read more…
While weed management across the Wisconsin vegetable acreage was generally quite good in the 2016 season, regulatory and resistance issues continue to loom and threaten management options in the very near future.
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As the world population continues to grow, and the environmental uncertainty of a less stable climate becomes more manifest, the importance of our soil resources Read more…
As the world population continues to grow, and the environmental uncertainty of a less stable climate becomes more manifest, the importance of our soil resources will only increase. The goal of this presentation is to synthesize the catalysts of soil degradation, to highlight the interconnected nature of the social and economic causes of soil degradation, and articulate why maintaining or improving Wisconsin’s soil and water resources is imperative. An expected three billion people will enter the middle class in the next 20 years; this will lead to an increased demand for meat, dairy products, and consequently grain. As populations rise so do the economic incentives to convert farmland to other purposes. With the intensity and frequency of droughts and flooding increasing, consumer confidence and the ability of crops to reach yield goals are also threatened. In a time of uncertainty, conservation measures are often the first to be sacrificed. In short, we are too often compromising our soil resources when we need them the most.
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Soil erosion and water runoff drive water quality degradation and are liabilities to crop production, yet their magnitude is neither quantified nor inventoried for US Read more…
Soil erosion and water runoff drive water quality degradation and are liabilities to crop production, yet their magnitude is neither quantified nor inventoried for US agricultural areas. This project’s goals are to: (1) estimate soil erosion and surface runoff across the Upper Midwest as contributors to soil and water degradation and (2) inventory these quantities for the next several years.
The newly released Daily Erosion Project (DEP) gives daily estimates of water runoff and sheet and rill erosion for each of Iowa’s 1,647 HUC 12 agricultural watersheds (HUC 12 average area is approximately 35 square miles). For each watershed, water runoff and soil erosion is recorded over time, allowing for a spatial and temporal inventory of runoff and soil erosion for identification of soil degraded areas as well as water quality impairment source areas. These estimates are made publicly available on a daily basis from an open access interactive website.This data, as well as all input data, is publicly available through this website. We are currently in the process of expanding the use of this tool from Iowa only to other states in the Midwest. This includes all or parts of Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Results for Iowa will be exemplified as work in Wisconsin is not yet complete.
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The spread of common waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) has become an increasing concern in Wisconsin (Hammer et al. 2016b). Both species Read more…
The spread of common waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) has become an increasing concern in Wisconsin (Hammer et al. 2016b). Both species are well-known for their competitive ability, abundant seed production, and propensity for developing herbicide resistance. Herbicide-resistant common waterhemp was first confirmed in Wisconsin in 1999, when a population was found to be resistant to ALS-inhibitors. More recently, glyphosate resistance was confirmed in two waterhemp populations in west-central Wisconsin (Butts and Davis 2015a).
The first occurrence of Palmer amaranth in Wisconsin was documented in 2013 (Davis and Recker 2014). This population was subsequently confirmed to be resistant to glyphosate (Butts and Davis 2015b). Since that time, Palmer amaranth has been found in three additional counties in Wisconsin. Responding to the increasing concern of Wisconsin growers, we have investigated several instances of suspected herbicide-resistant common waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. Our methods and findings are described.
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Hackers have learned to profit from their activities. While breaches at large companies like Target, Home Depot and Sony dominate the news this threat is Read more…
Hackers have learned to profit from their activities. While breaches at large companies like Target, Home Depot and Sony dominate the news this threat is significant for the small business as well. Virtually every industry segment is affected, indeed, any business that stores personal financial information on the network or conducts online cash management is a potential target. Payment fraud targeting wire transfers, automatic clearing house payments, and credit cards is increasing at an alarming rate. Historically, hacking has been a high risk issue only for banks, but attackers are now targeting all businesses in an effort to access bank funds via online payment methods.
This session will describe the threat landscape, discuss regulatory efforts to address the threat, and provide insight on how business leaders can effectively address this emerging threat.
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Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] nutrient uptake and partitioning models are primarily built from work conducted in the early 1960s. Since the 1960s, yields have Read more…
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] nutrient uptake and partitioning models are primarily built from work conducted in the early 1960s. Since the 1960s, yields have nearly doubled to 47.5 bu acre-1 in 2014 and soybean physiology has been altered with approximately one more week of reproductive growth and greater harvest index’s for currently cultivated varieties. These changes in soybean development along with new production practices warrant re-evaluating soybean nutrient uptake, partitioning. This study’s objective was to re-evaluate these factors across a wide yield range of 40 to 90 bu acre-1. Trials were conducted at three locations (Arlington and Hancock, WI and St. Paul, MN) during 2014 and 2015. Plant samples were taken at the V4, R1, R4, R5.5, R6.5, and R8 growth stage and partitioned into stems, petioles, leaves, pods, seeds, fallen leaves, and fallen petioles, totaling about 7,000 samples annually. Results indicate that dry matter accumulation at R6.5 was only 84% of the total and that as yield increased the harvest index by 0.2% per bushel. Nutrient uptake for N, P2O5, and K2O was 227, 55, and 153 lb a-1, respectively and crop removal was 188, 44, and 74 lbs. a-1, respectively at a yield level of 60 bu acre-1. Data showed that the extended reproductive growth phase (~7 days), greater nutrient remobilization efficiencies (>70%) and higher nutrient harvest index with increasing yields helped contribute to higher yields without greatly increasing total nutrient uptake.
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According to recent agricultural statistics, alfalfa was planted on 0.44 million acres and harvested from 2.2 million acres and corn silage was planted and harvested Read more…
According to recent agricultural statistics, alfalfa was planted on 0.44 million acres and harvested from 2.2 million acres and corn silage was planted and harvested from 1.0 m million acres per year in Wisconsin. Because both crops are often grown in rotation, alfalfa could be interseeded at corn planting to serve as a dual-purpose crop for providing groundcover during corn silage production and forage during subsequent growing seasons. Unfortunately, this system has been unworkable because competition between the co-planted crops often leads to stand failure of interseeded alfalfa. Recent Wisconsin studies demonstrated that properly timed foliar applications of prohexadione-calcium on appropriate alfalfa varieties increased plant survival of interseeded alfalfa by up to 300%. When successfully established, first year dry matter yield of interseeded alfalfa was two-fold greater than conventionally spring-seeded alfalfa. Other studies revealed that interseeded alfalfa reduced fall and spring runoff of water and phosphorus by 60% and soil erosion by 80% compared to cropland containing only corn silage residues and weeds. Once established, alfalfa is also known to be highly effective for reducing nitrate leaching into groundwater. Assuming an average establishment success rate of 80%, a 5% reduction in corn silage yield, and a prohexadione application cost of $40 per acre, a preliminary economic analysis suggests alfalfa establishment by interseeding followed by full alfalfa production the following year could improve net returns of producers by about 30% ($130 per acre) compared to alfalfa conventionally spring seeded after corn silage. These improvements in crop yields and profitability and in soil and water conservation are powerful incentives for continuing work to develop reliable and workable corn-interseeded alfalfa production systems for use on farms in Wisconsin and other northern states where alfalfa cannot be successfully established in the fall after corn silage harvest.
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Production and processing of specialty crops in Wisconsin are very important to both state and national agricultural industries. And key among these processing crops in Read more…
Production and processing of specialty crops in Wisconsin are very important to both state and national agricultural industries. And key among these processing crops in Wisconsin include sweet corn, succulent snap beans, field peas and potatoes. In addition, the vast majority of these commercial, contract acres receive an at-plant in-furrow, or seed treatment of a Group 4A insecticide (neonicotinoid). Increasingly, producers rely heavily on this single class of insecticides for control of early season pests including Colorado potato beetle, seed maggots, potato leafhopper, and bean leaf beetles (NASS 2006). Reported at-plant applications of these neonicotinoid seed treatments have occurred on nearly 90% of all acres reported and reflect statewide use rates in many other grain crops. In the 2014 and 2015 growing season, the in-plant concentrations of thiamethoxam (Cruiser® 5FS) were monitored using an ultra-performance liquid chromatographic mass spectrometry procedure in both leaf and floral tissues at varying stages after emergence from the soil.
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Environmental matters for any small business including grain elevators can be complex. Fortunately, the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) Read more…
Environmental matters for any small business including grain elevators can be complex. Fortunately, the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) is here to help. SBEAP offers free, non-regulatory assistance to small businesses to help owners understand their state and federal environmental responsibilities. The program provides “plain language” resources, answers compliance questions and directs businesses to other appropriate assistance providers and relevant DNR staff.
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An increase in conventional corn acreage due to lower commodity prices apparently favored larval populations this fall. The 75th annual survey in September and October Read more…
An increase in conventional corn acreage due to lower commodity prices apparently favored larval populations this fall. The 75th annual survey in September and October found a state average of 0.11 borer per plant, an increase from last year’s historical low of 0.02 borer per plant. Minor population increases from 2015 were documented in seven of the nine crop districts, except in the east-central and northeast regions. Larval densities in the central area rose to 0.24 borer per plant, or 24 per 100 plants, the highest average recorded in that area since 2007. Although more sites had economic averages above 1.0 larva per plant than in recent years, and second-generation larvae were detected in 49 of the 229 fields (21%) surveyed compared to14% in 2015, the very low state average of 0.11 borer per plant indicates that Bt corn continues to suppress corn borer populations and reduce the pest status of this insect in Wisconsin.
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Can effective Grain Origination be taught? Can it be developed into a system – with every team member speaking in one voice? Can you get Read more…
Can effective Grain Origination be taught?
Can it be developed into a system – with every team member speaking in one voice?
Can you get your grain origination program more efficient?
Build your loyal tribe of farmers. What creates loyalty with your farmers? A consistent professional message goes a long way.
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Although it happened many years ago, I remember my first experience with spray tank contamination as if it happened this past season. The year was Read more…
Although it happened many years ago, I remember my first experience with spray tank contamination as if it happened this past season. The year was 1991 and nearly constant rains had us moving from site to site in search of “dry” ground to drive on. Rigs buried in mud and partial loads left in tanks overnight were the norm. The rig was a Spray Coupe with a massive 40 foot boom. The culprit was a plant growth regulator based herbicide presumed to have been completely cleaned out prior to switching to soybeans. The proof that it was not completely cleaned out showed up 4-5 days later when the headlands and first pass were obviously injured – injured enough to be noticed in a windshield survey at 50 mph! Fast forward to 2016. The equipment is larger. Pesticide labels now provide very specific cleanout procedures. And yet as I drive this state traveling between research trials, it seems that herbicide injury is just as prevalent as ever. Although spray drift can be blamed for some of the incidents, tank contamination with its classic appearance of straight lines and inverted-V shaped symptoms appears to be responsible for many of the cases. Applicator understanding of pesticide chemistry, formulation and herbicide injury symptoms is critical for proper sprayer cleanout and avoidance of these costly mistakes.
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Recently, there has been interest in using conventional corn hybrids (non-GMO) to cut input costs because of low commodity prices. However, using conventional corn can Read more…
Recently, there has been interest in using conventional corn hybrids (non-GMO) to cut input costs because of low commodity prices. However, using conventional corn can also be considered part of an overall IPM plan that diversifies management tactics to increase profitability and avoid resistance.
Using corn hybrids without below ground traits can fit into an IPM program because beetle monitoring is completed prior to making seed purchases. However, you are substituting the convenience of prophylactic treatments (traited corn) for increased labor costs (field scouting). Also, in the absence of below ground traits, at-plant, preventive treatments are available for corn rootworm which are efficacious and have had a history of successful use. Furthermore, field scouting will provide the added value of supportive information that you can use to select field specific management practices that can be used to diversify corn rootworm treatment. Thereby reducing the reliance on a single tactic and delay resistance to Bt hybrids.
Conversely, using corn hybrids with above ground traits does not fit into an IPM approach. Seed purchases are made well in advance of the time period you should scout to determine if control is needed. Fortunately, the insects which are targeted by the above ground Bt traits have scouting procedures, economic thresholds and rescue treatment available if you forgo hybrids with the above-ground traits.
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A nitrification inhibitor temporarily delays the conversion of ammonium to nitrate. It is used to prevent nitrate losses should weather conditions conducive to N loss Read more…
A nitrification inhibitor temporarily delays the conversion of ammonium to nitrate. It is used to prevent nitrate losses should weather conditions conducive to N loss occur. Therefore, a nitrification inhibitor should be considering a risk management tool, not a yield enhancement tool. Several recent studies in Wisconsin have evaluated the nitrification inhibitor Instinct or Instinct II with spring or fall applied manure.
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Current UWEX fertilizer recommendations and plant analysis interpretation guidelines were developed prior to the release of GMO corn. There is some concern amongst University soil Read more…
Current UWEX fertilizer recommendations and plant analysis interpretation guidelines were developed prior to the release of GMO corn. There is some concern amongst University soil fertility specialists and industry agronomists that corn and soybean response to P and K fertilizer applications may be different with modern corn hybrids and soybean varieties. In addition, in the UW recommendation system, an estimate of the amount of nutrients removed in the harvested portion of the crop is used to determine the fertilizer recommendations based on soil test levels (Laboski and Peters, 2012). If crop removal rates have changed in modern hybrids is it essential to determine current removal rates and use those numbers in fertilizer recommendations.
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Proactive maintenance programs need to become a culture. What are the different types of maintenance? How can we move from a reactive program to a Read more…
Proactive maintenance programs need to become a culture. What are the different types of maintenance? How can we move from a reactive program to a proactive program? What tools are available for a proactive maintenance program? Using tools like Infrared, Vibration Analysis, and Precision Alignment will provide early warning of a failure. This early warning will enable repairs to be accomplished in a planned time instead of reacting to a breakdown. Most commonly, reactive breakdowns are during our busiest times.
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The Wisconsin Manure Irrigation Workgroup was convened in Spring 2013 by University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) College of Agricultural and Life Read more…
The Wisconsin Manure Irrigation Workgroup was convened in Spring 2013 by University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) and University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the request of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP). The workgroup was asked to review a broad set of issues associated with manure irrigation and to develop guidance and recommendations for state agencies, local governments, and citizens seeking to understand this expanding technology. The workgroup has no formal authority and expects that any public policy action by local or state governments related to workgroup recommendations would involve appropriate public participation and input.
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The 2016 corn production year was the best on record in Wisconsin. On November 10, 2016, the Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service projected corn to be Read more…
The 2016 corn production year was the best on record in Wisconsin. On November 10, 2016, the Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service projected corn to be harvested from 3.1 million acres with an average yield of 180 bushels per acre and total production of 558 million bushels. Final estimates will be released in January of 2017.
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Basics of Pollinator Biology: • Pollinators include bees, but also various other insects (wasps, beetles, moths, flies, etc.) and other animals (hummingbirds, bats, small mammals); Read more…
Basics of Pollinator Biology:
• Pollinators include bees, but also various other insects (wasps, beetles, moths, flies, etc.) and other animals (hummingbirds, bats, small mammals); any creature that visits a flower could be a pollinator to some extent!
-Of these creatures, bees are amongst our best and most important pollinators.
• The US is home to ~4,000 bee species; Wisconsin is home to ~400 bee species
– Honey Bee (1 sp.) social, live as colony year round
– Bumble Bees (~20 sp.) social, seasonal colonies
– Wild Bees (~400 sp. in several families) solitary, biology varies for each type
• Bees pollinate ~80% of flowering plants (~250,000 flowering plants known)
-Roughly 1 out of every 3 bites of food due to pollinators
• Bees have two main needs: food sources (i.e., flowers) and shelter (i.e., nesting habitat)
– Other than cuckoo bees, all bees collect pollen and nectar to feed their young
– Solitary bees use provisioning to stockpile food for their developing young
– Three main types of nesting sites:
A) Ground nesters [~70 % of bees]
B) Hole Nesters (use preexisting tunnels in most cases) [~30 % of bees]
C) Cavity nesters (bumble bees, feral honeybees) [<1% of bees]
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Management of vehicle fleets is a complex task. Interactions between a harvesting machine, transport vehicles, and a storage site provides the opportunity for introduction of Read more…
Management of vehicle fleets is a complex task. Interactions between a harvesting machine, transport vehicles, and a storage site provides the opportunity for introduction of inefficiencies in the harvest process. These inefficiencies translate to an increased cost of harvest. at best. and possibly a reduction in feed quality. Even when ignoring uncontrollable aspects of machinery, such as break-downs, there still exists idle time during the harvest process that can be minimized to improve harvest efficiency. In 2015 the entire forage harvest process on a commercial dairy was recorded using low-cost GPS data loggers. Controller Area Network (CAN) data were also collected on machines that had the data available. Machine working states were defined based on the GPS and CAN data to determine the time each machine spent doing a certain task. Idle time was defined for the harvesting equipment during alfalfa and corn harvest for silage production.
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The Root Lesion nematode, Pratylenchus spp., is very common in the north central United States, ranking first or second for incidence among pest nematodes in Read more…
The Root Lesion nematode, Pratylenchus spp., is very common in the north central United States, ranking first or second for incidence among pest nematodes in Illinois (Mekete et al., 2011), Iowa (Tylka et al. 2011), and Minnesota(Chen et al., 2012). It is the most common pest nematode recovered from samples sent to the UW Nematode Diagnostic Service in Wisconsin. The percentage of samples positive for Root Lesion ranged from 90 to 95% for 2013 to 2016 and represented the majority of the counties with corn and soybean production.
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MOST COMMON VIOLATIONS OF COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS (1) Obtaining and maintaining individual certification and license. (2) Use of a pesticide that results in significant drift or Read more…
MOST COMMON VIOLATIONS OF COMMERCIAL PESTICIDE APPLICATORS
(1) Obtaining and maintaining individual certification and license.
(2) Use of a pesticide that results in significant drift or overspray.
(3) Incomplete application records.
(4) Use of a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with the pesticide label.
(5) Use of atrazine in atrazine prohibition areas
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Agricultural sustainability means different things to different people. In reality, it is only in hindsight that we can know what is actually sustainable. How can anyone Read more…
Agricultural sustainability means different things to different people. In reality, it is only in hindsight that we can know what is actually sustainable. How can anyone really know how we should farm today to ensure that we will be able to still be farming 100 or more years from now? Differences in strategies for dealing with this uncertainty are at the root of much of the debate and disagreement surrounding agricultural sustainability. Here we are not going to overview or summarize this debate and some of the main strategies, but rather focus on results – what have we accomplished at UW and in Wisconsin for research and related activities. First, we briefly describe the conceptual framework we use for agricultural sustainability assessment. Second, we present specific results for Wisconsin potato growers and Midwestern processing green bean and sweet corn growers. Finally, we overview some research in progress.
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The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), now in effect as of January 1st, 2017, is a major change within animal agriculture. As part of the FDA’s larger Read more…
The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), now in effect as of January 1st, 2017, is a major change within animal agriculture. As part of the FDA’s larger initiative against antibiotic resistance, the VFD aims to bring all feed medications containing medically important antibiotics under the oversight and supervision of a licensed veterinarian. With the growing demand for transparency of animal care and antibiotic stewardship in animal agriculture, the VFD is a necessary next step to meet the demands of consumers. “The actions the FDA has taken to date represent important steps toward a fundamental change in how antimicrobials can be legally used in food producing animals,” said Michael R. Taylor, FDA deputy commissioner for foods. “The VFD final rule takes another important step by facilitating veterinary oversight in a way that allows for the flexibility needed to accommodate the diversity of circumstances that veterinarians encounter, while ensuring such oversight is conducted in accordance with nationally consistent principles.”
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Wheat stripe rust, caused by the fungal plant pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, has been an increasing problem in the central Great Plains and areas Read more…
Wheat stripe rust, caused by the fungal plant pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, has been an increasing problem in the central Great Plains and areas of the upper Midwest due to milder winters (Chen, 2005). Since 2000, stripe rust has become an increasing concern on winter wheat in the Midwest. In Wisconsin over the last four seasons, we have observed consistent stripe rust pressure on some varieties throughout the wheat production area of the state. In 2016, some cultivars were hit very hard by this disease. Because of the consistent occurrence of stripe rust over the last few seasons, it is reasonable to expect continued pressure from this disease in 2017.
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Performance of foliar fungicides can be evaluated in field-scale on-farm replicated strip trials and in small-plot experiments. This presentation will present analyses of two datasets from Iowa Read more…
Performance of foliar fungicides can be evaluated in field-scale on-farm replicated strip trials and in small-plot experiments. This presentation will present analyses of two datasets from Iowa to compare yield and yield response variability to fungicide applications in on-farm trials versus small-plot experiments. An estimate number of locations, replications and years required to detect yield differences of interest will be covered. One dataset includes 123 on-farm trials evaluating Headline (BASF) foliar fungicide on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) in 2008 and 2009 across Iowa by farmers working with the Iowa Soybean Association On-Farm Network. The other dataset includes small-plot experiments conducted by university researches to evaluate the same fungicide during the same growing seasons at six Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms. On-farm trials were harvested by farmers’ combines equipped with yield monitors and GPS and small-plot experiments by small-plot combines. Variance component analysis was used to quantify the random sources of yield variation contributed by location and blocks nested within each location and conduct power analyses for multi-location trials. Disease ratings were done in all small-plot trials. While yield responses in the two types of trials were similar (about 125 kg ha-1), the residual random yield variation in on-farm trials tended to be smaller than that in small-plot trials but the random variation due to location effect was larger in on-farm trials. The presentation will show examples of power curves showing the numbers of trials, replications and years required to detect specific response, often <68 kg ha-1 . The results also suggest about the different utility of two methods for evaluating fungicides, specifically, the on-farm trials for answering the question “when, where and how likely” a given fungicide works while small-plot trials for comparing multiple chemistries at the same locations and quantifying the interactive effects of application timing.
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Alfalfa has long been recognized as a forage crop with high nutritive value, digestibility, and intake potential to support high milk production. Because of this and Read more…
Alfalfa has long been recognized as a forage crop with high nutritive value, digestibility, and intake potential to support high milk production. Because of this and many other agronomic characteristics, such as tolerance to drought and nitrogen fixation, it has been quoted as the ‘queen of forages’ and ‘dairy’s most nearly perfect feed’. As close as alfalfa is to a perfect forage, there is room for progress. Decades of breeders’ experience in traditional plant breeding and advances in biotechnology have allowed for new opportunities. The achievement of reduced lignin alfalfa is certainly one of the milestones in forage quality research. Significant advances have been reached in alfalfa production and forage quality by increasing forage digestibility through reduction, not elimination, of lignin in plant tissue. Given the relatively recent presence in the market and the ongoing incorporation of this trait into commercial varieties, only time will confirm the reach of this innovation whether through biotech or traditional breeding methods. This leads to a few questions: What have been the approaches to reducing lignin in germplasm? What is the difference between genetically modified (GMO) or biotech alfalfa, and non-GMO or non-biotech? Can these technologies co-exist? The information presented highlights the distinction between these two types, their applications, and importance.
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Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is based totally on preventative practices to help lessen the likely hood of a contaminated animal food product making its way Read more…
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is based totally on preventative practices to help lessen the likely hood of a contaminated animal food product making its way into the market place. Most of you already have adopted practices and procedures that would put you in compliance with the CGMP’s. However, in most cases it is the record keeping that needs to be updated. Recently new guidance documents for compliance with the Current good manufacturing practices (CGMP) for FSMA have been released by the FDA. These guidance documents are not in final form but are in a draft for comment. There are two main sections for compliance with the new Food Safety Modernization Act the first and foremost would be compliance with the new CGMP’s.
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This rule is one of seven foundational rules proposed since January 2013 to create a modern, risk-based framework for food safety. The goal of this rule Read more…
This rule is one of seven foundational rules proposed since January 2013 to create a modern, risk-based framework for food safety. The goal of this rule is to prevent practices during transportation that create food safety risks, such as failure to properly refrigerate food, inadequate cleaning of vehicles between loads, and failure to properly protect food. The rule builds on safeguards envisioned in the 2005 Sanitary Food Transportation Act (SFTA). Because of illness outbreaks resulting from human and animal food contaminated during transportation, and incidents and reports of unsanitary transportation practices, there have long been concerns about the need for regulations to ensure that foods are being transported in a safe manner. The rule establishes requirements for shippers, loaders, carriers by motor or rail vehicle, and receivers involved in transporting human and animal food to use sanitary practices to ensure the safety of that food. The requirements do not apply to transportation by ship or air because of limitations in the law. Specifically, the FSMA rule establishes requirements for vehicles and transportation equipment, transportation operations, records, training and waivers
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This survey was conducted to detect exotic cyst nematodes in cereal and corn producing fields of Wisconsin. The targeted nematodes were Heterodera filipjevi, the cereal cyst Read more…
This survey was conducted to detect exotic cyst nematodes in cereal and corn producing fields of Wisconsin. The targeted nematodes were Heterodera filipjevi, the cereal cyst nematode; Heterodera latipons, the Mediterranean cereal cyst nematode; and Punctodera chalcoensis, the Mexican corn cyst nematode. Any of these nematodes could potentially impact crop production, management practices and trade if they were accidentally introduced into this state. Sampling was conducted in counties that contain the majority of the wheat acreage in the state, (Brown, Calumet, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Door, Fond du Lac, Green, Jefferson, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Outagamie, Racine, Rock, Sheboygan and Walworth, Winnebago). Wheat is the main host for H. filipjevi and H. latipons. Corn, the host of P. chalcoensis is also grown in these counties.
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Wisconsin is home to 13 species of Pigweeds (plants in the genus Amaranthus). Of these species, two (red-root pigweed and smooth pigweed) are widespread in Wisconsin and Read more…
Wisconsin is home to 13 species of Pigweeds (plants in the genus Amaranthus). Of these species, two (red-root pigweed and smooth pigweed) are widespread in Wisconsin and have historically plagued farmers as competitive weed species. With the rapid increase in herbicide resistance, concern exists with respect to the spread of two particular pigweeds that have historically been called uncommon: common/tall waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri). These species are of higher priority to prevent spread compared to other pigweeds as they have been found to develop resistance to multiple herbicides and be more competitive.
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Over 1 million acres of corn silage is grown in Wisconsin. When harvested in late summer, there is a clear opportunity for cover crops to be Read more…
Over 1 million acres of corn silage is grown in Wisconsin. When harvested in late summer, there is a clear opportunity for cover crops to be planted. In addition, it is likely that manure will be applied after corn silage harvest allowing cover crops to provide both soil and nutrient conservation benefits. However, growers in Wisconsin climates may have concerns about trade-offs with management such as extra field work in the spring, competition for soil water and nutrients, and other associated costs that can only be addressed through coordinated research and extension efforts across the state. The potential for yield loss is a real concern of Wisconsin farmers and there are quantified examples of corn yield reductions following a rye cover crop (e.g., 13 bu/ac decrease reported by Stute et al.,2009). The objectives of this study were to determine the performance of fall seeded cover crops in a corn silage/fall manure application production system in different regions of Wisconsin and to quantify effects (yield and optimal N rate) on subsequent corn crop yield. Two cover crops were evaluated winter rye (which required termination in the spring) and spring barley (which winterkills).
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Current University of Wisconsin-Extension guidelines recommend 60 lb-N/ac for snap bean grown on soils less than 2% organic matter, which are most soils in the Central Sands Read more…
Current University of Wisconsin-Extension guidelines recommend 60 lb-N/ac for snap bean grown on soils less than 2% organic matter, which are most soils in the Central Sands of Wisconsin. However, the typical rate that snap bean growers apply is much greater than this rate. In addition, it is possible that rates lower than 60 lb-N/ac may be economically optimal for some varieties. Snap beans are a legume and some, but not all, varieties nodulate, meaning they have the ability to fix nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere. This will result in different N response curves and perhaps different N recommendations for different snap bean varieties. It is often assumed that when we fertilize legumes with N, the added N replaces the amount of fixed N in a one-to-one manner – but this is rarely true. In fact, we know little about the tradeoffs between N application and nodulation in snap beans. The objectives of this paper are to review the state of knowledge of snap bean response to N fertilizer and evaluate the different ways nitrogen use efficiency can be determined.
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Polymer-coated urea (PCU) is a fertilizer product in which each urea prill is individually coated with a polymer (or plastic) coating. All PCUs are considered Read more…
Polymer-coated urea (PCU) is a fertilizer product in which each urea prill is individually coated with a polymer (or plastic) coating. All PCUs are considered a slow or controlled release fertilizer, which is defined by the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials as a fertilizer that contains plant nutrients in a form that extends its availability significantly longer than a reference fertilizer (in this case urea) (Slater, 2014). The way PCU works is that urea dissolves inside the coating and slowly diffuses into the soil over time. The mechanism for the nitrogen-release from PCU includes three phases: (1) lag phase, (2) constant release phase, and (3) release decay phase (Shaviv et al., 2003).
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It’s a time of exponential change in our society and in the industries that heat and light our homes, transport us, entertain us, and feed Read more…
It’s a time of exponential change in our society and in the industries that heat and light our homes, transport us, entertain us, and feed our families. This is also true in agriculture and closely allied industries! What does exponential change and growth really mean? First, linear growth means adding a fixed amount of “something” every time period. Like a year. If I invest $10,000 in the stock market and it grows only by a fixed, linear rate of $1,000 a year, after 25 years, I will have $34,000. Not bad. But, if I invest that same $10,000 and grow the balance by 10% per year, compounding last year’s gain on top of this year’s, I will have $98,497 after 25 years. Compound interest is an example of exponential growth that we’re all familiar with.
Technology and SPECIFICALLY, computing power, has been growing in this exponential way since the 1950s. But, computing power doesn’t grow by single digits as is the case with investing money in a savings account. “Moore’s Law,” named after an early computer pioneer, tells us that computing power doubles approximately every 12 to 18 months. That means the annual growth rate is close to 100%! We will talk about what this means for all of us in the conference session.
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Wisconsin growers are increasingly interested in utilizing cover crops. Prior to cover crop establishment a plan to terminate the cover crop is necessary. Proper and Read more…
Wisconsin growers are increasingly interested in utilizing cover crops. Prior to cover crop establishment a plan to terminate the cover crop is necessary. Proper and timely termination should prevent competition to the following grain or forage crop. Proper and timely termination is dependent on the species of cover crop and the following crop to be grown. The species of the cover crop impacts ease of control, seed production potential, and growth rate. Termination can occur through environmental conditions such as frost or through a cultural, mechanical, or chemical method, such as tillage or herbicide application. The termination plan should meet the grower’s goals for the cover crop, crop rotation, and to prevent the cover crop from becoming a future weed problem.
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In 2015, an alfalfa research trial was established at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station in Arlington, WI. Two cultivars of alfalfa (DKA44-16RR – Conventional Roundup Read more…
In 2015, an alfalfa research trial was established at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station in Arlington, WI. Two cultivars of alfalfa (DKA44-16RR – Conventional Roundup Ready®; HarvXtra – Reduced-lignin, Roundup Ready ®) were sprayed with seven fungicide treatments and compared to a non-treated control. Yield, quality, and return on investment of the treatments were evaluated under two cutting duration schemes (30-day vs. 40-day) for both cultivars. Results of the entire study can be found at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/fieldcroppathology/files/2015/11/2015-DLS-MFA-FINAL-REPORT.pdf. In the 2015 study (seeding year), both cultivars responded to fungicide in a similar way (second crop specifically). In the 30-day cutting duration, fungicide application resulted in little discernable difference in disease level, defoliation, or quality compared to not treating with fungicide. Return on investment (ROI) calculations indicated that no positive return was achieved if the hay was sold, or was kept on the farm and fed to dairy cows, for the 30-day duration of cut. For the 40-day duration, significant differences in fungicide treatments were identified for disease levels, defoliation, and quality compared to the non-treated controls. These differences resulted in positive ROI (using the Milk 2006 model) for the second crop where the fungicides Headline® and Quadris® were used, under the scenario where hay would be kept on the farm and fed to dairy cows. If hay was sold, no positive ROI was identified for either treatment for this crop.
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The use of insecticidal seed treatments containing neonicotinoids has become extremely widespread in field crops. Often these products are used as a default at planting, Read more…
The use of insecticidal seed treatments containing neonicotinoids has become extremely widespread in field crops. Often these products are used as a default at planting, without specific reference to an insect pest problem requiring management. This talk summarizes a two-year, checkoff-funded multistate study aimed at understanding the average value and return on investment of neonicotinoid seed treatment in soybean in the North Central Region, including a comparison to the return on investment with the classic Integrated Pest Management approach of scouting and applying a foliar product at pest threshold. In summary, IPM provides both a greater probability of a positive return on investment, and a larger average return.
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Western bean cutworm, a native pest originally found in the western US, has become an increasingly common pest of corn in the North Central Region Read more…
Western bean cutworm, a native pest originally found in the western US, has become an increasingly common pest of corn in the North Central Region as its range spreads eastward. The Bt toxin Cry1F has been used to help manage this pest. However, there is increasing evidence that this toxin is no longer effective against western bean cutworm in many parts of its range. This talk summarizes the identification, biology, and damage from this pest, and discusses management including Bt and alternate management approaches. Scouting and insecticide are effective against western bean cutworm, but careful monitoring is necessary to get timing right.
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The GM reduced lignin trait has been released commercially in conjunction with Monsanto Company under the brand name of HarvXtra alfalfa. One study in Wisconsin Read more…
The GM reduced lignin trait has been released commercially in conjunction with Monsanto Company under the brand name of HarvXtra alfalfa.
One study in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania evaluated the trait with and without grass. HarvXtra was seen to have higher fiber digestibility than a conventional line in both the seeding year and the first production year. There was no yield drag due to the reduced lignin trait. Further, if the HarvXtra trait harvest was delayed 10 days to have similar quality to conventional varieties, the HarvXtra trait was always significantly higher in yield.
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How was the quality of alfalfa you harvested this year? Weather often has a large impact. However, harvest management can have a huge effect of Read more…
How was the quality of alfalfa you harvested this year? Weather often has a large impact. However, harvest management can have a huge effect of drying rate and quality of the harvested forage. Now is the time to evaluate how this year went and to plan for what changes might be implemented next year.
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White mold (Sclerotinia stem rot) is caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and consistently ranks in the top ten diseases plaguing global soybean crops (Wrather et al., Read more…
White mold (Sclerotinia stem rot) is caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and consistently ranks in the top ten diseases plaguing global soybean crops (Wrather et al., 2010). In 2009, United States soybean losses due to white mold reached almost 59 million bushels and cost growers a corresponding ~$560 million (Koenning & Wrather, 2010; Peltier et al., 2012). Furthermore, according to a United Soybean Board report from 2011, white mold epidemics in the Great Lakes region alone were responsible for 94% of nationwide losses to the disease and cost regional growers ~$138 million (USDA-NASS 2015). White mold is infamously characterized by its challenging fungal promiscuity and longevity, and by the subsequently devastating crop losses; Wisconsin growers justifiably rank white mold management third in significance and concern.
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Wisconsin has the largest number of organic dairies in the United States with over 450 dairy farms that represents more than 25% of the nation’s Read more…
Wisconsin has the largest number of organic dairies in the United States with over 450 dairy farms that represents more than 25% of the nation’s certified organic dairy farms (USDA NASS, 2014). Despite the large amount of organic dairy operations in Wisconsin, interest in expansion of existing and new operations exist due to consumer demand for organic milk (Greene and McBride, 2015). With the challenges that expanding operations face (e.g. purchasing land), interest in maximizing pasture performance exist. Previous research has shown that pasture productivity, forage quality, soil fertility and pasture management are all critical to maximizing milk production, but these factors have been observed to vary widely across farms. We visited pastures from organic dairies throughout Wisconsin to assess productivity and determine what facets measured could be improved to maximize milk production.
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Trying Not To Get Lost In The Weeds: Management of Waterhemp in Corn and Soybean Production Systems
2017In the United States, herbicide-resistant weed populations have evolved rapidly in response to the selection pressures imposed upon them in agricultural production systems. In recent Read more…
In the United States, herbicide-resistant weed populations have evolved rapidly in response to the selection pressures imposed upon them in agricultural production systems. In recent years, glyphosate-resistant weeds have increased dramatically and are now estimated to occur on more than half of the corn, soybean, and cotton acreage. In Missouri, we were the first in the U.S. to discover a glyphosate-resistant waterhemp population in 2005. Since that time, waterhemp has progressively worsened in our state and has become the most troublesome species that our growers contend with each year. Multiple-resistant waterhemp populations now occur on three-quarters of the acres in the state. To date, the primary way that farmers have responded to the problem of glyphosate resistance in weeds has been to rely on alternative herbicides other than glyphosate. However, due to the increasing problem of multiple herbicide resistance, it seems clear that this practice alone will not prove successful, and that a multi-faceted approach will be required. In this session we will discuss some of these integrated approached and some of the recent successes we have had with managing this very problematic weed species in Missouri.
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Don’t Follow Our Lead: Our Experiences with Off-Target Movement of Dicamba in Missouri Last Season
2017In 2016, the majority of the cotton acreage in the southeastern portion of Missouri was planted with dicamba-tolerant (DT) varieties. A limited number of DT Read more…
In 2016, the majority of the cotton acreage in the southeastern portion of Missouri was planted with dicamba-tolerant (DT) varieties. A limited number of DT soybean varieties were also planted throughout the state. However, during the 2016 growing season, the Environmental Protection Agency had not approved any dicamba herbicide formulations for post-emergence application to DT cotton or soybean. Although investigations are ongoing, apparently a subset of growers made illegal applications of dicamba to their DT cotton and/or soybean, which resulted in off-target movement of dicamba to a variety of sensitive crops, including large acreages of non-DT soybean. In southeastern Missouri alone, over 125 dicamba injury complaints were filed with the Missouri Department of Agriculture. These injury complaints occurred on over 40,000 acres of soybean, 1,000 acres of cotton, 700 acres of peaches, 400 acres of purple hull peas, 200 acres of peanuts, 32 acres of watermelon, 9 acres of cantaloupe, 6 acres of alfalfa, 2 acres of tomatoes, and on numerous homeowner’s gardens, trees, and ornamental bushes. Some of the primary factors that contributed to the off-site movement of dicamba will be discussed, as well as the impacts that this situation has had and will continue to have on Missouri agriculture.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
WiDATCP andPollinator Program Updateinsects and disease -
No abstract provided
No abstract provided
National Grain and Feed AssociationFood Safety Modernization Act - What Does it Mean to Me and My Feed Mill?grain and feed legislation and regulatory topics -
Feed Tonnage Report
2016No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
WiDATCPFeed Tonnage Reportgrain and feed legislation and regulatory topics -
Soil erosion continues to be a significant issue that affects farm productivity. Impacts of soil erosion on soil productivity are short- and long-term. Short-term, plant nutrient losses Read more…
Soil erosion continues to be a significant issue that affects farm productivity. Impacts of soil erosion on soil productivity are short- and long-term. Short-term, plant nutrient losses lower the fertility of the land, requiring additional fertilizer inputs to correct the decreased soil fertility. As soil erodes the depth of the soil profile is reduced, effectively decreasing the volume of soil crop roots have to explore for water and nutrients, which causes long-term productivity concerns. Both of these short- and longtermconcerns are highlighted by the renewed interest in practices that promote soilhealth, such as reduced tillage, crop rotations, and cover crops.
UW- Madison Soil ScienceHow Soil Erosion Impacts Farm Productivity and What to do About itsoil, water and climate -
Tile-drained agricultural land must be well-managed to reduce the loss of nutrients to surface waters. Nutrient management practices must be carefully followed to minimize the risk Read more…
Tile-drained agricultural land must be well-managed to reduce the loss of nutrients to surface waters. Nutrient management practices must be carefully followed to minimize the risk of nutrient loss and to maximize fertilizer use efficiency. This is of particular importance to farmers, as this water can also transport essential plant nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, out of the root zone. Once nutrients reach the tile drain, they have a direct conduit to surface waters.
Emerging technologies in drainage water treatment can mitigate nutrient transport from tile drainage systems. Some of these technologies include drainage water management, constructed wetlands, bioreactors, and saturated buffers. The information provided will briefly assess the cost and effectiveness of nitrogen and phosphorus removal of these tile drainage treatment options.
UW- Discovery FarmsTechnologies in Tile Drainage Water Treatmentsoil, water and climate -
Precipitation matters a lot for agriculture. The right amounts of rainfall at the right times work in concert with the water holding capacity of the soil Read more…
Precipitation matters a lot for agriculture. The right amounts of rainfall at the right times work in concert with the water holding capacity of the soil to provide crop plants with the water they need to be productive. The agricultural crops and practices of a place evolve to make the most of the local precipitation. Many factors about how this precipitation arrives matter: annual amount, seasonal amounts, duration of rain-free periods, number of rain days, and the nature of the heaviest rainfall events. The heaviest rainfalls lead to flooding and the potential for great soil erosion damage.
UW-SoilsExtreme Rainfall and Soil Erosionsoil, water and climate -
Soil Survey interpretations predict soil behavior for specific soil uses. The soil survey is used to assist in planning of broad categories of land use and Read more…
Soil Survey interpretations predict soil behavior for specific soil uses. The soil survey is used to assist in planning of broad categories of land use and specific management practices that are applied to soils such as nutrient management. As with everything we do in conservation planning, the most critical piece of using soil survey products is making sure we are recording observable site specific criteria along with the predictive models.
Each year soil science is updated based on additional studies and efforts to make a uniform quality product. In recent years, the Soil Data Join Recorrelation (SDJR) has been instrumental in making sure there is uniformity across county and state lines. As a result of this effort, there have been changes to the T (maximum tolerable soil loss that sustains crop productivity) and K (Soil’s susceptibility to erosion).
The purpose behind updates to the Soil Survey is to provide a quality foundation for the next generation of soil survey users where discrepancies are corrected and soil properties are identified uniformly across the state.
NRCSUpdates to Wisconsin Soil Surveywater and soil management -
Every few days a low pressure system rambles across the US, and if it passes close enough to us and is strong enough, we may see Read more…
Every few days a low pressure system rambles across the US, and if it passes close enough to us and is strong enough, we may see some clouds and precipitation, followed by blue skies and cooler temperatures. Such fluctuations are a feature of our Midwest climate. At the global scale, there are also semi-regular disruptions that change the weather, and none is better known than ENSO — the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. We expect ENSO events every 3 to 7 years. When a strong ENSO event occurs, its fingerprints can be seen many places around the globe. If you are a farmer in Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, or northern South America, plan for a dry spell. In the southern third of the US, expect more rain than usual. The global average temperature is always warmer than average during an ENSO. As with passing storm systems, there are some regular features, but also lots of unknowns about how ENSO will affect a given place.
UW-SoilsEl Nino's Influence on Global and Midwestern Climatessoil, water and climate -
The RNAi Pipeline
2016RNA-based technologies (e.g., initiation of RNAi via the engineered production or plant surface application of double-stranded RNA, dsRNA) can be applied to a wide range of Read more…
RNA-based technologies (e.g., initiation of RNAi via the engineered production or plant surface application of double-stranded RNA, dsRNA) can be applied to a wide range of agricultural improvement objectives. These applications range from the modification of harvestable plant phenotype to crop protection scenarios. Examples are present in current agricultural production while additional applications such as plant-produced dsRNA targeting insect predators are advancing pending regulatory approvals for commercial release. Numerous considerations are taken into account as such products develop that bring forward efficacy, robustness, specificity, and safety of dsRNA as an active agent. A historical perspective, current applications, and prospects will be discussed.
MonsantoThe RNAi Pipelineseeds and traits -
The base of all soil fertility build, maintain, and drawdown programs are crop nutrient uptake and removal estimates. Unfortunately, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] nutrient uptake and Read more…
The base of all soil fertility build, maintain, and drawdown programs are crop nutrient uptake and removal estimates. Unfortunately, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] nutrient uptake and partitioning models are primarily built from work conducted in the early 1960’s with obsolete soybean genetics and production practices. Since the 1960’s, yields have nearly doubled to 47.5 bu acre-1 in 2014 and soybean physiology has been altered with approximately one more week of reproductive growth and greater harvest index’s for currently cultivated varieties. These changes in soybean development along with new production practices warrant re-evaluating soybean nutrient uptake, partitioning, and removal to better guide soybean fertility recommendations in the Upper Midwest. This study’s objective was to re-evaluate these factors across a wide yield range of 40 to 90 bu acre-1. Trials were conducted at three locations (Arlington and Hancock, WI and St. Paul, MN) during 2014. Plant samples were taken at the V4, R1, R4, R5.5, R6.5, and R8 growth stage and partitioned into stems, petioles, leaves, pods, seeds, fallen leaves, and fallen petioles, totaling about 4,000 samples annually. Preliminary 2014 results indicate that dry matter accumulation at R6.5 was only 86% of the total and that as yield increased the harvest index changed from 40% at 40 bu acre-1 to 55% at 80 bu acre-1. Nutrient uptake for N, P2O5, and K2O was 220, 52, and 141 lb acre-1, respectively and crop removal was 187, 43, and 75 lbs. a-1, respectively at a yield level of 60 bu acre-1. Preliminary 2014 data showed that the extended reproductive growth phase (~7 days), greater nutrient remobilization efficiencies (>70%), and a higher harvest index with increasing yields helped contribute to higher yields without greatly increasing total nutrient uptake. Data from 2015 are currently being analyzed.
Uw-Madison AgronomyRevamping Soybean Nutrient Uptake, Partitioning and Removal Data of Modern High Yielding Genetics and Production Practicesseeds and traits -
Increased soybean commodity prices in recent years have generated interest in developing high-input systems to increase yield. However, little peer-reviewed information exists about the effects of input-intensive, Read more…
Increased soybean commodity prices in recent years have generated interest in developing high-input systems to increase yield. However, little peer-reviewed information exists about the effects of input-intensive, high-yield management on soybean yield and profitability, as well as interactions with basic agronomic practices.
UW-Madison AgronomyDo More Inputs Increase Soybean Yield and Profitability?seeds and traits -
Climate change projections suggest an increased variability of extreme climate conditions, such as sustained drought or prolonged precipitation (IPCC, 2007; USDA, 2012). The early growing season for Read more…
Climate change projections suggest an increased variability of extreme climate conditions, such as sustained drought or prolonged precipitation (IPCC, 2007; USDA, 2012). The early growing season for 2012 and 2013 contrasted significantly in Wisconsin, where 2012 was one of the driest seasons ever recorded while 2013 was one of the wettest. These events had a negative effect on Wisconsin crop production.
Agriculture plays a significant role in the global flux of three major greenhouse gasses (GHG – CO2, N2O and CH4), which when trapped in the atmosphere warms the surface of the Earth via infrared radiation (IPCC, 2007; USDA, 2012). A large amount of these gas fluxes are thought to be derived from soil through crop intensification (USDA, 2012).Improved management practices like reduced tillage, controlled fertilization (Snyder et al., 2009) or extended crop rotation (Drury et al., 2008) are of particular interest because they have a high potential to mitigate gas emissions. Corn rotation is a management practice of high mitigating potential, but due to recent economic influences is often neglected. The effect of crop rotation on GHG emissions is usually positive for mitigation (Drury et al., 2008; Adviento-Borbe et al., 2007; Venterea et al., 2005). Unlike nitrogen fertilizer and tillage management practices, crop rotation effects are often overlooked by farmers in gas emissions.
UW-Madison AgronomyCapitalizing on the Rotation Effect to Increase Yield The Rotation Effect on Greenhouse Gas Emission from Wisconsin Soilsseeds and traits -
The first confirmed case of herbicide resistance in Wisconsin was atrazine resistant common lambsquarters in 1979 (Heap 2015). Since then, herbicide resistance has been confirmed in 12 Read more…
The first confirmed case of herbicide resistance in Wisconsin was atrazine resistant common lambsquarters in 1979 (Heap 2015). Since then, herbicide resistance has been confirmed in 12 other weed species in Wisconsin. Resistance to photosystem II inhibitors such as atrazine and other triazine herbicides has been confirmed in smooth pigweed (1985), kochia (1987), and velvetleaf (1990), in addition to common lambs quarters in 1979. Resistance to ACCase inhibitors has been confirmed in only two species: giant foxtail (1991) and large crabgrass (1992). In contrast, resistance to ALS inhibitors has been confirmed in many species including kochia (1995) and eastern black nightshade, giant foxtail, green foxtail, and common waterhemp, all in 1999. More recently, resistance to ALS inhibitors has been found in giant ragweed (Marion et al. 2013; Stoltenberg et al. 2015) and common ragweed (Butts et al. 2015).
Glyphosate resistance in Wisconsin is a relatively recent occurrence compared to the instances of photosystem II inhibitor, ACCase inhibitor, and ALS inhibitor resistance noted above. The first confirmed case of glyphosate resistance occurred in 2011 in a giant ragweed population in Rock County (Glettner et al. 2012; Stoltenberg et al. 2015). Glyphosate resistance was subsequently confirmed in horseweed populations found in Jefferson County (Recker et al. 2013) and Columbia County (Recker et al. 2014). Following confirmation of glyphosate-resistant common waterhemp populations in Eau Claire and Pierce Counties (Butts and Davis 2015a, 2015b) and Palmer amaranth in Dane County (Butts and Davis 2015b, 2015c), glyphosate resistance concerns in Wisconsin have focused mostly on pigweeds (Amaranthus spp.). In 2015, there were 18 new reports of suspected glyphosate-resistant common waterhemp populations, bringing the total to 30 counties in which glyphosate resistance has been investigated since 2012 (Figure 1). In addition to the previously confirmed glyphosate-resistant common waterhemp in Eau Claire and Pierce Counties, molecular screening indicated glyphosate resistance in seven more counties in 2015. Glyphosate resistance in these seven cases has yet to be confirmed by whole-plant dose-response analysis at UW-Madison, but preliminary research indicates that whole-plant dose-response results are consistent with findings from molecular screening.
UW-Madison AgronomyHerbicide Resistance Update for Wisconsinweed management -
The continual evolution of weed species and populations resistant to herbicides from one or more mechanism-of-action families represents one of the most daunting challenges faced by weed Read more…
The continual evolution of weed species and populations resistant to herbicides from one or more mechanism-of-action families represents one of the most daunting challenges faced by weed management practitioners. Currently in Illinois, biotypes of 12 weed species have been confirmed resistant to one or more herbicide mechanisms of action. Resistance to herbicides that inhibit the ALS enzyme is the most common type of resistance in Illinois. Waterhemp has evolved resistance to more herbicide mechanisms of action than any other Illinois weed species, including resistance to inhibitors of acetolactate synthase (ALS), photosystem II (PSII), protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO), enolpyruvyl shikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) and hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD). Not every individual waterhemp plant is resistant to one or more herbicides, but the majority of field-level waterhemp populations contain one or more types of herbicide resistance. Perhaps even more daunting is the occurrence of multiple herbicide resistances within individual plants and/or fields. Waterhemp plants and populations demonstrating multiple herbicide resistance are becoming increasingly common and greatly reduce the number of herbicide options that remain effective for their control. Integrated weed management programs offer the greatest potential for long-term, sustainable solutions for weed populations demonstrating resistance to herbicides from multiple families.
Univ. of Illinois Crop SciencesSpread of Herbicide Resistant Weeds in Illinois and Factors that Prevent Presence of Herbicide Resistance in Illinois Fieldsweed management -
Across the Midwest, weeds resistant to multiple herbicides continue to become more widespread. Not only do weeds with resistance to multiple herbicides reduce the utility of existing Read more…
Across the Midwest, weeds resistant to multiple herbicides continue to become more widespread. Not only do weeds with resistance to multiple herbicides reduce the utility of existing herbicides, but they also necessitate the use of alternative weed control strategies. From 2012-2015 in southern Minnesota, we determined the effect of six 3-year crop rotations containing corn (C), soybean (S), alfalfa (A), and wheat (W): (CCC, SCC, CSC, SWC, SAC, AAC) on herbicide-resistant giant ragweed seed bank depletion and emergence patterns. Crop rotation had no effect on the amount of seed bank depletion when a zero weed threshold was maintained, with 96% of the giant ragweed seed bank being depleted within 2 years (Table 1). However, this quantity of seed bank depletion was primarily through seedling emergence in annual crop rotation treatments. Multiple years of alfalfa exhibited less seedling emergence while maintaining a high level of seed bank depletion, possibly indicating an increase in seed predation or fatal germination of seedlings (Table 1). In comparison to rotations containing just corn or soybean, total emergence of giant ragweed was reduced by an average of 38% when wheat or alfalfa were included in the rotation (Table 1). Giant ragweed emerged early across all treatments, with 90% emergence occurring by 4 June on average. These results indicate that corn and soybean rotations are more conducive to giant ragweed emergence than rotations containing wheat and alfalfa, and that adopting a zero weed threshold is a viable approach to depleting the weed seed bank. This presentation will discuss current research focusing on how crop rotation and timing of field operations can be used as part of an integrated weed management plan to improve herbicide-resistant giant ragweed control. Specifically, alfalfa will be highlighted as being an important tool to deplete the weed seed-bank while maintaining profitability.
Univ of Minnesota Agronomy and AgroecologyHerbicide Resistant Weed Seedbank Dynamics Influenced by Crop Rotation? The Value of Alfalfa as a Tool.weed management -
No abstract provided. Please see presentation.
No abstract provided. Please see presentation.
UW-Madison AgronomyHow Do I Change my Turndown Program to Improve Perennial Weed Managementweed management -
Grain marketing from a very basic standpoint, including: the components of price, hedging tools, basis, & strategies will be discussed. Market outlook for corn, soybeans and wheat, Read more…
Grain marketing from a very basic standpoint, including: the components of price, hedging tools, basis, & strategies will be discussed. Market outlook for corn, soybeans and wheat, primarily futures, will also be discussed.
CHS HedgingBasic Train Marketing Workshop and Market Outlookgrain and feed marketing -
Grain quality management touches every aspect of the grain industry. From elevator to seller, managing the quality of your stored grain impacts selling price, operating costs, company Read more…
Grain quality management touches every aspect of the grain industry. From elevator to seller, managing the quality of your stored grain impacts selling price, operating costs, company reputation, and more. This session will cover handling and storage best practices such as shrink, binning/blending, and ground piles and temporary storage, as well as methods for preventing and responding to either a handling or storage incident.
CargillGrain Quality - Things to Remember When Storing/Handling the 2015 Cropgrain and feed marketing -
Experts agree that to keep up with the demands of a growing global population, we will need to grow as much food in the next 50 Read more…
Experts agree that to keep up with the demands of a growing global population, we will need to grow as much food in the next 50 years as we did in the past 10,000 years combined. We will need to do so under the pressures of a changing climate which has created a more volatile environment for farming, including increased drought, insect populations and new and renewed disease threats, among other challenges.
MonsantoGMO 101: Facts to Educate You and Help You to Educate Others about GMO Crops and Foodsgrain and feed marketing -
UW Discovery Farms, part of UW-Extension, works with Wisconsin farmers to identify the water quality impacts of different farming systems around the state. Discovery Farms programs Read more…
UW Discovery Farms, part of UW-Extension, works with Wisconsin farmers to identify the water quality impacts of different farming systems around the state. Discovery Farms programs of Wisconsin and Minnesota have collected water quality information from a wide variety of farming systems. There are many management styles and landscapes represented in the monitored fields.
UW-Discovery FarmsThree Ways to Control Dissolved Phosphorus / Controlling Nutrient Lossmanure and fertilizer -
Agricultural nutrient management continues to be an important area of research and policy due to concerns of phosphorus (P) loss in runoff and water quality impacts. Read more…
Agricultural nutrient management continues to be an important area of research and policy due to concerns of phosphorus (P) loss in runoff and water quality impacts. For dairy and beef farms, outdoor cattle lots (feedlots, barnyards, exercise lots, over-wintering lots) can be significant sources of P loss (Koelsch et al., 2006). There is a need to assess P loss from lots, especially relative to other farm areas (cropland, pastures), to see if alternative lot management is needed and cost-effective. Computer models can be effective tools to help quantify P loss from cattle lots. Despite quite a bit of physical monitoring research on P loss from lots since the 1970’s, there has been little development of models to predict P loss from these areas. To our knowledge, the only two examples of runoff and P loss models for cattle lots are in the AGNPS model (Young et al., 1989) and the APEX model (Gassman et al., 2010; Williams et al., 2006). Barnyard runoff models such as BARNY in Wisconsin and MinnFarm in Minnesota use the same approach as AGNPS. Both AGNPS and APEX have had only minimal testing for P loss from lots (Kizil et al., 2006; Williams et al., 2006), so it is not clear if they are reliable across a range of cattle lot managements, conditions, and locations. Our objectives were to:
1.Develop a relatively simple, annual model to estimate P loss in runoff from cattle lots
2.Test the model with data available in the published literature
3.Compare the new model to BARNY and MinnFarm.
USDAA New Tool for Estimating Phosphorus Loss from Cattle Barnyards and Outdoor Lotsmanure and fertilizer -
Why apply manure on alfalfa and other perennial forage crops? There are several benefits, but also some concerns or challenges to be considered. Alfalfa and other Read more…
Why apply manure on alfalfa and other perennial forage crops? There are several benefits, but also some concerns or challenges to be considered.
Alfalfa and other forages have a large nutrient need – potassium, phosphorus, sulfur,micronutrients, and for grass forages, nitrogen. Manure is a good source of these nutrients and can produce yield increases if nutrients are deficient. Application of manure to forage crops increases the acreage base, which may be important to meet nutrient management plan requirements and avoid over application of P. And applying manure after harvest during the growing season opens up windows of time for manure application not available with most annual crops. While alfalfa and other legumes don’t benefit from nitrogen in manure, applied N reduces the amount of symbiotic N fixation, helping to buffer N availability and reducing the risk of nitrate leaching due to N application from manure. And the deep rooting pattern of alfalfa can capture nitrate that leached beneath the root zone other crops from excessive manure or fertilizer N application. (See Russelle and Jokela, 2013, for more detail.)
There are also some challenges or limitations associated with manure application on forages – smothering and leaf coating, soil compaction and crown damage from wheel traffic, pathogens and feed contamination, surface runoff of nutrients, and odor and ammonia emission. Most of these concerns are associated with broadcast application after harvest and will be discussed in a later section.
There are three general manure application strategies or times of application: preplant (before forage seeding), following last harvest at termination of the stand, and after harvest during the season.
USDAManure on Perennial Forages: Benefits and Challengesmanure and fertilizer -
The purpose of this paper is to explain how to evaluate the potential for N loss after heavy rainfall and determine corrective measures that may be Read more…
The purpose of this paper is to explain how to evaluate the potential for N loss after heavy rainfall and determine corrective measures that may be taken.
Denitrification
Denitrification is the process whereby nitrate is converted to the gases dinitrogen or nitrous oxide and subsequently released to the atmosphere. This conversion is carried out by soil bacteria. Denitrification can be a significant mechanism for N loss on medium- and fine-textured soil. It is generally not an issue on coarse-textured soils because they do not remain saturated for any length of time. There are several environmental factors that determine if denitrification occurs and to what extent.
1. Nitrate. Nitrate must be present for denitrification to occur. If nitrate is not present or is in low concentrations, denitrifiaction losses will be minimal.
2. Soil water content and aeration. Denitrification occurs in wet soils with low oxygen concentrations. Denitrification increase with the length of time the soil is saturated. Standing water may result in a greater percentage of nitrate being denitrified.
3. Temperature. Denitrification proceeds faster on warmer soils, particularly when soil temperature is greater than 75°F.
4. Organic matter. Denitrification occurs because soil bacteria are breaking down organic matter under low oxygen conditions and the bacteria use nitrate in a biochemical process. Soils with low soluble organic carbon will have less potential for denitrification than soils with high soluble organic carbon. Thus, nitrate that resides deeper in the soil profile (e.g., below 12 inches) where there is less organic matter will have a greatly reduced or minimal probability of being denitrified.
5. Soil pH. Denitrification is negligible in soils with a pH < 5.0. Thus, pH likely does not limit denitrification on most of our cropland in Wisconsin.
UW-Madison Soil ScienceEvaluating Nitrogen Loss After Heavy Rainfallmanure and fertilizer -
Since the 1950s there have been three philosophies driving soil fertility recommendations throughout the U.S. concerning certain base cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+). They include build and maintain, Read more…
Since the 1950s there have been three philosophies driving soil fertility recommendations throughout the U.S. concerning certain base cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+). They include build and maintain, sufficiency level, and base cation saturation ratio (BCSR). The theory of an “ideal” BCSR in the soil has been extensively discussed and used to a limited extent throughout the Midwest by some soil testing labs to guide fertility recommendations. This “ideal” soil was first suggested by researchers from New Jersey in the 1940’s (Bear et al., 1945; Bear and Toth, 1948; Hunter, A.S., 1949; Prince et al., 1947) and further emphasized by William Albrecht, Professor from the University of Missouri. Their theory built upon work done by Loew and May (1901) which suggested that Ca and Mg should be in a 5:4 ratio for optimal plant growth. However, this theory has been a subject of great debate in terms of its utility for affecting crop yields and farmer profitability. Numerous studies have found flaws in the BCSR method and showed no proven yield increases, while a greater research base exists to support the sufficiency and build and maintain approaches (Eckert and McLean, 1981; McLean et al., 1983). Yet, some consultants and ag. retailers still use the BCSR method to guide fertility recommendations. All land-grant university fertility recommendations in the Midwest use a sufficiency or build and maintain approach. The University of Wisconsin recommendations employ a build and maintain approach, as do most surrounding states (IL, IA, IN, MI). This paper will discuss the theory behind the BCSR method, its applicability, if there is any value to it, and why state fertility recommendations do not endorse the BCSR method.
UW-Madison AgronomyBase Saturation: What is it? Should I be concerned? Does it affect my fertility program?manure and fertilizer -
No Abstract was provided, please see presentation.
No Abstract was provided, please see presentation.
UW-Madison Biological Systems EngineeringEvaluating Technology Options for Manure Transport and Land Applicationmanure and fertilizer -
Growing of moderate quality forages that meet and not exceed requirements of dairy replacement heifers is not commonly done; however, it would have a positive impact Read more…
Growing of moderate quality forages that meet and not exceed requirements of dairy replacement heifers is not commonly done; however, it would have a positive impact on the dairy industry. It is typical for heifers to gain excessive bodyweight, especially post-puberty which negatively impacts first lactation milk production when fed diets high in energy. Replacement dairy heifers are typically fed high forage diets with a combination of corn silage and alfalfa or grass silage. Corn silage is typically high energy (70 to 75% TDN, DM basis) and exceeds dairy heifer requirements (900 to 1200 lb heifers require 62% TDN, DM) causing excess gain and overconditioning. Use of lower quality forages would reduce heifer over-conditioning. Sorghum and sorghum-sudangrass have a lower nutritive quality (higher fiber, lower starch) than corn silage and would be an alternative to reduce excess heifer weight gains.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield of PS forage sorghum and sorghum-sudangrass compared to non-PS sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass and corn silage. We chose to conduct the study at the Hancock and Marshfield Agricultural Research Stations due to differences in soil characteristics (silt loam soil at Marshfield and sandy soil at Hancock).
UW-Madison Dairy ScienceSorghum as a Forage in Wisconsinforages -
Silage is a popular feedstock for dairy cattle. Corn production for silage has grown steadily in the past years, with more than 128 million tons produced Read more…
Silage is a popular feedstock for dairy cattle. Corn production for silage has grown steadily in the past years, with more than 128 million tons produced in the United States in 2014, up from 116 million tons in 2012. Growers in the state of Wisconsin produced nearly 16 million tons of corn silage and over 9 million tons of haylage during 2014. However, making it requires a large input of time and energy. Commercial dairies often employ multiple self-propelled forage harvesters (SPFH) and many transport vehicles to harvest their crops. Managing this fleet of vehicles is often a logistical challenge, leaving significant opportunities for improvements in efficiency.
A study was conducted on a commercial dairy in Wisconsin which used two self-propelled forage harvesters, 10 straight trucks and 2 tractor-trailers. Machine movement was tracked during harvest with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and Controller Area Network (CAN) data loggers placed in each vehicle. GPS loggers for non-CAN equipped vehicles were developed with Arduino Uno micro-controllers utilizing EM-506 GPS receivers. The Arduino loggers were installed in the cab of each truck and powered by the vehicle battery, and GPS data were collected at a frequency of 1 Hz via storage on a micro-SD card. Vector CANcaseXL two-channel data loggers collected CAN and GPS signals on SPFH’s. The Vector data loggers stored CAN signals, such as vehicle speed and cutterhead speed while simultaneously collecting GPS data at 1 Hz. These datasets were stored together as binary log files on the CANcaseXL SD card. Data from the Arduino and Vector data loggers were downloaded and copied once a week during harvest times. Hand-written notes were collected that recorded the time and order of trucks filled for verification of work status during data analysis. During the 2015 growing season, data were collected on these machines for 450 acres of rye (Secale cereale), 1600 acres of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and over 2000 acres of corn (Zea mays).
UW-Madison Biological Systems EngineeringForage Harvest Process Time Motion Analysis and Optimizationforages -
Alfalfa is the most extensively grown perennial legume inWisconsin. In 2015, 1.3 million acres were harvested, producing 4.55 million tons of pure and mixed dry Read more…
Alfalfa is the most extensively grown perennial legume inWisconsin. In 2015, 1.3 million acres were harvested, producing 4.55 million tons of pure and mixed dry hay, an average yield of 3.5 tone per acre (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2015). Worldwide, alfalfa has been known among forage plants as the ‘Queen’ of forages because of its productivity, and superior forage nutritive value. Alfalfa breeders and molecular biologists have been working for over a decade on improving the quality of alfalfa by targeting the reduction of lignin in leaf and stems. Sets of reduced-lignin varieties are scheduled to be on the market in limited supplies in 2016. The information presented is an update on the advances and management considerations for these new alfalfa varieties.
Reduced Lignin Alfalfaforages -
As the number of cows per farm, and thus the acres needed to provide feed, have increased for Wisconsin’s dairy farms, the reliance of farm operators Read more…
As the number of cows per farm, and thus the acres needed to provide feed, have increased for Wisconsin’s dairy farms, the reliance of farm operators on agronomists and nutritionists for advice when making management decisions has also increased. An adequate supply of high quality forage is crucial to reduce purchased feed costs and increase milk production per ton of forage. The agronomist – dairy nutritionist interface includes the following areas: feed inventory and crop rotations, manure storage and application, nutrient management plans, expansion planning, yield versus quality considerations, feed testing, harvest and storage considerations, feed valuing, team meetings, and staff training. Sub-categories within those various areas will be discussed with regard to potential for interaction between agronomists, dairy nutritionists, and farm managers on management decisions.
UW-Madison Dairy ScienceConnecting the Agronomist and the Nutritionist to Make Management Decisionsforages -
Cover crops are a conservation management practice that can reduce soil erosion, reduce nitrate leaching to groundwater, and increase soil organic matter. However, use management of cover Read more…
Cover crops are a conservation management practice that can reduce soil erosion, reduce nitrate leaching to groundwater, and increase soil organic matter. However, use management of cover crops can be challenging, especially in the upper Midwest, where little growing season is left following harvest of corn or soybean. Additionally, termination of cover crops in the spring can be a challenge depending on spring growing conditions. Different organizations and researchers have conducted studies to assess if cover crops “work” in the Midwest, and results have ranged from clear decreases in corn yield to clear increases in corn yield. This presentation will be a thorough review of recent studies across the Midwest that assess the impact of cover crops on the subsequent crops yield. The presentation will also seek to address what cover crop management strategies should be implemented to reduce any short-term risk in order to achieve the long-term benefits of cover crops on soil health.
UW-Madison Soil ScienceDo Cover Crops Increase or Decrease Crop Yieldswater and soil management -
Wisconsin growers are increasingly interested in utilizing cover crops. While cover crop establishment is relatively easy following corn silage, small grains, and processing vegetables, establishing cover crops Read more…
Wisconsin growers are increasingly interested in utilizing cover crops. While cover crop establishment is relatively easy following corn silage, small grains, and processing vegetables, establishing cover crops successfully following corn or soybean has been more difficult. Aerial seeding or over-the canopy seeding late in the growing season can be done with moderate success. An alternative approach is to interseed cover crops into a standing corn crop early in the growing season. This management practice requires special or at least modified equipment, but can improve cover crop establishment by drilling seed rather than broadcasting. Ideally, the cover crop will establish prior to canopy closure, but then survive to the end of the growing season without creating too much competition for resources (nutrients and water) for the corn crop. Little experimentation has occurred in Wisconsin to evaluate cover crop growth when interseeded into standing corn and the impact of interseeding cover crops on corn grain yield.
UW-Madison HorticultureInterseeding Cover Crops into Corn in Wisconsinall subjects -
Sudden death syndrome (SDS) was severe in many fields across the Midwest the past few years, resulting in yield loss and frustration for farmers. There are Read more…
Sudden death syndrome (SDS) was severe in many fields across the Midwest the past few years, resulting in yield loss and frustration for farmers. There are a few positive things that we can learn in a years like this, though. For one, many soybean varieties were pushed to their limits, allowing farmers to get a really good evaluation of the genetic resistance for SDS in a variety. Additionally, other beneficial management strategies can be identified that complement variety resistance.
Iowa State University Plant PathologyIntegrated Management of Soybean Sudden Death Syndromedisease management -
http://pestsurvey.wi.gov/ The 2015 survey of early-vegetative soybeans found 38% (19 of 50) surveyed fields tested positive for Phytophthora root rot disease caused by Phytophthora sojae. That Read more…
http://pestsurvey.wi.gov/
The 2015 survey of early-vegetative soybeans found 38% (19 of 50) surveyed fields tested positive for Phytophthora root rot disease caused by Phytophthora sojae. That is a lower infection level than last year’s 49%, but still very high. The state-wide survey took place from June 2 to 30. The fungus-like pathogen was detected in 16 counties: Buffalo, Calumet, Chippewa, Columbia, Dodge, Dunn, Iowa, Kenosha, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Outagamie, Polk, Rock, and Winnebago. Based on previous year’s survey results, all other counties should not expect to be free from the disease.
WDATCP2015 Wisconsin Crop Disease Surveydisease management -
Herbicide resistant weeds have been in the news quite frequently lately, and rightfully so. Their existence is changing how farmers currently manage weeds in corn and Read more…
Herbicide resistant weeds have been in the news quite frequently lately, and rightfully so. Their existence is changing how farmers currently manage weeds in corn and soybean fields. But resistance to pesticides is not limited to weeds. Fungi that cause crop disease can also develop resistance to fungicides. This presentation will cover the basics of fungicide resistance and outline ways to avoid or delay fungicide resistance from occurring. Some of this research is funded through the soybean check off from Iowa Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board. We thank our sponsors for this support.
Iowa State University Plant PathologyFungicide Resistance in Field Cropsdisease management -
The 2014 field season was a bit of a challenge for corn growers in Wisconsin, to say the least. Growing conditions were poor, which made for Read more…
The 2014 field season was a bit of a challenge for corn growers in Wisconsin, to say the least. Growing conditions were poor, which made for a lot of challenges including diseases. On the top of that list in Wisconsin was Northern Corn Leaf blight (NCLB). A close second was Goss’s Wilt. In 2015, NCLB again was a considerable issue along with reports of Goss’s wilt and eyespot. NCLB hit the state hard anywhere from prior to the VT growth stage through to late reproductive growth stages. This likely resulted in some direct loss in yield, but also led to increased levels of stalk rot which caused lodging in some fields.
UW-Madison Plant PathologyManaging Corn Diseases in Wisconsindisease management -
Hardly a day goes by without seeing an article or hearing a news report about fraud and ethics….usually involving a loss of cash or assets. Many Read more…
Hardly a day goes by without seeing an article or hearing a news report about fraud and ethics….usually involving a loss of cash or assets. Many organizations believe “it just cannot happen to them.” The fact is that surveys show most businesses experience some sort of fraud or ethics challenges each and every year. How you address fraud and ethics from a management and business perspective can make an impact not only in discouraging fraud and ethics issues from occurring but also creating a better work environment at your company.
The items this session will address include:
►What is fraud?
►Ethics discussion
►Defining the ethics at your organization
►Dealing with fraud and ethics
►Ethics and internal controls
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CliftonLarsonAllenBusiness Code of Ethics Workshopagriculture business -
Please see three presentations below.
Please see three presentations below.
Agri-search, UW-CALS career development, Ag 1 SourceRecruiting Good People for your Agribusinessagriculture business -
Production and processing of specialty crops in Wisconsin are very important to both state and national agricultural industries. Nearly all of the commercial, contract green bean acres Read more…
Production and processing of specialty crops in Wisconsin are very important to both state and national agricultural industries. Nearly all of the commercial, contract green bean acres receive an at-plant seed treatment of a Group 4A insecticide (neonicotinoid). Increasingly, producers rely heavily on this single class of insecticides for control of early season pests including seed maggots, potato leafhopper, and bean leaf beetles. Reported at-plant applications of these neonicotinoid seed treatments have occurred on nearly 90% of all acres reported and reflect statewide use rates in many other grain crops. Concomitantly, both native and domestic pollinators are experiencing declines and even disappearance in localized regions of the US on an unprecedented level. Despite a remarkably intensive level of research effort towards understanding causes of pollinator declines and managed honeybee colony losses in the US, overall losses continue to be high and pose a serious threat to meeting the pollination service demands for several commercial crops. In addition, the US EPA has recently proposed revisions to existing insecticide label registrations for the control of key pests in green bean production. Current and future proposed options for control will be discussed in the context of revised seed treatment registrations.
UW-Madison EntomologySnap Bean Insect Pest Managementvegetable topics -
Carrot growers are challenged with a broad spectrum of weed species in a relatively uncompetitive crop and currently have few management options to remedy the situation. Furthermore, Read more…
Carrot growers are challenged with a broad spectrum of weed species in a relatively uncompetitive crop and currently have few management options to remedy the situation. Furthermore, linuron, one of the more effective control options in carrots, is restricted in use on coarse-textured, low organic matter soils where the crop is often grown. With this in mind, studies were conducted to: 1) identify herbicide programs that provide season-long control; 2) evaluate preemergent herbicides on cereal nurse crops interseeded among carrots for wind erosion control; and, 3) identify carrot varieties that suppress weeds with rapid emergence and establishment. All studies were conducted at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station in Hancock, WI on a loamy sand soil.
UW-Madison HorticultureIntegrated Weed Management in Carrot Productionvegetable topics -
While the University of Wisconsin-Extension guidelines for nitrogen applications to sweet corn are listed at 150 lb/ac of N for soils with less than 2% SOM Read more…
While the University of Wisconsin-Extension guidelines for nitrogen applications to sweet corn are listed at 150 lb/ac of N for soils with less than 2% SOM and 130 lb/ac of N for soils with 2 to 10% SOM, there are still many questions related to other N management practices (such as timing and source). A change in N timing relative to planting date is a key factor in improving N use efficiency for sweet corn on irrigated sandy soil. Two studies have been conducted over the past 3 years to evaluate if there are any benefits to altering the timing and rate of N applications on sweet corn.
UW-Madison Soil ScienceFine-tuning Nitrogen Recommendations for Sweet Cornvegetable topics -
White mold of snap beans has been a challenge to manage in processing production fields in Wisconsin. When unmanaged, white mold can cause significant yield reduction, Read more…
White mold of snap beans has been a challenge to manage in processing production fields in Wisconsin. When unmanaged, white mold can cause significant yield reduction, particularly in moist, warm years. The soilborne fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is responsible for white mold in snap beans, as well as disease in a broad range of dichotomous food plants including other legumes, cucurbits, crucifers, and solanaceous crops. We have routinely conducted foliar fungicide efficacy trials to determine optimum timing and selection of fungicides for white mold control on snap beans in Wisconsin. Results of 2015 fungicide research trials are detailed below.
UW-Madison Plant PathologyWhite Mold Management Update in Processing Snap Beansvegetable topics -
It has been an exciting and challenging year as we worked to get conservation on the ground throughout Wisconsin. Our new “Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) provided Read more…
It has been an exciting and challenging year as we worked to get conservation on the ground throughout Wisconsin. Our new “Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) provided record levels of conservation installation as we teamed up with public and private investors in the field of conservation. The Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program continue to be our base programs along with easements programs for wetlands and working lands. To find out more we encourage you to visit www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov for information regarding all of NRCS-Wisconsin’s technical tools, service and financial assistance programs.
NRCSNutrient Management Government Panel (NRCS)nutrient management -
See presentation below
See presentation below
WiDATCPNutrient Management Government Panel (WiDATCP)nutrient management -
See presentation below
See presentation below
WDNRNutrient Management Government Panel (WDNR)nutrient management -
Adaptive nutrient management is a new feature in the revised NRCS code 590. This paper will explain what adaptive nutrient management is and how to implement Read more…
Adaptive nutrient management is a new feature in the revised NRCS code 590. This paper will explain what adaptive nutrient management is and how to implement it.
The goal of adaptive management is to enable growers to use on-farm data to refine nutrient management strategies to adapt to conditions on their farm. Adaptive management in the context of the 590 standard can be used to 1) document the need for and amount of rescue N applications after excessive rainfall; 2) adjust P and K application rates when documented crop yield levels are greater than ranges provided in UWEX Pub. A2809; or 3) refine any nutrient application rate (primarily N) or management strategy using on-farm research data.
UW-Madison Soil ScienceImplementing Adaptive Nutrient Management as Part of a 590 Plannutrient management -
A great deal of resources and effort are invested in growing, harvesting, drying and transporting grain crops. Managing the dry grain in storage is important to Read more…
A great deal of resources and effort are invested in growing, harvesting, drying and transporting grain crops. Managing the dry grain in storage is important to protect that investment. The quality of grain cannot be improved during storage but if not properly managed, grain quality can deteriorate quickly. The majority of grain losses are caused by living things such as fungi, mold, insects and rodents. The grain temperature and moisture can provide a haven for living things or aid in preventing problems.
There are six main causes of grain storage problems: grain is too warm, grain is too wet, too much foreign matter and fines, uneven grain temperatures in bin, storage bins not cleaned before harvest, and grain not checked often enough during storage.
UW-Madison Biological Systems EngineeringManaging Dry Grain Storageinsects and disease -
Due to its northern location and cooler climate, Wisconsin tends to have fewer problems with stored grain insects than other regions of the country. However, insects Read more…
Due to its northern location and cooler climate, Wisconsin tends to have fewer problems with stored grain insects than other regions of the country. However, insects present in stored grains still pose a significant threat to grading and salability. Some good news for farmers in Wisconsin is that insect-free grain that is stored properly in clean bins, should remain insect free until the following summer, if not longer. The practices listed below can help prevent insect infestations:
1. Prior to storage, thoroughly clean storage bins and transport/handling equipment
2. Maintain functional storage bins (properly sealed, functioning aeration fans, etc.)
3. Apply preventative insecticide treatments to bin and/or grain if warranted
4. Keep grain as dry and cool as possible
5. Scout to catch infestations early
UW-Madison EntomologyManaging Insect Pests in Stored Graininsects and disease -
Corn rootworms (CRW) are a key insect pest and a potential economic risk to corn production in Wisconsin. Detection of field-evolved resistance of the western corn Read more…
Corn rootworms (CRW) are a key insect pest and a potential economic risk to corn production in Wisconsin. Detection of field-evolved resistance of the western corn rootworm to certain plant incorporated Bt proteins (GMO hybrids) has recently focused attention on using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to reduce the potential for resistance and unexpected damage. Managing this risk will require use of field data (beetle scouting and root evaluations) so that a prescriptive management plans can be developed that reduces the reliance on a single management tactic.
UW-Madison EntomologyCorn Rootworm Resistance Managementinsects and disease -
European corn borer (ECB) is a pest of several crops including field, sweet and popcorn. Once considered a key pest of field corn, populations of ECB Read more…
European corn borer (ECB) is a pest of several crops including field, sweet and popcorn. Once considered a key pest of field corn, populations of ECB have declined since the widespread adoption of commercial corn hybrids that express above ground traits. However, in recent years populations of ECB have increased. Likely because of growers using more conventional corn hybrids and because of several other non-traited host crops being planted.
UW-Madison EntomologyECB 101: ManagingECB in the Absence in Traitsinsects and disease -
Useful to Usable (U2U): Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers, is a USDA-funded research and extension project designed to improve the resilience and Read more…
Useful to Usable (U2U): Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers, is a USDA-funded research and extension project designed to improve the resilience and profitability of U.S. farms in the Corn Belt amid a changing climate. The team of over 50 faculty, staff, and students from nine Midwestern universities are experts in applied climatology, crop modeling, agronomy, cyber-technology, agricultural economics, and other social sciences. We have worked together, and with members of the agricultural community, to develop decision support tools, resource materials, and training methods that lead to more effective decision making and the adoption of climate-resilient practices. The five tools listed below have been developed and are available for public use at http://www.agclimate4u.org.
Iowa State University- Department of EconomicsU2U-Based Decision Toolseconomics, transportation and soil health -
No draft provided.
No draft provided.
UW-Madison Ag and Applied EconomicsStrategies When the Market Price is Below the Cost of Productioneconomics, transportation and soil health -
No abstract was provided, please see presentation below.
No abstract was provided, please see presentation below.
UW-Madison Plant PathologyProduction of Organic Processing Cropsvegetable topics -
A common progression for farmers in the Roundup Ready crop system has been to gradually increase the rate of glyphosate as inconsistent weed control is Read more…
A common progression for farmers in the Roundup Ready crop system has been to gradually increase the rate of glyphosate as inconsistent weed control is observed. Thus, previous failed applications of glyphosate are followed with higher rates of glyphosate in subsequent applica-tions. There are multiple concerns with this approach. First, the use of a single herbicide until failure allows weeds to continue growing with the crop which can reduce crop yields. Even if a successful rescue treatment controls all the surviving weeds the span of time for the failed glyphosate application to the rescue treatment is significant enough to reduce crop yields. Second, the use of glyphosate in this manner has been implicated in the evolution of glyphosate-resistant weed biotypes throughout the U.S., which ultimately results in the loss of the most effective herbicide available for control of our primary weed species.
Purdue UniversityUh oh...44 oz of glyphosate didn't touch it...what do I do now?weed management -
Since its introduction into the United States in the late 1700s, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) has spread dramatically, causing greater crop losses than any other Read more…
Since its introduction into the United States in the late 1700s, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) has spread dramatically, causing greater crop losses than any other perennial broadleaf weed in the north central region of the United States. In Wisconsin, it continues to be a major pest identified by growers, land managers, and consultants. In pastures studies indicate that, while highly variable, forage loss from Canada thistle can result in an average of 22% yield loss. While forage quality remains high for Canada thistle, its palatability can be extremely low due to the spiny nature of the leaves. This can result in partial-use (40%) or complete rejection by animals. In addition to these costs animals do not utilize the forage nearby effectively when Canada thistle is present. This can result in <50% utilization of desirable forage. Finally, spines present on the leaves can aggravate animals often resulting in reduced performance. Clearly Canada thistle is not a desirable plant.
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Topics include: european corn borer, corn rootworm, black cutworm, corn earworm, true armyworm, soybean aphid, and western bean cutworm
Topics include: european corn borer, corn rootworm, black cutworm, corn earworm, true armyworm, soybean aphid, and western bean cutworm
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Late blight is a potentially destructive disease of potatoes and tomatoes caused by the fungal-like organism, Phytophthora infestans. This pathogen is referred to as a ‘water mold’ Read more…
Late blight is a potentially destructive disease of potatoes and tomatoes caused by the fungal-like organism, Phytophthora infestans. This pathogen is referred to as a ‘water mold’ since it thrives under wet conditions. Symptoms include leaf lesions beginning as pale green or olive green areas that quickly enlarge to become brown-black, water-soaked, and oily in appearance. Lesions on leaves can also produce pathogen sporulation which looks like white-gray fuzzy growth. Stems can also exhibit dark brown to black lesions with sporulation. Tuber infections are dark brown to purple in color and internal tissues are often reddish brown in color and firm to corky in texture. The time from first infection to lesion development and sporulation can be as fast as 7 days, depending upon the weather.
Two mating types are needed to produce sexual, persistent soil-borne oospores. The population is largely clonal outside its center of origin in the Toluca Valley of Mexico, relying on production of asexual sporangia for persistence. In the U.S., clonal lineage (also referred to as genotype or strain) US-1 (A1 mating type) was the predominant clonal lineage until the late 1980s-early 1990s, when US-8 appeared. US-8 was the opposite mating type (A2) and was insensitive to mefenoxam, a fungicide with exceptional activity against oomycetes, but with a specific mode of action that effectively selects for insensitivity. New clonal lineages have predominated epidemics in recent years with varying levels of mefenoxam resistance. Late blight pathogen populations in the U.S. have and continue to experience major genetic changes or evolution. The end result is the production of pathogen isolates with unique genotypes and epidemiological characteristics. As such, continued investigation of this pathogen is necessary to maintain best management strategies in susceptible crops.
Our objective was to monitor for late blight on a state-wide basis and characterize P. infestans in a timely manner to inform appropriate management recommendations and enhance understanding of the pathogens introduction and persistence in Wisconsin.
UW-MadisonLate blight and downy mildew updates in processing vegetable cropsvegetable topics -
Multiple applications of pyrethroid insecticides are used to manage European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, in snap bean, but new diamide insecticides may reduce application frequency. The Read more…
Multiple applications of pyrethroid insecticides are used to manage European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner, in snap bean, but new diamide insecticides may reduce application frequency. The objective of this study was to examine the potential for improving control of O. nubilalis in processing snap bean with diamide insecticides. Specifically, we compared O. nubilalis control with chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole, and bifenthrin at three different phenological snap bean stages (i.e., bud, bloom, pod formation) to determine the duration of residual activity for each insecticide under field conditions in snap bean, and co-applied cyantraniliprole and bifenthrin insecticides with either herbicides or fungicides at each vegetative stage to determine if tank mixing cyantraniliprole and bifenthrin with common agrochemicals would reduce O. nubilalis control, and finally we confirmed the suitability of diamide insecticides for O. nubilalis control using commercial snap bean fields and processing plant contamination data, over two consecutive field seasons. Cyantraniliprole applications timed either during bloom or pod formation controlled O. nubilalis better than similar timings of bifenthrin. Co-applications of insecticides with fungicides controlled O. nubilalis as well as insecticide applications alone. Insecticides applied either alone or with herbicides during bud stage did not control this pest. In commercial snap bean fields, yield and quality were equivalent in fields treated once with chlorantraniliprole and twice with pyrethroids. Diamides are an excellent alternative to pyrethroids for manage O. nubilalis in snap bean. Adoption of diamides by snap bean growers could improve the efficiency of production by reducing the number of sprays required each season.
UW MadisonCo-application of the diamide insecticides in snap beansvegetable topics -
Alternaria leaf blight, caused by the fungus Alternaria dauci, andCercospora leaf spot, caused by the fungus Cercospora carotae, infect leaves and petioles of carrot and are Read more…
Alternaria leaf blight, caused by the fungus Alternaria dauci, andCercospora leaf spot, caused by the fungus Cercospora carotae, infect leaves and petioles of carrot and are the most prevalent foliar diseases of carrot worldwide. These foliar blight pathogens reduce yield by limiting the plant’s photosynthetic capacity and by weakening the petioles needed for mechanical harvest. Typically, carrots are harvested by implements that loosen the soil and simultaneously grasp the foliage while lifting the roots out of the soil; blighted petioles break when gripped by the mechanical harvester and carrots are left in the soil. Environmental conditions greatly influence the occurrence and progression of these foliar diseases of carrot and the anticipation of heightened disease risk through the identification and monitoring of critical environmental factors, such as, relative humidity and temperature, can enhance disease management by optimizing the timing of fungicide applications. However, implementation of the weather-based models is difficult because, typically, each field requires a customized forecast that is dependent on disease severity, weather conditions, and fungicide program, factors that are field-specific. A goal of this research is to provide a set of generalized recommendations for managing foliar diseases of carrot that can be used for the majority of WI fields without the need for grower investment in weather stations.
UW MadisonWeb-based pest and disease forecasting tool for enhanced processing vegetable crop managementvegetable topics -
The introduction of new agronomic crop herbicides in recent years that are active at low doses, as well as the pending introduction of crop traits conferring Read more…
The introduction of new agronomic crop herbicides in recent years that are active at low doses, as well as the pending introduction of crop traits conferring resistance to additional herbicides, have spurred an interest among specialty crop producers in knowing more about the potential off target implications of these tools. While pesticide drift remains a concern, our recent work has focused more on implications of potential spray tank contamination when specialty crops are sprayed after agronomic crops, such as corn, soybean or small grains. We recently completed a replicated study in snap bean and potato in this subject area and have also completed the first repetition of a 2-year study looking at the implications of potato seed crop exposure to herbicides on daughter tuber germination and growth.
UW MadisonImplications of off-target herbicides near specialty cropsvegetable topics -
Cover crops are increasingly recognized for their multiple agronomic benefits, including improving soil quality and health, enhancing soil fertility, and preventing erosion. Choosing cover crops for a Read more…
Cover crops are increasingly recognized for their multiple agronomic benefits, including improving soil quality and health, enhancing soil fertility, and preventing erosion. Choosing cover crops for a particular farming system requires consideration of several factors, including planting window, termination time and strategy, desired functionality (weed suppression, erosion prevention, nitrogen credits), and potential disease and insect interactions. Resources exist to assist farmers in the selection of appropriate cover crops for their specific system and crop rotations. The Midwest Cover Crop Council has created one of the most extensive sources of information regarding cover crops for the upper Midwest; comprised of a diverse group of academia, farmers, non-governmental organizations, and state and federal agency representatives, this group works to provide materials on cover crop practices and opportunities, including farmer profiles, webinars, and field days. The information is housed on their website, www.mccc.msu.edu.
UW MadisonCover crops in processing cropsvegetable topics -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
University of Nebraska-LincolnUsing crop sensors for nitrogen managementnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
NRCSGovernment agency panel on nutrient managementnutrient management -
In response to increasing levels of nitrate-N in groundwater in the Central Platte River Valley of Nebraska, intensive education and then regulatory efforts were implemented starting Read more…
In response to increasing levels of nitrate-N in groundwater in the Central Platte River Valley of Nebraska, intensive education and then regulatory efforts were implemented starting in the 1980s, to encourage adoption of nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation management practices which can reduce nitrate leaching to groundwater. Since 1988, there have been steady declines in average NO3-N concentrations in groundwater in the Central Platte River Valley, resulting from adoption of recommended practices – in particular conversion from furrow to center-pivot irrigation. However, fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency has remained fairly static over the past 25 years. Trends suggest that further improvement in nitrogen use efficiency may require development and adoption of next generation nutrient management tools, such as increased use of fertigation, controlled release formulations, or crop canopy sensors for in-season fertilization.
University of Nebraska- LincolnGroundwater nitrate and nitrogen use efficiency in Nebraska's Central Platte River Valleynutrient management -
Seedling diseases of soybean and corn can cause significant losses through poor stand establishment and reduced plant vigor. Identifying the causal agent of seedling disease is Read more…
Seedling diseases of soybean and corn can cause significant losses through poor stand establishment and reduced plant vigor. Identifying the causal agent of seedling disease is not a simple process as the soil environment is complex and contains many thousands of microbe species but only a small portion of these actually cause disease. The primary causes of soybean seedling disease are Pythium spp., Phytophthora sojae, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium spp. In this study it was our objective to identify the predominant oomycete (Pythium and Phytophthora) species that cause soybean seedling disease. Only by understanding which pathogens cause disease are we are ultimately able to improve disease management.
Michigan State UniversityMaking every seed count: Who's responsible for stand loss?disease management -
Over the past several years, interest in using foliar-applied fungicides on alfalfa for dairy production has increased. This has subsequently led to new labeling for foliar Read more…
Over the past several years, interest in using foliar-applied fungicides on alfalfa for dairy production has increased. This has subsequently led to new labeling for foliar fungicide products for use on alfalfa. Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison began in 2011 to evaluate some of the products labeled for use in alfalfa. From 2011 to 2014 replicated on-farm and research station trials were conducted to evaluate the utility of using fungicide on alfalfa for dairy production.
UW MadisonFungicide use in alfalfa: What four years of research has taught usdisease management -
DATCP’s 2014 early soybean disease survey found the highest level of Phytophthora root rot since the beginning of this survey in 2008 and identified four different Read more…
DATCP’s 2014 early soybean disease survey found the highest level of Phytophthora root rot since the beginning of this survey in 2008 and identified four different species of Phytophthora on Wisconsin soybean. Besides the well-known cause of seedling root rot Phytophthora sojae, DNA based testing also determined P. sansomeana that was first detected in Wisconsin soybeans in 2012, and two additional new species P. pini and P. sp. “personii”.
WI DATCP2014 Wisconsin Crop Disease Surveydisease management -
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the causal agent for white mold disease, is a devastating soybean fungal pathogen. In 2006, white mold ranked in the top 10 yield reducing Read more…
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the causal agent for white mold disease, is a devastating soybean fungal pathogen. In 2006, white mold ranked in the top 10 yield reducing diseases of soybean and was estimated to account for over 2 billion metric tonnes of yield loss world-wide (1). In the United States, soybean losses in 2009 reached an estimated 59 million bushels due to white mold, which cost producers ~$560 million (2, 3). Disease control is limited due to the lack of complete resistance in commercial cultivars and an incomplete understanding of resistance mechanisms (3). Further investigation of white mold resistance mechanisms in soybean and subsequent resistance evaluations of soybean germplasm would improve commercially available resistance.
UW-MadisonTools for better management of white mold on soybeandisease management -
Soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS), caused by Fusarium virguliforme, is one of the most yield limiting diseases in the US, and effective disease management options are Read more…
Soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS), caused by Fusarium virguliforme, is one of the most yield limiting diseases in the US, and effective disease management options are limited. We developed a realtime quantitative PCR assay for the diagnosis and quantification of F. virguliforme. Using this assay we investigated the F. virguliforme infection process of four soybean cultivars with differing resistance to the foliar SDS leaf scorch symptoms. We found that the quantity of F. virguliforme did not differ between the varieties as expected, indicating that leaf scorch resistance is separate to root infection resistance. Interestingly the ratio of F. virguliforme to soybean increased sharply just before the R5 growth stage, around the time of foliar disease onset. The findings also demonstrate that use of a soybean variety with resistance to the SDS foliar scorch will not necessarily reduce the subsequent amount of F. virguliforme in the soil.
Michigan State UniversitySoybean sudden death syndrome: plant infection and managementdisease management -
Making baleage
2015Baleage is a practical method to harvest and store either wet hay or to make haylage. If the harvested forage is less than 50% moisture, preservation Read more…
Baleage is a practical method to harvest and store either wet hay or to make haylage. If the harvested forage is less than 50% moisture, preservation is primarily by maintenance of anaerobic (oxygen limiting) conditions and, if harvested forage is 50 to 70% moisture, preservation is due both to anaerobic conditions and acids produced in the fermentation.
UW MadisonMaking baleageforages -
Forage legumes such as alfalfa and red clover have greater nutritive value than grasses, reduce the need for applied N, and may be more productive during Read more…
Forage legumes such as alfalfa and red clover have greater nutritive value than grasses, reduce the need for applied N, and may be more productive during drought. Producers often wish to apply manure to grass-legume or pure legume stands, however, to increase yield, amend soil nutrient deficiencies, or address manure storage challenges. This practice may reduce legume persistence and result in poor hay or silage preservation. In two separate studies, dairy manure was applied to red clover – orchardgrass mixtures or to alfalfa to determine its effect on productivity, persistence, and feed quality. Applying liquid or solid manure (60 lb N/acre) to a grazed red clover-orchardgrass mix increased annual yield 500 lb DM/acre above that of the non-fertilized control (7100 lb DM/acre/year), but reduced annual yield when applied in July or September. Applying manure in any form at any time of the year reduced red clover persistence, but the effect was generally greatest when application occurred in July. Applying liquid manure to alfalfa did not improve annual yield. Based on counts of Clostridium tyrobutyricum, the greatest risk of undesirable fermentation after harvesting for balage occurred when slurry was applied 7 and 14 days after cutting compared to application directly onto stubble. Results from these studies suggest that 1) spring manure application to grass-legume pastures will improve annual yield but will likely reduce legume persistence, which may ultimately reduce pasture nutritive value; and 2) manure application to alfalfa stubble is preferred, but if application to growing alfalfa is necessary, choose old alfalfa stands and consider additional field wilting to reduce clostridial fermentation.
UW-Madison & USDA-ARSEffects of manure on legume productivity and persistenceforages -
Unlike corn and soybeans, obtaining accurate yield information for forage crops involves considerable planning, time, and effort on behalf of the person collecting the yield data Read more…
Unlike corn and soybeans, obtaining accurate yield information for forage crops involves considerable planning, time, and effort on behalf of the person collecting the yield data and the farmer. Historically, few producers had the capacity or patience during harvest to undertake such a task. Most efforts to measure alfalfa yield in the past were usually limited to the best small area of the best field. Currently, many larger dairies have installed on-farm scales for measuring purchased production of forages and/or feed commodities. These scales now make it relatively easy to weigh production not just from small areas of fields, but entire fields over the course of several years.
UW-ExtensionChecking in on Wisconsin alfalfa yield and persistenceforages -
Weeds can affect alfalfa establishment, productivity and forage quality but the magnitude of the impact has not been thoroughly studied. Over the past three years we Read more…
Weeds can affect alfalfa establishment, productivity and forage quality but the magnitude of the impact has not been thoroughly studied. Over the past three years we have established studies to evaluate the impact of all of these factors during the establishment year as previous research has shown this to be the most sensitive to weed populations. While previous experiments have been conducted throughout the state, research in 2014 was focused at the Arlington research station to determine the impacts of annual grasses on alfalfa establishment.
UW-MadisonEffect of annual grass weeds in alfalfa establishment, yield and forage qualityforages -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-MadisonFarm policy update: County ARC or PLC+SCOeconomics, transportation and soil health -
Grains price outlook
2015No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-River FallsGrains price outlookeconomics, transportation and soil health -
Interseeding cool-season grasses: annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum); barley (Hordeum vulgare) or winter rye (Secale cereal) alone or in combination forage legumes or radish (Raphanus sativus) into standing Read more…
Interseeding cool-season grasses: annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum); barley (Hordeum vulgare) or winter rye (Secale cereal) alone or in combination forage legumes or radish (Raphanus sativus) into standing row crops is an increasingly common practice in the upper midwest for corn and soybean producers who otherwise could not grow cover crops because of insufficient time for growth if planted after harvest. Perceived soil quality benefits: species diversity and impact on the soil biological community; return of vegetative (green) biomass to soil (including roots) and enhanced over-winter soil cover are all responsible for this interest and the belief that it will result in long-term improvement of crop yield and economic return (CTIC, 2013). Additional ecosystem services in this intensified system include the potential to increase infiltration and the retention of residual applied nitrogen when growing season conditions prevent corn from achieving its full yield potential. Increased infiltration is important for soil and nutrient retention as well as water capture and storage to mitigate increasing precipitation variability induced by climate change.
Michael Fields Agricultural InstituteAerial application of cover crops into corn and soybeanseconomics, transportation and soil health -
Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum is a by-product of the process that removes sulfur from the gas emissions stream of coal fired electric power plants. Read more…
Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum is a by-product of the process that removes sulfur from the gas emissions stream of coal fired electric power plants. FGD gypsum is currently being soil in Wisconsin to producers as a soil amendment and sulfur source. Most of the current work on FGD gypsum for row crop production in the Midwest is taking place in Ohio on soils that are very different from those in Wisconsin (Chen et al., 2008). The goal of this study was to better understand the effect of gypsum on corn production and soils under no tillage and conventional tillage cropping systems with six different rates of nitrogen fertilizer in Wisconsin.
UW MadisonInteraction of FGD gypsum, tillage and soil type on corn production in Wisconsineconomics, transportation and soil health -
Spray drift has been a part of the agricultural landscape since the very beginning of pesticide application through sprayers. Although our ability to contain drift Read more…
Spray drift has been a part of the agricultural landscape since the very beginning of pesticide application through sprayers. Although our ability to contain drift has improved, current application technologies are never fully able to eliminate drift. Applicator understanding of the forces involved in delivering pesticides through a sprayer is critical for proper sprayer management in drift prone conditions.
UW MadisonSprayer set-up to mitigate driftall subjects -
Spatial variation in soil properties exists within fields, farms and across landscapes. Although spatial variation in agricultural fields has received considerable attention recently, its importance Read more…
Spatial variation in soil properties exists within fields, farms and across landscapes. Although spatial variation in agricultural fields has received considerable attention recently, its importance and impact on crop management has been discussed for over a century. Many approaches have been proposed over the last two decades for quantifying and managing spatial variation in crop production fields to implement site specific crop management. However, most or all of these approaches utilize complex geo-statistical techniques which often prove to be challenging for practicing crop advisors to implement such techniques in field conditions. This is primarily because of lack of understanding and accessibility to “simple to understand” educational materials on such complex techniques and topics. This presentation will simplify the concept of spatial variability and how to understand the science of managing spatial variability in an easy to comprehend educational material.
Colorado State Univ.Understanding the science of managing spatial variabilityall subjects -
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) have recently been a hot topic of discussion. Several industries, including agriculture, have expressed interest in implementing these devices to aid Read more…
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) have recently been a hot topic of discussion. Several industries, including agriculture, have expressed interest in implementing these devices to aid in performing various tasks. Implementation of UAV’s in our current infrastructure poses several potential problems which are currently being addressed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulators. Integration of UAV’s in agriculture production will have a major impact on how information about a crop is gathered throughout the growing season. Visual crop assessment and vegetative index data currently provide indicators to the state of the crop. This data is usually collected manually or via sensors mounted on a machine based tool bar. Several benefits can be gained by gathering this data with an aerial platform. This presentation will cover the FAA’s progress on regulating the use of UAV’s in the United States, the different types of UAV’s currently available with pro’s and con’s of each, and the data collection capabilities of the UAV’s and how the data can help crop management.
UW MadisonIntegrating UAV's into your crop management systemall subjects -
More site-specific management has been adopted by farmers to increase field productivity and profitability, although successful prediction of input response within management zones remains challenging. Read more…
More site-specific management has been adopted by farmers to increase field productivity and profitability, although successful prediction of input response within management zones remains challenging. For some inputs, like plant density, the maximum yield plant density (MYPD) and the economic optimum plant density (EOPD) changes as new genetics become available. The objective of this research is to determine whether an MYPD and EOPD could be determined for one soil type given that genetics constantly change.
UW MadisonThe realities of precision farming for cornall subjects -
Growers are collecting many forms of spatial data for their fields including yield, elevation, and soils data. Highly accurate GPS systems along with advances in Read more…
Growers are collecting many forms of spatial data for their fields including yield, elevation, and soils data. Highly accurate GPS systems along with advances in variable rate technology (VRT) are allowing growers to create and use variable rate planting prescriptions to optimize yields and seed placement. Finding the key measureable parameters determining soybean seed yield in Wisconsin and using them to create VRT prescriptions are the objectives of this research.
UW MadisonCan soybean growers benefit from precision agricultural data?all subjects -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
DATCPWisconsin insect survey results: 2014 and outlook for 2015insects and disease -
Giant ragweed is one of the most difficult to manage weed species in Midwestern cropping systems due to its biology and competitive ability. Adaptation to Read more…
Giant ragweed is one of the most difficult to manage weed species in Midwestern cropping systems due to its biology and competitive ability. Adaptation to a wide range of soil environments, rapid vertical growth, and high biomass production make giant ragweed particularly competitive (Abul-Fatih et al. 1979; Harrison et al. 2007; Webster et al. 1994). An extended germination period characterized by the ability to germinate early and grow rapidly, combined with embryo dormancy that allows for prolonged emergence periods, contributes to the difficulty of managing giant ragweed (Gramig and Stoltenberg 2007; Harrison et al. 2001; Schutte et al. 2012). In Wisconsin, giant ragweed is found in both corn (Fickett et al. 2013a) and soybean (Fickett et al. 2013b) production fields. As the most competitive species relative to other common weed species in corn and soybean cropping systems (Fickett et al. 2013a,b), giant ragweed represents a serious threat to crop yield potential.
UW MadisonResearch progress on understanding herbicide resistance in Wisconsin giant ragweedweed management -
Pigweeds, specifically common waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis Sauer) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.), are an increasing threat to current agricultural production systems. Common waterhemp Read more…
Pigweeds, specifically common waterhemp (Amaranthus rudis Sauer) and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.), are an increasing threat to current agricultural production systems. Common waterhemp and Palmer amaranth are dioecious, small seeded, broadleaf weed species’ known for their prolific growth characteristics and high competitive ability. Exceedingly plastic in nature, common waterhemp and Palmer amaranth can grow at rates of 0.16 and 0.21 cm per growing degree day, respectively (Horak and Loughin, 2000). Furthermore, both species can produce over 250,000 seeds per female plant (Sellers et al., 2003). This intensifies the likelihood and speed that herbicide-resistant biotypes can increase in a population and transfer from one location to another through seed dispersal. Moreover, common waterhemp and Palmer amaranth cause significant yield loss in corn (74 and 91%, respectively) and soybean (56 and 79%, respectively) when left unmanaged (Bensch et al., 2003; Massinga et al., 2001; Steckel and Sprague, 2004).
UW MadisonHerbicide-restant pigweeds (Amaranthus spp.) are in Wisconsin, how serious is it?weed management -
Do you want to compare new herbicides, and herbicide programs, to products and programs you are already familiar with? In the Wisconsin Crop Weed Science Read more…
Do you want to compare new herbicides, and herbicide programs, to products and programs you are already familiar with?
In the Wisconsin Crop Weed Science program Herbicide Evaluation program, that’s what do we do. We evaluate new herbicide products, application timings, and efficacy for controlling an array of weed species of interest to Wisconsin farmers.
UW MadisonEfficacy of "new" herbicides and program approaches for resistance managementweed management -
Cover crops are of increasing interest to producers in Wisconsin due to many potential agronomic benefits. These potential benefits include reducing soil erosion, providing and Read more…
Cover crops are of increasing interest to producers in Wisconsin due to many potential agronomic benefits. These potential benefits include reducing soil erosion, providing and scavenging nutrients, weed suppression, improving soil health, reducing soil moisture losses, protecting water quality, reducing production costs and increasing yield. Cover crops have been utilized for many years in crop organic production. While cover crops are of increasing interest there are often challenges with their establishment. The increasing interest is shown through results from a 2013-2014 survey conducted by the North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program with the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). This survey indicated there has been a steady increase in cover crop acres since 2009 with 415,191 acres planted in the Mississippi river basin in 2014. Of the farmers surveyed 42.5% indicated that establishing cover crops was one of the biggest challenges. (SARE/CTIC, 2014) Some of this challenge may be due to herbicide carryover issues. Herbicide persistence factors include chemical properties of the herbicide, rate of application, soil pH, organic matter content, amount of surface plant residue, temperature, rainfall, and microbial degradation (Walsh, 1993). The objective of this study was to determine if persistence of commonly used residual herbicides applied in the spring to corn and soybean crops affect the subsequent establishment of cover crops in the fall.
UW MadisonCover crop establishment following commonly applied corn and soybean herbicides in Wisconsinweed management -
Invasive plants are defined by Wisconsin Legislation as “nonindigenous species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to Read more…
Invasive plants are defined by Wisconsin Legislation as “nonindigenous species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health” (NR40). These plants can persist in our climate, reproduce, and spread. This is why Wisconsin has developed legislation to prevent the introduction and spread of these species. While much of the benefit from these regulations is focused on non-agricultural areas, this can directly (and indirectly) influence agriculture. Below are several examples of how invasive plants impact agriculture followed by a brief description of how agronomists can assist in preventing the spread of these new invaders.
UW MadisonWhy agronomists should be concerned about invasive plantsweed management -
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law on January 4, 2011, and provides the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with sweeping Read more…
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law on January 4, 2011, and provides the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with sweeping new authorities and requirements. The law was a bi-partisan supported bill backed by the food and feed industries. It authorizes FDA to promulgate new rules for preventive controls, develop performance standards, create new administrative detention rules, provides authority for mandatory recall of adulterated products and provides authority for hiring more than 4,000 new field staff among other provisions. It remains unclear whether Congress will provide sufficient funding to fully implement the law, but FDA is proceeding with rulemaking to meet the court ordered deadlines that were established by court order. The animal food final rule must be published by August 2015.
American Feed Industry Assoc.Food safety modernizationeconomics, transportation and soil health -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
WABAOSHA 2015: What you need to knownutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
CHS Inc.Transportation issues: rail car, waterway locks and dams, truckseconomics, transportation and soil health -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Advance TradingWorld grain production trends, supply/demand, price and yield projections, market outlooknutrient management -
Tile blowouts in Wisconsin are increasing in prevalence as older clay and concrete tile drainage systems continue to age. The gradual expansion of tile lines Read more…
Tile blowouts in Wisconsin are increasing in prevalence as older clay and concrete tile drainage systems continue to age. The gradual expansion of tile lines to an existing system, without proper resizing or venting, has only exacerbated this problem. Sinkholes caused by tile blowouts can introduce soil and nutrients into the tile drainage system and increase the potential for nutrient loss and tile blockage.
UW Discovery FarmsFixing tile blowouts: What you need to know!soil, water and climate -
Crop residues provide several benefits to the soil and crop production systems. Minerals and nutrients in crop tissue are released as residue decomposes, aiding in Read more…
Crop residues provide several benefits to the soil and crop production systems. Minerals and nutrients in crop tissue are released as residue decomposes, aiding in the recycling and better utilization of nutrients by subsequent crops. During decomposition, carbon in the residue is transformed into different soil organic matter forms. These different fractions of soil organic matter play important roles in soil fertility, soil water relations, and soil biology.
UW Madison, Soil ScienceCrop residue management: trash or treasure?soil, water and climate -
Manure production is an unavoidable by-product of livestock production facilities. In the United States, there are approximately 58,000 dairy farms (USDA-NASS, 2013a) with a total Read more…
Manure production is an unavoidable by-product of livestock production facilities. In the United States, there are approximately 58,000 dairy farms (USDA-NASS, 2013a) with a total of 9.2 million dairy cows (USDA-NASS, 2013b) which represent a manure production value of nearly 183 million tons of manure per year (USEPA, 2012). Manure production, collection, and land application are a part of every dairy system. When land applied, manure can provide essential nutrients for crop production and promote soil health and fertility. However, during these processes the manure constituents (including pathogens) can be lost to the environment causing negative environmental impacts and potentially human health impacts.
UW Madison, BSEManure irrigation: Benefits and challengesmanure and fertilizer -
Water stress can adversely impact crop yield and quality making adequate root zone soil water availability essential to any crop production operation. Irrigation has become Read more…
Water stress can adversely impact crop yield and quality making adequate root zone soil water availability essential to any crop production operation. Irrigation has become an important tool of choice by growers for drought risk management. The recommended approach to root zone soil water management includes the use of soil moisture tracking in combination with monitoring. Irrigation scheduling and rainfall forecasts can project soil moisture conditions into the near future (1-3 days) while monitoring can be used to ground truth scheduler predictions.
UW MadisonIrrigation water managementsoil, water and climate -
A project in southwestern Wisconsin has shown that producers’ changes in management can lead to improvements in stream water quality. This project began in 2006 Read more…
A project in southwestern Wisconsin has shown that producers’ changes in management can lead to improvements in stream water quality. This project began in 2006 as a pilot to test the targeting ideas of the Wisconsin Buffer Initiative (WBI, CALS, 2005). This was a project with many partners in addition to producers: Dane, Green and Iowa County Land Conservation offices, University of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Extension, The Nature Conservancy, The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), US Geological Survey, and private sector agronomists.
UW Madison Soil ScienceSuccess: Producer implemented water quality improvement in the Driftless Areawatershed studies and ag technology -
Manure can provide valuable nutrients, especially nitrogen, to high N-requiring crops such as corn. However, a large portion of manure N, about half in typical Read more…
Manure can provide valuable nutrients, especially nitrogen, to high N-requiring crops such as corn. However, a large portion of manure N, about half in typical liquid dairy manure, is in the ammonium or urea form and can potentially be lost to the air as ammonia if the manure is not incorporated into the soil promptly (Jokela and Meisinger, 2008). Tillage is the most common method of incorporation, but tillage and, to a lesser extent, standard injection reduce crop residue cover, leaving the field more susceptible to erosion. Tillage may also be incompatible with management requirements to meet criteria in nutrient management plans. Corn production for silage is particularly problematic because whole-plant removal leaves minimal residue cover after harvest. Establishment of a cover crop such as winter rye after harvest can provide adequate residue cover, but timely seeding (preferably by mid-September) is critical. Farmers need a system that incorporates manure while still maintaining crop residue cover.
USDA MarshfieldLow-disturbance manure application methods in a corn silage-rye cover crop systemmanure and fertilizer -
Agricultural nutrient management continues to be an important area of research and policy due to concerns of phosphorus (P) loss in runoff and water quality Read more…
Agricultural nutrient management continues to be an important area of research and policy due to concerns of phosphorus (P) loss in runoff and water quality degradation. Surface manure application to fields without incorporation can be a significant source of P loss (Daniel et al., 1998). In many northern states, winter manure application without incorporation is common (Srinivasan et al., 2006). This fact, combined with frequent snowmelt runoff, has prompted some states to restrict winter manure spreading. However, restrictions are based more on commonly held perceptions than on research. Studies of winter manure P loss are limited, and most have been observational with mixed results (Kongoli and Bland, 2002). P transport from winter‐applied manure varies due to infiltration, runoff, erosion, and nutrient cycling processes, all of which are sensitive to air and soil temperatures. Manure P loss also varies with spreading practices, especially relative to manure placement beneath or on top of snow and the effect of manure on rates of snow melt (Williams et al., 2011). Overall, good understanding of P cycling and transport associated with winter manure application is still lacking.
UW MadisonImpact of manure application in different seasons on phosphorus loss in runoffmanure and fertilizer -
Defining nitrogen management zones with apparent electrical impacts of dairy production systems
2015The use of apparent electrical conductivity to map the variation in fields has been around for several decades (Corwin and Lesch, 2003) and several studies Read more…
The use of apparent electrical conductivity to map the variation in fields has been around for several decades (Corwin and Lesch, 2003) and several studies have shown that there can be a statistically significant correlation between EC and various soil physical, chemical, and biological properties (e.g., Corwing and Lesch, 2003; Johnson et al., 2003). However, there isn’t a clear or standardized use of apparent EC to develop N management zones within a corn field. What we will describe here is a simple approach to using apparent EC data, with targeted soil sampling, to identify with soil properties are the best upon which to alter N rates within a field.
UW Madison Soil ScienceDefining nitrogen management zones with apparent electrical impacts of dairy production systemsnutrient management -
Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for productive agriculture. The principal N inputs on dairy farms are feeds, manure, fertilizers, biologically-fixed N, soil N Read more…
Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for productive agriculture. The principal N inputs on dairy farms are feeds, manure, fertilizers, biologically-fixed N, soil N and atmospheric N deposition. The relative importance of each N source to the production of crops, pasture and milk depends on several factors, including a farm’s stocking rate (animals per unit land area), which influences the type and amount of feed grown on a farm, feed and fertilizer purchases, manure management, N use efficiency, whole-farm N balances and environmental N loss. Soil type also impacts N use efficiency (NUE, the amount of applied N transformed into products) and N loss as ammonia (NH3), nitrate (NO3-) and nitrous oxide (N2O). This presentation will demonstrate how stocking rate, fertilizer, feed and manure management impact NUE and N loss from dairy production systems.
USDA, UW Madison Soil ScienceMeasures of nitrogen use efficiency and environmental impacts of dairy production systemsnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Potash CorporationFertilizer market update 2015nutrient management -
The Roundup Ready crop era and the robust activity of glyphosate has almost eliminated the need for an applicator to be knowledgeable about adjuvants. Arguably, Read more…
The Roundup Ready crop era and the robust activity of glyphosate has almost eliminated the need for an applicator to be knowledgeable about adjuvants. Arguably, glyphosate is the most forgiving herbicide when applied under less than optimal conditions or application methods. Glyphosate can be optimized with proper adjuvant selection, however, the lack of doing such can be offset by just applying progressively higher rates of glyphosate. Continued abuse of glyphosate in these applications eventually led to the evolution of glyphosate-resistant weed biotypes which has required the use of alternative herbicides to glyphosate.
Purdue UniversityDoes adjuvant choice really matter?weed management -
Nitrogen is the plant nutrient required in the largest quantity, the most likely to be deficient, and the most impactful on corn yield as well as Read more…
Nitrogen is the plant nutrient required in the largest quantity, the most likely to be deficient, and the most impactful on corn yield as well as grower profit. Providing N to a corn crop in the right amount while minimizing loss is difficult because of complex biological and chemical reactions that result in the loss of N from the crop root zone via deep percolation to ground water, lateral flow, runoff and erosion to surface waters, and volatile losses to the atmosphere as ammonia, nitrogen gas, nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, etc. Increasing crop utilization of N and reducing loss of N outside the field is important to the sustainability of corn production in the Corn Belt.
UW-Madison, Soil ScienceEvaluation of Adapt-N in the Corn Beltnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW Discovery FarmsDocumenting Management in Watersheds UW-Discovery Farmswatershed studies and ag technology -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
USDA - ARS RetiredOverview of Soil Qualityfor Sustaining Earth and Its Peoplenitrogen and nutrient management -
In order to truly understand the behavior of nitrogen in the soil, it is important to understand the reasons why it cycles; why and how Read more…
In order to truly understand the behavior of nitrogen in the soil, it is important to understand the reasons why it cycles; why and how soil microorganisms use nitrogen. For example, unlike plants soil bacteria can use some forms of nitrogen as an energy source rather than simply for biomass production. Their nitrogen needs and ability to compete for it in the soil are unique. In this talk, we will take an alternative view and explore the hows and whys of the nitrogen cycle from the perspective of soil microorganisms. We will see that nitrogen cycling is a consequence of the growth and activity of microorganisms, and that an understanding of how to ‘think like a microbe’ can help us have a greater understanding of plant-soil nitrogen dynamics.
First, we’ll take a look at the N cycle. We’ve all seen this before, but have we ever really looked at it from the organisms’ perspective? We’ll examine some of the reasons nitrogen cycles in the soils, and where are the important points of control. Finally, we’ll discuss how the ecology of soil organisms might contribute to soil quality, and management issues. Our ability to manage soil and fertilizer inputs for sustainable yield and environmental quality may depend on a greater understanding of soil ecology.
University of Wisconsin - MadisonThe Ecology of Soil Nitrogen Cyclingnitrogen and nutrient management -
Farmers are faced with uncertainty and risk every growing season. Changes and differences in weather patterns are typically the main driver for this risk, but Read more…
Farmers are faced with uncertainty and risk every growing season. Changes and differences in weather patterns are typically the main driver for this risk, but other factors such as commodity prices and pest pressure can also be contributing factors. Although every farm activity will have a certain inherent level of risk associated with it, some of this risk can be reduced and its impact lessened with certain management practices. This presentation will provide some recommendations to help lower risk for a crop production operation by looking at soil management, but these recommendations are not comprehensive by any means. It is advised to also pay close attention to agronomic, weed, insect, and other pest management guidelines to further improve risk management of a farming operation using an integrated approach.
UW-Madison Soil ScienceSoil Management Practices for Reducing Riskwater and soil management -
Subsurface drainage of agricultural land has the ability to improve yields and reduce surface runoff and erosion losses. However, with a reduction in surface runoff, Read more…
Subsurface drainage of agricultural land has the ability to improve yields and reduce surface runoff and erosion losses. However, with a reduction in surface runoff, more water infiltrates the soil and percolates through the soil profile. This is of particular importance to farmers, as this water can also transport essential plant nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, out of the root zone. Once nutrients reach the tile drain, they have a direct conduit to surface waters.
Tile-drained agricultural land must be well-managed to reduce the loss of nutrients to surface waters. Nutrient management practices must be carefully followed to minimize the risk of nutrient loss and to maximize fertilizer use efficiency. Additional considerations need to be taken with manure applications on tile-drained land to both minimize nutrient loss and prevent manure entry into tile drains.
There are a variety of best management practices customizable to fit individual cropping systems and various tile-drained landscapes. We have identified twelve key elements that will lead to proper nutrient management on tile-drained land and thus minimize the potential to transmit manure to tile drains.
UW Discovery FarmManagement Practices and Emerging Technologies in Tile Drained Landscapes to Mitigate Sediment and Nutrient Losswater and soil management -
Clover There has been much research using red clover as cover crop, frost-seeded in to winter wheat (Stute UWEX pub). Planting red clover into winter Read more…
Clover There has been much research using red clover as cover crop, frost-seeded in to winter wheat (Stute UWEX pub). Planting red clover into winter wheat provides a clear value for the subsequent corn crop in terms of greater yields and reduced need for nitrogen (N) fertilizer (Fig. 1.) The drawback to using red clover is that it will not die during winters in Wisconsin and thus needs to be chemically terminated in the late fall or early spring. There are two other clover species that will winter kill and can be planted after winter wheat: berseem clover and crimson clover. Neither of these species has been well-researched in Wisconsin. In late-summer of 2013, berseem and crimson clover was planted in replicated strips on a farmer field in Sheboygan County. Preliminary findings suggest that both clover species established well. In 2014, this field will be planted to corn and a N rate study will be conducted.
UW-Madison Soil ScienceOn-Farm Cover Crop Trials: Clover, Rye, and Radishwater and soil management -
Earlier soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] planting coupled with increasing seed costs and higher commodity prices has led to a surge in the number of Read more…
Earlier soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] planting coupled with increasing seed costs and higher commodity prices has led to a surge in the number of hectares planted with seed treatments (Esker and Conley, 2012). Furthermore, recent studies have suggested that growers should consider lowering seeding rates to increase their return on investment (De Bruin and Pedersen, 2008; Epler and Staggenborg, 2008). Ultimately, growers would like to know the value proposition of combining seed treatments with lowered seeding rates. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to quantify the effects of seed treatments and seeding rates on soybean seed yield and assess the economic risk and profitability of seed treatments and seeding rates, including the calculated economically optimal seeding rate (EOSR) for each seed treatment.
Trials were conducted at nine locations throughout Wisconsin during the 2012 and 2013 growing seasons, totaling 18 site-years. Syngenta brand S20-Y2 ($50 unit-1) soybeans were treated with either no seed treatment (UTC), ApronMaxx ($5 unit-1) (mefenoxam + fludioxonil at 0.0094 mg ai seed-1), or CruiserMaxx ($12 unit-1) (mefenoxam + fludioxonil + thiamethoxam at 0.0858 mg ai seed-1) at six seeding rates of 40000, 60000, 80000, 100000, 120000, and 140000 seeds acre-1. The analysis used a soybean grain sale price of $12 bu-1.
UW-MadisonEconomic Risk & Profitability of Soybean Seed Treatments at Reduced Seeding Ratesseeds and traits -
Since 1996, glyphosate has been the predominant herbicide used postemergence for weed control in corn, soybean and cotton in the United States. Because of that, Read more…
Since 1996, glyphosate has been the predominant herbicide used postemergence for weed control in corn, soybean and cotton in the United States. Because of that, glyphosate-resistant weeds have become increasingly more prevalent in glyphosate-resistant crops which have forced many growers to use other herbicides. Herbicide programs that relied primarily on glyphosate for weed control often used rates as low as 5 gallon/acre (GPA). The other herbicides being used in row crops often require a higher carrier volume according to the label when compared to glyphosate which can be burdensome to the applicator, requiring the transport of more water, more refills and more potential of mixing errors. Additionally, there is growing concern about off-target movement of pesticides and what can be done to mitigate pesticide drift. Both drift and efficacy can be affected by spray quality and application decisions such as nozzle selection, operating pressure and components of the spray solution.
Applicators should be aware that pesticide applications are complex and there are many applicator driven decisions which will impact both the efficacy and off-target movement of pesticides following the application (Figure 1). Every applicator should be aware of the potential effects starting with properly mixing and agitating the spray solution through the resulting droplet size and deposition from atomization of the spray contingent upon nozzle selection, operating pressure and spray solution composition. In general, every applicator should be aware of the weather conditions (especially wind speed), boom height, droplet size and distance away from susceptible vegetation.
University of Nebraska-LincolnRole of Adjuvants and Nozzles in Managing Drift: Lessons from Wind Tunnel, Greenhouse, and Field Studiesweed management -
Atrazine provides effective control of many small and large seeded broadleaf weeds, as well as some grass weed species, in numerous grass crops such as Read more…
Atrazine provides effective control of many small and large seeded broadleaf weeds, as well as some grass weed species, in numerous grass crops such as corn. In Wisconsin, the use of atrazine is prohibited in areas where atrazine total chlorinated residues were once found in concentrations greater than 3 parts per billion in drinking water wells. Glyphosate-resistant weeds, confirmed in 32 states, continue to be a major threat to corn and soybean production across the Nation and Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, a population of both giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) and horseweed (Conyza canadensis) has been confirmed to be resistant to glyphosate (Stoltenberg et al. 2012; Recker et al. 2013). Integrated weed management tactics, including the use of multiple effective modes-of-action (MOA) against troublesome weeds are important to delay the onset of glyphosate resistance (Norsworthy et al. 2012). Identifying geographies that may be most vulnerable to glyphosate resistance development could help direct attention and pro-active resistance management tactics before wide-scale control failures occur (Davis et al. 2008). A pro-active survey of late-season weed escapes in corn and soybean fields was conducted throughout Wisconsin in 2012 and 2013. The objective of the late-season weed escape survey was to compare weed community composition in different types of management, including previous atrazine use, as well as identify areas where glyphosate-resistant weeds may first appear.
UW-MadisonInfluence of Management and Atrazine Use on Late-Season Weed Escapes in Wisconsin Corn and Soybean Fieldsweed management -
Over the past several years there has been uncertainty within the grain handling industry on what type of sweep-auger equipment can be used and the Read more…
Over the past several years there has been uncertainty within the grain handling industry on what type of sweep-auger equipment can be used and the types of procedures the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may find acceptable.
In 2009, OSHA issued a letter of interpretation that essentially created a new policy for operating sweep augers inside grain bins. In the letter, OSHA stated an employee cannot work inside a bin with an energized sweep auger, unless the auger was “completely guarded.” The Agency did not offer any acceptable alternative procedures for removing grain from a bin if a partially guarded auger cannot be used, nor did OSHA define what is meant by completely guarded or unguarded. Prior to the letter, it was common practice in the industry to “guard”, or cover the top and back of the auger while in operation. Following the letter, OSHA stated that the entire auger, including the front, needed to be covered. However, a sweep-auger cannot properly function if it is completely guarded.
As a result, OSHA issued numerous citations to grain-handling facilities for allowing employees to work around “unguarded” sweep augers. This caused confusion within the industry since many were unsure of what type of sweep-auger equipment could be used and the types of procedures OSHA may find acceptable.
Not long ago, an Illinois grain company legally challenged OSHA citations they had received based on the 2009 letter of interpretation. Following a settlement agreement in early 2013, OSHA released a sweep auger policy memo in May of 2013. In total, there are 10 criteria outlined in the memo regarding employee entry into bins with mobilized sweep augers. The entire document is based mostly upon the existing requirements under 29 CFR 1910.272 or OSHA’s Grain Handling Standard as well as both engineering and administrative controls.
This presentation will review these 10 criteria in detail and provide examples of engineering controls that can be utilized to comply with OSHA’s new sweep auger interpretation policy memo. The PowerPoint presentation is available for viewing on the WABA website at www.wiagribusiness.org. The May 3rd 2013 policy memo can be viewed on OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.
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Wisconsin Agri-Business AssociationOSHA Issues New Sweep Auger Interpretation Policy Memograin and feed legislation and regulatory topics -
Transport of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), sediment, and pathogens via runoff from crop fields, especially where manure has been applied, can contribute to degradation of Read more…
Transport of phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), sediment, and pathogens via runoff from crop fields, especially where manure has been applied, can contribute to degradation of surface waters, leading to eutrophication and potential health effects. In the dairy cropping system of Wisconsin and most of the northern dairy belt, the silage corn phase of the rotation is the most susceptible to runoff and erosion losses because of the lack of protective crop residue and regular applications of livestock manure. We initiated this study to evaluate cropping systems to minimize adverse water quality impact, while maintaining or increasing nutrient efficiency and productivity.
The objective of this study was to evaluate field runoff losses of nutrients and pathogens from different manure/crop/tillage management systems for silage corn production. We chose to use a paired watershed design, rather than conventional replicated field plots, because the larger field-scale units provide data that more adequately reflects the more complex hydrology of the real-world landscape.
USDA-Agricultural Research ServiceRunoff Losses from Corn Silage-Manure Cropping Systemsmanure and fertilizer -
Non-point source pollution of surface water by nutrients such as phosphorus can degrade water quality for drinking, recreation and industry. When excess nutrients accumulate in Read more…
Non-point source pollution of surface water by nutrients such as phosphorus can degrade water quality for drinking, recreation and industry. When excess nutrients accumulate in lakes and reservoirs, water quality issues such as algal blooms often result. Because agriculture has been identified as a source of non-point phosphorous pollution, there has been a strong push to identify and manage farm sources of phosphorus runoff. On dairy farms, possible sources of this runoff include cropland, grazed pastures and outside cattle holding areas such as feedlots, barnyards and overwintering lots. In the United States, research on phosphorous loss due to runoff from grazed pastures has been limited.
Physically monitoring phosphorous loss from farms is an expensive, lengthy process. Simulation models are potentially a more rapid, cost-effective way to estimate phosphorous loss from farms. Agriculture Research Service soil scientist Peter Vadas, who works at the U.S Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison, worked with a team of USDA scientists to develop the Annual Phosphorous Loss Estimator (APLE) spreadsheet, which predicts the phosphorous lost through runoff for diverse types of farms and field conditions. APLE is free to download at http://ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=21763.
Building on this work, Vadas, along with Mark Powell and Geoff Brink from the Dairy Forage Research Center and Dennis Busch from UW-Platteville, monitored phosphorus loss in runoff from grazed pastures and used APLE to predict phosphorus runoff from grazing farms. This research took place from 2010-2012 at the UW-Platteville Pioneer Farm and four Wisconsin grazing farms, and was funded by the WI DATCP Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI). The researchers monitored phosphorous loss due to runoff from beef and dairy grazed pastures at the Pioneer Farm. They used this data to validate that APLE can reliably predict phosphorus loss from grazed pastures. They then used APLE to simulate phosphorous loss from the four farms, all of which use managed grazing. The focus of this brief is on the modeling results from these farms.
The researchers visited each farm three times in January, June and November 2011 to gather seasonal information about farm management. Questionnaires completed by each farm provided snapshot assessments of cattle, feed, fertilizer, manure and cropping management. Using this information, the researchers modeled year-round, whole-farm phosphorus losses under typical management for each farm.
USDA-Agricultural Research ServiceMonitoring and Predicting Phosphorus Loss from Wisconsin Dairy Grazing Farmsmanure and fertilizer -
Alfalfa Winterkill
2014No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-MadisonAlfalfa Winterkillforages -
Forage Genetics International, the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center began working together in 2000 to produce transgenic alfalfa plants Read more…
Forage Genetics International, the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center began working together in 2000 to produce transgenic alfalfa plants with reduced lignin content and improved fiber digestibility. This team of ~ 12 scientists collaborated in using gene silencing technology to systematically “knock out” each of the twelve genes in the lignin biosynthetic pathway and to compare the effect of these individual gene knockouts on alfalfa forage composition, fiber digestibility (NDFD) and agronomic performance. We were able to develop a gene knockout that gave the desired improvement in forage quality, without any negative impact on forage yield and standability. Multiple transgenic events were created containing this commercial gene silencing construct, and in 2009 a single commercial event was selected after extensive field and laboratory testing.
This commercial transgenic event has been introgressed into a wide variety of FGI germplasm to produce Reduced Lignin (RL) alfalfa. RL alfalfa has now been tested in multiple genetic backgrounds for multiple years and in multiple locations. When compared both to the non-transgenic control and to appropriate commercial check cultivars, RL alfalfa has consistently shown a ~15% reduction in whole plant lignin content and a 10 to 15% increase in NDFD and RFQ. In current trials, forage yield potential of current RL alfalfa experimentals is similar to appropriate commercial check cultivars. There is no difference in incidence of lodging of RL alfalfa compared to the non-transgenic control or conventional commercial varieties.
In cutting management trials the decreased lignin content of RL alfalfa has resulted in increased flexibility in harvest timing. A 2011 trial (Fig. 1) compared performance of a RL alfalfa breeding population to two commercial check cultivars, under two harvest treatments: 3 cuts/yr (harvest interval ~38 days) and 4 cuts/yr (harvest interval ~31 days). In this trial, and in similar trials designed to look at changes in forage quality associated with increased physiological maturity, NDFD in RL alfalfa was equal to or higher than NDFD in conventional alfalfa harvested 7-10 days earlier.
WL AlfalfaReduced Lignin Alfalfa Technology Updateforages -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-MadisonAlternative Forages: When and How to Utilize Themforages -
Corn silage is commonly fed to dairy cattle and other types of ruminant livestock, but its production can leave cropland vulnerable to nitrate leaching and Read more…
Corn silage is commonly fed to dairy cattle and other types of ruminant livestock, but its production can leave cropland vulnerable to nitrate leaching and runoff of nutrients and sediment. As result, a wide variety of cover crops or living mulches (collectively referred to here as “companion crops”) have been developed and promoted to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of corn production and to improve crop yields, nutrient cycling, and soil quality. Based on a review of the literature, a few of the more promising companion crops for corn in north-central states such as Wisconsin include winter rye, Italian ryegrass, red clover, alfalfa, and kura clover.
Winter rye is commonly seeded in the fall after corn harvest. Although it often provides little ground cover in the fall and winter, fall-seeded rye grows vigorously during the spring to protect soil and remove residual soil nitrate. Rye can be grazed or harvested for forage prior to a late planting of corn, but earlier spring termination is often used because more mature rye can in some cases deplete soil moisture, immobilize nitrogen, and depress corn yields.
Italian ryegrass is usually interseeded in June about 4 to 6 weeks after corn planting to permit establishment without excessive competition with corn. In the fall, interseeded ryegrass usually provides greater ground cover and soil nitrate scavenging than fall-seeded rye and it can be grazed or harvested for forage. Ryegrass often winterkills to provide short-lived mulch for spring-seeded crops such as corn and it tends to have a neutral effect on corn yields unless its growth and uptake of soil nitrate are too vigorous.
Red clover or alfalfa are also typically interseeded in June to prevent excessive competition with corn, but such seedings are prone to fail during dry summer conditions or if corn growth is especially vigorous. If successfully established, interseeded red clover or alfalfa will normally overwinter to provide moderate ground cover and uptake of soil nitrate during both the fall and spring. Red clover and alfalfa cover crops supply nitrogen and often boost yields of subsequent corn crops. A seemingly overlooked option would be to keep interseeded red clover or alfalfa in production for at least one year after corn to provide high quality forage and to further boost subsequent corn yields through greater nitrogen and non-nitrogen rotational effects. This system would be most workable if forage legumes could be interseeded immediately after corn planting, but new approaches are needed to lessen yield-killing competition between the co-planted crops.
Kura clover may also serve as a dual-purpose crop that can be used one year as a living mulch for corn and then kept in production in following years as a forage crop. Corn grown in kura clover can produce yields comparable to corn grown after killed kura clover, but excessive competition from the living mulch can depress corn yields. Following corn production, kura clover living mulch can recover to full forage production by midsummer of the following year. The performance of the kura-corn system has not, however, been directly compared to other companion crop systems for corn.
USDA-Agricultural Research ServiceAlfalfa, Clovers, and Grasses as Companion Crops for Silage Cornforages -
Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus (SVNV) is a Tospovirus that was first described in 2008 (Zhou et al., 2011) and first reported in Wisconsin in 2012 Read more…
Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus (SVNV) is a Tospovirus that was first described in 2008 (Zhou et al., 2011) and first reported in Wisconsin in 2012 (Smith et al., 2013). SVNV symptoms include yellowing and clearing of the veins which eventually lead to necrosis of both the vein and leaf tissue. Soybean thrips, Neohydatothrips variabilis (Beach), have been identified as a principal vector of this virus (Zhou and Tzanetakis, 2013) making SVNV the first known virus to be transmitted by soybean thrips.
Since SVNV is new to Wisconsin, it is important to understand the timing of thrips movement and virus spread as well as the associated impacts the viral infection may have on soybean. The objective of this research was to establish field trials to investigate the species composition and timing of arrival of thrips in Wisconsin soybean fields, as this information might be important for developing management strategies to reduce the damage caused by SVNV.
UW-MadisonThrips Dispersal and Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus (SVNV) in Wisconsin Soybeaninsects and disease -
Moths began arriving in the state on April 15, first appearing near Janesville in Rock County. The first significant flight was registered in Dodge and Read more…
Moths began arriving in the state on April 15, first appearing near Janesville in Rock County. The first significant flight was registered in Dodge and Grant counties from May 6-7 and the primary cutting period was predicted to start by May 28. Spring planting delays and rampant weed infestations created very favorable outbreak conditions this year, but widespread cutworm problems failed to develop. The spring migration of 577 moths collected from April 16-June 5 was much smaller than last year’s flight of 2,601 moths and damage to emerging corn was not as prevalent or severe as expected.
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer ProtectionWisconsin Insect Survey Results 2013 and Outlook for 2014insects and disease -
Transgenic Bt corn hybrids that produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner have become the standard insect management tactic across the U.S. Corn Read more…
Transgenic Bt corn hybrids that produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner have become the standard insect management tactic across the U.S. Corn Belt. Widespread planting of Bt corn places intense selection pressure on target insects to develop resistance, and evolution of resistance threatens to erode benefits associated with Bt corn, such as reduced reliance on conventional insecticides. Recognizing the threat of resistance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires seed companies to include an insect resistance management (IRM) plan when registering a Bt trait. The goal of IRM plans is to delay Bt resistance in populations of target insects. One element of IRM is the presence of a non-Bt refuge to maintain Bt-susceptible individuals within a population, and growers are required to implement IRM on-farm by planting a refuge. Field-evolved resistance has not been detected for the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), even though this species has been exposed to Bt proteins common in U.S. corn hybrids since 1996. The IRM situation is unfolding differently for Bt corn targeting the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. In this article, we examine the scientific evidence for D. v. virgifera resistance to Bt rootworm traits and the cropping system practices that have contributed to the first reports of field-evolved resistance to a Bt toxin by D. v. virgifera. We explain why this issue has developed, and emphasize the necessity of an integrated pest management approach to address the issue.
UW-MadisonResistance to BT Corn by Western Corn Rootworm in the U.S. Corn Beltinsects and disease -
Using soil insecticides for control of corn rootworm larvae have been a common practice on continuous corn since the 1950s. However, the development of Bt Read more…
Using soil insecticides for control of corn rootworm larvae have been a common practice on continuous corn since the 1950s. However, the development of Bt CRW hybrids has raised concerns regarding use, efficacy and resistance. Particularly with newer crop advisors that are unaccustomed with their use.
UW MadisonSoil Applied Corn Rootworm Insecticides 101insects and disease -
Methodologies to Value the Company There are three basic approaches to value a company: 1) the Asset approach; 2) the Income approach; and 3) the Read more…
Methodologies to Value the Company
There are three basic approaches to value a company: 1) the Asset approach; 2) the Income approach; and 3) the Market approach. These approaches are discussed.
CliftonLarsonAllenGrain Elevator and Feed Mill Asset Valuations - What is My Business Worthgrain and feed marketing -
On vegetable and potato crops, the water molds, or fungus-like, oomycetous plant pathogens, which threaten the greatest crop losses include Pseudoperonospora cubensis (causal agent of Read more…
On vegetable and potato crops, the water molds, or fungus-like, oomycetous plant pathogens, which threaten the greatest crop losses include Pseudoperonospora cubensis (causal agent of downy mildew on cucumbers), and Phytophthora infestans (causal agent of late blight on potatoes and tomatoes). Downy mildew and late blight can both be aerially dispersed over long distances and genotypes identified in the region are not known to be soilborne at this time (1, 2). Initial inoculum and infection occurs as the result of movement of spores in the air from diseased fields to healthy, infected seed or transplants, or by overwintering plant tissues harboring the pathogen from the previous year (e.g. volunteers, cull piles, compost piles). In Wisconsin in 2013, both diseases were detected in vegetable crops.
UW-MadisonDistribution & Character of Cucurbit Downy Mildew and Potato and Tomato Late Blight in 2013vegetable topics -
Foodborne infectious disease transmission of 31 pathogen types is estimated to account for 9.4 million illnesses, 56,000 hospitalizations, and 1,300 deaths in the United States Read more…
Foodborne infectious disease transmission of 31 pathogen types is estimated to account for 9.4 million illnesses, 56,000 hospitalizations, and 1,300 deaths in the United States annually (Scallan et al. 2011). The economic costs from foodborne illness in the United States are more than $50 billion per year (Scharff 2012). The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 recognizes agricultural water is a source of pathogen contamination of fresh produce and monitoring strategies are being proposed to assess the sanitary quality of water used for food production and processing. Nonetheless, one lesson learned from foodborne outbreaks the past several years is that the events and pathogen movement routes leading to contamination are often surprising. Food producers need to be constantly vigilant for previously unanticipated contamination routes.
This presentation tells three stories about three studies, highlighting the potential for human pathogens to travel unusual routes and end up in surprising places. Insofar as these routes and places intersect with food, foodborne illness can result.
USDA-Agricultural Research ServiceFrom the Ground Up: Groundwater, Surface Water Runoff, and Air as Pathogen Routes for Food Contaminationvegetable topics -
Nitrogen (N) fertilization recommendations for corn in several states in the Midwest (including WI and IN) are based on the results of many N response Read more…
Nitrogen (N) fertilization recommendations for corn in several states in the Midwest (including WI and IN) are based on the results of many N response trials conducted over a number of years, locations, soil types, and hybrids. The maximum return to N (MRTN) is calculated based on the yield response to applied N derived from the analysis of these trials and the price of grain and N fertilizer (Sawyer and Nafziger, 2006). The recommended fertilizer rate represents the point at which no further profit is realized by the application of additional N. All states using the MRTN approach consider crop rotation an important factor in determining the N recommendation and several include soil type, soil productivity, or region of the state as well (http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/soilfertility/nrate.aspx).
Purdue UniversityNitrogen Fertilization Decisions: Can We Do Betternutrient management -
With cellulosic ethanol production on its way to becoming a reality, the effects of stover removal on the landscape have not been fully examined and Read more…
With cellulosic ethanol production on its way to becoming a reality, the effects of stover removal on the landscape have not been fully examined and efficient agricultural management practices for biofuel production systems have not been developed. The current UW recommendations (e.g., UWEX A2809) do not recommend changes to nutrient management plans based on biomass removal (i.e., when corn is grown for silage). Data sets which evaluate the short- or long-term effects of biomass removal on optimum N fertilization rates for continuous corn in Wisconsin do not exist. Long-term field research (30+ years) in Wisconsin has shown that continuous corn rotations maintain and often increase corn yields and NUE over time when N is fertilized at UW recommended rates (Bundy et al., 2011); SOC and soil N supplying capability also have been shown to increase. These results indicate that with proper N fertilization and stover additions to the soil, the capacity of the soil to supply N for crop production can be maintained. An increase in biomass removal may jeopardize the sustainability of these agricultural systems. Future research in this area should focus how stover removal affects optimum N fertilization rates. However, the quantity of studies which evaluate the value of crop residue related to N fertilization rates are lacking.
UW-MadisonCorn Stover Removal and Soil Fertilitynutrient management -
Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is an economically important disease of soybean in Wisconsin. It was first discovered in the southeastern part of the state in Read more…
Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is an economically important disease of soybean in Wisconsin. It was first discovered in the southeastern part of the state in 1981 and now is found in over 90% of the state’s soybean acres (Fig. 1). It is caused by the soybean cyst nematode, a non-segmented roundworm that inhabits the soil. More recently, another economically important disease of soybean, Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), was first found in southeastern WI in 2006. A fungus found in the soil called Fusarium virguliforme is the causal agent of SDS.
UW-MadisonRelationship Between SDS and SCN in Commercial Soybean Fields in Wisconsininsects and disease -
Continuing survey work for soybean seedling root rots again found Phytophthora sansomeana along with the endemic Phytophthora sojae. P. sansomeana was first detected in Wisconsin Read more…
Continuing survey work for soybean seedling root rots again found Phytophthora sansomeana along with the endemic Phytophthora sojae. P. sansomeana was first detected in Wisconsin in 2012; results from the 2013 survey of 50 randomly-selected soybean fields and two corn fields showed soybean roots from four soybean fields and corn roots from one corn field were infected. Survey staff re-sampled the three fields in 2013 that tested positive for P. sansomeana in 2012, including two fields that had been rotated to corn. Fields were sampled between June 17 and July 18. While the significance of this P. sansomeana find is being investigated, it is the host range that raises concern about this organism. With both corn and soybeans being susceptible to infection (though the development of disease on corn has not been documented in Wisconsin to date), the potential for increases in inoculum is significant, given the widespread use of corn/soybean rotations.
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection2013 Wisconsin Crop Disease Survey Resultsinsects and disease -
Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) or white mold of soybean is caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Grau and Hartman, 1999). In the temperate north central Read more…
Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) or white mold of soybean is caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Grau and Hartman, 1999). In the temperate north central soybean production areas of the United States, SSR can be a significant yield limiting disease. In seven growing seasons between 1996 and 2009, yield losses as a result of SSR where greater than 10 million bushels (270 million kg) per year (Peltier et al., 2012). Yield can be reduced 2-5 bushels per acre (133-333 kg/ha) for every 10% increment increase in SSR incidence in soybeans at the R7 growth stage (Peltier et al., 2012). These impacts on yield are significant and make SSR one of the most important diseases of soybean in the North Central U.S.
UW-MadisonWhite Mold Management in 2013: Was It Product or Timingdisease management -
Soil health can be defined as the capacity of a specific soil to function in a natural or managed system to sustain plant and animal Read more…
Soil health can be defined as the capacity of a specific soil to function in a natural or managed system to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain environmental quality, and promote plant and animal health (SSSA, 2013). Soil organic matter (SOM) is a key component in soil health as it affects soil chemical, physical, and biological properties. It is commonly accepted that SOM enhances fertility, improves physical properties (such as, infiltration and water retention), and enhances overall soil health. Although improvements in crop varieties/hybrids and innovation in fertilizers continue to boost average yields, proper soil health is important for sustaining productivity. Crop and soil management are key to increasing SOM and improving soil health.
UW-Madison Soil ScienceThe Impact of Soil Health on Crop Productioneconomics, transportation and soil health -
Discussion related to the benefits of the integration of cover crops and improvement of soil health as part of crop management practices has increased over Read more…
Discussion related to the benefits of the integration of cover crops and improvement of soil health as part of crop management practices has increased over the past several years. A recent survey conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center reported that 2012 harvested yields from corn fields following a cover crop were 9.6% greater than side-by-side fields with no cover crops, and soybean yields improved 11.6% following cover crops. Yield differences were even greater in regions most impacted by the 2012 drought, with corn yielding 11% greater and soybeans yielded 14.3% greater than those grown in fields with no cover crops.
UW-MadisonCrop Rotation and Cover Cropping Impacts on Soil Healtheconomics, transportation and soil health -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW MadisonA Practical Sustainability Assessment Program: Processing Vegetable Resultsvegetable topics -
Weed management options in garden beets have become limited in recent years, particularly after the introduction of glyphosate-resistant sugar beets and subsequent loss of herbicide Read more…
Weed management options in garden beets have become limited in recent years,
particularly after the introduction of glyphosate-resistant sugar beets and subsequent loss of
herbicide registrations. The primary objective of this project was to evaluate registered and nonregistered
herbicides as part of pre- and post-emergent programs in an effort to achieve seasonlong
weed control. Studies were conducted in 2013 at two locations (Arlington and Plover, WI).
A total of 12 weed management programs were evaluated. Four garden beet varieties were
included: ‘Ruby Queen’, ‘Detroit Supreme’, ‘Red Ace’ and ‘Red Titan’. This study will be
repeated in the 2014 growing season at both locations.UW-MadisonEvaluation of potential new herbicides in garden beetsvegetable topics -
Wisconsin has a long history of collaboration and partnerships around issues of nutrients and water quality. Over the course of 2012-2013, Wisconsin developed a statewide Read more…
Wisconsin has a long history of collaboration and partnerships around issues of nutrients and water quality. Over the course of 2012-2013, Wisconsin developed a statewide “Nutrient Reduction Strategy” document in response to a request from USEPA to all states in the Mississippi River Basin. Although based on multi-state interest in reducing nutrients to the Gulf of Mexico, Wisconsin’s strategy includes information for the Great Lakes and also Wisconsin’s groundwater. The strategy document was developed through DNR leadership in partnership with University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s federal, state and local conservation agencies, and others. It was reviewed by agency staff, agency leadership, broader stakeholder interests, as well as the Natural Resources Board and the ATCP Board.
UW-MadisonWisconsin's Nutrient Reduction Strategy for Water Qualitywatershed studies and ag technology -
Whether or not we like it or we use it, it is clear social media has transformed our world. Social media has created dramatic shifts in Read more…
Whether or not we like it or we use it, it is clear social media has transformed our world. Social media has created dramatic shifts in how people seek information, how they share information, how they learn, how they socialize, and how they interact with organizations and businesses alike. In this session, we will provide a broad overview of the tools most commonly used today, discuss how they are used by consumers and organizations alike and then share best practices for getting started or improve your use of social media.
3Rhino MediaSocial Media in Agricultureagriculture business -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison Biological Systems EngineeringMonitoring for Manure Managementmanure and fertilizer -
Nitrogen (N) fertilization recommendations for corn in several states in the Midwest (including WI and IN) are based on the results of many N response trials Read more…
Nitrogen (N) fertilization recommendations for corn in several states in the Midwest (including WI and IN) are based on the results of many N response trials conducted over a number of years, locations, soil types, and hybrids. The maximum return to N (MRTN) is calculated based on the yield response to applied N derived from the analysis of these trials and the price of grain and N fertilizer (Sawyer and Nafziger, 2006). The recommended fertilizer rate represents the point at which no further profit is realized by the application of additional N. All states using the MRTN approach consider crop rotation an important factor in determining the N recommendation and several include soil type, soil productivity, or region of the state as well (http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/soilfertility/nrate.aspx).
Purdue University- AgronomyNitrogen Fertilization Decisions: Can we do better with adaptive N managementnutrient management -
Alfalfa is an important crop for Wisconsin and the Midwestern, United States. Commodity records, as of February 1, 2013 report alfalfa prices reaching $265 per Read more…
Alfalfa is an important crop for Wisconsin and the Midwestern, United States. Commodity records, as of February 1, 2013 report alfalfa prices reaching $265 per ton for hay (1). Nationwide, alfalfa was planted across 55.6 million acres in 2012, the 3rd field crop in terms of acreage after corn and soybean, and has an $8 billion dollar production value (15). Furthermore, alfalfa is the single largest source of protein for livestock, especially for the dairy industry (13). Wisconsin is the second largest producer of dairy in the United States, and since dairy feed is the single largest cost to the milk producer, the yield and consequent price of alfalfa is understandably important to the Wisconsin dairy industry (16).
Aphanomyces euteiches is a soil-borne oomycete that causes the disease, Aphanomyces root rot. A. euteiches can infect a variety of field crops worldwide, but in Wisconsin, the most important commodity is alfalfa. A. euteiches is most threatening in poorly drained soil conditions because it proliferates with water-motile zoospores. A. euteiches germinates in response to chemical signals from its host’s roots during early seeding, penetrates its host, and causes stunted, chlorotic hypocotyls and cotyledons due to necrosis of the roots early after emergence (12, 13). Although this disease does not cause immediate damping off, the pathogen stunts growth and reduces alfalfa’s ability to compete with weeds. This monocyclic oomycete is persistent and it is suspected that its oospores can survive as many as 30 years in soil that has not been planted with alfalfa. This suggests that A. euteiches can parasitize other hosts. Furthermore, A. euteiches has adapted to have increasingly more virulent phenotypes, beginning with race 1, race 2, and possibly now the most virulent race, race 3 (6, 12).
Currently, there exists no chemical treatment to manage A. euteiches infestations in alfalfa. The fungicide metalaxyl has been found ineffective against A. euteiches even though it effectively inhibits Phytophthora medicaginis, a second oomycete pathogen that frequently occurs in alfalfa fields (9). Farmers are left two management options for Aphanomyces root rot; crop rotations and planting with alfalfa cultivars that are selectively bred for resistance to specific races of A. euteiches. Currently, the commercial cultivar with the highest resistance available is only against race 2, which will be ineffective in prevention of A. euteiches of the putative race 3. Selectively breeding resistance to A. euteiches in alfalfa has aided in increased alfalfa yields; however breeding is a slow and costly process, especially since more virulent phenotypes than race 2 are predicted to exist (6). In addition, interest has peaked into using alfalfa varieties with the Roundup Ready trait. Anecdotal reports suggest that these Roundup Ready varieties lack the level of resistance to A. euteiches race 2 that exists in conventional varieties. This should be investigated further.
UW-Madison Plant PathologyAphanomyces Root Rot Management in Alfalfaforages -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
NRCSWisconsin NRCS Updatenutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer ProtectionNM Panel-DATCP Updatesnutrient management -
WisCALM
2014No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWisCALMmanure and fertilizer -
Agricultural production advances occur incessantly. Constant development and marketing of a myriad of crop genetics, equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, and management practices require evaluation via research to enable Read more…
Agricultural production advances occur incessantly. Constant development and marketing of a myriad of crop genetics, equipment, fertilizers, pesticides, and management practices require evaluation via research to enable the wise adoption of beneficial products and practices. Research conducted on farmer’s fields by farmers themselves or in cooperation with industry or university partners is a useful approach to comparing the new to the old and facilitate decisions to embrace change. Field-scale research is more realistic and believable to farmers and the agricultural industry thus encourages the adoption of proven products and practices. Better yet, a well designed field-scale research study is superior to traditional small plot research in detecting grain yield differences!
Purdue University- AgronomyImplementing on-farm researchnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
The REAL story behind SDS-glyphosate interactionsweed management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Purdue University- AgronomyPre- and Post-tassel Fungicides in Field corn: What the Data Tells Usnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
CME GroupIssues and Happenings at the Chicago Board of Tradeagriculture business -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
USDA crop reporting process- where do the numbers come from?agriculture business -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
CHS Hedging IncWisconsin Crop Management Conference- Commodity Markets Updateagriculture business -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
The Fertilizer InstituteFertilizer Industry Update 2013manure and fertilizer -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Deficit Irrigation Managementwater and soil management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison Biological Systems EngineeringManure Application Using Irrigation Equipmentwatershed studies and ag technology -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison AgronomyDo Weeds Reduce Forage Qualityforages -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Polenske Agronomic ConsultingThe Value of Yield Maps and Predicting Future Managementseeds and traits -
Options for Corn when Flooding, Drought, Late-planting, and Early Frost are Conspiring Against You
2014No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison AgronomyOptions for Corn when Flooding, Drought, Late-planting, and Early Frost are Conspiring Against Youseeds and traits -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison Agronomy80 Years of Breeding by Agronomy Interactions in 30 Minutes or Lessnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison EntomologyNeonic Insecticides and the Current State of Soybean Aphid in Wisconsininsects and disease -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison EntomologyBugs: The More Things Change the More They Stay the Sameinsects and disease -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison AgronomyNot Just Glyphosate: Alternative Programs Approach to Weed Managementweed management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW-Madison Ag & Applied EconomicsWhat Do Wisconsin's Atrazine Prohibition Areas Tell Us About Weed Management?weed management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
University of Nebraska- Lincoln Dept. of AgronomyBig Equipment and Sprayer Technologyweed management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
The Anderson IncHarvest 2013 Grain Quality Issuesnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer ProtectionGrain and Warehousing Updatesgrain and feed legislation and regulatory topics -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
Pfaff Public AffairsLegislative Updates on Issues Important to Agriculturegrain and feed legislation and regulatory topics -
Potassium is important for crop production in Wisconsin particularly in rotations with alfalfa and corn silage. Unfortunately when potash prices increased dramatically in 2008 many growers chose Read more…
Potassium is important for crop production in Wisconsin particularly in rotations with alfalfa and corn silage. Unfortunately when potash prices increased dramatically in 2008 many growers chose not to apply potash or apply less than recommended rates. Recently, soil test K levels have been decreasing throughout much of Wisconsin even before potash prices increased (Fig. 1). Though changes in soil test K over time vary by county (Fig. 2).
UW-Madison, Soil ScienceImportance of Potassium for Wisconsin Cropping Systemsnutrient management -
Interest in plant tissue testing as a tool to help diagnose the plant nutrient status of crops has increased greatly in the past few years. Results Read more…
Interest in plant tissue testing as a tool to help diagnose the plant nutrient status of crops has increased greatly in the past few years. Results of tissue testing along with a soil test can provide a valuable guide to more efficient crop production. Soil tests provide a good estimate of lime and general fertilizer needs. By adding tissue analysis data, the user is able to better evaluate fertilizer and management practices more accurately by providing a thorough nutritional view of the crop. Several key uses of plant analysis include: evaluation of fertilizer efficiency, determination of availability of elements for which reliable soil tests are not available, and the ability to evaluate the interaction among plant nutrients.
UW Madison, Soil SciencePlant Tissue Testing in Wisconsin: What's New?nutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW MadisonProceedings of the 2014 Wisconsin Crop Management Conferencenutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No-till production has become a common practice across the U.S. in conventional cropping systems. Approximately 35.5% of U.S. cropland planted to eight major crops (barley, Read more…
No-till production has become a common practice across the U.S. in conventional cropping systems. Approximately 35.5% of U.S. cropland planted to eight major crops (barley, corn, cotton, oats, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat) was managed through no-till operations in 2009 (Horowitz et al., 2010). No-till systems provide environmental benefits, such as reduced soil erosion, increased soil organic matter, decreased runoff and improved soil infiltration, and improved soil structure and aggregate stability (Langdale et al., 1992; Moldenhauer et al., 1983; Edwards et al., 1992; Uri et al., 1999). No-till systems can also provide economic benefits with reduced fuel and labor costs due to less tractor passes over the field (Siemans et al., 1992).
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Due to warmer than normal conditions during March, planting started quickly and then was delayed by wet conditions around May 1. Over the entire growing Read more…
Due to warmer than normal conditions during March, planting started quickly and then was delayed by wet conditions around May 1. Over the entire growing season, growing degree-day accumulation was above the 30-year normal. During May, June and July, precipitation was significantly below average in southern Wisconsin, while northern Wisconsin had above average precipitation. Drought conditions continued through August and September in the southern half of Wisconsin and were also observed in the northern half of the state. Due to a dry and warm September and October, good grain drying occurred with harvest grain moisture lower than normal in all trials.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Southern Wisconsin suffered through a drought during the 2012 growing season that rivaled that of 1988. Affected areas were at the northern fringe of a Read more…
Southern Wisconsin suffered through a drought during the 2012 growing season that rivaled that of 1988. Affected areas were at the northern fringe of a devastating drought that engulfed over half of the contiguous United States. The 2012 drought joins about 15 previous ones, some of them multi-year, that Wisconsin has endured since 1900. For the practicing agronomist it will be one of two or three profound droughts of a career. As with most droughts it was associated with warmer-than-average summer temperatures. Of the ten driest summers (June, July, and August – JJA) since 1895 in Southcentral Wisconsin, 2012 was the hottest, followed by 1988. In this same region 2012 JJA was essentially tied with 1948 as the driest since 1895 (at 6.2”) (Figure 1).
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In response to the increase in interest in cover crop use and cover crop management, we have written several extension articles on economics, weed and Read more…
In response to the increase in interest in cover crop use and cover crop management, we have written several extension articles on economics, weed and herbicide management, soil erosion control, and nitrogen management. This paper is intended as review and a resource for those interested in cover crop management. The accompanying presentation at the 2013 Wisconsin Crop Management Conference will be conducted as a Question and Answer session on all aspects of cover crop management, with a particular focus on addressing concerns for the 2013 growing season.
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Herbicide resistance in weeds, especially glyphosate resistance, has generated many recommendations from University Extension over the last several years to include more preemergence herbicides with Read more…
Herbicide resistance in weeds, especially glyphosate resistance, has generated many recommendations from University Extension over the last several years to include more preemergence herbicides with residual weed control activity as a greater part of an Integrated Weed Management approach. Unfortunately, over the last many years the economics have favored the sole reliance on a postemergence glyphosate system. It is apparent that constantly ‘beating the drum’ to include residual herbicides as a way to prevent resistance falls on deaf ears unless economics favor the approach. Moreover, residual herbicides applied at the preemergence timing do not come without potential drawbacks. These drawbacks can include injury on young crop seedlings under adverse weather conditions, poor performance when rainfall does not occur to ‘activate’ the herbicide into soil-water solution, and potential carryover under prolonged dry soil conditions adversely affecting a sensitive rotational crop. Unfortunately, we experienced both of the latter of those three statements in 2012, even though the extent to the problems of carryover will not be clear until we’re into the 2013 season. So, in a dry year like 2012, it may easily leave some to question whether the risk of preemergence herbicides is worth the reward. With this background in mind, it is important to constantly evaluate the value of using preemergence herbicides with residual weed control activity for protecting crop yield, and ultimately producing greater economic returns. At the UW-Madison Arlington Agriculture Research station, we annually conduct several herbicide evaluation trials. This year we also conducted several trials that evaluated the impact of several other pest management treatments on the yield of corn and soybean. Several trials revealed the impact of early-season weed control through the use of residual herbicides this year, but to stay concise, I will summarize one corn trial and one soybean trial which demonstrated the effect of early-season weed control in a dry year (2012).
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Update On Herbicide Resistance in Wisconsin and Proactive Late-Season Weed Escape Survey Efforts
2013The potential increase of glyphosate-resistant weeds is a major threat to corn and soybean production across the nation and in Wisconsin. There are 14 glyphosate-resistant Read more…
The potential increase of glyphosate-resistant weeds is a major threat to corn and soybean production across the nation and in Wisconsin. There are 14 glyphosate-resistant weeds confirmed in the United States, five of which occur in states that border Wisconsin (Heap 2012). A southern Wisconsin population of giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida L.) was confirmed to be glyphosate-resistant and announced at this conference one year ago (Stoltenberg et al. 2012). Additionally, a different Wisconsin population of giant ragweed was also recently confirmed as resistant to cloransulam-methyl3 . Integrated weed management tactics, including the use of multiple effective modes-of-action (MOA) against troublesome weeds are important to delay the onset of glyphosate resistance (Norsworthy et al. 2012). Identifying geographies that may be most vulnerable to glyphosate resistance development could help direct attention and pro-active resistance management tactics before wide-scale control failures occur (Davis et al. 2008). The objective of the late-season weed escape survey is to identify areas of Wisconsin for potential shifts to weeds that are more difficult to control with glyphosate and areas where glyphosate resistant weeds may first appear.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Weather has had a major impact on the insects and their activity in 2012. A very mild winter, early spring warm-up, serious drought in the Read more…
Weather has had a major impact on the insects and their activity in 2012. A very mild winter, early spring warm-up, serious drought in the southern half of the state, numerous strong southerly airflows and an extended growing season all had influences this season. This will be a recordbreaking year in the insect diagnostic lab for number of samples and e- mails with over 6,600 contacts for 2012.
The early warm-up in March brought in many southern migrants. Adult variegated cutworms and armyworms moths were collected in March a full three weeks earlier than any previous records, and large numbers of cutworm egg masses were found pasted on siding and windows in the northern part of the state.. By May and early June major (almost biblical) climbing cutworm problems were seen in central and northern counties. Large influxes of both aster and potato leafhoppers were recorded early and a number of “southern insects” including the Genista broom moth, citron bug, and large numbers of two species of migratory butterflies. Strawberry growers experienced eastern flower thrips problems 2012 and a new tospovirus ( likely thrips transmitted ) was found on soybeans in the state this year.
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Four out of every five animals on earth is a nematode, so it is not surprising that corn and soybean fields are teeming with many Read more…
Four out of every five animals on earth is a nematode, so it is not surprising that corn and soybean fields are teeming with many members of this diverse group of invertebrates. In 2012 the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board expanded the long-running soybean cyst nematode (SCN) testing program to include the “complete nematode test” so producers can monitor total nematode pressure in four fields every year at no charge. This sampling program was used to estimate the current distribution and damage potential for nematode pests of corn in Wisconsin. As of November 30, 2012 the program received 315 samples for analysis. Thirty-five samples arrived before July 1st so the results could be used to explain crop performance in 2012. Samples that arrived after July 1, 2012 were useful for predicting nematode pressure for the 2013 crop.
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Transgenic Bt corn hybrids that produce insecticidal proteins from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have become the standard insect management tactic across the U.S. Read more…
Transgenic Bt corn hybrids that produce insecticidal proteins from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have become the standard insect management tactic across the U.S. Corn Belt. In 2012, 67 percent of 96.4 million acres of corn planted in the U.S. contained a Bt trait (USDA ERS, 2012; USDA NASS, 2012). Widespread planting of Bt corn creates intense selection pressure for target insects to develop resistance. Evolution of resistance diminishes the efficacy and benefits of Bt corn technology.
Because Bt traits are pesticidal substances produced by plants, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers Bt crops through the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (EPA, 2012). Recognizing the threat of evolution of insect resistance, the EPA requires registrants (seed companies) to include an insect resistance management (IRM) plan when applying to register a Bt crop. The goal of the IRM plan is to reduce selection pressure associated with Bt crops and prevent, or at least delay, development of resistance in the target insect population. Growers are required to implement the IRM plan on-farm by planting a refuge. The refuge provides a corn crop habitat that allows target pest insects to develop without exposure to the Bt trait. Mating between susceptible insects from the refuge and potential resistant insects from the Bt corn minimizes the chance of resistance developing in the population.
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Nitrogen (N) management for processing sweet corn in Wisconsin has proven to be a complex issue. Sweet corn has a relatively large N demand and, Read more…
Nitrogen (N) management for processing sweet corn in Wisconsin has proven to be a complex issue. Sweet corn has a relatively large N demand and, to ensure complete kernel development, requires maintaining plant available N in the soil profile throughout the growing season, which can be a challenge on sandy soils. Current N guidelines for sweet corn in the University of Wisconsin Extension Publication A2809 (Nutrient Application Guidelines for Field, Vegetable and Fruit Crops in Wisconsin) suggest 150 lb/ac of N for soils with less than 2% soil organic matter and 130 lb/ac of N for soils with 2 to 10% soil organic matter, based on a yield range of 2 to 10 ton/ac. The guidelines also suggest split-applications or sidedress applications of N on coarse-textured (sandy) soils. Most, if not all, sweet corn production in the Central Sands is on coarse-textured soil with less than 2% soil organic matter and grown with split-applications of N. To evaluate the current A2809 guidelines for N application, on-farm N rate trials were conducted in 2009, 2010, and 2011, on four fields per year, for a total of twelve site-years. All fields were located in Adams County, WI. All plots had 60 lb/ac of N applied before V4 and 45 lb/ac of N applied as fertigation at tassel (VT stage). Six different N rates were then added as sidedress at V6-V8: 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 lb/ac of N, resulting in total N applications of 105, 130, 155, 180, 205, and 230 lb/ac of N.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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A variety of research has been conducted to assess the efficacy of the nitrification inhibitor Instinct in Wisconsin from 2008 through 2012. Several studies have Read more…
A variety of research has been conducted to assess the efficacy of the nitrification inhibitor Instinct in Wisconsin from 2008 through 2012. Several studies have focused on the use of Instinct with UAN and urea as well as dairy manure. Initial research with UAN applied preplant with and without Instinct on a deep well drained silt loam, found a 5 bu/a yield increase, which was not significant, in two of three years. In both of these years, there was excessive rainfall that resulted in 30 to 40 lb/a of N loss from preplant applied N. In another study, Instinct applied with urea significantly increased corn grain and silage yield when applied in fall and spring. However, application of Instinct with liquid dairy manure did not increase grain yield, but did result in significantly greater silage yield. In general, measurement of nitrate and ammonium concentrations in soil demonstrate that ammonium N concentrations are greater and nitrate N concentrations are lower where Instinct was applied compared to where it wasn’t. This suggests a lower likelihood of N loss from leaching or denitrification where Instinct was applied, even though it didn’t always translate into greater yield.
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Numerous climatic studies have shown that weather patterns are changing in Wisconsin and other Midwestern States. Precipitation events are becoming more extreme in both volume Read more…
Numerous climatic studies have shown that weather patterns are changing in Wisconsin and other Midwestern States. Precipitation events are becoming more extreme in both volume and intensity and are occurring with larger variation on a state and regional basis. The timing and magnitude of these more extreme events plays a vital role in the potential for sediment and nutrient loss from agricultural land.
To assess the magnitude of a precipitation event, Depth-Duration-Frequency (DDF) charts are commonly used to evaluate rainfall depths (inches of rain) for different durations (e.g., 30 min, 1 h, 24 h). These values are then compared to statistical frequency of similar sized events to determine a ranking of a storm. A common example is the 25-year/24-hour event that is used as a design criteria in technical standards for sizing best management practices to be effective to a given storm size. An example in northeast Wisconsin is the value of 5.29 inches of precipitation received in a 24 hour period. This is the 25-year/24-hour storm event that should statistically occur once every 25 years.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The dairy industry in Wisconsin produces the equivalent of 12 Billion gallons of liquid dairy manure annually. That’s enough to cover Lambeau field (including the Read more…
The dairy industry in Wisconsin produces the equivalent of 12 Billion gallons of liquid dairy manure annually. That’s enough to cover Lambeau field (including the endzones) to a depth of just over 5 miles. Wisconsin’s 134 for-hire manure applicators apply ~ 6 billion gallons of liquid manure and ~800,000 tons annually. This is a 50% increase in liquid manure application by for-hire applicators since 2006, and >300% increase in solid manure handling.
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Giant ragweed is becoming an increasingly problematic weed to control in both corn and soybean fields in Wisconsin. In an on-line survey conducted between June Read more…
Giant ragweed is becoming an increasingly problematic weed to control in both corn and soybean fields in Wisconsin. In an on-line survey conducted between June and September of this past year (2012), respondents indicated that giant ragweed was the fourth most problematic weed to control in their corn and soybean fields. Moreover, in Wisconsin there has been a giant ragweed population confirmed resistant to glyphosate, and recently one population confirmed resistant to cloransulam-methyl. In total, there are now eleven states in the U.S. and one province in Canada (Ontario) with reported populations of glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed (Heap 2012; Stoltenberg et al. 2012). The populations confirmed resistant to glyphosate were collected in Ohio (2004), Arkansas (2005), Indiana (2005), Kansas (2006), Minnesota (2006), Tennessee (2007), Ontario, CA (2008), Iowa (2009), Missouri (2009), Mississippi (2010), Nebraska (2010), and Wisconsin (2010). Additionally, there are five other states in the U.S. with giant ragweed populations resistant to cloransulam-methyl including Illinois (1998), Indiana (1998), Ohio (1998), Iowa (2000), and Minnesota (2008). Most concerning is that Ohio (2006) and Minnesota (2008) have both reported populations that are multiple resistant to both glyphosate and cloransulam meaning tank-mixtures of these two herbicide mode-of-actions (MOAs) are not effective. There is a very high level of importance to find and evaluate control strategies for giant ragweed in corn and soybean for Wisconsin crop producers.
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Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) has been identified as a weed of concern in Wisconsin pastures. It can reduce forage yield and utilization, both of which Read more…
Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) has been identified as a weed of concern in Wisconsin pastures. It can reduce forage yield and utilization, both of which can have a negative impact on animal performance (Undersander et al., 2002). Control typically involves the use of herbicides, an effective control that has been well-researched and documented. Though effective in controlling Canada thistle, herbicides also kill clovers, which are highly desired in Wisconsin pastures. Thus graziers are often left wondering if they should manage Canada thistle infestations in pastures with an herbicide, knowing it will remove the clovers, or if they should allow this problem weed to persist. To answer this question it is important to understand how much forage is being lost due to direct competition with Canada thistle and how much forage utilization is reduced by this spiny weed.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Erosion is older than human kind. It has helped shape and form numerous landscapes on the planet. However, erosion is detrimental to agriculture, the environment, Read more…
Erosion is older than human kind. It has helped shape and form numerous landscapes on the planet. However, erosion is detrimental to agriculture, the environment, and the economy. In the 1930s the damaging effects of soil erosion were felt in Washington DC, bringing the attention of government officials to this problem. This awareness of soil erosion’s negative impacts, both on- and off-farm, was key for establishing new programs to address the issue. Wisconsin played a crucial role in the fight against soil erosion in the United States. In 1933, the Coon Valley Watershed Project became the first watershed conservation project in the nation. The site was selected due to the interest of many local farmers in stopping rills and gullies from ravaging their fields. Many conservation practices, such as contour planting and strip cropping, were established and implemented for the first time in multiple farms in a single watershed. Not only was progress monitored at the field and farm level, but benefits to local streams and wildlife were also studied. This watershed project was so successful that it led to the establishment of the Soil Conservation Service (currently Natural Resources Conservation Service). Awareness of soil and other natural resources gained significant attention during this period and the decades that followed. Although great advances have been made in the area of soil and water conservation, the need for this work continues. Many fields still have erosional losses well above soil tolerable loss values, and these are much greater than soil formation rates. Recent changes in climatic patterns, including droughts and severe rainfall events, have created more stress on soil resources. Further, high grain prices have placed incentives on farming marginal and fragile lands. All of these factors have generated greater risks for soil erosion. Can we learn any lessons from history to protect one of our most precious and important resources?
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Green Bay is the largest freshwater estuary in the world. All the waters within the Lower Fox River Basin drain to Green Bay. However, there Read more…
Green Bay is the largest freshwater estuary in the world. All the waters within the Lower Fox River Basin drain to Green Bay. However, there are waters within the Lower Fox River Basin that are impaired due to high levels of sediment and phosphorus entering the waters. Impaired waters need to be corrected – – restored to fishable, swimmable, and designated use conditions as required by the U.S. EPA in the Clean Water Act.
All land uses within the Lower Fox River Basin, whether urban or rural, contribute a source of sediment and phosphorus to the waters within the basin to some extent, but in varying amounts. To determine the amounts of sediment and phosphorus being delivered to the waters, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) were developed and subsequently approved by EPA in May 2012 (http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/tmdls/). By knowing the amounts of sediment and phosphorus being delivered to a waterbody, and which areas or land uses contribute the most pollutants, resource managers can focus their restoration efforts in the watershed in order to achieve improved water quality.
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Alfalfa has been a primary forage crop on Wisconsin dairy farms for many years. As we enter 2013 it is readily apparent that today’s alfalfa Read more…
Alfalfa has been a primary forage crop on Wisconsin dairy farms for many years. As we enter 2013 it is readily apparent that today’s alfalfa varieties are much different than those planted 15-20 years ago. Further, alfalfa is managed more intensively from a cutting frequency standpoint in an attempt to harvest forage of higher quality. In 2012 Wisconsin alfalfa was subject to a multitude of stresses, the consequences of which have yet to be seen. As we enter 2013 it seems appropriate to take inventory of the current state of alfalfa, looking both at factors that have been changing over the past 20 years and those that have impacted the crop and its management recently.
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The 2012 drought reduced alfalfa yield by significantly across Wisconsin. It appears, that while some regions (especially northeast Wisconsin) had better yield than others, the Read more…
The 2012 drought reduced alfalfa yield by significantly across Wisconsin. It appears, that while some regions (especially northeast Wisconsin) had better yield than others, the overall average yield was down about 25% and (since haylage is made first and the rest baled) hay production may be down by as much as 50%.
In the Southern part of the Wisconsin yield of first cutting was reduced due to a dry March. Alfalfa root systems die back to some extent over winter. The root system requires good soil moisture in the early spring to regrow. If a strong root system forms then high yields will occur on first cutting. If the root system growth is restricted by dry soil, then the top growth will be reduced, even if good rain occurs in the later part of the first cutting growth period (during April and May) as occurred this past year.
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The 2012 drought generated many dairy cattle feeding related questions, especially in southern Wisconsin. Harvest and storage issues emerged and disappeared as the cropping year Read more…
The 2012 drought generated many dairy cattle feeding related questions, especially in southern Wisconsin. Harvest and storage issues emerged and disappeared as the cropping year progressed, while feeding issues linger through feed out. The situation has been exacerbated by very high corn, soybean meal, forage, and byproduct feedstuff prices for those needing to purchase more feed unexpectedly due to the drought. Below is a list of sub-topics for discussion from a dairy cattle nutrition perspective at the conference.
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Current trends in agronomic field crop production (corn and soybean) have been towards the use of foliar fungicides to promote “plant health” and increase yield Read more…
Current trends in agronomic field crop production (corn and soybean) have been towards the use of foliar fungicides to promote “plant health” and increase yield in the absence of disease. Trials to examine this trend have been conducted across the upper Midwest and have resulted in very inconsistent results. Headline (pyraclostrobin, BASF, Research Triangle Park, NC) was approved for use in alfalfa beginning in 2011. We received numerous questions from growers and university researchers regarding the benefits of foliar fungicide use in alfalfa grown for forage. Many of these questions were focused on the use of a fungicide in a tank-mix with an insecticide, with the intent of providing a positive synergistic yield response. Thus, the objective of this study was to conduct field research trials in Wisconsin and Minnesota to examine the benefit of using a foliar fungicide, alone or in combination with foliar insecticide on alfalfa.
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A fully developed integrated pest management (IPM) system uses all available strategies for a given pest or pest complex in a cropping system; incorporating host Read more…
A fully developed integrated pest management (IPM) system uses all available strategies for a given pest or pest complex in a cropping system; incorporating host plant resistance, biological, cultural and physical controls and chemical control when necessary (Pedigo, 1999). Several such management strategies have been developed in alfalfa for the potato leafhopper (Empoasca fabae) (PLH). The first glandular haired varieties of alfalfa, bred for resistance to PLH were released for market in 1997. Field studies of these varieties have been met with varying levels of success. Lefko et al. (2000) observed that established resistant alfalfa stands could tolerate up to 2.5 greater the PLH pressure as a susceptible stand. However, when leafhopper pressure is low, resistant alfalfa has expressed some amount of yield drag (Hogg et al. 1998, Hansen et al. 2002). The presence of grasses in alfalfa fields has also been correlated to a reduction in PLH abundance. Degooyer et al. (1999) showed that both orchardgrass and bromegrass intercropped in alfalfa stands significantly reduced the number of PLH present, but noted it was not enough to keep populations below economic thresholds. Grasses are also promoted as an intercrop with alfalfa for the increase in digestible fibers and decrease in non-fiber carbohydrates they provide, which can help reduce incidence of ruminal acidosis (Lee, 2011).
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Populations of the Twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, increase during periods of hot, dry weather. Representative grain yield reduction potential in soybean (40-60%), field Read more…
Populations of the Twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, increase during periods of hot, dry weather. Representative grain yield reduction potential in soybean (40-60%), field corn (23%) and silage corn (17%) are significant (Klubertanz, 1994; Bynum, pers. comm.).
Spider mites damage plants by piercing cells and sucking sap. Mites often go undetected until damage is severe because of their tiny size and because spider mite feeding and drought stress symptoms are similar. It is important to be aware of twospotted spider mite potential under these conditions, recognize plant damage symptoms, and be able to identify live mite colonies in the field.
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To date, the in-plant distribution of the in-furrow, systemic neonicotinoid classes (IRAC MoA 4A) of insecticides are relatively unknown in potato. Variable insecticide concentration and Read more…
To date, the in-plant distribution of the in-furrow, systemic neonicotinoid classes (IRAC MoA 4A) of insecticides are relatively unknown in potato. Variable insecticide concentration and distribution over time is thought to affect resistance development in numerous insect pests, including key pests of potato (Gould, 1984, Isaacs, 2002, Daniels et al., 2009). Dynamic insecticide expression in the crop creates sub-lethal refuges promoting the evolution of behavioral and physiological mechanisms of resistance (Hoy et al., 1998). Documentation of insecticide within potato foliage throughout the growing season will generate a concentration profile for systemic use patterns. Insecticide expression patterns will better inform times at which the crop expresses sub-lethal insecticide doses that have direct implications for resistance management of key insect pests in potato. Connecting the amount of insecticide delivered to the proportion taken up by the plant season-long is a key factor in documenting overall in-plant concentration and environmental fate of insecticides.
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Effective, economical, and efficient season-long management of key insect pest species in commercial, succulent snap bean continues to be a challenge for many locales in Read more…
Effective, economical, and efficient season-long management of key insect pest species in commercial, succulent snap bean continues to be a challenge for many locales in the Midwest. Much of the processing snap bean crop in the upper Midwest is now treated with an at-plant, seed treatment including thiamethoxam, (Cruiser® 5FS). This prophylactic approach is designed to mitigate risk of damage by both seed corn maggot (SCM), Delia platura, and the potato leafhopper (PLH), Empoasca fabae. Cruiser applied at the labeled rates of 1.28 fl oz / 100 lb of seed, has been demonstrated to protect the crop from the early season seed maggot pressure as well as the damage resulting from immigrant potato leafhopper populations for nearly 50 days. Unfortunately, the Cruiser seed treatments will not protect the crop against infestation by the European corn borer. As a result, if degree day accumulations are favorable for a flight of European corn borer at a vulnerable stage of snap bean development (e.g. flowering to pin bean stage), a foliar spray of insecticide continues to be warranted. The current project proposes to continue with these evaluations and compare an experimental and a commercially registered anthranilic diamide, cyazypyr (HGW86 20SC), and rynaxypyr (Coragen® 1.67SC), respectively, as both in-furrow and seed treatment applications for the control of European corn borer in succulent snap beans.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Nitrogen management continues to be difficult due to transformations of nitrogen fertilizers that are possible when applied to soil and the uncertainties of weather (Cabrera Read more…
Nitrogen management continues to be difficult due to transformations of nitrogen fertilizers that are possible when applied to soil and the uncertainties of weather (Cabrera et al., 2008). Nitrate fertilizer is subject to leaching (Randall et al., 2008) or denitrification (Coyne, 2008) depending on the water content of the soil and water movement through the soil. Ammonium forms of N can be fixed (Kissel et al., 2008), or can be transformed to nitrate through the activities of specific soil bacteria (Norton, 2008). Because of these and other processes, nitrogen use efficiency is low.
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Nitrogen fertilizer in the form of urea is subject to ammonia volatilization through the activity of the urease enzyme found ubiquitously in soil (Kissel et Read more…
Nitrogen fertilizer in the form of urea is subject to ammonia volatilization through the activity of the urease enzyme found ubiquitously in soil (Kissel et al., 2008). Nitrogen volatilization is especially prevalent when urea is applied to the soil surface, as in no-till systems when growers have not invested in sub-surface application tools. To decrease possible ammonia volatilization losses a number of products have been developed to delay urease activity.
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Maintaining high corn yields on highly productive lands is essential for the sustainability of agricultural production in Wisconsin. Sustainability also relies on soil conservation practices Read more…
Maintaining high corn yields on highly productive lands is essential for the sustainability of agricultural production in Wisconsin. Sustainability also relies on soil conservation practices and reduced energy inputs. Many growers have adopted no-till management practices to reduce energy costs, reduce soil erosion, and conserve soil organic carbon. However, no-till as a management practice remains an under-utilized conservation practice for corn-based production systems in Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, approximately 500,000 acres of corn is grown under no-till (Frazee et al., 2005), which ranks tenth among all states. More growers are likely to adopt no-till management practices if potential negative production implications can be overcome. Studies conducted on rainfed, Corn Belt soils have mixed results with studies showing positive yield effects of no-till (Olson and Ebelhar, 2009; Grandy et al., 2006; Hussain et al., 1999) and negative yield effects of no-till (Bakhsh and Kanwar, 2007; West et al., 1996). For Wisconsin soils, suppressed yields have been shown to be a result of lower soil temperatures (Andraski and Bundy, 2008). In an effort to combat this yield decrease, Andraski and Bundy (2008) further suggest that an additional 30 lb/ac of nitrogen (N) may be required to maintain corn yields when managed with no-till. Increasing the N fertilizer rate adds an additional expense to the operation and does not guarantee that this N will be used efficiently by the crop. Further adoption of no-till as a tillage practice is unlikely unless these yield and economic gaps can be overcome. There are currently several fertilizer technologies, such as polymer-coated urea (PCU) and urease and nitrification inhibitors (U! and NI) which may be viable alternatives to conventional N fertilizer for improving yields in no-till corn and would alleviate the need for supplemental N in these systems. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of different N fertilizer products on corn yield in long-term tillage and crop rotation trials. The N products evaluated are a PCU, urea with UI, and a product with both a UI and NI. The PCU evaluated was ESN® (Agrium, Inc.), the UI evaluated was Agrotain® (Agrotain, Ltd.) added to urea, and the UI+NI product was SuperU® (Agrotain, Ltd) which has the UI and NI chemicals impregnated into the urea granule.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Aspergillus ear rot is caused by the fungus Aspergillus flavus and is recognized as an olive-green powdery mold that usually occurs at the ear tip Read more…
Aspergillus ear rot is caused by the fungus Aspergillus flavus and is recognized as an olive-green powdery mold that usually occurs at the ear tip or in association with damaged kernels. The fungus infects corn ears soon after pollination when the silks are yellow-brown but still moist. Infection and colonization of kernels are favored by hot (>86F), dry conditions during grain fill.
The fungus, A. flavus, may also produce a potent mycotoxin called aflatoxin. Hot, dry conditions with warm (>70F) nights and low kernel moisture (<35%) favor the production of aflatoxin. Not all strains of A. flavus produce aflatoxin. Grain contaminated with aflatoxin can cause feeding and reproductive disorders in swine, cattle and poultry, and has been associated with esophageal cancer in humans. For these reasons, the FDA has established an “action level” of 20 ppb for aflatoxins in corn for interstate commerce.
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The Pest Survey Program of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection conducts monitoring and detection surveys for targeted exotic and key endemic Read more…
The Pest Survey Program of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection conducts monitoring and detection surveys for targeted exotic and key endemic agricultural and wildland plant pests.
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Fungicides have become a major component of plant disease management plans for agronomic crops. Fungicides are applied to prevent or slow epidemics of disease caused Read more…
Fungicides have become a major component of plant disease management plans for agronomic crops. Fungicides are applied to prevent or slow epidemics of disease caused by fungi. Unlike insecticides and herbicides, which are used to kill insects and weeds, fungicides are applied to form a barrier to protect plant organs from infection. Performance of fungicide products can be affected by many factors including timing of application, off-label rates, poor product choice for the pathogen of concern (e.g. active ingredient is not effective against the organism), fungicide resistance, etc.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The nutrient credits from applied manure vary by animal species and the manure management system in place on the farm. Traditionally, the most common approaches Read more…
The nutrient credits from applied manure vary by animal species and the manure management system in place on the farm. Traditionally, the most common approaches have been liquid handling systems (minimal bedding) and solid manure systems, which is a more highly bedded management strategy. In more recent years, practices such as running the manure through a digester or composting process as well as liquid-solid separation have become more common. These actions can have a significant impact on total nutrient content and potential availability of the nutrients when field applied. The use of sand bedding has replaced wood products as a bedding source on many farms as well.
With any change in management there is the potential for a significant shift in the manure characteristics and nutrient content. The best way to track these changes is though a comprehensive manure sampling and testing program. In cases where this is not practical, book values exist to give an estimate of the typical nutrient content for a specific manure type. This can be an effective strategy but only if the manure on the farm is relatively normal or typical.
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Land application of manure is the most common end product use in Wisconsin and throughout the nation. Application of manure provides the necessary nutrients for Read more…
Land application of manure is the most common end product use in Wisconsin and throughout the nation. Application of manure provides the necessary nutrients for crop production and provides organic matter essential to soil health. When applied correctly manure serves as a beneficial soil amendment and fertilizer, however when over applied, manure can be the cause of substantial environmental consequences. Therefore, management of manure applications if critical to limit negative environmental impacts. Application rates play a key role in accurately applying manure. Unfortunately, the variability in manure and lack of process controls makes accurate application difficult. Key practices in frequency and methods of sampling, agitation, and application equipment can minimize the variation in manure consistency reducing the chance for over application. Recent and previous research has shown the importance of manure management practices during agitation and application and how they can effectively be used to reduce environmental impact while increasing crop yields due to accurate application.
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Optimal crop production requires nutrient application. Land application of nutrients is a common practice in Wisconsin and occurs as both animal manure and chemical fertilizers. Read more…
Optimal crop production requires nutrient application. Land application of nutrients is a common practice in Wisconsin and occurs as both animal manure and chemical fertilizers. Conventional practices have involved nutrient application during the spring or fall and at quantities sufficient to ensure adequate supply throughout the growing season. This requires applying additional nutrients to compensate for anticipated losses through both surface and subsurface pathways and/or mineralization in the soil. Mechanisms for these losses can include manure in surface runoff and tiles or nutrients dissolved in stormwater runoff.
Nutrient losses represent a cost to producers as well as the environmental cost from downstream impacts. Nutrients lost from upland areas enter streams, lakes and groundwater resulting in impairment to beneficial use. Oxygen demanding organic matter, bacteria, pathogens and nutrients from manure can pose public health and environmental risks. In addition, it is costly to transport liquid manure from the farm to land application areas. These costs increase with distance along with increased wear on public roads.
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Current nitrogen (N) fertilizer management practices for vegetable farming have led to elevated levels of nitrate-nitrogen in the local groundwater. A study was conducted at Read more…
Current nitrogen (N) fertilizer management practices for vegetable farming have led to elevated levels of nitrate-nitrogen in the local groundwater. A study was conducted at the Hancock Agricultural Research station to determine if controlled release fertilizer, specifically Environmentally Smart Nitrogen (ESN®), could reduce groundwater N concentration. Field experiments were conducted using Russet Burbank potato and Overland sweet corn, planted in Plainfield sand. Four fertilizer rates in potato were evaluated: 1) 0 N control, 2) 224 kg ha-1 of N as ESN®, 3) 280 kg N ha-1 as ESN®, and 4) 280 kg N ha-1 as a split application of ammonium sulfate (AS) and ammonium nitrate (AN). Sweet corn fertilizer rates were: 1) 0 N control, 2) 168 kg N ha-1 as ESN®, 3) 168 kg N ha-1 as ASurea-urea, and 4) 224 kg N ha-1 as AS-urea-urea. Both studies included three replicates to create twelve 14.6 m by 15.2 m field plots. Three groundwater monitoring wells placed diagonally across plots were installed and sampled weekly during the growing season and monthly during winter for assessing nitrate. Bromide tracer was used to evaluate solute flux and spatial distribution of N leaching potential among plots. Bromide tracer showed that plot size was sufficiently large with no plot-to-plot contamination from N migration and the time for groundwater to flow to adjacent plots is longer than the growing season. Therefore, in-season contamination is minimal, and thus nitrate measurements were from respective plots. Trends indicate that ESN® reduced the amount of nitrate leaching to groundwater. However, highly variable background nitrate concentrations in the groundwater made it difficult to show statistical significance. The effective use of groundwater monitoring wells requires careful consideration of depth to groundwater, groundwater flow direction, and variability of groundwater nitrogen concentration.
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Drought experienced through much of Wisconsin during the summer has reduced the states dry alfalfa inventory by 32% and other dry forage by 1% as Read more…
Drought experienced through much of Wisconsin during the summer has reduced the states dry alfalfa inventory by 32% and other dry forage by 1% as of the 2012 USDA October Crop Production summary. Forage shortages are of great concern to livestock producers. The high cost of many forms of feed caused unexpected financial challenges for livestock producers. New forage production strategies will help rebuild the low forage inventories across the state.
One such strategy is the potential to raise double crop forages after winter wheat harvest. Farms scattered across Wisconsin tried growing emergency forages and double crop soybeans after winter wheat during the 2012 drought with mixed results. Rather than growing emergency forages during the wheat fallow gap in the growing season, planned double crop forage can increase the likelihood of success.
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Late blight is a potentially destructive disease of potatoes and tomatoes caused by the fungal-like organism, Phytophthora infestans. This pathogen is referred to as a Read more…
Late blight is a potentially destructive disease of potatoes and tomatoes caused by the fungal-like organism, Phytophthora infestans. This pathogen is referred to as a ‘water mold’ since it thrives under wet conditions. Symptoms include leaf lesions beginning as pale green or olive green areas that quickly enlarge to become brown-black, water-soaked, and oily in appearance. Lesions on leaves can also produce pathogen sporulation which looks like white-gray fuzzy growth. Stems can also exhibit dark brown to black lesions with sporulation. Tuber infections are dark brown to purple in color and internal tissues are often reddish brown in color and firm to corky in texture. The time from first infection to lesion development and sporulation can be as fast as 7 days, depending upon the weather.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Goss’s wilt is a disease of corn caused by the Gram positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis (Cmn). The disease was first identified in Nebraska Read more…
Goss’s wilt is a disease of corn caused by the Gram positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis (Cmn). The disease was first identified in Nebraska in Dawson County in 1969 (Clafin, 1999). Over the next decade, the disease was reported in 53 Nebraska counties and five of the six bordering states where it resulted in substantial (40 to 60 %) yield loss. Corn breeders successfully identified genetic resistance in field corn, and thereafter the disease occurred sporadically and rarely caused yield loss.
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Weed suppression can be important during alfalfa establishment as weeds can reduce stand life, alfalfa biomass, and forage quality. To reduce these impacts producers commonly Read more…
Weed suppression can be important during alfalfa establishment as weeds can reduce stand life, alfalfa biomass, and forage quality. To reduce these impacts producers commonly apply herbi-cides to establishing alfalfa. A range of options exist, but the most common applications include imazamox (Raptor) or imazethapyr (Pursuit). These compounds have traditionally given the best control of common weeds (e.g., lambsquarter & foxtail species) and can be applied post emer-gent. With the introduction of Roundup Ready® alfalfa, producers now have an additional choice for weed management.
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There is a strong possibility that there will excess (carryover or residual) N in the soil profile after the 2012 corn crop is harvested because the Read more…
There is a strong possibility that there will excess (carryover or residual) N in the soil profile after the 2012 corn crop is harvested because the corn was too affected by drought to use all of the applied N. If soybean is the previous crop, there is a low likelihood of excess N remaining in the soil profile. Regardless of previous crop, some of the P and K applied last year will be available for the 2013 crop if the field was impacted by drought.
UW Madison, Soil Science DepartmentManaging Nutrients After a Droughtnutrient management -
Ammonia (NH3) nitrogen (N) losses from surface-applied manure can be large, reducing the amount of N available to the crop and, therefore, the economic value as Read more…
Ammonia (NH3) nitrogen (N) losses from surface-applied manure can be large, reducing the amount of N available to the crop and, therefore, the economic value as a fertilizer N credit. Ammonia emission into the atmosphere can also contribute to environmental problems. Ammonia emission can contribute to eutrophication of surface waters (especially marine and estuarine) via atmospheric deposition. The decreased amount of available N in manure reduces the N:P ratio and leads to a more rapid build-up of P in the soil for a given amount available N. And ammonia in the atmosphere can combine with fine particulates to lower air quality.
UW Madison, Soil ScienceDairy Manure Application Methods: N Credits, Gaseous N Losses, and Corn Yieldnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Heterodera glycines, the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), is the most important disease of soybean in the United States (Wrather and Koenning, 2006). Fifty-four counties in Read more…
Heterodera glycines, the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), is the most important disease of soybean in the United States (Wrather and Koenning, 2006). Fifty-four counties in Wisconsin are infested with SCN and many fields suffer yield losses due to this pest. The most efficient and economical tactic to manage SCN is host resistance. Sources of SCN resistance for soybean group 0 – group 2 varieties derive from three sources, PI 548402 (“Peking”), PI 88788, and PI 437654. The PI 88788 source of resistance is the most common background in commercial varieties and it is effective for maintaining yield in fields with disease potential due to SCN.
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Sulfur (S) is often classified as a “secondary” plant essential element, mainly due to a smaller plant requirement but also because it is less frequently Read more…
Sulfur (S) is often classified as a “secondary” plant essential element, mainly due to a smaller plant requirement but also because it is less frequently applied as a fertilizer compared to other nutrients like the “macronutrients” nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). This has certainly been the case in Iowa where research for many years had not documented S deficiency or fertilization need for optimal corn or soybean production. However, if deficient, S can have a dramatic effect on plant growth and crop productivity – more than the classification “secondary” would imply.
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Wisconsin dairy producers and heifer growers rear over one million dairy replacement heifers at a cost of 825 million dollars annually. In addition, Wisconsin dairy Read more…
Wisconsin dairy producers and heifer growers rear over one million dairy replacement heifers at a cost of 825 million dollars annually. In addition, Wisconsin dairy heifers annually consume 18 million tons of feed and produce 61 million tons of manure. For each individual dairy producer or heifer grower the management objective is to reduce cost and the environmental impact of rearing dairy replacement heifers without compromising future milk production. A new innovation in feeding dairy heifers is to limit-feed dairy heifers a more nutrient dense diet. Because heifers are fed less feed under limit feeding, feed cost and manure excretion are reduced simultaneously.
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Research is developing new understanding of forage, fiber, and the animal’s ability to use them. We have also increased understanding of the genetics of alfalfa Read more…
Research is developing new understanding of forage, fiber, and the animal’s ability to use them. We have also increased understanding of the genetics of alfalfa to allow improved variety selection methods and enhanced performance for the farmer. This paper will consider both topics.
Generally dairymen have perceived grasses to be too high in fiber for high producing dairy cows. But, with knowledge of digestible fiber, we have learned that the fiber of grass is more digestible than that of alfalfa. This has opened some new opportunities for dairymen and many have begun to incorporate some grass into their rations.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Long-term experiments provide an opportunity to evaluate the sustainability of agricultural practices (Jenkinson, 1991). Evidence of sustainability in continuous corn production systems would include stable Read more…
Long-term experiments provide an opportunity to evaluate the sustainability of agricultural practices (Jenkinson, 1991). Evidence of sustainability in continuous corn production systems would include stable or increasing productivity over time as indicated by crop yields and maintenance or enhancement of key soil fertility factors such as soil organic matter content. The objectives of this paper are to present results from a 50-yr experiment showing the effects of long-term continuous corn and N-fertilizer use on corn yields, response to applied N and lime treatments, and effects of the long-term treatments on soil organic matter content and soil pH.
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White mold of soybean continues to be an important disease of soybean. The boom or bust nature of white mold is problematic for developing a Read more…
White mold of soybean continues to be an important disease of soybean. The boom or bust nature of white mold is problematic for developing a management plan for this disease. Defensive trait packages have improved dramatically for soybean varieties the past 10 to 20 years. However, this is not the case for white mold. Complete and stable resistance white mold has yet to be incorporated into a commercial soybean variety. There are several factors that contribute to this situation. First, not all seed companies consider white mold as a primary defensive trait. Although numerous sources of resistance are available, most sources are ancestral varieties and are primitive for yield and other agronomic traits. A major bottleneck appears to be the difficulty of moving white mold resistance into high yield potential varieties. Lastly, many varieties are rated as tolerant to white mold, but few provide a consistent performance from field to field in years with high white mold potential.
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Current trends in agronomic field crop production (corn and soybean) have been towards the use of foliar fungicides to increase yield in the absence of Read more…
Current trends in agronomic field crop production (corn and soybean) have been towards the use of foliar fungicides to increase yield in the absence of disease to promote “plant health.” Trials conducted across Wisconsin and the region has indicated very inconsistent results. Recently, Headline® (BASF, Research Park Triangle, NC) was approved for use in alfalfa. We have received numerous questions from growers and university researchers regarding the benefits of foliar fungicide use in alfalfa grown for hay. Many of these questions have been focused on the use of a fungicide in a tank mix combination with an insecticide with the hope of providing a positive synergistic yield response. Thus, the objective of this study was to conduct field research trials in Wisconsin to examine the benefit of using a foliar fungicide, foliar insecticide, or both in alfalfa.
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U.S. crop producers derive substantial economic benefits from atrazine and the other triazine herbicides (simazine and propazine). These herbicides generate yield gains for U.S. crop Read more…
U.S. crop producers derive substantial economic benefits from atrazine and the other triazine herbicides (simazine and propazine). These herbicides generate yield gains for U.S. crop farmers, and in many cases, also reduce total costs for herbicides. Atrazine, the most widely used triazine herbicide, is the keystone of herbicide-based weed control in corn and other regionally important crops in the U.S. Corn acreage, yields and prices have increased over time so that the 3- year average value of corn produced in the U.S. has increased more than 2.7 times, from $18.6 billion in 1990 to 1992 to $54.3 billion in 2008 to 2010. Over this same period, crop production practices also evolved, including the widespread adoption of transgenic crops and reduced tillage systems. Given these and other changes since previous economic assessments of the producer benefits from triazine herbicides, an updated economic assessment of the benefits of atrazine and the other triazine herbicides seemed warranted.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Subsurface P loss is of greatest concern in areas with P-rich flat, clayey soils and P-rich tile-drained soils (Beauchemin et al., 1998). Eastern Wisconsin farmland Read more…
Subsurface P loss is of greatest concern in areas with P-rich flat, clayey soils and P-rich tile-drained soils (Beauchemin et al., 1998). Eastern Wisconsin farmland fits the criteria for high subsurface P emitting soils. Soil tests conducted between 1995 and 1999 indicated that the average soil P levels in eastern Wisconsin counties were in excess of the recommended levels for most crops (Laboski et al, 2006). Additionally, considerable portions of eastern Wisconsin’s cultivated acres are tile-drained. The highest concentration of tile drainage is along the shore of Lake Michigan. The 1992 United States Census of Agriculture estimates the portion of cultivated acres that are tile drained to range from 20 to 60% among all of Wisconsin’s far-eastern counties (Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha).
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Research is a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalized knowledge. So, research can lead to knowledge, Read more…
Research is a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalized knowledge. So, research can lead to knowledge, but only if it’s done well. Done “well” means using accepted scientific methods, which often include statistics. If we “just don’t like” research outcomes, that does not mean it isn’t science!
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Though growers across WI enjoyed record soybean yields (50.5 bu/a, Source: USDA-NASS) in 2010, questions continue to be asked about the small incremental yield gain Read more…
Though growers across WI enjoyed record soybean yields (50.5 bu/a, Source: USDA-NASS) in 2010, questions continue to be asked about the small incremental yield gain observed over time. As the WI Soybean Research program continues to investigate the main yield limiting factors affecting soybean (SCN, white mold, SDS, BSR, soybean aphid, stress, etc), it is also clear that we must also address the question of input interactions.
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Concern exists among specialty crop producers and processors related to the potential introduction of agronomic crops tolerant of synthetic auxin type herbicides. While anecdotal observations Read more…
Concern exists among specialty crop producers and processors related to the potential introduction of agronomic crops tolerant of synthetic auxin type herbicides. While anecdotal observations of synthetic auxin herbicide drift on specialty crops have been reported, quantitative data on injury and crop yield is often lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of simulated synthetic auxin drift on potatoes and snap (green) beans. In potatoes, simulated dicamba drift was evaluated at three rates (1.4, 4.2 and 7.0 g ae/ha) and two timings. In snap beans, 2,4-D and dicamba were evaluated individually at the same rates described above but at one application timing. When dicamba was applied to 25 cm tall potatoes, visual injury 10, 24 and 30 days after treatment (DAT) increased with application rate, but by 38 DAT injury was greater than in the non-treated control only at the highest application rate. Potato tuber size distribution was variable and total yield did not differ among treatments and the non-treated control. In snap beans, injury from dicamba 7 DAT ranged from 19% at the low application rate to 45% at the high application rate. By 18 DAT, injury from 2,4-D was similar to the non-treated control. However, early-season injury delayed snap bean flowering and reduced crop yield compared to the non-treated control for all treatments except where the lowest rate of 2,4-D was applied. Snap bean injury from dicamba was greater than that from 2,4-D at all visual rating timings and crop yield was reduced compared to where 2,4-D was applied and the non-treated control.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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About 6.4% of the ~87 million acres of corn harvested in the U.S were dedicated to silage production in 2010. Of those, approximately 750,000 acres Read more…
About 6.4% of the ~87 million acres of corn harvested in the U.S were dedicated to silage production in 2010. Of those, approximately 750,000 acres were located in Wisconsin, the largest silage producing state in the U.S. (USDA, 2010). Maize silage is produced by ensiling the whole plant harvested a few weeks prior to physiological maturity. The starch from the grains and the complex carbohydrates in the cell walls are the primary sources of energy for the complex community of anaerobic microbes that reside in the gastrointestinal tract of ruminant animals (Van Soest, 1994; Coors and Lauer, 2001). Substantial improvements in forage digestibility have been achieved through traditional breeding in maize (Frey et al, 2004; Gustafson et al, 2010) as well as through the incorporation of large mutations such as the brown midrib3 (Sattler et al., 2010).
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Mobile internet use is changing how global and local agriculture operate and expand their businesses. This presentation will demonstrate how the University of Wisconsin Nutrient Read more…
Mobile internet use is changing how global and local agriculture operate and expand their businesses. This presentation will demonstrate how the University of Wisconsin Nutrient and Pest Management (NPM) program and the UW Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program are working with a ‘mobile first’ attitude to help Wisconsin’s agricultural community benefit in this changing environment.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Nitrogen contributions to the Gulf of Mexico have increased hypoxia issues in recent years. Numerous efforts have targeted the reduction of nitrogen loads to the Read more…
Nitrogen contributions to the Gulf of Mexico have increased hypoxia issues in recent years. Numerous efforts have targeted the reduction of nitrogen loads to the Mississippi River drainage basin to control the hypoxic zone. Agricultural tile drainage is a major contributor to nitrogen loads in the Mississippi River. Research performed by the University of Wisconsin – Discovery Farms Program in collaboration with the United States Geologic Survey has established the importance of nitrogen fertilizer and manure application rate and timing with potential loss of nitrogen to tile drains. Manure applied to fields soon after corn silage was harvested resulted in a high conversion to nitrate and subsequent loss to tile drains in late fall through early spring. Abnormally high fall soil temperatures allowed for conversion of ammonium and organic nitrogen to nitrate and subsequent late fall and early spring precipitation carried nitrate to tile drains.
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Livestock manure is considered a waste product from the perspective of the animal operation, but it can be an important resource for crop production by Read more…
Livestock manure is considered a waste product from the perspective of the animal operation, but it can be an important resource for crop production by providing valuable nutrients and enhancing soil quality. However, manure application to cropland can also have adverse environmental effects, in particular ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions and impairment of surface and ground water quality. The benefits of manure can be enhanced and the potential environmental risks minimized by employing improved manure and soil management practices (Sharpley et al., 1994; Jokela et al., 2004). In this article we discuss the results of integrated research to evaluate several of these “best management practices” for their effect on runoff P losses: a) prompt incorporation of manure, aimed at controlling N losses by ammonia volatilization and protecting manure from runoff losses of P and N, b) application of manure at rates that do not exceed crop nutrient need (typically N or P, depending on crop needs and soil P test level), c) avoiding build-up of soil test P to excessive levels can contribute to runoff P losses even if manure and fertilizer are not applied, and d) eliminating unnecessary P supplementation of dairy diets, a practice that can have economic benefits and can help balance whole-farm P budget, thereby helping prevent soil P build-up.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Farmers have adopted biotechnology and genetically engineered (GE) crop technologies quickly. Yield data were analyzed from field experiments over the period 1990-2010 to test the Read more…
Farmers have adopted biotechnology and genetically engineered (GE) crop technologies quickly. Yield data were analyzed from field experiments over the period 1990-2010 to test the hypothesis that GE corn technologies reduces production risk. GE technology can increase yield, but it also decreases yield for some GE traits. A significant part of the benefits of GE technology comes from protecting corn yield and reducing risk exposure. Gene interactions affect corn productivity through “yield lag” and “yield drag” effects. Often 3 to 4 years are required for new technologies to be equivalent to yields of conventional hybrids.
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Giant ragweed resistance to glyphosate has been confirmed in several Midwest states, including the neighboring states of Minnesota and Iowa. In Minnesota as well as Read more…
Giant ragweed resistance to glyphosate has been confirmed in several Midwest states, including the neighboring states of Minnesota and Iowa. In Minnesota as well as Ohio, giant ragweed has developed resistance to more than one herbicide mode of action (glyphosate and ALS inhibitors). In Wisconsin, we’ve identified three giant ragweed populations that are suspected of being resistant to glyphosate. Results of preliminary experiments on a giant ragweed population from southwest Wisconsin (Grant County) and a second population from southeast Wisconsin (Rock County) were reported at the 2011 Wisconsin Crop Management Conference. A third population of giant ragweed with suspected resistance to glyphosate was identified in south-central Wisconsin (Columbia County) in 2011. Seeds were collected from this giant ragweed population for investigation of resistance to glyphosate and other herbicide modes of action. The results of greenhouse experiments conducted over the last 12 months to more fully characterize the whole-plant response of the Grant County and Rock County populations to glyphosate will be presented.
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Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is in the Equisetaceae family which was comprised by over 30 species some 230 million years ago. The horsetail family was Read more…
Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is in the Equisetaceae family which was comprised by over 30 species some 230 million years ago. The horsetail family was the dominant plant group in that time period. Currently, two surviving species from the family which many of us today call weeds are E. arvense and E. hyemale, or scouring rush. Therefore, these ‘weeds’ have been around a long time so it’s obvious they have a tremendous ability to adapt to their environment. Field horsetail is a perennial weed that vegetatively re-propagates by spreading rhizomes. It is additionally unique because it is a non-flowering plant so it does not reproduce my seed, but rather, it reproduces by spores. The reproduction by spores occurs early in the spring when a single, fertile brownish stalk emerges and produces a ‘cone-like’ structure which releases the spores at the top of the main stalk. This early growth is followed by a single, sterile green stalk and then branched, green plants as shown in Figure 1.
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Glyphosate resistant crops, first released in 1996, have been the most rapidly adopted agriculture technology by the farming community in the U.S. The technology was Read more…
Glyphosate resistant crops, first released in 1996, have been the most rapidly adopted agriculture technology by the farming community in the U.S. The technology was rapidly adopted because weed management systems were drastically simplified. Weed management was simplified because glyphosate is a highly efficacious, non-selective postemergence herbicide for control of annual and perennial weed species, and when used in conjunction with glyphosate-resistant crops, a high-level of crop safety was ensured. Additionally, glyphosate is also safer for the environment, safer for humans and animals, cheaper, and slower to develop resistance in comparison to many other herbicide options. All of those reasons have contributed to make glyphosate an herbicide that growers and applicators prefer to use.
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Research was conducted from 1998 through 2009 to determine the effects of crop sequence, tillage system, and glyphosate use frequency on weed community composition and Read more…
Research was conducted from 1998 through 2009 to determine the effects of crop sequence, tillage system, and glyphosate use frequency on weed community composition and management risks in glyphosate-resistant corn and soybean. Weed communities tended to be dominated by a few highly abundant weed species. Common lambsquarters, giant foxtail, and redroot pigweed were abundant across cropping sequence and tillage treatments over time. In contrast, giant ragweed was not observed in 1998, but increased over time, particularly in chisel plow and no-tillage systems, to become the most abundant weed species in most treatments by 2009. Giant ragweed abundance was similar between continuous corn and corn-soybean rotation after 12 years, but there were fewer instances over time of high densities of giant ragweed and crop yield loss in corn-soybean rotation than continuous corn. In both continuous corn and cornsoybean rotation, giant ragweed increased over time in treatments that did not provide adequate control, particularly control of later flushes of giant ragweed (e.g., those that emerged after the typical postemergence application timing). Giant ragweed abundance was affected greatly by tillage system. In the moldboard plow system, total weed densities (including giant ragweed) were very low over time across cropping sequence and weed management treatments. In contrast, giant ragweed abundance increased over time in chisel plow and no-tillage systems, particularly in treatments that did not provide adequate control of late flushes as noted above. However, the greatest crop yield losses associated with crop-weed competition occurred in the continuous corn, chisel plow system. Weed management treatments that effectively targeted the range of giant ragweed emergence (from early to late flushes) were associated with the lowest total weed densities and lowest crop yield loss risks across cropping sequence and tillage systems over time.
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Manganese (Mn) deficiency in crops has occasionally been noted in Wisconsin and is most common on soils with high pH (>7.0) and/or high organic matter Read more…
Manganese (Mn) deficiency in crops has occasionally been noted in Wisconsin and is most common on soils with high pH (>7.0) and/or high organic matter (>6.0 %). Soils that meet these criteria are typically, but not exclusively, found in Eastern Wisconsin. Soybean has a relatively high requirement for Mn. Current University of Wisconsin nutrient application guidelines (Laboski et al., 2006) for Mn are based on research conducted in the early 1970s (Randall et al., 1975) when soybean was gaining popularity as a crop in Wisconsin. These guidelines indicate that for soils with OM ≤ 6.0% a soil test for Mn coupled with the relative crop need for Mn should be considered to determine fertilizer Mn needs. For crops with a high relative need for Mn, like soybean, grown on soils with OM > 6.0%, starter fertilizer containing Mn or foliar Mn application is recommended.
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Precision agriculture technologies are an integral part of many crop production operations. However, implementation for N application has lagged, primarily due to lack of a Read more…
Precision agriculture technologies are an integral part of many crop production operations. However, implementation for N application has lagged, primarily due to lack of a viable system for variable N rate decisions. Active canopy sensors have been developed as a tool to determine plant N stress deficiency and provide an on-the-go decision for implementing variable rate. There are two general approaches. One is to conduct canopy sensing each year, with a reduced N rate applied preplant, at planting, or early sidedress and then sensing at mid-vegetative growth to determine additional application need. A second is to conduct sensing only if conditions result in N loss from the primary N application, or other factors change expected crop requirements. Both approaches could address variable N fertilization and seasonal conditions.
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Establishment of dense vigorous stands of alfalfa is essential for long-term profitability, but establishment can be challenging because seedling alfalfa is vulnerable to competition from Read more…
Establishment of dense vigorous stands of alfalfa is essential for long-term profitability, but establishment can be challenging because seedling alfalfa is vulnerable to competition from annual weeds and wind and water erosion. Roundup Ready Alfalfa was re-introduced last year as a new tool available to farmers growing high quality alfalfa. While not for everyone, it will be useful for many alfalfa growers.
A first and important question is concerning the yield potential of RR varieties. While the RR trait was generally put in better germplasms, early trials (planted in 2006) showed a range of yield potential for RR varieties. It is too early to tell definitely for the next generation of RR varieties since we only have seeding year data from 2011, however it appears again that there will be a range of yields with some RR varieties in the top yielding group and some doing less well. It will be important to check variety trials to select high yielding varieties.
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Alfalfa is a key crop in Wisconsin, but if not successfully removed it can be troublesome in subsequent crops. This is especially true in no-till Read more…
Alfalfa is a key crop in Wisconsin, but if not successfully removed it can be troublesome in subsequent crops. This is especially true in no-till systems. Currently most no-till systems rely on glyphosate to remove the alfalfa prior to planting rotational crops the following spring. Glyphosate however will not be effective at removing Roundup Ready alfalfa, as it is engineered to tolerate this herbicide. In these situations other active ingredients will need to be used to remove the alfalfa crop. Detailed results from a Wisconsin study that evaluated the effectiveness of growth regulator herbicides in removing alfalfa are summarized below. This information as well as other data from across the United States will be presented along with specific recommendations for the upper-midwest.
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Alfalfa and corn silage are the primary forages grown and fed to dairy cattle in the Midwest, however, there is renewed interest in incorporating perennial Read more…
Alfalfa and corn silage are the primary forages grown and fed to dairy cattle in the Midwest, however, there is renewed interest in incorporating perennial and annual grasses into forage cropping systems. High quality grass silages could be a good fit with diets formulated with high quality corn silage and alfalfa. Intensively-managed grass silages are high yielding forages that contain moderate concentrations of fiber (NDF) and low concentrations of non fiber carbohydrate (NFC).
Diets formulated with excellent quality corn silage are often marginal in fiber, and high in NFC content. To balance these diets, it becomes necessary to incorporate feeds that are highly digestible yet contain relatively low amounts of NFC and high amounts of digestible fiber. While alfalfa can provide for some of the deficiencies of corn silage, today’s high quality alfalfas often do not contain much more fiber than corn silage and the lower NFC levels in alfalfa are offset by the high amount of ruminally fermented protein contained in these forages. The nutrient profile of high quality grass silage complement the excesses and deficiencies of rations formulated with excellent quality corn silage and alfalfa.
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There are many ways to save fuel in tillage field operations: not tilling, choosing a minimum tillage operation over a heavier one, and ensuring your Read more…
There are many ways to save fuel in tillage field operations: not tilling, choosing a minimum tillage operation over a heavier one, and ensuring your tractor and implement are set up properly.
As with any farm operation, the value of tillage must be weighed against its cost. The first costs to consider are labor, fuel and machinery. These costs are estimated to range from $9 to $19 per acre, depending on the field operation and equipment used [1]. Additionally, tillage can increase costs of subsequent field operations as loose soil reduces tractive efficiency adding further cost to operations such as planting. Finally, some tillage costs are harder to quantify, including the risk of soil erosion and nutrient loss. Conversely, tillage can have many positive impacts on crop production. These impacts can include remediating soil compaction, managing crop residues and providing favorable spring planting conditions.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Larval populations remained historically low in 2011. The seventieth annual fall abundance survey in September revealed a state average of 0.09 borer per plant, the Read more…
Larval populations remained historically low in 2011. The seventieth annual fall abundance survey in September revealed a state average of 0.09 borer per plant, the fourth lowest since record-keeping began in 1942. Minor population reductions from 2010 were charted in the southwest, central and northeast agricultural districts and increases occurred in the south-central, southeast, east-central, north-central and northwest areas. Larval densities in the south-central district increased to 0.20 per plant, or 20 larvae per 100 plants. On the basis of the fall survey results, a continued low population trend is expected for 2012.
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On vegetable and potato crops, the water molds, or fungus-like, oomycetous plant pathogens, which threaten the greatest crop losses include Pseudoperonospora cubensis (causal agent of Read more…
On vegetable and potato crops, the water molds, or fungus-like, oomycetous plant pathogens, which threaten the greatest crop losses include Pseudoperonospora cubensis (causal agent of downy mildew on cucumbers), and Phytophthora infestans (causal agent of late blight on potatoes and tomatoes). Downy mildew and late blight can both be aerially dispersed over long distances and genotypes identified in the region are not known to be soilborne at this time (1, 3). Initial inoculum and infection occurs as the result of movement of spores in the air from diseased fields to healthy, infected seed or transplants, or by overwintering plant tissues harboring the pathogen from the previous year (e.g. volunteers, cull piles, compost piles). In Wisconsin in 2011, both diseases made minor appearance on vegetable crops.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Goss’s wilt, caused by the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis, has made a resurgence through Midwestern corn fields recently. In affected fields, yields have been Read more…
Goss’s wilt, caused by the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis, has made a resurgence through Midwestern corn fields recently. In affected fields, yields have been decreased, and many are scratching their heads on why this disease is making a reappearance in the Midwest.
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The Pest Survey Program of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection conducts monitoring and detection surveys for targeted exotic and key endemic Read more…
The Pest Survey Program of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection conducts monitoring and detection surveys for targeted exotic and key endemic agricultural and wildland plant pests. For more information on programs and results, please visit http://pestsurvey.wi.gov/
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Beginning in the mid-2000s the use of foliar fungicides in field crops such as corn and soybean has increased dramatically. In 2007, approximately 20% of Read more…
Beginning in the mid-2000s the use of foliar fungicides in field crops such as corn and soybean has increased dramatically. In 2007, approximately 20% of the corn grown in the Midwest was sprayed with a foliar fungicide (Munkvold et al., 2008), and this percentage has remained steady with perhaps some slight increase. In some cases, fungicides are applied solely for hopes of a yield benefit with no regard to disease risk (Bradley and Ames, 2010). With high commodity prices, this non-IPM use of foliar fungicides may increase, which increases the risk of fungicide resistance.
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Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yields in the United States have improved at a rate of 0.35 bu yr⁻¹ (23.4 kg yr⁻¹) since national soybean Read more…
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yields in the United States have improved at a rate of 0.35 bu yr⁻¹ (23.4 kg yr⁻¹) since national soybean yield data was first recorded in 1924 (USDA-NASS, 2010). The consistent annual yield gain observed in soybean has been attributed to continued varietal improvement via plant breeding and the adoption of improved agronomic practices by U.S soybean producers (Specht and Williams, 1984). Previous research has found that past genetic improvements have resulted in an annual increase in soybean yield of 0.15-0.44 bu ac⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (10- 30 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), or approximately 0.5-1.0% yr⁻¹ (Specht et al., 1999). The relative contribution of genetic improvement made by soybean breeders towards overall yield gain is estimated to be 0.184 bu ac⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (12.5 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), or 50%, among hybridized cultivars released post-1940 (Specht and Williams, 1984).
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Managing manure as a fertilizer source is an important factor to maintain a profitable and sustainable food production system. The greater management incorporated into understanding Read more…
Managing manure as a fertilizer source is an important factor to maintain a profitable and sustainable food production system. The greater management incorporated into understanding the nutrient cycling throughout the entire system can greatly increase crop yields, reduce chemical fertilizer needs, reduce manure handling and processing costs, and limit the environmental impacts. Many manure management processes can impact the availability of nutrients and should be factored into manure management plans to realize the potential benefits. Anaerobic digestion and solid/liquid separation (including bedding recovery units) are increasing in on-farm use around the United States as a component of manure management systems. Anaerobic digestion is a proven waste to energy technology which produces biogas and digestate from anaerobic microbial degradation of organic sources. Nearly all on-farm systems in the United States have a mechanical solid/liquid separation system following digestion which fractions the digestate into a solid and a liquid product. Solid/liquid separators known as bedding recovery units use aerobic processes to degrade organic material also resulting in a similar solid and a liquid portion following processing. Processing of manure using digestion and/or a solid/liquid separation process can impact the nutrient and pathogen content of each stream. Digestion results in mineralization of nutrients and pathogen reductions based on system design of temperature and retention time. Separation (including bedding recovery units) can result in fractioning of nutrients as well as moisture, resulting in increased control of nutrient streams for increased management of manure. The liquid fraction following separation has increased content of soluble nutrients and is commonly land applied as a fertilizer source. The solid fraction is commonly used on-farm as a bedding source, but as it contains concentrated organic nutrients can also be sold as a value added product. However, the lack of data for real world performance has limited the use of these end products and has reduced revenues and resulted in operational problems for many dairies in Wisconsin.
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The debate surrounding the 2012 Farm Bill has been building as the current 2008 Farm Bill is set to expire. The primary message out of Read more…
The debate surrounding the 2012 Farm Bill has been building as the current 2008 Farm Bill is set to expire. The primary message out of Washington has been that budget cuts will come, including to the USDA and the Farm Bill. This presentation will present some of the main proposals that have been floated so far and offer insights on what to expect in terms of where the expected cuts will come. Of course, all bets are off as to what the politicians will finally decide.
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Last year a strong bull market run continued in grain prices, new all-time highs in corn futures prices were set. Does 2012 have the same Read more…
Last year a strong bull market run continued in grain prices, new all-time highs in corn futures prices were set. Does 2012 have the same momentum behind it? Let’s take a look at some of the factors that allowed the bull market to stay in place. Ultimately when the bull market started during July 2010, demand driven markets propelled prices higher. Demand from both domestic and foreign markets was picking up following for wheat, corn and soybeans. World wheat supplies stumbled with the drought that the Black Sea region faced. As the fall of 2010 unfolded US corn production failed to meet expectations and producers harvested a 12.4 billion bushel crop. The strong demand ate away the crop to a tight 840 million bushels, resulting in a very tight 6.6% ending stocks to total use. For 2011 crop prospects, there was the possibility to pick up more corn acres during the spring but wet growing conditions in the eastern Corn Belt and some delays in planting throughout the Midwest meant plantings were about 92 million acres. That is the 2nd largest US acreage. If more acres were planted though it could have softened the market as extra acreage would make ample supply less risky. That could be a huge factor in 2012, if returns per acre remain where they are, at much higher returns from corn than the competing crop (typically soybeans) then there could be another big shift in acreage this spring. Time will tell if the US surpasses the record 93 million planted corn acres of 2007. If demand is held constant and 94 or 95 million acres of corn were planted how much less risk is there in 2012 production meeting demand needs?
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Cover crops can be planted to provide soil cover during otherwise idle intervals, or fallow periods, in a given crop rotation – that is, between Read more…
Cover crops can be planted to provide soil cover during otherwise idle intervals, or fallow periods, in a given crop rotation – that is, between harvest and planting of commodity or feed crops. In Wisconsin, a cover crop might be planted after harvest of a short season crop such as a small grain or vegetable crop. Cover crops are grown to benefit the soil by preventing erosion, adding organic carbon, recycling or adding plant nutrients, and by enhancing microbiological communities associated with biological diversity. Some plant species used as cover crops provide pest management functions within a crop rotation. The term “cover crop” is really a catch-all phrase for numerous uses associated with soil improvement and conservation, nutrient management (green manure), pest management (weed and disease suppressors) and reduced reliance on purchased fertilizers and pesticides. Plant species best suited to use as cover crops tend to be fast, aggressive growers for which affordable seed is readily available. Other desirable traits depend on the desired function, such as erosion control, nitrogen fixation, nutrient scavenging, soil carbon addition (soil builder), weed suppression or disease suppression.
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American elms succumbed to the Dutch elm disease in 1970s, consequently maples and ash dominate the urban landscape, and account for more than 40% of Read more…
American elms succumbed to the Dutch elm disease in 1970s, consequently maples and ash dominate the urban landscape, and account for more than 40% of Wisconsin’s urban forest. And history tends to repeat itself; to this end, an invasive insect called Emerald ash borer (EAB) now threatens ash trees in North America. EAB is an exotic insect (beetle) from Asia and was first discovered in southeast Michigan in 2002. Since its discovery, the beetle has destroyed more than 50 million ash trees in the Midwest region, including Wisconsin in 2008.
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Phytophthora crown and fruit rot of vegetable crops, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora capsici has the potential to cause significant yield losses in cucurbit, solanaceous, Read more…
Phytophthora crown and fruit rot of vegetable crops, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora capsici has the potential to cause significant yield losses in cucurbit, solanaceous, and legume crops worldwide. In Wisconsin, Phytophthora crown and fruit rot has been a sporadic disease in vegetable production for the past 20 years. In the previous 10 years, weather patterns were generally dry and the disease was limited to small parcels of susceptible crops throughout Wisconsin.
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Concern exists among specialty crop producers and processors related to the potential introduction of agronomic crops tolerant of synthetic auxin type herbicides. While anecdotal observations Read more…
Concern exists among specialty crop producers and processors related to the potential introduction of agronomic crops tolerant of synthetic auxin type herbicides. While anecdotal observations of synthetic auxin herbicide drift on specialty crops have been reported, quantitative data on injury and crop yield is often lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of simulated synthetic auxin drift on potatoes and snap (green) beans. In potatoes, simulated dicamba drift was evaluated at three rates (1.4, 4.2 and 7.0 g ae/ha) and two timings. In snap beans, 2,4-D and dicamba were evaluated individually at the same rates described above but at one application timing. When dicamba was applied to 25 cm tall potatoes, visual injury 10, 24 and 30 days after treatment (DAT) increased with application rate, but by 38 DAT injury was greater than in the non-treated control only at the highest application rate. Potato tuber size distribution was variable and total yield did not differ among treatments and the non-treated control. In snap beans, injury from dicamba 7 DAT ranged from 19% at the low application rate to 45% at the high application rate. By 18 DAT, injury from 2,4-D was similar to the non-treated control. However, early-season injury delayed snap bean flowering and reduced crop yield compared to the non-treated control for all treatments except where the lowest rate of 2,4-D was applied. Snap bean injury from dicamba was greater than that from 2,4-D at all visual rating timings and crop yield was reduced compared to where 2,4-D was applied and the non-treated control.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Manure from livestock and fecal wastes from humans are economically and environmentally valuable. Applied to agricultural crops, fecal wastes contribute macro and micronutrients, enhance soil Read more…
Manure from livestock and fecal wastes from humans are economically and environmentally valuable. Applied to agricultural crops, fecal wastes contribute macro and micronutrients, enhance soil tilth, and aid soil carbon sequestration. Manure spreading, and the on-farm nutrient recycling it facilitates, is the quintessential practice of sustainability. However, these benefits can only be fully realized when the wastes are managed to avoid contamination of non-target sites. Best management practices primarily focus on nutrients. Pathogens are also found in fecal wastes, but research and development are limited in identifying those practices that help avoid pathogen contamination issues that can lead to disease transmission.
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Because of increasing environmental concerns related to manure disposal, some farms are adopting manure handling systems that diminish the potential environmental problems associated with the large amount Read more…
Because of increasing environmental concerns related to manure disposal, some farms are adopting manure handling systems that diminish the potential environmental problems associated with the large amount of manure produced in relatively small areas. For example, in Wisconsin as of 2007, there were 20 farms with fully operational anaerobic manure digesters with an average of 1,474 cows in each farm (USDA, 2010). Manure liquid-solid separation is another alternative option to manure handling. The separated liquid can be reused in barns as flush water, a crop nutrient source, or irrigation water; whereas, the separated solids can be recycled as bedding, used as nutrient source for crop production, or sold off farm as a horticultural amendment (personal communication with farmers). Manure composting has been used as an alternate manure handling process. Composting decreases the total amount of manure through water loss and also eliminates most of the pathogens in manures (Rynk et al., 1992). In-barn composted bedded packs are an alternative option to complete composting and consist of bedding layers (e.g., saw dust) that are constantly added to the barn floor without removal of the older layer. The bedded pack is aerated daily to stimulate microbial decomposition.
UW Madison, Soil ScienceDairy Manure Treatment Effects on Soil Test Phosphorusnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Foliar fungicide applications on corn remain a controversial topic. There continues to be debate regarding the economic use of foliar fungicides, and more recently, discussions Read more…
Foliar fungicide applications on corn remain a controversial topic. There continues to be debate regarding the economic use of foliar fungicides, and more recently, discussions have ensued about the use of foliar fungicides during vegetative growth stages, specifically at the V5 to V6 growth period coinciding with post-emergence herbicides applications. In soybean, the use of tank mixes has been discussed extensively in terms of avoiding the mixing of herbicidesinsecticides-fungicides based on several factors like application equipment (nozzle type), coverage, and timing as well as the use of thresholds for insects like aphids (see: http://www.planthealth.info/pdf_docs/trimix_05.pdf). We feel that these same considerations need to be made about the use of tank mixes for corn. However, in corn less is known about the effect of early-season fungicide applications on disease development and late season stalk health
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Generally dairymen have perceived grasses to be too high in fiber for high producing dairy cows since grasses tend to have higher NDF than alfalfa. Read more…
Generally dairymen have perceived grasses to be too high in fiber for high producing dairy cows since grasses tend to have higher NDF than alfalfa. But, with knowledge of digestible fiber, we have learned that the fiber of grass more digestible than that of alfalfa. This has opened some new opportunities for dairymen and many have begun to incorporate some grass into their rations.
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Weeds can affect the establishment of any perennial system, especially forages. For example Hoy et al. (2002) found alfalfa fields with high densities of weeds Read more…
Weeds can affect the establishment of any perennial system, especially forages. For example Hoy et al. (2002) found alfalfa fields with high densities of weeds resulted in reduced alfalfa plant densities > 50%, and others have documented similar results (Lanini et al., 1991; Simmons et al. 1995). Researchers attributed the loss in establishment from competition for soil moisture and light (Lanini et al., 1991; Simmons et al., 1995). Fortunately Wisconsin’s climate during typical establishment periods is favorable and typically soil moisture is adequate to prevent reductions in establishment. While light can be limiting, mowing/harvesting the first cutting at the appropriate timing can limit this effect. So why do we still manage weeds in establishing forages? These weeds can result in reductions in establishment in abnormally dry years and lower forage quality in the first and sometime second cutting.
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Late blight is a potentially destructive disease of tomatoes and potatoes caused by the fungal-like organism, Phytophthora infestans. This pathogen is referred to as a Read more…
Late blight is a potentially destructive disease of tomatoes and potatoes caused by the fungal-like organism, Phytophthora infestans. This pathogen is referred to as a ‘water mold’ since it thrives under wet conditions. Symptoms of tomato and potato late blight include leaf lesions beginning as pale green or olive green areas that quickly enlarge to become brown-black, water-soaked, and oily in appearance (Fig. 1 and 2). Lesions on leaves can also produce pathogen sporulation which looks like white-gray fuzzy growth (Fig. 1 and 2). Stems can also exhibit dark brown to black lesions with sporulation (Fig. 2). Tomato fruit symptoms begin small, but quickly develop into golden to chocolate brown firm lesions or spots that can appear sunken with distinct rings within them (Fig. 1); the pathogen can also sporulate on tomato fruit giving the appearance of white, fuzzy growth. On potato tubers, late blight symptoms include firm, brown, corky textured tissue (Fig. 2). The time from first infection to lesion development and sporulation can be as fast as 7 days, depending upon the weather (1). Control of late blight in the field is a critical component of long term disease prevention, as infected plant parts, if unexposed to winter killing frost conditions, can carry the pathogen from one growing season to the next (Fig. 3).
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Soil quality, or soil health, has been defined as “the capacity of a specific kind of soil to function within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries Read more…
Soil quality, or soil health, has been defined as “the capacity of a specific kind of soil to function within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and support human health and habitation” (Karlen et al., 1997) or, more simply, the ability of a soil to perform functions that are essential to people and the environment (D. Karlen, personal communication, 2009). Whatever the specific definition, the goal is to manage soils so as to assure long-term productive and environmental sustainability. Soil does this by performing five essential functions: nutrient cycling, water relations, biodiversity and habitat, filtering and buffering, and physical stability and support (Andrews et al., 2004).
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Rhizobia are responsible for biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) when in symbiosis with a host legume such as soybean. Though evidence suggests that legumes prefer to Read more…
Rhizobia are responsible for biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) when in symbiosis with a host legume such as soybean. Though evidence suggests that legumes prefer to use mineralized sources of nitrogen (N) in the soil before spending energy on a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia, total plant N derived from BNF is typically between 25 and 75% for soybean (Zapata et al., 1987). Rhizobia inoculant application is the primary strategy employed by soybean producers to promote adequate levels of BNF. Inoculant recommendations differ by state and are largely driven by crop history. Conley and Santini (2007) conducted a survey of 1,134 farmers in Indiana and found 18% to use rhizobia inoculants. Wisconsin inoculant use was shown to be much higher, at 85% (n=168) (Conley, unpublished data, 2008).
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Snap-Plus version 1.132 was released in September, 2010. It includes improved report packages, more problem flagging to guide planning, and 39 new crops. The 2011 Read more…
Snap-Plus version 1.132 was released in September, 2010. It includes improved report packages, more problem flagging to guide planning, and 39 new crops. The 2011 release will be updated software (version 2). Over the next several years, GIS mapping capabilities will be added to version 2.
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Irrigation is fundamentally the act of distributing water onto soil that is not quite wet enough to keep crop plants growing at their best. But Read more…
Irrigation is fundamentally the act of distributing water onto soil that is not quite wet enough to keep crop plants growing at their best. But as the old saying goes, there is no free lunch. We pay for irrigation in some obvious ways–equipment, energy–but also in some harderto-count ways. Irrigation water has to come from somewhere–what are the impacts of this extraction? How much irrigation is too much?
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Agricultural drainage is used throughout the North America and in Wisconsin to improve crop production by removing excess surface (flooding) and subsurface (root zone) water Read more…
Agricultural drainage is used throughout the North America and in Wisconsin to improve crop production by removing excess surface (flooding) and subsurface (root zone) water from fields. This discussion focuses on the operating principals and design considerations of subsurface (tile) drain systems. In addition, a basic framework is introduced to evaluate the cost and benefit for drain tile installation. Crop production on certain soil types and landscapes is significantly enhanced by subsurface drainage. This includes areas with low permeability soils, isolated low pockets and lands with low slope gradients. Only water draining freely from the soil profile by gravity is removed by drain tiles. Tile drains are intended to function at atmospheric pressure as gravity flow systems. Flow occurs as a result of differences in the water surface elevation (e.g., the water table and tile elevations), thus making a positive (free flowing or pumped) outlet critical to their operation. The initial flow collector in the tile drain system is the perforated lateral. The depth to which tile laterals will lower the water table and water removal rate are a function of drain depth, spacing, soil permeability. Drain depth typically ranges from 3 to 6 ft and spacing from 30 to 100 ft. Laterals drain to mains and submains where the flow rate is governed by inside pipe roughness, pipe size and slope. Mains and submains must be sized to convey the flow from all upstream laterals. Tile drain systems eventually discharge into a surface water conveyance system or ditch. These ditches can be part of a legal (Wis. Stat. Chap. 88) public drainage system or county drainage system administered by a county drainage board. The drainage board oversees the maintenance on the county ditch system and assesses benefited land owners to cover the costs.
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Nearly half of the original wetlands in the U.S. have been lost. Many were drained and converted to agriculture production. The beneficial functions and values Read more…
Nearly half of the original wetlands in the U.S. have been lost. Many were drained and converted to agriculture production. The beneficial functions and values that wetlands provide to society are now universally recognized. The Food Security Act of 1985 (’85 Farm Bill), as amended, required persons who wanted to participate in USDA programs and receive benefits to be in compliance with the Highly Erodible Lands (HEL) and Wetland Conservation provisions of the Law. “Swampbuster” provided an incentive for landowners to not drain/convert wetlands for commodity crop production.
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The 2010 growing season can be summarized by an early planting, higher temperatures, consistent rains, early harvest and record yields. As of December 10, 2010 Read more…
The 2010 growing season can be summarized by an early planting, higher temperatures, consistent rains, early harvest and record yields. As of December 10, 2010 USDA forecasted the Wisconsin corn crop at 162 bushels per acre, a new state record and 50 bushel per acre soybeans. Nationally, the corn crop is pegged at 154.3 and soybeans at 43.9. Grain prices traded downward from planting season until the mid-summer when demand for U.S. grains became stronger. There were production shortfalls in the world in China and Russia, which resulted in Russia placing an embargo on wheat exports. The growth in demand outpaced the large production levels resulting in a tighter year-over-year ending stocks situation. Corn ending stocks-to-use ratio is at historic lows. Moving into 2011, the tight ending stocks will continue to keep the grain markets at relatively higher price levels, but will also allow for high daily price volatility, as well as large price swings.
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Buying corn hybrids is more confusing than ever. In the past corn was sold as dent corn and farmers had to worry about performance issues Read more…
Buying corn hybrids is more confusing than ever. In the past corn was sold as dent corn and farmers had to worry about performance issues whether it was a single-cross, three-way cross, or double-cross. Then specific markets emerged and waxy, high-oil, brown midrib, leafy and nutrient dense hybrids were marketed. Today we still have many of these hybrids with genes targeted for specific uses. Most of the confusion today about hybrid selection is due to the combinations of available transgenes that protect yield better than ever before.
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Soybean seed price will continue to be a major driver of seed sales in 2011. Preliminary quotes on base seed price (minus discounts, seed treatment, Read more…
Soybean seed price will continue to be a major driver of seed sales in 2011. Preliminary quotes on base seed price (minus discounts, seed treatment, and promotions) have ranged from the mid $30’s (conventional) to the high-$50’s (RR2Y®) on a per-bag, untreated basis. Growers are also challenged with a multitude of seed treatment offerings that not only confound variety selection, but also significantly increase seed price. Such a huge discrepancy in price and seed treatment options has growers struggling over their 2011 variety selection decisions.
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Numerous in-season management decisions need to be made growing corn. Some inputs are relatively easy decisions to make and must be legally followed, i.e. pesticide Read more…
Numerous in-season management decisions need to be made growing corn. Some inputs are relatively easy decisions to make and must be legally followed, i.e. pesticide applications. Other decisions are more difficult with no clear guidelines due to the unpredictability of environmental influences. For example, irrigating for the last time during a growing season is influenced by the growth stage, the amount of plant green leaf area, the yield potential of the crop, the amount of rainfall predicted, the amount of stored water in the soil profile and the air temperature and humidity which will drive the evapotransporation process to cool the plant if needed. Some things can be measured like green leaf area, yield potential, and stored water, but other things are vague yet need to be considered in the decision.
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In Wisconsin, nearly 70% of farmers perceive that weeds have become more difficult to control with glyphosate over time, including both common lambsquarters and giant Read more…
In Wisconsin, nearly 70% of farmers perceive that weeds have become more difficult to control with glyphosate over time, including both common lambsquarters and giant ragweed. Many have reported variable or inconsistent response of common lambsquarters to glyphosate. One of our goals has been to investigate the variable response of common lambsquarters to glyphosate, including potential resistance to glyphosate. We have characterized the response of more than 40 common lambsquarters populations to glyphosate from across southern Wisconsin. We have not found any of these populations to be resistant to glyphosate. However, we have observed variable responses among these populations to glyphosate. Our results suggest that variability of common lambsquarters to glyphosate is most apparent following treatment with low rates of glyphosate (e.g., 0.375 lb ae/acre). Such variability is much less or not apparent following treatment with higher rates of glyphosate (e.g., 1.5 lb ae/acre), at which shoot biomass is greatly reduced and injury is severe relative to non-treated check plants. We’ve also found that the relationship between a field history of exposure to glyphosate and less sensitivity to glyphosate was inconsistent. That is, in some instances less sensitivity (to low rates of glyphosate) was associated with a field history of previous glyphosate use, but in other instances, such a relationship was not apparent. We think it’s likely that our results reflect natural or inherent variability among common lambsquarters populations to glyphosate.
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Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) continue to be troublesome weeds in Wisconsin and are common in no-till fields. Two factors contributing Read more…
Common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) continue to be troublesome weeds in Wisconsin and are common in no-till fields. Two factors contributing to a resurgence of these weed species are reduced tillage and changes in herbicide programs in corn and soybeans. We have conducted on-farm trials on dandelion and off-farm trials on field horsetail for the past several years, the results of which will be presented here.
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Maintaining the proper soil pH through liming agricultural soils is a hallmark of modern crop production. Benefits of liming include the optimization of nutrient availability Read more…
Maintaining the proper soil pH through liming agricultural soils is a hallmark of modern crop production. Benefits of liming include the optimization of nutrient availability and utilization, the reduction of available levels of Al and Mn, the enhancement of N2 fixation in legumes, and improvement in the microbial-aided process of organic matter breakdown. The most common liming material by far in Wisconsin is crushed dolomitic limestone or aglime. Deposits of dolomitic limestone are common in the western, southern, and eastern portion of the state. Few, if any, deposits of limestone are found in the central and northern areas. Other lime sources include various by-product materials and calcitic lime, which is not indigenous to the state and therefore must be transported at significant expense. Lime should be applied according to recommendations that are based on a current soil test. The recommended rate is determined by soil pH desired for the most demanding crop in the rotation, the pH buffering potential of the soil, the soil pH, and the neutralizing index of the lime. The neutralizing index reflects both the purity of the lime relative to calcium carbonate and how finely it has been ground. Obviously purer and more finely ground materials, having more surface area, will react faster pound for pound compared to impure or coarser materials.
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Wisconsin farmers have begun using a new generation of vertical tillage implements designed to conduct shallow tillage and better distribute crop residue. These machines cause Read more…
Wisconsin farmers have begun using a new generation of vertical tillage implements designed to conduct shallow tillage and better distribute crop residue. These machines cause minimal soil inversion. Their main working component is a set of straight and/or wavy coulters, which directs soil disturbance downward in slots, a couple of inches wide by a couple of inches deep. Some crop producers are interested in shallow vertical tillage because current corn hybrids have stalks that slowly decompose due to genetic enhancements for insect resistance. The high levels of previous year corn residue in 1-pass no-till planting systems can reduce yields due to cool wet soils, slow seed germination and the physical challenges of planting into previous year(s) crop residue. Crop consultants and farmers have recognized the value of conducting a small amount of tillage in order to size the existing residue, condition the seedbed, and/or incorporate livestock manure, lime or other nutrients. Some farmers are considering replacing their 1-pass no-till planting system with a 1-pass shallow vertical tillage + plant system.
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With winter wheat acreage in Wisconsin expected to rise, now is a good time to review what nutrient management considerations should be made. Winter wheat Read more…
With winter wheat acreage in Wisconsin expected to rise, now is a good time to review what nutrient management considerations should be made. Winter wheat is a crop managed during two growing seasons, so careful attention to soil testing and fertilizer inputs should be made.
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Volatility has been a feature of fertilizer markets over recent years and up to the present. The presentation, “The Global Fertilizer Outlook” addresses the many Read more…
Volatility has been a feature of fertilizer markets over recent years and up to the present. The presentation, “The Global Fertilizer Outlook” addresses the many questions associated with this volatility. What was the effect of the financial crisis on global fertilizer markets? What was the knock-on effect on global crop production? How have global crop markets responded? What does this mean to farmers and to fertilizer dealers? When will things return to normal? Is there still a normal? What is the outlook for the markets for each of the nutrients N, P, and K?
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Grain quality is a nebulous term that means different things to corn producers, crop consultants, dairy producers or ruminant nutritionist. In commercial grain sales, grain Read more…
Grain quality is a nebulous term that means different things to corn producers, crop consultants, dairy producers or ruminant nutritionist. In commercial grain sales, grain quality is often defined in terms of moisture content, test weight, kernel size, total damaged kernels, heat damage, broken kernels or breakage susceptibility. Foreign material in grain such as molds, mycotoxins, insect fragments, and other foreign material are also used to define grain quality. Likewise, nutritional properties of corn grain such as fat, protein, hardness, density, and starch content define corn quality characteristics. In short corn grain quality is defined primarily by the end users intended use. If the end user of the grain is a dairy cow, then grain quality factors related to milk production best define grain quality.
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Ever since the demise of the Wisconsin Green Gold Program in 1996 there has been no public source of on-farm alfalfa yield data. Unlike corn Read more…
Ever since the demise of the Wisconsin Green Gold Program in 1996 there has been no public source of on-farm alfalfa yield data. Unlike corn and soybeans, obtaining accurate yield information for forage crops involves considerable planning, time, and effort on behalf of the person collecting the yield data and the farmer. Historically, few producers had the capacity or patience during harvest to undertake such a task. Further, past efforts to measure alfalfa yield were usually limited to the best small area of the best field. In the past ten years, many larger dairies have installed on-farm scales for measuring purchased production of forages and/or feed commodities. These scales now make it relatively easy to weigh production not just from small areas of fields, but entire fields over the course of several years.
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With the wheat commodity prices staying high, the interest in wheat in the state remains very strong. Over the past few years, we have discussed Read more…
With the wheat commodity prices staying high, the interest in wheat in the state remains very strong. Over the past few years, we have discussed many issues associated with managing wheat in Wisconsin (Esker et al. 2008), in particular knowledge of the following factors for use of foliar fungicides as part of an IPM program: (i) active scouting of fields, (ii) knowledge of growth stage, (iii) knowledge of disease risk, (iv) knowledge of the variety planted, (v) estimating stand quality post-dormancy, (vi) overall crop development in the spring, (vii) weather, (viii) understanding the different fungicides and targeted diseases, and (ix) commodity prices. However, linking both genetics and fungicides is not a trivial set of research questions. For example, in 2009 and 2010, the winter wheat variety trial at Janesville was duplicated in size thus enabling the application of a fungicide at flag leaf emergence (fungicide: Quilt). However, results from that trial indicated that there was no evidence of an effect of foliar fungicide nor an interaction of variety and fungicide (Lackermann, 2010). One explanation was that the disease intensity at Janesville was relatively low in both years but this also highlights that the appropriate use of a foliar fungicide should be for disease control.
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The group “water molds,” or oomycetous plant pathogens, is comprised of both foliar and soilborne organisms with the potential to cause great destruction of a Read more…
The group “water molds,” or oomycetous plant pathogens, is comprised of both foliar and soilborne organisms with the potential to cause great destruction of a number of economically valuable crops when environmental conditions are wet and warm. Water molds are distinguished from true fungi, the classification of most plant pathogenic organisms, by several features including 1) lack of cell walls in hyphae resulting in the coenocytic condition, 2) diploid nuclei of vegetative cells, 3) cell walls composed of beta-1,3 and beta-1,6 glucans rather than chitin in true fungi, and 4) many species produce biflagellated swimming spores termed zoospores in structures called sporangia (3). The distinguishing features of water molds make their control on agricultural crops a challenge unique from that of true fungi. On vegetable and potato crops, the water molds which threaten the greatest crop losses include Phytophthora infestans (causal agent of late blight on potatoes and tomatoes), Phytophthora capsici (causal agent of Phytophthora crown and fruit rot on tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers), and Pseudoperonospora cubensis (causal agent of downy mildew on cucumbers).
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This is a summary of disease surveys conducted by plant pathologists at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). In 2010, field surveys Read more…
This is a summary of disease surveys conducted by plant pathologists at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). In 2010, field surveys focused on the following crops and diseases: Phytophthora Root Rot of seedling soybeans, Viruses of snap beans and soybeans, foliar diseases of winter wheat; and Stewart’s wilt of Seed Corn. Laboratory diagnosis was provided by DATCP’s Plant Industry Laboratory.
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With corn prices high, the use of foliar fungicides as a means to enhance corn yield remains a topic of great debate. In our previous Read more…
With corn prices high, the use of foliar fungicides as a means to enhance corn yield remains a topic of great debate. In our previous trial years that have included both small and large strip trials, there has not been a consistent benefit from the use of a foliar fungicides (Grau et al., 2008; Esker et al., 2009). In order to provide the most comprehensive data to stakeholders in the state, staff at the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service and UW College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have continued a coordinated effort to generate data from replicated large on-farm strip trials and small plot trials.
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Water is one of the most essential resources necessary for crop production and its stewardship is becoming more critical with continued population growth and shifts Read more…
Water is one of the most essential resources necessary for crop production and its stewardship is becoming more critical with continued population growth and shifts in land management. Agriculture, or food production, is responsible for 70 to 80% of the water consumption across the landscape. Even in Wisconsin with annual precipitation in excess of 30” on average, sustainable water use is becoming more critical. Increasing number of irrigation pivots and more acres of irrigated vegetable production across Wisconsin have led some to believe that increased irrigation pumping is impacting depth to groundwater. Declines in water table can have adverse effects on surface waters and lakes.
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Wisconsin has a history in the production of fresh market and processing fruits and vegetables including cucurbit crops, succulent beans, sweet corn, peas, carrots, and Read more…
Wisconsin has a history in the production of fresh market and processing fruits and vegetables including cucurbit crops, succulent beans, sweet corn, peas, carrots, and potatoes. While acreages and crops have changed over the years, growers have adapted and remained leaders in several of these primary crops. The goal of this project is to replace current insect management programs in key segments of the production region, which rely on frequent foliar applications of broad spectrum insecticides, with an economically viable reduced-risk system. This system has focused on EPA classified reduced-risk (RR) and organophosphate (OP)-replacement insecticides and application technology to minimize worker exposure to pesticides and mitigate adverse effects on human health, the environment, and non-target organisms, including biological control agents and pollinators. Specifically, this project focuses on potato in field production systems and is transferable to other fresh and direct market segments. Focus on this crop results from their heavy reliance on high insecticide inputs, the high degree of oversight and management needed to grow and harvest crops, and their economic importance in the region. Outcomes of the work include new pest management strategies devised for the potato crop to improve production efficiency and profitability, reduce human health and societal costs associated with pest management, and increase the long-term sustainability of these crops.
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Soybeans with resistance to synthetic auxin herbicides, such as 2,4-D and dicamba, are currently in development and may be considered for commercial release in some Read more…
Soybeans with resistance to synthetic auxin herbicides, such as 2,4-D and dicamba, are currently in development and may be considered for commercial release in some areas in the near future. While these traits may improve the weed control spectrum and options in soybean, concern has been expressed by specialty crop producers that expanded use of synthetic auxin herbicides may increase risk of off-target herbicide movement. The intent of this paper is to review specialty crop production, with a focus on Wisconsin, and to pose potential components of an “ideal” herbicide stewardship program for discussion.
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Sweet corn production represents over 80,000 acres of Wisconsin cropland and is grown for processing and fresh market production. In addition, sweet corn is grown Read more…
Sweet corn production represents over 80,000 acres of Wisconsin cropland and is grown for processing and fresh market production. In addition, sweet corn is grown on irrigated sandy soils as well as rain-fed fine-textured soils. Our current nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendations were developed several decades ago and may not fully represent N need of new varieties, seeding densities, use of multiple split applications to improve nitrogen use efficiency and implications toward groundwater quality. The objectives of this research were to: (1) re-evaluate our current N recommendations for sweet corn and (2) evaluate sweet corn response to N rate, N timing, variety, and seeding density.
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Diammonium phosphate (18-46-0) (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (11-52-0) (MAP) are the two most common phosphorus (P) fertilizers in the US corn-belt. These granular fertilizers are Read more…
Diammonium phosphate (18-46-0) (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (11-52-0) (MAP) are the two most common phosphorus (P) fertilizers in the US corn-belt. These granular fertilizers are excellent P sources because they are highly water-soluble, contain a high P concentration, and are easy to handle and store (Fixen, 1990). In addition, they represent a relatively low-cost source of supplemental N.
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There are a number of projects underway in Wisconsin to investigate the relationship between field management and runoff phosphorus (P) losses and P loads from Read more…
There are a number of projects underway in Wisconsin to investigate the relationship between field management and runoff phosphorus (P) losses and P loads from agricultural watersheds. This paper focuses on the field runoff P loss risk distribution found in one of those projects located in two similar watersheds within the Pecatonica River Basin. The Pecatonica River pilot project is testing Wisconsin Buffer Initiative recommendations for using targeted strategies in small agricultural watersheds (5,000 to 25,000 acres) to achieve water-quality improvement goals (http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/people/nowak/wbi/). This small watershed scale was chosen as optimal for identifying nonpoint pollution sources, implementing strategies, and measuring success.
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Since first being detected in 2005, Western Bean Cutworm (WBC), Striacosta albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has become a pest throughout most of Wisconsin. WBC was Read more…
Since first being detected in 2005, Western Bean Cutworm (WBC), Striacosta albicosta (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has become a pest throughout most of Wisconsin. WBC was first detected in corn in southern Wisconsin and by 2006 WBC had spread into several counties in the state. Populations are most prevalent south of highway 29/Interstate 94 based on 2010 pheremone trap captures (Pestwatch, 2010). Since WBC initial collection and identification (Smith, 1887) in the late 1800s in the western United States, the pest has continued to migrate both to the north and east.
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What’s changed in 40 years? Certainly not the soils! What about the soil scientist? Let’s take a few minutes and review the learning process, the Read more…
What’s changed in 40 years? Certainly not the soils! What about the soil scientist? Let’s take a few minutes and review the learning process, the application years and what is there about the soils in Wisconsin that is worth passing on. Has it all been worth it?
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The Khorana Program was established by the University of Wisconsin-Madison to promote long-term linkages between the UW and India. The program honors Har Gobind Khorana, Read more…
The Khorana Program was established by the University of Wisconsin-Madison to promote long-term linkages between the UW and India. The program honors Har Gobind Khorana, the Indian-born scientist who won the Nobel Prize in 1968 while a member of the UW Biochemistry faculty. Under the umbrella of this program the University of Wisconsin-Madison applied for and received a grant of $950,000 from the United States Agency for International Development. The grant allowed the UW to partner with Mahindra and Mahindra and the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust to promote rural development in India. In addition to the funding received by the UW, the two partners provided over three million dollars. “This represents the latest approach to development, linking university expertise with the private sector’s financial power and on-the-ground experience,” says project leader Kenneth Shapiro, former associate dean in the UW College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics. “This approach is especially appropriate for India, where rapid economic growth has benefited 300 million, but 800 million, mostly rural residents, are left behind, and over 25% of children are malnourished, leading to tragically high rates of infant mortality and mental and physical stunting.”
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Wisconsin is a national leader in the small, but rapidly growing organic sector of agriculture. The number of organic farms in the state has more Read more…
Wisconsin is a national leader in the small, but rapidly growing organic sector of agriculture. The number of organic farms in the state has more than tripled since 2002 to over 1200 farms today (Figure 1). We are second in numbers of organic farms after California, and first in the nation in numbers of organic dairy farms (National Agricultural Statistics Service 2008). We are also in the top ten in numbers of organic farms producing livestock, vegetables, grain, and forages. In 2008, farmgate sales totaled over $132 million (Table 1).
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Organic farming, when done correctly, is more than just producing crops and livestock without synthetic chemicals, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. Most definitions of organic farming emphasize Read more…
Organic farming, when done correctly, is more than just producing crops and livestock without synthetic chemicals, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals. Most definitions of organic farming emphasize production practices that conserve, protect and enhance natural resources, encourage biological diversity, foster cycling of nutrients, build soil organic matter and minimize use of offfarm inputs. I like to think of organic crop production as an integrated system of cultural, biological, ecological and mechanical practices, much like the traditional definition of integrated pest management, without most, or usually any, of the chemical practices. With very limited chemical tools at their disposal, organic farmers have to develop and continually hone their skills and practices in these other management areas.
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The Arlington Agricultural Research Station (AARS) is the largest of 12 UW-Madison Research Stations. It supports a wide cross section of research and programs for Read more…
The Arlington Agricultural Research Station (AARS) is the largest of 12 UW-Madison Research Stations. It supports a wide cross section of research and programs for 10 different departments in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). The station consists of approximately 2100 acres of cropland and 14 different crop and livestock units. Approximately 1000 acres is devoted to crop research and the remaining 1100 acres is used as feed for the research livestock units. AARS annually grows approximately 600 acres of corn, 400 acres of forages, 200 acres of soybeans and 100 acres of small grains. This includes the ~80 acres of Certified Organic land.
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Because organic farmers have relatively few control options when insect pest populations reach problem levels, a preventive approach to pest management is essential in organic Read more…
Because organic farmers have relatively few control options when insect pest populations reach problem levels, a preventive approach to pest management is essential in organic systems. However, given the limited research base regarding relationships between soil fertility, plant health, and insect growth and reproduction, it’s unclear in many situations exactly what this should mean to farmers in terms of inputs and practices.
What do we know so far? In general, mineral nutrition status is known to influence factors such as growth and yield of crop plants by affecting changes in growth pattern, plant morphology and anatomy, and particularly chemical composition. For example, thickness of epidermal cells, degree of lignification, sugar concentrations, amino acid content in phloem sap, and levels of defensive compounds are all influenced by nutritional status of the plant, and in turn either affect or are presumed to affect resistance to insects (Marschner, 1995, Patriquin et al., 1995). Much of the work done to explore plant-insect relationships has involved aphids and nitrogen. For example, there is substantial evidence that aphid reproduction is increased by high levels of soluble N (e.g., amines, amides, amino acids) in host plant leaves (McKee 1962; Auclair, 1963, 1965; van Emden et al., 1969).
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The number of acres planted to corn rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) (CRW) resistant corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids have increased in recent years. The CRW resistant corn Read more…
The number of acres planted to corn rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) (CRW) resistant corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids have increased in recent years. The CRW resistant corn hybrids may have a greater yield potential because of reduced stress from CRW larval feeding resulting in larger root systems. Many agronomists believe higher N rates are needed to achieve the greater yield potential associated with these hybrids. However, larger root systems of CRW resistant hybrids could result in greater N use efficiency and perhaps a reduced N fertilizer need compared to non-CRW resistant hybrids.
UW Madison, Soil ScienceDo Corn Hybrid Traits Affect Nitrogen Use Efficiencynutrient management -
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Advances in Soils and Agronomy over 50 Years
2011No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
UW Madison, Soil ScienceThe More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Advances in Soils and Agronomy over 50 Yearsnutrient management -
Nitrogen management continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing crop managers. High fertilizer prices, confusion about fertilizer technologies, and weather uncertainties are just a few Read more…
Nitrogen management continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing crop managers. High fertilizer prices, confusion about fertilizer technologies, and weather uncertainties are just a few of the issues encountered when trying to balance economic and environmental sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to outline how understanding the N cycle is the most important tool that you can use to make profitable N management decisions.
UW Madison, Soil ScienceThe Most Important Tool in the Nitrogen Management Toolboxnutrient management -
Whether you work as a consultant, agronomist, landscaper or co-op, people ask questions about all kinds of things . We all have the sensation from Read more…
Whether you work as a consultant, agronomist, landscaper or co-op, people ask questions about all kinds of things . We all have the sensation from time to time of something biting us. Sometimes you look down and see a critter sometimes there seems to be nothing there. What about when you wake up and find bites all over you and you wonder who did that? Have you ever had a person that believed they were infested with some type of bug or worm and were looking to you for help?
The first question is – are their visible bites? This is a starting point. In Wisconsin most of the things that bite will be active during the late spring to early fall. It is very difficult to diagnose the cause of the bite without looking at the history and circumstances surrounding the problem. Were has the person been in the last 48 hr? Where are the bites located and how long have they had them? Do they have pests?
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The annual survey in August documented a decrease in the state average number of beetles per plant for the first time in five years. Population Read more…
The annual survey in August documented a decrease in the state average number of beetles per plant for the first time in five years. Population declines were charted in every district, with the largest reductions occurring in the southeast, east-central and north-central areas. The state average of 0.6 beetle per plant compares to 1.0 last season and a 5-year average of 1.1 per plant. District counts were as follows: northwest 0.4, north-central 0.4, northeast 0.5, west-central 0.5, central 0.4, east-central 0.6, southwest 0.7, south-central 1.1, and southeast 0.3. Populations in 77% of surveyed fields were below the 0.75 beetle per plant level which indicates root injury potential in 2010 if some form of control is not used.
The causes of the decline in beetle numbers are not certain. It is presumed that widespread use of stacked Bt hybrids is a major contributing factor, both in Wisconsin and across the Midwest where populations of the western species were greatly reduced this season. Wet soil conditions last spring also may have caused some degree of larval mortality, thus lowering adult numbers. The map below shows the locations of 229 fields sampled in August. Areas with an elevated risk of root injury to non-Bt, continuous corn are represented by red and yellow circles.
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Soil nutrients that are essential to plants are categorized into three broad groupings: (1) Macronutrients: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O) – supplied by air Read more…
Soil nutrients that are essential to plants are categorized into three broad groupings: (1) Macronutrients: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O) – supplied by air and water – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K). (2) Secondary Nutrients: calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S). (3) Micronutrients: boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn). Regardless of category, all these elements are critical to crop production.
The only variance is the relative demand level of plants for the given nutrient. Macronutrient requirements of plants are relatively high; whereas, the secondary nutrients are often added to soils incidentally with lime, manure, precipitation, etc. and usually do not limit crop growth as frequently as N, P, or K deficiencies. Soil micronutrients, on the other hand, are needed by plants in small quantities. This does not diminish their importance in crop production. This paper will focus on the major micronutrients and their role in crop production.
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Plant analysis can be a useful tool for troubleshooting plant nutrition related crop production problems during the growing season. From a troubleshooting standpoint, plant analysis Read more…
Plant analysis can be a useful tool for troubleshooting plant nutrition related crop production problems during the growing season. From a troubleshooting standpoint, plant analysis can confirm visual symptomology of nutrient deficiencies or toxicities, reveal early stages of nutrient deficiencies, and determine the availability of nutrients for which a reliable soil test does not exist or soil test calibration has not been completed. Plant analysis can also be used to assess a crop’s response to applied nutrients, particularly where different treatments may have been applied in the same field (e.g., strips with and without sulfur addition).
Over the past several years, agronomists have become increasingly interested in using plant analysis to help troubleshoot problem fields or identify slight nutrient deficiencies that might hinder a producer from achieving high yields. This is evidenced by the fact that plant samples submitted to the UW Soil & Plant Analysis Lab doubled each year since 2007 (Table 1). While plant analysis sample submission has increased, the number of soil samples submitted in conjunction with plant samples has remained relatively steady since 2005. An analysis of some of the plant analysis data since 2005 revealed that plant analysis may not be well understood by some agronomists. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to describe the use and limitations of plant analysis for troubleshooting fields.
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Evaluating and choosing the right spray nozzles and adjuvant for crop protection applications can be a challenge. Many factors, like nozzles and adjuvants, affect the Read more…
Evaluating and choosing the right spray nozzles and adjuvant for crop protection applications can be a challenge. Many factors, like nozzles and adjuvants, affect the spray pattern and droplet distribution and subsequently potential for drift and product efficacy. Personal observations and field experience are quite useful in evaluating results. Visual evaluation of nozzles of spray pattern and droplet distribution in real time can be useful but provides limited information. You can observe large changes in pattern distribution and if there is significant drift or movement of spray droplets.
Some “high tech” equipment has allowed us to evaluate in much greater detail the affects of nozzles, adjuvants, and other factors on spray droplet size, distribution pattern and movement. A laser analyzer provides a concise measurement of spray droplet size and quantity within a given range. This is especially useful for showing how much of the spray is small droplets, such as those under 105 microns. Droplets this size have a higher potential to move off-target. Laser droplet analysis is useful for showing how various factors affect droplet size. However, presentation is usually limited to tables or graphs.
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Soybean aphid has been a pest of soybeans in the upper Midwest for nearly a decade. There have been some significant changes over that time, Read more…
Soybean aphid has been a pest of soybeans in the upper Midwest for nearly a decade. There have been some significant changes over that time, both in the biology of this pest and in the way we manage it.
An overview will be given of some of the newest information in soybean aphid biology and management, with focus on discussing what happened in 2009 ― a remarkable year in our short history with this insect. This will include discussion of aphid overwintering hosts, both past and present, and focus on interpreting the 250 aphid/plant threshold at advanced growth stages (R5-R6).
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Invasive species law (NR40) established a classification and regulatory system for invasive species restricting actions such as sales, transportation, Read more…
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Invasive species law (NR40) established a classification and regulatory system for invasive species restricting actions such as sales, transportation, planting, or releasing listed species to the wild without a permit. While none of these plants classified by the rule have any direct agronomic value as a crop, producers will need to ensure that they are not transporting viable propagules (seeds or perennial tissue that can resprout) of prohibited and restricted species as this is illegal (unless a permit is obtained). While the rule exempts people who incidentally or unknowingly transport, possess, transfer or introduce a listed invasive species, knowledgeable producers must demonstrate that they took reasonable precautions to prevent movement of listed species. An example of this situation would be haying a field filled with listed plants like spotted knapweed or Canada thistle and transporting the bales to another location off farm. Producers can transport plant tissue of these species, but they must be incapable of reproducing/propagating. So harvesting these fields before any viable seeds are produced would be considered an adequate practice to prevent spread by DNR as the producer took steps to prevent movement of propagules of known listed plants.
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As seed input prices increase in 2010, there are many questions regarding the use and need of seed treatment fungicides, insecticides, and nematicides. There are Read more…
As seed input prices increase in 2010, there are many questions regarding the use and need of seed treatment fungicides, insecticides, and nematicides. There are both new seed treatments that will be out for the 2010 growing season for some companies (Accerlon™ from Monsanto (soybean and corn) and Avicta® from Syngenta (corn)) or will be forthcoming for the 2011 growing season from other companies. With a continued increase in the number of products available, the decision-making process can become very confusing. This is especially relevant when considering if a nematicide seed treatment is warranted.
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Wisconsin has a history in the production of fresh market and processing fruits and vegetables including cucurbit crops such as melons, cucumber, squash, and pumpkins. Read more…
Wisconsin has a history in the production of fresh market and processing fruits and vegetables including cucurbit crops such as melons, cucumber, squash, and pumpkins. While acreages and crops have changed over the years, growers have adapted and remained leaders in several crops. Additionally, small-acreage fresh market production, particularly organic, continues to expand in Wisconsin. A special focus of this section of the research will emphasize surveys of domestic and native pollinators. To date, we have documented significant reductions in both populations of cucumber beetles and the bacterial pathogen they transmit in susceptible vine crops using these tactics. In addition, we have identified several species of native pollinators which appear to be regularly abundant in fields treated for cucumber beetles. The seasonal abundance and species composition of insect pollinators varied among farm locations with Apis and Bombus spp occurring most frequently. We have demonstrated the ability to significantly reduce the reliance on broad spectrum insecticides by incorporating IPB-based, cultural practices that prevent damaging beetle feeding.
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Across Wisconsin in 2009, the number one soybean disease observed was Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR), or white mold. Weather conditions around flowering were quite favorable Read more…
Across Wisconsin in 2009, the number one soybean disease observed was Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR), or white mold. Weather conditions around flowering were quite favorable for infection and subsequent development of SSR in 2009 (Figure 1). In Figure 2, we show examples of differences in symptoms we observed throughout the state for SSR and these symptoms will be discussed in more detail in the next section.
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The 2009 release of Snap-Plus has features that can make setting up new farms in Snap-Plus and updating nutrient management plans significantly quicker and easier. Read more…
The 2009 release of Snap-Plus has features that can make setting up new farms in Snap-Plus and updating nutrient management plans significantly quicker and easier. Almost all field management information can now be entered through the Rotation Wizard for multiple fields and years at a time, saving many hours of data entry, particularly for large farms with many fields and long rotations. You can use the Rotation Wizard to enter planned manure and fertilizer applications along with crops and tillage for all years in a rotation for any number of fields. You can also update previously entered crop, tillage, soil test, and application information. For a complete description and instructions, look for the link in the “Important News” (red) box on the Snap-Plus home page www.snapplus.net.
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The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of three often-asked questions related to slow-release nitrogen: (1) what are slow-release fertilizers, (2) why Read more…
The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of three often-asked questions related to slow-release nitrogen: (1) what are slow-release fertilizers, (2) why should I use slow-release fertilizers and (3) when should I use slow-release fertilizers? It is important to note that products mentioned in this paper do not reflect an endorsement of the product, but simply to inform which products are currently available for crop production in WI. Likewise, a lack of mention of specific products does not imply that a product is not recommended or available for use.
What Are Slow-Release Fertilizers?
Slow-release is an often overused term that encompasses several N fertilizer products which include: uncoated slow-release fertilizers (SRF), coated SRF, and bio-inhibitors. The term “controlled-release” is often used synonymously with slow-release, but has also been used to identify coated SRF or more specifically, polymer-coated urea (PCU, often referred to as poly-coated) products. Thus, a more appropriate nomenclature that encompasses all of these products is fertilizer technologies. The debate will continue for some time regarding how much “control” each technology has on releasing N to the plant.
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POST herbicide effectiveness depends on spray droplet retention, deposition, and herbicide absorption by weed foliage. Adjuvants and spray water quality influence POST herbicide efficacy. Adjuvants Read more…
POST herbicide effectiveness depends on spray droplet retention, deposition, and herbicide absorption by weed foliage. Adjuvants and spray water quality influence POST herbicide efficacy. Adjuvants are not needed with PRE herbicides unless weeds have emerged and labels include POST application.
Spray adjuvants generally consist of surfactants, oils and fertilizers. The most effective adjuvant will vary with each herbicide, and the need for an adjuvant will vary with environment, weeds, and herbicide used. Adjuvant use should follow label directions and be used with caution as they may influence crop safety and weed control. An adjuvant may increase weed control from one herbicide but not from another. To compare adjuvants and determine adjuvant enhancement herbicide rates should be used at marginal weed control levels. Effective adjuvants will enhance herbicides at reduced rates and provide consistent results under adverse conditions. However, use of below-labeled rates exempts herbicide manufacturers from liability for nonperformance.
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Pesticide drift to sensitive sites is a very rare occurrence, but can involve a high liability when it does occur given the value of specialty Read more…
Pesticide drift to sensitive sites is a very rare occurrence, but can involve a high liability when it does occur given the value of specialty crops. The topic of pesticide drift has been addressed for many years in Wisconsin, and applicators are generally very aware of such risk. However, the landscape is changing in Wisconsin and therefore warrants a reminder of the extent and distribution of sensitive specialty crops in the state.
In general, the number of Wisconsin specialty crop producers has increased in recent years, while the number of grain growers has decreased over a similar time period (Table 1). There are a few common threads among these farms that increase risk when considering pesticide drift. The average specialty crop farm is small, ranging from an average size of 0.9 acre in floriculture to 90 acres for vegetables. Given the small acreage, these farms are not often “on the radar.” These farms are also interspersed among agronomic crops throughout the state. There is no consolidated specialty crop production area. Finally, specialty crops tend to be tremendously high in value. Cranberries, for example, cost about $35,000 per acre to establish, and production may exceed up to $24,000 per acre in gross value.
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Subsurface drainage is used for agricultural, residential and industrial purposes to remove excess water from poorly drained land. An important feature statewide, drainage enhances Wisconsin Read more…
Subsurface drainage is used for agricultural, residential and industrial purposes to remove excess water from poorly drained land. An important feature statewide, drainage enhances Wisconsin agricultural systems, especially in years with high precipitation. Drainage systems improve timeliness of field operations, enhance growing conditions for crop production, increase crop yields on poorly drained soils and reduce yield variability. In addition to agronomic benefits, subsurface drainage can improve soil quality by decreasing soil erosion and compaction. To maintain agricultural productivity and protect water quality, producers, consultants and agency personnel must understand tile drainage, locate drainage systems and properly maintain them.
In Wisconsin, drainage systems were originally constructed using short (1-foot) segments of clay or cylindrical concrete “tiles.” Tiles were initially installed manually, requiring hand excavation. Modern drain tiles are corrugated, perforated plastic pipes typically installed mechanically using a trencher. These plastic pipes are available in a variety of diameters to accommodate different flow rates. They are typically installed at a depth of 3 to 6 feet below the soil surface and discharge into drainage ditches, streams or wetlands. The majority of tile-drained land in Wisconsin is located in the eastern and southern portions of the state, although county records indicate that tile drainage is prevalent statewide. In Wisconsin’s rolling landscape, tile drains are often installed in a random pattern, following depressional areas.
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Land application is the most common method of animal waste management in Wisconsin. A significant risk of land spreading manure is its entry into streams, Read more…
Land application is the most common method of animal waste management in Wisconsin. A significant risk of land spreading manure is its entry into streams, lakes and groundwater. Oxygen demanding organic matter, bacteria, pathogens and nutrients from manure can be transported into surface and groundwater posing significant public health and environmental risks. The most common and readily apparent transport pathway for surface-applied liquid manure into surface waters is via surface runoff. To reduce odors and runoff risk and to capture maximum fertilizer value, many producers inject liquid manure directly into field soils. For nontiled fields surface application and injection are appropriate methods of manure application when soil conditions (moisture, slope, frost, etc.) are right and when done at application rates appropriate for soil assimilation. The existence of tile drains may, however, render surface application and injection inappropriate by providing direct transport pathways for liquid manure to surface waters. Manure can enter tile drains via surface inlets, open cavities created by tile blow-outs and via soil macro-pores (earthworm holes, soil structural cracks and former root channels).
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Since 2002, the Professional Nutrient Applicators Association of Wisconsin (PNAAW) and UW Extension have conducted 15 live action field events to train applicators, farmers, first Read more…
Since 2002, the Professional Nutrient Applicators Association of Wisconsin (PNAAW) and UW Extension have conducted 15 live action field events to train applicators, farmers, first responders and agency staff how to respond in the event of a manure spill or release. As these sessions have evolved and training materials developed, the question of how many spills or incidents occur per year and what impact they actually have on the environment is repeatedly asked. While many citizen groups and agency staff collected some information, there is no comprehensive Wisconsin-specific database of manure-related incidents available to help farmers and applicators prepare for and prevent manure spills.
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Identifying management zones (MZs) within a field is challenging because crop yields typically vary over space and time (Lamb, 1997). In-field variability is the focus Read more…
Identifying management zones (MZs) within a field is challenging because crop yields typically vary over space and time (Lamb, 1997). In-field variability is the focus of precision agriculture – how to manage it, diminish it, or overcome it. In-field variability reduces the ability to determine consistent yield patterns, and thus management zones.
Producers have expressed frustration in obtaining value from yield maps. Griffin (2000) states, “farmers were struggling to find direct benefits from the yield information that they were spending time and effort gathering.” Reasons yield maps are often not generated include: (i) the yield monitor might not be accompanied by GPS, (ii) problems associated with the data analysis, and (iii) owner operators who do little or no field work do not benefit as much from yield maps as those having direct experience with field conditions (Griffin, 2004). Reasons for not utilizing generated data such as yield maps are numerous and include; time to learn electronic skills in order to operate equipment and software, lack of training for producers and industry, uncertainty with using analyzed data to influence decision making, lack of local experts for technical assistance, working with data of differing formats, lack of basic research on yield and soil relationships, and need for a precision agricultural equipment (Kitchen, 2002). Griffin (2004) states, “the inability to process the gathered yield information into meaningful decisions, leads to apathy and discontinuance of future data collection.”
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Yield monitors have become very common on combines in the last decade. The primary goal of these devices is to help the producer monitor variability Read more…
Yield monitors have become very common on combines in the last decade. The primary goal of these devices is to help the producer monitor variability occurring in his or her fields. Utilizing GPS, this data can be saved spatially and downloaded to the producer’s computer to build an almanac that may be used to better understand how field inputs and growing conditions over a number of years (e.g., wet years, dry years) affect yield variability. Producers have also used this technology to conduct on-farm trials assessing economic return of various hybrids or management inputs.
The combine automates yield monitoring by aggregating data from various sensors, including speed, position, header height and width, mass-flow and moisture. Each of these sensors contributes an essential piece of data necessary to the production of an accurate yield map.
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Since the release of the first Bt corn hybrids targeting rootworms in 2003-04, the technology has undergone numerous changes, including novel traits, stacking of traits Read more…
Since the release of the first Bt corn hybrids targeting rootworms in 2003-04, the technology has undergone numerous changes, including novel traits, stacking of traits with other Bt toxins and herbicide tolerance, and alterations to the refuge structure. Although Bt hybrids generally provide excellent control of larvae, there is consistent adult emergence from these plants meaning that a refuge is critical to delay resistance development. In fact, full resistance to these toxins has been generated in just a few generations of rearing Western corn rootworm in laboratory studies. Once it has developed, this resistance is fixed, meaning that the beetles will not revert to the susceptible type once that type of Bt corn is no longer planted.
Preserving the efficacy of existing Bt toxins is critical. We do not fully understand how insects survive, but they do albeit in relatively low numbers currently. The risk of resistance is real and there are several possible paths for widespread resistance to develop, including sub-lethal exposure. This type of exposure may be favored by a number of scenarios including exposure to low-toxin level plants (volunteer corn) and/or exposure to Bt hybrids late in larval life, when the larvae are able to withstand a greater dose of toxin.
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Corn rootworm larval damage has been suspected or confirmed in Wisconsin corn fields planted to Bt CRW hybrids. This has prompted concern among crop advisors Read more…
Corn rootworm larval damage has been suspected or confirmed in Wisconsin corn fields planted to Bt CRW hybrids. This has prompted concern among crop advisors regarding recognition, severity and distribution of the problem. To help answer these concerns, a survey was conducted to evaluate corn rootworm larval damage to Bt CRW hybrids. Cooperators were asked to submit five (5) corn roots/field that were at least second year corn and planted to a Bt CRW hybrid. Field background requested from each field included, county, hybrid and Bt event. There were no attempts to single out commercial hybrids or Bt events. Approximately 110 fields were surveyed in 18 counties (Fig. 1). Range of fields sampled/county were from 1 to 21.
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Hail damage is common across many soybean and corn producing areas in the United States (National Crop Insurance Service, 2008). Since 2003, the National Crop Read more…
Hail damage is common across many soybean and corn producing areas in the United States (National Crop Insurance Service, 2008). Since 2003, the National Crop Insurance Service has paid claims on an average of 2.3 million acres of soybean per year at an average cost of $53.5 million. Over the same period of time, the NCIS estimates approximately $36 to $59 million in annual claims due to hail damage in corn (Bradley and Ames, 2010). With increasing global temperatures, more extreme and unpredictable weather patterns have been suggested; therefore; grower risk for severe hail damage may increase (Kajfez Bogataj, 2005).
In 2009, severe hail damage was reported in Southwest WI and across large sections of Iowa. Following this hail event, growers, retailers, and agronomists alike were asking if these acres needed to be treated with a fungicide. Much of this was prompted by BASF’s supplemental label for Headline® that states, “the plant health benefits may include improved host plant tolerance to yield-robbing environmental stresses, such as drought, heat, cold temperatures, and ozone damage” and for corn, “improved stalk strength and better harvestability, inducted tolerance to stalk diseases, better tolerance to hail, more uniform seed size.”
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This is a summary of disease surveys conducted by plant pathologists at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). In 2009, field surveys Read more…
This is a summary of disease surveys conducted by plant pathologists at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP). In 2009, field surveys focused on the following crops and diseases: Phytophthora Root Rot of Soybean Seedlings, Viruses of Snap beans, Foliar Diseases of Winter Wheat; and Stewart’s wilt of Seed Corn. Laboratory diagnosis was provided by DATCP’s Plant Industry Laboratory.
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Wisconsin is one of the leading producers of vegetable crops for processing in the United States. Wisconsin ranks third nationally in potato production, first in Read more…
Wisconsin is one of the leading producers of vegetable crops for processing in the United States. Wisconsin ranks third nationally in potato production, first in snap bean production, and third in sweet corn production, and result in $304 million in gate receipts for Wisconsin framers. Proper nitrogen supply is critical to all crop growth, but is particularly important in high input vegetable systems due to a shortened season for snap bean and sweet corn and a lower rate of return on investment relative to potatoes. Nitrogen is also a problem in much of the vegetable production areas due to its susceptibility to leaching rains resulting in groundwater contamination by nitrates. The price of nitrogen has been extremely volatile in recent years and producers have searched for alternative management strategies to reduce their reliance on fertilizer nitrogen.
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From environmentally-concerned groups to buyers, retailers and consumers, “sustainability” is certainly the current buzzword in many industries, including agriculture. Several retailers and agricultural industries are Read more…
From environmentally-concerned groups to buyers, retailers and consumers, “sustainability” is certainly the current buzzword in many industries, including agriculture. Several retailers and agricultural industries are independently developing sustainability standards, indices, and certification programs for their businesses and others throughout the supply chain. Additionally, national sustainability standards, which would ultimately encompass all agricultural crops, have been proposed or are in development by multiple groups. The intent of this presentation is to give an overview and update on national sustainability standards, and to outline potential implications on Wisconsin’s agricultural industries.
While the concept of sustainable agriculture has been a point of discussion for several years, the desire to use it as a marketing tool or to add value to products in the marketplace is a relatively recent development. Individual retailers and suppliers, such as Walmart, are developing sustainability scorecards and standards. For example, McDonald’s recently agreed to comply with a shareholder request to look at ways to reduce pesticide use in potatoes and document such progress. As a result, growers may be required to fill out several surveys to sell to multiple buyers, in addition to current requirements for good agricultural practice (GAP) surveys.
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The benefits of using new breeding techniques for alfalfa improvement are just being developed. These GMO alfalfa varieties will revolutionize the using and management of Read more…
The benefits of using new breeding techniques for alfalfa improvement are just being developed. These GMO alfalfa varieties will revolutionize the using and management of alfalfa. This paper presents information on the development of two GMO alfalfa traits (Roundup Ready and Low Lignin Alfalfa) that will provide new tools for many farmers. It will mention some other research/development being conducted.
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It is commonly stated as fact that soybean is experiencing a yield plateau. However, multiple sources of information from plant breeders, to yield trials, to Read more…
It is commonly stated as fact that soybean is experiencing a yield plateau. However, multiple sources of information from plant breeders, to yield trials, to the USDA suggest that soybean yield is increasing as a modest rate of 0.4 to 0.5 bu/a per year. Soybean yield can be explained by genetic potential, agronomic management, and environment. If growers are experiencing a yield plateau then it is critical to identify the source of this yield loss. For the purposes of this discussion, we will focus on the factors that growers and managers can control; genetic potential and management.
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One of the most important decisions corn producers make is the selection of high performing, adapted hybrids. Selecting the correct hybrid can often mean the Read more…
One of the most important decisions corn producers make is the selection of high performing, adapted hybrids. Selecting the correct hybrid can often mean the difference between profit and loss. Plant breeders and agronomists test thousands of commercial and experimental hybrids for several years at many locations over a range of plant populations and other management practices. These corn hybrid performance trials determine which hybrids have yielding ability superior to current hybrids and estimate disease resistance and other important characteristics.
The reason for conducting hybrid performance trials is to understand Genotype by Environment (GxE) interactions. If GxE did not exist we could conduct one trial at one location and use the best hybrid to plant across the entire state. Hybrids (genotypes) often respond (or interact) differently in different environments due to soils, diseases, insects, fertility, and especially weather! GxE is called different things by seed companies: “Fix / Flex,” “Offensive / Defensive,” and “Racehorse / Workhorse” hyrbids. Seed companies benefit greatly from on-farm hybrid trials that producers establish. They get hundreds of test plots per year, hundreds of weather patterns per year, and hundreds of disease situations per year.
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Invasive species are those plants, animals and disease organisms that are not native to a region, yet when introduced, can cause significant harm. The term Read more…
Invasive species are those plants, animals and disease organisms that are not native to a region, yet when introduced, can cause significant harm. The term is generally used for those species that cause ecological harm to our native fish, wildlife, plants, lakes, forests and other natural areas. Many species are weedy or pests in agricultural areas, but not in wild lands. Conversely, many of the invasive plants and animals affect only wild areas species, and do not harm crops or livestock. However, there are a number of species such as Canada thistle that do double duty. It is important for persons involved with agriculture to know about invasive species, as they can be both the victims of this harm, and may unwittingly introduce or spread invasive species.
There are a number of factors that are causing a rapid increase in the number of species invading Wisconsin. These include rapidly growing global trade, the public’s insatiable desire for new landscaping plants and global climate change. In addition, those invaders already in the area are accidentally moved around by roadside mowing, logging and farm equipment, tourists and outdoor recreationalists. The majority of people introducing or spreading these harmful species around are unaware of the harm they are causing. Many efforts have been underway for a number of years to raise the public’s awareness of the species of concern and what they can do to minimize their spread. Outreach efforts alone have not been sufficient to stem the tide of these invaders. Over the last few years groups of foresters, right-of-way managers, recreation enthusiasts and landscape industry members have been working together to create a series of voluntary Best Management Practices to help people in their fields to minimize the accidental spread of invasives. Agriculture is another large area of the economy that may benefit from developing similar voluntary practices.
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In a postemergence herbicide program, the application of the herbicide can easily be delayed by weather, time constraints, equipment availability, and other such causes. However, Read more…
In a postemergence herbicide program, the application of the herbicide can easily be delayed by weather, time constraints, equipment availability, and other such causes. However, if weeds are not controlled early enough, there is potential for yield loss from early season weed competition. This is true even when herbicides provide high levels of efficacy.
It has been observed that a large number of corn and soybean fields in Wisconsin are currently being managed with postemergence programs. Thus, the potential for significant yield loss due to early-season weed competition exists. This became more evident after an initial survey of grower’s fields was taken in 2008. In this survey, weeds were controlled at an average height of 2 inches taller than the recommended critical heights for weed removal (4-inch weed height in corn and 6-inch weed height in soybean).
In order to better understand the potential for yield loss from early season weed competition in Wisconsin corn and soybean fields managed with postemergence herbicide programs, in-field surveys of weed populations were conducted in 2008 and 2009. Individual field data from these surveys was used to estimate yield loss using a computer program called WeedSOFT®. A possible solution in soybean was also evaluated using on-farm trials comparing a single pass glyphosate program with a half rate of a preemergence broadleaf herbicide followed by glyphosate.
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Herbaceous perennial weeds are common pests in agricultural production systems. Plants with this life history have proven to be especially competitive as they have the Read more…
Herbaceous perennial weeds are common pests in agricultural production systems. Plants with this life history have proven to be especially competitive as they have the ability to regenerate from perennial organs that persist belowground. This trait allows plants to tolerate management methods, compete with other plants, and survive stressful growing conditions. These traits can cause significant reductions in crop yield and may account for why herbaceous perennial weed species are increasing in frequency throughout Canada, the Midwestern United States and Wisconsin.
Herbicides, mowing, tillage, burning, seeding competitive plants, and biological control have been effective in managing perennial weeds if applied correctly. Management methods typically target reducing stored resources in perennial storage organs and shading of shoots. Often combining techniques that integrate both strategies work the best. Due to the range of species biology and phenology, no recommendations are effective across all weed species. Often, it is useful to determine if perennial weeds are simple or creeping perennial weeds as biology and spread have subtle, but important differences for each life history. Correct identification of this type of life history is also useful in selecting the appropriate management methods. Below is a summary of biology, spread, and general management recommendations for simple and creeping perennial weeds along with a table of common perennial weeds found in Wisconsin. This presentation will provide an overview of the biology of perennial weeds and important factors to consider when using a range of management methods for these weed species.
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Significant decline in depth to the water table in the Wisconsin Central Sand Plain (WCSP), especially Portage and Waushara counties, has caused concern over the Read more…
Significant decline in depth to the water table in the Wisconsin Central Sand Plain (WCSP), especially Portage and Waushara counties, has caused concern over the increase in land area devoted to irrigated agricultural crop production. The decrease in groundwater elevation, lake levels, and stream flows, has significant impacts on aquatic ecosystems, recreational uses of streams and lakes, and property values of riparian lands (Fig. 1). Since 2002, water table levels in parts of the WCSP have dropped over 30 cm per year. Thus, we conducted a study to investigate the interactions between vegetation (irrigated agricultural crops, prairie, and forest) and depth to groundwater in the WCSP. The purpose of this study is to understand the degree to which these groundwater fluctuations are driven by climate changes or increasing irrigated agriculture. After collecting over 18 months of continuous water table elevation data under several vegetation types, we can see effects of vegetation cover and irrigation practices on fluctuation patterns in the water table. The data show clear differences in recharge and discharge behavior of the water table under irrigated crops and natural vegetations. The groundwater monitoring site location within the groundwatershed also influenced recharge characteristics. The impact of seasonal changes on the water table is also apparent. We will continue to expand our current database of groundwater elevations to further understand vegetation and irrigation impacts on groundwater levels.
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The interest in “vertical tillage” management has increased throughout the grain production region of the US in the past several years. The perception exists that Read more…
The interest in “vertical tillage” management has increased throughout the grain production region of the US in the past several years. The perception exists that certain traditional tillage practices create compacted layers and may reduce soil quality relative to crop production. These layers basically restrict root development into the soil; whereas vertical tillage systems “open up” the soil to better root growth down into the soil. Many companies now promote their tillage equipment as vertical tillage implements. However, it is likely that the practice means different things to different people. It has been suggested that vertical tillage could be conducted shallow, at a depth of 3 to 4 inches using tools that are equipped with specialized disks or harrow attachments or deep to depths well beyond 12 inches using subsoiling-like knives that create slots and do not invert the soil.
Perhaps it is easier to describe what is understood to not be vertical tillage (i.e., horizontal tillage). Such practices are those that shear the soil horizontally using a moldboard plow, field cultivator, or similar tools designed to cut and lift the soil often across the full tillage width. A chisel plow equipped with sweeps could be considered a horizontal tillage tool, while the same implement with straight points would provide vertical tillage. The principal effect is that there is a downward force associated with their operation that compresses the soil underneath as it cuts and lifts the soil, thereby creating a tillage pan. According to Dr. Randall Reeder, an agricultural engineer at The Ohio State University, negative factors associated with horizontal tillage practices include surface soil compaction, poorer root growth, increased erosion potential, and greater energy requirement to prepare a seedbed.
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A cover crop is a crop grown to benefit the soil and other crops in the rotation and is usually not intended for harvest. The Read more…
A cover crop is a crop grown to benefit the soil and other crops in the rotation and is usually not intended for harvest. The term cover crop is really a catchall phrase for numerous uses ranging from soil conservation, nutrient retention and environmental protection, improving soil quality and reducing use of purchased inputs. As such, a cover crop is usually planted to provide soil cover during otherwise idle intervals, or fallow periods, in a given crop rotation – that is, between harvest and planting of commodity or feed crops. In some cases, “living covers” may be inter-planted to grow with the commodity crop.
Cover crops are widely recognized as an integral component of organic production systems but also have great potential in conventional agriculture where several cover crops systems have been successfully implemented by producers. The right cover crop can provide multiple benefits while other uses and benefits are mutually exclusive. For example, a green manure crop grown to provide nitrogen (N) will not increase soil organic matter because it’s biomass must rapidly decompose to release N to the following crop.
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Organic No-Tillage Winter Rye-Soybean Systems: Agronomic, Economic, and Environmental Assessment
2010Organic soybean and corn production in Wisconsin has rapidly increased to meet demand of the expanding organic dairy industry (USDA-ERS, 2006). A major challenge that Read more…
Organic soybean and corn production in Wisconsin has rapidly increased to meet demand of the expanding organic dairy industry (USDA-ERS, 2006). A major challenge that organic row crop growers face is the intensive tillage needed for successful weed management (Posner et al., 2008), spurring interest by growers in improving weed management techniques (Walz, 1999). The use of a rye cover crop to facilitate no-till organic soybean production may improve weed management for organic growers, and provide additional ecosystem services including reduced soil erosion and runoff, increased soil organic matter and water infiltration, and trapping of excess nitrogen. This organic no-till rye mulch system has been limited in part due to uncertainty regarding the reliability of mechanical methods of terminating the cover crop, difficulty in establishing soybeans in the rye residue (Williams et al., 2000; Reddy et al., 2003), and the potential risk of competition between the rye cover crop and soybeans for soil moisture and nutrients resulting in reduced yields and economic returns (De Bruin et al., 2005; Westgate, 2005).
We conducted research to determine some of the agronomic, economic, and environmental risks associated with the use of winter rye cover crop in no-till organic soybean production systems. Our objectives were to determine the effect of rye management (plowing, crimping, and mowing), and soybean planting date (mid-May or early June) on soil moisture availability, soybean stand establishment, weed suppression, and soybean yield. Treatment effects on economic gross margins, soil loss, and soil quality were also predicted.
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Soybean aphid population dynamics are influenced by a number of factors, most notably the “top down” effects of natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, and pathogenic fungi) Read more…
Soybean aphid population dynamics are influenced by a number of factors, most notably the “top down” effects of natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, and pathogenic fungi) and the “bottom up” effects of the host soybean plant. As for the latter, host plant effects can include things such as plant stage or maturity, and plant nutritional status. For example, plant nitrogen has been found to be an important factor in cotton aphid growth and reproduction on cotton plants (Nevo and Coll, 2001). In the case of the soybean aphid, following the 2000 discovery of this pest in Wisconsin, entomologists and agronomists noticed that infestations in soybean seemed to be more severe in potassium deficient fields.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The 2008 spring rains in Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana delayed planting, drowned corn and soybean plants and resulted in significant re-planting. From May 30, 2008 Read more…
The 2008 spring rains in Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana delayed planting, drowned corn and soybean plants and resulted in significant re-planting. From May 30, 2008 to June 12, 2008, the previously saturated soils could not retain any more rainfall and the wetlands, potholes and depressions in the upland landscape filled with water and then began to runoff through waterways and into small streams. As much as 30% of the upland soils in south central Illinois, northern Missouri, and southern Indiana were affected by ponding. Approximately 1/3 of that ponded acreage was not re-planted in 2008. As overland flow started to occur so did sheet, rill and gully erosion. Where significant topsoil loss occurs, it can eventually result in the erosion phase change of the soil. Any soil erosion phase change from slightly to moderately or severely eroded can reduce the crop yield potential from 5 to 15 bu/ac depending on whether the soils have favorable or unfavorable subsoils for rooting. One year’s erosion events do not change the erosion phase of the soil unless gullying occurs. However, the 2008 soil loss, when added to the soil loss from erosion in previous years, could eventually result in a soil erosion phase change.
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As wheat production continues to increase in Wisconsin (Fig. 1), the management of wheat diseases, especially with the use of foliar fungicides, has become an Read more…
As wheat production continues to increase in Wisconsin (Fig. 1), the management of wheat diseases, especially with the use of foliar fungicides, has become an even more important topic of discussion (Fig. 1). With estimated foliar fungicide prices in the $25-30/acre range (application cost plus fungicide cost) for 2009, an integrated management approach for controlling wheat diseases is important. What does it mean to take an integrated management approach for controlling wheat diseases? This is a multi-step process of decisions (Esker et al., 2008a; Hollier and Hershman, 2008) and includes: (i) scouting fields, (ii) identifying the growth stage, (iii) knowledge of the disease risk, (iv) knowledge of the disease reaction of the variety planted (Conley et al. 2008), (v) stand quality coming out of dormancy, (vi) crop development, (vii) weather, (viii) knowledge of the types and differences in foliar fungicides, and (ix) wheat prices.
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Nitrogen is a very important nutrient for corn production and agronomists invest a lot of time in determining an appropriate application rate/time, assessing N credits from Read more…
Nitrogen is a very important nutrient for corn production and agronomists invest a lot of time in determining an appropriate application rate/time, assessing N credits from manure and legumes, and worrying about N losses. All aspects of N management impact profitability and environmental quality. Phosphorus is another agronomically important nutrient, which, in recent years, has become a driving force in nutrient management plans. So much focus is placed on N and P, that at times, other nutrients may not be given adequate attention. The goal of this paper is to highlight two nutrients, which will likely have increasing agronomic importance in Wisconsin cropping systems.
UW Madison, Soil Science2010 Nutrient Watch Listnutrient management -
Soil tests are an important tool to guide farmers in determining an appropriate fertilizer application rate. The interpretation of K soil test results are complicated Read more…
Soil tests are an important tool to guide farmers in determining an appropriate fertilizer application rate. The interpretation of K soil test results are complicated by the fact that STK levels are known to fluctuate throughout the year (Blakemore, 1966; Childs and Jencks, 1967; Liebhardt and Teel, 1977). Therefore, the time of soil sampling may impact fertilizer recommendations. Fluctuations in soil test K (STK) have been attributed to clay mineralogy and environmental conditions, like soil moisture status, wetting and drying cycles, and freezing and thawing cycles (Childs and Jencks, 1967).
Soils high in 2:1 type clay minerals (micas and vermiculites) have the ability to fix K (i.e., trap K in the clay interlayer) or release potassium depending on the STK level and soil moisture status (Goulding, 1987). Soil tests only measure the solution and exchangeable forms of soil potassium, and do not measure the potassium that is ‘fixed’ in the interlayer of 2:1 clay minerals. Leubs et al. (1956) measured exchangeable K levels in the top ½ inch of two Iowa fields from June through August and found exchangeable K to be inversely related to soil moisture. In laboratory investigations, an increase in the number of wetting and drying or freezing and thawing cycles has been found to either increase or decrease the magnitude of fixation or release of potassium (Graham and Lopez, 1969; Zeng and Brown, 2000). However, the response of STK levels to environmental conditions differs widely among different soils; therefore it is important to evaluate how STK levels may fluctuate in the major soil groups of Wisconsin.
UW Madison, Soil ScienceEffect of Sampling Time on Soil Test Potassium Levelsnutrient management -
Wisconsin is one of the nation’s leading poultry producers. Manure generated by poultry has the potential to negatively impact the state’s water resources if not Read more…
Wisconsin is one of the nation’s leading poultry producers. Manure generated by poultry has the potential to negatively impact the state’s water resources if not properly managed. A common management practice associated with poultry manure handling is “headland stacking”. Headland stacking involves temporarily storing poultry manure on field edges until the field is available for manure spreading (after the crop is harvested). As defined by a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) WPDES permit for a poultry operation, headland stacking occurs when poultry manure is piled in fields for 11 to 365 days prior to spreading. In practice, most headland manure stacks remain in place fewer than 3 months.
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Foliar fungicide use on corn has increased in recent years. Insufficient Midwest field data have encouraged a series of small- and large-scale research plots implemented Read more…
Foliar fungicide use on corn has increased in recent years. Insufficient Midwest field data have encouraged a series of small- and large-scale research plots implemented by UW-Madison and Extension personnel in 2007 and 2008. Large-scale field plots have advantages and disadvantages when compared to small scale plots. Advantages of small-plot research include the ability to control variables such as soil type/texture, drainage, soil compaction and pest interactions. It also allows the researcher to evaluate several different treatments in a small area. However, the value of large-scale on-farm research is that the previously mentioned variables are not singled out and those results better represent “real world” scenarios. Both research methodologies should be considered vital and important steps in the research process.
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In June 2008, overland flow of storm water and a rise in groundwater levels contributed to flooding 4,380 acres in Spring Green, Wisconsin. The affected Read more…
In June 2008, overland flow of storm water and a rise in groundwater levels contributed to flooding 4,380 acres in Spring Green, Wisconsin. The affected area, which is located over a mile from the Wisconsin River floodplain, remained flooded for 5 months.
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On-farm nutrient management begins with a good understanding of fieldspecific soils and their ability to accept nutrients and manure for optimal crop production while protecting Read more…
On-farm nutrient management begins with a good understanding of fieldspecific soils and their ability to accept nutrients and manure for optimal crop production while protecting water quality. DATCP is partnering with several federal and state agencies to develop two new tools to help farmers protect water resources when land spreading manure.
The first is online WI “590” Nutrient and Manure Application Restriction Maps which all of the mappable “590” spreading restrictions including slope and nitrogen restricted soils, and surface water quality management areas. These maps are currently available at http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/arm/agriculture/landwater/conservation/manure-mngmt/index.jsp.
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Cover crops play a vital role in the management of processing vegetables in the Central Sands region of Wisconsin. The use of cover crops to Read more…
Cover crops play a vital role in the management of processing vegetables in the Central Sands region of Wisconsin. The use of cover crops to reduce soil losses due to wind erosion has become a common practice following the harvest of a given cash crop by producers in the region. The management of these cover crops focuses on erosion control and limits development of the crop beyond vegetative stages through tillage or herbicide control. Currently cereal rye is the most common species used in vegetable production fields as a cover crop. Cereal rye is advantageous for erosion control due to its rapid establishment and the ability to grow at cooler temperatures in fall following harvest.
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Wisconsin has a history in the production of fresh market and processing fruits and vegetables including cucurbit crops such as melons, cucumber, squash, and pumpkins. Read more…
Wisconsin has a history in the production of fresh market and processing fruits and vegetables including cucurbit crops such as melons, cucumber, squash, and pumpkins. While acreages and crops have changed over the years, growers have adapted and remained leaders in several crops. Additionally, small-acreage fresh market production, particularly organic, continues to expand in Wisconsin. The demographics of these growers are also in transition in the state. Increasingly, a growing proportion of Amish growers are resettling in Wisconsin from Eastern states. These growers are contributing to an expanding fresh market produce industry through establishment of regional produce markets, multi-farm cooperatives and produce auctions. The geographic and social isolation of Amish communities creates a unique extension challenge in providing integrated pest management training for key pests. A key limiting factor for all cucurbit farmers includes cucumber beetles (e.g., cucumber beetles, Acalymma vittatum) and subsequent transmission of the bacterial wilt pathogen, Erwinia tracheiphila. This project focuses on the development of enhanced IPM practices for cucurbit production employing a combination of novel cultural and pest management practices. A special focus has been to emphasize practices that limit impacts on domestic and native pollinators. To date, we have documented significant reductions in both populations of cucumber beetles and the bacterial pathogen they transmit in susceptible vine crops using these tactics. Specifically, mean incidence of bacterial wilt was 2-3 X less prevalent among grower cooperators who implemented a combination of IPM-based practices when compared to both commercial and organic farm operators. The seasonal abundance and species composition of insect pollinators did vary among farms locations with Apis and Bombus spp occurring most frequently. We have demonstrated the ability to significantly reduce the reliance on broad spectrum insecticides by incorporating IPBbased, cultural practices that prevent damaging beetle feeding.
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Carbonate rocks (rock formations composed primarily of limestone or dolomite) underlie about one-third of Wisconsin. These formations occur in a U-shaped belt beginning in southern Read more…
Carbonate rocks (rock formations composed primarily of limestone or dolomite) underlie about one-third of Wisconsin. These formations occur in a U-shaped belt beginning in southern Polk County in the northwest, extending through most of southern Wisconsin, and covering the entire eastern side of the state from the Illinois border to the Door Peninsula. These rocks are fractured, and vertical and horizontal fractures are the primary pathways for groundwater movement. These rocks are also soluble, and percolating water from precipitation can enlarge some fractures to form conduits, caves and sinkholes that are the hallmarks of a karst landscape.
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Snap-Plus Update
2009Snap-Plus version 1.128 was released in December, 2008. It can be downloaded from the Snap-Plus website (www.snapplus.net). This version includes many improvements requested by users. Read more…
Snap-Plus version 1.128 was released in December, 2008. It can be downloaded from the Snap-Plus website (www.snapplus.net). This version includes many improvements requested by users. One of the major changes is implementation of an on-line Help system. Press F1 on any Snap- Plus screen to bring up the Help system window. You can use the Help system to learn about the new features listed below.
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Interest in using foliar fungicides continues to increase. Foliar fungicides have always been considered an effective management tactic when disease pressure warrants the application (Boerboom Read more…
Interest in using foliar fungicides continues to increase. Foliar fungicides have always been considered an effective management tactic when disease pressure warrants the application (Boerboom et al., 2008). Recently, however, foliar fungicides are being marketed for things like Plant Health or Plant Performance. Therefore, it is critical to further our understanding regarding if and when a foliar fungicide is effective for corn production in Wisconsin. Estimates for 2008 indicate that the number of acres in Wisconsin that received a foliar fungicide increased over 2007, when approximately 10% of the acreage was sprayed (400,000- 500,000 acres). Across the U.S., management of corn diseases is a process that requires decisions at multiple hierarchies (Table 1), including decisions made both pre- and post-planting. In this hierarchy is the use of foliar fungicides. The same factors that are used for managing corn diseases can be applied to determine the relative efficacy of an application of a foliar fungicide. Hybrid susceptibility is the number one factor to consider, followed by production practices like continuous corn and no-tillage corn, and having a high risk for leaf diseases.
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Correct nitrogen (N) management is essential for sustainable corn (Zea mays L.) production. While N fertilizer is an expensive input, this nutrient is critical since Read more…
Correct nitrogen (N) management is essential for sustainable corn (Zea mays L.) production. While N fertilizer is an expensive input, this nutrient is critical since corn is in general very responsive to N fertilization. Proper N management is important not only in terms of profitability but also environmental protection. Anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is an important source of N fertilizer in much of the US Corn Belt, with some states applying close to fifty percent of their N in this form. This source of N is injected in the soil during fertilization to reduce losses to the atmosphere. Nitrogen losses to the atmosphere have negative effects to the environment and represent a lost input to the farmer. For these reasons, there have been many studies conducted to determine the appropriate depth, speed, and soil conditions to minimize losses (Jackson and Change, 1947; Stanley and Smith, 1956; Baker et al., 1959; Wagner and Smith, 1958; Abo-Abda, 1985). There is growing pressure to move N application from fall to spring and sidedress times to try to reduce the potential of N loss. This pressure (which also shrinks time of application to a smaller time-frame) comes at a period when farm size is increasing, the use of no-till or other tillage systems with minimal crop-residue disturbance is desired for soil conservation purposes, and reduction in fuel consumption is important to reduce production costs and carbon emissions. All these factors makes it necessary to investigate the possibility of applying anhydrous ammonia with equipment that allows faster application, lower fuel consumption, and minimal disturbance of the soil. Applications at shallow depths, as long as ammonia losses are maintained at an acceptable low level, may be a possible way to achieve these desired outcomes. Recently, a high speed low draft (HSLD) applicator, most commonly known as John Deere 2510H, was developed to inject anhydrous ammonia at shallow depth with minimal soil disturbance. Our objectives were to: compare a prototype of the HSLD injection system to a John Deere conventional till knife (TRAD) applicator; to compare corn plant stand, growth, and grain yield response to the two application systems; and to evaluate the impact of ammonia application method, timing, and rate on plant N status and grain yield.
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Transgenic corn has dramatically changed the way Wisconsin farmers produce corn. The amount and cost of pesticides used for corn production has decreased, while weed Read more…
Transgenic corn has dramatically changed the way Wisconsin farmers produce corn. The amount and cost of pesticides used for corn production has decreased, while weed and insect control has improved. Fewer nontransgenic hybrid options are available to farmers (Figure 1). Early adopters of transgenic hybrids have often perceived lower yields, and in general for most transgenic events this observation is accurate. But, within a short period of time transgenic hybrids yield above the average of nontransgenic hybrids more frequently. This “yield drag” or “yield lag” as it has been called by farmers is a major obstacle limiting early adoption of transgenic hybrids.
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Farmers today have an increasing number of tools for managing crops. New developments in precision farming technologies, biotechnology, and advancements in pesticides, equipment, and other Read more…
Farmers today have an increasing number of tools for managing crops. New developments in precision farming technologies, biotechnology, and advancements in pesticides, equipment, and other ag inputs are converging and arriving at the farm-gate at an unprecedented rate. Sifting through the overwhelming milieu of technologies to find the tools that really work is a challenge for farmers and the consultants and agronomists that serve and support production agriculture.
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The paired-basin approach was developed to evaluate impacts of forestry management on water quality, and has been adopted by researchers to evaluate management practices in Read more…
The paired-basin approach was developed to evaluate impacts of forestry management on water quality, and has been adopted by researchers to evaluate management practices in agricultural land use settings. The methodology requires that two basins (control and treatment) are monitored for two time periods (calibration period and treatment period). If the two basins react in a consistent predictable manner while under similar management and climate during the calibration period, an alternate practice can be applied to one basin during the treatment period, and if the relationship between the basins changes, it is due to the treatment (Clausen 1993). The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm has installed surface-water monitoring gauging stations in four agricultural basins and collected surface-water quality and quantity data for use in calibrating the basins for paired-basin research.
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The simplest part of weed management is selecting the right herbicide or mix of herbicides to control a specific weed complex. It is more difficult Read more…
The simplest part of weed management is selecting the right herbicide or mix of herbicides to control a specific weed complex. It is more difficult to understand and predict the timing and severity of weed competition with corn and soybeans. Given the uncertainty of weed growth and crop yields each year and the uncertainly of crop price, it becomes even more difficult to predict the most economically profitable weed management program that a grower should use in each field. I could argue that the investment in a good weed management program has the highest or one of the highest returns on investment next to purchasing seed (i.e., a given since a grower must purchase seed to get any return). Without weed management, corn and soybean yields can be reduced by 50% or more so weed management protects a substantial portion of gross returns. While it is wise to be as economical as possible with herbicide expenditures, the goal and achievement of yield protection cannot be forgotten and appropriate investments in weed management programs should be made. Even before the substantial increases in seed, fertilizer, and land input costs in 2008 and 2009, herbicide costs were a relatively small percentage of the total production costs of corn and soybean and herbicides protect a large percentage of the gross value relative to their costs (Table 1).
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The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was initially established as a cropland set-aside program offered by the United States Department of Agriculture in the 1985 Farm Read more…
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was initially established as a cropland set-aside program offered by the United States Department of Agriculture in the 1985 Farm Bill. Over the past twenty years, priorities for this program shifted to support wildlife habitat, specifically nesting habitat, food and cover for upland birds. Due to this shift, many fields that are monocultures of cool season grasses such as smooth brome are now considered improper habitat for this program. Recently, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has required owners of these properties to suppress cool season grasses and diversify the plant species present by inter-seeding the fields with desirable forbs. This management is intended to enhance wildlife habitat by increasing plant species and structural diversity as well as remove duff and control woody vegetation. While options for management are provided by the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), limited information exists on the effectiveness of herbicides and tillage in suppressing cool season grasses, establishing desirable forbs, and how these treatments can affect soil loss.
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On-Farm biodiesel production has gained interest in the past few years as volatile energy costs impact Wisconsin farmers. Dairy and other livestock production continues to Read more…
On-Farm biodiesel production has gained interest in the past few years as volatile energy costs impact Wisconsin farmers. Dairy and other livestock production continues to be very important in western Wisconsin and on-farm biodiesel production may be one way for livestock farmers to lower their costs both of fuel and protein inputs. Very little, if any, applied research is available for farmers regarding production, costs or safety of biodiesel production. University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agents in the Western District have developed a complete system for evaluating small scale on-farm biodiesel production including growing different oilseed crops to processing the oil into ATSM quality biodiesel. On-Farm Biodiesel Options for Livestock Farms is a program the extension agents have designed to provide farmers with unbiased information to make informed decisions regarding production of biodiesel. Information gathered from the program also includes quality and economics of feeding the protein meal byproduct to dairy cattle and other livestock.
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In 1992, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated its feedstock development program by choosing two model species upon which to develop a nationwide research infrastructure. Read more…
In 1992, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated its feedstock development program by choosing two model species upon which to develop a nationwide research infrastructure. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) was chosen as the herbaceous model plant and poplar (Populus spp.) was chosen as the woody model plant. Switchgrass was chosen for several reasons that included: (1) broad species adaptation within the USA including suitability on a wide range of marginal lands; (2) its native status; (3) relatively high biomass yields and high drought tolerance; (4) high seed production potential, ease of processing seed, and previous existence of a viable seed industry; and (5) its value in natural resource conservation programs. The principal accomplishment of the 10-year program was a projected 25% reduction in production costs for switchgrass biomass crops, achieved by (1) selection of the most adapted varieties within many regions of the USA, (2) optimization of harvest timing and frequency, and (3) reduction of nitrogen fertilization levels to minimize nitrate losses to groundwater. Most studies have shown that two harvests per year will increase biomass yields, but generally not enough to offset the increased production costs associated with a second harvest. Optimal nitrogen fertilization rates are about 100-120 lb N/A (110-130 kg N/ha) to achieve a balance between maximizing biomass yield and minimizing nitrate leaching into groundwater. Although switchgrass can be grown from Mexico to Canada, the range of adaptation of individual varieties is much more limited. Most varieties should not be moved more than one hardiness zone north or south of their origin. Likewise, eastern and western varieties are generally best adapted within their respective regions, east or west of the Mississippi River. A system of switchgrass gene pools has been proposed as a mechanism to classify and deploy switchgrass germplasm for breeding, marketing, and conservation purposes. A number of new varieties have been developed with increased biomass yield potential and these gains will continue as new switchgrass breeding programs have been established in strategic regions of the USA and as new genetic technologies come into play
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The most troublesome diseases of sweet corn in our region continue to be northern corn leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum) and common rust (Puccinia sorghi). From Read more…
The most troublesome diseases of sweet corn in our region continue to be northern corn leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum) and common rust (Puccinia sorghi). From central Illinois south, Stewart’s wilt (Erwinia stewartii) can also be a problem. In certain environments and years maize dwarf mosaic and sugar cane mosaic virus can cause problems. With increased minimum tillage anthracnose (Colletotrichum graminicola) and Goss’s wilt (Clavibacter michiganense subsp. nebraskensis) can occur. For most of these diseases, sources of resistance exist and commercial cultivars have been developed with resistance. However, we know from experience that for many of these diseases the casual organisms can rapidly evolve virulence in response genetic resistance. The UW sweet corn breeding program continues to screen exotic germplasm to look for more diverse sources of resistance and incorporate these genes into adapted material.
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Economic Analysis of Alternative Tillage Yields: A Monte Carlo Analysis of Arlington Field Trials
2009Recent increases crop acres managed by individual producers, rising fuel and equipment costs, the desire to plant crops in a timely manner, and catastrophic erosion Read more…
Recent increases crop acres managed by individual producers, rising fuel and equipment costs, the desire to plant crops in a timely manner, and catastrophic erosion events have renewed interest in conservation tillage systems. Historically, no-till management has been a challenge for corn production in Wisconsin because residue has slowed the warming of the soil in the spring. Residue can also physically impair planting by plugging within the planting unit and “hair-pinning” in the seed slot. Therefore most no-till corn planters have been modified to include some type of in-row residue management attachment, either as finger coulters or disks that are designed to move some residue from the row, without substantial contact with the soil. Many producers are now considering more aggressive attachments or separate tillage operations that not only address residue concerns, but till the soil to some degree with the goal of capturing the production advantages of full-width tillage, while offering the soil conservation benefits of no-till. This practice has come to be known as strip-tillage.
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The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, is a serious pest of soybean in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. An import from China, the initial detection in Read more…
The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, is a serious pest of soybean in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. An import from China, the initial detection in 2000 of the soybean aphid in North America was in Wisconsin (Wedberg et al., 2001). Midwestern entomologists responded to the challenge of soybean aphid management by working together to determine a treatment threshold (Ragsdale et al., 2007) to use in conjunction with insecticidal control. In addition, research on soybean plant resistance is underway and is showing great potential as a tool for soybean aphid management (Hill et al., 2006a,b, Diaz-Martin et al., 2007). A third important management tactic, and the topic of this report, is biological control (or biocontrol) of the soybean aphid. We use the term biological control in its broadest context to include the actions of all types of aphid natural enemies – predators, parasitoids and pathogens – and species that are naturally occurring as well as those under human manipulation. We will focus our comments on predators and parasitoids. Soybean aphid is attacked by a number of pathogenic fungi (Nielsen and Hajek, 2005), but we have not observed pathogens to be a significant source of aphid mortality in Wisconsin.
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Species selection is an important first step in obtaining high yielding, long lasting pastures. There are a large number of productive pasture grasses and legumes Read more…
Species selection is an important first step in obtaining high yielding, long lasting pastures. There are a large number of productive pasture grasses and legumes to choose from. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Below is a brief description of the most common pasture grasses and legumes in Wisconsin.
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Planning for normal rainfall events has been part of doing business on Wisconsin farms for centuries. In recent years, we are observing more intense rainfall Read more…
Planning for normal rainfall events has been part of doing business on Wisconsin farms for centuries. In recent years, we are observing more intense rainfall events on localized areas of the state sometimes approaching rainfall factors that should only occur every 100 years. Dealing with those intense storm events are very challenging and not planning for them results in amazing damage from erosion and offsite deposition of soil and nutrients. Natural Resource Conservation Service has several suggestions on reducing risks caused by unexpected rainfall events.
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Plant Pathologists at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) survey Wisconsin’s agricultural crops for plant diseases and nematodes. They check for newly Read more…
Plant Pathologists at the Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) survey Wisconsin’s agricultural crops for plant diseases and nematodes. They check for newly introduced problem organisms and monitor levels of known diseases and nematodes. Samples are tested at DATCP’s Plant Industry Laboratory, providing diagnostic services to facilitate export certification, inspections and surveys. In 2008, field surveys focused on the following crops and diseases: Early Season Diseases of Soybeans and Winter Wheat; Soybean Viruses; Potato Cyst Nematode; Soybean Cyst Nematode and Viruses and Stewart’s wilt of Seed Corn.
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Between January 2007 and June 2007, 398 private drinking water wells were sampled as part of a statewide survey of agricultural chemicals in Wisconsin groundwater. Read more…
Between January 2007 and June 2007, 398 private drinking water wells were sampled as part of a statewide survey of agricultural chemicals in Wisconsin groundwater. The purpose of the survey was to obtain a current picture of agricultural chemicals in groundwater and to compare the levels in the 2007 survey with levels found in earlier surveys conducted in 1994, 1996 and 2001. Wells were selected using a stratified random sampling procedure and were used to represent Wisconsin groundwater accessible by private wells. Samples were analyzed for 32 compounds including herbicides, herbicide metabolites, one insecticide, and nitrate-nitrogen.
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Prion diseases comprise a family of inevitably fatal neurodegenerative diseases that affect a variety of mammalian species and include bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow” disease) Read more…
Prion diseases comprise a family of inevitably fatal neurodegenerative diseases that affect a variety of mammalian species and include bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow” disease) in cattle, scrapie in sheep and goats, chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. The infectious agents in these diseases, referred to as prions, lack nucleic acid and are composed predominately, if not solely, of a misfolded form of the normal cellular prion protein. Scrapie and CWD appear unique among prion diseases in that animal-to-animal transmission can be mediated by an environmental reservoir of infectivity. Among potential reservoirs for prion infectivity, soil appears the most plausible. The diseaseassociated prion protein binds to a variety of soil minerals and can persist in soils for years. Attachment to soil particles limits migration of the pathogenic prion protein through fine-grained soils and may increase the potential for animal exposure by maintaining prions near the soil surface. Clay mineral-bound prions remain infectious intracerebrally, and soil particle-associated agent is infectious orally. Prion sorption to clay minerals dramatically enhances oral prion disease transmission suggesting an explanation for disease transmission despite the presumably low levels of prions shed by infected animals. Soil may contribute to the environmental spread of prion diseases by increasing the transmissibility of small amounts of infectious agent in the environment. Prions released into soil environments may be preserved in a bioavailable form, perpetuating prion disease epizootics and exposing other species to the infectious agent.
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Research was conducted in the 2008 growing season to evaluate potential herbicides in several vegetable crops. The intent of this paper is to provide an Read more…
Research was conducted in the 2008 growing season to evaluate potential herbicides in several vegetable crops. The intent of this paper is to provide an update on these research projects and new labels available for the 2009 growing season. As always, check and read the label prior to any herbicide use.
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The National Research Council (1989) equated integrated pest management (IPM) adoption in field and forage crops with pest scouting and use of economic thresholds before Read more…
The National Research Council (1989) equated integrated pest management (IPM) adoption in field and forage crops with pest scouting and use of economic thresholds before a decision is made to apply insecticide. Three IPM terms and definitions are important for discussion purposes and data review during this workshop presentation.
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Legal seed certification processes and organizations developed around the turn of the previous century. The goal of such laws and organizations was to protect farmers Read more…
Legal seed certification processes and organizations developed around the turn of the previous century. The goal of such laws and organizations was to protect farmers by assuring them that the seed they purchased was clean and viable and the variety it was purported to be. These processes also protected plant breeders and reputable seed companies. For many crops most notably corn, over time quality assurance was assumed by the seed companies who’s reputation and business would depend on the quality of the product. Today the traditional purpose of seed certification is still going strong especially for small grains and also newer crops such as prairie plant seeds. But a new dimension has been added to insure that the crop seed meets the claims regarding the presence or absence of transgenes or as they have become known “traits”.
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Dramatic increases in soybean seed costs for 2009 (25 to 109%) have many growers rethinking their soybean seed options. The most drastic alternative being floated Read more…
Dramatic increases in soybean seed costs for 2009 (25 to 109%) have many growers rethinking their soybean seed options. The most drastic alternative being floated in the coffee shops is brown bagging or planting “saved” soybean seed. Before a grower considers this option we must revisit the legal issues and agronomic considerations associated with this practice. First, we will address the legal issues surrounding planting saved seed. In Wisconsin alone 90% of the soybean crop planted in 2008 was herbicide tolerant (USDA -ERS, 2008). Herbicide tolerant varieties are classified as patented varieties or possess patented genes. “If the variety is patented or has a patented gene, no seed may be saved for planting purposes and no farmer seed sales are permitted” (Spears and Weisz, 2004). It is likely given the economic climate we are under that field monitoring procedures will be ramped up in 2009 to “catch” growers that plant patented varieties. It is also apparent that those growers that are caught will be prosecuted and fined to the legal extent of the law to discourage other growers from attempting this practice.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Increasing fertilizer prices and awareness of potential impacts of excessive or badly applied nutrients on water quality has renewed interest in fertilizer management strategies that Read more…
Increasing fertilizer prices and awareness of potential impacts of excessive or badly applied nutrients on water quality has renewed interest in fertilizer management strategies that reduce nutrient inputs or improve efficacy. Fertilizer recommendations for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in Iowa and most states of the Corn Belt are based on soil testing and maintenance of desirable soil-test values by applying amounts removed with crop harvest. The typical Iowa farmer applies before planting corn the P and K fertilizer needed for corn-soybean rotations. A few farmers, mainly in the northern regions of the state and those using no-till management, also apply starter fertilizer for corn. Iowa research during the 1960s and 1970s showed that application of P and K fertilizer at rates of 20 lb P2O5 or K2O/acre or higher rates applied with planter attachment besides and below the seeds (commonly referred to as the 2×2 method) seldom was more efficient than similar amounts applied broadcast and seldom increased yield significantly in high-testing soils. Corn response to N-P-K starter was more likely for very early planting dates with wet and cold soil and/or high residue cover. Reports of corn responses to starter have been more frequent in northern regions of the Corn Belt, such as in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
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Fertilizer prices are at or near record highs. In addition, prices, particularly for nitrogen (N), will likely be volatile through spring. In the current high Read more…
Fertilizer prices are at or near record highs. In addition, prices, particularly for nitrogen (N), will likely be volatile through spring. In the current high cost environment, how can, or should, fertilizer management be changed to maximize economic returns? The objective of this paper is to briefly outline how to assess fertilizer management practices to ensure profitability.
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Foliar Fertilization of Soybean with Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium: Where, When, and Why?
2009Many producers are reducing or skipping preplant fertilization for soybean due to high fertilizer prices, and in 2008 many fields were planted late or replanted Read more…
Many producers are reducing or skipping preplant fertilization for soybean due to high fertilizer prices, and in 2008 many fields were planted late or replanted due to excess rainfall with colder than normal temperatures. Therefore, producers and crop consultants wonder if foliar-applied fluid fertilizer could improve soybean growth and grain yield. Prior to the 1990s, research in Iowa and the Midwest had focused mainly on foliar fertilization at late soybean reproductive stages (R4 to R7). Hundreds of trials from the 1970s to the middle 1980s included nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulfur (S), and micronutrients treatments. The soybean plant has a sharp decline in root activity during late seed development stages with large nutrient translocation from leaves and pods into the developing seed. Researchers theorized that nutrients applied to the foliage at this time could increase yield by delaying leaf senescence and seed starvation. A few early experiments in Iowa suggested that spraying nutrients in the ratio 10-2.3-3.6-0.5 (N-P2O5-K2O-S) between the R5 and R6 growth stages could increase yield by 7 to 8 bu/acre even after preplant fertilization. However, more than 200 subsequent trials in the region showed inconsistent results, with mostly no yield increases and frequent yield decreases. Work mainly during the late 1990s and early 2000s in rain-fed conditions of the Midwest has shown mostly yield decreases when N sources were sprayed at late growth stages. The more positive results were observed under very high yield conditions and irrigation in some starts of the Great Plains region. These results have discouraged further research and adoption of foliar fertilization of soybean at late reproductive stages. Because of concerns about Asian Soybean Rust spreading north and evidence of soybean grain yield response to midseason application of fungicides, however, some producers are considering mixing fluid fertilizers and fungicides for midseason foliar application to soybean.
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Field data from the annual survey of adult corn rootworms in August revealed an increase from 2007 populations in 6 of the 9 agricultural reporting Read more…
Field data from the annual survey of adult corn rootworms in August revealed an increase from 2007 populations in 6 of the 9 agricultural reporting districts, including the southwest, southeast, west central, northwest, north central and northeast, and a decrease in populations in the remaining districts. The state average was 1.0 beetle per plant, the same average as in 2007. Average populations by district were as follows: northwest 1.1; north central 1.5; northeast 1.6; west central 1.0; central 0.5; east central 0.6; southwest 0.5; south central 0.9; southeast 0.6 (see table on Page 152). The western species constituted 52% of the state average population, while the northern species made up about 48%. Research entomologists consider an average of 0.75 beetle per plant to indicate an elevated risk for root injury in continuous corn the following year if some form of control is not used, and 38% of 229 fields in the major corn growing counties had such a count or higher. The obvious conclusion from these results is that there is a high potential for rootworm damage to continuous corn next season.
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There is minimal information on the nitrogen (N) availability and composition of treated manures. Knowing how N availability differs with manure treatment will result in Read more…
There is minimal information on the nitrogen (N) availability and composition of treated manures. Knowing how N availability differs with manure treatment will result in better N crediting guidelines. Raw dairy manure and anaerobically digested manure were incubated with five typical Wisconsin soils for 112 d. Net N mineralized from the different N sources were compared. Nitrogen mineralization differed by manure type and also by soil. Overall, the digested slurry and the digested separated liquid mineralized more N than the raw slurry. The digested separated solid mineralized significantly less N than the other manures. Net N mineralization as a percent of total N applied was 39, 58, 49, and 17% for raw, digested slurry, digested separated liquid, and digested separated solids, respectively, when averaged over all soils. C:N ratio of manure was found to be the most useful predictor of manure N mineralization.
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Nutrient management planning for a dairy farm is important to maximize utilization of manure nutrients for crop production, as well as to avoid excessive application Read more…
Nutrient management planning for a dairy farm is important to maximize utilization of manure nutrients for crop production, as well as to avoid excessive application rates and adverse water quality impacts. The nutrients in manure have become even more valuable recently with dramatic increases in fertilizer prices. But just what is the content of various nutrients in dairy manure? How much is it worth as fertilizer replacement? How variable is the nutrient content from different farms? And have there been changes over time with shifts in feeding or other management practices? Recent summaries of manure analyses run by laboratories in Wisconsin and Vermont can help to answer these questions.
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Alfalfa and corn silage, grown in rotation, have long been the primary high quality forages harvested to support the dairy industry in Wisconsin. However, removal Read more…
Alfalfa and corn silage, grown in rotation, have long been the primary high quality forages harvested to support the dairy industry in Wisconsin. However, removal of essentially all plant residues with corn silage production results in excessive erosive soil loss (Gallagher et al., 1996), prompting the need for alternative soil conserving systems. The proposed removal of stover for biofuel feedstock after corn grain harvest will result in additional land prone to soil and nutrient runoff because of a lack of cover. Furthermore, the ever-increasing cost of nitrogen fertilizer encourages the search for cropping systems that rely on biologically fixed nitrogen for both corn grain and silage production.
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With dramatic fluctuations in feed, fuel, and fertilizer prices, much attention is again being paid toward use of cover crops in agricultural systems. Cover crops Read more…
With dramatic fluctuations in feed, fuel, and fertilizer prices, much attention is again being paid toward use of cover crops in agricultural systems. Cover crops provide benefits to agricultural systems such as reductions nitrogen (N) loss and potential reduction in N fertilizer need to maintain crop yields. Cover crops in Wisconsin’s agricultural systems are most often used prior to corn following a short season crop such as winter wheat, potatoes, or vegetables. There are two main types of cover crops used in Wisconsin: (1) cool-season grasses and (2) legumes. Cool-season grasses are primarily used to provide ground cover in cropping systems that leave little residue after harvest in effort to reduce soil erosion. Leguminous cover crops are used to add N into the soil system through biological fixation of atmospheric N. When these legumes are incorporated into the soil, this “fixed” N becomes plant available as the soil tissue decomposes. Legume crops are grown for one season or less, and incorporated into the soil without harvesting, are referred to as green manures. Current UW recommendations are to take N credits when utilizing green manures such as alfalfa, sweet clover, red clover, and hairy vetch (Table 1). However, several field studies conducted in the past decade indicate that cool-season grasses and other green manures such as berseem clover, crimson clover, and medic also impact the economic optimum N fertilizer rate (i.e., the N fertilizer rate that maximizes the economic return to N based on the price ratio of N fertilizer and corn). This paper summarizes recent research related to both cover crop types in Wisconsin.
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There is a renewed interest in nematode pests of corn. Even as producers fine-tune fertility and cultural practices such as planting date and plant density, Read more…
There is a renewed interest in nematode pests of corn. Even as producers fine-tune fertility and cultural practices such as planting date and plant density, yields fail to reach the genetic potential of new cultivars in some fields. In many cases, nematodes are a major contributor to stagnant or declining yields. There is an industry push to bring new nematicides to market, so producers who are knowledgeable about nematodes will be positioned to take advantage of new technology and products.
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Widespread farmer adoption of Bt corn hybrids and new Bt traits for caterpillar pests in addition to corn rootworm have increased the number of acres Read more…
Widespread farmer adoption of Bt corn hybrids and new Bt traits for caterpillar pests in addition to corn rootworm have increased the number of acres where target insect pests are exposed to Bt active ingredients each growing season. The purpose of Insect Resistance Management (IRM) is to maintain the effectiveness of Bt crops as an insect pest management tool by preventing or delaying development of insect resistance to Bt traits. The IRM plan is implemented by planting refuge corn acres on each farm where a Bt corn hybrid is planted. Refuge corn acres do not contain the Bt insect trait used in the Bt planting. A refuge provides a corn crop habitat that allows target pest insects to feed, mate and reproduce without being exposed to the Bt trait. Mating between Bt-susceptible insects from the refuge and potential resistant insect ensures that susceptibility to the Bt toxin is passed on to the next generation. Without a refuge, target insect populations that are exposed to Bt corn each growing season over multiple generations will eventually become resistant to Bt.
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Determining if a weed control failure is due to resistance or some other factor is an investigational process that involves asking a lot of questions Read more…
Determining if a weed control failure is due to resistance or some other factor is an investigational process that involves asking a lot of questions in order to rule things out. It’s important to remember that weed control failures are usually not an indication of resistance development. Weed control failures can and do occur from multiple and interacting factors including weather and application errors. Resistance should not be assumed to be the cause of a weed control failure; other reasons must be investigated first. This paper presents information that can help you determine if herbicide resistance should be suspected for a weed control failure, or if it is due to other factors.
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Wisconsin corn and soybean growers and their advisors understand that weeds need to be controlled before the critical period of weed removal, which is the Read more…
Wisconsin corn and soybean growers and their advisors understand that weeds need to be controlled before the critical period of weed removal, which is the time when early-season weeds begin to compete with crops and cause yield loss. Despite this knowledge, the potential for yield loss from weed competition exists because of cropping systems that rely on postemergence herbicide programs. In particular, the adoption of glyphosate-resistant corn and soybean allows weeds to be controlled exclusively with postemergence glyphosate applications. If glyphosate is applied to these crops before the critical period of weed removal, full yield potential can be achieved. However, if glyphosate applications are delayed, yield losses will occur. The potential for such yield losses is significant in Wisconsin because over 90% of soybeans are glyphosateresistant and estimates of glyphosate-resistant corn may exceed 70%. Of course, the potential for yield losses associated with postemergence herbicide programs can also occur in conventional or LibertyLink crops. The yield loss is a function of the timing of weed management, not the herbicide or genetic trait of the crop.
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Residue management should be a focus of every producer’s crop management plan. Crop residue is known to be important for erosion reduction, supplying of organic Read more…
Residue management should be a focus of every producer’s crop management plan. Crop residue is known to be important for erosion reduction, supplying of organic matter for maintaining soil tilth, and as a sink for plant nutrients that are released to subsequent crops. The amount of crop residue at the surface has traditionally been linked to soil conservation programs, and it is generally accepted to be the farmer’s best tool for controlling erosion. As the yield potential of crops has increased, the amount of residue has increased. This has been viewed as problematic by some, especially for corn, where the additional residue is considered to be a hindrance to tillage. The greater residue has caused some producers to “size” the residue by chopping or installing chopping heads on their combines. In many instances the crop residue is baled and removed, especially in years like 2010 when crops matured early. Furthermore, traits such as “Bt” have anecdotally been linked to slower residue decomposition and have resulted in more aggressive residue management by producers
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Applying just over 3 billion gallons of liquid manure annually, Wisconsin’s 119 for-hire manure applicators are a key component when it comes to implementing the Read more…
Applying just over 3 billion gallons of liquid manure annually, Wisconsin’s 119 for-hire manure applicators are a key component when it comes to implementing the 590 nutrient management plans you write. Yet to the typical professional applicator, the plans they receive from the farmer are hard to interpret and implement. The Professional Nutrient Applicators Association (PNAAW) and UW Extension surveyed Wisconsin’s applicators in the summer of 2007, and more than half of the applicators gave us their opinion of the industry, it’s needs, nutrient management plans, and the future.
Looking at the more than 2,500 farms served by the professional applicators, the farmer or their CCA is determining the application rate 79% of the time—the rest of the time the applicator is making the rate determination. Often, the rate a CCA provides is not the rate the farmer tells the applicator. Twenty percent of the applicators say they have never seen a nutrient management plan, and the vast majority see a plan on only a handful of their farmer clients—usually the CAFOs.
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This presentation will introduce the crop managers and others in the audience to the Wisconsin State Climatology Office (SCO) and describe the role that the Read more…
This presentation will introduce the crop managers and others in the audience to the Wisconsin State Climatology Office (SCO) and describe the role that the office plays in monitoring the climate of the Badger State for more than a century. The talk will show graphical examples of climate variables relevant to the conference theme, excerpted from the SCO web site. Long records of such climate variables as temperature, precipitation and drought will also be shown to illustrate the history of recent climate change. A weather outlook for this coming spring across the Upper Midwest will be provided.
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The Agrichemical Management Bureau is charged with administering and enforcing Wisconsin’s pesticide, animal feed, fertilizer, soil and plant additive laws. The Bureau also is responsible Read more…
The Agrichemical Management Bureau is charged with administering and enforcing Wisconsin’s pesticide, animal feed, fertilizer, soil and plant additive laws. The Bureau also is responsible for the agricultural chemical clean up program and regulates bulk storage of pesticides and fertilizer products. The last year has seen some significant changes in our programs and the fees we collect. Lori Bowman, Director of the Bureau, will provide an update on fee changes made in the last budget. The budget also made changes to our Clean Sweep and reimbursement programs. Plans for revisions to administrative rules will be discussed.
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High corn prices and increase in continuous corn acreage have escalated interest in the use of corn foliar fungicides in the absence of foliar disease Read more…
High corn prices and increase in continuous corn acreage have escalated interest in the use of corn foliar fungicides in the absence of foliar disease pressure. Because insufficient Wisconsin and/or Midwestern data exists, the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension staff initiated a coordinated effort to gather data from replicated trials.
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Crop rotation is a universal management practice that has been recognized and exploited for centuries and is a proven process that increases crop yields (Bhowmik Read more…
Crop rotation is a universal management practice that has been recognized and exploited for centuries and is a proven process that increases crop yields (Bhowmik and Doll, 1982; Fahad et al., 1982; Baird and Benard, 1984; Dabney et al., 1988; Peterson and Varvel, 1989). Biennial rotation of two summer crops often improves the yield of both crops. In the Midwestern U.S., a biennial rotation of corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] produced significant increases in the yields of both crops (Crookston and Kurle, 1989; Meese et al., 1991). Crookston et al. (1988) concluded that the rotation effect is not due to some lingering positive effect of the previous crop. Rather, a rotated crop apparently serves to relieve the negative effect of continuous cropping, and does not make any positive, growth-regulatory contribution to the yield of a following crop. This paper summarizes some of the recent crop rotation data collected in Wisconsin.
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Unlike many factors that affect the development of weed resistance to herbicides (Stoltenberg 2004), herbicide selection intensity and can be directly affected by the grower. Read more…
Unlike many factors that affect the development of weed resistance to herbicides (Stoltenberg 2004), herbicide selection intensity and can be directly affected by the grower. Herbicide selection intensity is determined by herbicide efficacy, persistence, and frequency of application (Gressel and Segel 1990). The greater the number of susceptible weeds that are exposed to a herbicide and killed, the greater the selection intensity upon that weed population. Reduced herbicide selection intensity will reduce the probability of resistance development and prolong the usefulness of a herbicide mode of action. However, it is essential to balance the benefits of responsible herbicide stewardship with the need to maintain satisfactory levels of weed management. One rationale for adopting an integrated approach to weed management is to reduce herbicide selection intensity on our weed populations.
Although the integration of weed management practices is recommended to reduce the potential for weed resistance to glyphosate (Boerboom and Owen 2006), research to quantify the effectiveness of such integration under field conditions is limited. To address this information need, field data from a long-term experiment (Stoltenberg and Jeschke 2007) at the University of Wisconsin Arlington Agricultural Research Station was analyzed to determine the probability (or likelihood) of occurrence of giant foxtail (Setaria faberi), redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti), and giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) resistance to glyphosate as affected by crop sequence, tillage system, and intensity of glyphosate use. The goal was to provide a quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of integrated weed management practices to reduce the risk of selection for resistance to glyphosate among some of our most common weed species.
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It takes an astonishing volume of water to grow a typical human diet: over 1000 gallons for what most of us will eat today. Here Read more…
It takes an astonishing volume of water to grow a typical human diet: over 1000 gallons for what most of us will eat today. Here in Wisconsin and in the near future this does not appear to be a problem, but globally and looking forward to 2050, the water required to grow human diets may prove to be an enormous challenge. Earth’s population is sure to grow substantially, diets are changing toward requiring more water to produce, there is a persistent number of people who do not receive enough to eat each day, and we are coming to learn that we must reserve some water in rivers, lakes, wetlands, and in groundwater to keep ecosystems healthy. Can the global food system meet this challenge?
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The cornerstone of a strong soybean management strategy is diligent and timely scouting for insect and disease problems. With a proactive approach, yield losses may Read more…
The cornerstone of a strong soybean management strategy is diligent and timely scouting for insect and disease problems. With a proactive approach, yield losses may often be avoided or reduced. However, when scouting for evidence of diseases in soybeans, many difficulties may be encountered. Because most plant pathogens are microscopic, a grower or consultant must rely on symptoms observed on plants. Therein lies a challenge; often symptoms of diseases are not distinct from each other, nor are they always “typical.” Additionally, incorrect diagnosis may result in an ineffective control method, wasting time and money and not preventing yield loss. Ineffective control may allow the pathogen to maintain a presence in subsequent years. It is critical then that soybean producers are able to quickly and accurately diagnose disease conditions in the field.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Management skill sets of agri-business or organizational managers vary as much as the types of businesses or organizations in which they manage. Successful managers possess Read more…
Management skill sets of agri-business or organizational managers vary as much as the types of businesses or organizations in which they manage. Successful managers possess and demonstrate various levels of effective skill in specific management attribute areas. How to assess management skill and a manager’s ability to demonstrate effectiveness has been accomplished through management assessment centers.
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Manganese (Mn) has become a nutrient of interest in soybean production systems in the Midwest. This interest stems from reports from Purdue researchers of Mn Read more…
Manganese (Mn) has become a nutrient of interest in soybean production systems in the Midwest. This interest stems from reports from Purdue researchers of Mn uptake reductions caused by the glyphosate tolerant gene in soybean. Interest also has come from grain yield responses in Kansas.
Manganese is an essential nutrient for crop production. In cases where Mn is not available, a plant can not finish its life cycle without it. Mn is involved with photosynthesis and a cofactor in many plant reactions. Mn activates about 35 different enzymes in the plant and also is involved in nitrogen metabolism in the plant.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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This past year, DuPont received the 2007 Agrow Award for “Best R&D Pipeline” in recognition of the broad array of new technology and biotech traits Read more…
This past year, DuPont received the 2007 Agrow Award for “Best R&D Pipeline” in recognition of the broad array of new technology and biotech traits in development across the DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition platform. The depth and breath of the DuPont pipeline across new chemistries and genetic traits make it unique to the industry.
The following is just a sampling of the exciting work done by scientists within the DuPont companies. Pioneer Hi-Bred is preparing to launch its new Optimum™ GAT™ trait in soybeans, which offers growers expanded choices for controlling a broad spectrum of weeds through both glyphosate and ALS herbicide tolerance. The trait also will be introduced in corn and other crops.
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The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae, and colonizing aphid species remain as the major insect pests of potato in Read more…
The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae, and colonizing aphid species remain as the major insect pests of potato in commercial as well as seed production in Wisconsin. If left unchecked, feeding by both the larvae and adults of the CPB alone will completely defoliate plants. Potato growers have struggled to control this problematic insect pest since 1865 when the first broad-spectrum insecticide, Paris green (lead arsenate), was dusted onto potato leaves to protect the foliage from CPB. Since that time, maintaining control of this insect remains at the forefront of our efforts to protect potato from damaging insect pests.
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Fungicide resistance has been increasing in severity and now is found in many registered products. Resistance is defined as an inherited change in pathogen’s susceptibility Read more…
Fungicide resistance has been increasing in severity and now is found in many registered products. Resistance is defined as an inherited change in pathogen’s susceptibility to a fungicide. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a voluntary pesticide labeling proposal that groups pesticides with similar modes of action and designates them with a number. The information for fungicides can be found at the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee website at http://www.frac.info/frac/index.htm.
The genetic alterations that create resistant populations occur most rapidly when growers repeatedly apply pesticides with similar modes of action in consecutive sprays. Therefore, it is essential to not spray the same product or similar products against the same target pest in consecutive applications. Single-site fungicides are more likely to develop resistance by pest populations. Recommended product use for single-site fungicides (including many of the new, reduced-risk products) are to completely avoid consecutive sprays. This rule applies when premix products which include a single-site material are used, or if the applications are tank-mixed with single-site products.
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SNAP-Plus is a Microsoft Windows® based Nutrient Management Planning software program designed for the preparation of nutrient management plans in accordance with Wisconsin’s Nutrient Management Read more…
SNAP-Plus is a Microsoft Windows® based Nutrient Management Planning software program designed for the preparation of nutrient management plans in accordance with Wisconsin’s Nutrient Management Standard Code 590. The program is available free of charge for download from the “Current Version” link. This release of Snap-Plus addresses issues found since the September 2007 version 1.121. SNAP-Plus will calculate: • Crop nutrient (N, P2O5, K2O) recommendations for all fields on a farm taking into account legume N and manure nutrient credits consistent with University of Wisconsin recommendations • A RUSLE2-based soil loss assessment that will allow producers to determine whether fields that receive fertilizer or manure applications meet tolerable soil loss (T) requirements. • A rotational Phosphorus Index value for all fields as required for using the P Index for phosphorus management. • A rotational P balance for using soil test P as the criteria for phosphorus management. Updates are released periodically to add new features and bug fixes. The main changes and improvements available in the current version of Snap-Plus are listed below by the menu or screen where they appear in the program.
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Potato plants are very inefficient in their ability to utilize soil phosphorus (P) on some soils (Kelling et al., 1997). The optimum soil test P Read more…
Potato plants are very inefficient in their ability to utilize soil phosphorus (P) on some soils (Kelling et al., 1997). The optimum soil test P category for potato is more than three times greater than for other crops (Laboski et al., 2006). Being a high value crop, potato growers generally tend to apply more P fertilizer than recommended because it is inexpensive insurance if a yield response to applied P would occur. State nutrient management regulation requires growers to write and follow a nutrient management plan. This regulation also requires that nutrient application rates should conform to University of Wisconsin Extension (UWEX) guidelines. The potato growers feel that UWEX fertilizer recommendations for P are too low and could potentially reduce potato yield and quality.
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Effective, economical, and efficient long term management of both onion thrips and onion maggot continues to be a challenge in the production of dry bulb Read more…
Effective, economical, and efficient long term management of both onion thrips and onion maggot continues to be a challenge in the production of dry bulb onion. Both insects pests continue to be a high pest priority for Wisconsin onion growers. Problematic populations of onion thrips are not regularly the result of warm summer time temperatures combined with insensitivity to the standard insecticides. Furthermore, many of the currently registered products for control of onion maggot are not equally effective against the seed corn maggot which is becoming locally abundant. As a result, thrips and seed maggot management is a top priority and an improved understanding of the ecology and management of these pests is essential towards the development of long-term control methods.
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Research was conducted in the 2007 growing season to evaluate potential herbicides in several vegetable crops, including cabbage, table beets, carrots, and snap bean. The Read more…
Research was conducted in the 2007 growing season to evaluate potential herbicides in several vegetable crops, including cabbage, table beets, carrots, and snap bean. The intent of this paper is to provide an update on these research projects. However, keep in mind, the majority of the herbicide products mentioned are NOT labeled on these crops. As always, check and read the label prior to any herbicide use. A summary of these projects is included below.
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Sweet corn weed management can be challenging because of the limited number of postemergence herbicides, the potential for these herbicides to cause injury, and the Read more…
Sweet corn weed management can be challenging because of the limited number of postemergence herbicides, the potential for these herbicides to cause injury, and the weed spectrum to be controlled. Currently, Callisto and Impact are labeled for use in sweet corn while Laudis is nearing registration and Status is being evaluated for postemergence use in sweet corn. Sweet corn hybrids have had limited evaluation to determine tolerance to Impact and Laudis. We are not aware of any public testing to determine the tolerance of sweet corn hybrids to Status. Therefore, three field studies and one greenhouse study were conducted to evaluate hybrid tolerance to Status, Impact and Laudis applied postemergence.
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American farmers are now being asked to produce food, feed, fiber, and fuel. My goal is to provide you, as soil and crop consultants, information Read more…
American farmers are now being asked to produce food, feed, fiber, and fuel. My goal is to provide you, as soil and crop consultants, information that will help your clients achieve these multiple goals in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner. We will review the potential unintended consequences of increasing corn grain production for ethanol and discuss developments for harvesting corn stover as a cellulosic feedstock. The importance of maintaining or increasing soil carbon and its potential to limit the amount of crop residue that can be removed is discussed. Initial results from Iowa show a average yield penalty of 10% where corn (Zea mays L.) was grown for the third consecutive year and a 50% reduction in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], where corn stover was removed from a site with low soil-test P, K and organic matter. We’ll conclude with ideas for how producers might balance the multiple demands being placed on their time and natural resource base, thus enabling the nation to address bioenergy, water quality, carbon sequestration, erosion, wildlife and other community issues in a truly sustainable manner.
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It is estimated that ethanol production will consume about 30% of the US corn crop by 2010. This phenomenon is encouraging favorable grain prices and Read more…
It is estimated that ethanol production will consume about 30% of the US corn crop by 2010. This phenomenon is encouraging favorable grain prices and dramatically increasing corn acreage. Recent USDA data show that corn production rose nearly 20% last year from 78 million acres in 2006 to nearly 94 million acres in 2007. While farmers are expected to plant slightly less corn in 2008, in favor of wheat and soybean, it is anticipated that corn acreage could return to a level above 90 million acres in 2009. A consequence of long-term continuous corn production could be the adoption of more aggressive tillage to manage large amounts of crop residue. This could potentially lead to decreased soil quality and increased soil loss. Research has shown that aggressive tillage systems such as moldboard and chisel plowing reduce aggregate stability. Coupled with the lower surface crop residue resulting from tillage the affected soils are prone to more erosion than no-till or other low disturbance systems. Soil quality degradation and increased soil erosion would be a poor trade-off for fuel independence. Therefore, producers must carefully consider tillage options when growing corn on corn. Additionally nutrient management considerations within a continuous corn production may require some adjustment based upon tillage intensity and the need to incorporate manure or other amendments.
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Four years (Nov. 03 – Oct. 07) of discharge and water-quality data were collected from three, adjacent, cropped basins on a private southwest WI farm. Read more…
Four years (Nov. 03 – Oct. 07) of discharge and water-quality data were collected from three, adjacent, cropped basins on a private southwest WI farm. Field edge discharge through grassed waterways was monitored continuously and composite water samples for rainfall and snowmeltinduced runoff events were collected and analyzed for nutrients and sediment. Farm management was no-till corn or soybean on 4-6% slope silt loam soil with terraces and grassed waterways in place. For study purposes, livestock manure was applied at typical rates in either fall or late winter, just before snowmelt.
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Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, is capable of reducing soybean yield by 20-40% during severe outbreaks in the North Central growing region of the U.S. (McCornack Read more…
Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, is capable of reducing soybean yield by 20-40% during severe outbreaks in the North Central growing region of the U.S. (McCornack et al., 2007). Since soybean aphid was first documented in Wisconsin in 2000, a common University research protocol was adopted by entomologists in six North Central states (MN, IA, WI, MI, ND, and NE) who provided data from 19 yield-loss experiments conducted over a 3-year period. Results of this research validated the soybean aphid economic threshold (ET) recommendation to treat within 7 days when aphid density exceeds 250 aphids/plant.
The ET is the pest density at which management action should be taken to prevent an increasing pest population from reaching the economic injury level (EIL). The EIL is the lowest population of insects that will cause economic damage, i.e., yield loss that equals the cost of control. In 2003, a preliminary EIL of 1,000 aphids per plant was reported based on research from the University of Minnesota. Since then, data from additional states (2003-2005), including Wisconsin, have refined the EIL at 674 (± 95) aphids/plant during the R1 – R5 soybean growth stages (Ragsdale et al., 2007).
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Alfalfa is a critically important forage crop to Wisconsin’s dairy industry. According to Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service, in 2005 Wisconsin farmers produced 8.53 million tons Read more…
Alfalfa is a critically important forage crop to Wisconsin’s dairy industry. According to Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service, in 2005 Wisconsin farmers produced 8.53 million tons of alfalfa forage annually on 2.45 million acres. Using an average price of $87.00 per ton, total crop value, if sold, would be $742 million dollars. Wisconsin farmers place a substantial investment into the production of alfalfa. The UW-Madison Center for Dairy Profitability estimates variable production costs of $241.13 per acre to establish a stand of alfalfa. Bearing in mind that Wisconsin farmers establish 500,000 of alfalfa acres annually, out of pocket expenses for alfalfa establishment reaches nearly $121 million dollars. Despite alfalfa’s importance, dairy farmers have been reluctant to scout alfalfa. The last Pest Management Summary published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service in 2001 indicated that only 31 percent of the farms in the North Central Region scout alfalfa fields, and only 11 percent used scouting information to make insect management decisions.
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Resistance to Potato Leafhopper in alfalfa was discovered over 40 years ago but this trail has been slowly incorporated into alfalfa varieties and those available Read more…
Resistance to Potato Leafhopper in alfalfa was discovered over 40 years ago but this trail has been slowly incorporated into alfalfa varieties and those available have been underused by farmers. This occurred because the first varieties with this trait had low levels of resistance and did not perform well in the field. Also this resistance is not complete; it raises the spray threshold and reduces the need for spraying but, if insect levels become sufficiently high, fields may still need to be sprayed. Later generations have had good resistant but some yield drag (reduced yield in the absence of the insect compared to nonresistant varieties). The latest generation of potato leafhopper resistant varieties has both good resistance and little yield drag (Table1).
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The state of Wisconsin has a number of voluntary and regulatory programs at the local, state and federal level that are intended to ensure that Read more…
The state of Wisconsin has a number of voluntary and regulatory programs at the local, state and federal level that are intended to ensure that nutrients from all sources are applied properly and in manner that protects waters of the state. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) has a number of voluntary and regulatory programs designed to promote the creation and implementation of nutrient management plans (NMP). The primary WDNR regulatory tools for NMP implementation are as follows:
- Water quality protection permits, called Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permits, issued by WDNR to larger-scale livestock operations known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO). These permits are issued under ch. NR 243, Wis. Adm. Code, and are based on EPA delegation of Clean Water Act permitting authority to WDNR and other state water quality protection authority.
- Statewide Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions contained in ch. NR 151, Wis. Adm. Code. This rule is implemented in concert with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and local units of governments (i.e., towns and counties). The WDNR recently completed revisions to CAFO permit requirements contained in ch. NR 243. These revisions include requirements for phosphorus-based nutrient management, additional restrictions when CAFOs apply manure and process wastewater near lakes, streams and their conduits, and additional restrictions on CAFO applications of manure on frozen or snow-covered ground.
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Ammonia Emissions from Field-Applied Manure: Management for Environmental and Economic Benefits
2008Livestock manure has the potential to provide significant benefits for soil health and crop nutrient supply; but it also can contribute to a range of Read more…
Livestock manure has the potential to provide significant benefits for soil health and crop nutrient supply; but it also can contribute to a range of environmental problems, including ammonia emission. In particular, maximizing crop utilization of manure N requires careful management to control N losses.
Manure N can be lost by several different processes—nitrate leaching, gaseous denitrification, and surface runoff of N. But the process that commonly has the potential for the greatest N loss from manure – and the one most readily controlled by management – is ammonia volatilization (Fig. 1). Besides the obvious economic loss requiring replacement with purchased fertilizer N, there are potential environmental concerns as well. Ammonia emission can contribute to eutrophication of surface waters (esp. marine and estuarine) via atmospheric deposition. The decreased amount of available N in manure reduces the N:P ratio and leads to a more rapid build-up of P in the soil for a given amount available N. And ammonia in the atmosphere can form fine particulates that lower air quality.
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The Livestock Siting Law (s. 93.90 Wis. Stats.) and Rule (Ch. ATCP 51 Wis. Adm. Code) establish the framework local governments must use if they Read more…
The Livestock Siting Law (s. 93.90 Wis. Stats.) and Rule (Ch. ATCP 51 Wis. Adm. Code) establish the framework local governments must use if they elect to regulate the siting of new and expanding livestock operations (typically over 500 animal units). The state standards and process have been incorporated into 20 county and 24 town ordinances, more are expected. To obtain a conditional use permit or license in these jurisdictions, new and expanding operations must show that they meet state requirements for waste storage, odor, nutrient and runoff management. What does this mean for nutrient management planners?
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Moderate to severe drought stress afflicted much of Wisconsin’s soybean crop in 2007. In soybean there are two growth periods for which soil moisture is Read more…
Moderate to severe drought stress afflicted much of Wisconsin’s soybean crop in 2007. In soybean there are two growth periods for which soil moisture is critical for optimum growth and development: at planting and during the reproductive stages from bloom through pod fill. The time period from stand establishment to bloom is not as critical. Drought stress during this time period will often shorten internodes; however yield loss rarely occurs. In Wisconsin the main reproductive growth in soybean occurs from early July to mid-September. Soybean in this phase use about 1/4 to 1/3 inch of water per day. Lack of sufficient water can cause flowers and young pods to abort reducing the number of seeds per plant. Also, soybean plants reduce the size of their leaf pore openings to reduce the loss of water vapor. This also reduces the intake of carbon dioxide and the manufacturing of photosynthates which slows plant growth. When normal soil moisture returns, normal growth is resumed. This ability to reduce metabolic activity allows plants to tolerate dry spells without dying or harming their ability to resume growth when normal moisture returns.
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Planting a winter rye cover crop after corn silage is an easily implementable conservation practice. Harvest as forage the following spring can generate income which Read more…
Planting a winter rye cover crop after corn silage is an easily implementable conservation practice. Harvest as forage the following spring can generate income which should make the practice even more appealing for producers. Forage best management practices can be found in an NPM Program publication: Planting Winter Rye after Corn Silage, Managing for Forage (http://ipcm.wisc.edu/Publications/tabid/54/Default.aspx). Managing rye for optimum forage yield and quality will maximize conservation benefits including nutrient management. In this paper we will discuss nutrient management implications and opportunities.
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Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) policy has historically and continues to require participants to maintain/manage CRP cover throughout the life of the contract. However, often invasive Read more…
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) policy has historically and continues to require participants to maintain/manage CRP cover throughout the life of the contract. However, often invasive and/or undesirable plants have established and threaten desirable plants that provide cover for wildlife. Contracts require that these unwanted plants are managed, but management activities are restricted so that wildlife and cover for wildlife are not disturbed during critical periods. Often these restrictions limit the effectiveness of many common management methods resulting in poor control. This can frustrate landowners and often leads to them not managing the unwanted vegetation. This has resulted in many CRP fields in Wisconsin with extensive weed populations. When the contract for these fields expires NRCS and FSA staff have found it difficult to allow for reenrollment given the level of these infestations and in some cases have cited landowners for not managing/maintaining desirable cover as stated in their contract. This has caused a great deal of frustration between all parties involved. To provide further clarification, NRCS has developed additional guidelines to assist land managers to improve and better define what weed species are of concern and what population(s) size will be considered acceptable within enrolled acreage.
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The question “Fertilizing weeds for a profit?” certainly seems illogical because a corn grower would never intentionally fertilize weeds. However, the potential exists that weeds Read more…
The question “Fertilizing weeds for a profit?” certainly seems illogical because a corn grower would never intentionally fertilize weeds. However, the potential exists that weeds are being fertilized unintentionally in hundreds of fields in Wisconsin each year. The weeds that emerge and grow early in the season are competing with the corn for nutrients, but the amount of competition may not be fully understood. Considering the high cost of nitrogen, perhaps a more refined question to ask is “How do weeds and weed management affect a corn grower’s profitable use of nitrogen?” The University of Wisconsin and other Midwest universities have introduced new nitrogen use guidelines to maximize the returns to nitrogen inputs. At the same time, many corn fields are being treated with postemergence herbicide programs, which increase the potential for early season weed competition. This increases the potential that weeds may compete and limit the nitrogen available for the corn. This may not be a concern when excess nitrogen is applied, which would be more affordable at lower nitrogen prices. However, this could be a significant concern when nitrogen rates are being optimized. Because of this concern, we wanted to determine if early season weed competition shifted the economic optimum nitrogen rates in corn.
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In recent years, especially the past 10 years, there has been an alarming decline in groundwater and lake levels and reduced stream flows in the Read more…
In recent years, especially the past 10 years, there has been an alarming decline in groundwater and lake levels and reduced stream flows in the Wisconsin Sand Plains (WSP). This greatly impacts aquatic ecosystems, recreational uses of aquatic resources, and property values of riparian lands. It is clear that reduced stream flows are associated with reduced groundwater elevations. What is not clear is the cause of the lower groundwater level. However, there is a popular belief that the reduction in groundwater table elevations is associated with irrigation of agricultural land from high capacity irrigation wells. Wisconsin common law related to groundwater makes use of a “reasonable use standard” (Kent and Dudiak, 2001), so potential conflicts between lake riparian owners and groundwater-based irrigation indicates the urgency of developing an improved understanding of irrigation’s impacts on groundwater quantity. There is ample evidence that groundwater fluctuations occur naturally because of drought and high rainfall periods (Heath, 1983), but accompanying this natural fluctuation in precipitation has been a tremendous growth in irrigated cropping in the humid parts of the U.S. in general, and particularly in the WSP (WDNR, 1970; Bajwa et al., 1992; Ellefson et al., 2002). At a broader scientific level, there is a need for understanding irrigation water use (evapotranspiration, ET) by crops with respect to native vegetation (including grass and forest) on WSP, and other sand plains in humid temperate regions with shallow depth to groundwater. Arguably irrigated crops should be viewed as simply another vegetation type on the landscape, with characteristic temporal patterns of evapotranspiration loss and groundwater recharge, albeit strongly driven by human manipulation of soil wetness through irrigation. Foster and Chilton (2003) note the heavy exploitation of groundwater in recent years. They suggest that most consumptive use of pumped groundwater is by irrigated agriculture. We initiated a research project in summer of 2007 to attempt to obtain quantitative data on the causes of changes in groundwater elevation relative to groundwater use for irrigated crop in comparison to natural vegetation on WSP over recent decades. Water use by the differences vegetations will be accomplished via computer model simulation and indirect measurements of groundwater recharge rates.
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For much of the world, water remains a limiting resource for agricultural production. In the U.S. where we have the wealth to provide machinery, genetic Read more…
For much of the world, water remains a limiting resource for agricultural production. In the U.S. where we have the wealth to provide machinery, genetic material, fertilizers and pesticides to enhance production, crop water needs continue to be a formidable obstacle to increasing food and fiber production. With all the magic that technology has wrought upon agriculture, why don’t we have plants that use less water? Since less than 1% of the water used by plants is required for metabolism and less than 5% is required to meet the water storage needs within most plants, this question seems reasonable. Photosynthesis is the process whereby plants convert carbon dioxide in the air to carbohydrates in biomass, using light as the energy source. For cells inside of a leaf to get access to carbon dioxide, the plant must provide a pathway for this gas to diffuse from the open atmosphere into the leaf as well as providing a pathway for the waste product, oxygen, to diffuse from inside the leaf to outside. Because all cells in the plant leaf must remain bathed in water to stay alive, this same pathway for carbon dioxide to gain entry to the leaf allows water vapor to exit that same leaf with oxygen. Neither plants, through evolution, nor humans with their creativity have found a way to allow carbon dioxide and oxygen to diffuse without allowing water vapor to diffuse too.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Response to sulfur (S) was recorded as early as 1768 by Rev. A. Meyer, who applied gypsum to experimental plots in Switzerland. Shortly after, Ben Read more…
Response to sulfur (S) was recorded as early as 1768 by Rev. A. Meyer, who applied gypsum to experimental plots in Switzerland. Shortly after, Ben Franklin demonstrated response to S by writing “THIS LAND HAS BEEN PLASTERED” with gypsum on a hillside pasture in Pennsylvania. The incidence of S deficiency is increasing throughout the world and is fairly widespread in Australia, New Zealand, South America and tropical Africa and Asia. In the United States, S deficiency was known in the Pacific Northwest as early as 1900. Since then, S deficiency has been found in many states. The increasing incidence of S deficiency in the past 25 years is primarily due to increased use of high analysis S-free fertilizers, decreased use of Scontaining insecticides and fungicides, decreased use of high S fuels, and increased crop yield, requiring more of all essential elements.
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Sulfur application in the past has been targeted to alfalfa, corn, canola, and small grains. Normally the yield or growth response has occurred when responsive Read more…
Sulfur application in the past has been targeted to alfalfa, corn, canola, and small grains. Normally the yield or growth response has occurred when responsive crops are grown on sandy soils or eroded knobs with a silt loam texture. The soil test for S has not been reliable for predicting S needs on soils that are not sandy in texture. Minnesota currently uses texture to base S recommendations.
Today sulfur needs may have changed. Some of the reasons for this is a greater occurrence of reduced tillage systems and less sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere. Ninety-five percent of the sulfur in the soil is found in the organic matter. The rest comes from sources such as the atmosphere and irrigation water.
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Most fertilizer materials are highly soluble salts, which dissociate in the soil solution following application. Almost every spring there are reports of fertilizer burn somewhere Read more…
Most fertilizer materials are highly soluble salts, which dissociate in the soil solution following application. Almost every spring there are reports of fertilizer burn somewhere in Wisconsin. Seedling injury caused by fertilizer burn can result in minimal to extensive stand loss and can be extremely costly in high value vegetable crops. I have been asked recently to review several problem fields where liquid fertilizer was placed in-furrow with the seed both with and without Y-splitters or was dribbled above the row on the soil surface. Stands were significantly reduced in each field. It is important to understand salt index and factors which contribute to fertilizer burn in order to avoid fertilizer injury to seedlings.
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The price of fertilizer nitrogen (N) has increased substantially over the past three months and ranges from $0.37 to 0.60/lb N with anhydrous ammonia at Read more…
The price of fertilizer nitrogen (N) has increased substantially over the past three months and ranges from $0.37 to 0.60/lb N with anhydrous ammonia at the lower end of the range and poly coated urea (ESN®) at the upper end of the range. Many dealerships are expecting the price of N fertilizer to increase as we move towards planting. With the increasing N prices, questions are being asked regarding how much N should be applied to maximize economic return in corn production. As of mid-December 2007, the price of corn was between $3.80 to $4.25/bu depending on contract, location, etc. Thus, the N:corn price ratio varies from 0.09 to 0.16. These price ratios do not differ substantially from the price ratios that were prevalent in winter 2005/2006.
The maximum return to N (MRTN) tool that was released in 2006 can be used to determine an appropriate N rate for corn with fluctuating N and corn prices. Current N fertilizer and grain prices suggest lower N fertilizer rates should be applied to maximize economic return. The object of this project was to evaluate how the MRTN N rate guidelines performed in 2007.
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In 2007, fungicide use for U.S. corn production exploded. Based on discussions amongst Extension Plant Pathologist, it was estimated that approximately 10% of U.S. corn Read more…
In 2007, fungicide use for U.S. corn production exploded. Based on discussions amongst Extension Plant Pathologist, it was estimated that approximately 10% of U.S. corn acres (approximately 9 to 10 million acres), were sprayed with a foliar fungicide during the season. Current demand for foliar fungicides has focused on products of the strobilurin (pyraclostrobin, azoxystrobin or trifloxystrobin) and/or triazole (propiconazole) classes (Boerboom et al., 2007). Our goal and objective in this paper is to summarize what was learned in 2007 regarding the use of foliar fungicides on corn, as well as some of the factors that need to be considered before making the decision to apply a foliar fungicide.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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As your business changes so does your customer. We live in the era where information is the key to success, but is it? All of Read more…
As your business changes so does your customer. We live in the era where information is the key to success, but is it? All of us can have information at our finger tips if we choose to have it. Our customers also have this opportunity. Information can help or hurt you in business – it is all how it is interpreted. Customers have different needs and also have different ways to research and for fill these needs. Using technology can be a wonderful tool but also can “loose” the deal for you. Using modern day technology can be frustrating at times but if used correctly with the right clients can be a wonderful and successful tool.
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Manganese deficiency in soybean can be expected on Wisconsin soils with high pH (>7.0) and/or higher soil organic matter (OM) contents (>6.0). Soils that meet Read more…
Manganese deficiency in soybean can be expected on Wisconsin soils with high pH (>7.0) and/or higher soil organic matter (OM) contents (>6.0). Soils that meet these criteria are typically, but not exclusively, found in Eastern Wisconsin. In the 2005 and 2006 growing season, Dr. Laboski did not receive any calls/emails regarding suspected Mn deficiency in soybean. However, in the 2007 growing season, Dr. Laboski received many inquiries. Manganese was confirmed to be deficient in many fields over an area from Eastern Waupaca Co. south to Jefferson Co., and mostly east of Lake Winnebago. In every case that was confirmed with soil and tissue analysis, the soil had high pH and/or higher OM content. In most cases, glyphosate resistant (GR) soybean varieties were planted in the field.
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Weeds evolve in response to the management practices that we impose on them. The evolution of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes is just one example of their Read more…
Weeds evolve in response to the management practices that we impose on them. The evolution of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes is just one example of their adaptation. In regards to herbicide resistance, we have experienced two major periods in the evolution of herbicide resistance starting with triazine resistance and followed by ALS-inhibitor resistance. Currently, we are in the midst of a time period where the evolution and spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds is occurring. In reflecting on this current time, I wonder if we also evolve in how we respond to herbicide resistant weeds. Do we progress through five phases similar to the Kubler-Ross model, which are 1) denial, 2) anger, 3) bargaining, 4) depression, and 5) acceptance? Let me explain using a little literary license on the original model.
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Corn insects have the capability to evolve resistance to insecticides, transgenic insecticidal corn, and crop rotation. The western corn rootworm is the poster pest for Read more…
Corn insects have the capability to evolve resistance to insecticides, transgenic insecticidal corn, and crop rotation. The western corn rootworm is the poster pest for resistance evolution. I will present general arguments for resistance management, explain the likely reasons for resistance evolution by the rootworm in the past, and discuss future insect-resistance management (IRM) strategies for rootworm and corn borer. Effective IRM depends upon good IPM, adequate coordination and compliance amongst corn growers, consultants, and extension specialists, and a preventative/proactive approach. In essence, good IRM is IPM that is successful over a large region and remains effective for a decade or more.
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Vegetable crop production is the third leading agricultural industry in Wisconsin behind dairy and grain production. The primary region for intensively managed vegetable cropping is Read more…
Vegetable crop production is the third leading agricultural industry in Wisconsin behind dairy and grain production. The primary region for intensively managed vegetable cropping is located in central Wisconsin, with large production regions located near Spring Green, Janesville, Fond du Lac, Markesan, Manitowoc, and Cumberland also playing a vital role in the industry. The current vegetable cropping system inherently demands high fertilizer inputs, specifically nitrogen. Due to current global instability in oil producing regions, chemical nitrogen prices have risen drastically and the potential remains for future price volatility. Exploring alternative cropping systems as a means for providing nitrogen as well as improving the sustainability of the cropping systems without limiting yield or quality of harvested crops is a rapidly developing area of needed research.
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Analysis of the annual corn rootworm beetle survey revealed a state average population of 1.0 beetle per plant. This represents a decrease from 1.4 per Read more…
Analysis of the annual corn rootworm beetle survey revealed a state average population of 1.0 beetle per plant. This represents a decrease from 1.4 per plant in 2006 and 1.6 per plant in 2005. Averages by agricultural reporting district were as follows: northwest 0.4 per plant; north central 0.7 per plant; northeast 0.5 per plant; west central 0.4 per plant; central 0.8 per plant; east central 1.4 per plant; southwest 0.4 per plant; south central 2.2 per plant; southeast 1.0 per plant. The western species was dominant on a statewide basis, while populations of the northern species were higher in the cooler and more northern counties, including Barron, Chippewa, Door, Dunn, Clark, Green Lake, Juneau, Lincoln, Marathon, Marinette, Oconto, Pepin, Polk, Portage, Rusk, Shawano, Taylor, Vernon, Waupaca, Winnebago, and Wood. About 39% of the 222 corn fields surveyed had economic populations of 0.75 or more beetle per plant. The largest increase from 1.7 to 2.2 beetles per plant was documented in the south central district, while the largest decreases from 2006 to 2007 were noted in the southwest (2.2 to 0.4 per plant), northeast (1.8 to 0.5 per plant), and east central districts (2.2 to 1.4 per plant). An average of 0.75 or more beetle per plant indicates the potential for feeding injury by corn rootworm larvae in multi-year corn.
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There has been a considerable amount of interest in using liquid fertilizer materials at corn planting. Most producers are open to this as long as Read more…
There has been a considerable amount of interest in using liquid fertilizer materials at corn planting. Most producers are open to this as long as the fertilizer can be applied on the seed and thus they do not need to use a starter attachment. The major concern with this practice is germination damage from the fertilizer. In the past, the damage has been attributed to the salt and ammonium content of the fertilizer. Several questions have arisen about this practice. How much fertilizer can I put on? Does the soil texture make a difference on fertilizer damage to the seed? Does soil moisture affect the damage? Is it the ammonium or the salt index of the fertilizer that is most important in evaluating the damage? Are difference crops more sensitive than others.
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Plant Industry Laboratory staff diagnoses plant diseases and nematodes of agricultural crops and ornamentals supporting Plant Industry bureau’s duties with regard to inspection, survey, disease Read more…
Plant Industry Laboratory staff diagnoses plant diseases and nematodes of agricultural crops and ornamentals supporting Plant Industry bureau’s duties with regard to inspection, survey, disease detection and export certification. 2007 crop highlights are: Potato Cyst Nematode Survey – No suspects so far. Soybean Viruses & Asian Soybean Rust – More Soybean dwarf virus but no rust. Seed Corn – Stewart’s wilt in one county. Soybean Cyst Nematode Map – Still number one economic pest of soybeans!
Potato Cyst Nematode Survey
During winter of 2006 USDA APHIS initiated an exhaustive nation-wide survey of potato fields for potato cyst nematodes, after Pale potato cyst nematode (PCN) had been detected in Idaho and Golden nematode in Quebec, CD earlier that year. The two cyst nematodes, pale potato cyst nematode (Globodera pallida) and the Golden nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) are both economically significant quarantine pests. Nematodes are microscopic, worm-like creatures, whose females form an egg-filled resting stage called a cyst. They feed on the roots of solanaceous crops like potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants. Potato Cyst Nematodes are widespread throughout Europe and South America, but are only known to occur in few locations in North America. The Pale potato cyst nematode, in Newfoundland, CD and the Golden nematode in parts of British Columbia, Newfoundland, CD and New York.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Glyphosate-resistant soybeans have been widely adopted by growers due to the benefits of broad-spectrum efficacy, reduced crop injury, and simplification of weed management. Glyphosate-resistant corn Read more…
Glyphosate-resistant soybeans have been widely adopted by growers due to the benefits of broad-spectrum efficacy, reduced crop injury, and simplification of weed management. Glyphosate-resistant corn has expanded in use in recent growing seasons and as a result, glyphosate is increasingly being depended upon as the primary means of weed management in corn and soybean production.
The widespread use of this technology has produced concerns about the effect of continuous use of glyphosate on weed community composition and the development of new weed problems. The goal of this research was to determine the long-term weed management and agronomic risks in glyphosate-resistant corn and soybean as influenced by intensity of tillage and glyphosate use. Research was conducted at the University of Wisconsin from 1998 to 2006 to determine the long-term effects of primary tillage system and glyphosate use intensity on weed population dynamics in a glyphosate-resistant corn and soybean annual rotation.
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While instances of herbicide injury on non-target vegetation are still rare, the risk for such injury has increased in recent years for several reasons. First, Read more…
While instances of herbicide injury on non-target vegetation are still rare, the risk for such injury has increased in recent years for several reasons. First, expansion and interspersing of residential areas into traditionally agricultural lands increases the chance of non-target exposure. Two acres of farmland are lost every minute of every day in the U.S. (American Farmland Trust 2006). In Wisconsin, about 18,000 agricultural acres per year were developed from 1992 to 1997, representing an increase in rate of 70% over the previous 5 years. Second, recent expansion of specialty and value-added crops in traditional field crop land increases the probability that sensitive vegetation is nearby. Vineyards, orchards, ornamental nurseries and organic farms tend to be particularly at risk from nearby herbicide applications. In organic farming, for example, the organic certification that adds value to the crop can be compromised by non-target sources of herbicide residue. Third, some newer herbicides cause very obvious symptomology on non-target plants, even at very low doses.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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This presentation thoroughly discusses the role of biofuels, specifically ethanol and biodiesel, in the transportation sector. Presenter will provide attendees with valuable information of why Read more…
This presentation thoroughly discusses the role of biofuels, specifically ethanol and biodiesel, in the transportation sector. Presenter will provide attendees with valuable information of why there is great interest in biofuels, a breakdown of the benefits and challenges of biofuel use, how biofuels effect the environment and local economy, and what the State of Wisconsin is doing to promote biofuels in the state.
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Ethanol production from corn doubled from 2001 to 2005 and will likely double again before the end of 2008. Biodiesel production tripled from 2004 to Read more…
Ethanol production from corn doubled from 2001 to 2005 and will likely double again before the end of 2008. Biodiesel production tripled from 2004 to 2005 with continued growth expected in 2007. Biofuels have become the driving force in the U.S. crops sector. But in this race between biofuels, ethanol has emerged as the main biofuel impacting U.S. agriculture today. The growth in the biofuels industry has created a strong demand pull, especially for corn. Over the past 5 months, we have seen corn prices increase dramatically. In mid-September 2006, the December 2007 corn futures contract was priced at $2.50/bushel. On December 19, 2006, that contract stood at $3.73/bushel. Prices rose throughout the harvest period despite the third largest corn crop on record coming in 2006. This strength in corn prices has been accompanied by increases in soybean and wheat prices. And this strength is not limited to next year as futures prices and industry forecasts project corn prices above $3.00/bushel, soybean prices above $6.00/bushel, and wheat prices above $4.00/bushel for the next several years.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Currently there are more than 600,000 acres in Wisconsin enrolled in the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The contracts for approximately 44% of these acres Read more…
Currently there are more than 600,000 acres in Wisconsin enrolled in the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The contracts for approximately 44% of these acres may expire in 2007 and 2008 (Farm Service Agency, 2006). The fate of these lands is uncertain, though a likely scenario, given current rising demand for corn, is that at least a portion will go into a corn-based row crop rotation. These CRP lands were removed from production because of their vulnerability to erosion. Soil and nutrient losses from CRP lands kept in perennial cover are extremely low. If these highly erodible lands go into corn production, will the increasing runoff sediment and nutrient loads lead to disastrous water quality declines? Are there ways to manage corn on former CRP lands that will keep the soil quality and conservation gains from the Conservation Reserve Program from being totally lost?
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A principal focus of water quality management efforts in the U.S. is related to nutrient, specifically nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), export in runoff from Read more…
A principal focus of water quality management efforts in the U.S. is related to nutrient, specifically nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), export in runoff from agricultural lands. The focus of this discussion is to investigate the influence of residue levels and manure addition on particulate P delivery by runoff. Rainfall runoff samples were collected from three hydrologically isolated hillslope tracts in conservation tillage with the following treatments: corn-grain (CG); corn-silage (CS); and corn-silage with fall manure addition (SM). Rainfall-runoff, frost free (FF) events were sampled from May 2004 through September 2005. Samples were analyzed for solids mass, P in the dissolved and particulate forms, sediment P-mass distribution in five different particle-size classes along with particle and aggregate size distributions, and aggregate stability. This discussion is limited to soil and total phosphorus (TP) loss and the distribution of TP mass over five particle size classes in the sediment.
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The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was implemented in 1985 to protect environmentally fragile or highly erosive crop land from degradation and carbon loss to the Read more…
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was implemented in 1985 to protect environmentally fragile or highly erosive crop land from degradation and carbon loss to the atmosphere (CAST, 1992). Currently there are approximately 36 million acres, 8% of the nation’s cropland, in the CRP program (FSA, 2006). Ethanol production, and the subsequent need for corn for the ethanol industry, may take land from CRP programs, potentially threatening the beneficial effects of the CRP program on soil quality. Here I’ll present possible changes in soil quality resulting from putting CRP land into production.
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For many years, wheat acreage has continued to decline. When I first came to Illinois in 1980, growers planted nearly 2,000,000 acres and in 2006 Read more…
For many years, wheat acreage has continued to decline. When I first came to Illinois in 1980, growers planted nearly 2,000,000 acres and in 2006 they planted approximately 700,000 acres. Poor yields, diseases (especially scab), and poor prices have contributed to reductions in acres. In addition, both corn and soybeans have been more profitable. However, growers in the southern Corn Belt, especially Kentucky, have seen significant increases in wheat yields, often exceeding 100 bu/a. Combined with higher prices and good yields in 2006, more acres were planted to wheat this fall in Illinois. To achieve high yields, growers have focused on improved varieties, uniform stands, fungicide and insecticide seed treatments, proper fertilizer application rates and timing, weed control, and foliar fungicides and insecticides. Our research has focused on fungicide/insecticide seed treatments and foliar fungicides.
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Currently, ethanol counts for about 3% of annual fuel consumption of 140 billion gallons in the United States. Most of the ethanol is made from Read more…
Currently, ethanol counts for about 3% of annual fuel consumption of 140 billion gallons in the United States. Most of the ethanol is made from the starch contained in corn kernel. It is believed that the corn available in US can only produce enough ethanol to replace up to 12% of the nation’s fuel supply. Beyond that, another source for the ethanol needs to be found. A promising and sustainable alternative is lignocellulosic biomass. It is the most abundant renewable resource on the earth. The available biomass for cellulose ethanol production includes agricultural crop residues (corn stove, cereal straws, and bargasse), forest residues (forest thinnings, small size and low quality trees), and wastes from industrial processes (sawdust and paper sludge) as well as special energy plants (switchgrass and fast growing trees). However, different from starch in corn kernel, the cellulose in the plants is blocked by other plant components such as lignin and hemicellulose in a matrix, thus not readily available (accessible) to enzymes. How to expose the cellulose to enzymes is one of primary technical and economical challenges in cellulose ethanol production. Other challenges include the development of more efficient enzymes and high-value co-products from lignin and hemicellulose to offset the expensive processing cost. This presentation will briefly review the cellulose ethanol production. The topics covered include:
Status of bioethanol production
Difference between corn ethanol and lignocellulose ethanol
Available processes for lignocellulose ethanol production
Barriers to lignocellulose ethanol
Commercialization of lignocellulose ethanol
Development of biorefineries
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Interest in renewable energy has heightened due to the uncertainties of the supplies and prices of the fossil/petroleum fuels. Using vegetable and animal oils as Read more…
Interest in renewable energy has heightened due to the uncertainties of the supplies and prices of the fossil/petroleum fuels. Using vegetable and animal oils as a source of diesel fuel provides an alternative solution. The production of biodiesel in the US is becoming increasingly more available. The biodiesel fuels have properties different from petroleum diesel fuel which are both positive and negative with respect to engine performance.
Since most modern diesel engines were designed for the petroleum fuel, some problems would be expected when using biodiesel fuel due to small differences in properties. But these problems can easily be overcome with minor adjustments in engine operation and maintenance and handling of the fuel.
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Winter wheat acreage in Wisconsin has been steadily increasing since the early 1970s indicating an interest by existing growers to either increase their present acreage Read more…
Winter wheat acreage in Wisconsin has been steadily increasing since the early 1970s indicating an interest by existing growers to either increase their present acreage or adding new growers willing to try winter wheat (Fig. 1).
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Winter wheat has a strong tradition in Wisconsin, particularly in the south central and eastern counties. It fits well in rotations with canning crops which Read more…
Winter wheat has a strong tradition in Wisconsin, particularly in the south central and eastern counties. It fits well in rotations with canning crops which are popular there. But in recent years, corn and soybean growers who are looking to diversify their rotation also find winter wheat attractive. Wheat typically follows soybeans in the rotation and can be drilled notill into the soybean residue. This leads to the question: What is the optimum nitrogen (N) application rate for wheat following soybeans?
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The 2002 Farm Bill was the first farm bill to include an energy title, looking at the potential for U.S. agriculture to partially fulfill domestic Read more…
The 2002 Farm Bill was the first farm bill to include an energy title, looking at the potential for U.S. agriculture to partially fulfill domestic energy needs. Congress and the Bush Administration passed the 2005 Energy Policy Act, establishing standards for biorenewable fuel usage in the U.S. President Bush, in his 2006 State of the Union address, made ethanol and U.S. energy security priorities for the federal government. Thus, the federal government has concentrated efforts to expand biorenewable fuel production and consumption over the past few years. And we have seen a dramatic increase in the production and usage of biorenewable fuels over the past 5 years.
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Improved nitrogen (N) management in corn production is needed to optimize economic returns to farmers and minimize environmental concerns associated with agricultural N use. Nitrogen Read more…
Improved nitrogen (N) management in corn production is needed to optimize economic returns to farmers and minimize environmental concerns associated with agricultural N use. Nitrogen losses through nitrate leaching can reduce the efficiency of N fertilizers and contribute to elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater. Concerns about nitrate leaching are particularly relevant in areas with course-textured soils receiving N fertilizer inputs for intensive, irrigated crop production, such as the Central Sands Region of Wisconsin. Several strategies have been used to control N leaching losses on sandy soils including use of delayed (sidedress) or multiple split applications of N and the use of nitrification inhibitors with ammonium forms of N fertilizers to delay the conversion of ammonium N to nitrate which is susceptible to loss by leaching. Slow-release N fertilizers have been available for many years, but their higher cost has usually limited their use to high value specialty crops. Recently, a polymer-coated urea product (ESN) has become available at a lower cost than traditional slow-release N fertilizers. This product may have potential for controlling N leaching losses from applied N and could allow greater flexibility in the timing of N fertilizer applications relative to conventional fertilizer materials. The polymer coating on the ESN material allows water to diffuse into the capsule, dissolve the urea and allows urea to diffuse back into the soil solution over an extended period of time. Typically, release of urea from the polymer-coated granules is complete in about 6 weeks after application. The release process is also temperature dependent so that the rate of urea release increases as temperature increases. The delayed release of urea from the polymer-coated material could help to avoid N leaching losses during the early part of the growing season and could allow application of the fertilizer material earlier in the growing season without greatly increasing the risk of N loss.
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Nitrogen management in nursery systems faces two challenges: improving seedling quality and reducing environmental impacts on adjacent ecosystems. Nursery management is generally based on the Read more…
Nitrogen management in nursery systems faces two challenges: improving seedling quality and reducing environmental impacts on adjacent ecosystems. Nursery management is generally based on the concept of “bigger seedlings are good seedlings.” Guidelines for seedling quality have been developed based on seedling size and other physical features (Thompson and Schultz, 1995; Dey and Parker, 1997; Kormanik et al., 1998; Jacobs et al., 2005). Seedling performance after outplanting suggests that soil management under conditions of luxury consumption will improve chemical seedling-quality (Timmer, 1997). Maintaining large plant-available nitrogen pools in nursery soils requires large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer over a growing season because of the complexity of the soil nitrogen cycle, the sandy soil texture, and intensive irrigation events typical of tree nursery systems. Thus, maintaining luxury-consumption conditions with nitrogen fertilizer could generate excessive soil nitrogen levels in nursery systems, which may lead to nitrate groundwater contamination.
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Nitrogen use efficiency can be defined as the ratio of grain yield to total nitrogen taken up by the plant. Worldwide NUE for cereal crops Read more…
Nitrogen use efficiency can be defined as the ratio of grain yield to total nitrogen taken up by the plant. Worldwide NUE for cereal crops is around 33% (Raun and Johnson, 1999), creating an opportunity for improvement. The remainder is unavailable for crop yield and subject to loss from the system. Better utilization of applied and mineralized nitrogen will help address water quality issues while providing greater yield potential. Variation within corn germplasm currently exists for NUE, creating a challenge to release untapped potential in new hybrids. Advances in plant breeding and functional genomics have made it possible to understand how genes may work to enhance nitrogen utilization in corn to improve yield performance. Areas for potential NUE improvement include sensing, uptake, assimilation transport, metabolism and remobilization while maintaining the carbon/nitrogen balance to improve kernel retention and growth. Transgenic products with the potential to improve nitrogen uptake and utilization in corn hybrids are in the early stages of development. Lead events provide more yield per unit input at standard rates of nitrogen fertilization in field trials.
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It is difficult to understate the dairy industry’s significance to Wisconsin. It has been estimated by the University of Wisconsin that the dairy industry contributes Read more…
It is difficult to understate the dairy industry’s significance to Wisconsin. It has been estimated by the University of Wisconsin that the dairy industry contributes approximately $20 billion annually to the state’s economy and is a key component to the economic well-being of rural communities. As shown in Figure 1, most of Wisconsin’s 1.2 million head of dairy cattle reside on operations with a herd size between 50 and 99 head, with the average herd size for Wisconsin dairy farms being just over 80.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Wisconsin’s annual fall survey documented a decrease in the state average European corn borer population from 0.40 in 2005 to 0.29 borer per plant in Read more…
Wisconsin’s annual fall survey documented a decrease in the state average European corn borer population from 0.40 in 2005 to 0.29 borer per plant in 2006 (29 borers per 100 plants). This compares to a 10-year average of 0.30 and a 50-year average of 0.48 borer per plant. The northwest, west central, and central districts showed increases from 0.01 to 0.27, 0.24 to 0.42, and 0.44 to 0.51 borer per plant, respectively. The largest decreases in 2006 were documented in the south central and southwest districts, where averages declined from 0.67 to 0.38 and 0.49 to 0.20 borer per plant. Lower densities in the southern districts may be associated with increased planting of Bt corn hybrids, although no specific evidence for this hypothesis is available at this time. Testing of field corn for transgenic traits during the summer corn rootworm beetle survey showed the highest utilization of hybrids in the southern three tiers of Wisconsin counties (see map in Corn Rootworm section).
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Corn rootworm (CRW) is commonly referred to as “the billion dollar bug” as it costs U.S. growers a billion dollars a year in reduced yields Read more…
Corn rootworm (CRW) is commonly referred to as “the billion dollar bug” as it costs U.S. growers a billion dollars a year in reduced yields and treatment costs (Burchett, 2001). Traditionally, two-year crop rotations were sufficient to control for CRW. However, in recent years a behavioral variant of the western CRW has moved into Wisconsin cornfields. The variant has adapted to traditional crop rotation by laying its eggs in soybeans and other rotated crops, so that economic damage is caused in corn planted the following year. Soil insecticides were commonly used to control CRW in first year corn, but in 2003, rootworm Bt corn became available for western corn rootworm larval control.
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Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), a nonnative shrub native to East Asia, has established throughout the Midwestern, Southern and Eastern United States. While this plant was Read more…
Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), a nonnative shrub native to East Asia, has established throughout the Midwestern, Southern and Eastern United States. While this plant was intentionally introduced as an ornamental plant and for wildlife habitat, it has become one of the more common invasive plants in the eastern United States as it infests over 45 million acres (Underwood et al., 1996). Currently multiflora rose dominates pastures and edges of forests within the southern part of Wisconsin. Besides losses in productivity in pastures, multiflora rose greatly reduces the accessibility of these areas for recreation due to the creation of impenetrable thickets.
Recently a disease native to North America called rose rosette disease (RRD) has been found infesting multiflora rose plants within southwestern Wisconsin. This disease was first discovered in Canada in 1940 and currently it can be found in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin (Armine, 2002). Its distribution in Wisconsin is limited, but observations indicate that it is spreading. Currently infested multiflora rose plants have been seen in Vernon, Crawford, Grant, Richland, Sauk, Iowa, Lafayette, Green, Racine, and Dane counties (personal communication J.Doll, P. Pelliterri, A. Barta). This disease is fatal to multiflora rose as infected plants they die within 5 years (Epstein and Hill, 1999; Armine 2002). While no tests are currently available that verify if plants are infected, symptoms on multiflora rose are quite distinct making identification easy. Symptoms include a red coloration of the underside of leaf veins, elongated shoots, an increase in the number of thorns, and a proliferation of lateral buds on shoots that produce many reduced and malformed leaves (witches’ broom).
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Two-pass herbicide programs often refer to systems where a preemergence herbicide is applied near planting and is followed by a postemergence herbicide. In corn, the Read more…
Two-pass herbicide programs often refer to systems where a preemergence herbicide is applied near planting and is followed by a postemergence herbicide. In corn, the preemergence herbicide may target grass weeds or a mixture of grass and broadleaf weeds and the postemergence herbicide may be focused more on broadleaf weeds or perennial weeds. In soybean, it may be more beneficial to target broadleaf weeds with the preemergence herbicide because grass weeds are easily controlled postemergence with glyphosate. In general, the benefit of a two-pass program may be more frequent and of greater magnitude in corn than soybean, but two-pass programs in soybean still need to be considered.
Before asking if two-pass herbicide programs are viable, it’s more important to consider why two-pass programs are even needed. Reasons why two-pass programs fit in corn and soybean weed management systems include (1) improving controlling of problem weeds; (2) reducing the risk of yield loss from late postemergence applications; and (3) increasing herbicide diversity to reduce the risks of herbicide resistant weeds.
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Groundwater monitoring initiatives in the 1980s and 1990s in Wisconsin discovered that the herbicide atrazine and its chlorinated metabolites are present in a variety of Read more…
Groundwater monitoring initiatives in the 1980s and 1990s in Wisconsin discovered that the herbicide atrazine and its chlorinated metabolites are present in a variety of wells and aquifers around the state. The atrazine in groundwater was believed to have resulted from the legal use of atrazine (non-point source) and from improper handling, storage and disposal (point source). The distribution of atrazine detections in the state is still widespread. The most recent random statewide survey conducted by the department in 2001 estimated that about 12% of the groundwater in the state contains atrazine or its chlorinated metabolites. And about 1% of the groundwater is over 3.0 µg/L, the health based Enforcement Standard (ES) for atrazine.
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Updates on select pesticide regulations will be covered in an overview, including references and opportunities for input.
Updates on select pesticide regulations will be covered in an overview, including references and opportunities for input.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Fertilizer prices in the U.S. are driven by global and domestic factors. Growing demand for grain worldwide, both for human consumption and for animal feed, Read more…
Fertilizer prices in the U.S. are driven by global and domestic factors. Growing demand for grain worldwide, both for human consumption and for animal feed, has led to the lowest level of grain stocks ever. This has forced grain prices higher, which in turn increased the demand for macronutrient fertilizers and especially nitrogen fertilizer. In addition to the traditional grain uses, biofuels made from commodity crops are further increasing demand for grains and therefore fertilizer. Most of this growth in agricultural production and fertilizer demand comes from developing countries, with Brazil, China, and India having the most impact. At the same time, nitrogen production in the U.S. has experienced a steep decline as a result of rapidly rising natural gas prices. Consequently, U.S. nitrogen plants have become swing producers, dependent on the domestic price of natural gas. A large proportion of nitrogen fertilizer is now imported.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Why are we concerned about agroterrorism? Intelligence reports indicate that those wishing to do us harm are already aware that attacking the agriculture sector would Read more…
Why are we concerned about agroterrorism? Intelligence reports indicate that those wishing to do us harm are already aware that attacking the agriculture sector would result in economic, psychological and infrastructure disaster for this country.
So how can we protect ourselves from such an attack? We need to work together to establish public and private partnerships that include prevention, planning and response activities.
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The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is the State lead agency for enforcing state and federal laws related to pesticides. These include standards Read more…
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is the State lead agency for enforcing state and federal laws related to pesticides. These include standards for the packaging, labeling, storage, use and disposal of pesticides and their containers. The Agricultural Resource Management Division is the Division assigned to these responsibilities. Besides pesticide regulation the Division is also responsible for enforcing the state’s feed and fertilizer laws. The Division responds to and investigates over 200 complaints a year related to our programs. The largest area of complaints does relate to pesticide use.
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Many farmers are working to have nutrient management plans in place on their farms by 2008. Methods needed to be developed that could help unique Read more…
Many farmers are working to have nutrient management plans in place on their farms by 2008. Methods needed to be developed that could help unique enterprises, such as managed intensive grazing farms, credit manure deposited during gleaning. A MALWEG (Multi-Agency Land and Water Education Grant) was awarded to Clark County to help fund and train grazers to prepare nutrient management plans. Fertility trends and methods used will be presented.
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Creating the Science Base for Nutrient Management Guidelines and Policy: Success and Future Needs
2007The goal of this paper is to review some of the soil fertility research projects I have contributed to and to make some comments about Read more…
The goal of this paper is to review some of the soil fertility research projects I have contributed to and to make some comments about what results were successful and what areas have continuing research and education needs. In general, the purpose of much of this work was to create new knowledge and build upon existing information to provide a sound science base for nutrient management guidelines and recommendations for producers and the industry. In fact, many of the projects were initiated to answer questions or solve problems brought to our attention by farmers and the agricultural industry. The maintenance of a credible science base supporting nutrient management recommendations is made even more important when these recommendations are widely used as the basis for nutrient management regulatory policy.
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We plan to present the final draft of the ATCP 50 Wisconsin Administrative Code to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Board Read more…
We plan to present the final draft of the ATCP 50 Wisconsin Administrative Code to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Board in January 2007. If the Board approves the rule, it will go to the legislature where they may hold hearings and suggest changes back to DATCP before final promulgation.
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Grain crop producers continue have interest in P and K fertilizer placement for several reasons. Issues include: (1) the need at high soil test, (2) Read more…
Grain crop producers continue have interest in P and K fertilizer placement for several reasons. Issues include: (1) the need at high soil test, (2) alternatives to 2×2 because of planter attachment cost, (3) fertilizer use efficiency, (4) convenience/time limitations, and 5) potential yield benefits. Research has demonstrated that banded placement methods enhance the efficiency of nutrient use and can increase yield. This observation appears to be more important in high residue management systems where nutrient applications are not routinely incorporated. Research conducted by this author has demonstrated increased P and K uptake and yield where the planter 2×2 placement method is used compared with broadcast (Wolkowski, 2000; 2003). Response tended to be greater in no-till relative chisel because soil and environmental condition of the seedbed under no-till resulted in reduced early season plant growth and nutrient uptake.
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Tissue testing is the quantitative measurement of the essential elements in plant tissue. Plants require 17 elements for normal vegetative growth and reproduction. These elements Read more…
Tissue testing is the quantitative measurement of the essential elements in plant tissue. Plants require 17 elements for normal vegetative growth and reproduction. These elements fulfill a variety of functions in plants and are required at varying levels by different plant species. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are not analyzed because they come from the air or water and virtually are never limiting to plant growth. Of the remaining 13 elements that come from the soil, chlorine is normally not analyzed because it is always sufficient under Wisconsin conditions. As a result, tissue testing or plant analysis, usually refers to the analysis for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), and molybdenum (Mo). Aluminum (Al) and sodium (Na) are normally included even though they are not essential elements. Aluminum can be toxic in acid soils, and sodium improves the quality of some crops.
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The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) conducts pest and disease surveys to facilitate trade by documenting the absence of certain regulated Read more…
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) conducts pest and disease surveys to facilitate trade by documenting the absence of certain regulated diseases and pests in the state, by certifying crops for export, documenting known regulated diseases and detecting new and exotic diseases before they become a problem. For weekly pest and disease survey updates during the growing season please see the Wisconsin Pest Bulletin at http://pestbulletin.wi.gov/.
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Ethanol has dramatically increased the demand and the price of corn in 2006. This has resulted in an expected increased corn acres with fewer alternative Read more…
Ethanol has dramatically increased the demand and the price of corn in 2006. This has resulted in an expected increased corn acres with fewer alternative crops in the rotation. In many cases the most profitable rotation is continuous corn. In addition, the increased fuel costs and improvements in machinery, seed, and seed treatments have encouraged a shift to reduced tillage, including no-till. Both continuous corn and no-till can have dramatic effect on plant diseases.
No-till soils tend to be cooler and wetter at planting and Pythium seedling decay and root rot can become a major factor. Pythium seedling decay and root rot is caused by an Oomycete (closely related to brown algae) and is considered a “killer” that can reduce plant populations substantially. Unlike soybeans that can compensate for missing plants, corn yields are dependant upon uniform populations. In continuous no-till corn, two other soil-borne diseases flourish. They are Fusarium root rot and Rhizoctonia root rot, which are considered “nibblers”, because they generally reduce the root mass, especially the small fine roots. When plants are under moisture stress, they lack of these root hairs reduce the plants ability to extract water from the soil and can reduce yields without killing the plant.
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The impact of foliar soybean diseases and the use of fungicides for both disease control and plant health benefits has become a focal point in Read more…
The impact of foliar soybean diseases and the use of fungicides for both disease control and plant health benefits has become a focal point in soybean production since the discovery of soybean rust in the United States. As a result, the University of Wisconsin has initiated a two year research project focusing on foliar fungicide use in small research plots and large on-farm field plots.
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In 2006, like other regions of Wisconsin in previous years of low moisture to drought conditions, saw significant increases in twospotted spider mite, (TSM) infestations. Read more…
In 2006, like other regions of Wisconsin in previous years of low moisture to drought conditions, saw significant increases in twospotted spider mite, (TSM) infestations. Lessons learned from these other regions and previous outbreaks in 1983, 1988, 1995, and 2005, indicated that soybean damage could be anticipated. Research trials for developing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) recommendations are difficult. Further, specific economic thresholds do not exist for twospotted spider mite in soybeans (Cullen, 2006).
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A great deal of resources and effort are invested in growing, harvesting, drying and transporting grain crops. Managing the dry grain in storage is important Read more…
A great deal of resources and effort are invested in growing, harvesting, drying and transporting grain crops. Managing the dry grain in storage is important to protect that investment. The quality of grain cannot be improved during storage but if not properly managed, grain quality can deteriorate quickly. The majority of grain losses are caused by living things such as fungi, mold, insects and rodents. The grain temperature and moisture can provide a haven for living things or aid in preventing problems.
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There are over 100 different insects and mites found infesting grain in Wisconsin. About 90% are small beetles while most of the remaining species are Read more…
There are over 100 different insects and mites found infesting grain in Wisconsin. About 90% are small beetles while most of the remaining species are caterpillars and moths. These insects and mites can be divided into three general groups depending on the types of feeding, potential damage, and the environments they prefer. One of the major problems is that these insects look so similar, but control options will differ depending on what insect is associated with the stored grain. Not all infestations need to be fumigated or sprayed.
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Nutrient management planning has become an important tool in an effort to improve water quality. In Wisconsin, nutrient management regulations are in the process of Read more…
Nutrient management planning has become an important tool in an effort to improve water quality. In Wisconsin, nutrient management regulations are in the process of moving to a phosphorus (P) based standard. As such, P budgeting and the P index will greatly influence manure applications. Thus, there is a need to better understand how soil test P changes with respect to P based manure application.
In Wisconsin, only 60% of the total P applied in manure is considered to be available to the crop during the first year after application (i.e. relative availability (RA) of 0.6). From a P budgeting standpoint, this means manure is 60% as effective at increasing soil test P as the same amount of total P applied as fertilizer.
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One out of every three gallons of manure produced in Wisconsin is applied by a custom manure applicator. As of December 2006, there are just Read more…
One out of every three gallons of manure produced in Wisconsin is applied by a custom manure applicator. As of December 2006, there are just under 100 for-hire manure applicators in the state—the smallest handle less than 500,000 gallons each year, the largest over 400 million gallons annually.
A recent informal survey of Wisconsin’s applicators showed that less than 3% of farmers are showing the applicator a copy of their nutrient management plan. A slightly greater percentage relies on the custom applicator to suggest a manure rate for a particular field. The vast majority of rate determinations are made by the farmer (who may or may not be relying on their crop consultant for advice).
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Agricultural machinery manufacturers are providing more equipment options for crop growers to manage crop residue and provide the soil conditions to increase the potential for Read more…
Agricultural machinery manufacturers are providing more equipment options for crop growers to manage crop residue and provide the soil conditions to increase the potential for maximum productivity. With higher crop yields and improved crop varieties with respect lodging and pest resistance, managing crop residue becomes more challenging. Much of the tillage equipment can be grouped into vertical or horizontal tillage. Many manufacturers are marketing vertical tillage equipment with a wide range of characteristics. Based on the performance characteristics of the equipment on the market, vertical tillage has several definitions.
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Grain crop producers often rotate tillage management to meet soil conservation goals or disrupt yield-limiting soil conditions. A long-term tillage study containing plowed and no-till Read more…
Grain crop producers often rotate tillage management to meet soil conservation goals or disrupt yield-limiting soil conditions. A long-term tillage study containing plowed and no-till treatments was modified in 2005 to evaluate the effect of tillage change on soil properties and crop yield on a Plano silt loam soil at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station. Tillage treatments included continuous chisel tillage, the same chisel tillage converted to no-till, continuous no-till, chisel tillage of the same no-till, and strip-tillage. Tillage of the no-till resulted in soil test, penetrometer resistance, and bulk density levels similar to that of continuous chisel and improved early season K uptake by corn. Converting the chisel plowed treatment to no-till increased penetration resistance, bulk density, and decreased K uptake. Yield tended to be highest where the no-till treatment was tilled and lowest where the chiseled treatment was rotated to notill. These preliminary results showed that tilling continuous no-till may improve soil quality parameters as evidenced by the lower bulk density and penetration resistance, which enhanced nutrient utilization and crop growth and yield. Conversion of plowed ground to no-till reduced these soil quality factors, as well as crop yield and growth possibly due to changes in soil consolidation.
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Sustainable agriculture is a practice that over the long term enhances environmental quality and the resource base on which agriculture depends, provides for basic human Read more…
Sustainable agriculture is a practice that over the long term enhances environmental quality and the resource base on which agriculture depends, provides for basic human food and fiber needs, is economically viable, and improves the quality of life for farmers and society (White et al., 1994). Generally, increased diversity of crops grown in rotation enhances sustainability of agriculture systems because crops grown in rotation, with similar off-farm inputs, have greater yield than those grown in monoculture (Mannering and Griffith, 1981; Dick et al., 1986; Higgs et al., 1990).
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In 2006, the Wisconsin Agriculture Statistics Service (WASS) and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) completed a major pesticide use survey Read more…
In 2006, the Wisconsin Agriculture Statistics Service (WASS) and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) completed a major pesticide use survey for the 2003-2005 growing seasons. This survey was conducted and reported so that it can be compared to previous pesticide use surveys (major surveys in 1985, 1990 and 1996 and annual summaries in 1991-2006). DATCP intends to conduct a major pesticide use survey approximately every 5 to 10 years so that long term trends in pesticide use in Wisconsin can be identified and studied. The survey report contains a wealth of information on pesticide use in Wisconsin.
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No-tillage conditions result in greater diversity in the weed species and weed life cycles that occur in corn and soybean production, compared with conventional and Read more…
No-tillage conditions result in greater diversity in the weed species and weed life cycles that occur in corn and soybean production, compared with conventional and minimum tillage systems. This diversity can be challenging to manage, especially when growers attempt to oversimplify herbicide programs in hopes of cutting costs. Successfully managing weeds in no-till can be accomplished with relatively minor changes in herbicide programs, or it can require a substantial change in strategy, depending upon the nature of the weed population. Failure to use the appropriate strategy, or to adapt new strategies in response to weed population shifts, can result in poor weed control and further increases in populations. For example, some Roundup Ready soybean growers in Ohio have omitted preplant burndown treatments from their weed management programs, which have resulted in increased populations of winter annual weeds and dandelions, and problems with control of early-emerging summer annual weeds such as lambsquarters and giant ragweed. This approach has also contributed to over-reliance on glyphosate, and has been a primary cause of glyphosate resistance in horseweed (marestail).
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One of the characteristics of Roundup Ready soybeans in the first few years following their introduction was the notable absence of weeds following postemergence glyphosate Read more…
One of the characteristics of Roundup Ready soybeans in the first few years following their introduction was the notable absence of weeds following postemergence glyphosate applications. This applied to relatively easy to control weeds as well as those that are not well controlled by other herbicides. Some growers continue to have excellent success at weed control in Roundup Ready soybeans. However, 10 years later, several weeds have become problematic in soybeans again, and we no longer assume that all Roundup Ready soybean fields will be free of weeds at the end of the season. Weeds that currently seem to be most problematic in Roundup Ready soybeans in the eastern Corn Belt include giant ragweed, lambsquarters, horseweed (marestail or Canada fleabane), and pokeweed. There can be any number of reasons why these weeds have become more prevalent, and more difficult to control. Within the United States, populations of horseweed, common ragweed, and Palmer amaranth have developed resistance to glyphosate over the past 5 years, and we believe populations of giant ragweed are developing resistance also.
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Callisto (mesotrione) and Impact (topramezone) are the two HPPD-inhibiting herbicides that are currently labeled for postemergence use on sweet corn. Laudis (tembotrione) is another HPPD-inhibiting Read more…
Callisto (mesotrione) and Impact (topramezone) are the two HPPD-inhibiting herbicides that are currently labeled for postemergence use on sweet corn. Laudis (tembotrione) is another HPPD-inhibiting herbicide that is currently under development by Bayer CropScience for postemergence use on sweet corn. Laudis may be available as soon as 2008 for commercial use. While Callisto is primarily for broadleaf weed control, Impact and Laudis are active on both broadleaf and grass weeds. Impact and Laudis would be the only other options for postemergence grass control other than Accent (nicosulfuron) and Poast (sethoxydim) on sethoxydim-resistant (SR) sweet corn hybrids. Accent has a risk of injuring sensitive fresh market and processing hybrids and only a limited number of SR sweet corn varieties are currently available. Previous research has shown hybrids can have differential tolerance to Callisto, however, little information has been provided about potential injury risks with Impact or Laudis.
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Research was conducted in the 2006 growing season to evaluate potential herbicides in cabbage, table beets, carrots, and snap bean. The intent of this paper Read more…
Research was conducted in the 2006 growing season to evaluate potential herbicides in cabbage, table beets, carrots, and snap bean. The intent of this paper is to provide an update on these research projects. However, keep in mind, the majority of the herbicide products mentioned are NOT labeled on these crops. As always, check and read the label prior to any herbicide use. A summary of these projects is included below.
Cabbage. Research was conducted to evaluate experimental applications of Chateau (flumioxazin) applied 1, 3, and 7 days pre-transplant and 7 days post-transplant. Rates included 1.0 and 2.0 ounces of product per acre. Slight cabbage injury was observed when Chateau was applied at the higher rate 1 or 3 days prior to transplanting. Common lambsquarters, redroot pigweed, velvetleaf, and giant foxtail control were greatest when Chateau was applied 7 days after transplanting and least when the herbicide was applied 7 days prior to transplanting. Weed control was greater than 90% when Chateau was applied at either rate 1 or 3 days pre-transplant or 7 days post-transplant. Cabbage yield was greatest when Chateau was applied 7 days after transplanting.
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Management of onion thrips continues to be a high pest priority for Wisconsin onion growers. In 2006 the hot and dry conditions experienced in mid-summer Read more…
Management of onion thrips continues to be a high pest priority for Wisconsin onion growers. In 2006 the hot and dry conditions experienced in mid-summer led to increased populations that were very difficult to control in some areas. Furthermore, many of the earlier registered products for control of onion thrips are loosing control efficacy. Onion thrips insensitivity to λ -cyhalothrin (Warrior®) is suspected in Wisconsin similar to that which has been proposed in Ontario, Canada (Allen et al., 2005) and in New York populations using a thrips insecticide bioassay system (TIBS) (Shelton et al., 2003). Local insensitivity to Lannate® may also be occurring with increasing leaf damage following foliar applications and only ‘fair’ control of thrips populations. As a result, onion thrips management should be a top priority along with the potential for onion thrips to spread Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) (Gent et al., 2004). An improved understanding of the ecology and management of onion thrips on a broad scale is essential to develop methods of control for this pest and to develop effective resistance management plans.
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Exotic Threats 101
2007Increased world trade has made the movement of goods and people easier and more common; with that increased movement, has come increased potential for the Read more…
Increased world trade has made the movement of goods and people easier and more common; with that increased movement, has come increased potential for the movement of pests. Two current exotic threats to Wisconsin (emerald ash borer, an insect pest of ash trees, and potato cyst nematode, an agricultural threat) will be examined to outline the ways in which pests may be transported to new regions, the systems in place for prevention and early detection, and the role of various players—particularly growers and crop consultants―in safeguarding Wisconsin’s agriculture and environment.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybeans, causal agent Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines, has been observed frequently in soybean fields in the North central states Read more…
Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybeans, causal agent Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines, has been observed frequently in soybean fields in the North central states since the early 1990s. Symptoms of SDS had been observed in Wisconsin previously, and the causal agent was confirmed by laboratory analysis in 2006. Nine counties are now confirmed to have positive SDS reports (Figure 1).
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Less than 1% of all insect species are considered “pests”! Of these, approximately 40% are exotic or invasive species in the United States. Each year Read more…
Less than 1% of all insect species are considered “pests”! Of these, approximately 40% are exotic or invasive species in the United States. Each year millions of dollars are spent to control insects. Gypsy moth, Japanese beetle, and emerald ash borer are invasive insect species that are problematic in the United States.
Gypsy moth presents as challenge in that it is not only a pest in the urban landscape, but it too causes damage in forest ecosystem as well. Gypsy moth is know to feed on over 300 plant species, however oak (Quercus spp.) are especially preferred. The caterpillar stage is the primarily the destructive life stage, however the egg masses, pupal cases (cocoons), and adults are often considered a nuisance. Gypsy moth caterpillars are fairly easy to control. Most contact insecticides provide excellent control, however, the difficulty is the placement or application of the control agent. During their first few caterpillar stages, gypsy moth spends the majority (day and night) of its time in the canopy of the trees. Thus, depending on the tree height, application may be difficult. Once the gypsy moth caterpillars begin to develop and mature, they take-on a different behavior whereby they are only active at night. Smaller, younger caterpillars are typically easier to control, this is especially true for biologically based insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki also know as Btk. Another, alternative control strategy is destroying gypsy moth egg masses. Egg masses can be destroyed using Golden Pest Spray Oil (GPSO), GPSO is directly applied to the egg masses, a procedure called “oiling.” GPSO acts as a suffocant, not allowing the egg to hatch.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Rotational grazing has become a well established method for feeding animals on Wisconsin dairy farms. Currently over 20% of Wisconsin dairy farmers use rotational grazing Read more…
Rotational grazing has become a well established method for feeding animals on Wisconsin dairy farms. Currently over 20% of Wisconsin dairy farmers use rotational grazing for feeding animals during the growing season. (Ostrom, 2000) Milk production on dairy farms utilizing rotational grazing is typically lower than that from conventional farms. Kriegl has shown 5000 lb/cow less milk from rotationally grazed cows (Kriegl, 2005). This is in part related to less feed intake and also to smaller cow size compared to conventional farms. The same study has shown increased profit per cow and per cwt on grazing farms.
Manure production estimates are an important part of nutrient management planning. Estimates for cows in confinement range from 106 to 148 depending on cow size. Due to smaller size and lower feed intakes these estimates may not be accurate for grazing dairy cows. The current study began in 2003 to determine pasture intakes and manure production from dairy cows on pasture in an effort to develop more accurate nutrient management planning capabilities for these farms.
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To understand how to manage a corn crop after stress, you must first understand how the corn plant develops and how genetics and environment influence Read more…
To understand how to manage a corn crop after stress, you must first understand how the corn plant develops and how genetics and environment influence yield. Corn growth and development occurs during a growing season with predictable stages. The plant is the ultimate integrator of the environment in which it grows. The environment has much more impact than we have with management, but we need to provide basic inputs at the right time in order to increase our chances for successful yields.
Grain yield in corn is comprised of the components: ears per unit area, kernel number per ear consisting of kernel rows and kernels per row, and kernel weight. Each of these yield components is determined at different stages in the lifecycle of the plant. Yield components develop by initial cell division near the growing point and formation of numerous primordial tissues that eventually become ears or kernels. Often the number of these early structures is greater than what the plant is later capable of supporting. The plant “adjusts” yield components according to environmental and management stresses that take place during the growing season.
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July 26, 2006 marked a significant event in Wisconsin potato industry history. On that day, more than 400 people gathered at the Hancock Agricultural Research Read more…
July 26, 2006 marked a significant event in Wisconsin potato industry history. On that day, more than 400 people gathered at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station to talk about partnerships, cooperation, and the quest for knowledge, and to dedicate a shining example of all three― the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility. The cutting of that red ribbon stretched across the west entrance to the Facility was the culmination of more than 20 years of discussions and 5 years of planning.
From the outside, it is impossible to guess what is contained inside. The sleek, shiny white exterior gives no indication of the inner workings. When passing through the entrance, the first thing most visitors note is the sheer size. The distance from floor to peak is some 30 feet. Brett Favre would have to give his all to toss the pigskin from end-to-end. The central work area is 40 feet wide. On either side are the Facility’s heart and soul ― bins and lockers, nine of each. The bins simulate typical, if there is such a thing, bulk storage. The lockers store small containers of potatoes and vegetables ― crates, boxes, bags and buckets ― under environmental conditions similar to bulk storage. When filled to capacity, some 2 million pounds of produce call the Facility home. Each bin and locker has its own air exchange, humidification and refrigeration systems. Although adjacent, each is sealed and separated from the others. Each is controlled independently by cutting-edge computer technology. There are no switches to flip and no dials to turn, only two brightly colored screens with images of buttons that one merely has to touch with a fingertip to make things happen. Each and every bin can be monitored and controlled from a laptop computer any place in the world where connection to the Internet is possible.
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Wisconsin continues to be a leader in the production of vegetables grown for processing, ranking first in the production of snap beans and third in Read more…
Wisconsin continues to be a leader in the production of vegetables grown for processing, ranking first in the production of snap beans and third in carrot production. During the summer of 2003, we initiated a multiyear IPM program on carrots and processing snap beans with funding from EPA, The American Farmland Trust and the Midwest Food Processors Association. Project cooperators included carrot growers, snap bean growers, a prominent vegetable processor and an IPM consultant who provides IPM services to clientele. This project, focusing on pest management activities used in the production of carrots and snap beans, demonstrated changes in approaches to management of plant pests, the chemistry and amount of pesticides used, the cultivars being planted and use of disease forecasting tools used by growers. The project also highlighted areas where extension activities can further improve the adoption of IPM technology. More specifically the project documented that carrot growers have shifted from planting mostly disease susceptible cultivars to planting a wide array of disease resistant cultivars that contributed to a 43% reduction in toxicity scores for their pest management programs. Carrot growers also greatly reduced their use of FQPA pesticides while maintaining pest control at economic levels. Snap bean growers also greatly increased their adoption of advanced IPM tools, decreased the pesticide active ingredients being applied for pest control and significantly reduced their use of FQPA pesticides. Information from this study is helpful in identifying specific tools which growers will most likely adopt and which will most likely be supported by food processors. Information from this project will prove useful in moving the processing industry forward in the adoption of advanced IPM tools.
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Vegetable production occurs in many regions across Wisconsin, but no where is it more concentrated than on the irrigated sand soils of Central Wisconsin. The Read more…
Vegetable production occurs in many regions across Wisconsin, but no where is it more concentrated than on the irrigated sand soils of Central Wisconsin. The capacity for irrigation and the flexibility the sandy soils provide in terms of planting and harvest allow for optimal production of a number of different vegetable crops. However, these production systems are vulnerable to large environmental impacts because of the intensive crop management practices utilized for vegetable production and the nature of the sand soils. Many vegetable growers in the Central Sands and other regions of the state are interesting in improving the sustainability of their systems. Meeting the goal of enhanced sustainability will require development of systems with enhanced profitability for growers and reduced environmental impacts from the system.
Research on alternative production systems has been initiated to address goals of production systems with increased farmer profits and reduced environmental impacts. The primary focus of this research has been on improving the nitrogen use efficiency of the system. The first objective has been to remove more of the fertilizer nitrogen from the field in the form of the harvested crop. To meet this objective would require increasing the yield of the crop without increasing or decreasing the amount of fertilizer required to produce a crop with similar yield and quality. The second objective has been to retain more of the nitrogen not utilized by the crop in the field. To meet the second objective, requires practices that tie up nitrogen and keep it available for the following crop in the rotation.
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In fall 2005 the Department of Soil Science unveiled a nitrogen (N) rate guideline tool to aid producers in determining a N fertilizer rate for corn Read more…
In fall 2005 the Department of Soil Science unveiled a nitrogen (N) rate guideline tool to aid producers in determining a N fertilizer rate for corn that is appropriate for their economic situation. This tool is called the maximum return to nitrogen (MRTN) approach. MRTN will be described briefly; for more details please see Laboski et al. (2006) and Laboski (2006).
The new N rate guidelines for Wisconsin are provided in Table 1. In order to determine the N application rate using this table, one must first know:
- Soil yield potential. All soils in Wisconsin have been classified into yield potential categories based on the soil’s rooting depth, water holding capacity, drainage, and length of growing season. Soil yield potentials can be found in UWEX publication A2809 “Nutrient application guidelines for field, vegetable, and fruit crops in Wisconsin.”
- Previous crop.
- N:corn price ratio. This is the price of N per pound divided by the price of corn per bushel
UW-Madison Soil SciencePerformance of New Corn Nitrogen Rate Guidelinesnutrient management -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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2005 was a year when the worlds of fisheries and agriculture met too frequently under less than ideal conditions. The delivery of animal waste to Read more…
2005 was a year when the worlds of fisheries and agriculture met too frequently under less than ideal conditions. The delivery of animal waste to the ground and surface water resources of the state resulted in widespread impacts to the public trust. These impacts included private drinking water contamination, fish kills, and chronic effects that impair habitat, recreation, aesthetics, and systemic health of public resources.
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When rain or snowmelt water accumulates on a field faster than it can flow into the soil, or infiltrate, it will begin to fill up Read more…
When rain or snowmelt water accumulates on a field faster than it can flow into the soil, or infiltrate, it will begin to fill up all the depressions in the soil surface. If there is enough water that all the indentations fill up and spill over, runoff will begin. Initially, runoff can flow down hill as very thin sheets of water. It does not have to travel very far, sometimes just a few feet, before it starts to form very small but visible channels, called rills. As the water continues to flow down slope with more water flowing into them, the channels become bigger until they flow into gullies or intermittent streams.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Soil structure controls many soil functions including water and air (gas) flow in soil. Although soil structure has received considerable attention by soil scientists, structure Read more…
Soil structure controls many soil functions including water and air (gas) flow in soil. Although soil structure has received considerable attention by soil scientists, structure is one of a limited number of soil properties that have not been sufficiently quantified, and to date there are no good methods or techniques for doing so. Soil structure is generally unstable in time and it is nonuniform in space, and it is affected by changes in climate, biological activity, and soil management practices (Hillel, 2004).
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Soil structure is a key component to soil quality. Substitution of conservation tillage and no-till for conventional tillage practices greatly affects soil structure and decrease Read more…
Soil structure is a key component to soil quality. Substitution of conservation tillage and no-till for conventional tillage practices greatly affects soil structure and decrease runoff and losses of soil, nutrients, and agrochemicals in overland flow. However, enhanced infiltration increases the potential for sub surface flow, especially in tile lines. Earthworm burrows, root holes, cracks and structural porosity in the soil surface can allow for rapid transport of nutrients and chemicals to tile lines.
Liquid manure has become the norm on many livestock operations. These liquid wastes are applied by surface application or incorporated with tillage or by direct injection. Because of concerns with odor and surface runoff, subsurface injection is becoming more widely used by livestock operations. The issue of liquid manure entering subsurface drainage systems is being increasingly recognized as an important environmental issue throughout drained areas in the U.S. Midwest. The combination of increased conservation tillage, increasing use of liquid manure, and deeper incorporation of liquid manure, transport of manure through soil to tile lines has become an issue.
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People and insects have more in common than you might think. Insects need to breath oxygen, convert food to energy and regulate their movement and Read more…
People and insects have more in common than you might think. Insects need to breath oxygen, convert food to energy and regulate their movement and body functions with a nervous system that is very similar to ours. It should come as no surprise the chemicals that kill insects by asphyxiation, stopping energy production or affecting nerves can be toxic to humans. Insecticides can function as stomach poisons, contact and residual contact poisons, and as gasses that are taking in during respiration (fumigants). For contact insecticides it helps to be lipo-philic (fat loving).Insects adsorb these liphilic compounds through their skin. Understanding how insecticides work is important to help select products that are less toxic and also prevent or slow down the development of insecticide resistance in insect populations.
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Fungicide Basics
2006Fungicides play an important and often critical role in the production of most crops around the world. While fungicide treatments often complement other crop and Read more…
Fungicides play an important and often critical role in the production of most crops around the world. While fungicide treatments often complement other crop and pest management measures, there are times when the use of fungicidal chemistry provides the deciding factor in economical control of a plant disease. Complementary disease management options often include regulatory measures (quarantines, seed tolerance, seed certification programs), cultural activities (early or delayed planting date, rotation, sanitation to destroy crop debris and sources of inoculum, irrigation and nutrition management), biological and physical controls and host resistance. Developing a fully integrated disease management program utilizing these broad based options including chemical controls helps to greatly reduce the risk of economic losses to plant diseases.
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Whether you are a homeowner with a small lawn or custom applicator contracting on thousands of acres in several counties, the success of your weed Read more…
Whether you are a homeowner with a small lawn or custom applicator contracting on thousands of acres in several counties, the success of your weed control efforts can be strongly driven by variability in the weather. If you are the homeowner with a small lawn, you can likely wait until weather conditions are favorable or use the short-term weather forecasts to help plan your weed control efforts. Farmers or custom applicators, however, are usually more severely constrained by a large set of additional responsibilities. Many herbicide products should be applied within a window of time when the crop and/or weed have emerged but are not too large, and their sizes are both strongly correlated to accumulated temperature units. Moisture conditions can also have a major influence on emergence, PRE and POST herbicide application success, as well as most mechanical control techniques. Because of the time and scheduling constraints that accompany larger scale agronomic operations, the current and short-term forecasts may not be sufficient to allow for planning of weed management operations. In order to complete their work, many professionals find themselves having to manage weeds in suboptimal conditions. To help manage and conduct weed control operations with the greatest possible efficiency, we are in the process of designing a tool that will use a large amount of historical data to assess the likely amount of optimal application time remaining during the critical time of the year. This tool, christened “IPMWatch”, will be a free software product and allow users to tune the conditions for optimal application.
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Maximizing return on investment in corn production is a balance of providing the lowest effective levels of inputs compared to projected returns. Weed control is Read more…
Maximizing return on investment in corn production is a balance of providing the lowest effective levels of inputs compared to projected returns. Weed control is an input that growers have numerous options to customize a program that fits weed spectrum, application timing, and most importantly cost. One variable that is critical in making herbicide decisions is the degree of risk associated with various herbicide programs. WeedSOFT is a computer program that assists growers in predicting yield loss and economic returns of herbicide programs based on the competitive loads of the weed species present. The competitive load (CL) of a weed species integrates a weed’s density (D) and its competitive ability (CI). In a field crop, a weed’s competitive ability is adjusted based on its size relative to the crop and becomes the adjusted competitive index (ACI). Then the CL is calculated as: CL=Dbi x ACIi. Total competitive load (TCL) is the sum of all the weed species present and is calculated as: TCL = Σ(Dbi x ACIi). This TLC plus the length of weed competition is used in WeedSOFT to predict crop yield loss.
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WeedSOFT is a decision support system that brings together a wealth of information on weed biology and management efficacy to improve weed management decision-making (Neeser Read more…
WeedSOFT is a decision support system that brings together a wealth of information on weed biology and management efficacy to improve weed management decision-making (Neeser et al. 2004). An essential part of maintaining WeedSOFT as the state-of-the-art weed management tool is validation and improvement of the crop yield loss model in the ADVISOR module. One of the most novel aspects of the crop yield loss model is the use of an adjusted competitive index (ACI) whereby the competitiveness of a given weed species is adjusted by a competitive index modifier (CIM) based on relative weed and crop growth stages (Tables 1 and 2). In this manner, weeds that emerge at the same time as the crop are considered more competitive than weeds that emerge at a later crop growth stage. The weed CI values are speciesspecific and differ among the several state versions of WeedSOFT due to regional differences in weed competitiveness. However, the CIM matrix is constant among crops and weed species.
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Glyphosate provides excellent weed control in the vast majority of times that it is applied. However, weeds are not controlled as expected in certain instances. Read more…
Glyphosate provides excellent weed control in the vast majority of times that it is applied. However, weeds are not controlled as expected in certain instances. Several factors may be responsible for these control failures. It is important to understand these factors so steps can be taken to avoid poor performance. There are three distinct places where glyphosate interacts with other elements when it is applied: 1) in the spray tank; 2) on the leaf surface; and 3) in the weed. This article reviews the potential for these interactions to reduce glyphosate performance.
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Spray drift is not a new concept. The offsite movement of pesticides during application has been occurring since we began spraying pesticides some 50 years Read more…
Spray drift is not a new concept. The offsite movement of pesticides during application has been occurring since we began spraying pesticides some 50 years ago. Today’s heightened concern over spray drift is a culmination of several factors. Infringing housing development, contamination of neighboring crops with illegal pesticide residues, increased use of “non-selective” herbicides on gmo crops, and a more litigious society have all placed increased demands for caution and safety on today’s pesticide applicators.
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Current high nitrogen (N) fertilizer costs and continuing efforts to reduce N losses from cropland have increased interest in use of sidedress or delayed applications Read more…
Current high nitrogen (N) fertilizer costs and continuing efforts to reduce N losses from cropland have increased interest in use of sidedress or delayed applications in corn production as a method for increasing the effectiveness of applied N and for avoiding adverse environmental impacts from N use. Theoretically, sidedress N has potential for improving N efficiency because N is usually applied just before the period of rapid N uptake by corn so that possible N losses before the application date are avoided. A common expectation is that a lower N rate applied sidedress will achieve the same yield response as a larger amount of N applied earlier in the growing season. Sidedress or delayed N applications have potential allowing reduced N rates only if early season losses of N from preplant applications are significant and can be avoided by applying N later in the growing season. While this is clearly the case on coarse-textured sandy soils where N loss by nitrate leaching from preplant N is likely, the benefits of sidedressing N is less obvious on medium-textured well-drained soils. The purpose of this paper is to review results from research studies and on-farm research and demonstration work that included or evaluated sidedress N applications for corn.
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As nitrogen (N) prices have risen, corn growers are beginning to think about reducing N application rates. Growers are weighing decisions to reduce N rates Read more…
As nitrogen (N) prices have risen, corn growers are beginning to think about reducing N application rates. Growers are weighing decisions to reduce N rates along with the potential for N losses that may occur because of the form of N used, method of application, and weather conditions. In the past, growers may have increased N application rates to offset the potential for N loss and subsequent yield loss. This practice was considered to be cheap insurance largely because the cost of the extra N fertilizer was cheap. With today’s N and corn prices, this type of insurance may not be so cheap. Thus, revisiting the practices and economics of applying nitrification and urease inhibitors to protect against N loss is relevant.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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With escalating nitrogen (N) fertilizer costs and continuing concerns about environmental impacts of N losses from cropland, there is substantial interest in improving the efficiency Read more…
With escalating nitrogen (N) fertilizer costs and continuing concerns about environmental impacts of N losses from cropland, there is substantial interest in improving the efficiency of nitrogen use by crops. In the Midwest, this interest is focused on corn since that crop receives most of the fertilizer N and most of the non-fertilizer N inputs from manures and previous legume crops. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) refers to the proportion of available or applied N that is taken up by the crop. Alternatively, NUE can also be expressed in terms of yield produced per unit of applied N (e.g., bu/lb N). The interest in improving NUE employs the rationale that enhanced NUE could allow less N to be applied without reducing yield, and if less N is used more efficiently, then losses of excess N to the environment should be lowered.
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Development of a diagnostic test to estimate soil N supplying capability is a continuing research need. The Illinois soil nitrogen test (ISNT) has been proposed Read more…
Development of a diagnostic test to estimate soil N supplying capability is a continuing research need. The Illinois soil nitrogen test (ISNT) has been proposed as a method for adjusting corn (Zea mays L.) N recommendations to account for soil organic N contributions. We evaluated the ISNT as a tool for predicting corn N response in Wisconsin by comparing ISNT values and corn N response data from 80 experiments conducted between 1984 and 2004 with a range of crop rotations, management histories, and soils. Relationships between various hydrolyzable soil N fractions (including amino sugar-N) and corn N response data were evaluated using a subset (13 sites) of the 80 N response experiments selected to obtain a wide range of anticipated soil N availability. Results showed that ISNT values were not related to observed economic optimum N rates (EONR) in the corn N response experiments and that the ISNT had no ability to separate N responsive from non-responsive sites. ISNT values were well correlated (r2 = 0.88) with the soil organic matter content of the experimental sites suggesting that the ISNT is measuring a constant fraction of the soil organic N rather than the readily mineralizable N component. Soil organic N fractions measured in 13 experiments were not related to corn N response although these experiments included cropping systems ranging from first year corn following alfalfa to continuous corn. Results from this work indicate that the ISNT and the soil organic N fractions studied are not reliable predictors of corn N response.
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Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the largest input costs for growing corn. Across the Corn Belt, N is typically the most yield-limiting nutrient. Facing record Read more…
Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the largest input costs for growing corn. Across the Corn Belt, N is typically the most yield-limiting nutrient. Facing record high N fertilizer prices and potential supply problems, producers are concerned about N fertilization rates. Soil fertility researchers and extension specialists from seven states across the Corn Belt (see list in acknowledgements section) have been discussing corn N fertilization needs and evaluating N rate recommendation systems for approximately the past two years. These discussions could not have been timelier considering the current N fertilizer issues.
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Recently soil fertility specialists in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois have agreed to use the same philosophy to develop N rate guidelines for corn (grain). Read more…
Recently soil fertility specialists in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois have agreed to use the same philosophy to develop N rate guidelines for corn (grain). This new philosophy will reduce some of the differences in N rate recommendations between states and more importantly will provide for producer flexibility in setting a N rate that maximizes profitability. The approach used is data intensive (both research farm and grower fields) and is based on maximizing return to N fertilizer.
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Bulk Storage Rule
2006No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Urban sprawl and home developments in the countryside have placed many farm supply businesses, both cooperatives and non-cooperatives in a market environment characterized with having Read more…
Urban sprawl and home developments in the countryside have placed many farm supply businesses, both cooperatives and non-cooperatives in a market environment characterized with having the traditional farmer along with part-time (hobby) farmers and non-farm home owners. This situation offers farm supply businesses both a business challenge and opportunity. This paper focuses on this challenge and opportunity primarily in serving the urban non-farm customer.
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The Working Lands Initiative is about finding common ground on new strategies for preserving Wisconsin working lands (agriculture, forestry, tourism & recreation use). Wisconsin can Read more…
- The Working Lands Initiative is about finding common ground on new strategies for preserving Wisconsin working lands (agriculture, forestry, tourism & recreation use). Wisconsin can be green and growing.
- The Working Lands Initiative is about boosting Wisconsin’s economic development, especially in rural communities, in order to strategically protect the land for the bioeconomy (biomass of forestry and agriculture materials) and protect all our natural resources for future generations. Wisconsin must be planning for prosperity.
- The Working Lands Initiative goals include creating a policy tool kit for state and local government to protect these critical lands. These policy tools will include a natural resource portfolio that recognizes the “other” values of working lands such as water recharge areas, critical habitat for wildlife and carbon sequestration.
- The Working Lands Initiative will seek innovative partnerships between public and private entities to maximize efforts in preserving our natural resources through Community Collaboration Networks and a shared vision.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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In 2004, Wisconsin enacted the Livestock Facility Siting Law (2003 Act 235) designed to reform local regulation affecting livestock facilities. The law is intended to Read more…
In 2004, Wisconsin enacted the Livestock Facility Siting Law (2003 Act 235) designed to reform local regulation affecting livestock facilities. The law is intended to ensure a more predictable and fairer system of local regulation. While the new law retains local authority to control rural land use through planning and zoning, it mandates that local governments follow state standards and procedures if they require individual approval for new and expanding livestock facilities. Central to the siting law are standards that local governments must apply whenever they make decisions to approve or deny applications for livestock facilities. These state siting standards are being developed through rule making, in accordance with specific requirements set forth in the law. As proposed in the final draft rule, the standards will protect air and water quality, while providing the livestock industry a predictable regulatory framework within which to grow and modernize.
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The ‘eastern variant’ of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, has developed a behavioral adaptation to the corn-soybean rotation in some parts of Read more…
The ‘eastern variant’ of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, has developed a behavioral adaptation to the corn-soybean rotation in some parts of the Midwest. The variant western corn rootworm (VWCR), first documented in east central Illinois, then in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, is known to circumvent the corn-soybean crop rotation by laying eggs in soybean. Like normal corn rootworm beetle populations, the Vwcr moves readily between corn and other crops between late July and early September. Unlike normal rootworm beetles, the VWCR can lay heavy populations of eggs in soybean fields, resulting in risk of economic injury to corn planted the next year.
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The true armyworm (Pseudaletia unipuncta) causes some damage in parts of the state almost every year. True armyworm should not be confused with “fall armyworm,” Read more…
The true armyworm (Pseudaletia unipuncta) causes some damage in parts of the state almost every year. True armyworm should not be confused with “fall armyworm,” another corn insect pest that occurs later in the season, usually only on very late planted corn. The true armyworm is an early season pest that attacks grass crops like small grains and corn. Armyworms climb into corn whorls and “rag” the leaves from the outer edges of the leaves in towards the midrib. When infestations are severe, only the midribs will be left behind.
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In the 1950s and early 1960s, stem canker was the most important soybean disease and slowed the expansion of soybean acres in the Midwest. Highly Read more…
In the 1950s and early 1960s, stem canker was the most important soybean disease and slowed the expansion of soybean acres in the Midwest. Highly susceptible soybean varieties were discontinued and replaced by varieties less susceptible or moderately resistant to stem canker. Stem canker is regarded as a warm temperature disease and thus the climate of Wisconsin has been regarded as less conducive for stem canker. However, symptoms typical or suggestive of stem canker have increased in frequency since the late 1990’s. Stem canker was observed commonly in 2003 and 2005 in Wisconsin, but was less prevalent in 2004. Stem canker is regarded as part of a stem disease complex that also includes white mold (Sclerotinia stem rot) and brown stem rot. While white mold is often very obvious, brown stem rot and stem canker are often overlooked or confused with stress related to climatic conditions or with seasonal changes in soybean growth and development. If considered as a complex, brown stem rot, white mold and stem canker occur across a range of climatic conditions that essentially ensure a high probability that one of them will be yield-limiting in a given year. Thus, the ideal soybean variety would have resistance to each disease.
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An entry point for understanding soybean aphid as a pest during the soybean growing season is to be familiar with how this insect alternates between Read more…
An entry point for understanding soybean aphid as a pest during the soybean growing season is to be familiar with how this insect alternates between asexual and sexual phases on two different plant hosts, buckthorn and soybeans, over the calendar year. Soybean aphid overwinters in the egg stage on common buckthorn, an exotic, weedy, shrub common in much of the Midwest north of I-80. Eggs hatch on buckthorn in spring (late March, early April). From each overwintered egg on buckthorn in early spring, a wingless female soybean aphid known as the fundatrix, or “stem mother” hatches. These stem mothers are asexual and give live birth to wingless female aphid nymphs, producing several generations on buckthorn. By late spring/early summer, winged soybean aphid females are produced that leave buckthorn in search of soybean.
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Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), and Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) are frequently associated with soybean in Wisconsin (Table 1). The incidence Read more…
Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), and Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) are frequently associated with soybean in Wisconsin (Table 1). The incidence of each virus has corresponded to activity of its primary insect vector. The bean leaf beetle, Ceratoma trifurcata, vector of BPMV, was most active between 2000 and 2002, with a noticeable decline since (Cullen et al., 2005). Although several aphid species transmit SMV and AMV, incidence of SMV and AMV relates strongly to the occurrence of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines. Data and field observations suggest that BPMV is the virus most capable of causing yield loss in commercial soybean fields in Wisconsin. However, the threat of BPMV is greatly diminished because of sporadic occurrence of bean leaf beetle populations needed for epidemics to occur. In contrast to the bean leaf beetle, soybean aphid population densities required for transmission of SMV and AMV have occurred more frequently since the soybean aphid was first detected in Wisconsin in 2000.
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The annual fall survey showed the average European corn borer population in the state to be 0.40 borer per plant (40 borers per 100 plants). Read more…
The annual fall survey showed the average European corn borer population in the state to be 0.40 borer per plant (40 borers per 100 plants). This compares to 0.10 in 2004 and a 50-year average of 0.49. Increases occurred in every district except the northwest, a probable outcome given last fall’s record-low population. The most substantial increases were noted in the southwest, south central and southeast districts where populations rose from 0.10 in 2004 to 0.49, 0.05 in 2004 to 0.67, and 0.02 in 2004 to 0.35, respectively. Approximately 87% of the corn fields surveyed had larval populations below 1.0 borer per plant (182 of 210 fields), while 13% of the corn fields had high larval populations, ranging from 1.0-3.5 borers per plant (28 of 210). As a reminder, a corn borer population of 1.0 borer per plant is economically important, having been shown to reduce yield by as much as 5% during the first generation, and 2.5% by the second generation.
A statewide average of 0.40 borer per plant suggests a light to moderate first flight of corn borer moths should be anticipated next spring. What follows the first flight, an increase or decrease in corn borer densities, depends on factors such as activity of natural enemies and weather conditions during May and June.
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One of the greatest challenges producers and researchers alike have had to address is protecting the yield potential of the soybean crop. Soybeans abort a Read more…
One of the greatest challenges producers and researchers alike have had to address is protecting the yield potential of the soybean crop. Soybeans abort a large percentage of their blossoms, giving up yield. Why does this happen and how can that loss be reduced? Perhaps what needs to be addressed is the overall health of the plant. Plant health is a wholesome concept. Who could be opposed to such an idea? Perhaps the more important questions are, “What is plant health and who can define what is?”
Without a doubt, most people would agree that a healthy plant is likely to be more productive. What we don’t understand is, what plant health is! What affects the health of a biological organism? Certainly the absence of infectious disease is a component in this definition. However, infectious disease is not the only cause of yield loss. Nutritional disorders and deficient macro- and micronutrients are significant causes of plant stress that can limit productivity as well. Environmental factors such as timeliness of rainfall and the temperatures range relative to the optimum for plant growth can also effect production. On a smaller scale, each of the factors above can influence physiological processes that relate to yield. Most of us don’t want to look inside the molecular processes of the plant, but that is really where yield is being built. What if something as simple as high temperature stress at the wrong stage of crop development shut down a physiological process that diverted energy to be stored in seed, limiting yield? How can these stresses that limit yield be managed?
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In the 1950s and early 1960s, stem canker was the most important soybean disease and slowed the expansion of soybean acres in the Midwest. Highly Read more…
In the 1950s and early 1960s, stem canker was the most important soybean disease and slowed the expansion of soybean acres in the Midwest. Highly susceptible soybean varieties were discontinued and replaced by varieties less susceptible or moderately resistant to stem canker. Stem canker is regarded as a warm temperature disease and thus the climate of Wisconsin has been regarded as less conducive for stem canker. However, symptoms typical or suggestive of stem canker have increased in frequency since the late 1990’s. Stem canker was observed commonly in 2003 and 2005 in Wisconsin, but was less prevalent in 2004. Stem canker is regarded as part of a stem disease complex that also includes white mold (Sclerotinia stem rot) and brown stem rot. While white mold is often very obvious, brown stem rot and stem canker are often overlooked or confused with stress related to climatic conditions or with seasonal changes in soybean growth and development. If considered as a complex, brown stem rot, white mold and stem canker occur across a range of climatic conditions that essentially ensure a high probability that one of them will be yield-limiting in a given year. Thus, the ideal soybean variety would have resistance to each disease.
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Spider Mites: A to Z
2006An entry point for understanding soybean aphid as a pest during the soybean growing season is to be familiar with how this insect alternates between Read more…
An entry point for understanding soybean aphid as a pest during the soybean growing season is to be familiar with how this insect alternates between asexual and sexual phases on two different plant hosts, buckthorn and soybeans, over the calendar year.
Soybean aphid overwinters in the egg stage on common buckthorn, an exotic, weedy, shrub common in much of the Midwest north of I-80. Eggs hatch on buckthorn in spring (late March, early April). From each overwintered egg on buckthorn in early spring, a wingless female soybean aphid known as the fundatrix, or “stem mother” hatches. These stem mothers are asexual and give live birth to wingless female aphid nymphs, producing several generations on buckthorn. By late spring/early summer, winged soybean aphid females are produced that leave buckthorn in search of soybean.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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In their national policy guidelines on nutrient management, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, 1999), identified three strategies for managing phosphorus (P) applications to cropland Read more…
In their national policy guidelines on nutrient management, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, 1999), identified three strategies for managing phosphorus (P) applications to cropland on a field-by-field basis to reduce the risk of resulting surface water contamination. Two of the strategies – limiting applications to agronomic recommendations and limiting applications above specified soil test P threshold levels – rely on soil test P as the sole indicator for guiding manure management decisions. The third NRCS strategy is the use of a comprehensive P loss risk assessment, or P Index.
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Most (approximately two-thirds) of Wisconsin’s dairy farms are self-sufficient in grain and forage production, and therefore have more than adequate cropland area for manure spreading Read more…
Most (approximately two-thirds) of Wisconsin’s dairy farms are self-sufficient in grain and forage production, and therefore have more than adequate cropland area for manure spreading (Powell et al., 2002; Saam et al., 2005). Recent studies revealed, however, that many dairy farmers use only a portion (25 to 45%) of their total cropland area for manure spreading (Saam et al., 2005). Manure spreading on Wisconsin dairy farms can be linked to the amount of manure actually collected, and therefore that needs to be land-spread [for example, less manure is collected in the southwest (56% of total annual herd production) than in the south central (72%) or the northeast (68%) regions; Powell et al., 2005]; the presence of manure storage; labor availability and machinery capacity for manure spreading; variations in the manure “spreading window”, or days that manure can be spread given regional differences in weather and soil conditions; and distances between where manure is produced and fields where manure can be applied. Although Wisconsin dairy farmers face these and other challenges in manure management, most farmers appear to be adhering already to the 2005 Code 590 Nutrient Management Standard. Information in this Research Brief was gleaned from the “On-Farmers’ Ground” project that studied nutrient management practices on 54 representative dairy farms across Wisconsin during the period 2002-2005. Detailed records were kept on the types and amounts of feed, fertilizer and manure used, and legume nitrogen credits available during the period October 2003 to September 2004.
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Hopefully before the end of 2006, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s (DATCP) Board will approve a rule related to nutrient management Read more…
Hopefully before the end of 2006, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s (DATCP) Board will approve a rule related to nutrient management on farms. Current rules are mostly based on nitrogen and can be inconsistently implemented from county to county. This rule would incorporate the September 2005 Natural Resources Conservation Service’s 590 nutrient management standard based on nitrogen and phosphorus. DATCP adopted the current rules in 2002 as part of a redesign of state nonpoint pollution abatement programs mandated by the Legislature. DATCP proposes to incorporate the updated federal standard in state nutrient management rules to help prevent manure and phosphorus runoff and improve water quality. This will also to help ensure that manure is applied in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner. It will also reduce fish kill and well contamination risks. Adopting this rule amendment will fulfill DATCP’s nonpoint-rules commitment to keep Wisconsin rules consistent with federal standards.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
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The price of natural gas, electricity and crude oil have undergone a period of volatility since 2000 with the expectation that increased energy costs will Read more…
The price of natural gas, electricity and crude oil have undergone a period of volatility since 2000 with the expectation that increased energy costs will remain in our near term future. While it is difficult to accurately predict prices and price ceilings, there are strong indicators that domestic and worldwide demand will continue to increase in 2006. During 2005 the supply side of the energy equation experienced hurricane induced infrastructure disruptions, substantially limiting domestic natural gas and crude oil supplies, while rail disruptions limited coal delivery from the Wyoming Powder River Basin to electrical generation facilities.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Corn and soybean markets experienced significant volatility in the 2004/2005 marketing year. The combinations of drought, low river levels, export disruptions from hurricane Katrina, and Read more…
Corn and soybean markets experienced significant volatility in the 2004/2005 marketing year. The combinations of drought, low river levels, export disruptions from hurricane Katrina, and better than expected yields all contributed to the volatility. As one might expect, the most attractive prices for both old crop and new crop occurred in the summer months when producers were most concerned with poor yields, and then fell quickly as the export pace was disrupted and actual yields came in well above initial expectations. Thus, while prices were quite attractive early in the production season, most producers were reluctant to market new crop grain, and ended up facing low prices and abnormally weak basis levels at harvest. Problems were compounded by a large carryover from 2004, resulting in significant strains on storage facilities and forced use of non-conventional storage strategies.
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There are many things that can be done to reduce electrical and gas costs at farm cooperatives. They can be as simple and low cost Read more…
There are many things that can be done to reduce electrical and gas costs at farm cooperatives. They can be as simple and low cost as changing a light bulb or may require upgrading or replacing a grain dryer to reduce energy costs by thousands of dollars per year. The annual operating cost needs to be calculated for each energy-saving option under consideration because a lower initial cost is seldom an indication of annual cost of ownership and operation. The paper briefly looks at lighting technologies, space heating, grain drying, grain handling and electric motors in terms of energy efficiency.
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The soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines, is a common pest of soybean in Wisconsin and the U.S. The SCN is undetected in many fields and Read more…
The soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines, is a common pest of soybean in Wisconsin and the U.S. The SCN is undetected in many fields and may be one of the most widespread diseases affecting soybean. Yield losses of up to 30% can occur with no apparent symptoms on soybean stand or plant vigor. Population densities build slowly over time, usually in a very patchy pattern. Declining or stagnant yields or delayed canopy closure are subtle clues that should raise suspicion of SCN. Confirmation during July of the soybean year can be made by visual inspection of soybean roots for the presence of white females. Diagnosis at other times or during the rotation year must be made from soil tests conducted in a laboratory.
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The Asian species of the Soybean rust pathogen (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) was introduced to South America in 2001. In that time it spread rapidly. Following its Read more…
The Asian species of the Soybean rust pathogen (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) was introduced to South America in 2001. In that time it spread rapidly. Following its initial appearance in Paraguay, rust was identified in Brazil and Argentina in 2002, Bolivia in 2003, and an as yet unconfirmed report from Columbia in 2004, leading to the introduction and initial identification in the US in November of 2004 associated with Hurricane Ivan.
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Tracking soybean rust’s movement throughout the United States is an essential Integrated Pest Management technique. Crop advisors need to know where soybean rust is currently Read more…
Tracking soybean rust’s movement throughout the United States is an essential Integrated Pest Management technique. Crop advisors need to know where soybean rust is currently detected and if rust is moving northward so they can recommend appropriate management practices. During the 2005 growing season, soybean rust sentinel plots were coordinated in a 32 state area. Furthermore, spore movement was monitored through the use of two different style of traps.
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Although soybean rust was not detected in Wisconsin n 2005, Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) staff spent a substantial portion of their time this past Read more…
Although soybean rust was not detected in Wisconsin n 2005, Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) staff spent a substantial portion of their time this past growing season examining soybean samples for evidence of soybean rust. The basic strategy for monitoring samples for soybean rust at the PDDC uses an initial visual and microscopic examination of putative rust samples, with a follow-up where appropriate with a more sensitive technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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A statewide survey for viruses and soybean aphid prevalence was conducted from June 28th to August 10th, 2005. Observations and samples were collected from 276 Read more…
A statewide survey for viruses and soybean aphid prevalence was conducted from June 28th to August 10th, 2005. Observations and samples were collected from 276 R2-R5 soybean fields across Wisconsin. At four points in each field, the uppermost fully-unfurled trifoliate was picked from 10 plants and stored on ice until delivered to the Plant Industry Laboratory. Soybean aphid populations were counted, an estimation of defoliation percent made, and plants were examined for soybean rust.
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Cash grain producers generally sell their grown commodities through traditional marketing outlets that set a price for delivery or allow the grower to take advantage Read more…
Cash grain producers generally sell their grown commodities through traditional marketing outlets that set a price for delivery or allow the grower to take advantage of various price risk marketing tools (forward contracts, options, etc.). Occasionally, a neighboring dairy producer may be in need of additional feed because of a less than optimum growing season. This has often resulted in a transaction between farms for high moisture corn or corn silage. It’s the classic example of neighbor helping neighbor and has been a long tradition among Wisconsin farmers. So in one sense the thought of selling crops to provide feed for a nearby dairy farm is nothing new. What is relatively new, and becoming more commonplace, is a long-term arrangement between farms to supply feed (generally forage as corn silage and/or alfalfa).
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In the process of linking dairy farms with cash grain farms to utilize the benefits of manure, questions arose on how to determine if manure Read more…
In the process of linking dairy farms with cash grain farms to utilize the benefits of manure, questions arose on how to determine if manure should be exchanged between farms. Is it feasible to ship manure from farm-to-farm? How far can we ship manure and still have some economic value left? Can we charge for manure as a commodity? If we ship the manure this far who will pay for the hauling?
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In the early 1990s, manure management was seen by some ag service providers as a significant threat to the financial health of their businesses (Reduced Read more…
In the early 1990s, manure management was seen by some ag service providers as a significant threat to the financial health of their businesses (Reduced fertilizer sales as farmers took credit for manure’s nutrients). And while fertilizer sales have fallen, newer opportunities (soil sampling, nutrient management plan services) have arisen to soften or even offset some of the financial impact.
The advent of phosphorus based nutrient management plans means that the typical livestock farm will need access to more acreage to deal with their farm’s manure. Since land is not cheap, more and more farmers are beginning to look into agreements with neighboring farmers to take manure. This can provide a business opportunity if you position your business properly.
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With the increasing size of farm equipment, the potential for soil compaction has become a real problem. According to some grain farmers, compaction from manure Read more…
With the increasing size of farm equipment, the potential for soil compaction has become a real problem. According to some grain farmers, compaction from manure spreading equipment is a factor limiting their acceptance of slurry as a soil building and soil fertility resource. To address the issue of compaction caused by manure spreaders, eight on-farm sites were set up in the fall of 2004 and spring of 2005. At each site three treatments were applied (manure, farmer’s check, and tanker compaction only), and replicated three times. In addition to the on-farm trials, an onstation site was set up in Arlington. The on-station site examined the impact of multiple passes of heavy slurry equipment as might occur on field roads or headlands. After one year of field trials, it appears that compaction from manure spreaders does not adversely affect corn yields when it is applied in reasonably dry conditions. There was no significant difference between the three treatments in seven of the eight on-farm sites. Despite non-significant differences at the plot scale, hand harvests of the on-station trial showed a 10 to 15% reduction in corn yield for rows that were directly within the tire track when there were multiple passes.
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Struvite, magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate—is a biogenic mineral of low solubility. For 150 yrs, it has been proposed as a fertilizer but its use has Read more…
Struvite, magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate—is a biogenic mineral of low solubility. For 150 yrs, it has been proposed as a fertilizer but its use has been limited to highvalue crops because of the additional cost of manufacture. With the advent of new interest in removing phosphorus from wastestreams before land application, recovery of phosphorus as struvite has gained new interest. Pot studies show that struvite outperforms diammonium phosphate on a unit-for-unit basis in terms of dry matter production, P uptake, and extractable residual P. Various local wastestreams are candidates for struvite removal with little or no chemical additions using molecular templates as nucleating surfaces.
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Farmers develop nutrient management plans to better manage their fertilizer dollars. Increasingly nutrient management plans are required for federal, state, and county government programs. These Read more…
Farmers develop nutrient management plans to better manage their fertilizer dollars. Increasingly nutrient management plans are required for federal, state, and county government programs. These programs require plans that are written using Wisconsin Nutrient Management Standard 590 guidelines. The Standard requires routine soil testing at least once every four years. Soil testing provides the foundation of sound nutrient management plans.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service Code 590 references UW-Extension A2100, “Sampling Soils for Testing,” as the soil sampling guide for Wisconsin. This publication provides guidelines for soil sampling for both conventional fertilizer recommendations and for site-specific management for variable rate fertilizer applications. The method of fertilizer application determines the soil sampling procedure.
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Soil pH affects the activity of soil microorganisms and many of the chemical reactions that occur in the soil. The availability of N, P, K, Read more…
Soil pH affects the activity of soil microorganisms and many of the chemical reactions that occur in the soil. The availability of N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, and Mo increases as soil pH increases from pH 5.0 to 7.0. The availability of Fe, Mn, B, Cu, and Zn, on the other hand, decreases. Chlorine is relatively unaffected by soil pH. The effect of pH on the availability of N arises mainly from the influence of soil pH on microbial activity. Most of the N and S in soil resides in the organic fraction and is released in available form as crop residues are decomposed microbially. The effect of pH on the availability of the other nutrients is governed by the chemical reactions that take place between these nutrients and soil colloids. One of the principal reasons for liming Wisconsin soils is to reduce the potential for manganese (Mn) toxicity. On the other hand, a deficiency of Mn can occur in high pH soils. For this reason, soil pH has a pronounced influence on the growth and yield of most crops.
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Dairy farms are thought to emit large amounts of ammonia and therefore contribute to nitrogen (N) fertilization of natural ecosystems and provide precursors for particulates Read more…
Dairy farms are thought to emit large amounts of ammonia and therefore contribute to nitrogen (N) fertilization of natural ecosystems and provide precursors for particulates that adversely affect air quality and human health. The 2003 NRC report “Air Emissions from Animal Agriculture” (NRC, 2003) made an urgent call for processed-based research that assists livestock producers and regulatory agencies in developing strategies that reduce the emissions of ammonia and other gasses that impair air quality.
Only approximately 20 to 35% of the N (protein) fed to dairy cows is converted into milk (Figure 1). The remaining N is excreted in urine and feces. Feeding N to dairy cows in excess of their requirements is excreted in urine. About three-fourths of the N in urine is in the form of urea. Urease enzymes, which are present in feces and soil, rapidly convert urea to ammonium. Ammonium can be transformed quickly into ammonia gas. Feces contain little or no urea. For this reason urinary N is much more vulnerable to ammonia volatilization than is fecal N.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Successful corn production requires the selection of the correct hybrids for the production environment. Farmers need to consider yield potential, maturity, pest resistance, and harvestability Read more…
Successful corn production requires the selection of the correct hybrids for the production environment. Farmers need to consider yield potential, maturity, pest resistance, and harvestability when selecting hybrids. Proper maturity is important so that the amount of drying necessary after harvest is minimized. High-yielding hybrids whose maturities take full advantage of the available growing season are generally the most energy-efficient choices (Eckert et al., 1987). A hybrid which matures far in advance of anticipated harvest does not make full use of available solar radiation, and therefore does not realize the full yield potential of the growing season and the energy related inputs provided by the farmer. Conversely, a hybrid that is not mature at the time of frost can increase artificial drying costs, in addition to not achieving full yield potential because it was killed before grain filling was complete.
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A new decision-making tool is available for Wisconsin corn farmers and professional consultants to estimate the expected net benefit from Bt corn for controlling European Read more…
A new decision-making tool is available for Wisconsin corn farmers and professional consultants to estimate the expected net benefit from Bt corn for controlling European corn borer (ECB). Bt corn provides essentially complete control of the ECB, but corn borer pressure each year is uncertain. The tool uses Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) pest survey data to estimate typical ECB populations for each crop reporting district and the associated yield loss. The tool predicts the expected net return from planting Bt corn and the break-even probability. The expected net return is the increase in expected (average) returns net of the additional cost for Bt corn. The break-even probability is the probability that the value of the yield saved by planting Bt corn will equal or exceed the additional cost for Bt corn. Most importantly, the tool uses the farmer’s yields and prices, so the expected net benefit and break-even probability are specific to the farmer’s operation.
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Refuge Compliance
2006No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. has plans to introduce hybrids and varieties with an alternative trait for resistance to both glyphosate and sulfonylurea herbicides towards the Read more…
Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. has plans to introduce hybrids and varieties with an alternative trait for resistance to both glyphosate and sulfonylurea herbicides towards the end of this decade. Scientists at Verdia, a firm which Pioneer’s parent company, DuPont, bought in 2004 and integrated into Pioneer’s crop genetics research and development division, developed an enzyme exhibiting glyphosate N-acetyltransferase (GAT). This enzyme renders glyphosate ineffective in a different way than current glyphostate-resistance technologies.
Glyphosate operates by inhibiting the enzyme enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) that leads to the biosynthesis of essential aromatic amino acids. The inhibition does not allow plants to survive. Researchers have found some microbial EPSPS enzyme variants that are not inhibited by glyphosate. Plants that contain these enzyme variants can even survive in the presence of high concentrations of the herbicide.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Onion has been a key crop for Wisconsin’s commercial vegetable growers for a number of years, especially on muck soils. Most of the onions produced Read more…
Onion has been a key crop for Wisconsin’s commercial vegetable growers for a number of years, especially on muck soils. Most of the onions produced in Wisconsin are sold on the wholesale fresh market. Competition from other regions of the country has resulted in declining profit margins for onion growers and a slow decline in onion acreage in Wisconsin. Acreage on muck has also been taken out of production as the Wisconsin DNR has purchased property and has implemented permanent wetland restoration on many muck acres.
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Postemergence grass weed control options are limited in sweet corn. Accent is labeled to control annual grasses in approved processing sweet corn hybrids. The list Read more…
Postemergence grass weed control options are limited in sweet corn. Accent is labeled to control annual grasses in approved processing sweet corn hybrids. The list of Accent-approved hybrids has been continually updated by DuPont (Table 1). Accent is not recommended for use on other hybrids because the risk of crop injury may not be known. Accent has only been labeled for use on processing sweet corn. However, an Accent label for fresh market sweet corn is expected in 2006. It will be important to know which fresh market hybrids have good tolerance to Accent. A multi-state study was conducted in 2005 to test the tolerance of 114 hybrids, which provides a preliminary indication of Accent tolerance (Table 2).
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Agriculture in the vast majority of the United States has to manage around the winter weather. Winter synchronizes pest populations by creating a common starting Read more…
Agriculture in the vast majority of the United States has to manage around the winter weather. Winter synchronizes pest populations by creating a common starting point. Insect species unable to overwinter must rely on dispersal to reinfest northern areas or develop methods to exploit the overwintering area. The simple but useful formula: (Population = Birth – Death + /- Dispersal) is a tool to highlight the importance of dispersal. Pest populations are predictable due to the synchronization and common starting point of the crop and pest. Dispersal of adult stages is enhanced via high pressure cells that lift the insects upward and further enchased via wind activity of a surface low level jet stream is created at the boundary of a western counter –clock flow of a low and a clockwise air movement of a high to the east. The cumulative effect of the wind directions around each of these pressure cells creates a strong current northward. An average northward airflow of approximately 15 MPH within the pump can move a pest from northern Texas to central Iowa in 2 days. The Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) the fall armyworm, Trichoplusia ni (Huber) the cabbage loopers, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) the corn earworm and Aphis glycines the soybean aphid adults are annual migration pests. These insects have high fecundity, large adult populations, large source regions, and have adapted a life cycle to fit annual weather patterns. Dispersal must have species survival value. Noctuid adults will fly south in the fall and avoid the winter kill.
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There are currently at least three aphid transmitted virus diseases that adversely affect processing beans in the Midwest. Beginning in 2000, when virus related symptoms Read more…
There are currently at least three aphid transmitted virus diseases that adversely affect processing beans in the Midwest. Beginning in 2000, when virus related symptoms began to appear in Wisconsin at epidemic proportions, we’ve seen varying levels of mosaic, plant stunting, distorted and discolored pods, blossom abortion and reduced yields depending on environmental conditions and aphid pressure present in each subsequent year. In Wisconsin, the majority of virus damage has been concentrated in southern and eastern areas along Lake Michigan, although there have also been localized pockets in other areas of the state where symptoms were severe in some years. In addition to the Wisconsin and Minnesota production areas, there have also been periodic reports of damage to processing beans in Michigan, New York and Ontario. The arrival of the soybean aphid in the upper Midwest in 2000 and subsequent fluctuations in aphid numbers from year to year appear to be correlated with virus damage on processing beans. All of the viruses currently identified from symptomatic processing bean plants (cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and clover yellow vein virus (CYVV)) are all transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner. Thus in years when outbreaks of the soybean aphid are predicted, additional precautions are taken that include control of the aphid on soybeans, adjustments in planting schedules and changes in areas designated for early and late season production. While these efforts have undoubtedly helped to reduce losses, there is still a strong sense that we need better management tools for reducing the risk of virus infection in processing bean production.
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In 2004, Wisconsin farmers grew 3.6 million acres of corn, 5 million acres of alfalfa and 1.6 million acres of soybeans. In sharp contrast, Wisconsin Read more…
In 2004, Wisconsin farmers grew 3.6 million acres of corn, 5 million acres of alfalfa and 1.6 million acres of soybeans. In sharp contrast, Wisconsin farmers grew only 30,000 acres of green peas, 73,000 acres of snap beans, 2,000 acres of onions and 4,200 acres of carrots (Wisconsin Ag Statistics, 2005). If you were going to invest $70-100 million on developing a new pesticide for one of the above crops, which would you choose? It doesn’t take a financial wizard to realize that the return on investment has the potential to be disastrous from a low acreage crop. Nonetheless, the need for pest management tools on these minor acreage crops often equals or exceeds the large acreage field crops.
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While herbicide development in vegetable crops has been limited in recent years, a few products have been registered on several minor crops, including halosulfuron (Sandea®) Read more…
While herbicide development in vegetable crops has been limited in recent years, a few products have been registered on several minor crops, including halosulfuron (Sandea®) and sulfentrazone (Spartan®). Research is underway to further expand the use of these herbicides in additional crops.
Halosulfuron is a sulfonylurea herbicide that controls weeds by inhibiting the acetolactate synthase (ALS) enzyme. This enzyme is responsible for the production of essential amino acids. Other common ALS-inhibitor herbicides include Accent®, Matrix®, Classic®, Beacon®, Raptor®, and Pursuit®. Recent registrations on the Federal Section 3 label include asparagus, cucumbers and melons, pumpkins and squash, dry and snap beans, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. Halosulfuron controls weeds when applied prior to emergence or early-postemergence, depending on the target species. The weed control spectrum is rather broad, and includes common broadleaf weeds such as cocklebur, galinsoga, common groundsel, marestail, jimsonweed, kochia, ladysthumb smartweed, common lambsquarters, and wild mustard. In recent research, common ragweed control has been good when halosulfuron was applied early postemergence. Halosulfuron is also one of the only herbicides that will suppress horsetail (Equisetum spp.) when applied postemergence.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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USDA-APHIS granted approval for sale and use of Roundup Ready alfalfa on June 14, 2005 and the following day the EPA approved the labels to Read more…
USDA-APHIS granted approval for sale and use of Roundup Ready alfalfa on June 14, 2005 and the following day the EPA approved the labels to use Roundup for weed control in Roundup Ready alfalfa forage and hay production. State approvals of labels for to use Roundup Original MAX and Roundup WeatherMAX herbicides on Roundup Ready alfalfa have followed (all except CA and NY have approved WeatherMAX labels).
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A field research study was conducted at the Lancaster Agricultural Research Station in 2004 and 2005 to examine the relationship between tillage treatment and response Read more…
A field research study was conducted at the Lancaster Agricultural Research Station in 2004 and 2005 to examine the relationship between tillage treatment and response to K fertilization. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low disturbance, high residue tillage systems for first-year corn after soybean on erodible soils. Data collected and analyzed to date did not show a significant response to tillage or K fertilization with respect to corn silage or grain yield. Early growth tended to be greater in the strip-till and no-till systems, compared to fall chisel or spring field cultivator. There was a trend for an early season growth response where K fertilizer was applied in the row, compared to surface broadcasting or surface banding. Measured soil loss was greater in the chisel system compared to the strip-till system, especially in 2004 when heavy early-season rains occurred. Results from this research demonstrate that no-till and strip-till systems performed similarly to conventional tillage and resulted in much lower soil loss.
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There are several issues that currently surround potassium (K) management. Awareness of them has increased in recent years as farmers and advisers have intensified their Read more…
There are several issues that currently surround potassium (K) management. Awareness of them has increased in recent years as farmers and advisers have intensified their collection of field data. In particular, K management is facing many challenges under conservation tillage systems. These systems have led to stratification of soil test K, where K levels at or near the surface are significantly higher than those lower in the soil profile. Research efforts are currently trying to better our understanding of how K management may need to be altered to better fit these conservation tillage systems. This paper outlines some of the major issues currently faced.
An essential component of managing K is calculating a K budget. This budget compares the amount of K added to the amount removed by crop harvest. Potassium additions include both fertilizer and manure sources. In Wisconsin, alfalfa is often part of the crop rotation. This crop removes a significant amount of K. An example of K removal by a sequence of crops in a rotation representative of Wisconsin is shown in Table 1. This table demonstrates that alfalfa removes significantly more K per acre than does either corn or soybean. This occurs because only the grain is removed during corn and soybean harvest while most of the above-ground plant portion is removed when alfalfa is cut. When producers and advisers underestimate the amount of K removed in rotations containing alfalfa, unexpected declines in soil test K levels and associated K malnutrition problems can result.
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The 2005 crop season was drier than usual: by April 19 the federal drought monitoring office marked the NE corner of the state as “Abnormally Read more…
The 2005 crop season was drier than usual: by April 19 the federal drought monitoring office marked the NE corner of the state as “Abnormally Dry,” and by July 26 they mapped “Extreme” drought in the SE corner, “Severe” all along the eastern one-third of the state, and “Moderate” everywhere else (wwww.drought.unl.edu/dm/archives). Corn leaves were tightly curled across much of the state by mid-July; rainfall for the April-August period at the Arlington Agricultural Experiment Station was the third lowest (between 1989 and 1988; 1962 is the record low) in the 44 years of record there.
Yet remarkably the official USDA statewide average yield is predicted to be a new record, at 150 bu/acre, a nearly 5% increase over the previous record set in 1999. UWEX Corn Agronomist Joe Lauer (Lauer, 2005) reports that at 10 of 12 sites of the UW hybrid corn performance trials yields were solidly above the 10-year average, most by more than 10%. It was indeed a year in which the corn crop “pulled it off,” delivering across much of the state great yields, inspite of what was officially a drought year. I share here some “back-of-the-envelope” calculations to show that this remarkable performance is understandable (at least in retrospect).
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A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of limit-feeding on growth, feed efficiency and fecal excretion in gravid Holstein heifers. Gravid Holstein heifers (n=54) Read more…
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of limit-feeding on growth, feed efficiency and fecal excretion in gravid Holstein heifers. Gravid Holstein heifers (n=54) were randomly assigned to one of nine pens containing six heifers/pen. Heifers were fed one of three experimental diets for 111 d. Control heifers were ad libitum fed a diet containing 11.3% CP and 2.46 Mcals/kg of metabolizable energy (ME). Two experimental diets of increased nutrient density were formulated to contain 12.7 and 14.2% CP and 2.55 and 2.68 Mcals/kg of ME respectively. Feed intake of these diets was limited to 90 and 80% of control heifer feed intake. Nutrient intake, growth, fecal excretion, blood profiles, behavior and 90 d lactation performance of heifers were examined. Limit-fed heifers consumed less (P<0.01) DM (9.02, 8.30 vs 9,66 kg/d), similar amounts of net energy for gain (9.4, 9.5 vs. 9.4 Mcals/d) but slightly higher (P<0.07) amounts of CP (1.15, 1.17 vs. 1.10 kg/d) as compared to heifers fed ad libitum. Average daily gain or gain of body frame (height, hearth girth) was not different (P>0.10) between limit-fed and ad libitum fed heifers but feed efficiency was improved (P<0.09) by 1.04 kg DM intake/kg gain by limit-feeding. Limit-fed heifers excreted 0.36 and 0.86 kg less (P<0.10) DM but excreted similar amounts of N and P as compared to heifers fed ad libitum. Limit-fed heifers spent less (P<0.05) time eating, more (P<0.01) time standing without eating and vocalized more (P<0.03) than ad libitum fed heifers. Incidence of increased vocalization was minor and was negligible after 30 d. Limit-feeding did not influence blood glucose, total protein, albumin, P or Ca as compared to ad libitum fed heifers but linear increases (P<0.07) in blood urea nitrogen were observed in limit-fed heifers due to higher N intakes. Limit-feeding of gravid heifers may offer opportunity to reduce feed cost, control body condition and reduce fecal excretion without negative effects.
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As phosphorus (P)-based nutrient management planning becomes necessary for some farms in Wisconsin, it will be critical to have reliable, research-based planning tools. The Wisconsin Read more…
As phosphorus (P)-based nutrient management planning becomes necessary for some farms in Wisconsin, it will be critical to have reliable, research-based planning tools. The Wisconsin PIndex provides one method for preparing P-based nutrient management plans. The P-Index was developed largely from small plot-scale data showing the relationships between various site and management variables and runoff P losses. This study was conducted to compare runoff composition measurements at the subwatershed scale with those obtained from natural runoff at the small plot (1 m2 ) scale. We intend to use this information to refine the Wisconsin P Index estimates of P concentrations in runoff. Sediment, soluble P, and total P in natural runoff from small plots located in two subwatersheds instrumented to measure and sample runoff events over a 12-month period were compared with similar measurements from the subwatersheds. The subwatersheds, cropped with either corn or alfalfa, were located on a Tama silt loam in southwest Wisconsin. The total dissolved P relationships at the two scales of measurement were very good with the corn having an R2 value of 0.86 and the alfalfa having a R2 of 0.91. The sediment P enrichment ratios varied by crop and were similar in the small plot and subwatershed runoff. The agreement of small plot and subwatershed runoff dissolved P and sediment P concentrations supports use of small plot data in constructing the Wisconsin P index.
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Soil testing for phosphorus (P) is used agronomically to determine the amount of P needed for crop production. Soil test P is also used for Read more…
Soil testing for phosphorus (P) is used agronomically to determine the amount of P needed for crop production. Soil test P is also used for determining environmental risks associated with elevated levels of soil P. The Bray P1 soil test method is commonly used in Wisconsin for measuring plant available P and is the required test for regulatory agencies. The Bray P1 extracting solution consists of 0.03 N ammonium fluoride and 0.025 N hydrochloric acid. The ammonium fluoride extracts mostly aluminum bound-P, and no iron-P, and the hydrochloric acid extracts calcium-P (Tandon et al., 1967). Mehlich-3 and Olsen are also widely-used soil test P methods. Mehlich-3 was developed for a wide range of soils including calcareous soils (Wang et al., 2004; Lucero et al., 1998), and Olsen was developed primarily for calcareous soils (Olsen et al., 1954). A calcareous soil is defined as a “soil containing sufficient calcium carbonate (often magnesium carbonate) to effervesce visibly when treated with cold 0.1 N hydrochloric acid” (Brady and Weil, 1999). Mehlich-3 and Bray P1 soil test results are highly correlated in neutral to acid soils with Mehlich-3 extracting slightly more P than Bray P1 in most soils because Mehlich-3 uses a more acidic extracting solution (Tran et al., 1990, Beegle and Oravec, 1990, Lucero et al., 1998; Mallarino, 2003). The Bray P1 soil test method is intended for acid soils, and the validity of its use to predict plant available P levels on the eastern red soils (ERS) in Wisconsin has been questioned due to concerns that the weak acid Bray P1 extracting solution could be neutralized by reaction with carbonates in these soils. Previous studies have found that Bray P1 extracts less P at higher soil pH (Mallarino and Blackmer, 1992; Mallarino, 1997; Atia and Mallarino, 2002) and that Bray P1 does not correlate as well as with Mehlich 3 or Olsen in soils with higher calcium carbonate contents (Hooker et al., 1980; Mallarino, 2003; Hermin et al., 2004). Mallarino (1997) found that Mehlich 3, Olsen, and Bray P1 correlated well with each other until soils reached a calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) of 4% or higher. Other research indicates that pH alone is not a good indicator of when Bray P will fail; data shows that carbonate content greater than 36 g kg-1 (3.6%) is important (Mallarino and Atia, 2005). Mehlich 3 and Olsen soil test P results are well correlated regardless of soil type.
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Weed management has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Since the introduction of glyphosate-resistant (Roundup Ready) soybean in 1996, varieties with the Roundup Ready Read more…
Weed management has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Since the introduction of glyphosate-resistant (Roundup Ready) soybean in 1996, varieties with the Roundup Ready trait have been grown on an increasing number of acres, totaling more than 65 million acres in the US in 2004 (Anonymous, 2005). Corn hybrids with the Roundup Ready trait have also increased in popularity since their introduction in 1998, and were planted on more than 8 million acres in the U.S. in 2004 (Anonymous, 2005). With this dramatic increase in Roundup Ready trait acreage, glyphosate use for in-crop weed management has also increased, and will likely increase further with expected increases in Roundup Ready corn and alfalfa acreage. Although glyphosate offers the perceived benefits of safe, simple, and effective weed management to growers, it is subject to many of the same pitfalls as other herbicides, including resistant weeds.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Several common weeds within Wisconsin have the potential to develop glyphosateresistance based on their evolution of glyphosate-resistance or reduced sensitivity in other Midwestern states. These Read more…
Several common weeds within Wisconsin have the potential to develop glyphosateresistance based on their evolution of glyphosate-resistance or reduced sensitivity in other Midwestern states. These weeds include horseweed, common lambsquarters, waterhemp, common ragweed, and giant ragweed, but other weeds also have the potential for developing resistance. Some of these weeds also pose problems in obtaining consistent control even without any type of herbicide resistance and are considered “problem weeds”.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Pesticide registration is the domain of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA). Registration is intended to maximize the benefits from pesticide use while minimizing the Read more…
Pesticide registration is the domain of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA). Registration is intended to maximize the benefits from pesticide use while minimizing the risks to users, the food supply and the environment. Pesticide registration is a requirement of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide act, (FIFRA), which was last revised in 1996 by the Food Quality Protection Act, (FQPA). FQPA made some big changes in FIFRA, revising the law from a risk/benefit approach to a de minimis risk, (meaning to minimize risks to persons from the food supply) process for establishing tolerances for pesticides in food and for mitigating risks from registered pesticides. One of the biggest tasks assigned to EPA was to reregister all pesticide active ingredients and review their uses within 10 years.
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Allelopathy is defined as the effect of one plant on another through the release of a chemical compound into the environment (Bhowmik and Inderjit, 2003). Read more…
Allelopathy is defined as the effect of one plant on another through the release of a chemical compound into the environment (Bhowmik and Inderjit, 2003). Allelopathic compounds, often considered plant-produced herbicides, can inhibit growth of nearby plants of the same and/or other species. The observation of allelopathic plant suppression is not new. Theophrastus observed that chickpea reduced nearby weed growth as early as 300 B.C., and Plinus Secundus (1 A.D.) reported that corn was “scorched” by chickpea, barley, and bitter vetch (Singh et al., 2001). While the concept of allelopathy is not original, effective demonstration of allelopathy on plant growth and the subsequent reliable application in agricultural pest management have been relatively minimal.
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Glandular haired (GH) alfalfa varieties with resistance to potato leafhopper (PLH) have been commercially available since 1997. Although the presence of glandular hairs on the Read more…
Glandular haired (GH) alfalfa varieties with resistance to potato leafhopper (PLH) have been commercially available since 1997. Although the presence of glandular hairs on the leaves and stems is thought to be responsible for PLH resistance, the mechanism by which this occurs is poorly understood. In fact, evidence exists with GH alfalfa for the all three main types of crop resistance to insects to be operating: antibiosis, nonpreference, and tolerance.
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Interest in soil quality and health has grown with awareness that soil is central to the cycle of life on earth. Soils support the growth Read more…
Interest in soil quality and health has grown with awareness that soil is central to the cycle of life on earth. Soils support the growth of plants and microorganisms, regulate the flow and storage of water in the biosphere, and serve as a primary interface with the global environment affecting quality of both the water we drink and the air we breathe. The thin layer of soil covering the Earth’s surface represents the difference between survival and extinction for most terrestrial life. One tablespoon of fertile soil contains up to 9 billion microorganisms, 1 and ½ times the human population of the earth. Soil health (quality) has been broadly defined as the capacity of a living soil to function, within natural or managed ecosystem boundaries, to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health (Doran et al., 1996).
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Soil organic matter comprises a small part, usually less than 5%, of a given soil by weight. Its influence on biological, chemical and physical properties Read more…
Soil organic matter comprises a small part, usually less than 5%, of a given soil by weight. Its influence on biological, chemical and physical properties of soil is far greater than you would expect, considering the small amounts present in most soils. In earlier times the depletion of soil organic matter often resulted in a “worn out” soil. Within the last 70 years, the development of inexpensive fertilizer, large machinery, pesticides and irrigation have produced a set of agronomic practices that largely ignores soil organic matter and considers it irrelevant in modern crop production. One of the difficulties with this way of thinking is that as soil organic matter levels decrease, it is taking larger and larger amounts of more expensive inputs to “fix” the problems of fertility, disease, compaction, water availability and erosion.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Tillage is defined as the physical manipulation of the soil for the purposes of managing previous crop residues, preparing a seedbed for planting, controlling competing Read more…
Tillage is defined as the physical manipulation of the soil for the purposes of managing previous crop residues, preparing a seedbed for planting, controlling competing vegetation, and incorporating fertilizers and other crop production inputs. Tillage, when done at the correct soil moisture, allows the soil to fracture along the existing soil structural planes. The soil moisture should be such that soil aggregates will separate easily when worked, without the smearing or destroying the aggregates, which would occur if the soil is too wet. Tillage, and the subsequent residue management effects, will have a profound effect on soil processes and properties that directly impact crop production. Examples of these processes and properties are soil structure, water infiltration and movement in the soil, bulk density, aeration, soil warming, biological activity, and residue and organic matter relationships. Tillage also affects plant nutrient availability. This topic was discussed at the WFCA Conference in 2004 and will not be covered in detail in this paper.
The interest in soil conservation has resulted in increased production under conservation tillage. Researchers have found increased crop yield after several years of conservation tillage (notill), even though some measured soil physical properties appear unfavorable (Hill, 1990). Some of this effect has been related to increased continuity of pore space, more favorable soil water relationships, and the maintenance of soil organic matter (Karlen et al., 1990). Others have noted a Ayield drag@ associated with no-till that has been related to cooler soil conditions. This paper will outline some of the effects of tillage on soil physical and biological properties and how they may impact crop production.
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In order to truly understand the behavior of nitrogen in the soil, it is important to understand the reasons why it cycles; why and how Read more…
In order to truly understand the behavior of nitrogen in the soil, it is important to understand the reasons why it cycles; why and how soil microorganisms use nitrogen. For example, unlike plants soil bacteria can use some forms of nitrogen as an energy source rather than simply for biomass production. Their nitrogen needs and ability to compete for it in the soil are unique. In this talk, we will take an alternative view and explore the hows and whys of the nitrogen cycle from the perspective of soil microorganisms. We will see that nitrogen cycling is a consequence of the growth and activity of microorganisms, and that an understanding of how to ‘think like a microbe’ can help us have a greater understanding of plant-soil nitrogen dynamics.
First, we’ll take a look at the N cycle. We’ve all seen this before, but have we ever really looked at it from the organisms’ perspective? We’ll examine some of the reasons nitrogen cycles in the soils, and where are the important points of control. Finally, we’ll discuss how the ecology of soil organisms might contribute to soil quality, and management issues. Our ability to manage soil and fertilizer inputs for sustainable yield and environmental quality may depend on a greater understanding of soil ecology.
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Agriculture is challenged to develop soil management practices that economically provide sufficient food and fiber yet maintain environmental sustainability and conserve the quality of essential Read more…
Agriculture is challenged to develop soil management practices that economically provide sufficient food and fiber yet maintain environmental sustainability and conserve the quality of essential soil, water, and air resources. Strategies for sustainable management include conservation of soil organic matter, minimizing soil erosion, balancing production with environmental needs, and making better use of renewable resources.
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Why nematodes? Soil provides many ecological services essential for agriculture. Some services, such as soil mixing and the recycling of nutrients, are supplanted by farming Read more…
Why nematodes? Soil provides many ecological services essential for agriculture. Some services, such as soil mixing and the recycling of nutrients, are supplanted by farming practices. Other services, such as biodegrading pesticides and impeding nitrate leaching, are difficult to mimic so farmers rely on natural soil processes. The quality and ‘health’ of a soil can be evaluated by measuring variables reflecting the service, e.g. plant-available N, rates of decomposition, nitrate levels in groundwater, or by taking stock of the soil organisms that collaborate to provide the service. Microbes, particularly bacteria, are the life forms most responsible for mineralization, decomposition, regulation of noxious organisms, and immobilization of nutrients destined for groundwater, but they are difficult to capture and even more challenging to quantify. Larger life forms, such as beetles and earthworms, are relatively easy to study and their population dynamics may track that of microbes, but only loosely since they do not rely on microbes for their diet. The search for easy-to-study organisms with activities and abundance reflective of microbial communities led ecologists to nematodes, a most diverse and successful phylum only one step above microbes in the soil food chain and represented in every soil on earth.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The Wisconsin Phosphorus (P) Index is a nutrient management planning tool for assessing the risk of P contamination of surface water through runoff from individual Read more…
The Wisconsin Phosphorus (P) Index is a nutrient management planning tool for assessing the risk of P contamination of surface water through runoff from individual agricultural fields. In the current draft NRCS Nutrient Management Standard 590, the P Index is one of two options for planning applications of animal manure P. If the P Index is used for planning, manure applications can be made as long as the assessed risk of P delivery to nearby surface water over the crop rotation remains within an acceptable range. The other option uses soil test P as the sole indicator of the pollution potential of a field, and it restricts manure P applications at high soil test P levels. Planning with the P Index gives producers with high soil test P fields the ability to choose management options appropriate to their operations to maintain each field’s P loss risk at an acceptable level.
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As part of the Wisconsin Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (WASI), Pioneer Farm serves as an applied systems research and education farm with a mission to collect Read more…
As part of the Wisconsin Agricultural Stewardship Initiative (WASI), Pioneer Farm serves as an applied systems research and education farm with a mission to collect and disseminate high-quality environmental and economic baseline data to students, producers, researchers, and regulatory personnel. The water monitoring data being collected at Pioneer Farm are providing a method for evaluating the effectiveness of the Phosphorus Index (PI) at predicting the risk of P losses, and for testing specific assumptions of the PI. Measured annual runoff sediment and P loads from single-use watersheds in 2003 and 2004 have demonstrated that the PI can effectively assess the risk of P losses, but further refinement of the PI is needed to account for factors such as gully erosion. Data collected at Pioneer Farm are also being used to evaluate specific components of the PI, including the prediction of soluble P delivery based on soil test data, seasonal changes in soluble P, development of a sediment P enrichment ratio, and the impact of acute (single runoff event) losses. The runoff data generated by Pioneer Farm, along with data from the Discovery Farms and University component research, are providing a scientific basis for the development and refinement of the PI, which will play a major role in the future of nutrient management in Wisconsin.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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In 1997, Wis. Act 27 passed and the legislature directed the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to prescribe performance standards and prohibitions that farms Read more…
In 1997, Wis. Act 27 passed and the legislature directed the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to prescribe performance standards and prohibitions that farms in Wisconsin will need to meet. The legislature mandated that these performance standards must be designed to reduce non-point source pollution and improve water quality. Act 27 also directed the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) in conjunction with DNR to promulgate rules that prescribe technical standards and best management practices farmers must follow to meet the performance standards. In October 2002, the rules were promulgated into law. DNR administrative code NR 151 identifies the agricultural performance standards for Wisconsin and DATCP administrative code ATCP 50 sets the technical standards that farmers will need to follow to implement the performance standards.
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Phosphorus (P) availability differences among sources, especially those between commercial fertilizer and manure or other organic P sources, are of increasing interest to farmers, agronomists, Read more…
Phosphorus (P) availability differences among sources, especially those between commercial fertilizer and manure or other organic P sources, are of increasing interest to farmers, agronomists, and nutrient management planners. While the traditional interest in maintaining adequate P supplies for crop production continues, P availability effects on the risk of P loss in runoff and the environmental implications of these losses are receiving increasing attention. This is particularly true since soil test P and the characteristics of P in manures and organic materials are important factors in P-based nutrient management planning.
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The trend towards fewer and larger livestock farms has heightened public concern about pollution. Over the past several years, environmental policy related to animal agriculture Read more…
The trend towards fewer and larger livestock farms has heightened public concern about pollution. Over the past several years, environmental policy related to animal agriculture has focused on land application of manure, especially methods to stop or reverse soil phosphorus build-up, runoff, and the subsequent pollution of lakes, streams and other surface water bodies. Policy is now focusing on the reduction of air emissions from animal agriculture. For dairy operations, ammonia is by far the most important potential air pollutant. The adverse effects of agricultural ammonia emissions extend to regional, national and global scales (NRC, 2003). Under the federal Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule, all states are required to report agricultural ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) gas emissions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by the end of 2004. The data EPA collects will be used in air quality regulations to control the air-borne particulates and haze that affect many regions of the country.
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Nutrient management plans were compiled from a pool of 13 farms across Wisconsin that had been developed by seven different crop consultants and implemented using Read more…
Nutrient management plans were compiled from a pool of 13 farms across Wisconsin that had been developed by seven different crop consultants and implemented using the nitrogen-based NRCS-590 standard (1999 version). This data set consists of 10636 cropland acres with soil data, cropping information and available cost data attributed to specific field operations and management. Comparisons of the N based standard with the current phosphorus-based standard were made. Major differences between the versions of the standard relate to acreage impacted by proximity to surface waters and acceptable P management strategies where soil tests exceed 50 ppm soil test P. Surface water quality management areas (SWQMA) acreage increased from 665 to 1135 acres in current version of the NRCS standard. Soil test P levels for the cropland set are distributed as follows: 55% < 50 ppm; 30% > 50 ppm and < 100 ppm soil P; 15% > 100 ppm soil P. Impacts of the level of soil test P varies by farm and landscape and will be better defined through the implementation of the phosphorus index which is a component of the current standard. Impacts of the phosphorus index versus the soil test P strategy are being determined as well as the direct costs of nutrient management implementation on the participating farms.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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A field experiment was conducted during the 2004 growing season to assess the effect of soil potassium on soybean aphid populations. Three K treatments were Read more…
A field experiment was conducted during the 2004 growing season to assess the effect of soil potassium on soybean aphid populations. Three K treatments were established in 10 ft x 25 ft plot with KCl fertilizer applications of 0, 50 and 100 lb K /acre. Each treatment was replicated 14 times. Phosphorus was applied at planting at a rate of 100 lb/acre to avoid P deficiency in the field. Leaf tissue and soil tests were taken during the growing season to quantify nutrient levels. Soybean aphid development and reproduction was monitored by placing neonate nymphs in small clip cages. Cages contained a single aphid and two cages were placed in each plot. Aphid development, the number of offspring produced, and mortality was measured daily for daily for 35 days. Soybean aphid population data were used to produce life tables to document aphid time to adulthood, mean generation time, survivorship, and rate of population growth.
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Relatively mild winters, with fewer subfreezing temperature unit accumulations, have been correlated with increased survival of overwintered bean leaf beetle, Ceratoma trifurcata, populations in the Read more…
Relatively mild winters, with fewer subfreezing temperature unit accumulations, have been correlated with increased survival of overwintered bean leaf beetle, Ceratoma trifurcata, populations in the Midwest in recent years (UW Soybean Plant Health, 2004; Lam and Pedigo, 2001). Bean leaf beetle adults emerging in the spring feed on wild and cultivated legumes, moving to early planted soybeans where they continue to feed and then deposit eggs of the first generation. While direct damage caused by early season defoliation (overwintered population) and pod feeding (second generation) can occur, beetle population density must be quite high to cause economic yield loss and treatment thresholds are available to suppress populations below damaging levels (Boerboom et al., 2005).
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Soybean Stem Health
2005Soybean stem health is an understudied area of soybean pathology. With the exception of white mold (Sclerotinia stem rot), symptoms of brown stem rot and Read more…
Soybean stem health is an understudied area of soybean pathology. With the exception of white mold (Sclerotinia stem rot), symptoms of brown stem rot and stem canker are often overlooked or confused with stress related to climatic conditions or with seasonal changes in the growth and development of soybean. Brown stem rot occurs each year, but severity and yield loss is favored by conditions ideal for soybean growth. Stem canker has increased in incidence and severity throughout the north central U.S. and Ontario, Canada. The recent resurgence of stem canker in the north central region has not been explained. However, likely factors are associated with reduced tillage, shortened rotation systems and changes in soybean germplasm. Additional considerations are that the stem canker pathogen has undergone genetic changes or that related fungi have emerged and are capable of causing symptoms along with the original causal pathogen. If considered as a complex, brown stem rot, white mold and stem canker occur across a range of climatic conditions that essentially ensure a high probability that one of them will be yield-limiting in a given year. Thus, the ideal soybean variety would have resistance to each disease.
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Soybean aphid is an invasive species that not only directly influences soybean plants through effects on yield, but also affects soybeans indirectly through its interactions Read more…
Soybean aphid is an invasive species that not only directly influences soybean plants through effects on yield, but also affects soybeans indirectly through its interactions with other species in the environment. Most notably, predators and other herbivores may be affected by the presence of soybean aphid. Fields with large populations of aphids are exporters of the predaceous multicolored Asian lady beetle. The presence of soybean aphids in the environment therefore could effect predation on other species susceptible to lady beetles. In addition, the way the soybeans cope with stresses is likely to be altered in the face of this new species. For example, soybeans plants that are challenged with aphids may be either less or more able to deal with pathogen infections. Alternatively, virus infected plants may become more or less preferred by aphids, potentially affecting the spread of pathogens within and among fields. Thus, in order to more fully understand the ways in which soybean aphids influence soybeans and their yields and to develop the best ways to manage these novel pests will require a multifaceted approach that integrates our knowledge of the biologies of aphids, pathogens, other herbivores, and predators.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Proper application timing is very critical for getting the best biological results (efficacy) when applying crop protection products. Timing of the application can also influence Read more…
Proper application timing is very critical for getting the best biological results (efficacy) when applying crop protection products. Timing of the application can also influence off-target spray drift and damage to the environment. Weather conditions at application time will have a major impact on both efficacy and spray drift. Weather conditions affecting spray drift include wind speed and direction, temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric stability. As an applicator you have a responsibility to monitor and record accurately the weather conditions at application time. The ability to have accurate data for the application records will depend on the methods used to gather the information. Modern, field-useable instrumentation is critical for that need. Applicators can no longer estimate weather conditions or use some far off data source to justify the legality of the application. Anything from simple hand-held devices to sophisticated computerized logging devices are available.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Subsurface tile drainage is a common water management practice in much of the Midwest. Although subsurface drainage has many benefits, it also may increase nitrate-N Read more…
Subsurface tile drainage is a common water management practice in much of the Midwest. Although subsurface drainage has many benefits, it also may increase nitrate-N losses through the rootzone and out to surface waters. An appropriate balance between increasing drainage intensity (narrower spacing) to improve drainage and decreasing drainage intensity to reduce nitrate-N losses needs to be found in order to protect surface water quality. We have measured nitrate leaching into tile drains of three different spacings at a long-term research site in southeastern Indiana. Over the 15-yr period, we have sequentially changed management practices to try to reduce nitrate leaching from the rootzone. This report summarizes our major findings.
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High N fertilizer costs projected for the 2005 growing season provide an incentive for assigning appropriate N credits where soybean was grown in 2004. The Read more…
High N fertilizer costs projected for the 2005 growing season provide an incentive for assigning appropriate N credits where soybean was grown in 2004. The 2004 growing season caused late soybean planting and delayed maturity for some areas resulting in low grain yields. Soybean production experiences ranged form normal grain harvest to abandoned acreage with all of the dry matter left in the field. In some cases immature soybean was harvested as a forage, again with all above ground dry matter removed. In other cases, soybean residue was removed for feed or bedding after grain harvest. With this variation in soybean production outcomes, questions on assigning appropriate N credits for the crops to be grown following soybean have emerged. The purpose of this paper is to provide soybean N credit recommendations for several of the production conditions encountered in 2004. The specific situations include the following:
- Normal grain harvest with expected grain yields.
- Soybean grain harvest, but low yields (less than 20-25 bu/acre).
- Soybean grain harvest, residues removed.
- Soybean harvested as forage with all top-growth removed.
- Abandoned acreage due to immaturity or low yield, dry matter left in field.
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Irrigation is an important tool for reducing risks, increasing yields and producing higher quality crops. Ideally, we would like to keep the crops grown from Read more…
Irrigation is an important tool for reducing risks, increasing yields and producing higher quality crops. Ideally, we would like to keep the crops grown from being water stressed by maintaining the soil moisture in the root zone at a level that allows the plant roots to freely extract waters as needed. This paper will take you through the steps to determine the water holding capacity of soils, the water used by the plants and evaporation from the soil and discuss a methodology for estimating the available moisture remaining in the soil. An irrigation system will ideally apply water equally across the soil surface but in reality it doesn’t happen. Gross variation can affect crop yields and effect the utilization of fertilizers and pesticides. A test method and equipment for determining the uniformity of water application is presented. The rate at which water is being applied to the field is often assumed based on the designed well pumping capacity. Periodic testing of the well pump is recommended to ensure it can supply the necessary water and it is operating efficiently. The paper will finish with a brief discussion of some energy saving opportunities that will reduce irrigation costs without reducing water being applied.
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Land spreading of various types of residual by-products from manufacturing as a means of disposing of these by-products is becoming more widespread throughout Wisconsin. Paper Read more…
Land spreading of various types of residual by-products from manufacturing as a means of disposing of these by-products is becoming more widespread throughout Wisconsin. Paper mill residuals, vegetable processing waste and various types of other products are increasingly spread on agricultural land as an alternative to landfill disposal or incineration. These various materials contain nutrients, primarily nitrogen but also various amounts of other primary, secondary and micronutrients. Many of these materials are also noted to be effective in varying degrees as liming agents.
This trial is a continuation of work that was started in 2002. Prior research on this topic conducted by Leslie Cooperband consisted of experiments in the Central Sands area of Wisconsin. Work done by Bowen and Wolkowski, December 1998, on the use of fresh and composted paper mill fiber residuals in potato production at the Rhinelander Experiment Station was also conducted on sandy soil. The soils in Langlade County used for potato production are primarily Antigo Silt Loam. The results of applications of fiber paper mill residual (PMR) to a silt loam soil may produce different results than applications to a sandy soil. In addition the composition of the paper mill residual may vary for each paper mill depending on what components have been blended into their composition. The effect of this material on the pH of the soil and the amounts of various soil nutrients were of concern since an increase in the pH could affect the incidence of potato scab and excessive amounts of any particular nutrient may cause problems. The second area was disease. Would this material affect the incidence of soil or foliar diseases of potatoes that would adversely affect their marketability? This is important since the primary market of potatoes produced in the Langlade County area is for use as seed.
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Soybean production has increased very rapidly in recent years. In 1939, Wisconsin grew only about 20,000 acres of soybeans for grain. This figure had increased Read more…
Soybean production has increased very rapidly in recent years. In 1939, Wisconsin grew only about 20,000 acres of soybeans for grain. This figure had increased to around 450,000 acres twenty years ago and is now at approximately 1.7 million acres. The average yield of soybeans in Wisconsin varies a great deal from year to year depending on growing conditions. The average yield in 1972 was about 28 bu/acre, which was the same as the average yield for 2003. Clearly, this average yield is far below yields of 70 to 90+ bu/acre commonly being reported in highly managed test plots.
Nutrient availability can be strongly influenced by soil pH and many of Wisconsin’s soils are natively acid, often requiring lime to raise the soil pH. Since many of Wisconsin’s soybeans are grown on soils with some degree of acidity, more information on the effect of soil pH on nutrient uptake and yield is needed. Earlier studies conducted at various Agricultural Research Stations in Wisconsin showed that a soil pH of at least 6.3 was required for optimum yields of soybeans. At the Marshfield location in 1984, a soil pH below 5.2 was very detrimental to soybean plant performance and top performance seen when the soil was limed to a pH of 6.3 (Fig. 1). A similar study conducted that same year in southern Wisconsin at the Arlington Research Station, showed that soybean yields may require a soil pH somewhat above 6.3 for optimum production.
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Increasingly sophisticated market demand may provide price premium opportunities for specific soybean grain composition such as high protein and/or high oil content. Management recommendations to Read more…
Increasingly sophisticated market demand may provide price premium opportunities for specific soybean grain composition such as high protein and/or high oil content. Management recommendations to foster those specific grain composition outputs are scarce at best. Neither growers nor the processing industry have a good understanding of how soil pH might affect soybean’s protein and oil output per acre. These studies objectives are to evaluate the impact of acidic soil pH on soybean protein and oil output per acre.
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There continues to be considerable interest in P and K fertilizer placement among cash grain producers for numerous reasons. Growers have faced low commodity prices Read more…
There continues to be considerable interest in P and K fertilizer placement among cash grain producers for numerous reasons. Growers have faced low commodity prices for several years and are interested in placement methods that improve the efficiency of nutrient use and potentially reduce input costs. This issue seems be more important in high residue management systems where broadcast, incorporated applications are not possible because of the need to maintain surface crop residue for conservation purposes. Wisconsin research has shown response to banded P and K for corn in conservation tillage systems, but little research has been conducted regarding fertilizer placement for soybean. It is not known what effect tillage will have on the uptake of K by soybean, and if this crop will respond like corn to localized K placement in no-till and other low-disturbance tillage systems.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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WeedSOFT Casino
2005Remove the “Gamble” from weed management.
Remove the “Gamble” from weed management.
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Giant ragweed is a challenging weed species to manage in many cropping systems due to its extended period of emergence, rapid growth rate, and high Read more…
Giant ragweed is a challenging weed species to manage in many cropping systems due to its extended period of emergence, rapid growth rate, and high degree of competitiveness with crop species. Giant ragweed has become increasingly prevalent in glyphosate-resistant cropping systems, possibly due to later-emerging plants which avoid exposure to glyphosate. A study conducted in the late 1960’s found that nearly all giant ragweed emerged before May 1 in central Illinois (Stoller and Wax 1973). This early emergence suggested that giant ragweed populations could be effectively managed by preplant tillage or other preplant weed management practices. However, recent research has found relatively late emergence of giant ragweed, with emergence of some biotypes occurring throughout June (Hartzler et al., 2002), potentially later than the timing of post-emergence herbicide applications.
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Several technological advancements in spray systems have occurred in recent years as the application industry searches for ways to apply crop protection products more efficiently Read more…
Several technological advancements in spray systems have occurred in recent years as the application industry searches for ways to apply crop protection products more efficiently and safely in the environment. Many of these technologies have been present for several years but adoption has been slow for different reasons. Much of the design emphasis in recent years has been to minimize drift potential. This paper will give a brief review of several of these technologies.
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Perennial weeds in grain and forage crops used to be a major challenge faced by many of our producers. We know this is true because Read more…
Perennial weeds in grain and forage crops used to be a major challenge faced by many of our producers. We know this is true because the older literature and extension bulletins highlighted the difficulty of controlling weeds like Canada thistle, quackgrass and field bindweed and many of us do not need publications to tell us this: we have lived in the era when perennial weeds were a real management challenge. Life has changed dramatically in the past 28 years and in this presentation I will cover the changes I’ve seen in perennial weed management. For each species presented, I will mention unique biological features, the research we have done and give the principal findings and the most effective management system.
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The ‘eastern variant’ of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, has developed a behavioral adaptation to the corn-soybean rotation in some areas of Read more…
The ‘eastern variant’ of the western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, has developed a behavioral adaptation to the corn-soybean rotation in some areas of the Midwest. The variant western corn rootworm (VWCR), first documented in east-central Illinois, is known to circumvent the cornsoybean crop rotation by laying eggs in soybean. Like normal corn rootworm beetle populations, the VWCR moves readily between corn and other crops between late July and early September. Unlike normal corn rootworm beetle populations however, the VWCR can lay heavy populations of eggs in soybean fields, resulting in economic injury to corn planted in the same field the following year.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The Wisconsin DATCP has conducted annual surveys of European corn borer (ECB) populations in Wisconsin corn fields since the 1940’s. Using these annual ECB population Read more…
The Wisconsin DATCP has conducted annual surveys of European corn borer (ECB) populations in Wisconsin corn fields since the 1940’s. Using these annual ECB population data and published research (Mitchell et al. 2002, Hurley, Mitchell and Rice 2004), the long-run average percentage yield loss due to ECB in nine Wisconsin regions (crop reporting districts) is estimated (Table 1). However, because ECB populations are uncertain, the random distribution of these yield losses is also estimated to capture the uncertainty in yield losses due to ECB. These yield losses are then combined with USDANASS five-year (1999-2003) average corn yields to estimate the long-run average net benefit of Bt corn in each Wisconsin region, assuming a corn price of $2.00/bu and a technology fee of $18/bag ($7.43/ac) (Table 1).
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A few key variables merged to make 2004 an exceptionally quiet year for many of Wisconsin’s leading field crop pests. Chilly spring temperatures and an Read more…
A few key variables merged to make 2004 an exceptionally quiet year for many of Wisconsin’s leading field crop pests. Chilly spring temperatures and an unprecedented statewide average rainfall of 7.64 inches in May made it difficult for potential insect populations to fully develop. Migratory species, like the black cutworm and potato leafhopper, arrived to find the wettest spring in more than 100 years. Below-normal temperatures continued to slow crop development while the surplus of precipitation left fields saturated through June. Together these factors drastically reduced insect populations. As a result, European corn borers were practically nonexistent this fall and soybean aphid densities were at their lowest levels since being detected in Wisconsin in 2000. Following are the results of DATCP’s insect surveys from 2004, a summary of last summer’s pest insect trends, and an outlook for pest conditions in 2005.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Voluntary, self-directed systems of environmental management are proving to be good business tools for a diverse set of manufacturing sectors. Rather than approach environmental management Read more…
Voluntary, self-directed systems of environmental management are proving to be good business tools for a diverse set of manufacturing sectors. Rather than approach environmental management as a necessary cost of doing business to satisfy government regulators, businesses are finding that a proactive, self-directed program of continuous improvement in environmental management has benefits for profits, investor relations, and enlightened regulatory relations. Such environmental management systems (EMS), appropriately adopted, appear to have much to offer farmers.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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GloTell, is an anhydrous ammonia additive, formulated to be introduced into ammonia to serve not only as a theft deterrent for methamphetamine production, but also Read more…
GloTell, is an anhydrous ammonia additive, formulated to be introduced into ammonia to serve not only as a theft deterrent for methamphetamine production, but also a leak detector and marking agent. GloTell, when injected into the anhydrous ammonia, stains exposed surfaces pink. This pink color is detectable by ultraviolet light, affording law enforcement personnel a method to detect persons that have encountered the product while producing the illegal drug, while also reducing the quality of methamphetamines.
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This presentation is designed to discuss the factors that impact premiums in the agribusiness industry and the techniques that can be used to control those Read more…
This presentation is designed to discuss the factors that impact premiums in the agribusiness industry and the techniques that can be used to control those costs. The discussion will include insight on the components of premium, and cost reduction techniques.
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Many farmers choose to contract with businesses to provide services that farmers traditionally have performed as part of an agricultural business. These services may include Read more…
Many farmers choose to contract with businesses to provide services that farmers traditionally have performed as part of an agricultural business. These services may include land preparation for planting (plowing, disking, or fertilizer and insecticide application), custom harvesting of crops or the hauling/dispersal of manure.
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Most farmers and agronomists were happy to put the 2004 growing season behind them! The season can best be characterized as wet during May and Read more…
Most farmers and agronomists were happy to put the 2004 growing season behind them! The season can best be characterized as wet during May and June, cool during July and August, and ideal during September. Spring planting conditions were good through early May after which conditions were cooler and wetter than the 30-yr average. The north and eastern areas of Wisconsin had record rainfall during May and early June often delaying planting. Many acres in eastern Wisconsin were not planted until July. Accumulation of growing degree units was below average. Plant emergence and stands were above average. Insect and disease pressure was not significant. Corn development was behind average due to cool growing conditions, but development caught up somewhat during September. A killing frost did not occur until early-October, but in some areas light frost occurred in late August. Both corn silage and grain harvest were delayed due to slow development caused by cool temperatures during the growing season.
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A single soybean variety can express a wide range of grain protein and oil content when exposed to different environmental conditions. Information about the impact Read more…
A single soybean variety can express a wide range of grain protein and oil content when exposed to different environmental conditions. Information about the impact of manageable factors on the protein and oil content of soybeans grain is scarce at best.
Eight thousand eight hundred and forty nine soybean grain samples from 72 experiments were analyzed for protein and oil content at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The two main objectives were (1) to identify management practices that can have an impact on soybean grain composition, and (2) to demonstrate the extent to which some management variables can impact the protein and oil content of soybean grain.
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Industrial uses of corn have increased significantly in recent years. It is currently estimated that 26% of total consumption of US corn this marketing year Read more…
Industrial uses of corn have increased significantly in recent years. It is currently estimated that 26% of total consumption of US corn this marketing year will be comprised of food and industrial uses. The largest single factor in the growth of industrial use has been increased corn use in ethanol production. Ethanol production alone is expected to consume almost 13% of the record corn crop harvested fall 2004. Further, as additional ethanol plant capacity develops in the near term, this percentage is likely to increase.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Seed agronomists often talk about “racehorse” hybrids (RH) and suggest they are high yielding and require extra good growing conditions to express their high yield Read more…
Seed agronomists often talk about “racehorse” hybrids (RH) and suggest they are high yielding and require extra good growing conditions to express their high yield potential. Other terms used by company seed agronomists to describe RH hybrids include “offensive/defensive” and “fix/flex” hybrids. They suggest planting RH hybrids on the best, most productive fields. We wondered if we could identify RH hybrids from yield tests and if so how much better do they perform compared with other hybrids under high yielding conditions? And how do they perform when growing conditions are not as good for corn growth and yield?
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In the Midwestern United States, snap beans are grown primarily for processing with production areas in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. Wisconsin ranks first nationally Read more…
In the Midwestern United States, snap beans are grown primarily for processing with production areas in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. Wisconsin ranks first nationally with 35% of national production on over 80,000 acres valued at $36 million annually.
The most damaging insect pests are those that attack the pods and result in either damage or contamination of the processed product. The European corn borer (ECB) and to a lesser extent the corn earworm (CEW) are the major pod feeding pests with damage primarily from second generation ECB and late flights of CEW in August/September. Damage from both species occurs from flowering to harvest, creating a treatment window of 30 to 7 days before harvest. Pods are protected during this window wit a 2-4 spray program when crop maturity coincides with moth flights. A typical spray program in Wisconsin includes pyrethroid sprays (Capture, Warrior or Mustang Max) sometimes used in rotation with an organophosphate (Orthene).
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Aphid transmitted virus diseases remain at the forefront of management concerns for the processing industry. In Wisconsin during 2000, symptoms of what turned out to Read more…
Aphid transmitted virus diseases remain at the forefront of management concerns for the processing industry. In Wisconsin during 2000, symptoms of what turned out to be a virus complex were first noted in eastern WI in a narrow strip extending from north of Milwaukee to the Door County peninsula. Additional areas reporting plant symptoms and related yield and quality loss included Michigan, southern Ontario and New York State. The problem has reappeared in each succeeding year, although the severity of losses and the distribution of the problem is largely dependant on prevailing environmental conditions and the timing of aphid flights. Several viruses including cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and clover yellow vein virus (CYVV) alone and in combination have been identified in symptomatic plants each of the production years since 2000. All of these viruses are transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner. The soybean aphid appears to be the primary vector of this complex of viruses. This past summer, a year characterized by cool temperatures coupled with the limited distribution and low numbers of the soybean aphid, we observed limited distribution of symptomatic plants and a low impact of virus on pod yield and quality.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Wisconsin continues to rank first in the production of snap beans and the acreage planted to green peas comes in third in the nation. Yields, Read more…
Wisconsin continues to rank first in the production of snap beans and the acreage planted to green peas comes in third in the nation. Yields, however, continue to be variable and depend, in large measure, on paying close attention to rotations, following crops where fumigation is used, close observation of root health and careful irrigation to avoid the ravages of white mold. The five year (1998-2002) yield average for snap beans was 3.79 ton/acre while peas averaged 1.86 tons/acre. We can all look at exceptional snap bean fields yielding close to 5 tons/acre and pea fields running 3 tons or more, but we can also recall fields where the grower is lucky to recover the cost of the seed. Root rot is one of the key limiting factors determining the yield of both crops.
Years ago I heard the story about a snap bean producer who was warned by the world famous plant pathologist, Dr. J.C. Walker, that he needed to follow a minimum of a three-year rotation to avoid root rot and that the grower would have no future if he grew snap beans as a monoculture in the central sands area of Wisconsin. The grower promptly responded that he already followed a three year rotation, growing for Company A the first year, Company B during the second year and completing the rotation with Company C during the third year. I can only imagine Dr. Walker’s response and wish that I’d been there in person. The story still gets a chuckle at grower meetings, but the message is still just as pertinent. Without careful attention to rotation and the root rot that accompanies a lack of rotation, disease losses can be costly.
Root rot is still prevalent today, especially in seasons with wet soils during the early portion of the growing season and particularly in fields with too short a rotation between susceptible crops. The early portion of the past growing season provided the cool wet conditions that favor root rot on peas and the excessive rainfall of May and June provided just the right conditions favoring bean root rot on the early planted fields. Subsequent stands of both crops were often spotty and plant roots were commonly decayed. As we moved into July, pea fields turned yellow before harvest, maturity was spotty within fields and yields were highly variable. The saving grace for many growers was the cooler than normal temperatures that helped to reduce potential losses and the number of passed fields.
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Germination can be divided into a number of distinct stages including imbibition, starch breakdown and energy mobilization, and cell differentiation and elongation. These stages involve Read more…
Germination can be divided into a number of distinct stages including imbibition, starch breakdown and energy mobilization, and cell differentiation and elongation. These stages involve very different biological mechanisms and are sensitive to different environmental stimuli. Normally, during imbibition, water and oxygen move slowly into the kernel through the tipcap region. Membranes rehydrate and hormones are activated. During starch breakdown and energy mobilization, hormones induce embryo and aleurone cells to release enzymes that break down starch and convert it to sugar. Energy contained in the sugar is moved into the embryo. Embryo cells use the sugars to fuel cellular process including cell division, elongation, and differentiation. As root cells elongate the radicle emerges from the kernel followed by the plumule. After the plumule emerges from the soil the seedling begins photosynthesis and the plant becomes independent of the food supply stored in the kernel.
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Although the pace of new herbicide registrations in both field and vegetable crops has slowed in recent years, existing labels continue to evolve in response Read more…
Although the pace of new herbicide registrations in both field and vegetable crops has slowed in recent years, existing labels continue to evolve in response to events or problems encountered in the field. Most herbicides are broken down by microbial decomposition and/or chemical reactions in the soil. Whether a particular herbicide persists in the soil from one season to the next is affected by many variables including the herbicides chemistry, field moisture, soil type, and soil pH. Labeled crop rotation restrictions (length of time required after application prior to planting certain crops) try to account for the effects of these variables, but local experiences, weather extremes and other unforeseen circumstances provide information needed to adjust these labeled intervals to help protect growers from herbicide carryover problems. Table 1 contains the rotational restrictions to selected vegetable crops for many of the more recent herbicide registrations. Vegetable crops may be particularly sensitive to some herbicide residues, so it is of utmost importance for growers to always read the label for changes to rotation restrictions prior to using any product.
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Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) is an important vegetable crop in Wisconsin. Acreage is limited relative to snap bean or pea, but several thousand acres are Read more…
Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) is an important vegetable crop in Wisconsin. Acreage is limited relative to snap bean or pea, but several thousand acres are grown and processed within Wisconsin. Lima beans for processing are primarily grown in California, Wisconsin, and Delaware. Similar to snap bean, lima bean originates from Central and South America. Several lima bean types exist with small seeded, dwarf bush types being the primary processed type compared to the larger seeded, pole types. Lima beans are related to snap bean (Phaseolus vulgarus), but there are distinct differences in their growth that influences important management needs.
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Potatoes are an intensively managed, high value crop that has traditionally relied heavily on pesticides. In the 1980s Wisconsin farmers became concerned with environmental impact Read more…
Potatoes are an intensively managed, high value crop that has traditionally relied heavily on pesticides. In the 1980s Wisconsin farmers became concerned with environmental impact of such practices and worked intensively with the University to reduce pesticide reliance. In 1996, the potato growers sought to expand the scope of this work and entered into a unique partnership with the World Wildlife Fund to further reduce pesticide reliance. Stringent IPM standards were developed by participating growers and the University. An independent certification body was established to chart progress (Protected Harvest) and enable certified growers to market under the nation’s first eco-brand for potatoes (Healthy Grown).
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The trend towards fewer and larger livestock farms has heightened public concern about pollution. Over the past several years, environmental policy related to animal agriculture Read more…
The trend towards fewer and larger livestock farms has heightened public concern about pollution. Over the past several years, environmental policy related to animal agriculture has focused on land application of manure, especially methods to stop or reverse soil phosphorus build-up, runoff, and the subsequent pollution of lakes, streams and other surface water bodies. Policy is now focusing on the reduction of air emissions from animal agriculture. For dairy operations, ammonia is by far the most important potential air pollutant. The adverse effects of agricultural ammonia emissions extend to regional, national and global scales (NRC, 2003). Under the federal Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule, all states are required to report agricultural ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) gas emissions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by the end of 2004. The data EPA collects will be used in air quality regulations to control the air-borne particulates and haze that affect many regions of the country.
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Air quality has moved to the forefront of environmental issues facing Wisconsin livestock producers. State agencies are exploring how livestock facility emissions and odors are Read more…
Air quality has moved to the forefront of environmental issues facing Wisconsin livestock producers. State agencies are exploring how livestock facility emissions and odors are impacting air quality. Producers will soon be faced with regulatory pressure to manage livestock facilities and feedlots to comply with air quality standards. The Wisconsin livestock industry has limited quantitative data to document actual on-farm emissions associated with housing facilities and feedlots. As regulatory agencies begin assembling air quality standards, the livestock industry has requested a baseline be identified for ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and odor currently generated from a variety of real farm facilities. Minimizing livestock facility impact on air quality will benefit public health, the environment and improve public perception of livestock agriculture.
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In 2004, Wisconsin enacted the Livestock Facility Siting Law (2003 Act 235) designed to reform local regulation affecting livestock facilities. While the new law retains Read more…
In 2004, Wisconsin enacted the Livestock Facility Siting Law (2003 Act 235) designed to reform local regulation affecting livestock facilities. While the new law retains local authority to control rural land use through planning and zoning, it mandates that local governments follow state standards and procedures if they require individual approval for new and expanding livestock facilities. The new law is intended to ensure a more predictable and fairer system of local regulation. Central to Act 235 are science-based standards that local governments must apply whenever they make decisions to approve or deny applications for livestock facilities. These state siting standards will be developed through rule making, in accordance with specific requirements set forth in the legislation. As proposed by the technical expert panel, the standards will protect air and water quality, while providing the livestock industry a predictable regulatory framework within which to grow and modernize. Before the siting standards become law in late 2005, they will be subject to review by policy makers, interest groups and the public.
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The quality of our surface waters is important to human, ecological, and economic health in our state. Certain agricultural practices can degrade surface waters by Read more…
The quality of our surface waters is important to human, ecological, and economic health in our state. Certain agricultural practices can degrade surface waters by contributing excess amounts of sediment and phosphorus. If we wish to maintain or improve the quality of surface waters in the state of Wisconsin, or elsewhere, we need to find out how much sediment and phosphorus (P) is being lost by farm fields (a large fraction of the land use in Wisconsin) and the effectiveness of conservation techniques to reduce these losses.
Erosion research in the past has focused mainly on studies on small uniform plots. While this research has been very informative, it is difficult to scale up to entire fields, where topography and soil conditions are not uniform. The research described below is part of two related studies that seek to address the scaling up issue.
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Soil conservation and nutrient management have taken center stage as the major management practices that producers and consultants need to adopt to reduce agricultural nonpoint Read more…
Soil conservation and nutrient management have taken center stage as the major management practices that producers and consultants need to adopt to reduce agricultural nonpoint pollution. For some producers the implementation of these recommendations will require only minor changes in their farming systems, while others will need to make major changes in practices ranging from feed management, manure storage and handling, nutrient applications, and tillage to potentially their entire cropping system. Two key questions must be considered as we move forward on the requirement that producers adopt these systems:
- Will the adoption of nutrient management plans and soil conservation plans to tolerable soil loss levels achieve the state and federal water quality goals?
- How much money and time will it take before society knows if the adoption of these practices will achieve the water quality goals?
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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With the introduction of new Aphanomyces root rot (Aphanomyces eutieches Drechs.) resistance alfalfa varieties, it is important to know how best to position these products Read more…
With the introduction of new Aphanomyces root rot (Aphanomyces eutieches Drechs.) resistance alfalfa varieties, it is important to know how best to position these products for dairy and alfalfa producers. To help understand the extent and range of soils infested with the Aphanomyces root rot organism, we conducted a survey of soils in the dominant forage producing counties of Wisconsin and Sutheastern Minnesota. Our goals included testing for the presence of Aphanomyces root rot race 1 and/or race 2. This test also detects the presence of Phytophthora root rot (Phytophthora medicaginis). We collected cropping history data to determine if the disease is more likely expressed in fields with a high frequency of alfalfa in the rotation. Survey results will be summarized and presented in this summary presentation.
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In 1997, Monsanto and Forage Genetics International began a joint project to develop Roundup Ready alfalfa. Forage Genetics, in collaboration with Montana State University, produced Read more…
In 1997, Monsanto and Forage Genetics International began a joint project to develop Roundup Ready alfalfa. Forage Genetics, in collaboration with Montana State University, produced the first transgenic Roundup Ready alfalfa plants in 1998, using the same gene that was used for other Roundup Ready crops. Roundup Ready alfalfa is currently being evaluated for the necessary regulatory approvals. We anticipate that Roundup Ready alfalfa will be deregulated by the USDA and commercialized sometime in 2005.
Roundup Ready alfalfa will offer growers numerous benefits in comparison to conventional alfalfa. The system provides unsurpassed control of broadleaf and grass weeds, as well as, suppression/control of most persistent, parasitic or poisonous weeds. The use of Roundup® agricultural herbicides in alfalfa will greatly increase the grower’s flexibility for weed control in alfalfa by providing: a broad application window for the crop and weeds, excellent crop safety and minimal waiting before grazing or feeding. In addition, Roundup agricultural herbicides work without soil incorporation and have no carryover problems or rotation restrictions. Monsanto research trials conducted in 2003 demonstrate that improved weed control in alfalfa can result in: higher percent purity of alfalfa hay and haylage, more alfalfa yield per acre and improved hay quality.
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Can foliar fertilization improve crop yield where no signs of nutrient deficiency can be seen? This is an oft asked question which unfortunately does not Read more…
Can foliar fertilization improve crop yield where no signs of nutrient deficiency can be seen? This is an oft asked question which unfortunately does not have a black and white answer. The objective of this paper is to briefly highlight what is known about leaf functions and provide an overview of the performance of foliar fertilizers.
Supplying nutrients to plants is a primary function of roots and not leaves. Though not a primary function, nutrients may enter a plant through leaves. Nutrient uptake by leaves is much less than roots, but like roots, many factors impact the uptake of nutrients from leaves. Marschner (1994) provides a list of concerns related to foliar application of nutrients: (1) Low nutrient penetration rates, particularly in plants with thick cuticles; (2) Runoff from hydrophobic leaf surfaces; (3) Washing off by rain; (4) Rapid drying of spray solutions; (5) Limited rates of translocation of some nutrients; (6) Limited amounts of macronutrients that can be supplied by one foliar application; and (7) Leaf damage. Marschner (1994) also provides some guidance on where foliar nutrient applications may be beneficial. They include: (1) Soils where nutrient availability is low. This is particularly true for micronutrients on soils with a high pH and high organic matter content. (2) Conditions where dry topsoil limit nutrient availability. (3) At the onset of reproduction when root activity decreases and nutrient uptake is reduced.
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The grazing movement is, both literally and figuratively, a grass-roots movement. Many livestock producers in the northern USA have recently moved from predominantly confinement feeding Read more…
The grazing movement is, both literally and figuratively, a grass-roots movement. Many livestock producers in the northern USA have recently moved from predominantly confinement feeding systems to grazing systems. Most of them use some form of management-intensive rotational grazing in which livestock are periodically rotated from one paddock to another, allowing the plants in each paddock a rest period to recover from grazing.
The beginnings of the grazing movement originated with livestock producers and support groups, adapting routine methods and technology (Voisin, 1959) to their personal situations and needs. Once the movement became more visible and gained momentum, research interests grew and several research institutions, including the University of Wisconsin, began to support the movement.
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In response to farmer concerns about the effect of wheel traffic on alfalfa yields, we began a study to look at these effects. Studies were Read more…
In response to farmer concerns about the effect of wheel traffic on alfalfa yields, we began a study to look at these effects. Studies were established at the UW Arlington Research Station and ABI Research Station (Napier, IA) during the spring of 2000. In a Second study started in 2001, plots were established in Iowa, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kentucky and South Dakota. Wheel traffic was applied 5 days after cutting by driving approximately a 100-Hp tractor across the plots covering the entire plots with both wheel tracts. This was an attempt to simulate driving over the field with tractor, chopper, and wagons, or tractor baler, and wagon. In the 2001 study, wheel traffic conditions were the same except that treatments were no wheel traffic, wheel traffic 2 days after cutting, and wheel traffic 5 days after cutting.
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Perennial weeds in grain and forage crops used to be a major challenge faced by many of our producers. We know this is true because Read more…
Perennial weeds in grain and forage crops used to be a major challenge faced by many of our producers. We know this is true because the older literature and extension bulletins highlighted the difficulty of controlling weeds like Canada thistle, quackgrass and field bindweed and many of us do not need publications to tell us this: we have lived in the era when perennial weeds were a real management challenge. Life has changed dramatically in the past 28 years and in this presentation I will cover the changes I’ve seen in perennial weed management. For each species presented, I will mention unique biological features, the research we have done and give the principal findings and the most effective management system.
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Dairy manure is a valuable source of N for crop production in Wisconsin. Accurate estimates of dairy manure N availability in the first- and subsequent Read more…
Dairy manure is a valuable source of N for crop production in Wisconsin. Accurate estimates of dairy manure N availability in the first- and subsequent residual-years after application are needed to maximize crop N uptake and reduce N losses to the environment. This study examined dairy manure N availability and mineralization of dairy manure components using various methods. A 6-year field trial estimated the first-, second-, and third-year dairy manure N availability using (1) the apparent recovery method (difference method) (2) the fertilizer N equivalence method and (3) recovery of 15N labeled manure. Manure N release was also studied in the field trial using a mesh litterbag. A laboratory incubation study was conducted in which 15N-labeled or unlabeled feces, urine, and oat straw bedding were incubated in soil for 168 days.
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There has been increased interest in understanding the variability one sees in soil test potassium (K) levels within a field. Of particular interest is why Read more…
There has been increased interest in understanding the variability one sees in soil test potassium (K) levels within a field. Of particular interest is why after 3 or 4 years the soil test K (STK) levels are less than or greater than expected based on prior STK levels and nutrient budgets for K additions (fertilizer and/or manure) and removals (crop removal of K). It must be remembered that K availability is assessed by chemical extractions (soil tests). And any soil test only measures a fraction of the K in soil, specifically soil solution K and exchangeable K. This paper will highlight factors that affect exchangeable K and subsequently STK levels.
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Horseweed is a common winter/spring annual weed of no-till production fields and waste areas. Also known as Marestail or Conyza Canadensis, horseweed has demonstrated “nature’s Read more…
Horseweed is a common winter/spring annual weed of no-till production fields and waste areas. Also known as Marestail or Conyza Canadensis, horseweed has demonstrated “nature’s abhorrence of a vacuum” once again. First documented in the Delaware, horseweed biotypes displaying resistance to the popular herbicidal chemical glyphosate have appeared in at least three different geographic regions. These source populations, or foci, are spreading quickly. Both the rapid adoption of glyphosate resistance crops over large portions of the landscape and the capacity of the weed to produce large numbers (50,000 to 200,000 seeds/plant) of aerially dispersed seed have allowed horseweed to capitalize quickly on its genetic innovation. Currently there are no known resistant biotypes in Wisconsin. To the best of our current knowledge, no state bordering Wisconsin has detected the problem. However, researchers in Indiana have performed widespread surveys throughout the state and approximately 350 miles from Madison are populations capable of surviving four times the typical use rate.
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The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, is a chronic problem for soybean production in Wisconsin. The distribution of SCN expands every year. This nematode Read more…
The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, is a chronic problem for soybean production in Wisconsin. The distribution of SCN expands every year. This nematode rarely disappears from a field once an infestation is detected, even if SCN-resistant soybean varieties are incorporated into the rotation. Host resistance is the most effective and economical management strategy available for this soybean pest, but even this tactic must be thoughtfully deployed to achieve full yield potential. The most serious threat to SCN-resistant varieties is the tremendous genetic variation among the individual nematodes that comprise a SCN population. Somewhere “in the crowd” lurks nematodes not affected by the host chemistry that confers resistance to nematode reproduction. The fact that the majority of nematodes are affected explains why host resistance is successful in boosting yields; the fact that some are not explains why it is difficult to maintain high yields if the same soybean genotype is planted season after season.
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Asian soybean rust is caused by the fungus Phakospora pachyrhizi. The soybean rust pathogen has been moving progressively westward from its center of origin in Read more…
Asian soybean rust is caused by the fungus Phakospora pachyrhizi. The soybean rust pathogen has been moving progressively westward from its center of origin in China and has now reach North America. Soybean rust has gained considerable attention in the US since its discovery in nine Southern states this fall. Currently, there is much speculation and apprehension on how soybean rust will develop and impact soybean production in the U.S. The reality of the situation is that soybean rust has been a devastating disease in many parts of the world. Thus, it is prudent that we must respect its potential to reduce yield, and be prepared to manage it starting in 2005. This publication was developed as a resource to acquaint crop advisors and soybean growers with the soybean rust pathogen, soybean rust epidemiology and how this disease can be managed to limit yield loss.
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Federal law allows the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive conventional registration of a pesticide product and allow States to petition EPA for a Read more…
Federal law allows the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to waive conventional registration of a pesticide product and allow States to petition EPA for a food-use of an unregistered product to control pest emergencies in the target crop. This presentation will provide information about Wisconsin’s request to obtain special approval for use of fungicides that are needed to control Asian Soybean Rust.
The presentation will give an overview of the chemical products being requested under Section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, the timeline for label approval by EPA and how applicators will obtain the emergency-use labels when they are made available in Wisconsin.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The 2004 soybean virus survey found a surprising lack of viruses. The survey was conducted from July 19 to August 24, targeting fields in the Read more…
The 2004 soybean virus survey found a surprising lack of viruses. The survey was conducted from July 19 to August 24, targeting fields in the R2-R4 stage of growth. At each field, the topmost fully expanded trifoliate was collected from 10 plants at four sites in the field. Aphid counts were conducted, an estimate of bean leaf beetle defoliation was made, and apparent virus symptoms were noted. Samples were kept on ice until frozen at -80° deg. C. Leaves were ground and assayed for virus presence using DASELISA (reagents from Agdia, Elkhart, Indiana). Of the 293 fields sampled, three had detectable alfalfa mosaic virus, while five had soybean dwarf virus. No cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was detected in any field sampled. No bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) was detected either, despite a May-June survey of the bean leaf beetle that indicated the presence of BPMV in beetles in six counties in southern Wisconsin.
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In wake of the events of September 11, 2001, as well as subsequent federal legislation known as the Agbioterrorism Act of 2002, efforts have been Read more…
In wake of the events of September 11, 2001, as well as subsequent federal legislation known as the Agbioterrorism Act of 2002, efforts have been undertaken to network the nation’s land grant plant disease and insect diagnostic facilities under a model that would mimic the network that is currently available for detection and tracking of human diseases coordinated by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The goals of the new National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) are to link and foster communication between diagnostic clinics, and enhance their ability to quickly detect and respond to new and emerging agriculture plant pathogens that might be accidentally or intentionally introduced in the United States.
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Giant ragweed is a problem weed in Wisconsin because of its early emergence, rapid growth, and highly competitive nature. Some previous research might suggest that Read more…
Giant ragweed is a problem weed in Wisconsin because of its early emergence, rapid growth, and highly competitive nature. Some previous research might suggest that giant ragweed should not be a long-term problem for the following reasons. Giant ragweed often produces less than 5,000 seeds per plant compared to other weeds that can produce 10,000 to 100,000 seeds per plant or more. Furthermore, studies have found that 35 to 86% of the seed produced by giant ragweed is damaged by insects or is not viable even before it is shed from the plant. Other research suggests that up to 90% of the giant ragweed seed will not survive in the soil past one year. Considering all these facts, it would appear that giant ragweed should not be a persistent weed problem. However, we know it is not easy to quickly reduce giant ragweed populations.
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Throughout the Midwest, potassium (K) nutrition is receiving more and more attention. Many crop advisers and scientists have noted K deficiency symptoms in areas where Read more…
Throughout the Midwest, potassium (K) nutrition is receiving more and more attention. Many crop advisers and scientists have noted K deficiency symptoms in areas where none previously existed. Also, unexpectedly large variance in soil test K levels has been observed from year to year. Concern over K nutrition has led to a re-examination of factors important to K soil fertility evaluation and control. This paper focuses on three primary areas important to Wisconsin agriculture: 1) historical trends in crop nutrient removal, 2) factors that influence soil test K, and 3) variability in crop response to applied K.
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Nitrate can carry over in many medium and fine textured Wisconsin soils especially when growing season rainfall is below normal and yields are lowered by Read more…
Nitrate can carry over in many medium and fine textured Wisconsin soils especially when growing season rainfall is below normal and yields are lowered by moisture stress. Most areas of Wisconsin received below normal precipitation during the 2003 growing season, and nitrate carryover could be an important factor affecting nitrogen needs in 2004. Taking carryover nitrate into consideration may be particularly beneficial this year due to the expected higher N fertilizer prices.
Research in Wisconsin indicates that nitrate carryover can be frequent on medium and fine textured soils (Vanotti and Bundy, 1994). Testing soils for residual or carryover nitrate has been examined in the northern Midwest, and procedures for adjusting N rate recommendations for corn have been developed in Minnesota and Wisconsin (Bundy et al., 1992; Schmitt and Randall, 1994; Bundy and Andraski, 1995). Wisconsin recommendations for soil sampling and testing for nitrate carryover are shown in University of Wisconsin extension publications A3512 (Bundy et al., 1995) and A3624 (Bundy and Sturgul, 1994). In brief, the procedure involves sampling soils to a depth of 2 ft in 1-ft depth increments in early spring before corn planting and analyzing these samples for nitrate-N. Nitrate-N in the 2-3 ft depth increment is predicted from the nitrate content of the 1-2 ft depth increment using a model (Ehrhardt and Bundy, 1995). The 0-3 ft nitrate-N content is used to adjust corn nitrogen recommendations for as described in A3624 (Bundy and Sturgul, 1994).
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Row-crop agriculture is under pressure to reduce sediment and nutrient losses to surface water resources by practicing less tillage and more precise application and placement Read more…
Row-crop agriculture is under pressure to reduce sediment and nutrient losses to surface water resources by practicing less tillage and more precise application and placement of nutrients. Field studies started in 1997 were conducted through 2002 on very low to low P-testing (3 to 5 ppm Bray P1) and medium to high-P testing (11 to 19 ppm Bray P1) sites of a Nicollet-Webster clay loam complex at Waseca, MN. Four tillage systems (chisel + field cultivate, one-pass field cultivation or disking, strip-till, and no-till were compared in a corn-soybean rotation. Fertilizer P at rates of either 40 or 50 lb P205/A was applied to corn as either a starter with the seed or as a deep-band (4 to 5 inches) below the row and was compared to 80 or 100 lb P205/A applied broadcast and a no P control. The residual effect of the P treatments was measured in the soybean phase of the rotation.
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Yield potential (Ymax) can be defined as the maximum yield that can be achieved in a given environment for a certain crop or plant species. Read more…
Yield potential (Ymax) can be defined as the maximum yield that can be achieved in a given environment for a certain crop or plant species. Yield potential is therefore a situation where plant growth is unlimited by water or nutrient supply and where growth potential is limited solely by uncontrollable growth-defining factors such as genetic characteristics of the plant, solar radiation, temperature and CO2 concentration. The management of yield potential is possible through plant breeding, selection of the proper cultivar or hybrid, sowing date, and plant density in relation to the variation in yield potential that is experienced from the seasonal patters of solar radiation and temperature.
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Use of fertilizers to obtain high corn grain yields is common practice in the Corn Belt. Nitrogen (N) especially is used at relatively high per Read more…
Use of fertilizers to obtain high corn grain yields is common practice in the Corn Belt. Nitrogen (N) especially is used at relatively high per acre rates. Application of N as the plant available forms ammonium (NH4) and nitrate (NO3) is convenient. However, NH4 is rapidly converted to NO3 in soils and NO3 can denitrify and/or leach below the root zone of corn. The leached NO3 may reach surface water or ground water where it is considered an environmental hazard.
A large amount of research has been done to find and implement N fertilizer management practices that will increase N use efficiency by the fertilized crop thus decreasing the potential for degradation of the environment. Researchers have studied timing of N applications, split applications of fertilizer N, and the use of various additives to address this problem. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of evaluation of two N fertilizer additives.
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Compared to nitrogen (N), relatively little is known about the availability of phosphorus (P) from manure to crops. Many state extension bulletins recommend that 50-80% Read more…
Compared to nitrogen (N), relatively little is known about the availability of phosphorus (P) from manure to crops. Many state extension bulletins recommend that 50-80% of total P in manure is available to crops the first year after application. This number is likely based on the fact that 35-90% of P in manures is in the inorganic form (Peperzak, et al., 1959; Barnett, 1994), which is immediately available to crops. The remaining P that is not credited in the first year is usually never credited. In addition, the same availability coefficient/index is usually given to all manure types, regardless of species, diets, or storage. Understanding manure P chemistry in soil and trying to predict P availability is an important component for making nutrient management plans that maximize economic benefits and minimize environmental risks.
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Proper phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilization is a key management component for maximizing alfalfa productivity. We have summarized the results of a six-year study Read more…
Proper phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilization is a key management component for maximizing alfalfa productivity. We have summarized the results of a six-year study where we determined the impacts of fertilizer P and K additions on alfalfa yield, stand persistence and nutrient use on a field in West-central Indiana with initially low soil test P and K levels (Bray P1 < 10 ppm and exchangeable K < 100 ppm). A factorial combination of four P rates (0, 50, 100, 150 lbs P2O5/acre) and five K rates (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 lbs K2O/acre) (twenty treatments) were arranged in a complete randomized block design with four replications of each treatment. Forage harvests occurred four times annually and yield, mass per shoot, shoots per area, and herbage nutrient concentrations were determined. Roots were dug in May and December each year to determine plant populations and find out whether plants were dying during the summer (May to December) or the winter (December to May). Total annual yield increased with P and K fertilization, but K fertilization did not increase first harvest yield. Yield increases were due to greater mass per shoot, not more shoots per plant. While K fertilization did not influence plant populations, P fertilization actually decreased plant populations. Plant K removal rates exceeded K fertilizer application each year even at the highest (400 lbs K2O/acre/yr) rate as long as some P was applied.
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Tillage selection is just one of the issues that farmers must address when making crop production decisions. Among the factors that will influence the choice Read more…
Tillage selection is just one of the issues that farmers must address when making crop production decisions. Among the factors that will influence the choice of tillage for a given field is the condition of the residue and soil in the field; the residue management practices needed to meet conservation plan specifications; the tools, time, and money that are available; the need to incorporate amendments such as lime, fertilizer, and manure; and personal experience as to what works for their rotation, soil type, and production system. The soil will have a varied condition depending on the tillage management and this may influence the response of the crop to applied nutrients.
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The question of the importance of using the base cation saturation ratio concept (BCSR) in the nutrition of crops and for making soil test recommendations Read more…
The question of the importance of using the base cation saturation ratio concept (BCSR) in the nutrition of crops and for making soil test recommendations have been raised many times over the past 100+ years. Recently this issue has surfaced again as a part of programs promoted as “sustainable farming systems” or friendlier to the land or other parts of the environment. As others before them, the primary promoters of this concept are businesses promoting the use of calcitic limestone, or gypsum (CaSO4 ) to bring Wisconsin soil into better cationic “balance.”
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Split application of nitrogen (N) is a management strategy for corn that has been practiced on a limited basis for years. Coarse-textured, sandy soils have Read more…
Split application of nitrogen (N) is a management strategy for corn that has been practiced on a limited basis for years. Coarse-textured, sandy soils have often received split applications to improve N uptake and efficiency and reduce leaching loss. Some N (less than half) is generally applied prior to or at planting and the rest (usually more than half) is sidedress applied prior to tasseling. The sidedress applications may consist of either a single application or multiple applications, which are usually associated with irrigation. Because a greater portion of the N is applied closer to the time of maximum N uptake, split application strategies are often considered as being more efficient and environmentally sound. For these reasons and others, split application of N is becoming more popular on medium and fine-textured soils. Additionally, as the price of N increases, growers will give greater consideration to N management practices that are more efficient and save money. The purpose of this paper is to present information and recommendations on split N application strategies, based on more than 60 site-years of field data with corn on medium and fine-textured soils in southern Minnesota.
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Agriculture has contributed to groundwater contamination because of difficulty with controlling nutrient loss from farming. Many studies have evaluated nitrogen leaching from tile-drained agricultural soils, Read more…
Agriculture has contributed to groundwater contamination because of difficulty with controlling nutrient loss from farming. Many studies have evaluated nitrogen leaching from tile-drained agricultural soils, but less research has been performed on well-drained soils, also common throughout the Midwest. This study focused on leaching measurements from a well-drained soil with two tillage and three fertilization practices. Equilibrium tension lysimeters were used to measure nitrate leaching on chisel-plow (CP) and no-tillage (NT) plots, which were fertilized at a low rate (10 lb N/acre), economically optimum rate (160 lb N/acre), and excessive rate (160 lb N/acre mineral fertilizer with an additional 110 lb N/acre manure). The 270 lb N/acre treatment simulates not crediting manure when deter-mining the crop N requirement. During 2-years of study with the manure treatment, the flow-weighted mean nitrate concentration was shown to be a better indicator of the effects of fertilizer practices than the total amount of N loss. Applying fertilizer above recom-mended rates resulted in the poorest water quality. Nitrate leaching loss and the flow-weighted mean nitrateN concentration for 7 years of data are reported for the CP and NT treatments. Almost three-quarters of the total nitrate lost from both ecosystems was leached during the spring months. The nitrate-N concentration was highly variable depending on the year; however, when averaged over 7 years, it was only 9.6 ppm for CP and 13.3 ppm for NT. While the agroecosystems are close to the 10 ppm nitrate drinking water standard, the concentrations are less than other studies, which were done on tile-drained fields. The results reported here suggest that when managed properly, modern agricultural practices on upland soils are capable of meeting environmental standards for nitrate-N with good management on continuous corn.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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In Michigan the presidedress nitrate test (PSNT) (Magdoff et al., 1984) is used to adjust nitrogen (N) recommendations for corn and sometimes sugar beet. Many Read more…
In Michigan the presidedress nitrate test (PSNT) (Magdoff et al., 1984) is used to adjust nitrogen (N) recommendations for corn and sometimes sugar beet. Many growers do not use the PSNT because the presidedress soil sampling time does not conveniently fit into their operation. Preplant nitrate tests do not provide a good estimate of plant available N because of the relatively wet weather conditions during Michigan springs. Another drawback to the PSNT is that it tends to recommend N on soils which have manure histories and are non-responsive to N fertilization.
The Illinois nitrogen soil test (INST) measures a portion of amino sugar-N and provides an estimate of N that may become available during the growing season (Mulvaney et al., 2001). The University of Illinois is suggesting that when the INST is greater than 250 ppm N for a 1- foot soil sample, corn will not respond to fertilizer N in central or northern Illinois (University of Illinois Technical Note 02-01 (rev. d)). Soil samples for the INST may be taken prior to planting. A preplant soil test that may be used to determine non-responsive fields would likely see wider adoption in Michigan than the PSNT.
Two studies have been started in Michigan to calibrate the INST with the optimum N fertilizer rate for corn and sugar beet. The objectives of this paper are: 1) To provide initial results of the field calibration studies; 2) To discuss differences in results between laboratories.
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A long-term experiment (1958-2002) provides information about the sustainability of long-term nitrogen (N) fertilizer use and continuous corn production in the northern Corn Belt. The Read more…
A long-term experiment (1958-2002) provides information about the sustainability of long-term nitrogen (N) fertilizer use and continuous corn production in the northern Corn Belt. The experiment includes three N rates (none, medium, and high) applied annually in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Nitrogen rates in the medium and high categories increased over time and are currently 125 and 250 lb N/acre. Lime treatments were imposed on the long-term N rates in 1985 using a split-plot treatment arrangement. Long-term N use increased soil organic C and N content and N availability, likely due to higher residue amounts and N concentrations. Soil pH and cation exchange capacity declined without lime addition, but increased where lime was applied. Average corn yields in N fertilized treatments approximately doubled during the 45-yr history of the experiment with the highest yields occurring in the more recent years. No evidence of a decline in productivity from long-term N fertilizer use was detected.
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A Discovery Farm is an operating, commercial Wisconsin farm cooperating in on-farm systems evaluation and demonstration projects. The network works with a systems farm at Read more…
A Discovery Farm is an operating, commercial Wisconsin farm cooperating in on-farm systems evaluation and demonstration projects. The network works with a systems farm at UWPlatteville and researchers at UW-Madison to evaluate nutrient management strategies and practices aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution while protecting farm profitability. A primary objective is to establish baseline data that can be used to determine environmental impacts of various farm management practices.
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University extension has worked to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) among Wisconsin farmers. Extension offers a single set of recommendations for corn IPM. Using data Read more…
University extension has worked to promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM) among Wisconsin farmers. Extension offers a single set of recommendations for corn IPM. Using data from a 2002 survey, this paper tests the hypothesis that corn and dairy farmers practice corn IPM similarly, and that a single set of recommendations is sufficient. The data illustrates that IPM practices differ significantly between the two groups of Wisconsin farmers. The paper attempts to explain the differences in terms of farm size and labor allocation, and suggests that extension should propagate a broader set of rules that could better accommodate the range of farmers growing corn.
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The mission of APHIS-PPQ is to safeguard agriculture and natural resources from the risks associated with the entry, establishment, or spread of animal and plant Read more…
The mission of APHIS-PPQ is to safeguard agriculture and natural resources from the risks associated with the entry, establishment, or spread of animal and plant pests and noxious weeds. One of our main emphases is to monitor potential pests for their presence within the nation’s borders. In Wisconsin, APHIS-PPQ is concerned with a wide variety of pests that threaten crops and natural resources. My presentation will highlight several of these pests. Two plant diseases, soybean rust and Ralstonia pose a major threat to several agricultural crops and are included in the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002. Information on emerald ash borer, an insect pest of ash trees, and giant hogweed, an invasive weed, will also be presented.
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Invasive weeds continue receiving attention at local, state, national and international levels. The interconnected world we live in means that people, animals and goods often Read more…
Invasive weeds continue receiving attention at local, state, national and international levels. The interconnected world we live in means that people, animals and goods often travel great distances. Whether introduced from a neighboring farm, in feed from another county, with nursery stock from another state, or by international commerce, weeds move from site to site. Some become invasive in agricultural settings, natural areas or other habitats.
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Concurrent with relatively mild Midwestern winters over the past few years, the Bean leaf beetle, Ceratoma trifurcata, has been more successful in surviving the overwintering Read more…
Concurrent with relatively mild Midwestern winters over the past few years, the Bean leaf beetle, Ceratoma trifurcata, has been more successful in surviving the overwintering portion of its life cycle (Bradshaw et al. 2003). As a result, the number of bean leaf beetles emerging in the spring has increased throughout the Upper Midwest, including Wisconsin (Grau et al. 2003), in recent years. Greater population densities of the overwintered population, and subsequent first generation, bean leaf beetles are of concern to soybean producers due to both direct and indirect damage potential. Bean leaf beetle feeding damage (defoliation) is direct damage. Thresholds have been established for bean leaf beetle defoliation. Refer to UWEX publication A3646, Pest Management in Wisconsin Field Crops, for specific defoliation threshold information (Boerboom et al. 2004). Indirect damage is linked to the role of bean leaf beetle as a vector of bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) (Giesler et al. 2002). Treatment thresholds for prevention of BPMV are not yet available.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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In the past, corn rotated annually with soybeans or another non-host crop was not susceptible to WCR larval damage because the adult beetles only laid Read more…
In the past, corn rotated annually with soybeans or another non-host crop was not susceptible to WCR larval damage because the adult beetles only laid their eggs in cornfields. Larvae that hatched from eggs laid in the previous cornfield could not survive on soybean roots and would consequently starve to death. Thus, corn-soybean crop rotation was the most reliable and safe method for managing corn rootworm. In 1993, the incidence of WCR larval damage in corn planted after soybeans increased dramatically in east-central Illinois, most likely as a response to prolonged rotation between only corn and soybeans. In 1995 and 1997 the damage caused by WCR to firstyear corn was noted as severe and prevalent in east-central Illinois (Spencer et al., 1998, numerous other reports). Since then, the variant WCR has spread to other parts of the eastern corn belt and researchers have determined that there is a variant strain of WCR that preferentially lays its eggs in soybean in anticipation of corn the following spring during egg hatch (O’Neal et al., 1999).
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Although field corn pest management has remained largely dependent on restricted-use, broad-spectrum insecticides (organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids) for corn rootworm control, this situation is changing Read more…
Although field corn pest management has remained largely dependent on restricted-use, broad-spectrum insecticides (organophosphates, carbamates and pyrethroids) for corn rootworm control, this situation is changing rapidly with the 2003–2004 market entry of highly selective tactics, including genetically modified Bt rootworm corn hybrids and nicotinoid insecticidal seed treatments labeled for corn rootworm control. From familiar liquid and granular soil-applied insecticides (full label rate or reduced rate), to new insecticidal seed treatments, crop rotation, and transgenic Bt corn hybrids replete with insect resistance management (IRM) and refuge stewardship requirements, producers and consultants are faced with an unprecedented diversity of individual rootworm control tactics. Well-proven principles of IPM hold the key to structuring a sustainable and affordable corn rootworm management system that does not rely too extensively on any one practice, tactic, chemical, or technology, and will exploit as many strategies for suppressing pest levels as possible (Benbrook, 2000).
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The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) is responsible for managing pesticides to protect water quality. Until recently, groundwater quality concerns, predominantly Read more…
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) is responsible for managing pesticides to protect water quality. Until recently, groundwater quality concerns, predominantly related to atrazine contamination, have driven the research funded by WDATCP and the regulations adopted by the department to achieve compliance with groundwater standards. While the department has shown the presence of herbicides in surface water through joint studies with the U.S. Geological Survey, the lack of surface water standards for most pesticides has prevented an assessment of potential or actual environmental impacts. Currently, no WDATCP regulations have been developed based on surface water contamination due to pesticide use. However, during 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued new health and environmental risk assessments for atrazine which placed greater concern on potential surface water impacts versus groundwater impacts. In response, WDATCP has expanded its surface water monitoring efforts while maintaining groundwater monitoring and pesticide management activities. This paper will touch on recent research developments, proposed Wisconsin atrazine regulations, and pending federal actions which will affect the management of pesticides in Wisconsin.
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The fresh market vegetable industry in Wisconsin is large, diverse, and increasing annually. Production and pest management practices range from conventional to certified organic and Read more…
The fresh market vegetable industry in Wisconsin is large, diverse, and increasing annually. Production and pest management practices range from conventional to certified organic and the crop is marketed in a wide variety of ways. It is currently estimated that there are over 1500 fresh vegetable growers in the state. This significant number of growers contributes to Wisconsin’s ranking of 8th in the nation in the number of direct market farms, and 6th in terms of the value of direct market sales at $21.8 million (1997 USDA Agricultural Census http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/). One significant growth area in fresh market production is organic farms. Wisconsin is a leader nationally in organic acreage with approximately 600 certified organic farms, second only to California. Wisconsin is also a leader in the number of farmers markets with close to 200 markets around the state. Three produce auctions in the state provide growers with a central location to sell their produce wholesale. This has allowed an opportunity for Amish and Mennonite farmers to enter into the fresh vegetable arena now that they have a local marketing opportunity.
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Weeds are the number one pest problem in home lawns. The most important message to convey to homeowners seeking to reduce weed problems is to Read more…
Weeds are the number one pest problem in home lawns. The most important message to convey to homeowners seeking to reduce weed problems is to emphasize that weeds are a result of poor lawn management. Occasionally the wrong turfgrass species is being grown: homeowners with serious lawn problems should first consult UW Extension bulletin “Lawn Establishment and Renovation, Publication No. A3434” to make sure they are using the correct grass for the site. Local county extension agents can help them identify the grass type(s).
Good lawn management requires three cultural practices: proper mowing, fertilization, and irrigation. Mowing at the correct height and frequency actually stimulates growth and produces a thicker lawn which prevents weeds from getting established. Most lawns should be mowed between two and three inch height. Any given mowing should adhere to the 1/3 Rule: never remove more than 1/3 the height of the leaf at any mowing. Thus, a lawn which is 3 inches tall should not be mowed shorter than 2 inches. Mowing frequency will depend on the growing conditions: more often in spring, perhaps two to three times a week; in summer and fall once weekly is usually sufficient. Most lawns should be fertilized three or four times annually with about 1 lb nitrogen per thousand square feet each time. Suggest the “Holiday Schedule” for convenience: Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, and Halloween. The July 4 fertilization should be skipped if the turf is dormant due to heat and/or drought. Many homeowners choose to not or are prohibited by local ordinance from water their lawns during drought periods. Since water is required for turf growth and cooling, turf leaves may turn brown and dry during prolonged droughts. The thin turf allows weeds which have low water requirements to gain a toehold.
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“Banned” is the term being used in newspapers, but it is incorrect. The proper term is “regulated.” Legislation already passed in various parts of the Read more…
“Banned” is the term being used in newspapers, but it is incorrect. The proper term is “regulated.” Legislation already passed in various parts of the country and being proposed for Dane County lawns and, under NK151, turf areas over 5 acres, mandates that P appli-cation on turfgrass be according to soil tests. Phosphate cannot be applied when soil test P exceeds what is considered to be the optimum level for established turfgrass.
There are two reasons for regulating P application — agronomic and environmental. Research has answered the question of whether or not application of P to turfgrass estab-lished on soil with more than adequate soil test P benefits the grass. It is the environmental consequences of continuing to apply fertilizer P that are highly controversial.
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Few people are happy when large numbers of insects come crawling into their home. Older structures in rural areas are particularly prone to insect invasions. Read more…
Few people are happy when large numbers of insects come crawling into their home. Older structures in rural areas are particularly prone to insect invasions. Insect pressures can vary from season-to-season and will be affected by weather patterns and land use around the site. As with any pest problem, the solution depends on proper identification of the pest and an understanding of the effective remedies and proper timing of chemical treatments.
There are two main invasion seasons . The summer season runs from June to early August. The two major causes of summer problems are insects attracted to lights and migrating insects seeking shelter from the heat of summer. The fall season runs from September to mid-October and most of the insect problems are cause be insects seeking shelter for the winter.
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Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is an always fatal, degenerative disease that affects members of the deer family. It is related to Bovine TSE (Mad Cow Read more…
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is an always fatal, degenerative disease that affects members of the deer family. It is related to Bovine TSE (Mad Cow Disease) and CJD in humans. CWD was discovered and described in Colorado in the 1960s but with its recent discovery on widely dispersed captive cervid farms and in wild whitetailed deer in Wisconsin, it has become a major national conservation issue.
Three cases of CWD were documented in south western Wisconsin during the 2001 November deer-hunting season as a result of routine, random, disease surveillance by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The discovery triggered a massive surveillance program to determine the extent and distribution of the disease in Wisconsin, a management program to control the disease, and intense public reaction.
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Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk and sheep scrapie are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases, and are maintained in animal populations by Read more…
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk and sheep scrapie are transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, or prion diseases, and are maintained in animal populations by animal-to-animal transmission. In both diseases, strong circumstantial evidence suggests an environmental reservoir may be involved in the transmission of the putative infectious agent, an abnormally folded form of the normal prion protein. Both insect vectors and soil have been proposed as possible reservoirs of infectivity. Current knowledge on the role of these reservoirs in the transmission of prion diseases will be discussed.
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Many observers have found the public reception to GM crops to be difficult to fathom because it departs substantially from our experiences in technological innovation Read more…
Many observers have found the public reception to GM crops to be difficult to fathom because it departs substantially from our experiences in technological innovation in American agriculture. While there have been conflicts over new technology in agriculture in American history—for example, over cotton mechanization in the South during the 1930s and 1940s which led to the massive migration of ex- sharecroppers, over animal growth hormones, and over confinement animal practices and technologies—for the most part new technologies have been developed and commercialized with little overt politicization. The BST conflict in the late 1980s and early 1990s was something of an exception to this rule, but by the same token it is useful to note that since 1998 or so there has been little overt conflict over BST technology. The GM crop experience, in which there has been protracted conflict that shows little sign of being abated, appears to represent a departure from previous trends of American technology adoption.
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Corn is primarily a wind-pollinated crop. As such corn pollen movement in the environment is a normal, natural phenomenon. Most pollen produced by a tassel Read more…
Corn is primarily a wind-pollinated crop. As such corn pollen movement in the environment is a normal, natural phenomenon. Most pollen produced by a tassel does not move far from the plant. However, with millions of pollen grains produced per tassel, tens of thousands of plants per acre and thousands of acres in production; tremendous quantities of pollen are produced and released daily during the summer. How does this impact seed and grain purity?
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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There is much recent interest in the grain yield response of corn (Zea mays L.) to plant spacing deviation and plant emergence variation. More is Read more…
There is much recent interest in the grain yield response of corn (Zea mays L.) to plant spacing deviation and plant emergence variation. More is known about plant spacing deviation than plant emergence variation. Key planting factors influencing corn stand establishment include spacing of seed, uniform seed depth, seed quality, planter speed, insects, diseases, desired seed population, and optimum soil environment for rapid germination and uniform emergence (including soil moisture and temperature), No single factor is responsible for differences among fields for stand establishment, rather fields with uneven plant spacing have unique problems and often a combination of factors during the planting operation leads to inconsistent stands.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Widespread infestation of soybeans with soybean aphid across Wisconsin continues to be a major problem for soybean producers in the state. In 2001 we began Read more…
Widespread infestation of soybeans with soybean aphid across Wisconsin continues to be a major problem for soybean producers in the state. In 2001 we began a research project to examine the economic impact this insect poses to the soybean crop in terms of direct yield losses. The 2003 growing season marked the third year of this study. The overall goal of this study is to examine the impact of the soybean aphid on soybean yield and to determine the level of infestation at which a foliar insecticide application is economically justified. Development of an economic threshold along with sampling criteria will allow soybean producers to make informed decisions regarding the importance of aphid damage and optimal use of control methods.
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Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, causes both direct and indirect effects on soybean that can lead to yield loss and reduced seed quality. Direct feeding damage Read more…
Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, causes both direct and indirect effects on soybean that can lead to yield loss and reduced seed quality. Direct feeding damage (plant sap removal) results in subsequent plant stress, stunting and yield loss. Indirectly, soybean aphids have been found to reduce photosynthetic rate in soybean (Macedo et al. 2003). Winged soybean aphid morphs occur early in the growing season as females migrate from the primary (overwintering) host, buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.), to the secondary host, soybean, for the asexual development phase (Zhang and Zhong 1982). A summer winged morph develops later in the growing season as females respond to crowding and decreased host quality by dispersal flight to uncolonized plants and fields (Steffey 2003). It is the winged soybean aphids that are capable of transmitting viruses to soybean (alfalfa mosaic virus, soybean mosaic virus) as they probe and feed between infected and uninfected plants in the process of movement between fields. Because soybean viruses can be transmitted rapidly by winged aphids, there are no thresholds to control this indirect damage (yield loss and seed mottling effects) caused by soybean aphid (Grau 2003).
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Soybean aphid management continues to be a concern for producers, agronomists, and researchers alike. The 3 years of trials in Dodge County and 2 years Read more…
Soybean aphid management continues to be a concern for producers, agronomists, and researchers alike. The 3 years of trials in Dodge County and 2 years in Dane County were conducted to help obtain the answer to one of those concerns– when is the best time to control the soybean aphid and maximize economic returns for the grower. Study designs and treatments were individualized and results from each trial will be discussed separately. The findings will be summarized across years and locations.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, is one of the most important economic pests affecting soybean production in Wisconsin and neighboring states. Since its discovery Read more…
The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, is one of the most important economic pests affecting soybean production in Wisconsin and neighboring states. Since its discovery in 2000, the soybean aphid has become established in the North Central Region and presents a potential threat to the soybean industry. Insecticides are available for control of the soybean aphid, but are an additional production cost that erodes an already thin margin of profit. Besides issues related to economics, insecticides provide only temporary suppression of aphid populations. Biological control shows promise, but is still unpredictable. Research is needed to explore the possibility of soybean genetics as a long-term means to control soybean aphids.
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The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines was first observed in Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season. Since its introduction many commercial soybean fields have exhibited high Read more…
The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines was first observed in Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season. Since its introduction many commercial soybean fields have exhibited high levels of aphid activity and yield losses have been widely reported from aphid feeding damage. Field observations of heavy soybean aphid infestations have suggested a potential link between potassium deficiency in soybeans and high aphid numbers. Areas showing symptoms consistent with potassium deficiency were also associated with high levels of soybean aphid infestation. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of potassium availability on plant selection by soybean aphids, and to quantify the resulting impact on soybean yields.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Environmental Management Systems, or EMSs have been widely used in industry with the stated goal of continual improvement of environmental performance. Together with a diverse Read more…
Environmental Management Systems, or EMSs have been widely used in industry with the stated goal of continual improvement of environmental performance. Together with a diverse group of agricultural, environmental, education and regulatory stakeholders, our office is developing comprehensive environmental management systems for Wisconsin farms. The principles are equally applicable to agri-chemical dealers and applicators, although many of the specifics are unique. Management systems can also include business priorities like product quality, employee heath and safety and marketing.
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When most people first consider writing an EMS (Environmental Management System), the task can seem to be intimidating. The question then becomes what’s in it Read more…
When most people first consider writing an EMS (Environmental Management System), the task can seem to be intimidating. The question then becomes what’s in it for me? This presentation focuses on the idea that many of the things you are doing now can be directly applied to the EMS- in a sense you’ve already gathered the information necessary to write one!
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If one were to pose the question: “Is Wisconsin agriculture vulnerable to terrorism?” what do you think the response would be? Before we answer that Read more…
If one were to pose the question: “Is Wisconsin agriculture vulnerable to terrorism?” what do you think the response would be? Before we answer that question, it is necessary to define terrorism. These definitions are taken from Rocco Casagrande, Ph.D., Director, Homeland Security Program, Abt Associates.
- Agriculture Terrorism – spreading biological or chemical agents amongst crops or livestock to cause economic harm.
- Food Supply terrorism – tainting food products with chemical or biological agents that can cause human illness to lead to human casualties or economic harm.
In fact, terrorism can be caused by evoking a high level of fear in the general public that the event has happened, when in fact it may not have. (“We’ve poisoned the milk.”)
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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When I first started consulting with some of the fertilizer dealerships in my area, they hired me to make them different from the dealership down Read more…
When I first started consulting with some of the fertilizer dealerships in my area, they hired me to make them different from the dealership down the road. The best way to do this was to become a local expert on scientifically based best management practices for growing corn and soybeans in my territory. This included knowing how best to manage nutrients to grow productive and profitable crops. University and soil test laboratory recommendations provided a good starting point. However, these data were also available to the dealership down the road. To be different, I needed local data to help me understand if and how university and laboratory recommendations needed to be adjusted to fit local conditions. The best way to begin to identify best local management practices was to create a database of the management practices used by farmers in my area.
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Act now for ESA!
2004It is imperative that the federal government receives significant numbers of comments from those in agriculture and pest management supporting its forthcoming Endangered Species Act Read more…
It is imperative that the federal government receives significant numbers of comments from those in agriculture and pest management supporting its forthcoming Endangered Species Act rulemaking. Notice will likely appear in the Federal Register in early 2004. During an earlier comment period when EPA solicited public input about certain aspects of an ESA-compliant process, anti-pesticide activists submitted more than 4,500 comments against EPA’s plan, while pesticide users and stakeholders submitted 115 supportive comments. Let your association know that you would like to comment in support of the forthcoming rulemaking. They’ll have all the tools you’ll need, including a Web site feature and model language. Your input is essential to ensuring a science-based process that protects endangered species with minimum disruption to agricultural production and pest management. Go to www.croplifeamerica.org for more information about how you can comment in support of this rulemaking.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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As demands for more controlled manure management heighten, policy makers seek indicators to assess the environmental impacts of livestock production and to subsequently direct manure Read more…
As demands for more controlled manure management heighten, policy makers seek indicators to assess the environmental impacts of livestock production and to subsequently direct manure management policy. Farm size indicators, based on number of animals per farm, are currently used to target federal manure management policy (USDA-USEPA, 1999). In this way, federal policy is directed toward the nations’ largest livestock facilities. However, as it is becoming increasingly evident that all farms, regardless of size, have an important role to play in protecting the environment from nutrient pollution, state and local policy makers have begun to cast the nutrient management policy net more broadly.
In October of 2002, the Wisconsin state legislature passed a set of eight administrative rules and performance standards directed at the control and prevention of polluted runoff (WDNR, 2003). Agricultural-related pollution abatement efforts are directed toward controlling nutrient losses through the implementation of nutrient management plans on all Wisconsin farms by the year 2008. Nutrient management plans will only be mandatory, however, if the state provides at least 70% of the cost of pollution abatement technologies (e.g., buffer strips, manure storage, development of nutrient management plans), with cost-sharing monies initially directed toward designated water quality impairment zones.
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Nutrient cycling on Wisconsin dairy farms: Preliminary results from the On Farmers Ground project
2004No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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RUSLE2 is the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation Model that is used to predict Rill and Inter-rill erosion, sometimes called Sheet and Rill erosion. This Read more…
RUSLE2 is the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation Model that is used to predict Rill and Inter-rill erosion, sometimes called Sheet and Rill erosion. This model is being used by the Natural Resources Conservation Service for all conservation planning including, Conservation Compliance Planning. RUSLE2 was developed by the Agricultural Research Service, with NRCS assisting in much of the database work.
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Phosphorus (P) based nutrient management is a central concept in national nutrient management policy (NRCS, 1999), and several options for developing nutrient management plans using Read more…
Phosphorus (P) based nutrient management is a central concept in national nutrient management policy (NRCS, 1999), and several options for developing nutrient management plans using a P strategy are included in the 2002 Wisconsin nutrient management standard (590) (NRCS, 2002). A phosphorus (P) index approach is one of the options (along with soil test P categories) for implementing a P-based nutrient management strategy. The P index considers site-specific P source and transport factors to predict the risk of P loss in runoff from individual fields. Ideally, it can be used to rank or prioritize fields based on their risk of P loss and to identify management options for reducing P loss. Initially, a draft P index was developed for Wisconsin (Murphy, 2000; Bundy, 2001) following the general concepts proposed by Lemunyon and Gilbert (1993) and modified by Gburek et al. (2000). This method assigned index values to specific site characteristics and management practices to arrive at an overall P index value for a production unit. While conceptually sound, this approach lacked the flexibility to include all of the parameters known to influence P losses in runoff. A modeling approach, similar to that used in the Iowa P index (NRCS, 2001; Mallarino et al., 2001) was adopted as a more comprehensive and quantitative method for assessing the risk of P losses in runoff. The current version of the Wisconsin P index, developed largely through the efforts of Dr. Wesley Jarrell, can be viewed at the following web site (http://wpindex.soils.wisc.edu).
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The new CNMP program of the NRCS requires simultaneous integration of five components: A conservation plan (RUSLE2); A nutrient management plan (NRCS 590 – P Read more…
The new CNMP program of the NRCS requires simultaneous integration of five components:
- A conservation plan (RUSLE2);
- A nutrient management plan (NRCS 590 – P based);
- A record keeping program (CNMP);
- A manure/wastewater manager (CNMP);
- A feed management program (CNMP).
Most of these components are prepared tediously, by hand, often independently of each other. We have linked software programs that deal with conservation planning, nutrient management, record keeping, and manure management into a single software tool called SNAP-Plus, which has a simple user interface and output forms. The outputs of this tool can then be combined into a CNMP. The SNAP-Plus software is based on a widely accepted and easy to use nutrient management tool, SNAP2000; to which we have added the new Wisconsin P Index (PI); a P and K balancer; and the soil erosion estimator RUSLE2. It will require much less time than current nutrient management planning approaches; it will be internally consistent (i.e., rates and forms of fertilizer/manure, crop rotation, etc. will be consistent across all sub models); and electronic input and output of data will be instantaneous, clear, and consistent. This software implements a comprehensive approach to managing manure and nutrients in accordance with the new Wisconsin NRCS 590 Standard by including the PI and RUSLE2. It also facilitates field and farm level “what if” experimentation by providing field-by-field and whole farm views with immediate feedback for management decisionmaking.
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The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is responsible for promulgating nutrient management rules in Wisconsin per 92.05 (3) (k). Wis. Stats. These Read more…
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is responsible for promulgating nutrient management rules in Wisconsin per 92.05 (3) (k). Wis. Stats. These rules include development and dissemination of agricultural technical standards within the state to abate non-point source water pollution. Wisconsin is transitioning from the nitrogen-based nutrient management technical standard, to the revised phosphorus (P)-based USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Technical Standard 590, Nutrient Management. The P-based 590 standard is required for Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), federal Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), and the Dept. of Natural Resource’s (DNR) nutrient management performance standard. According to ATCP 50 Wis. Admin. Code, after 2005, when DATCP incorporates the P-based nutrient management standard into ATCP 50 (~2006), a farmer “shall” have a nutrient management plan for mechanically applied nutrients if at least 70% cost sharing is offered by local conservation agencies. A qualified planner shall approve the farmer’s nutrient management plan; have soil tests from a DATCP certified soil testing laboratory; comply with University of Wisconsin nutrient recommendations; and maintain tolerable soil loss levels for each field. DATCP estimates that 9 million acres of cropland will require P-based nutrient management plans at a cost of $28 per acre or $252,000,000 beginning in 2004. If Wisconsin implements nutrient management in 15 years, the annual cost will be $16,800,000 each year to meet the cost share requirement.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The pathogens and insect pests of soybean have steadily changed in the past 30 years. Many pathogens are first detected in the southern USA and Read more…
The pathogens and insect pests of soybean have steadily changed in the past 30 years. Many pathogens are first detected in the southern USA and steadily make their way north. Soybean cyst nematode and the bean leaf beetle/Bean pod mottle virus complex are classic examples of this south to north migration of pathogens and pests. Sudden death syndrome (SDS) and stem canker are diseases that have been active to the south of Wisconsin, but appear to have become established in Wisconsin. Symptoms of both diseases were observed in 2003 and causal pathogens were isolated confirming the diagnosis based on symptoms. The following text is a general review of both diseases.
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Issues related to herbicide-resistant weeds are not new to Wisconsin, considering triazineresistant lambsquarters date back to the 1970s. Through this time, Wisconsin growers have frequently Read more…
Issues related to herbicide-resistant weeds are not new to Wisconsin, considering triazineresistant lambsquarters date back to the 1970s. Through this time, Wisconsin growers have frequently adapted to the problems created by the resistant weeds by switching to herbicides with different modes of action. These growers have continued to successfully manage weeds once the problem was identified and herbicide-resistant weeds have not led to the failure of farming.
Now, there is new discussion about the risk of glyphosate resistance. It is logical to determine the degree of this risk and whether management practices should be used to delay resistance or to manage the problem when it occurs. Because this issue may affect many sectors of Wisconsin’s agriculture, University of Wisconsin Extension decided to host a focus group to determine the level of concern about resistance among these sectors and determine what additional information may be needed by our agricultural industry. This focus group meeting was called the Glyphosate Resistance Roundtable. Two representatives from each of the following sectors were invited to the Roundtable: dairy producers, corn growers, soybean growers, vegetable growers, independent consultants, pesticide dealers, extension agents, and university weed scientists.
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Herbicide-resistant weed species have become an increasing problem in many cropping systems, due in large part to the widespread reliance on herbicides as a primary Read more…
Herbicide-resistant weed species have become an increasing problem in many cropping systems, due in large part to the widespread reliance on herbicides as a primary method of weed management. Herbicide resistance has been defined as the inherited ability of a plant to survive and reproduce following exposure to a herbicide dose normally lethal to the wild type (Weed Science Society of America 1998). Weed resistance to herbicides has been confirmed in 156 species (94 dicots and 62 monocots) worldwide, most commonly to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors, triazines, or acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors (Heap 2003). Resistance to herbicides has been selected for in several weed species found in Wisconsin, including resistance to ALS inhibitors in eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum) (Volenberg et al. 2000), giant foxtail (Setaria faberi) (Volenberg et al. 2001), and green foxtail (Setaria viridis) (Volenberg et al. 2002), resistance to ACCase inhibitors in giant foxtail (Stoltenberg and Wiederholt 1995) and large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) (Wiederholt and Stoltenberg 1995), and resistance to triazine herbicides in several broadleaf weed species (Stoltenberg 1995).
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Planting resistant varieties is the most effective and economical means to maintain soybean yields in fields infested with the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines. Read more…
Planting resistant varieties is the most effective and economical means to maintain soybean yields in fields infested with the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines. Eggs of SCN hatch in response to root exudates from resistant varieties and the infective juveniles enter the roots of resistant plants as readily as they enter susceptible ones. Host defense responses are activated after nematodes infect roots; nematodes in resistant plants are not able to feed and most eventually starve to death.
Soybean varieties resistant to SCN have been developed using different original sources of resistance. To date, seven plant introductions (P.I.) have been used in breeding programs to develop commercial soybean varieties resistant to SCN. Most of the commercial resistant varieties grown in Wisconsin derive resistance from P.I. 88788. Each of the plant introductions used in breeding programs owe their resistance to different genes or combina tions of genes. Just like soybean plants, SCN are all different and the qualities that make a plant resistant are not equally effective for every nematode that comprise the population of a soybean field.
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Since its discovery in the United States in the upper Midwest in 2000, the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumara) has spread to over 20 states. Read more…
Since its discovery in the United States in the upper Midwest in 2000, the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumara) has spread to over 20 states. The soybean aphid overwinters on buckthorn and after spring movement to its primary host, soybean, it reproduces rapidly and reaches peak populations in late July. At this time direct feeding damage to soybean is widespread with early senescence and reduced pod set, seed quality and yield reported throughout the Midwest. As populations peak in soybean, winged forms are produced in huge numbers which migrate to new crops seeking new host plants and/or overwintering sites. This mass migration of winged aphids from over 20 million acres of infested soybean in the Midwest – Voegtlin and Onstad (2003) estimated that over 400 million soybean aphids emigrated from a single 80 acre field in a single day – represent a significant threat to other crops grown in the region.
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Wisconsin is the leading producer of succulent beans in the United States with 79,800 acres in production creating a fresh market and processing industry valued Read more…
Wisconsin is the leading producer of succulent beans in the United States with 79,800 acres in production creating a fresh market and processing industry valued at 36 million dollars/year (Wisconsin Ag Statistics, 2003). Virus problems in the Midwest continue to seriously affect the financial viability of this industry. A virus complex involving cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and perhaps others first appeared in 2000 in production fields in eastern and south-central Wisconsin causing significant losses. In 2001 losses were less but the presence of virus symptoms was noted in these same growing areas. Losses in 2002 were minimal and appeared to relate to reduced populations and delayed appearance of the soybean aphid. During the 2003 growing season, losses were widespread in Wisconsin and in southern Minnesota, western and southeastern Michigan, and parts of New York State.
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Virus problems are not new to vegetable production. When you read through the literature, you will find references to many economically important virus incited diseases. Read more…
Virus problems are not new to vegetable production. When you read through the literature, you will find references to many economically important virus incited diseases. Often these viruses are yield and quality limiting and in some instances they threaten the sustained production of certain vegetables in areas where losses to specific viruses pose yearly threats to the local growers. In the Midwest, we observe some virus-infected plants every year in fields of peas, snap beans, potatoes, cucurbits, peppers, and tomatoes. The virus incited problems we face are usually aphidborne and in most cases, the spread we observe is quite localized. Up to a few short years ago, losses were generally relegated to a few plants on the field margins where infective aphids moved in from field margins where they fed briefly on weed hosts of the virus, moved to production fields where they probed a few plants and then either continued to feed and multiply or simply moved on in search of more appealing plants.
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During the 2000 and 2001 growing season, the development and presence of virus symptoms in snap bean increased dramatically. The symptoms were primarily caused by Read more…
During the 2000 and 2001 growing season, the development and presence of virus symptoms in snap bean increased dramatically. The symptoms were primarily caused by cucumber mosaic virus and alfalfa mosaic virus. The viruses had large economic impacts by reducing yields 90% or more and causing off colored, deformed and generally poor quality beans. These viruses have been present in various weeds and crops within WI for a number of years, but were seldom seen within snap bean and never to the extent seen in 2000 or 2001. The recent invasion and establishment of the soybean aphid in the Midwestern and Eastern U.S. has been directly linked to the increased incidence of the viruses in snap bean. The midsummer migration of the soybean aphid into snap bean vectored viruses at high levels and subsequently led to the unprecedented yield and quality losses.
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In the Midwestern United States, snap beans are grown primarily for processing with production areas in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. Wisconsin ranks first nationally Read more…
In the Midwestern United States, snap beans are grown primarily for processing with production areas in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan. Wisconsin ranks first nationally with 35% of national production on over 80,000 acres valued at $36 million annually.
The most damaging insect pests are those that attack the pods and result in either damage or contamination of the processed product. The European corn borer (ECB) and to a lesser extent the corn earworm (CEW) are the major pod feeding pests with damage primarily from 2nd generation ECB and late flights of CEW in August/September. Damage from both species occurs from flowering to harvest, creating a treatment window of 30-7 days before harvest. Pods are protected during this window with a 2-4 spray program when crop maturity coincides with moth flights. A typical spray program in Wisconsin includes a pyrethroid (Capture, Warrior or Mustang) frequently used in rotation with an organophosphate (Orthene).
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Mesotrione (Callisto, Camix, and Lumax), foramsulfuron (Option), and dicamba + diflufenzopyr (Distinct) are active ingredients that are being evaluated for potential registration on sweet corn. Read more…
Mesotrione (Callisto, Camix, and Lumax), foramsulfuron (Option), and dicamba + diflufenzopyr (Distinct) are active ingredients that are being evaluated for potential registration on sweet corn. Camix and Lumax would provide new preemergence broadleaf weed control options in sweet corn. Callisto and Distinct would be alternatives to other postemergence broadleaf herbicides. Option would provide a similar spectrum of postemergence grass weed control as Accent. Crop injury is a concern with any new herbicide and this includes sweet corn. In addition, sweet corn hybrids have shown differential tolerance to certain herbicides. Consequently, we evaluated sweet corn tolerance to these three herbicides with two or more hybrids. A summary of the treatments, differential hybrid injury, and yields are provided on the following pages.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Phosphorus (P) is a macronutrient that is often limiting for crop production, especially in nonindustrialized nations. The purpose of this study is to map QTL Read more…
Phosphorus (P) is a macronutrient that is often limiting for crop production, especially in nonindustrialized nations. The purpose of this study is to map QTL (quantitative trait loci) controlling P efficiency in the field. In this talk the phentoypic analysis of the population will be presented. An F2:3 population of 150 lines from the cross NY821xH99 was grown in split plot design with high P and low P as the main plots. The experiment was grown in 2001, 2002 and 2003 in Marshfield, WI. Seedling weight, aerial biomass at harvest, total P accumulation, flowering time, and root lodging were measured on all plots. Descriptive data and trait correlations will be presented. A molecular marker study is in progress.
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Recent estimates put the number of acres planted with glyphosate resistant soybeans at approximately 80% of total US acres. Manganese is recognized as the most Read more…
Recent estimates put the number of acres planted with glyphosate resistant soybeans at approximately 80% of total US acres. Manganese is recognized as the most important micronutrient for effective growing and yield maximization in the soybean crop. There are various field growing conditions that can inhibit the availability of manganese in our cropping systems. Recent research done at Purdue University indicates that the incorporation of the glyphosate resistant gene in the soybean plant predisposes the plant to micronutrient deficiencies (Dodds et al.) This same research also indicates that a glyphosate application exacerbates the deficiency symptoms and can have a negative impact on yields.
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The new Soil and Plant Analysis Lab under-construction at the UW West Madison Agricultural Research Station is well on its way to completion. The new Read more…
The new Soil and Plant Analysis Lab under-construction at the UW West Madison Agricultural Research Station is well on its way to completion. The new laboratory at 8452 Mineral Point Road (west of Junction Road and County M, near Menards) will be ready for occupancy by mid-February, 2004.
The new facility will be able to efficiently accommodate all current testing services and provide room for implementing new services. The Madison laboratory will now be able to focus on continued growth in specialty/customized analysis for private business, UW System researchers and other educational researchers while maintaining a continued noticeable presence in agricultural diagnostic services. Certifications necessary for clients to meet state and federal agency project requirements can now be obtained. Find out about all the service options in the Madison Lab newsletter, ‘The Spectrum’ currently published 4-6 times per year and available on request via http://uwlab.soils.wisc.edu/.
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There is a multitude of good research that has been conducted on starter fertilizer source and placement. Some data swings toward the value of starter Read more…
There is a multitude of good research that has been conducted on starter fertilizer source and placement. Some data swings toward the value of starter fertilizer, other data finds no significant value. To correctly examine the true benefits of starter fertilizer, a fair amount of importance should be placed on the type of soil that crop is being planted into and the date of planting. This would afford someone the ability to a more accurately assist with conclusions as to the value of starter fertilizer. There are many producers who will concur that at least some starter fertilizer is valuable when planting under cool early season conditions, however, as producers have increased their acreage and increased the size of their equipment in an effort to cover more acres per day, they have often done so at the expense of starter fertilizer attachments (partly due to reducing the cost of that equipment and partly due to reducing the time needed to get planter rolling in the field).
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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While somewhat of a minor crop in Wisconsin, many farmers look to wheat for achieving the economic and pest management benefits associated with more diversified Read more…
While somewhat of a minor crop in Wisconsin, many farmers look to wheat for achieving the economic and pest management benefits associated with more diversified grain crop rotations. For winter wheat to be an economic competitor in Wisconsin crop rotations, farmers must be able to raise high yielding, high quality wheat year after year. Progress has been made toward this goal with improved varieties that are more winter hardy, have better stand-ability and are more disease resistant. In addition, wheat growers have become more knowledgeable with respect to optimal planting dates, seeding rates, depth of planting and use of fungicides. Farmers applying top management in south-central Wisconsin often achieve soft red winter wheat yields of from 75 to 100 bushels per-acre.
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The production of pulp and paper is a major industry in Wisconsin with many mills located along the Wisconsin River valley in north central Wisconsin. Read more…
The production of pulp and paper is a major industry in Wisconsin with many mills located along the Wisconsin River valley in north central Wisconsin. One of the leaders in this industry is Stora Enso North America (formerly Consolidated Papers, Inc.) with their state headquarters in Wisconsin Rapids. As a consequence of producing a variety of finished paper products, a significant amount of byproduct material is generated. Prior to the mid-1980’s most of this byproduct material was land-filled. Consolidated Papers Inc., began a research program in the 1970’s to look at various land spreading options, largely focusing on the sandy textured soils which are predominant in the area. The development of a land spreading program has the dual benefit of reducing the need for costly landfill space and recycle valuable nutrients and organic matter into local agricultural fields. This will have a positive economic and environmental impact on the industry, their clients and the community.
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As early as the late 1800s, scientists recognized differences in crop responses to added lime. Since that time, numerous researchers have substantiated and expanded these Read more…
As early as the late 1800s, scientists recognized differences in crop responses to added lime. Since that time, numerous researchers have substantiated and expanded these findings, by suggesting that both corn and soybean are more acid tolerant than alfalfa. For example, in 1964 Doll in Michigan recommended pH ranges for corn to be 5.5 to 7.5, soybean 6.0 to 7.0, and alfalfa 6.3 to 7.8. When Woodruff (1972) reviewed the Midwestern literature published prior tot he early 1970s, he noted that corn generally did not respond to lime unless the pH was 5.0 or less. Furthermore, Woodruff stated that where lime responses were seen, there did not appear to be a benefit from higher rates of application. This early work did not specifically review any soybean experiments; however, it is clear that like those for corn, responses are soil type and location specific.
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Increasing concerns about the environmental impacts of herbicides, the development of herbicide-resistant weeds, and the need to carefully weigh costs and benefits have led to Read more…
Increasing concerns about the environmental impacts of herbicides, the development of herbicide-resistant weeds, and the need to carefully weigh costs and benefits have led to greater interest in developing rational, economical, and sustainable approaches to weed management (O’Donovan 1996). In addition, greater emphasis on post-emergence applied herbicides such as glyphosate has allowed for more flexibility in herbicide application timing, but more information is often required to effectively time applications to maximize efficacy (Boerboom, 2002; Kropff and Walter, 2000). A continuum of approaches exists for making weed management decisions, ranging from informed but subjective assessments made by farmers to recommendations produced by computerized decision-support tools, such as WeedSOFT (Mortensen et al., 1999). An optimal weed management approach will not simply maximize weed control but will also maximize economic gains while minimizing environmental risks. Since several outcomes must be considered simultaneously, and because interactions among numerous variables contribute to each outcome, the task of deciding upon an optimal weed management approach is complex and thus the role of comprehensive decision support tools has become more important. Furthermore, previous research has indicated that recommendations generated by decision support tools are often superior to subjective assessments in reducing weed populations and maximizing gross income (Wilkerson et al., 1991).
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Winter wheat production in Wisconsin either for seed or for grain requires careful management in order to be profitable. Seed, soil and air borne diseases Read more…
Winter wheat production in Wisconsin either for seed or for grain requires careful management in order to be profitable. Seed, soil and air borne diseases of wheat can cause significant yield reductions if not managed properly. Weather conditions, quality of seed, cultural practices, and levels of disease inoculum all affect the levels of disease pressure in any given year. Wisconsin climate and soil types make wheat very prone to many seedling root , foliar, and head diseases. In addition, many winter wheat varieties lack significant resistance to common diseases.
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While quackgrass is probably less of a problem on most Wisconsin farms today than in the past, it is still a weed of concern. Excellent Read more…
While quackgrass is probably less of a problem on most Wisconsin farms today than in the past, it is still a weed of concern. Excellent older herbicides (atrazine and glyphosate) and newer ones (ACCase inhibitors for use in soybeans and alfalfa and sulfonylureas for use in corn) have certainly contributed to reducing quackgrass abundance. While atrazine is no longer an effective quackgrass herbicide due to rate limitations, we have an array of options for quackgrass control in corn. And in recent years, corn breeders have used traditional and transgenic techniques to develop hybrids that tolerate new herbicides such as glufosinate and imidazilinones and the older one, glyphosate, which previously were not used postemergence in corn. An in-depth comparison of these new maize genetics technologies for quackgrass control is needed.
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There are two general strategies used in formulating weed management plans that can be characterized by sports analogy as either a “zone” or “man-to-man” defenses. Read more…
There are two general strategies used in formulating weed management plans that can be characterized by sports analogy as either a “zone” or “man-to-man” defenses. The zone defense is designed to handle many different types of offense and is robust to the hazard of getting tricked into a misallocation of resources. The primary factor responsible for the choice is not effectiveness of the strategy in general, for one cannot dispute the logic that if every “man” is covered, then scoring will be difficult or impossible. The primary impediments to tailoring solutions to particular problems are: (1) time and labor costs associated with determining appropriate solutions, i.e. the solutions are too complex, and (2) uncertainties about the current state or process, e.g. we may not know which weed species are present, whether we have resistant genotypes, or when a species is vulnerable to control tactics.
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DATCP’s annual fall European corn borer survey measures the average number of corn borer larvae per plant in grain corn fields throughout Wisconsin. Survey results Read more…
DATCP’s annual fall European corn borer survey measures the average number of corn borer larvae per plant in grain corn fields throughout Wisconsin. Survey results are used to estimate the density of the fall corn borer population and forecast the potential magnitude of the first flight of moths the following spring. Establishing where heavy corn borer infestations occur in fall indicates where excessive populations may lead to economic loss next summer.
The corn borers present during the fall survey will pass the winter as full-grown (5th instar) larvae in corn residue, pupate once temperatures exceed 50°F next spring, then emerge as adults in late May of 2004. The reproductive potential for emerging female corn borer moths is high. When conditions are favorable, each female can lay in excess of 400 eggs; thus, a sizeable fall population may develop into an economic threat in the following growing season.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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If use properly, the Internet can provide you with an incredible amount of useful pest management information quickly and cheaply. Unfortunately it can also provide Read more…
If use properly, the Internet can provide you with an incredible amount of useful pest management information quickly and cheaply. Unfortunately it can also provide you with an equal amount of, shall we say, less than useful information? The key to sorting out the good information from the less than useful information is being able to navigate within the web. At last year’s conference, Bryan Jensen gave tips on navigating around the web and provided a number of accessible websites that have useful, up to date, crop product information. This year, I will demonstrate two websites that provide current pesticide labels and product registration information.
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Every summer, a small percentage of Wisconsin’s soybean fields have injury, which is generically described as “leaf puckering”. Although the severity of the injury may Read more…
Every summer, a small percentage of Wisconsin’s soybean fields have injury, which is generically described as “leaf puckering”. Although the severity of the injury may not be great, the injury generates a lot of concern for the soybean grower. The grower may be concerned that the injury will result in yield loss and/or be concerned over who was responsible for causing the injury. Leaf puckering may be caused by growth regulator herbicides such as dicamba, which is an ingredient in Banvel, Clarity, and several other corn herbicides. These herbicides mimic the plant’s natural hormones and distort new leaf growth. Dicamba is applied to nearly 1 million acres of corn in Wisconsin each year (232,000 lb applied to 0.95 million acres in 2002) (NASS 2003). As a consequence, the potential for dicamba drift or tank contamination is real. However, there have been several other suggested theories for these puckered soybeans.
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In Michigan the presidedress nitrate test (PSNT) (Magdoff et al., 1984) is used to adjust nitrogen (N) recommendations for corn and sometimes sugar beet. Many growers Read more…
In Michigan the presidedress nitrate test (PSNT) (Magdoff et al., 1984) is used to adjust nitrogen (N) recommendations for corn and sometimes sugar beet. Many growers do not use the PSNT because the presidedress soil sampling time does not conveniently fit into their operation. Preplant nitrate tests do not provide a good estimate of plant available N because of the relatively wet weather conditions during Michigan springs. Another drawback to the PSNT is that it tends to recommend N on soils which have manure histories and are non-responsive to N fertilization.
UW-Madison, Soil ScienceMichigan Prospects for Using the Illinois N Soil Testnutrient management -
Working ethically is not a frequent conversation around lunch tables or even in board meetings. However, how we work is often times more important than Read more…
Working ethically is not a frequent conversation around lunch tables or even in board meetings. However, how we work is often times more important than what we work. How we work permeates our activities and can have a lasting affect on our customers, coworkers, employers, and stockholders. On the negative side, this can be easily seen in such highly publicized examples as Enron or WorldCom. But, is also demonstrate in our everyday activities in how we deal with customer complaints, promote our products, or interact with our coworkers.
It might be said that farmers, on the whole, are a skeptical lot, with a little bit of “Missourian” in all of them. Whether weighing the advantages of new ideas or products, farmers usually have to prove it to themselves, or be proven to, before adopting change. As for myself growing up on a farm, my parents’ words of “tried and true”, will forever ring in my subconscious!
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
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CNMP, NMP, and PMP
2003No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
(Too many initials, too little information) -
No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Phosphorus (P) based nutrient management is a central concept in national nutrient management policy (NRCS, 1999), and several options for developing nutrient management plans using Read more…
Phosphorus (P) based nutrient management is a central concept in national nutrient management policy (NRCS, 1999), and several options for developing nutrient management plans using a P strategy are included in the 2002 Wisconsin nutrient management standard (590) (NRCS, 2002). A phosphorus (P) index approach is one of the options (along with soil test P categories) for implementing a P-based nutrient management strategy. The P index considers site-specific P source and transport factors to predict the risk of P loss in runoff from individual fields. Ideally, it can be used to rank or prioritize fields based on their risk of P loss and to identify management options for reducing P loss. Initially, a draft P index was developed for Wisconsin (Murphy, 2000; Bundy, 2001) following the general concepts proposed by Lemunyon and Gilbert (1993) and modified by Gburek et al. (2000). This method assigned index values to specific site characteristics and management practices to arrive at an overall P index value for a production unit. While conceptually sound, this approach lacked the flexibility to include all of the parameters known to influence P losses in runoff. A modeling approach, similar to that used in the Iowa P index (NRCS, 2001; Mallarino et al., 2001) was adopted as a more comprehensive and quantitative method for assessing the risk of P losses in runoff. The current version of the Wisconsin P index, developed largely through the efforts of Dr. Wesley Jarrell, can be viewed at the following web site (http://wpindex.soils.wisc.edu).
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Governor McCallum signed an agreement with USDA Secretary Veneman for CREP in October 2001 and an agreement amendment in December 2002. The Wisconsin Department of Read more…
Governor McCallum signed an agreement with USDA Secretary Veneman for CREP in October 2001 and an agreement amendment in December 2002. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is implementing the state’s portion of the program with the assistance of DNR. The state’s portion of the program is being implemented locally by county land conservation committees and their staffs. The USDA Farm Service Agency implements the USDA portion of the program with the assistance of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) has approved a new pilot insurance plan, Nutrient BMP Endorsement. The new insurance will be Read more…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) has approved a new pilot insurance plan, Nutrient BMP Endorsement. The new insurance will be available to eligible farmers in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania for the 2003 season. The Nutrient BMP Endorsement is an optional endorsement to a farmer’s Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) or Crop Revenue Coverage (CRC) crop insurance policies for corn.
Nutrient BMP Endorsement was created to give producers a risk management tool. Producers are required to follow their state’s extension service agronomic recommendations and best management practices (BMP) for nitrogen. Some producers maybe reluctant to adapt extension recommended applications rates because they believe these rates might not optimize their yield potential. In the event that lower nutrient application rates are recommended, this insurance could help manage the risk of a possible reduction in yield.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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To date, site -specific soil test data are commonly used to create variable rate nutrient application maps. Phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and lime are among Read more…
To date, site -specific soil test data are commonly used to create variable rate nutrient application maps. Phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and lime are among the inputs varied. Placing nutrients and liming materials more precisely within the field has brought value to site – specific soil test data. However, once a particular data set is replaced with more recent results, it is often perceived that the older set of data no longer has any value. To the contrary, historical soil test data have much to offer.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Perennial plants have always played crucial roles in protecting the environment – our soil, air, and water resources. Perennial forages provide these same services, and Read more…
Perennial plants have always played crucial roles in protecting the environment – our soil, air, and water resources. Perennial forages provide these same services, and do a better job than annual crop plants, especially in the short growing season of the northern USA and southern Canada. In doing so, perennial forages improve the sustainability of farming systems.
The American public is increasingly interested in how farming affects the environment. According to a Gallup Organization poll in 2001, over 80% are concerned about water and air pollution and the loss of wildlife habitat. Another poll in 1999 by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press showed that over 80% of the American public agreed with the statement: ‘There need to be stricter laws and regulations to protect the environment.’ Nearly 90% of Midwest respondents in a survey conducted by American Farmland Trust in 2001 said they would favor additional incentives for farms that put management practices in place to protect water quality, enhance wildlife habitat and protect ground water recharge systems.
Growing perennial forages, especially in strategically selected places on the landscape, can go a long way toward satisfying the public’s demand for responsible farming, and in keeping farmers in business. This paper conveys ways that perennial forages help protect the environment, focusing on prevention of nitrate losses and remediation of nitrate-contaminated sites.
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Application of manure during winter on frozen soil and/or snow is an issue of major concern to Wisconsin agriculture since soils are typically frozen and/or Read more…
Application of manure during winter on frozen soil and/or snow is an issue of major concern to Wisconsin agriculture since soils are typically frozen and/or snow-covered for 100 to 140 days each winter and only about 20% of Wisconsin livestock farmers have manure storage. Typically manure applications improve soil physical conditions and reduce runoff volume; however, the quality of runoff water from where winter applications have been made may be substantially impaired. Phosphorus loading of runoff water from winter-spread manure is influenced by several sitespecific factors, including application rate, slope gradient and length, time between manure application and first runoff event, fate of initial meltwater, position of manure in the snow pack, soil surface roughness and vegetative cover, and presence of buffer zones. Measurements of winterspread manurial P in runoff water range from negligible traces to 25%. High risk areas for winter applications appear to be steep, long slopes with smooth soil surfaces and significant amounts of residue present to keep the manure from interacting with the soil. Particularly vulnerable times of application include at the base of the snow pack or during active melt periods. Applications in areas where runoff concentrates should be avoided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Remote sensing has been available for decades but continues to become more available and useful to crop producers in managing their field. Remote sensing data Read more…
Remote sensing has been available for decades but continues to become more available and useful to crop producers in managing their field. Remote sensing data provides assessment of crop production fields during the growing season when some management decisions may be made to address the problem as it is occurring. Coupled with other field information, the remote sensing data may be used to identify the cause of the anomaly which may be problems such as soil moisture, weeds or fertility. Also it can increase the efficiency of crop scouting by locating anomalies in the production fields for focused ground evaluation.
Since 1997 remote sensing data have been collected on three production fields north of Madison, WI, while ground data were collected including yield monitor, plant population and plant height. Four fields have been added since the start of the study. Numerous anomalies were identified in the remote sensing data and related to ground data collected. As in the past, many anomalies were due to operator error and changes in management. In addition to the discussion of the field results, some background information on remote sensing will be provided.
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Roundup Ready crops have become very popular in the short time that this technology has existed. In particular, Roundup Ready soybeans accounted for 75% of Read more…
Roundup Ready crops have become very popular in the short time that this technology has existed. In particular, Roundup Ready soybeans accounted for 75% of U.S. soybean acres in 2002 and the percentage in Wisconsin is likely higher. Adoption of Roundup Ready corn has been slower because of several factors such as international marketing and the potential that the weed management system is not as simple as in soybeans. Because glyphosate (e.g., Roundup, Touchdown, etc.) lacks residual activity, it is logical to presume that a residual herbicide either applied at planting or tank mixed with the glyphosate may improve weed control in both Roundup Ready soybeans and corn. However, this residual herbicide would add cost for the product and possibly for an added application. Does the weed control and associated yield differ enough to justify this expense?
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) has been engaged in water resource protection issues related to three herbicides, isoxaflutole (BALANCE PRO Read more…
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) has been engaged in water resource protection issues related to three herbicides, isoxaflutole (BALANCE PRO Herbicide), alachlor (LASSO), and atrazine. Concerns include the potential for human health effects, environmental impacts, and deliterious effects on non-target agricultural crops due to groundwater and surface water contamination resulting from actual or proposed use of these herbicides. It is WDATCP’s responsibility to mitigate the risks of pesticide use while allowing beneficial uses if possible.
Wisconsin growers have used alachlor and atrazine for over 30 and 40 years respectively. Significant groundwater monitoring efforts conducted over the last 17 years provides a solid picture of alachlor and atrazine use related impacts from which WDATCP develops management strategies. BALANCE PRO Herbicide, on the other hand, is a relatively new herbicide product which WDATCP has not registered for use in Wisconsin though it is conditionally registered in 18 other states. WDATCP has relied primarily on data generated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support its registration decision regarding BALANCE PRO Herbicide. This paper will touch on recent developments which will or may affect the use of these three herbicides.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Soybean viruses have become more problematic in recent years due to increased prevalence of insect vectors. The appearance of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) in Read more…
Soybean viruses have become more problematic in recent years due to increased prevalence of insect vectors. The appearance of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) in 2000 and the increasing levels of bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata) have played important roles in increasing the range and severity of specific soybean viruses. Yield can be reduced, as well as diminished seed quality due to mottling and decreased vigor.
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West Nile Virus first appeared in the United States in 1999 in the New York City area, and has spread rapidly across the United States. Read more…
West Nile Virus first appeared in the United States in 1999 in the New York City area, and has spread rapidly across the United States. Last year saw the first confirmed deaths in Wisconsin from infections caused by West Nile Virus. West Nile virus is an arbovirus (arthropod-borne virus) transmitted to birds and mammals by the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus cycles in nature between birds and mosquitoes, but can infect humans and domestic animals. Horses are particularly sensitive to the virus.
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More information is needed concerning P and K placement for no-till soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. This study compared the early dry weight and grain Read more…
More information is needed concerning P and K placement for no-till soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. This study compared the early dry weight and grain yield responses of no-till soybean to broadcast, deep-band, and planter-band P and K fertilizer placements under Iowa soil and weather conditions. Long-term P and K trials were established in 1994 at five research centers and were evaluated for 4 years. Eleven short-term P-K trials were established in farmers’ fields from 1995 to 1997. Treatments were various P (0 to 56 kg P ha-1) and K (0 to 132 kg K ha-1) rates broadcast, banded with the planter 5 cm beside and below the seeds, and deep-banded at a 15- to 20-cm depth before planting. Early dry weight was measured in plants at the V5 growth stage. Mean soil-test P (STP) at the 0- to 15-cm depth ranged from very low to very high across sites and soil-test K (STK) ranged mostly from optimum to very high. Phosphorus fertilization increased yields only in soils that tested very low and low in STP, while K also increased yields in some soils that tested optimum or higher in STK. The two P banded placements methods were superior at one site and the broadcast was superior at the another site. Grain yields were increased by K fertilization at five sites, banded K at one site and broadcast K at another one. Responses to K fertilization and placement were poorly related to soil STK. Fertilization and placement seldom influenced soybean early dry weight.
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There continues to be considerable interest in P and K fertilizer placement among cash grain producers for several reasons. Growers have faced low commodity prices Read more…
There continues to be considerable interest in P and K fertilizer placement among cash grain producers for several reasons. Growers have faced low commodity prices for several years and are interested in certain placement methods that may enhance the efficiency of nutrient use and therefore reduce their input costs. This issue seems be more important in high residue management systems where broadcast, incorporated applications are not possible because there is the need to maintain surface crop residue for conservation purposes. Wisconsin research has shown response to banded P and K in conservation tillage systems. Moncrief (1981) demonstrated a beneficial response to row-placed fertilizer in no-till and ridge-till systems. Bundy and Widen, 1992 demonstrated the importance of using a complete row fertilizer. Recent research conducted by this author demonstrated a response to both fall- and spring-applied banded fertilizer in high residue systems, but not in a chisel system (Wolkowski, 2000). It seems likely that the soil and environmental condition of the seedbed under no-till increase the potential for response to localized P and K placement.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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An incubation study was conducted with 3 soils (I, II, and III with 12, 66, and 94 mg/kg Bray-1 P), 4 manure treatments (1 untreated; Read more…
An incubation study was conducted with 3 soils (I, II, and III with 12, 66, and 94 mg/kg Bray-1 P), 4 manure treatments (1 untreated; 3 chemically [alum – Al; FeCl3 – Fe, lime – Ca] treated) and 1 fertilizer (mono-calcium phosphate, MCP) treatment, at 2 rates (12.5 and 25 mg P/kg soil), and a control (no manure/fertilizer). Sub-samples were analyzed for water-soluble P (WSP) and Bray-1 P after each incubation period (1 d, 1 & 2 w, 1 and 3 months). Distribution of P among different fractions (soluble & exchangeable; Al-, Fe-, and Ca- bound; org-P; residual) was determined after 1 d reaction. WSP increased when soils received MCP and untreated or Catreated manure with the magnitude being proportional to the rate of P applied. WSP, however, decreased (compared to control) for soils II and III (high Bray-1 P) or increased slightly for soil I (low Bray-1 P) with application of Al or Fe-treated manure. WSP decreased sharply between 1 d and 1 or 2 w incubation and then remained relatively constant for up to 3 months. With respect to control, Bray-1 P increased for all treatment types and soils in proportion to the rate of P addition in the following order: MCP > Ca-treated > Al-treated ³ untreated > Fe-treated > control. Within each treatment, Bray-1 P decreased between 1 d and 1 or 2 w and then increased gradually for up to 3 months. Addition of Al or Fe treated manure decreases P solubility with the effect being more pronounced in soils with high background P. On the other hand, application of Ca-treated manure or MCP increases both WSP and bio-available P.
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Phosphorus (P) is removed from fields in runoff either as dissolved P or as a component of soil particles carried by runoff water. The focus Read more…
Phosphorus (P) is removed from fields in runoff either as dissolved P or as a component of soil particles carried by runoff water. The focus of our work concerns the potential for P to dissolve in water from dairy manure or poultry litter applied to soil. The objectives of our research were to quantify P released from manure-amended soils with different antecedent soil test P levels and to elucidate manure P chemical properties controlling P loss to runoff water. For this research, we used waterextractable P in raw manures and manure-amended soils with water as an indicator of the relative susceptibility of P in these materials in the field to dissolution and removal by runoff water.
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High phosphorus (P) concentrations in dairy manure have the potential to degrade surface water quality. Dairy feed rations include supplemental orthophosphate salts to increase the Read more…
High phosphorus (P) concentrations in dairy manure have the potential to degrade surface water quality. Dairy feed rations include supplemental orthophosphate salts to increase the P content of the feed to optimize the nutritional needs of dairy cows. Our research shows that excess supplemental P fed to dairy cows increases the amount of natural organic P from grains that pass through the rumen unused, and which ends up in the feces.
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Phosphorus (P) is an immobile macronutrient essential for plant growth. Phosphorus moves an average of ¼ inch in a growing season, making P-stress a concern Read more…
Phosphorus (P) is an immobile macronutrient essential for plant growth. Phosphorus moves an average of ¼ inch in a growing season, making P-stress a concern even in soils with adequate P content. In cold temperature P is less mobile than in warm weather, increasing P stress experienced by plants early in the growing season. Root architecture plays an important role in a plant’s ability to explore the soil and access P. Shallow roots allow the plant to explore the area of the soil where most P is found and fibrous roots allow the plant to explore a greater area of the soil. To better understand the genetics involved in root characteristics of importance in efficient P uptake, we are studying a population derived from NY821, a P-efficient corn inbred, and H99, a P-inefficient corn inbred. Performance in the field, phosphorus concentration in adult plants and seedling root architecture are being examined to evaluate the relationship between root architecture and P efficiency. This information will be integrated into a genetic map of the population in order to make a connection between the root characteristics and genetics of the plants. This research will help understand the genetic controls of root characteristics that are important for P efficiency and will provide breeders with information useful in creating P efficient corn plants.
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Phosphorus (P) released from plants after freezing at the end of the growing season may be a contributor to P in runoff from agricultural landscapes. Read more…
Phosphorus (P) released from plants after freezing at the end of the growing season may be a contributor to P in runoff from agricultural landscapes. We evaluated P release from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and mixed grass species [mainly quackgrass (Agropyron repens)] after freezing or drying in laboratory and field studies. Freezing released 18-30 % of the total P as dissolved reactive P (DRP) and 11-25 % of the total P as soluble P. Drying released more water soluble P than freezing with 30 and 74% of the total plant P released as DRP and total soluble P respectively. Freezing plants in the laboratory or infield treatment with the herbicide paraquat (1,1’-dimethyl-4, 4’-bipyridinium ion) greatly increased water-extractable P, with more P extracted from grasses than from alfalfa. Alfalfa grown on soils with excessive P soil test levels released more P after freezing than plants grown on soils with optimum P levels. A strong correlation (R2 = 0.97) was found between soluble P released by freezing and total P in alfalfa collected from fields with soil test P levels ranging from 35 to179 ppm. Runoff from paraquat-treated alfalfa or grass field plots subjected to simulated rainfall contained higher P concentrations than runoff from untreated plants. The effects of natural freezing of alfalfa on P losses in runoff were evaluated by collecting runoff from alfalfa and control plots during the October through May over winter period. Although laboratory and simulated rainfall experiments showed the potential for P losses after plant freezing, alfalfa treatments did not affect P or sediment loads in natural runoff in one year of measurement. Climatic conditions including the timing and extent of plant freezing and drying and of precipitation events after freezing likely influence the potential for P losses in natural runoff.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The unprecedented popularity of the use of the “roundup-ready” (RR) system for soybean production begs the question: is there any persuasive reason not to adopt Read more…
The unprecedented popularity of the use of the “roundup-ready” (RR) system for soybean production begs the question: is there any persuasive reason not to adopt this practice? If national trends are any indication, the answer appears to be: no, for now. Surveys conducted in 2000-1 (Chen et al., 2001) reported that farmers listed the three most important reasons for adopting the genetically modified organism (GMO) technology as: better weed control, reduced herbicide use, and reduced labor demand. Any one of these reasons might be compelling by itself, but the combination seems too good to be true. Currently the major criticisms of the RR system are: there is potentially weak market support due general consumer sentiment against GMO crops and further farmer dependence on Agrochemical behemoths is not the way to improve farming. While both of these criticisms are potentially valid, they are beyond the scope of what an agriculturalist can address. What we can address are the likely biological consequences of the RR system. The short story is that farmers like the technology and they feel that they can justify its use; what can researchers do to help use it in the best possible way?
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Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) was first found in the US in North Carolina in 1954 and now is considered the most serious soybean pest in Read more…
Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) was first found in the US in North Carolina in 1954 and now is considered the most serious soybean pest in the US. A microscopic roundworm, the nematode now occurs in all major soybean production areas including Wisconsin. It is believed that SCN was first discovered in southeastern counties of the state in the early 1980s. Since soybean acreage has increased dramatically since then, so has the spread of SCN. SCN causes no specific symptoms and its effects are often not dramatic. Many growers do not know they have a problem until a severe infestation develops. SCN is detrimental to soybean because it lowers yields by as much at 50% and compromises plant health by making the soybean more susceptible to other pathogens and moisture stress.
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In 2002 we concluded a three-year study of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, in commercial soybean fields in Wisconsin. We studied 20 fields Read more…
In 2002 we concluded a three-year study of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, in commercial soybean fields in Wisconsin. We studied 20 fields in 5 counties during at least one soybean crop plus one rotation crop. The fields were intensively sampled and each sampling location was georeferenced and data collected on multiple dates.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, is attacked by a variety of insect predators in Wisconsin soybean fields. This complex of beneficial insects appears to play Read more…
The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, is attacked by a variety of insect predators in
Wisconsin soybean fields. This complex of beneficial insects appears to play a key role in
regulating soybean aphid populations. In 2001 and 2002, soybean aphid densities have been
highly variable and unpredictable from one area to the next. Much of this variability may be
due to the relative strength of local populations of aphid predators. Surveys conducted in these
two years indicate that the dominant aphid predator in Wisconsin soybeans is Harmonia
axyridis, known commonly as the multicolored Asian lady beetle. Both larval and adult lady
beetles feed upon soybean aphids. Field cage experiments in 2001 and 2002 measured the
effect of H. axyridis predation on soybean aphid population size. In both years, as few as one
beetle larva per seven soybean plants significantly reduced soybean aphid numbers. The
presence of these beetles at or above this level should therefore be noted when scouting for
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Since the soybean aphid was first observed in Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season, observations of commercial soybean fields have suggested a potential link between Read more…
Since the soybean aphid was first observed in Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season,
observations of commercial soybean fields have suggested a potential link between potassium
deficiency in soybeans and soybean aphid infestations. Subsequent to this, the same phenomenon
was also noted in Illinois and Michigan.
The goal of this study is to examine the possibility of plant selection by aphids, rate of growth
of aphid populations on plants with adequate potassium availability compared to plants deficient in
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The soybean aphid continues to cause concern for producers. These trials were undertaken with the assistance of local producers in hopes to provide additional data Read more…
The soybean aphid continues to cause concern for producers. These trials were undertaken with the assistance of local producers in hopes to provide additional data on the control options for the soybean aphid. Studies conducted in Dodge County were conducted with field scale equipment while studies in Dane County were sprayed with a backpack sprayer but harvested with the producers combine. Yield monitors were used to determine grain yields at each location. While each location started out with the same project protocol, aphid response led to different spray times and responses, thus each location will be discussed separately.
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More information is needed concerning P and K placement for no-till soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. This study compared the early dry weight and grain Read more…
More information is needed concerning P and K placement for no-till soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. This study compared the early dry weight and grain yield responses of no-till soybean to broadcast, deep-band, and planter-band P and K fertilizer placements under Iowa soil and weather conditions. Long-term P and K trials were established in 1994 at five research centers and were evaluated for 4 years. Eleven short-term P-K trials were established in farmers’ fields from 1995 to 1997. Treatments were various P (0 to 56 kg P ha-1) and K (0 to 132 kg K ha-1) rates broadcast, banded with the planter 5 cm beside and below the seeds, and deep-banded at a 15- to 20-cm depth before planting. Early dry weight was measured in plants at the V5 growth stage. Mean soil-test P (STP) at the 0- to 15-cm depth ranged from very low to very high across sites and soil-test K (STK) ranged mostly from optimum to very high. Phosphorus fertilization increased yields only in soils that tested very low and low in STP, while K also increased yields in some soils that tested optimum or higher in STK. The two P banded placements methods were superior at one site and the broadcast was superior at the another site. Grain yields were increased by K fertilization at five sites, banded K at one site and broadcast K at another one. Responses to K fertilization and placement were poorly related to soil STK. Fertilization and placement seldom influenced soybean early dry weight.
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Dealership security is a critical component of our nation’s overall security initiative. It is clearly evident from the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building Read more…
Dealership security is a critical component of our nation’s overall security initiative. It is clearly evident from the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that agricultural products can be used for terrorist activities. This event put the agricultural industry in the spotlight and required an appropriate response. Retail dealerships are not immune to terrorist activities, including theft, although many are located in remote areas of the country. The agricultural industry is responding through the efforts of many organizations including CropLife America, The Fertilizer Institute, Agricultural Retailers Association, individual state associations, and federal and state agencies.
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In the past few years, law enforcement agencies in the Midwest have seen a sharp rise in the popularity of methamphetamine. This powerful synthetic drug Read more…
In the past few years, law enforcement agencies in the Midwest have seen a sharp rise in the popularity of methamphetamine. This powerful synthetic drug (also known as meth, crank, speed, ice, glass, and crystal meth) has spread from the western United States to the Midwest. In some parts of the country, methamphetamine has replaced cocaine as the drug of choice.
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Glyphosate is a nonselective foliar-applied herbicide that has been used for over 20 years for the management of annual, perennial, and biennial herbaceous species of Read more…
Glyphosate is a nonselective foliar-applied herbicide that has been used for over 20 years for the management of annual, perennial, and biennial herbaceous species of grasses, sedges, and broadleaf weeds, as well as woody brush and tree species (Bradshaw et al. 1997). Commercialization of engineered glyphosate resistance in several crop species has further expanded the in-crop use of the herbicide (Padgette et al. 1996). In addition to being highly effective on a broad spectrum of annual and perennial weed species common to many cropping systems, glyphosate has other favorable environmental characteristics such as strong sorption to soil and very low toxicity to mammals, birds, and fish (Padgette et al. 1996). These factors have contributed to glyphosate being the most widely used herbicide in the world (Powles et al. 1997).
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Prior to the discovery of the soybean aphid, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been researching the cause of several abnormal symptoms of unknown Read more…
Prior to the discovery of the soybean aphid, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been researching the cause of several abnormal symptoms of unknown cause common to soybean in Wisconsin. Major symptoms include changes in leaf and pod appearance that frequently are confused with symptoms caused by post-emergence herbicides. Plants with abnormal leaf phenotypes are commonly produce fewer pods, mottled seed, and have stems that remain green while other plants in the field mature normally. Seed from symptomatic plants may have mottled seed coats resulting from hilum pigments “bleeding” into the seed coat. Viruses were regarded as causes of mosaic or mottle leaves and mottled seed. The cause of “green stems” at harvest has remained unresolved.
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In 2002, the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) conducted a number of surveys for diseases fo agricultural corps. Two surveys of Read more…
In 2002, the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) conducted a number of surveys for diseases fo agricultural corps. Two surveys of potential particular significance (bean pod mottle virus and potato mop top virus) are reported here.
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This talk will summarize options available for legal use or disposal of crop protection rinsates typically generated at agri-chemical dealerships during seasonal spraying operations. Practices Read more…
This talk will summarize options available for legal use or disposal of crop protection rinsates typically generated at agri-chemical dealerships during seasonal spraying operations. Practices that should be avoided to prevent crop or environmental damage, cleanup costs or civil penalties will be touched on, but the primary focus will be on good management practices that minimize or eliminate chemical rinsate/sludge production. Agronomy managers from four agdealerships will identify practices they find useful in managing rinsate and sludge at their facilities. A short question and answer session will follow.
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Winter annual weeds are becoming more prevalent in states to our south. We are starting to see similar changes in the weed spectrum in Wisconsin. Read more…
Winter annual weeds are becoming more prevalent in states to our south. We are starting to see similar changes in the weed spectrum in Wisconsin. The adoption of reduced tillage systems, particularly no-till systems, is probably the primary cause of this weed species/life cycle shift. Others speculate that warmer than normal winters may contribute to the more frequent encounters of winter annuals. This is only a partial explanation as winter annuals normally survive even harsh winters very well. They produce long-chained polymers that drop the freezing point inside the cells to well below freezing (Hall, 1999). Late falls do extend the period of winter annual germination and development, and mild winters probably allow a higher percentage of very small plants to survive. Regardless of the reason, the phenomenon of finding winter annuals more frequently is real.
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Recent history has demonstrated that cash grain producers can take nothing for granted when it comes to counting on favorable weather. The variability in our Read more…
Recent history has demonstrated that cash grain producers can take nothing for granted when it comes to counting on favorable weather. The variability in our weather often makes us wonder, how is this possible? When Grandpa tells you “I remember back in ‘62, now that was a perfect year!” You may want to check his medication. So called “normal weather years” may indeed be something we have envisioned only in a dream (the best definition of a normal year may be to average the past 20 years together!). The harsh reality of working with Mother Nature is that she only allows us to think that we are in control. This past year was no exception. Weather extremes were not only state to state or county to county, but on a township to township level. With weather extremes comes crop stress in the form of poor seedling establishment and growth, inconsistent herbicide performance (and difficult application timing), pollenation concerns, drought anxiety, soil compaction, harvestability problems, etc. These elements are only further confounded by the presence of pests, whether it be weeds, diseases or insects. Recent warmer winters and hot, dry summers have only accelerated the onslaught of insect damage to our crops.
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The advent of glyphosate resistant crops has changed weed management practices in several cropping systems. Alfalfa, the “queen of forages” may also soon offer this Read more…
The advent of glyphosate resistant crops has changed weed management practices in several cropping systems. Alfalfa, the “queen of forages” may also soon offer this attribute to producers. The development of glyphosate resistant alfalfa is well underway. Forage Genetics International and Monsanto anticipate marketing Roundup Ready alfalfa varieties in 2004. This is the first transgenic perennial agronomic crop with the gene for glyphosate resistance, and the dynamics of this trait in alfalfa are somewhat different than for annual crops like soybeans or corn.
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It is common to observe an occasional barren corn plant or plant with poorly filled and small ears in any given field each year. However Read more…
It is common to observe an occasional barren corn plant or plant with poorly filled and small ears in any given field each year. However in recent years, we have observed a greater than normal incidence of barren plants in many corn fields in southern Wisconsin. Furthermore, many crop consultants and company agronomists also have reported a higher than expected incidence of barren plants in specific fields. Frequently a problematic field is adjacent to a field with a more normal level of barren or small ear plants. Plants with no ears or small and poorly filled ears are certainly not a new problem. However, the greater incidence has us concerned, but also the observation that the problem reoccurs in a specific field from year to year. Many causes of barren corn plants are reported. Commonly accepted causes are genetic mutations, born deficiency or climatic related stress factors during pollination. Although not totally discounted, the cases we have investigated do not seem to involve these generally accepted causes of barren corn plants.
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Coincident with the appearance of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, in Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season there was an precipitous increase in the appearance Read more…
Coincident with the appearance of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, in Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season there was an precipitous increase in the appearance of virus symptoms on snap beans in southern and eastern Wisconsin. In 2001, the area affected by the virus disease complex appeared to be expanding in Wisconsin and was reported in Michigan and New York. The economic losses caused by the virus aphid vector complex in these states are having a devastating affect on the snap bean industry. To begin to characterize this epidemic, we conducted a survey during the 2002 growing season in five major snap bean production areas in Wisconsin to determine the incidence, geographic distribution and, to some extend, the timing of appearance of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV). While other viruses are likely to be involved, we focused on these two because of preliminary data suggesting their involvement, their association with soybean aphids and their non-persistent manner of transmission indicating that aphid control procedures would have a minimal impact on virus transmission.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Snap bean production is an important part of the procession crop landscape in Wisconsin. Normally we don’t concern ourselves with virus-related problems. While the literature Read more…
Snap bean production is an important part of the procession crop landscape in Wisconsin.
Normally we don’t concern ourselves with virus-related problems. While the literature includes a
list of virus pathogens capable of infecting snap beans, we normally don’t see more than a few
symptomatic plants in any given year. Usually those plants with symptoms are located near the
field margins where aphids carrying viruses such as bean yellow mosaic virus are most likely to
land, feed and transmit the style -borne virus. All this changed in 2000 with the arrival of the
soybean aphid in such large numbers that suddenly processor field personnel were treating
commercial snap bean fields for aphid control, something they rarely if ever has to previously
confront. During the 2000 cropping season, Symptoms of virus infection were observed on
commercial fields of snap beans in southeastern and eastern WI. This widespread outbreak
affected the yield and pod quality of snap beans and ultimately led to the loss of several hundred
acres of production. Two viruses, alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and cucumber mosaic virus
(CMV), both aphid transmitted in a stylet-borne manner) were found to be the primary incitants
of the observed symptoms. The timing and distribution of the soybean aphid was associated with
virus outbreaks on snap beans. During 2001, these same viruses were again associated with
symptomatic snap bean plants. The majority of production fields with virus-like symptoms in
2001 were planted in late June through the middle of July and the worst affected plantings were
located along Lake Michigan in NE Wisconsin. Data collected in research plots at the West
Madison Ag Research Station indicated differences in the severity of symptom expression among
50 plot entries representing most breeding programs in the U.S. Greenhouse inoculation studies
confirmed that several lines were tolerant of AMV and CMV. Data colle cted during 2001
provided the basis for expanded field trials during 2002. -
During the 2000 and 2001 growing season, the development and presence of virus symptoms in snap bean crops increased dramatically. The symptoms were primarily caused Read more…
During the 2000 and 2001 growing season, the development and presence of virus
symptoms in snap bean crops increased dramatically. The symptoms were primarily caused by
cucumber mosaic virus and alfalfa mosaic virus. The viruses had large economic impacts by
reducing yields 90% or more and causing off colored, deformed and generally poor quality
beans. These viruses have been present in various weeds and crops within WI for a number of
years, but were seldom seen within snap bean and never to the extent seen in 2000 or 2001.
Invasion by the soybean aphid and its mid summer migration into snap bean vectored viruses at
high levels and subsequently led to the unprecedented yield and quality losses. -
All registered uses of cyanazine, the active ingredient in Bladex, ended in 2002. Although cyanazine had some limitations, it was an important sweet corn herbicide because Read more…
All registered uses of cyanazine, the active ingredient in Bladex, ended in 2002. Although cyanazine had some limitations, it was an important sweet corn herbicide because 1) it provided good preemergence broadleaf weed control, 2) it degraded soon enough in the soil that other rotational crops could be planted after sweet corn harvest, and 3) it provided an alternative to atrazine in prohibition areas. Without Bladex, sweet corn growers and field managers may wonder what options currently exist for weed management in sweet corn and what the prospects are for the future.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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One key to increasing adoption of biologically based Integrated Pest Management (bioIPM) systems is to correctly utilize existing information. Managing complex information can be difficult Read more…
One key to increasing adoption of biologically based Integrated Pest Management (bioIPM) systems is to correctly utilize existing information. Managing complex information can be difficult and growers currently use a variety of systems to manage the data on their own farms. Usually, data are maintained on file for year-to-year comparisons, but are not statistically analyzed against other factors. To aid growers in data management systems, the development of an easy to use, on-farm, computerized management system, which could be used to organize and manage such detailed information, is essential. In the fall of 2001, the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers (WPVGA) began work toward developing an industry-wide database system to aid growers in their data management and decision-making processes while also aiding the industry with analyzing trends and determining research priorities based on that data. Through this effort, the RealToolbox Farm Information Management System Database for Wisconsin potato and vegetable growers was developed.
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Mesotrione is the active ingredient in the broadleaf herbicide Callisto, which is labeled for use in field and seed corn. Mesotrione is also an ingredient Read more…
Mesotrione is the active ingredient in the broadleaf herbicide Callisto, which is labeled for use in field and seed corn. Mesotrione is also an ingredient in the preemergence herbicides Camix and Lumax, which are also labeled for use in field and seed corn. Camix is a premix of s-metolachlor and mesotrione and Lumax is a premix of s-metolachlor and mesotrione and atrazine. It would be desirable to have mesotrione labeled for use in sweet corn because there are many limitations with the currently labeled broadleaf herbicides (see “Life after Bladex in Sweet Corn”). However in field experiments, Callisto has occasionally injured some sweet corn hybrids when applied postemergence. Because mesotrione is a pigment inhibitor, the injury that is observed is a bleaching or whitening of leaves in the whorl of the plant. The injury is most noticeable about a week after the application. To obtain full weed control in field corn, the Callisto label specifies that crop oil concentrate plus a nitrogen additive be used. However, a couple of previous experiments indicated that the amount of postemergence injury from Callisto could be substantially reduced if the nitrogen additive was omitted and only crop oil concentrate was used as the adjuvant. In 2002, we conducted experiments to determine if mesotrione could be safely applied to sweet corn with different application methods and adjuvants and the range in tolerance among sweet corn hybrids.
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In response to farmer concerns about the effect of wheel traffic on alfalfa yields, we began a study to look at these effects. Studies were Read more…
In response to farmer concerns about the effect of wheel traffic on alfalfa yields, we began a study to look at these effects. Studies were established at the UW Arlington Research Station and ABI Research Station (Napier, IA) during the spring of 2000. In a second study started in 2001, plots were established in Iowa, New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kentucky and South Dakota. Wheel traffic was applied five days after cutting by driving approximately a 100-Hp tractor across the plots covering the entire plots with both wheel tracts. This was an attempt to simulate driving over the field with tractor, chopper, and wagons, or tractor baler, and wagon. In the 2001 study, wheel traffic conditions were the same except that treatments were no wheel traffic, wheel traffic 2 days after cutting and wheel traffic 5 days after cutting.
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Long term-experiments in Wisconsin have demonstrated that kura clover will persist for 13 years (and counting) and can be a truly permanent component of a Read more…
Long term-experiments in Wisconsin have demonstrated that kura clover will persist for 13 years (and counting) and can be a truly permanent component of a pasture or hayfield. It has survived winters that damaged adjacent alfalfa and red clover fields. It is the last plant to disappear around water tanks or mineral feeders in pastures. Fatal diseases of kura clover have not been observed. Furthermore, fiber levels of kura clover are consistently lower and protein and digestibility consistently greater than other legumes (with the exception of white clover) and grasses used as forage in the Great Lakes Region. So, how can we employ this unique legume on farms in the northern USA? Three means to capitalize on the unique characteristics of kura clover have been investigated in Wisconsin and will be discussed.
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Groundwater contamination is an ever-increasing concern on a national level as well as locally. Increasing amounts of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) being delivered by rivers, including the Read more…
Groundwater contamination is an ever-increasing concern on a national level as well as locally. Increasing amounts of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) being delivered by rivers, including the Mississippi, have resulted in an oxygen-depleted area or hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. (Turner and Rabalais, 1994b). This nutrient loading has caused nitrogen-limited phytoplankton to bloom. Decom-position of these blooms depletes oxygen levels forming seasonal hypoxic conditions (Rabalais et al., 1996). Nitrogen (N) loading studies analyzing the sources and losses of N to the Mississippi River basin show the Midwest corn and soybean producing area to be the largest total contributor of N (Burkart and James, 1999). Therefore the land-use practices and management at the local level can influence NO3-N contributions to distant river basins. The concern for water quality protection and the association of groundwater contamination with widespread use of N fertilizers for crop production, make the development of practices that reduce NO3-N contamination a high priority.
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Farmers growing corn in grain crop rotations are constantly evolving their soil fertility programs. Nitrogen management is of particular importance due to its relatively large Read more…
Farmers growing corn in grain crop rotations are constantly evolving their soil fertility programs. Nitrogen management is of particular importance due to its relatively large requirement by corn and its elusiveness in soil. Some corn growers have pushed nitrogen application rates above University of Wisconsin Extension (UWEX) recommendations in pursuit of maximum yields. While striving for maximum yields may be a rational goal, farmers need to ensure they are not over-applying nitrogen and other inputs so as to minimize losses to groundwater and maximize corn production profits. This is the objective of eleven on-farm nitrogen rate and time of application comparisons conducted in Dane, Rock and Columbia Counties from 1999-2002.
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Manure N mineralization in soil determines manure N availability for crop uptake. In this study we evaluated the N mineralization of dairy manure components (feces, Read more…
Manure N mineralization in soil determines manure N availability for crop uptake. In this study we evaluated the N mineralization of dairy manure components (feces, urine and bedding) in soils under different environmental conditions. Soil texture and other controls, such as moisture and temperature, create environments where great differences in manure N mineralization are anticipated to occur. Understanding the influence of these factors under field conditions is crucial to better predicting the amount and rate of how manure N becomes available to agronomic crops.
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The sustainability of dairy farms will depend increasingly not only on profitable milk production but also on farmers’ ability to comply with nutrient management regulations. Read more…
The sustainability of dairy farms will depend increasingly not only on profitable milk production but also on farmers’ ability to comply with nutrient management regulations. Over the past few years, policy has focused predominately on ways to reduce phosphorus build up in soils, runoff, and the pollution of lakes, streams and other surface water bodies. The next generation of policy, however, will focus more strongly on nitrogen (N), particularly the reduction of ammonia emissions from animal feeding operations.
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Nutrient management planning requirements will soon be implemented for most Wisconsin farms. This will result in greater accounting for nutrient credits and will likely prescribe Read more…
Nutrient management planning requirements will soon be implemented for most Wisconsin farms. This will result in greater accounting for nutrient credits and will likely prescribe manure application at more modest rates, especially if applied using a P basis. Planners will have to allocate manure to more acres, much of it sloping and managed with high residue tillage systems designed to meet “T” as required by the conservation plan. Manure will be directed to fields where corn was the previous crop because legume N credits will supply N needs for corn when rotating from alfalfa. Many producers will be concerned that leaving manure on the surface where high residue levels already exist may cause poorer planter performance and that the additional residue will exacerbate soil conditions that promote slow early growth. Surface crop residue is an important conservation practice for sloping fields. Numerous studies have shown that tillage that buries significant crop residue increases the potential for soil loss and the risk of P delivery to surface water. Thus a conflict in implementation may develop as producers decide whether they should follow their nutrient management plan or their conservation plan, or create a hybrid strategy that does not meet the specifications of either plan.
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For many years it has been suggested that the two major limiting factors to alfalfa (Medicago sativa) growth in the upper Midwest are soil pH Read more…
For many years it has been suggested that the two major limiting factors to alfalfa (Medicago sativa) growth in the upper Midwest are soil pH and exchangeable soil potassium (Brown, 1928; Hull, 1934). Recent research reaffirms the benefits of raising pH to near neutral by adding lime to fields where alfalfa is to be grown in Wisconsin (Peters and Kelling, 1989; Peters and Kelling 1997). Potassium is removed from the soil by alfalfa in amounts greater than any other nutrient and there is substantial documentation of the benefits of adding supplemental potash to soils where alfalfa is to be raised (Attoe and Truog, 1950; Peterson et al., 1975; Smith and Powell, 1979; Erickson et al., 1981; Kelling, 1995). Research from Wisconsin has shown that potassium is required to enhance resistance to disease and lodging, and winter hardiness of alfalfa (Kelling, 1991; Schulte and Walsh, 1993). Additionally, potassium is involved in carbohydrate production and transport, enzymatic activity, and stomatal function in alfalfa (Munson, 1985). Potassium also balances the negative charges of organic and inorganic anions within the plant and may be involved in metabolic processes including the formation of starch and assimilation of nitrogen (Peters et al., 2000).
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Although plant genetics and cutting management are most likely the primary factors affecting alfalfa persistence, proper fertility management can significantly improve winter survival in several Read more…
Although plant genetics and cutting management are most likely the primary factors affecting alfalfa persistence, proper fertility management can significantly improve winter survival in several ways. High fertility results in increased root branching and extension, increased growth rate after winter, increased stored food reserves, lowered cell freezing point, and increased disease resistance. Soil pH has been shown to be a significant factor in influencing stand persistence. Considerable research has been conducted that illustrates the importance of fertilization on stand survival under Wisconsin conditions. Specific studies that illustrate the substantial decrease in stand survival associated with more acid soils include Wang et al. (1953), Kelling et al. (1982), Peters and Kelling (1988), Kelling and Wolkowski (1991), and Kelling et al. (1998a). These data from several locations showed that stand survival was strongly linked to pH and that the pH necessary for optimum survival was at least 6.4, and often 6.7, or above.
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Most of Wisconsin’s agrichemical dealerships continually try to improve all aspects of their businesses including environmental performance. Although not as easily understood as sales figures, Read more…
Most of Wisconsin’s agrichemical dealerships continually try to improve all aspects of their businesses including environmental performance. Although not as easily understood as sales figures, environmental matters can affect the bottom line. Unfortunately, dealerships may not always be sure whether their environmental policies and precautions are sufficient to avoid contamination that could be costly. Environmental performance is typically measured by comparison to the requirements of department rules (through inspections) and by measurement of agrichemicals in soil and water (through lab testing). In a less systematic way, the public also assesses dealer’s environmental performance. Coming up short of expectations can lead to needless problems.
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The Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) provides plant disease identification and control recommendations for agricultural producers, homeowners and businesses in Wisconsin. Housed in the Department Read more…
The Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) provides plant disease identification and control recommendations for agricultural producers, homeowners and businesses in Wisconsin. Housed in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the PDDC is jointly sponsored by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the UW-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Extension.
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The nematodes found most often associated with corn are root lesion, Pratylenchus spp., and spiral, Helicotylenchus spp, nematodes. All but two corn samples submitted to Read more…
The nematodes found most often associated with corn are root lesion, Pratylenchus spp., and spiral, Helicotylenchus spp, nematodes. All but two corn samples submitted to the UW Plant Disease Clinic for nematode diagnosis in 2002 were positive for root lesion nematodes. Three species were most common: P. penetrans, P. scribneri, and P. neglectus. We use a damage threshold of 200 root lesion nematodes per 100 cm3 soil at the time of planting for making recommendations to growers. When samples are submitted in the fall prior to planting corn it is necessary to adjust the counts to account for overwinter mortality. Spiral nematodes, Helicotylenchus spp., are found in almost every corn field in Wisconsin. Spiral nematodes are less pathogenic to corn than root lesion and are considered pests only when population densities exceed 800 per 100 cm3 soil. Both root lesion and spiral nematodes occur in every soil type and have a sufficiently broad host range to be a threat in any rotation scheme. Most of the samples submitted to the UW Plant Disease Clinic represent problem fields and testing for nematodes is often the last resort. The fact that root lesion and spiral nematodes cause very nonspecific symptoms such as slow growth rate or stunted root systems makes diagnosis in the field impossible. For an accurate diagnosis, it is essential to collect a soil sample that represents the affected area.. Since nematodes are likely to be present, and their pest status estimated only by the numbers recovered, several iterations of sampling may be necessary to conclude they are the cause of the problem.
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DATCP’s annual fall European corn borer survey measures the average number of corn borer larvae per plant in grain corn fields throughout Wisconsin. Survey results Read more…
DATCP’s annual fall European corn borer survey measures the average number of corn borer larvae per plant in grain corn fields throughout Wisconsin. Survey results are used to estimate the density of the fall corn borer population and forecast the potential magnitude of the first flight of moths next spring. Establishing where heavy corn borer infestations occur in fall indicates where excessive populations may lead to economic loss next summer.
The corn borers present during the fall survey will pass the winter as full-grown (5th instar) larvae in corn residue, pupate once temperatures exceed 50°F next spring, then emerge as adults in late May of 2003. Each emerging female moth has, under favorable conditions, the potential to lay more than 400 eggs. Consequently, a sizeable fall population can translate into an economic threat in the following growing season.
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Repackaging of pesticides into bulk containers has been allowed since 1977 under an enforcement policy issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Repackaging of Read more…
Repackaging of pesticides into bulk containers has been allowed since 1977 under an enforcement policy issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Repackaging of pesticides into reusable containers helps end users by eliminating disposal problems from empty containers. Many Wisconsin firms are involved in bulk repackaging. The term “bulk” means any container with a volume of more than 55 gallons or 100 pounds. Wisconsin’s bulk pesticide storage laws share this definition. Our inspections at bulk facilities periodically find violations of the enforcement policy. This paper will outline the basic requirements for a bulk repackager of pesticides.
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A single pass herbicide program has become the goal of many corn producers throughout the state. The apparent time and cost savings in controlling weeds Read more…
A single pass herbicide program has become the goal of many corn producers throughout the state. The apparent time and cost savings in controlling weeds with a single pre or post-emergence herbicide application is the driving force behind this trend. While there are situations where a single pass strategy will work, it has weaknesses that can result in inconsistent performance. Some single pass pre-emergence programs sacrifice control of large seeded broadleaves and perennials, and many are strongly influenced by the timing of rainfall. New chemistries, increasing no-till acreage and increased use of herbicide resistant crops have resulted in a number of single pass postemergence herbicide programs. Although this provides the opportunity to scout and select herbicide programs to best match weed spectrum, timing is critical for effective control. Since most fields contain several problem weed species, timing a single application to effectively control all species can be difficult.
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Canada thistle is the most invasive and challenging weed in grazing systems in the Upper Midwest (Doll, personal observation) and its membership on the noxious Read more…
Canada thistle is the most invasive and challenging weed in grazing systems in the Upper Midwest (Doll, personal observation) and its membership on the noxious weed lists of many states demonstrates its tenacity against conventional control tactics. The resilience of this weed can be credited to its ability to effectively reproduce through both seed production/dispersal and its extensive root system. This is especially true in non-disturbed sites where few management strategies exist for its control. In pastures and non-crop sites, control is often not economically justifiable and only makes marginal gains against Canada thistle in the long run (Tichich and Doll 2001). However, non-disturbed sites appear to be a better fit for biological control than annual cropping systems as complete control is not required in the short run. Rather, one can afford to wait three or more years for a control tactic to reduce the infestation to acceptable levels.
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The potato leafhopper (PLH) is the most serious insect pest of alfalfa in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. PLH injury to alfalfa can result in Read more…
The potato leafhopper (PLH) is the most serious insect pest of alfalfa in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. PLH injury to alfalfa can result in leaf yellowing (“hopperburn”), plant stunting, loss of yield and forage quality, and reduced alfalfa stand persistence. Leafhopper populations are a perennial problem in new alfalfa seedings, and they frequently increase to damaging levels on the second and subsequent crops in established alfalfa stands. Until recently, crop scouting and insecticide application when warranted was the only effective means of PLH management. Howeve r, development and eventual release of glandular haired (GH) alfalfa varieties in 1997 is changing the way we manage this pest and may ultimately alter its pest status in alfalfa. On the other hand, the success of GH varieties for stand-alone PLH control has thus far been inconsistent, and therefore scouting is still necessary for effective PLH management.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which treatment thresholds currently recommended in Wisconsin for PLH management in alfalfa may need to be adjusted for glandular haired alfalfa cultivars with resistance to PLH. A further aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of resistance of GH alfalfa to the potato leafhopper and to look at the implications for using GH alfalfa in PLH control.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The process of revision and updating of the NRCS Nutrient Management Standard (590) began in September of 2000. The current standard was developed in the Read more…
The process of revision and updating of the NRCS Nutrient Management Standard (590) began in September of 2000. The current standard was developed in the early 1990’s and was completed in 1993. Throughout the mid to late 1990’s, multiple local, state and federal agencies have entered the nutrient management arena, and with their entrance have presented unique agendas. Advances in the process of nutrient management as well as within the agricultural community have occurred and continue to proceed. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection are also in the process of developing non-point pollution controls that will impact most if not all croplands of the state. The convergence of these factors provided the motivation to review and update the standard to reflect the changes of the past and to meet the intent of the nutrient management policy in the state.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Phosphorus that could cause problems in water occurs both in particles (PP) and dissolved in solution (SP) when it reaches surface water. We consider movement Read more…
Phosphorus that could cause problems in water occurs both in particles (PP) and dissolved in solution (SP) when it reaches surface water. We consider movement of both particulate and dissolved P into water. The PI is available in spreadsheet form to simplify calculations. The numbers and relationships applied will be made more site-specific as we gain experience.
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Lake Mendota currently suffers from the effects of polluted runoff from its 232-mi2 watershed (Map 1). Land use in the watershed is 65% agricultural land, Read more…
Lake Mendota currently suffers from the effects of polluted runoff from its 232-mi2 watershed (Map 1). Land use in the watershed is 65% agricultural land, 20% existing urban area, 5% wetlands and woodlands, and 10% open water or internally drained land. The watershed includes two counties, three cities (including most of the City of Madison), seven villages, and 12 towns. The watershed was selected in 1993 as a priority watershed project by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Program. The goal of the project is to improve the water quality of the lake by reduc ing nonpoint sources of pollution from the watershed.
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Most dairy farms in Wisconsin continue to follow a fairly generalized formula of how to produce milk. Cows and replacement heifers are fed primarily homegrown Read more…
Most dairy farms in Wisconsin continue to follow a fairly generalized formula of how to produce milk. Cows and replacement heifers are fed primarily homegrown feed from crop rotations comprising alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.), oats (Avena spp.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.). Protein and mineral supplements are purchased to compliment dairy diets. However, the dairy industry is undergoing rapid change to remain economically viable. Many farms are expanding herd size and increasing the importation of feed. Greater livestock numbers on a fixed land base has increased the risk of soil nutrient buildup and environmental pollution.
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Accumulations of excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on agricultural landscapes are increasingly garnering attention from environmental regulators and activists. When inflows of nutrients to Read more…
Accumulations of excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on agricultural landscapes are increasingly garnering attention from environmental regulators and activists. When inflows of nutrients to a geographic area appreciably exceed outflows the opportunities for water contamination are increased. The most common policy approach in Europe to avoid such accumulations is to require some minimum area of land for each animal on a farm. A more sophisticated variation is to require that farms or groups of farms maintain a nutrient balance over some period of years. We investigated the current state of the balance of nutrient inflows and outflows for civil towns in Wisconsin to learn the range of typical values and to investigate how various characteristics of the local farm industry affected the nutrient balance.
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Improving and maintaining water quality is the focus of Wisconsin’s water quality programs. Implementing a nutrient management plan is a cost-effective means of reducing nutrient Read more…
Improving and maintaining water quality is the focus of Wisconsin’s water quality programs. Implementing a nutrient management plan is a cost-effective means of reducing nutrient losses from cropland and controlling erosion. A nutrient management plan also stimulates adoption of related environmental practices and is an ideal stepping-stone to a systems approach for environmental management and improved water quality. Nutrient management plans balance nutrients available in manure, legumes, and commercial fertilizer with the field’s soil test nutrient need. To implement nutrient management statewide, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has authority under Chapter 92.05 (3)(k) Wis. Stats., to promulgate rules for a nutrient management program that must include incentives, educational and outreach provisions, and compliance requirements. Wisconsin’s future nutrient management program will be contained within the upcoming revision to ch. ATCP 50, Wis. Admin. Code for soil and water resource management.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Soil testing is recognized as the best method of determining crop nutrient (P, K, and lime) need prior to planting. The routine soil test relies Read more…
Soil testing is recognized as the best method of determining crop nutrient (P, K, and lime) need prior to planting. The routine soil test relies on a soil sampling approach that is intended to identify a single rate of nutrient application for a field that optimizes crop yield and economic return, with limited risk of loss that might degrade water quality. It is recognized that the soil within a field is intrinsically variable because of natural factors (e. g. soil forming factors and natural processes) and past management (e. g. nutrient application, crop management, erosion, field consolidation, and drainage) (Brown, 1993). A soil sampling protocol should account for this variability, but cannot be so intensive and complicated that it will not be accepted in practice. This issue is especially important because of the need to provide appropriate recommendations to meet nutrient management planning criteria.
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Growers who were early innovators with GPS related technologies, have now collected 5+ years of data and are asking, “Where’s the value”. To answer the Read more…
Growers who were early innovators with GPS related technologies, have now collected 5+ years of data and are asking, “Where’s the value”. To answer the question for soil sampling systems it is important to take a step back and look at how we arrived to this point. Soil sampling and testing is not a new technology. With the introduction of commercial fertilizers there was a need to differentiate between potentially responsive and non-responsive sites, primarily for phosphorus and potassium. The result was a concentrated effort on the part of our land-grant institutions to run field studies designed to correlate crop response from fertilizer applications against soil test values derived from various extracting solutions and laboratory procedures. Refinement of these initial correlation studies have continued to this date to not only define responsiveness of sites, but also to calibrate soil test values against the application rate of nutrients necessary to achieve optimum economic yield. This effort has been partially successful. Soil testing does a very good job of indicating the probability of response and tracking soil fertility status over time. Soil testing also provides good information on long-term yield response when averaged over a number of years. However efforts to develop a soil test and sampling procedure that will provide a prediction of the optimum fertilizer rate for a specific field and year has been only partially successful.
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Effective management of fertilizer nitrogen (N) in corn production is needed to maximize economic return for producers and control N losses that can cause environmental Read more…
Effective management of fertilizer nitrogen (N) in corn production is needed to maximize economic return for producers and control N losses that can cause environmental problems. Environmental concerns with N use in corn production are mainly focused on nitrate leaching to ground water and surface water nitrate contributions to Gulf of Mexico hypoxia. The key to improving N management to achieve economic and environmental goals is accurate selection of the optimum N rate needed for profitable production in each production unit. Many corn N response experiments have shown that optimum N rates vary widely from site to site, and substantial within-field variation in optimum N rates is expected, although little work has been done to confirm or quantify the within-field variation of optimum N rates. Variable rate N applications should have potential for applying optimum N rates to all areas of production fields with substantial spatial variation in optimum N rates. If rates of applied N can be matched to actual corn N requirements throughout production fields, the economic and environmental goals of N management could potentially be achieved to a greater extent than would be possible with a single N rate applied to the entire field.
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Precision farming continues to mature with new developments in numerous technologies that allows a producer more easily adopt the practices and be able to take Read more…
Precision farming continues to mature with new developments in numerous technologies that allows a producer more easily adopt the practices and be able to take advantage of its benefits. Remote sensing can provide information during the growing season to assess variability and permit the crop producer to utilize the information to make management decision. This technology has been evolving with respect to availability of vendors providing the service and the application of this technology to production fields.
In corn and soybean studies, remote sensing has been evaluated in production fields north of Madison, WI. In addition to remote sensing data, other data such as crop yield, plant stand, soil fertility and plant tissue. The remotely sensed data sources were airborne, satellite and hand held radiometers. For five growing seasons, the greatest variability in remote sensing data from seven production fields was water stress of the growing crop. The stress was due primarily to soil and topography. Other observations were disease, soil compaction and machine operator errors.
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The 21st century farmer has a much different toolbox to work from. In addition to pliers, vice-grips and a crescent wrench, the new toolbox includes Read more…
The 21st century farmer has a much different toolbox to work from. In addition to pliers, vice-grips and a crescent wrench, the new toolbox includes computers, satellites and cell phones. The farm office is likely to be the cab of a combine, tractor or pickup truck—all three depending on the time of year.
In 1994, the Ag Tech 2000 exhibit at the Wisconsin Farm Progress Days brought together for the first time a diverse group of technology providers, with the idea of showing how these components of site-specific management could be organized into a system for practical implementation on the farm.
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Agricultural models such as the Precision Agricultural Landscape Modeling System (PALMS) are designed to facilitate producers’ management strategies in a precision agriculture environment (Molling et Read more…
Agricultural models such as the Precision Agricultural Landscape Modeling System (PALMS) are designed to facilitate producers’ management strategies in a precision agriculture environment (Molling et al., 2001). Maps, such as soil water content, grain moisture, and effects of compaction on yield, can supplement management decisions and increase the profit margin in production agriculture. Presuming that precision landscape models will be used by farm managers, we can identify four categories of information that will be needed: weather, landscape, plant, and management. Of these four categories, weather, plant, and management change on a continuous basis, anywhere from hours (weather), to days (management, such as planting, tillage, harvest), to seasons (hybrids). This information needs to be collected on a continuous basis – fortunately not an excessively costly or time-consuming process in most situations. Landscape information, on the other hand, can be very costly and time-consuming to collect. Landscape data, such as topography and soil hydraulic properties, are essentially fixed (except in cases of severe erosion or compaction) and can be collected once.
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The department believes a combination of programmatic adjustments, existing fee transfers, and increased fees are needed to balance these funds, as outlined in the following Read more…
The department believes a combination of programmatic adjustments, existing fee transfers, and increased fees are needed to balance these funds, as outlined in the following table. Accomplishing these changes requires passage of legislation and a modified rule, but the department can pursue the non-legislative components concurrent with the legislative process.
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A common approach used in environmental protection efforts is the promotion of best management practices (BMPs) to control excess crop nutrients and soil erosion. While Read more…
A common approach used in environmental protection efforts is the promotion of best management practices (BMPs) to control excess crop nutrients and soil erosion. While BMPs include a wide range of actual practices, their defining characteristics should include agronomic and environmental effectiveness as well as economic and social feasibility (Bailey and Waddell, 1979). In the 1990s the central BMP of choice seems to be the nutrient management plan. The nutrient management plan identifies management and conservation actions that will be followed to meet clearly defined soil and water conservation goals (NRCS, 2000). In Wisconsin, nutrient management plans are widely promoted by state and federal agencies. Currently, however, there is limited knowledge about the extent to which those plans are being followed by farmers and if those plans actually result in on-farm management changes.
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A nutrient management plan initially involves three major people. These people constitute the core of the plan. They include: the landowner or operator of the Read more…
A nutrient management plan initially involves three major people. These people constitute the core of the plan. They include: the landowner or operator of the land (OW/OP), the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA), and a conservation technician, soil conser-ationist or agronomist from the Land Conservation Department (LCD), or Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Once all of these people are identified, it is extremely important for everyone to meet so they know who their contact person is. Putting a face to a name always makes the process run more smoothly. Therefore, to aid the communication efforts it is necessary to exchange phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and mailing addresses so that a line of communication exists. Eventually, once LCD, or NRCS staff members get to know the CCA’s working in the county, the initial meeting of identifying the core group can be eliminated and done by phone.
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Future non-point pollution regulations will require planning for both nutrient inputs and soil conservation practices to limit the risk surface water contamination from crop production. Read more…
Future non-point pollution regulations will require planning for both nutrient inputs and soil conservation practices to limit the risk surface water contamination from crop production. This will especially be an issue for livestock enterprises because of manure. An obvious issue will be that proper manure management will allocate manure to more fields on a farm, many of which may be sloping and have a greater potential for erosion and nutrient delivery to surface water. Tillage that incorporates manure, allowing a greater rate of application, may not be possible because of residue incorporation. Finally, surface application of manure presents challenges relative to crop establishment.
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The narrow economic margins being faced by agricultural producers and ever-growing concern about agricultural pollution illustrate the role that whole-farm nutrient management (NM) plans need Read more…
The narrow economic margins being faced by agricultural producers and ever-growing concern about agricultural pollution illustrate the role that whole-farm nutrient management (NM) plans need to play in modern agricultural practices. The development and utilization of NM plans within the state of Wisconsin has had limited success. NM plan development can be time consuming and cumbersome depending on the criteria or standards set forth within individual states. To increase the development and implementation of NM plans it is imperative that the private sector (crop consultants, fertilizer dealers, and industry agronomists) as well as farmers, become increasingly involved in NM plan development.
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UW-FARM (Field nutrient Application and Recommendation Manager) is designed to identify acceptable strategies for managing on-farm and purchased nutrients in both a profitable and environmentally Read more…
UW-FARM (Field nutrient Application and Recommendation Manager) is designed to identify acceptable strategies for managing on-farm and purchased nutrients in both a profitable and environmentally responsible manner. The program relies on soil test results consistent with Wisconsin Soil Test Recommendations for Field, Vegetable and Fruit Crops (UWEX A2809) to maximize optimum use of nutrients and restricts nutrient/manure applications in environmentally sensitive areas consistent with best man-agement practices and NRCS-590 (USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Services-Wisconsin, 1993).
UW-FARM can be used for asking “what if” for many aspects of manure manage-ment and crop production. For example, most dairy farms in Wisconsin continue to produce their own feed and recycle manure for crop use. However, remaining econom-ically viable means increasing herd size or modernizing their operations (Jackson-Smith and Powell, 2000). It has become more common that environmental aspects of farming be considered prior to implementing expansion or other “modernization” practices because of the increase in local and federal regulatory oversight of farming practices. UW-FARM can be used in a “what if”’ mode when producers are considering imple-menting expansion or other modernization practices. Assessing the impact on meeting current best management practices and NRCS- 590 prior to actual expansion will allow producers to meet environmental constraints in a proactive manner.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Every three to four years the Potash and Phosphate Institute (PPI) conducts a survey of soil testing laboratories across North America and develops a state Read more…
Every three to four years the Potash and Phosphate Institute (PPI) conducts a survey of soil testing laboratories across North America and develops a state by state summary of soil test results. PPI has just concluded their most recent survey and this presentation discusses the results for Wisconsin and surrounding states. PPI collected data on approximately 2.5 million soil samples collected in the fall of 2000 and spring of 2001, thus the survey results represent the fertility status of soils for the 2001 crop year. Data was collected and reported as cumulative relative frequency across nine soil test ranges, and as the percent of samples that tested medium or below in P and K or had pH values less than or equal to 6.0. These are soil test categories where most agronomists would predict a significant yield response in the year of application to P, K or lime. The agronomic definition of medium is not the same for all states because of differences in philosophical approaches and research results.
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Crop producers who continuously used ridge-till planting in a corn and soybean rotation were finding potassium (K) deficiency symptoms in corn even though the K Read more…
Crop producers who continuously used ridge-till planting in a corn and soybean rotation were finding potassium (K) deficiency symptoms in corn even though the K soil test levels were high or very high. The unexpected K deficiency in corn was a concern that raised questions about managing potash in the ridge. The same potash management concerns were applicable for strip-till and no-till as well, where plant nutrients become stratified in the soil as a result of reduced tillage.
Potassium deficiency symptoms in corn that was grown in ridges were reported as early as the 1960’s in Minnesota. During the drought years of 1988- 1989 in the Midwest, deficiency symptoms in corn planted with ridge-till became more common. Field trials in Minnesota showed potash that was deep banded at 40 lb. K2O/acre in the center of the row, improved yield and K deficiency symptoms disappeared. Other studies reported corn yield response with deepbanded K2O in ridge-till systems when soil test K levels were in the range of 140 ppm. Research in Iowa (Fig. 1) showed a yield response for corn when potash was banded in the center of the ridge, but not for broadcast K2O or the check. There was no response for any treatment in soybean.
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Use of starter fertilizer is a well-established and often profitable practice in corn production. Trends toward higher soil fertility levels and more extensive use of Read more…
Use of starter fertilizer is a well-established and often profitable practice in corn production. Trends toward higher soil fertility levels and more extensive use of no-till or reduced tillage have caused growers to question whether use of starters is becoming more or less important. Corn response to fertilizer placement depends on the existing soil fertility (soil test) status (Randall and Hoeft, 1988), and response to starter can also be influenced by other factors including, soil compaction, date of planting, and tillage system. Where soil test levels are in the responsive range, starter fertilizers usually increase yields because plants respond to the nutrients in the starter. This response is likely regardless of other management practices such as tillage system or date of planting. At high soil fertility levels, the response to starter, when it occurs, is probably due to a placement effect that enhances early season plant growth or helps overcome limitations to nutrient uptake imposed by the management system.
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It’s no secret that many producers are often not satisfied with the results of no-till corn. Cold, wet spring weather certainly doesn’t help to promote Read more…
It’s no secret that many producers are often not satisfied with the results of no-till corn. Cold, wet spring weather certainly doesn’t help to promote early growth. Corn grown under no-till often encounters a slow growth syndrome and subsequent lower performance and yield compared to more conventional tillage systems. Additionally, wet conditions during harvest can also provide challenges to prevent marking up fields, altering seedbed surface and compacting the soil profile.
Many producers who have tried to no-till corn have abandoned it due to planter problems, seedbed quality, poor planting conditions, poor seedling establishment, and often, poor yield. Now, instead of scrapping the entire system of conservation tillage and pulling all the old tillage equipment back out of the shed, there are alternatives to no-till. Tillage equipment improvements have brought new interest in the form of strip tillage (may also be called zone-tillage). Strip tillage combines the best of tillage and no-till systems. Strip tillage can promote a warm seedbed without removing all old crop residue and leaving soil vulnerable to erosion, plus save time and expense from extra trips across the field.
Using strip-till, a process typically conducted as a separate fall operation (with or without fertilizer application), a producer makes a strip with a knife, about eight or nine inches deep in the fall. The resulting strips on top of the ground end up in a two or three-inch tall mound. Strip till may also be performed in the spring pre-plant or by adding attachments on the planter. This program allows farmers to get in the field in good time during the spring planting season and maximize time by planting, not spending time reworking the soil.
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As growers look for opportunities to enhance profit margins, the need for fall tillage following soybean harvest is questioned. Although situations and soil types vary Read more…
As growers look for opportunities to enhance profit margins, the need for fall tillage following soybean harvest is questioned. Although situations and soil types vary across farms, several factors might be considered in addressing this issue.
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Key planting factors that influence corn stand establishment includes uniform depth and spacing of seed, correct seed population and optimizing the soil environment for rapid Read more…
Key planting factors that influence corn stand establishment includes uniform depth and spacing of seed, correct seed population and optimizing the soil environment for rapid germination and uniform emergence. Other variables affecting stand establishment are seedbed quality (including soil moisture and temperature), seed quality and planter speed. Differences among fields for stand establishment are usually not due to any single factor rather it is a combination of factors during the planting operation that lead to inconsistent stands.
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Agronomists have long suspected that within-row plant spacing uniformity has an impact on corn grain yield, but research and anecdotal evidence has been inconsistent at Read more…
Agronomists have long suspected that within-row plant spacing uniformity has an impact on corn grain yield, but research and anecdotal evidence has been inconsistent at demonstrating this benefit. There is renewed interest in the concept of “picket-fence” plant spacing for several reasons. The first reason is the popularity of several planter calibration services that are currently being promoted across the Corn Belt. A second reason for this attention is the testimonials of corn yield contest winners that often insist that both adequate plant population and uniform spacing are necessary for top yields.
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Predicting animal performance and relating it to improvements in corn silage quality whether from breeding or management is complex. In numerous studies, differences in fiber Read more…
Predicting animal performance and relating it to improvements in corn silage quality whether from breeding or management is complex. In numerous studies, differences in fiber and digestibility translate into differences in animal performance. For example, researchers in Idaho have found that high quality corn silage (low fiber and high digestibility) produced $315 more beef per acre than low quality silage. Another example is the significantly higher milk production for brown midrib corn silage compared to its normal counterpart shown recently by Michigan and Wisconsin workers. The optimum silage composition can vary depending on the type of cow it’s fed to (growing heifer versus milking cow, production level, stage of lactation, etc.) and the other components of the ration.
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The potato leafhopper (PLH) is the most serious insect pest of alfalfa in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. PLH injury to alfalfa can result in Read more…
The potato leafhopper (PLH) is the most serious insect pest of alfalfa in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. PLH injury to alfalfa can result in leaf yellowing (“hopperburn”), plant stunting, loss of yield and forage quality, and reduced alfalfa stand persistence. Leafhopper populations are a perennial problem in new alfalfa seedings, and they frequently increase to damaging levels on the second and subsequent crops in established alfalfa stands. Until recently, crop scouting and insecticide application when warranted was the only effective means of PLH management. However, development and eventual release of glandular haired (GH) alfalfa varieties in 1997 may be changing the way we manage this pest and may ultimately alter its pest status in alfalfa. On the other hand, leafhopper resistance exhibited by the GH varieties has so far proved to be less than complete, and thus scouting is still necessary for effective PLH management.
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Variation in the life-history of weeds, for instance the timing of emergence or flowering, can determine whether management succeeds or fails to controlling crop losses Read more…
Variation in the life-history of weeds, for instance the timing of emergence or flowering, can determine whether management succeeds or fails to controlling crop losses and further weed seed inputs into a farming system. Greater knowledge about the timing of life-history events may help us more effectively utilize both chemical and mechanical control measures. Scientists and nature buffs have for some time recorded observations of when different species emerge and flower. Those prone to recording such observations are called “phenologists” from the Greek meaning “the study of appearance”. Although knowledge about the average timing of phenological events can be helpful in assessing appropriate management strategies, we are also interested in knowing if we can predict deviations from mean behavior on the basis of the weather patterns in any given season. One approach to basing phenological prediction from weather data is to use thermal-time (e.g. growing degree days) or hydro-thermal-time models for particular species.
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DATCP’s annual fall abundance survey documented a statewide average of 40 European corn borer larvae per 100 plants (grain corn). This compares to 24 per Read more…
DATCP’s annual fall abundance survey documented a statewide average of 40 European corn borer larvae per 100 plants (grain corn). This compares to 24 per 100 in 2000, and a 55-year average of 48 larvae per 100 plants. In a 10-year context, this year’s average is low to moderate; then again, some unprecedented averages were recorded in the last decade. In fact, during the 1990’s, the greatest fluctuations in overwintering populations in the 59-year history of this survey were documented. The 1995 survey found the highest statewide average of 197 borers per 100 plants, and the lowest average, 5 per 100, was recorded in 1998. Two hundred and twenty sites were included in this year’s survey. The number of sites selected per county was based on the acreage of grain corn planted.
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Several plant pathogenic fungi affect soybean plant health at different growth stages (Table 1). Although infection may occur early, many of these pathogens do not Read more…
Several plant pathogenic fungi affect soybean plant health at different growth stages (Table 1). Although infection may occur early, many of these pathogens do not cause apparent symptoms until later growth stages. Frequently seedling health is ignored because plant populations are acceptable and stem and leaves do not express symptoms during early vegetative growth. Phytophthora sojae, Pythium spp. and Rhizoctonia solani are believed most important, but other plant pathogens are actively invading plants from growth stages VE to V4. Plant health assessment is important during this phase.
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Few weed species have gained so much attention over the past decade as waterhemp. Waterhemp has gone from an obscure weed species in the 1980s Read more…
Few weed species have gained so much attention over the past decade as waterhemp. Waterhemp has gone from an obscure weed species in the 1980s to a species that has achieved widespread distinction throughout most of the Midwest. This species gained its notoriety in the early 1990s when it began appearing in many corn and soybean fields in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. In these fields ALS-inhibiting herbicides, like Pursuit, Classic, Pinnacle, and Beacon were no longer controlling this member of the pigweed family. To make matters worse waterhemp was not a species that most of these producers encountered and in many cases waterhemp identification was confused with the closely related species, redroot pigweed and smooth pigweed. Recently waterhemp has spread throughout most parts of the Midwest, including Wisconsin.
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Giant chickweed (Myosotan aquaticum), a native species of Europe, was thought to predominately inhabit moist, natural areas of Wisconsin. In recent years its presence has Read more…
Giant chickweed (Myosotan aquaticum), a native species of Europe, was thought to predominately inhabit moist, natural areas of Wisconsin. In recent years its presence has been confirmed in perennial crops in Pierce, Green, St. Croix, Lafayette, Grant, Columbia, Sauk, and Shawano counties. Due to morphological similarities between the chickweed species, presence and distribution of giant chickweed has likely been underestimated in Wisconsin. The objective of this study was to develop classification methods for taxonomic separation from other chickweeds in agronomic settings and to provide preliminary data on chemical control in alfalfa and pastures.
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The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Pest Survey reported several new or uncommon plant diseases during the 2001 growing season, notably stripe Read more…
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Pest Survey reported several new or uncommon plant diseases during the 2001 growing season, notably stripe rust of wheat and frogeye leaf spot of soybean.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Many research reports have documented greater weed control in narrow row soybeans as compared to wide row soybeans. For example, Young et al. (2001) reported Read more…
Many research reports have documented greater weed control in narrow row soybeans as compared to wide row soybeans. For example, Young et al. (2001) reported greater giant foxtail, waterhemp, and velvetleaf control in many experiments where 7.5-, 15-, and 30-inch row spacings were compared (Table 1). In their experiments, they included several rates and two timings of glyphosate and two conventional herbic ide programs. The experiments were conducted for three years at two locations in Illinois and for two years at another location in Illinois.
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Each year from mid-June throughout July there is strange phenomenon that materializes across many soybean fields throughout the Midwest. The “unusual” symptoms that appear throughout Read more…
Each year from mid-June throughout July there is strange phenomenon that materializes across many soybean fields throughout the Midwest. The “unusual” symptoms that appear throughout these fields include soybean plants that have cupped or “puckered” leaves. The most frequently reported scenario is that these symptoms are noticed soon after a soybean field has been sprayed with a postemergence herbicide. These symptoms have appeared as early as 3 days after application up to 3 weeks after application. In fact, in some cases there are entire soybean fields that have not received a postemergence herbicide application that have shown soybean leaf cupping.
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The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is not the only disease-transmitting pest that has made an impact on Wisconsin soybean in recent growing seasons. In Read more…
The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is not the only disease-transmitting pest that has made an impact on Wisconsin soybean in recent growing seasons. In southern Wisconsin, it is accompanied by another common and significant pest — the bean leaf beetle, Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster). The bean leaf beetle (BLB) has increased in abundance in the upper Midwest in recent years, likely due in part to the increased acreage of soybean. But a new concern is the beetle=s ability to vector bean pod mottle virus (BPMV). In several Midwest states, this beetle-virus system has caused significant yield losses and reductions in seed quality for several years. We are just beginning to see this virus in Wisconsin.
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The USB refers to the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, as the most important pathogen of soybean in the U.S. Four factors earned the Read more…
The USB refers to the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, as the most important pathogen of soybean in the U.S. Four factors earned the SCN this title: the wide-spread incidence of SCN across all soybean production areas, the chronic persistence of SCN eggs in the soil, the absence of distinctive symptoms that alert soybean producers to take appropriate management actions, and the destructive capacity of this plant parasite. Most producers will never be able to totally eradicate SCN from infested fields, but any producer farming SCN-infested land can minimize the effect of this nematode pathogen.
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The soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) and brown stem rot (BSR) fungus (Phialophora gregata) are serious pests of soybean, occurring over a range of Read more…
The soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines) and brown stem rot (BSR) fungus (Phialophora gregata) are serious pests of soybean, occurring over a range of soil types and soil pH. Often found in the same field, management strategies implemented to control one pathogen may in fact exacerbate damage caused by the other. As soybean acreage has increased, the duration between soybean crops has decreased in crop rotation schemes, thus also increasing the frequency of detecting dually infected fields. Control of each pathogen is directed at variety selection and crop rotation, and is refined further by matching variety selection with choice of herbicides and tillage practices.
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Crop models are available for almost all economically important crops and on many occasions they have been successfully used in research. During the past 25 Read more…
Crop models are available for almost all economically important crops and on many occasions they have been successfully used in research. During the past 25 years, numerous crop models have been developed to characterize growth and yield as a function of environmental conditions and to quantify the interactions that occur between plants and biotic stresses, such as diseases, insects, and weeds.
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Weed control is a critical component of successful soybean production for almost all of the acres grown each year. Most growers use a combination of Read more…
Weed control is a critical component of successful soybean production for almost all of the acres grown each year. Most growers use a combination of herbicides, tillage, and crop competition to control annual and perennial weeds. Beginning about 1997, soybean varieties with resistance to glyphosate became available to growers in the upper Midwest. Using glyphosate as the primary herbicide in soybeans allowed growers more flexibility in herbicide application timing, simplicity with less confusion of herbicide mixes and rates, and greater control of perennial broadleaf weeds. For these and other reasons, the adoption rate of glyphosate-resistant soybean varieties has been greater than that of any other new technology in recent history.
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Many biennial and perennial weeds seem to appear first in non-disturbed sites like roadsides. Such is the case of the biennial teasel (Dipsacus spp.) and Read more…
Many biennial and perennial weeds seem to appear first in non-disturbed sites like roadsides. Such is the case of the biennial teasel (Dipsacus spp.) and the perennial leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). Teasel is a new arrival and is appearing in several areas of southern Wisconsin. Leafy spurge has been here for decades, is found in many areas of Wisconsin and is invading new areas more rapidly than in the past. In this paper, I will describe the concern, give the plants’ key characteristics, review their biology, and discuss the management practices to control them.
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Cropping systems are changing rapidly in the upper Midwest. Growers are increasingly adopting herbicide-resistant crop cultivars, particularly transgenic crops with resistance to glyphosate. Grower interest Read more…
Cropping systems are changing rapidly in the upper Midwest. Growers are increasingly adopting herbicide-resistant crop cultivars, particularly transgenic crops with resistance to glyphosate. Grower interest in glyphosate-resistant corn and soybean has rapidly and dramatically changed weed management practices. The potential exists on many acres where glyphosate is the primary, if not only, herbicide used for weed management in both cornsoybean rotation and in continuous-corn cropping systems Although growers are implementing these new technologies, many questions remain about the long-term impact of glyphosateresistant cropping systems on weed management. Limited research information has been available to growers about the potential for new weed problems, weed resistance to glyphosate, or the integration of glyphosate use with other cultural, mechanical, and chemical practices. Therefore, research was initiated in 1998 and conducted through 2001 at the University of Wisconsin Arlington Agricultural Research Station to determine the long-term weed management and agronomic risks in glyphosate-resistant corn and soybean cropping systems as influenced by primary tillage, crop rotation, and intensity of glyphosate use. Specific objectives were to determine changes over time in the number and type of weed species, weed plant density and biomass, soil seed bank density, and crop yield. Tillage treatments included moldboard plow, chisel plow, and no-tillage systems. Cropping system treatments included continuous corn and corn-soybean rotation. Weed management treatments included glyphosate only, glyphosate use integrated with other chemical and mechanical practices, and conventional herbicide programs. Among weed management treatments, glyphosate applied sequentially or glyphosate plus inter-row cultivation were among the most consistent and effective treatments in continuous corn. Results for these particular treatments since 1998 indicate that weed population densities have decreased over time. In corn-soybean rotation, most treatments that included glyphosate were effective for weed management, particularly in moldboard plow and chisel plow systems. Common lambsquarters, giant foxtail, and velvetleaf were the dominant weed species in most glyphosate-based treatments in each cropping system, but these occurred at low to very low densities. In contrast, giant ragweed and/or shattercane populations increased over time to become the dominant weed species and serious weed management problems in treatments that included broad-spectrum preemergence soilresidual herbicides. Results suggest that the weed management and agronomic risks associated with glyphosate use in glyphosate-resistant corn and soybean were no greater than those associated with conventional preemergence soil-residual herbicide programs.
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Late emerging weeds are a concern for corn and soybean growers and their consultants because of their potential impact on crop yield and harvest efficiency Read more…
Late emerging weeds are a concern for corn and soybean growers and their consultants because of their potential impact on crop yield and harvest efficiency and their seed production if left uncontrolled. The challenge with late emerging weeds is determining if control is justified because the weed exceeds an economic threshold and will reduce yield or that the seed production justifies control. This paper will review several factors that need to be considered when trying to assess the impact of late emerging weeds. In general, we need to consider the time of weed emergence, their survival, how successfully they grow in competition with the crop, the effect of their competition on crop yield, and their seed production.
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Balance re-visited
2002BALANCE Herbicide (Isoxaflutole) is a pre-emergent herbicide for the control of grass and broad-leaf weed species in corn. This product was first conditionally registered in Read more…
BALANCE Herbicide (Isoxaflutole) is a pre-emergent herbicide for the control of grass and broad-leaf weed species in corn. This product was first conditionally registered in September 1998, which allowed commercial introduction for the 1999-growing season. As a condition of the registration, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required the registrant, AVENTIS, to conduct studies to better define the risks posed by isoxaflutole to non-target plants and crops. The primary concern is the phyto-toxicity of isoxaflutole and its degradate (RPA 202248) and potential contamination of water resources. Data from these studies were used by EPA to render a registration decision in November 2001. Based on the information at hand, EPA decided in November 2001 to extend the conditional registration of isoxaflutole for an additional 3 years to allow additional time for review.
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The Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) has conducted several surveys of pesticides in groundwater and has consistently found atrazine to be the Read more…
The Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) has conducted several surveys of pesticides in groundwater and has consistently found atrazine to be the most commonly detected pesticide in groundwater. A survey of randomly selected Grade A dairy farm wells in 1989 detected atrazine in 12% of the wells tested. As of December 2001, over 23,000 private water wells have been tested using an immunoassay triazine screen. Thirty-seven percent of these samples have had triazine detected.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Mother Nature seems to never sleep. If we use the same crop production system for many years, she responds with a change in the weed Read more…
Mother Nature seems to never sleep. If we use the same crop production system for many years, she responds with a change in the weed spectrum. And if we change from one tillage system to another, again the weed complex changes. Here are some of the weeds on the increase in Wisconsin cropping systems and suggested management strategies to deal with them.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Common rust is the most serious sweet corn disease in the Midwest vegetable processing region. For every 10% of leaf area damaged yield decreases by Read more…
Common rust is the most serious sweet corn disease in the Midwest vegetable processing region. For every 10% of leaf area damaged yield decreases by 6%. In most years sweet corn planted after late May requires either genetic resistance or fungicide applications to control common rust. Changes in available forms of genetic resistance and newer chemical options will change the decision making process for fungicide application.
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The WWF/WPVGA Collaboration was formed in 1996 to establish a working relationship between the two organizations to promote the development and adoption of biointensive IPM Read more…
The WWF/WPVGA Collaboration was formed in 1996 to establish a working relationship between the two organizations to promote the development and adoption of biointensive IPM practices, to enhance habitat quality, to refine measurement systems for IPM adoption, to look for marketplace incentives for ecologically produced potatoes, and to identify policies and programs to support environmental goals. The University of Wisconsin, which had always provided pertinent research, education, and information to the project, officially became a part of the three-legged stool in 1998 to form the WWF/WPVGA/UW Collaboration as it is known today.
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Use of paper mill residues in vegetable production holds promise for improving soil quality, particularly in course-textured sandy soils where increases in organic matter content Read more…
Use of paper mill residues in vegetable production holds promise for improving soil quality, particularly in course-textured sandy soils where increases in organic matter content can greatly impact soil chemical, biological, and physical properties. Few studies have evaluated the intermediate to long-term effects of repeated organic matter additions on soil quality and crop health, particularly in irrigated sand-based vegetable production. One of the primary objectives of this project is to determine the influence of fresh paper mill residues (PR) and composted PR on crop disease incidence and severity and ultimately crop yields and quality. Our evaluation of PR amendment effects on crop diseases should help us develop strategies for reductions in pesticide use.
We are working with large volume, locally available organic waste streams; fresh and composted paper mill residues. Both of these organic amendments have been successfully applied to Wisconsin soils for soil improvement and crop yield enhancement (Bowen et al., 1995). Wisconsin vegetable growers in regions of sandy soils are now utilizing a variety of paper mill residues to improve soil physical properties and for crop nutrient supply. Composting of paper mill residues and its effects on potato growth and yield in sandy soils has previously been investigated (Bowen et al., 1995).
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I was recently hired as the Potato and Vegetable Crop Production Systems Specialist at the University of Wisconsin. Up until November of 2001, I was Read more…
I was recently hired as the Potato and Vegetable Crop Production Systems Specialist at the University of Wisconsin. Up until November of 2001, I was the Crop Weed Specialist at Montana State University where I had developed a collaborative research and extension program with the agricultural industry and the producers of Montana. I am a native of Wisconsin and am excited to be with the University of Wisconsin and I look forward to meeting and working with you in the future.
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The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, previously unknown in North America, literally burst on the scene in August 2000, with outbreak populations in soybeans in southern Read more…
The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, previously unknown in North America, literally burst on the scene in August 2000, with outbreak populations in soybeans in southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, southeastern Minnesota, and southwestern Michigan. During the 2001 growing season the aphid outbreak spread to include northeast Iowa, most of eastern Minnesota, all of Wisconsin, eastern Michigan, northern Indiana and Ohio, and southern Ontario, Canada, plus the aphid has now been found to occur in 13 U.S. states ranging from North Dakota to Virginia.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Virus problems in legumes appear to have changed from sporadic occurrences to frequencies that suggest research efforts need to be increased. The virus situation in Read more…
Virus problems in legumes appear to have changed from sporadic occurrences to frequencies that suggest research efforts need to be increased. The virus situation in snap bean has escalated from minor to one of significant concern in Wisconsin and other Midwestern states. Although not fully documented, aphids, including the recently discovered soybean aphid, and other virus transmitting insects appear to be more active in recent years. Many viruses found in snap bean are also present in forage legumes and soybean. Besides seed transmission, forage legumes are viewed as a significant source of virus inoculum from which insects are moving viruses to snap bean and soybean.
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The prevalence of diseases caused by plant viruses on processing beans in WI has dramatically changed during the past two years. We normally observe symptoms Read more…
The prevalence of diseases caused by plant viruses on processing beans in WI has dramatically changed during the past two years. We normally observe symptoms of virus diseases affecting processing beans along field edges and where there are concentrated areas of perennial legumes. On numerous occasions in recent years when teaching field courses I’ve found it difficult to find even a single plant with virus-like symptoms in production fields. All this began to change in 2000 when I was called to visit several fields in eastern WI where an unusually high proportion of the plants exhibited symptoms of virus infection. In the first field I visited near Oostburg, WI, over a third of the plants exhibited virus-like symptoms that included plant stunting, mosaic patterns on the foliage and discolored pods. Symptoms were uniformly distributed across the field instead of just along the perimeter. Subsequent samples from the eastern shore area of WI and from the Cambria area indicated a fairly wide distribution of virus-infected plants in several fields. These plants also exhibited a wide range of symptoms typical of virus infection. During 2001 the geographical area of processing beans affected by virus problems increased substantially. In addition to the eastern areas of WI along Lake Michigan and fields in the Cambria area, symptoms were observed in southern WI and into the Central Sands area. There were also reports of virus problems on processing beans grown in southern MI, southern Ontario and western NY. Samples of snap beans sent to us from fields near Buffalo, NY exhibited symptoms similar to the symptoms observed in WI.
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The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, was first found in Wisconsin (and North America) by UW soybean researchers in July 2000. Following that initial discovery, outbreaks Read more…
The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, was first found in Wisconsin (and North America) by UW soybean researchers in July 2000. Following that initial discovery, outbreaks of the aphid were reported in soybean fields throughout southern Wisconsin. The impact of aphid feeding was devastating to soybean yields in the most heavily infested fields, with aphids literally covering the plants. In an experiment on the UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station, we were able to measure about a 6 to 8 bushel yield loss as a result of a moderate soybean aphid infestation. In addition to this direct feeding injury, the soybean aphid is known to transmit viruses that are pathogenic to soybean plants.
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Widespread infestation of soybeans with soybean aphid across much of Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season prompted us to examine the economic impact this insect Read more…
Widespread infestation of soybeans with soybean aphid across much of Wisconsin during the 2000 growing season prompted us to examine the economic impact this insect poses to the soybean crop in terms of direct yield losses (the potential yield losses due to virus transmission by the aphid are not addressed here).
The goal of this study is to examine the yield loss relationship of the soybean aphid to soybeans and attempt to quantify the damage caused by this insect. Furthermore, we would like to develop an economic threshold that will allow soybean producers to make intelligent decisions regarding aphid damage and control methods.
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The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) was discovered infesting soybean fields in southern Wisconsin in July of 2000. This was the first time aphids had Read more…
The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) was discovered infesting soybean fields in southern Wisconsin in July of 2000. This was the first time aphids had been found colonizing soybeans in Wisconsin. A host range study was performed on this aphid the following winter to determine whether or not the aphid was utilizing plants other than soybean for reproductive purposes. Virus transmission experiments were also conducted with the soybean aphid.
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The multicolored Asian lady beetle (MALB) is a generalist predator native to many of the same regions of the eastern hemisphere as the soybean aphid. Read more…
The multicolored Asian lady beetle (MALB) is a generalist predator native to many of the same regions of the eastern hemisphere as the soybean aphid. In some of these areas of soybean production the beetle is considered to be the most important predator of the soybean aphid. Both the larval and adult stages of the beetle are predaceous on aphids and other soft-bodied insects, which they may consume at a rate of over 100 per day. In the past two decades the MALB has become established in the United States, most likely due to intentional biological control introductions. When the soybean aphid was discovered in Wisconsin in 2000, large numbers of MALB larvae and adults were commonly seen feeding on the aphids. We sought to measure the impact this predation may have upon soybean aphid abundance.
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Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is a potyvirus that occurs worldwide in soybean-growing areas (Sinclair 1999). It is transmitted nonpersistantly by over 20 aphid species (Halbert Read more…
Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is a potyvirus that occurs worldwide in soybean-growing areas (Sinclair 1999). It is transmitted nonpersistantly by over 20 aphid species (Halbert 1981b). Aphid vectors found in the midwest include the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae (Sulzer)), corn leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)), bird-cherry oat aphid (R. padi), Aphis citricola (Van der Goot), spirea aphid (A. spiraecola), A. craccivora (Koch), cotton-melon aphid (A. gossypi), and the potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas)) (Gunasinghe 1988, Halbert 1981b, Higley 1994). In the summer of 2000, the soybean aphid, A. glycines, was found colonizing soybeans for the first time in the United States. A. glycines has been shown to be a vector of soybean mosaic virus in China and in laboratory studies in the United States (Halbert 1986, Hill 2001). It is unknown what affect a colonizing aphid will have on the epidemiology of SMV in the United States. Epidemiological models for SMV use daily alate aphid flight data to predict the incidence of SMV (Irwin 2000, Ruesink 1986). The introduction of a colonizing aphid has the potential to make these models obsolete where A. glycines colonizes soybeans (Irwin 1992).
Soybean mosaic virus has been shown to decrease yield, germination, and oil content of seed (Ross 1969, Sinclair 1992, Suteri 1981). It has also been shown to increase mottling of soybean seed, which is caused by bleeding of anthocyanin pigments from the hilum (Ren 1997). Mottling of soybean seed decreases its value as food-grade seed (Wilcox 1987). The cause of mottling is not known, but mottling caused by SMV is increased by reduced temperature at early pod set and infection with bean pod mottle virus (Ross 1968, Ross 1970). Field data shows that inoculation of soybeans with SMV causes a significant increase in mottling (table 1). The presence of mottling does not necessarily correlate with seed transmission of SMV, however (Hill 1980, Kendrick 1924, Pacumbaba 1990, Porto 1975, Ross 1968, Ross 1970, Tu 1975, Tu 1989).
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Since soybean aphids (Aphis glycines Matsamura) were first reported in Wisconsin in 2000, these insects have become a common sight in many soybean fields. Many Read more…
Since soybean aphids (Aphis glycines Matsamura) were first reported in Wisconsin in 2000, these insects have become a common sight in many soybean fields. Many growers report finding tens of thousands of aphids colonizing on a single plant. Not much is known about the aphids’ biology, persistence or effect on soybean health and productivity. Along with the direct damage apparently done by the feeding aphid, concerns about the possibility of virus transmission to soybeans also concern researchers and growers. In response to this new threat to profitable soybean production, research teams were quickly assembled in several North Central States to determine both short- and long-term solutions to the soybean aphid and associated viruses.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Undersander et al. (1993) developed a method for estimating milk per ton of forage dry matter (DM) as an index of forage quality. The milk Read more…
Undersander et al. (1993) developed a method for estimating milk per ton of
forage dry matter (DM) as an index of forage quality. The milk per ton index is based
on energy content of the forage predicted from acid detergent fiber (ADF) content and
DM intake potential of the forage predicted from neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content.The milk per ton index has now been modified to use new NRC recommendations
(National Research Council, 2001) for calculating energy (Schwab and Shaver,
2001), and an easy to use Excel 5.0 spreadsheet called Milk2000 has been developed.
MILK2000 uses forage analyses (crude protein, NDF, in vitro NDF digestibility, starch
(corn silage only), and non-fiber carbohydrate) to estimate energy content using a
modification of the NRC (2001) summative approach and DM intake from NDF
(Mertens, 1987) and in vitro NDF digestibility (Oba and Allen, 1999) to predict milk
production per ton of forage DM. In MILK2000, the intake of energy from forage for a
1350 lb. milking cow consuming a 30% NDF diet is calculated and the cow’s
maintenance energy requirement (proportioned according to the percentage of forage in
the diet) is then subtracted from energy intake to provide an estimate of the energy
available from forage for conversion to milk (NRC, 1989). Forage DM yield multiplied
times the milk produced per ton of forage DM provides an estimate of the milk produced
per acre and combines yield and quality into a single term. -
Several grain crop producers in Southern Wisconsin have strived to minimize nitrogen (N) loss and improve profitability by side-dressing the majority of the crop’s N Read more…
Several grain crop producers in Southern Wisconsin have strived to minimize nitrogen (N) loss and improve profitability by side-dressing the majority of the crop’s N requirement when the corn is 12-20 inches tall. Side-dressing minimizes the threat of N loss by leaching or denitrification, which often occurs when N is applied during the fall or spring. However, current UW recommendations do not provide an adjustment factor for side-dressed N. A group of grain producers participated in an on-farm N-rate study to evaluate optimum side-dress N rates for corn. From the study, questions arose whether the 40 pound N credit for soybeans should actually be increased.
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The ability of legumes to supply nitrogen to succeeding crops has been recognized for many years. The actual amount of N available will depend on Read more…
The ability of legumes to supply nitrogen to succeeding crops has been recognized for many years. The actual amount of N available will depend on the amount of N in the alfalfa and its availability, and any additional soil N that may be released due to the growth of the legume. From a practical standpoint, farmers need to know how much nitrogen fertilizer they should apply when the crop is grown following the legume. This approach, commonly called the nitrogen fertilizer replacement value, integrates the N directly made available from the legume with the nitrogen provided from other sources, such as the stimulation of easily released soil N, into a single value.
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Post harvest application (topdress) of liquid dairy manure to alfalfa has been adopted on Midwest dairy farms as a method to reduce the amount of Read more…
Post harvest application (topdress) of liquid dairy manure to alfalfa has been adopted on Midwest dairy farms as a method to reduce the amount of manure requiring summer storage. Recently, dairy consultants and dairy producers have speculated that topdress manure application on alfalfa may negatively alter alfalfa silage fermentation on subsequent harvest. An exploratory research study was initiated at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station (MARS) to examine the effects of top-dressed liquid dairy manure on second cutting alfalfa silage fermentation.
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Land use patterns in Wisconsin have changed considerably over the past thirty years as have the management practices used in various agricultural enterprises. Forage based Read more…
Land use patterns in Wisconsin have changed considerably over the past thirty years as have the management practices used in various agricultural enterprises. Forage based dairy production continues to be the dominant agricultural industry in the state with alfalfa still the predominant forage grown for feeding dairy animals. The total acreage of alfalfa has changed very little over the past thirty years, however, a large percentage of the concentration of the dairy industry in the state is found on the naturally acid soils of the state. This has resulted in the need for significant inputs of lime on fields where alfalfa is to be grown.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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An increased knowledge of the value of manure is needed to increase its value as a fertilizer and to avoid excess nutrient loss to the Read more…
An increased knowledge of the value of manure is needed to increase its value as a fertilizer and to avoid excess nutrient loss to the environment. Since manure is commonly applied to the same fields year after year it is important to understand the cumulative effects of these multiple year applications. Not only do producers and advisors need to understand first-year nutrient availability and losses, they also need to recognize and account for residual effects.
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With the increase in dairy herd sizes across Wisconsin, the question of whether larger farms accumulate more phosphorus than smaller farms is being asked. To Read more…
With the increase in dairy herd sizes across Wisconsin, the question of whether larger farms accumulate more phosphorus than smaller farms is being asked. To address this question and others, a mass balance of 13 dairy farms, ranging in herd size from 50 to 500 head and 4 cash grain operations was conducted in the Lower Fox River Basin (Outagamie and Brown Counties) over a two year period to determine the per-acre rate of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium loading on farms in the watershed. Incoming sources of these nutrients were quantified from feed, fertilizer and livestock purchases, as well as natural sources of nitrogen(rainfall, legume credits). Economic nutrient export was calculated, as well as an estimate of environmental phosphorus losses.
The mass balance showed an average of 87 lb/ac nitrogen accumulation, 15 lb/ac phosphorus accumulation and 80 lb/ac potassium accumulation on dairy farms. Cash grain accumulation rates were –9, 3, and 23 lb/ac, respectively. Differences in cow populations did not change per acre phosphorus accumulations. Potassium accumulations increased as herd size and acreage increased.
Eleven of the 13 dairy farms had already implemented nitrogen based nutrient management plans. The study indicates phosphorus accumulations could be reduced by more than 90% by implementing a number of additional management practices, including switching to lower phosphorus protein supplements, growing rather than purchasing protein sources, reducing the amount of phosphorus in the dairy ration and reallocating manure across the farm to fields with the greatest phosphorus need.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Micronutrients or minor elements are required by plants in very small quantities, usually less than a pound per acre per year. This does not diminish Read more…
Micronutrients or minor elements are required by plants in very small quantities, usually less than a pound per acre per year. This does not diminish their importance. Although micronutrient deficiencies or toxicities are not widespread in Wisconsin, they can occur and reduced growth or crop failure can result. Toxicities can also occur since several of these elements have rather narrow ranges between deficiency and toxicity levels.
In the past several years, increased interest has been shown toward the micronutrients due to: (1) accumulation of more information regarding needs and plant responses; (2) induced deficiencies from higher crop yields; (3) greater removal from long-time cropping; (4) greater concern over crop quality and nutritional value; and (5) a better understanding of disease and other nutrient interactions.
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The low corn price for Y2K combined with the recent increases in fertilizer nitrogen prices have caused agronomists, suppliers, and farmers to closely examine the Read more…
The low corn price for Y2K combined with the recent increases in fertilizer nitrogen prices have caused agronomists, suppliers, and farmers to closely examine the amount of N they will apply this spring. Corn yield variations and differences in yield response to nitrogen fertilizer are primarily a function of the soil characteristics (depth, drainage, organic matter content, and yield potential) of the environment in which the corn is grown. The response to fertilizer N is also influenced by the amount of available nitrogen from other sources such as residual nitrate-N in the root zone or nitrogen from legumes or manure. These factors are accounted for by the UW soil test recommendations for nitrogen and the recommended adjustments. The combination of these components allows for the estimation of the economically optimum N rate. The very best rate of N to apply is the economic optimum rate because the last unit of N added just pays for itself with additional yield. This rate maximizes the dollar return per acre to the farmer.
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When times are tough, farmers try to lower their fixed and variable costs. Fixed costs are relatively inflexible and often hard to reduce. They can Read more…
When times are tough, farmers try to lower their fixed and variable costs. Fixed costs are relatively inflexible and often hard to reduce. They can be controlled somewhat by improving efficiency and by making decisions such as maintaining a functional piece of equipment rather than purchasing a new one. Many farmers may target variable costs, such as fertilizer, for cost reductions. However, before cutting down on phosphate (P) and potash (K) use, farmers should carefully evaluate their soils and fertility program. Nitrogen, P and K account for a high percentage of current crop yields and are critical to successful farming operations. Those who fine-tune their system for maximum economic yields maximize their profits in good times and minimize their losses in bad times.
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Production contests are popular among farmers and often stir up debate about the “best” production practices for crops. Since 1987, UW Agronomy has been conducting Read more…
Production contests are popular among farmers and often stir up debate about the “best” production practices for crops. Since 1987, UW Agronomy has been conducting a contest for corn and soybean farmers called PEPS (Profits through Efficient Production Systems). The forerunner of the Wisconsin PEPS contest was the UW Pacemaker Yield Club run from 1956 to 1959. Over 550 farmers participated with the average yield of club members exceeding 100 bu/A in five of six years. In 1981 the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association perceived an over-emphasis on “maximum yields” and sponsored a contest based on net monetary return per land area. From 1982 to 1986, a Conservation Tillage Corn Production contest was run based on the economics of corn production. In 1987 this contest was expanded into the current PEPS contest to include corn, soybeans and wheat. Currently, the contest is divided into three divisions: 1) cash corn, 2) livestock corn (rotation with alfalfa or manure application), and 3) soybean.
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Assisting farmer clients determine their cost of production and per-acre profits is something many crop input supply dealers and consultants do. But as the economics Read more…
Assisting farmer clients determine their cost of production and per-acre profits is something many crop input supply dealers and consultants do. But as the economics of both farming and the input and service industry become more and more challenging it seems important to review these methods for helping crop producers know their true costs of production and evaluate and improve their profitability. This presentation will review the objectives of crop enterprise budgeting, the components of an enterprise budget, how the value of each component is determined and will briefly describe the Agricultural Budget Calculation Software (ABCS) for use in preparing crop enterprise budgets.
Enterprise budgeting can be used as a tool for determining and evaluating profitability from any agricultural production enterprise. An enterprise is any distinct component of the over-all farm business such as the corn production enterprise or the milk production enterprise. While these components are usually inter-related, they can and should be evaluated individually for their economic merits. In developing an enterprise budget, the costs of production are determined and then subtracted from the revenue received to determine the amount of profit or loss. For crop enterprise budgets, costs and returns are usually assigned on a per-acre basis, but can also be calculated on a per-unit of yield basis such as per-bushel or per-ton.
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U.S. corn and soybean markets experienced their fifth consecutive year with national average yields at or above trend line levels. This is the first string Read more…
U.S. corn and soybean markets experienced their fifth consecutive year with national average yields at or above trend line levels. This is the first string of five good to excellent crops in well over 30 years. While an amazing accomplishment from a production perspective, this trend has had a negative impact on average price levels.
Wisconsin, like the U.S. in general, also experienced excellent crops the last several years. However, Wisconsin’s production as a percentage of national production has been less stable. For example, in 1999 Wisconsin produced a much larger percentage of the national corn crop than they did in 2000. This has resulted in more volatility in local prices relative to the mid-1990’s, and has increased basis volatility from year to year (basis is the difference between the local cash price and the futures price for the same commodity).
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It is critical to understand current farm practices and farmer knowledge in order to develop appropriate agricultural research objectives and outreach approaches. For example, the Read more…
It is critical to understand current farm practices and farmer knowledge in order to develop appropriate agricultural research objectives and outreach approaches. For example, the role of phosphorus (P) in plant nutrition and environmental quality is well understood by researchers and has been a topic of private and public farmer training programs, especially in the past few years. What do dairy farmers understand about phosphorus? How does this understanding relate to local program efforts or farm size? Our objective was to answer these and related questions.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Nutrient management is quintessential for U.S. grain producers to maintain a competitive advantage in the world market place and at the same time a quality Read more…
Nutrient management is quintessential for U.S. grain producers to maintain a competitive advantage in the world market place and at the same time a quality environment. Over the last 19 years, average annual Illinois corn prices have varied considerably, averaging $2.44 per bushel. Unfortunately, prices the last 3 years have been tending down (Fig.1) and based on the world grain supply, there is little hope that they will improve in the near future. The price paid for ammonia by U.S. farmers has also tended down over the last 3 years, but there are strong indications that it will make a dramatic upturn in the spring of 2001. The data given in figure 1 for the crop year 2001 are not forecasts, but they could be reality. If so, nitrogen management will be even more crucial than it has been in the past.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Phosphorus (P) losses from land-applied manure can contribute to nonpoint source pollution of surface waters. Dietary P levels influence P concentrations in animal manures and Read more…
Phosphorus (P) losses from land-applied manure can contribute to nonpoint source pollution of surface waters. Dietary P levels influence P concentrations in animal manures and may affect P losses from land-applied manure. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dairy diet P concentration on P losses in runoff from landapplied manure. Manures with P concentrations of 0.48 and 1.28 % P from two dietary P levels were applied to a silt loam soil 25 wet ton/a (36 and 96 lb P/a, respectively). The high P manure was also applied at 9.4 wet ton/a (36 lb P/a) to provide an equivalent P rate as the low P manure. Plots were subjected to simulated rainfall (2.83 in/hr) in June and again in October. Runoff was analyzed for dissolved reactive P (DRP), bioavailable P, total P, and sediment concentration. Natural runoff from the same plots was collected from November through May and analyzed for P as described above. At equivalent manure rates, DRP in June runoff from the high P manure was about 10 times higher (0.30 vs. 2.84 ppm) than the low P manure, and 4 times higher (0.30 vs. 1.18 ppm) when applied at equivalent P rates. Phosphorus concentrations in October runoff and November – May natural runoff were lower (0.02 – 1.69 ppm), but treatment effects were the same as for June runoff. These results show that excess P in dairy diets increases the potential for P loss in runoff from land-applied manure. Furthermore, diet P effects on potential losses in runoff from land-applied manure should be considered in P-indexing and nutrient management planning.
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Equilibrium-tension lysimeters were used to evaluate and compare dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) leaching from a prairie and fertilized no-tillage and chisel-plowed corn agroecosystems on Plano Read more…
Equilibrium-tension lysimeters were used to evaluate and compare dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) leaching from a prairie and fertilized no-tillage and chisel-plowed corn agroecosystems on Plano silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Argiudolls) in south central Wisconsin during four monitoring periods, March through April 1996, 1997, and 1998, and from January 1999 through September 2000. A low level of soluble P was found to leach from both natural and managed ecosystems. Dissolved reactive P leaching losses were higher from the managed compared to the natural ecosystems. The fertilized notillage agroecosystem consistently maintained higher DRP concentrations in soil leachate solutions compared to the fertilized chisel-plowed agroecosystem, which led to higher DRP leaching losses for the fertilized no-tillage agroecosystem, despite greater drainage from the fertilized chisel-plowed compared to the fertilized no-tillage agroecosystem. Soluble P leaching losses measured for a prairie and fertilized agroecosystems in south central Wisconsin were below acceptable critical limits for P loss.
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The Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides disease identification and control recommendations for agricultural producers and agribusinesses in the state Read more…
The Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic (PDDC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides disease identification and control recommendations for agricultural producers and agribusinesses in the state of Wisconsin. In 2000, approximately 8% of the PDDC’s samples were field and forage crop samples, including field corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. Heavy rains in May and June provided ideal conditions for the development of a variety of field and forage crop diseases.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Knowing the sequence of weed emergence is useful weed management information. It can help producers and ag professionals estimate when certain weeds may appear, particularly Read more…
Knowing the sequence of weed emergence is useful weed management information. It can help producers and ag professionals estimate when certain weeds may appear, particularly after the early emerging species arrive. Such weed emergence sequences have been reported for primarily annual species by several Midwestern states. Many of you have seen the Iowa State (2000) flyer that presents the emergence sequence of 16 common annual weeds for the upper Midwest. An earlier extension bulletin from Iowa State (Buhler et al. 1997) reported on the emergence patterns of 35 annual and 13 perennial weed species.
What has not been done routinely is to monitor the time when perennial and biennial species begin to regrow in the spring. Nor has information on the flowering sequence of a wide array of species at one location been observed and reported. Flowering information for perennial species is important to be able to synchronize tillage, cultivation and systemic herbicide application with the onset of flowering for maximum effectiveness. It is important information for both biennials and perennials in pastures, roadsides, CRP fields and other non-disturbed sites that will be mowed so that this operation is done before weeds produce viable seeds (usually 10 to 15 days after pollination). This paper provides information on the emergence and flowering times and sequences of 82 weed species in a range of life cycles for a threeyear period in southern Wisconsin.
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Pest management on processing crops in Wisconsin continues to be heavily reliant on pesticides. The ongoing implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) requires Read more…
Pest management on processing crops in Wisconsin continues to be heavily reliant on pesticides. The ongoing implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) requires a major reassessment of the risks associated with currently registered pesticides. Potential changes in labeled uses and ultimately label cancellations are anticipated to reduce risk and are thus of great concern to the processing industry. In the initial phases of FQPA implementation, regulatory activity is focusing on cholinesterase inhibitors (organo-phosphates and carbamates) with subsequent action encompassing compounds with potential carcinogenic or endocrine disruption activity. The Wisconsin processing industry has proactively addressed these concerns by seeking to reduce reliance on targeted pesticides. The potato industry (65% processing) has achieved this through a collaboration involving WPVGA, the World Wildlife fund and the UW pest management team. The goals of the collaboration, to progressively reduce the use of certain targeted pesticides, have been successful and together with the availability of less toxic alternatives in the marketplace, have enabled the Wisconsin potato industry to develop economical pest management strategies, which will reduce risk and comply with anticipated FQPA requirements.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Experiments were conducted at six locations in 2000 and at four locations in 1999. These studies were conducted to expand on findings from research conducted Read more…
Experiments were conducted at six locations in 2000 and at four locations in 1999. These studies were conducted to expand on findings from research conducted in 1997 and 1998 that suggested the corn hybrid yield potential was the most important factor to consider when making planting decisions. However, earlier research evaluated only one hybrid for each technology and was conducted at only one location. In the interest of space only 2000 results are presented in this paper as 1999 results are printed in the 2000 Fertilizer, Aglime and Pest Management Conference proceedings.
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The corn plant Zea mays L. plays host to a variety of insect pests. Among the most important of these are the western corn rootworm Read more…
The corn plant Zea mays L. plays host to a variety of insect pests. Among the most important of these are the western corn rootworm beetles and the European corn borer. Crop losses and control costs associated with these pests run into the millions of dollars annually.
Corn rootworm (CRW) beetles exhibit a univoltine life cycle. Feral adults deposit their eggs into the soil of cornfields during July and August where they undergo diapause and overwinter. The following spring eggs hatch beginning in late May and continuing on into the middle part of June. Larvae of the new generation feed on developing corn roots. After reaching the third instar larvae pupate in the soil, and emerge as adults during June and July. Adults live between 75 and 85 days and feed on pollen, silks, and leaf material. Damage occurs as roots from corn plants are fed upon and pruned by larvae. This eventually hinders the plants’ ability to uptake water and nutrients. Extensive root damage may also cause plants to lodge (fall over), resulting in yield losses and an increased harvesting time.
The European corn borer (ECB) is a foreign pest introduced to the North America in 1912. Since its arrival this insect has hindered corn production throughout the major growing regions of the US and Canada. The ECB exhibits a bivoltine (2 generations per year) lifecycle in southern Wisconsin and the majority of the Midwest. ECBs overwinter as fifth instar larvae, and emerge during mid to late June. Adult females of the first generation mate and deposit masses of 15-25 eggs into the whorls of developing corn plants. Following egg hatch larvae feed on corn pollen, ear silks, and leaf tissue. As the larvae mature they begin to bore into the stalk or leaf midrib of the plant. Tunneling larvae continue to feed and develop inside the plant and eventually pupate. Adults emerging from these plants commonly mate in grassy areas near the field margins, and return to lay eggs on the leaves of corn near the pollenation stage. Larvae of second generation ECBs feed on sheath collar and leaf tissue before tunneling into leaf midribs, ear shanks, and stalks. The second generation continues development until early to mid fall when the larvae undergo diapause. Damage from ECB feeding results in broken stalks, dropped ears, and physiological damage. Larval tunneling can inhibit the plants ability to uptake water and nutrients which results in yield losses due to small ears and a general reduction in plant growth.
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Prior to the discovery of the soybean aphid, researchers at the University of WisconsinMadison have been researching the cause of several abnormal symptoms of unknown Read more…
Prior to the discovery of the soybean aphid, researchers at the University of WisconsinMadison have been researching the cause of several abnormal symptoms of unknown cause common to soybean in most regions of Wisconsin. Major symptoms are changes in leaf and pod appearance that frequently are confused with symptoms caused by post-emergence herbicides. Plants with abnormal leaf phenotypes are commonly stunted, produce fewer pods, and have stems that remain green while other plants in the field mature normally. Frequently, seed from symptomatic plants have mottled seed coats resulting from hilum pigments “bleeding” into the seed coat. Viruses were suspected as a cause of these symptoms, but research was needed to prove this theory.
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This is the 87th presentation that I or one of my graduate students and technicians have given at this meeting over the last thirty years. Read more…
This is the 87th presentation that I or one of my graduate students and technicians have given at this meeting over the last thirty years. And it is the hardest because I can’t use my own voice. I joined the faculty of the Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin -Madison as an Assistant Professor on July 1, 1970. I had one personal goal. That was to help Wisconsin farmers optimize their weed management. I was 24 years old and knew I could conquer any challenge. Although my Ph.D. research had been a laboratory project, I knew from start that I would have a big field program. I just didn’t dream of how big it would become. At that time I also made a commitment to always obtain crop yield data from every field study (most other weed scientists were only rating weed control). I had arrived at the right time, at the early stages of the herbicide revolution. After my arrival, every experimental herbicide being developed for alfalfa, corn, dry beans, lupines, peas, soybeans and sweet corn came through my program. I wrote the first section 18 label for the state, and worked with IR-4 to register herbicides for minor crops. I don’t know how many herbicides that came through my program? There were hundreds! But looking back now, much of that research was a wasted effort. About four or five years after each new herbicide was registered, a species shift would occur or herbicide-resistant weeds would develop minimizing the benefit. These are fires mentioned in the title of this presentation. I have spent much of my career identifying the most serious weed management fires confronting Wisconsin farmers, and then I tried to put them out.
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No abstract provided.
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Since 1996, agriculturalists have increasingly become familiar with Gulf of Mexico hypoxia and the potential impacts that this phenomena may have on Midwestern agriculture. Between Read more…
Since 1996, agriculturalists have increasingly become familiar with Gulf of Mexico hypoxia and the potential impacts that this phenomena may have on Midwestern agriculture. Between 1993 and 1999, the zone of seasonally low oxygen (< 2 mg/L) in the northern Gulf of Mexico has been estimated to be larger than 4,000 square miles. In 1999, it was 8,000 square miles, but in the summer of 2000 dropped to 1700 square miles (see Fig. 1). The hypoxic zone is a result of complicated interactions involving excessive nutrients, primarily nitrogen, carried to the Gulf by the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers; physical changes in the basin, such as channelization and loss of natural wetlands and vegetation along the banks as well as wetland conversions throughout the basin; and the stratification in the waters of the northern Gulf caused by the interaction of fresh river water and the saltwater of the Gulf. In the near shore Gulf, excessive algal growth results in a decrease in dissolved oxygen in the bottom water, and the corresponding loss of aquatic habitat. Mobile organisms leave the hypoxic zone and those that cannot leave, die or are weakened depending on how low the oxygen level gets and for how long. In the Gulf, fish, shrimp, crabs, zooplankton, and other important fish prey are significantly less abundant in bottom waters in areas that experience bottom waters hypoxia.
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A paper from Cornell University (Losey et al., 1999) was the first to report toxicity of Bt corn pollen to monarch butterflies. Although there was Read more…
A paper from Cornell University (Losey et al., 1999) was the first to report toxicity of Bt corn pollen to monarch butterflies. Although there was wide discussion in the scientific community that the study was preliminary and flawed in terms of how well it represented real-world issues (Berringer, 1999; Hodgson, 1999; Rice 1999; Shelton and Rousch, 1999), it received wide distribution in the popular press and used as an argument against further development and release of transgenic crops.
An Iowa State University study by Hansen and Obrycki (2000) was reported to corroborate Losey’s study, and under field conditions. Although a portion of the experiment was conducted in the field (unlike the laboratory study by Losey), critics contend that the study did not truly represent field conditions and didn’t accurately portray risks of Bt pollen in natural field settings. As was true for the Losey study, the results were widely circulated by the popular press, while criticisms of the experimental design and conclusions drawn by the authors were not mentioned by the media. Conversely, a study by Wraight et al. (2000) demonstrating an absence of toxicity of Bt pollen to black swallowtails under field conditions, received little or no circulation in the popular press. Additionally, numerous ongoing field studies showing minimal impact of Bt pollen on monarch butterflies have received no mention in the popular press.
This paper is not intended as further criticism of research conducted by Losey et al. (1999) and Hansen and Obrycki (2000). It is intended as a summary of those results, reasons why they may not be representative of field conditions and potential hazards of the pollen to monarch butterflies, and to point out the kinds of field research that are still needed.
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Two years ago a brief article in Science raised the questions as to whether or not the advent of transgenic crops, in particular glyphosate resistant Read more…
Two years ago a brief article in Science raised the questions as to whether or not the advent of transgenic crops, in particular glyphosate resistant corn and soybeans, might mean the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus L.) is in trouble (Anon. 1999). It is well known that the larvae of the Monarch butterfly feed exclusively on a few species of the milkweed family. In our part of the world, their food is essentially common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.). The article estimated that nearly half the monarchs in North America migrate to overwintering sites in Mexico through the Midwest region. They also assumed that much of the milkweed that monarch larvae depend on was found in crop land that would be treated with glyphosate and this could “… devastate monarch food supplies.”
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Across the nation, nutrients are reported frequently as a cause of impairment of surface waters. For example, in EPA’s 1998 National Water Quality Inventory, nutrients Read more…
Across the nation, nutrients are reported frequently as a cause of impairment of surface waters. For example, in EPA’s 1998 National Water Quality Inventory, nutrients were identified as contributing to impairment in 30% of the streams reported as impaired and 44% of the lakes reported as impaired.. Under Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act, States are required to develop criteria for those pollutants that could cause or contribute to impairment of surface waters.
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Point source pollution is from a defined source like a factory pipe or discharge from a waste water treatment plant. Nonpoint source pollution is also Read more…
Point source pollution is from a defined source like a factory pipe or discharge from a waste water treatment plant. Nonpoint source pollution is also called runoff. Runoff pollution cannot be easily traced to a single source or point of origin. This runoff occurs when rainwater or snowmelt contacts soil, organic wastes, fertilizers, and other pollutants carrying them to surface and groundwater. Soluble nutrients and those attached to soil particles come from parking lots, roads, livestock lots, and crop fields. These nutrients and sediments are deposited in streams, marshes, and lakes causing reduced water-holding capacity, increased oxygen use, and accelerated plant growth. As plants die and decompose oxygen is consumed. If too little oxygen is left in the water resource fish kills may occur.
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No abstract provided.
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Precision farmers can now collect more detailed information about the spatial characteristics of their farming operation than ever before. In addition to yield, boundary and Read more…
Precision farmers can now collect more detailed information about the spatial characteristics of their farming operation than ever before. In addition to yield, boundary and field attribute maps, a wide array of new electronic, mechanical and chemical sensors are being developed to measure and map many soil and plant properties. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is one of the simplest, least expensive soil measurements available to precision farmers today.
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The mapping of the Earth’s subsurface is a scientific and technical challenge. The creation of such maps can result in a greater understanding of our Read more…
The mapping of the Earth’s subsurface is a scientific and technical challenge. The creation of such maps can result in a greater understanding of our capabilities and limitations with regard to agriculture, construction, transportation, environmental assessment, and resource management. Additionally, water, nutrients, pesticides, and herbicides must flow through or be contained by the soil environment. Subtle changes in soil properties can have large impacts on land usability, solute transport calculations, soil fertility, carbon sequestration, bioremediation, and vegetative health. Intensive land use applications and management practices require more detailed subsurface information than is currently available in most instances. Information regarding the depth, thickness, and properties of subsurface strata are currently obtained through soil core sampling, well logs, or the excavation of pits to enable detailed analysis of the characteristics of the ground on which we all live.
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Many factors influence the growth, development, and final yields of corn and soybean. Of all these factors, suspected or actual herbicide injury may cause the Read more…
Many factors influence the growth, development, and final yields of corn and soybean. Of all these factors, suspected or actual herbicide injury may cause the greatest emotional response for a grower. Herbicide injury may also ultimately involve a large number people besides the grower, potentially including the consultant, agronomist, custom applicator, and chemical representatives. We developed a user-friendly, internet-based herbicide injury diagnostic key as a useful tool to aid in the diagnosis of herbicide injury. The diagnostic key can be found at http://ipcm.wisc.edu/uw_weeds/extension/herbinjury.htm.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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EPA is engaged in a methodical pesticide re-assessment that: categorized pesticides into high-, medium-, and low-risk; is evaluating pesticides first on an individual basis considering Read more…
EPA is engaged in a methodical pesticide re-assessment that:
- categorized pesticides into high-, medium-, and low-risk;
- is evaluating pesticides first on an individual basis considering aggregate exposure and then considering cumulative exposure to pesticides with common mechanisms of toxicity;
- is taking into account health endpoints beyond cancer, including neurological damage, infertility, and developmental disabilities.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Herbicides are amazing chemicals. Ideally, we expect herbicides to kill weeds and protect our crops from weed competition, without harming the crop. Fortunately, this is Read more…
Herbicides are amazing chemicals. Ideally, we expect herbicides to kill weeds and protect our crops from weed competition, without harming the crop. Fortunately, this is the typical case, but herbicides can damage our crops on occasion. To minimize the risk of herbicide-injured crops, we need to understand how herbicides function and factors that affect their activity. We can use this information to make better decisions regarding the risk of crop injury when selecting or applying herbicides.
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The soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura, a serious pest of soybean in China, was first detected in the U.S. on 13 July 2000 in a Read more…
The soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura, a serious pest of soybean in China, was first detected in the U.S. on 13 July 2000 in a research trial conducted by the authors on a private farm near Whitewater, WI. Although the aphids we collected appeared to be the cotton/melon aphid, an aphid already present in the U.S., we forwarded specimens to Dr. David Voegtlin at the Illinois Natural History Survey for additional examination. Dr. Voegtlin determined that the aphids were soybean aphid; the cotton/melon aphid and the soybean aphid closely resemble one another and separation of the of the identities of the two species is difficult. The cotton/melon aphid, Aphis gossypii, is reported to colonize on soybean in China. And there also are reports that the two species can hybridize when the overwinter on the same plant. By the fall of 2000, the presence of soybean aphid had been confirmed in nine states, but it appears that the heaviest infestations were present in Wisconsin, Michigan, and northern Illinois.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) is a disease frequently found in high yield potential soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Soybean producers who adopt management techniques to Read more…
White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) is a disease frequently found in high yield potential soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Soybean producers who adopt management techniques to maximize yield are often penalized by this disease. Several factors responsible for the onset of white mold relate to how we manage soybean canopy closure. A dense canopy provides an environment that enhances white mold pathogen development. Canopy is influenced by plant health, narrow row spacings, high plant populations, high fertility, early planting dates, and sometimes herbicide tolerant varieties that do not succumb to postemergent herbicide “setback” by burning canopy foliage. Essentially, all practices that promote rapid and aggressive soybean plant growth will encourage rapid canopy closure.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Potato leafhopper (PLH) resistant alfalfa varieties with the glandular haired trait have been commercially available for four years. Potato leafhopper is considered the most significant Read more…
Potato leafhopper (PLH) resistant alfalfa varieties with the glandular haired trait have been commercially available for four years. Potato leafhopper is considered the most significant insect pest of alfalfa in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. PLH injury to alfalfa can result in leaf yellowing (“hopperburn”), plant stunting, loss of yield and forage quality, and reduced alfalfa stand persistence. During the 2000 growing season we established field trials at the Arlington and Marshfield Agricultural Research Stations in a continuing effort to evaluate the efficacy of glandular haired varieties under Wisconsin conditions and agronomic practices, as new “generations” of varieties with improved resistance are released. In particular, the Arlington study was designed to evaluate the extent to which current treatment thresholds recommended in Wisconsin for PLH management in alfalfa need to be adjusted for glandular haired alfalfa cultivars advertised to be resistant to PLH. Our experience thus far indicates that commercial glandular haired varieties currently available exhibit various levels of partial resistance, but not complete resistance, to PLH. Consequently, effective management of this pest in the near term will likely require a combination of plant resistance and insecticide application as needed.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Raising continuous soybean [Glycine max L. (Merr.)] is not very common in Wisconsin. No statistics are kept on the percent acreage of rotated soybean, but Read more…
Raising continuous soybean [Glycine max L. (Merr.)] is not very common in Wisconsin. No statistics are kept on the percent acreage of rotated soybean, but a good estimate is that at least 95% of the soybean crop is grown in rotation with some other crop. However, some producers are giving strong consideration to planting soybean after soybean this year. Several reasons include lower input costs compared to corn (Zea mays L.) and an expected increasing demand. A key consideration is that the yield penalty for continuous soybean is too great in most areas to consider continuous cropping. This is often related to the benefit of the rotation effect such as the negative effect associated with the buildup of plant pathogens. This research project determined the rotation effect on corn and soybean and its interaction with tillage system and row spacing. Additionally, visual rating of brown stem rot (Phialophora gregata) severity was conducted in 2000. Only soybean data is presented.
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As dairymen across northeast Wisconsin expand herd size, more corn silage is being grown to meet forage needs. On erosion prone slopes with limited residue Read more…
As dairymen across northeast Wisconsin expand herd size, more corn silage is being grown to meet forage needs. On erosion prone slopes with limited residue cover, soil and water losses are a concern following corn silage harvest.
Using winter rye as a cover crop following corn silage is one of several cover crop options. Some growers using rye in this situation are experiencing problems in spring with excess soil moisture use and green crop residue to contend with (Stute, 2000). Local growers have raised specific questions regarding how long winter rye needs to be left standing in spring to achieve adequate residue cover after tillage. NRCS standards suggest a 30% residue cover on highly erodible land.
The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in residue cover following a winter rye cover crop suppressed in spring with herbicide at various plant heights.
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Use of GMO hybrids may help growers improve weed and insect control in corn as well as reduce costs of pesticide applications. GMO traits cost Read more…
Use of GMO hybrids may help growers improve weed and insect control in corn as well as reduce costs of pesticide applications. GMO traits cost more compared to normal hybrids. Farmers are concerned about “yield drag” or “yield lag” in GMO corns. Several factors may contribute to lower yields in GMO corn. The conversion of normal corn to a specialty hybrid requires numerous cycles of backcrossing. The time that is required to complete the backcross process may result in GMO hybrids lagging behind that of the normal hybrid from which it is derived. Second the conversion of normal hybrids is not always “clean.” Sometimes undesirable agronomic traits are strongly linked to the gene that conferred the specialty trait and this “linkage” decreases yield performance. The concept of yield drag and yield lag is real and as plant breeders spend more time and resources making sure that GMO traits work, it will come at a cost and yield progress will likely be slowed. Finally, like normal hybrids yield performance variability exists among GMO hybrids.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Pest management on processing crops in Wisconsin continues to be heavily reliant on pesticides. The ongoing implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) requires Read more…
Pest management on processing crops in Wisconsin continues to be heavily reliant on pesticides. The ongoing implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) requires a major reassessment of the risks associated with currently registered pesticides. Potential changes in labeled uses and ultimately label cancellations are anticipated to reduce risk and are thus of great concern to the processing industry. In the initial phases of FQPA implementation, regulatory activity is focusing on cholinesterase inhibitors (organo-phosphates and carbamates) with subsequent action encompassing compounds with potential carcinogenic or endocrine disruption activity. The Wisconsin processing industry has proactively addressed these concerns by seeking to reduce reliance on targeted pesticides. The potato industry (65% processing) has achieved this through a collaboration involving WPVGA, the World Wildlife fund and the UW pest management team. The goals of the collaboration, to progressively reduce the use of certain targeted pesticides, have been successful and together with the availability of less toxic alternatives in the marketplace, have enabled the Wisconsin potato industry to develop economical pest management strategies, which will reduce risk and comply with anticipated FQPA requirements.
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The WWF/WPVGA Collaboration was formed in 1996 to establish a working relationship between the two organizations to promote the development and adoption of biointensive IPM Read more…
The WWF/WPVGA Collaboration was formed in 1996 to establish a working relationship between the two organizations to promote the development and adoption of biointensive IPM practices, to enhance habitat quality, to refine measurement systems for IPM adoption, to look for marketplace incentives for ecologically produced potatoes, and to identify policies and programs to support environmental goals. The University of Wisconsin, which had always provided pertinent research, education, and information to the project, officially became a part of the three-legged stool in 1998 to form the WWF/WPVGA/UW Collaboration as it is known today.
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White mold caused by the soilborne fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is an economic threat to many broadleaf plants. This fungus attacks most commonly grown vegetables including Read more…
White mold caused by the soilborne fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is an economic threat to many broadleaf plants. This fungus attacks most commonly grown vegetables including snap bean, lima bean, pea, potato, tomato and cabbage. Field crops such as soybean, dry bean, lupine, sunflower and canola are also susceptible to attack. Recent outbreaks of white mold on soybeans are a strong indication of the widespread distribution of this pathogen and the level of damage this disease can cause. These outbreaks on soybean also send a strong message regarding the future risk of white mold on soybeans, snap beans and other broadleaf crops in Wisconsin.
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Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) producers desire high yields and high sugar content in the endosperm. High irrigation levels result in high yield, but their Read more…
Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) producers desire high yields and high sugar content in the endosperm. High irrigation levels result in high yield, but their effect on sugar content is unclear. The effects of two irrigation levels, standard and stressed on endosperm sugar content were evaluated using three sugary1 hybrids over 2 years. No significant differences were found among the treatments when averaged over hybrids and years. In 1996, reduced irrigation resulted in higher sugar levels. As expected, there were significant differences in sucrose and total sugar levels among hybrids. The ranking among hybrids differed over years.
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Successful IPM programs for potato pests have been developed and implemented in the Midwestern USA, but these are largely predictive and reactive in nature and Read more…
Successful IPM programs for potato pests have been developed and implemented in the Midwestern USA, but these are largely predictive and reactive in nature and remain heavily dependent on pesticide use. The continuing threat of resistance, environmental and safety concerns, and the potential loss of pesticide tools through FQPA implementation clearly necessitates the development of alternative approaches to IPM, which are less reliant on pesticides. In Wisconsin, potato growers, researchers, and the World Wildlife Fund entered into a unique agreement in 1996, which set specific goals for reductions in pesticide use and increases in adoption of biointensive approaches to pest management. Reduced risk insect and disease control programs which integrate the basic components of successful potato IPM (crop scouting, pest prediction and thresholds) with low toxicity pesticides were developed and tested in large scale, replicated trials in commercial potatoes in 1999 and 2000. The efficacy and cost effectiveness of reducedrisk programs was compared with conventional programs by weekly assessment of pest and beneficial insect populations and disease development. Crop yield and grade were determined at harvest.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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A significant number of experiments, many conducted in Wisconsin, show the benefits of adding lime to fields where alfalfa is grown (Peters and Kelling, 1989, Read more…
A significant number of experiments, many conducted in Wisconsin, show the benefits of adding lime to fields where alfalfa is grown (Peters and Kelling, 1989, 1997). Similarly, a substantial amount of work has documented the benefits of adding potash to soils where alfalfa is raised (Attoe and Truog, 1950; Smith and Powell, 1979; Erickson et al., 1981; Peterson et al., 1975; Kelling, 1995). Potassium functions in several physiological processes in forage legumes. These include enzyme activity, carbohydrate production and transport, and stomatal activity (Munson, 1985). Potassium uptake is also linked to increased resistance to disease and lodging, increased carbohydrate production, and improved winter hardiness of alfalfa (Schulte and Walsh, 1993).
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Knowledge of the fate of agricultural phosphorus in the environment is of crucial interest for maintaining water quality and sustaining economic agricultural enterprises on the Read more…
Knowledge of the fate of agricultural phosphorus in the environment is of crucial interest for maintaining water quality and sustaining economic agricultural enterprises on the landscape, in Wisconsin as well as elsewhere. Since the question is most properly the long term effect of a particular phosphorusmanagement practice, the only alternative to pure forecasting or prediction is the challenge of extracting pertinent information from long-term experiments that were established for purposes other than evaluating the fate of phosphorus in the environment.
A set of fertility plots established in 1962 at the UW Agricultural Research Station at Arlington, WI, included addition of dairy manure at a rate of 15 ton/acre/yr for 32 years and addition of phosphorus fertilizer for 20 years. Since the cessation of treatment applications in 1994, the plots-have been only minimally disturbed. In a preliminary study, the plots and treatments were re-marked and a number of soil cores to a depth of 1 m representing treatments of immediate interest. Measures HF-extractable P show clear differences in the 20-cm plow layer between those cores amended with mineral P fertilizers and with P-containing dairy manure, presumably reflecting P loading rates. However, the pattern of P distribution with depth below the plow layer is even more striking, with manured soil behaving like a chromatographic column, with available-P enriched as much as 20-cm below the plow layer, whereas the mineral-P treatment affects a depth of only 5 cm below the plow layer. Further work is underway to revisit these long-term plots in a scientifically rigorous manner and “mine” information about the long-term fate of phosphorus in a Wisconsin soil from this long-term experiment.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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This session of the conference is focused on evaluating the economics of production inputs. Of these inputs, herbicides and their application comprise a sizable expense Read more…
This session of the conference is focused on evaluating the economics of production inputs. Of these inputs, herbicides and their application comprise a sizable expense in corn and soybean production. Although these costs may account for only 10 to 20% of the total cost of crop production, it could be argued that effect of weed management decisions on crop yield can be as or more important than other production decisions (Lauer 2000). Obviously, if poor weed management decisions are made, yields can be severely reduced. It has been shown that herbicides can be replaced with a combination of rotary hoeing and cultivation without reducing yield if timing and conditions are optimal (Mulder and Doll 1993). However, it is unreasonable to suggest that many Wisconsin growers can adopt this type of intensive management to eliminate herbicides as an input cost. Options for reducing herbicide inputs via reduced herbicide rates combined with cultivation and the success of reduced rate systems have been discussed previously (Doll et al. 1992, Buhler et al. 1995, Proost et al. 1996). The use of reduced rates requires additional management practices such as timely cultivation, which can limit the use of this practice. Another option to evaluate the value of herbicide programs will exist with the WeedSOFT software program that is being adapted for Wisconsin.
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Most dairy farms in Wisconsin continue to produce most of their feed and have sufficient land for recycling manure nutrients through crops. However, to remain Read more…
Most dairy farms in Wisconsin continue to produce most of their feed and have sufficient land for recycling manure nutrients through crops. However, to remain economically viable, many dairy farms are increasing herd size and importing more feed. The increased importation of nutrients in the form of feed and fertilizer has resulted in excessive soil nutrient accumulation (Bundy, 1998; Proost, 1999), and has increased the risk of nutrient transfer through surface and subsurface runoff and air pollution.
Federal legislation aimed at controlling farmer practices that potentially pollute surface and ground waters is becoming strict (USDA and USEPA, 1999). The survival of many livestock operations in the U.S, including dairy farms in Wisconsin, will increasingly depend on farmers’ ability to comply with environmental standards, especially those associated with the application of manure to cropland. Clearly, alternative manure management strategies are needed if we are to arrest soil nutrient accumulation and loss from dairy farms.
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Two rates of calcium from two sources (calcium carbonate and calcium chloride) were surfaceapplied to established pasture at two sites in Price County over 2 Read more…
Two rates of calcium from two sources (calcium carbonate and calcium chloride) were surfaceapplied to established pasture at two sites in Price County over 2 years. Crop yields, forage tissue tests, soil test levels, earthworm populations, and soil microbial respiration were measured for the calcium treatments and control plots (no calcium added) at each site.
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This presentation analyzes the fertilizer recommendation differences brought about through the use of different acres per soil sample regimens. Three Marinette County farms will be Read more…
This presentation analyzes the fertilizer recommendation differences brought about through the use of different acres per soil sample regimens. Three Marinette County farms will be used as case studies, as well as a review of applicable literature which has researched this topic.
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Soil nitrate tests are an effective method for identifying optimum nitrogen (N) rates for corn in several cropping systems commonly used in Wisconsin (Bundy and Read more…
Soil nitrate tests are an effective method for identifying optimum nitrogen (N) rates for corn in several cropping systems commonly used in Wisconsin (Bundy and Andraski, 1995). Use of these tests often allows a reduction in the N rate applied for corn and thereby provides economic benefits to producers as well as reduced potential for loss of nitrate to groundwater. The success of this approach has stimulated producer’s interest in using similar methods for other nitrogendemanding cereal crops such as wheat. Diagnostic tests for predicting wheat N requirements have been evaluated in the eastern U.S. and in the Great Plains wheat producing areas. The substantial soil and climatic differences between these regions and Wisconsin prevent direct transfer of N test methods for use in humid northern climates where little or no evaluation of N tests for predicting wheat N needs has been done.
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For legumes to be considered effective N sources for succeeding crops, they must supply sufficient N and they must release the legume N to fill Read more…
For legumes to be considered effective N sources for succeeding crops, they must supply sufficient N and they must release the legume N to fill the demand. Ideally, any N containing material (fertilizer, plant, or animal manure) must be able to produce a large pool of mineral N before the period of rapid N uptake by a crop. If the mineral N pool in soil is produced too early, it can potentially be lost to leaching and/or denitrification. If released too late, it will not benefit the crop, and poses a potential threat to groundwater quality via leaching. This may be a particular problem for winter wheat if the wheat is planted soon after the alfalfa is killed or if the wheat is no-till planted (Kelling et al., 2000). The synchrony of nitrogen released from legumes with crop demand for N has been a concern even with crops such as corn, where N uptake can occur throughout the summer (Stute and Posner, 1995). Using mesh bags, these researchers found that 50% of the N from clover or vetch residue was not yet released by 1 June after spring burial. Since uptake of N by wheat generally precedes this time period, the residue decomposition and crop N need may be out of synchrony. This concern was found to be real with spring wheat no-till planted following spring alfalfa kill in Manitoba where the delayed N release resulted in significantly reduced grain yields in two out of five site years (Mohr et al., 1999).
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Agricultural chemical dealers store, mix or blend, and distribute large quantities of dry and bulk liquid fertilizer and bulk and packaged pesticides. In practice, the Read more…
Agricultural chemical dealers store, mix or blend, and distribute large quantities of dry and bulk liquid fertilizer and bulk and packaged pesticides. In practice, the bulk storage rules cover the loading of the products into storage, the mixing or blending, and the loading out of the products. The dealers incorporate a variety of housekeeping practices into the various activities of their operation. Data collected as part of the Agriculture Chemical Cleanup Program (ACCP) indicate that a significant number of agrichemical dealerships continue to impact ground water at their facilities. This trend is of particular concern because the data show ground water impacts occurred after the extensive secondary containment rules for bulk liquid agrichemicals were in place. It also occurred despite the Department’s serious inspection efforts to assure compliance with the containment rules.
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Alachlor, metolachlor and acetochlor belong to the chloroacetanilide class of herbicides. Their main use in Wisconsin is for pre-emergence control of annual grasses in corn. Read more…
Alachlor, metolachlor and acetochlor belong to the chloroacetanilide class of herbicides. Their main use in Wisconsin is for pre-emergence control of annual grasses in corn. Alachlor and metolachlor are also used for weed control in soybeans and certain other crops. Products containing metolachlor (Dual) and alachlor (Lasso) have been used in Wisconsin for over 25 years. Acetochlor products (Harness, Surpass) have only been in use since 1994.
In 1996, alachlor, metolachlor and acetochlor were used on 692,100; 972,500; and 351,000 acres of cropland in Wisconsin, respectively (WASS, 1997). The total amount of active ingredient applied of these three compounds was 1.15, 1.67, and 0.647 million pounds, respectively. In 1996, metolachlor was second only to atrazine in the amount of active ingredient applied to corn in Wisconsin.
Recent trends in the use of these three herbicides show that acetochlor use is increasing, alachlor use is decreasing, and metolachlor use is remaining fairly constant. These trends are expected to continue as new acetochlor products replace older alachlor products.
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The Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) has conducted several surveys of pesticides in groundwater and has consistently found atrazine to be the Read more…
The Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) has conducted several surveys of pesticides in groundwater and has consistently found atrazine to be the most commonly detected pesticide in groundwater. A survey of randomly selected Grade A dairy farm wells in 1989 detected atrazine in 12% of the wells tested. The latest statewide survey completed in 1996 detected atrazine residues in 5.2% to 12% of Wisconsin wells. This survey also showed that about 1% of Wisconsin wells exceed the atrazine enforcement standard of 3 parts per billion (ppb). The Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service (WASS) has collected information on the use of agricultural pesticides in Wisconsin. According to WASS surveys, atrazine use peaked in the mid-1980’s at over 5.1 million pounds of active ingredient used per year. Atrazine was used at an average rate of 1.6 pounds of active ingredient/acre/year.
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Opportunity exists to enhance Extension educational efforts across a variety of field crops through expanded use of digital photography. Potential applications include, but are not Read more…
Opportunity exists to enhance Extension educational efforts across a variety of field crops through expanded use of digital photography. Potential applications include, but are not limited to, growing season problems in grain, forage and horticultural crops. Benefits include time savings in problem diagnosis, increased user and client understanding, and an expanded library of digital photos for educational use. Funding was received during the spring of 1999 to explore the use of digital cameras for diagnosing field crop problems. UW-Extension Self-Directed Team(s) Grain, Forage and Horticulture are cooperating in this project.
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Wisconsin is one of the leading producers of sweet corn for processing in the United States. However, it is becoming more difficult to produce high Read more…
Wisconsin is one of the leading producers of sweet corn for processing in the United States. However, it is becoming more difficult to produce high yielding sweet corn in Wisconsin due to limitations in broadleaf herbicides labeled for use in that crop. Weed management in sweet corn relies on preemergence (PRE) combinations of triazine and chloroacetanilide herbicides. Toxicological and environmental concerns about triazine herbicides have resulted in restrictions on these products, particularly in Wisconsin. These concerns include local restrictions of atrazine, groundwater and surface water contamination concerns with Princep, and the phase-out of Bladex. Frequent crop injury caused by 2,4-D and limitations in lambsquarters and pigweed control common with Basagran places further limitations on broadleaf weed control in sweet corn. These five herbicides are currently the only registered herbicides that can be used broadcast to control broadleaf weeds in sweet corn. In 1999, Wisconsin’s sweet corn acreage dropped below 100,000 acres for the first time in at least the last 40 years. There is little doubt that Wisconsin’s atrazine rules are the primary factor in this loss of sweet corn acreage. Sweet corn acreage in Illinois and Minnesota, where farmers can still use atrazine, is increasing!
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Wirestem muhly (Muhlenbergia frondosa) is a warm season perennial grass that is native to North America. This weed not only produces a dense rhizome system Read more…
Wirestem muhly (Muhlenbergia frondosa) is a warm season perennial grass that is native to North America. This weed not only produces a dense rhizome system but is also a prolific seed producer (3,600 to 125,000 seeds per plant) which enhances it’s reproductive potential. Wirestem muhly populations have been increasing and spreading in Wisconsin over the past few years. Because there is little published information on the growth and seedling survival of wirestem muhly, we have done research to quantify the growth of wirestem muhly alone and with corn and soybeans.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
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Assuming you are all pretty good shoppers and buyers, you all buy your equipment at about the same price for any given piece. However, once Read more…
Assuming you are all pretty good shoppers and buyers, you all buy your equipment at about the same price for any given piece. However, once you take that equipment home and start to use it, your costs per unit of use vary significantly from one plant to the next. This presentation will demonstrate a quick method for estimating OWNERSHIP COSTS and OPERATING COSTS of fertilizer equipment. It will also demonstrate the importance of, and a method for, estimating cost per unit of product delivered and will show that that cost can and does vary significantly from one account to the next.
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Fertilizer year (FY) 1999 was a rather dismal year for the fertilizer industry. The relatively weak performance within the sector was due to lower domestic Read more…
Fertilizer year (FY) 1999 was a rather dismal year for the fertilizer industry. The relatively weak performance within the sector was due to lower domestic demand combined with sharply lower nitrogen prices. Although official estimates will not be available until after the first of the year, total nutrient demand is estimated to have declined by 5.3 percent. Phosphate and potash demand were particularly disappointing with both nutrients declining by an estimated 7 percent.
On the price side, phosphate and potash prices remained relatively stable throughout most of the fertilizer year despite the lower domestic demand. Nitrogen prices, however, continued to spiral downward. Gulf ammonia prices, for example, averaged only $109 per ton for the year compared to $143 in FY98 and $196 in FY97. Urea prices also continued on a downward track during FY99 with Gulf prices averaging just under $100 per ton – the lowest level since the late 1980s and more than $90 per ton below the average of just 3 years ago.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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The success of precision agriculture depends on the economic and time feasibility of its implementation. Currently, GIS systems have capacity to analyze large amounts of Read more…
The success of precision agriculture depends on the economic and time feasibility of its implementation. Currently, GIS systems have capacity to analyze large amounts of spatial grid data; however, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting soil data can be expensive, time consuming, and labor intensive. One way to decrease costs associated with acquiring soil data is to develop techniques for rapidly and noninvasively measuring soil properties across a field. One soil property that can be rapidly measured in-situ by using electromagnetic induction is bulk electrical conductivity (EC). Previous EC research has shown correlations with soil water storage (Kachanoski et al., 1990; Kachanoski et al., 1988), soil organic matter (Jaynes et al., 1995); (Banton et al., 1997), salinity (Williams and Hoey, 1987), and soil texture (Williams and Hoey, 1987); (Banton et al., 1997).
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Why is Site Specific Management the talk of the trade? Why is everybody trying to make it work? Very simply, it’s called Information Management. For Read more…
Why is Site Specific Management the talk of the trade? Why is everybody trying to make it work? Very simply, it’s called Information Management. For many years we have used experience and testing to give sound agronomic advice to growers. Today we have the luxury of technology to aid us in this. How we use it and how it will pay off are questions to be addressed.
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Weed competition decreases the availability of essential elements, necessary for optimum potato growth and yield (Banaras, 1993; Nelson and Thoreson, 1981). Weeds also indirectly hinder Read more…
Weed competition decreases the availability of essential elements, necessary for optimum potato growth and yield (Banaras, 1993; Nelson and Thoreson, 1981). Weeds also indirectly hinder potato production by serving as alternate hosts for parasitic pests, increasing tuber damage, and increasing harvest complications (Nowacki, 1983). To combat these negative impacts, herbicides are applied to greater than 90% of the total potato acres in Wisconsin (Wisconsin Pesticide Use Bulletin, 1996). Use of herbicides increases potato production costs and also increases the potential for non-point source water contamination. Non-point water pollution is especially a concern in the Central Sands of Wisconsin where coarse textured soils and shallow water tables are present.
Recent research in corn and soybean cropping systems has confirmed that many weed species are aggregated within fields, and large portions of these fields have low densities of weed species (Gerhards et al. 1997; Johnson et al. 1995; Mortensen et al. 1993). However, a typical herbicide application is a uniform broadcast application of broadspectrum herbicides to control a diverse group of weed species. This application technique is effective and decreases the risk of weed escapes, but may be an unwarranted expense. One way to reduce weed management costs is by specifically applying herbicides where weed species exist. In order to accomplish the site specific application of herbicides, trustworthy maps of the weed specie density distribution must be created and economically justified. Therefore, research is being conducted to determine weed specie distribution and the potential for site specific management of weeds within production potato fields.
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Grid soil sampling gained popularity in the mid-1990’s as a practice designed to identify the variability of soil test levels within fields. The use of Read more…
Grid soil sampling gained popularity in the mid-1990’s as a practice designed to identify the variability of soil test levels within fields. The use of differentially corrected GPS allows users to navigate to, and log known soil sampling positions with a repeatable accuracy of 3-10 ft. Most would use a grid-point sampling technique which involves taking six to eight cores from an area having a ten ft. radius on a sampling density typically ranging between one (~200 ft.) and 2.5 acres (~300 ft.). Variable-rate fertilization maps can then created by interpolation methods from the known soil test values at the individual sample point. Grid-point sampling is a relatively expensive practice compared to conventional sampling for single-rate application because of the time required to take the samples, the additional cost of analysis, and the expense associated with the necessary specialized equipment (laptop computer, DGPS, software, etc.). However, grid-point sampling will provide a detailed layer of information on soil test variability which some growers used to improve their management of P and K fertilizer, lime, and other nutrients.
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Over the past 20 years, an important discovery in herbicide chemistry has been herbicides that inhibit acetolactate synthase (ALS). Although there are 15 classes of Read more…
Over the past 20 years, an important discovery in herbicide chemistry has been herbicides that inhibit acetolactate synthase (ALS). Although there are 15 classes of chemistry which have been described as inhibitors of ALS, only four classes have been commercialized: sulfonylurea, imidazolinone, triazolopyrimidine, and pyrimidinylthiobenzoates (Saari et al. 1994). These four classes of herbicides have been widely used due to their relatively low use rates, limited environmental impact, low mammalian toxicity, wide crop selectivity, and high efficacy. The rapid adoption and persistent use of these herbicides has selected for weeds with resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Currently there are 43 monocots and 20 dicots reported worldwide to be resistant to ALS-inhibiting herbicides (Heap 1999). Within the Midwestern states, there are 14 species with reported resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides (Heap 1999).
Giant foxtail with putative resistance to ALS inhibitors was identified recently in Wisconsin (WI), Minnesota (MN), and Illinois (IL). These populations were identified in fields with a history of ALS inhibitor use in both corn and soybean. In addition, eastern black nightshade and green foxtail with putative resistance to ALS inhibitors were also identified recently in Wisconsin. Therefore, our objectives were to confirm and quantify resistance of giant foxtail from WI, MN, and IL, eastern black nightshade from WI, and green foxtail from WI to imidazolinone and sulfonylurea herbicides.
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Soybean white mold (WM) disease caused by the fungus Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum has increased in severity in the upper Midwestern states in recent years. The disease Read more…
Soybean white mold (WM) disease caused by the fungus Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum has increased in severity in the upper Midwestern states in recent years. The disease can be very severe in soybean fields, especially during cool, wet summers. Soybean producers who have adopted management practices to maximize yield are often affected more by this disease. The growth and pathogenic activity of the white mold fungus is governed by the environment in the crop canopy, and is favored by dense canopies created by planting in narrow row widths, high seeding densities, early planting, high soil fertility and other factors that promote good plant health.
A long-term solution to white mold is the development of resistant soybean varieties. In the interim, white mold must be managed by careful variety selection and modifying crop management practices. One such management practice is the use of foliar applied fungicides and herbicides. This paper reports the results of field research studies conducted in Wisconsin from 1995 to 1999 designed to determine the effectiveness of using foliar applied chemicals to control white mold in soybean.
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Total postemergence (post) herbicide programs for corn and soybean weed control have increased dramatically during this past decade. There are several reasons for this shift Read more…
Total postemergence (post) herbicide programs for corn and soybean weed control have increased dramatically during this past decade. There are several reasons for this shift including the introduction of effective grass and broadleaf post herbicides, restrictions on atrazine, the need to spread the work load, and transgenic crops that allow the use of nonselective post herbicides. However, the increased reliance on post programs can lead to two specific questions. The first question is when to spray the herbicide to maximize crop yield. If the herbicide is sprayed at the wrong time, crop yield could be reduced either from weed competition or from herbicide injury. The second question is when to spray to get the best weed control. This is a question because several post herbicides lack residual activity and weeds may emerge after the herbicide application. Weed competition and seed production from late emerging weeds must be considered.
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Alfalfa is the primary forage crop in Wisconsin and is a key element in the state’s dairy industry. The yield of new varieties is greater Read more…
Alfalfa is the primary forage crop in Wisconsin and is a key element in the state’s dairy industry. The yield of new varieties is greater than that of Vernal and other older varieties due to genetic gains made by breeders over the years. Much of the yield advantage of new varieties may be attributed to efforts to breed for resistance to a wide variety of major pathogens of alfalfa such as Verticillium, Phytophthora, and Aphanomyces. Although the yield gap has widened between new varieties and Vernal, yield of all varieties has declined steadily in Wisconsin during the past 30 years (Wiersma et al., 1997). There are several possible explanations for this situation including changing climate and the difficulties inherent in dealing with such a genetically diverse crop such as alfalfa. From a pathologist’s perspective, new disease-causing organisms or new strains of previously described pathogens may also play a role in limiting yield gains for Wisconsin alfalfa growers. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we are conducting research on alfalfa diseases, particularly those caused by organisms that have not been studied previously with respect to their presence and influence on the alfalfa crop. Aphanomyces root rot is one relatively new disease of alfalfa that has been studied in this regard.
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Stewart reported a bacterial wilt disease of corn from New York in 1895 that caused considerable damage to sweet corn grown in Long Island ((Elliot, Read more…
Stewart reported a bacterial wilt disease of corn from New York in 1895 that caused considerable damage to sweet corn grown in Long Island ((Elliot, 1941). The epidemics and the severity of losses of 1932 and 1933 stimulated intensive studies on the disease that led to the development of resistant corn hybrids. Since the use of more resistant hybrids, the occurrence of the disease has been sporadic (Pepper, 1967).
Stewart’s disease of corn is caused by the bacterium Pantoea stewartii (formerly Erwinia stewartii). Since its initial identification, it has been found in most corn-growing areas of the USA and in restricted regions elsewhere in the world. It often occurs in the south central Corn Belt eastward to the Atlantic coast. The last report of its occurrence in Wisconsin was in 1943. The disease was absent in Wisconsin for the last 57 years and reappeared in 1999, presumably because of the last two years of mild winters.
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WeedSOFT is a support tool to analyze information we provide the program. Let’s use WeedSOFT to illustrate the decision process. We will simulate a real Read more…
WeedSOFT is a support tool to analyze information we provide the program. Let’s use WeedSOFT to illustrate the decision process. We will simulate a real situation and utilize WeedSOFT for specific economic computations and yield loss.
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WeedSOFT was developed to give the agricultural professional a decision support tool for weed management problems. Developed over several years of cooperative research and development Read more…
WeedSOFT was developed to give the agricultural professional a decision support tool for weed management problems. Developed over several years of cooperative research and development between University of Nebraska Weed Science faculty and staff, extension educators, and local consultants, WeedSOFT provides fast, accurate, and dependable resolutions to specific weed management problems while taking into account various ecological concerns with respect to groundwater contamination and herbicide carryover.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Drifting Toward Extinction, Or? is a video presentation relating to spray drift issues in aerial application. It focuses on the decision-making responsibility that an aerial Read more…
Drifting Toward Extinction, Or? is a video presentation relating to spray drift issues in aerial application. It focuses on the decision-making responsibility that an aerial applicator has in deciding whether or not to make an application. In today’s program, we will show only two short segments of this video which concentrate on the importance of this decision making process. The videotape was produced by the Professional Aerial Applicators Support System (PAASS), a program of the National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation. PAASS is dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among all aerial applicators by offering supplementary training to help them avoid aircraft accidents and drift incidents.
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Many important agricultural chemicals are applied as sprays of fine droplets. Spray application minimizes mechanical damage to the crop and leads to good coverage of Read more…
Many important agricultural chemicals are applied as sprays of fine droplets. Spray application minimizes mechanical damage to the crop and leads to good coverage of the target foliage by the chemical. During the time that spray droplets are suspended in the air they are susceptible to unintended lateral movement away from the target, a process termed drift. Meteorological variables with significant effect on drift are atmospheric stability and wind speed, and to a lesser extent, humidity. Stability refers to the tendency of adjacent volumes of air to mix together. The ideal atmospheric condition to apply chemicals by spraying is slightly unstable. In this situation most of the applied chemical can settle onto the crop, and the rest will mix vertically and dissipate. Under highly unstable conditions, strong vertical and lateral motions of wind make drift a problem because the chemical is not given an opportunity to settle onto the crop.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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No abstract provided.
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We are part of one of the most noble professions of all man-kind. We are part of a system that brings economically produced food and Read more…
We are part of one of the most noble professions of all man-kind. We are part of a system that brings economically produced food and fiber to our fellow man. Whether you work in a laboratory, a retail outlet, or on a farm, we all should be proud to be part of a system that has helped make this country great and promote healthy living throughout much of the world.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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A homeowner turfgrass species demonstration was established at the Noer facility in the spring of 1996 to show students and visitors many different grasses that Read more…
A homeowner turfgrass species demonstration was established at the Noer facility in the spring of 1996 to show students and visitors many different grasses that can be used for turf in an upper Midwest climate. Two more demonstrations were established in the fall of 1998. One of those shows different cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass, which is the most versatile and often used turf species in the upper Midwest. The other shows common homeowner mixtures (combinations of different species) that are sold at retail stores around the Madison area.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Many Wisconsin landowners will soon be trying to establish native prairie grasses and forbs as part of the CRP program, or to provide wildlife habitat Read more…
Many Wisconsin landowners will soon be trying to establish native prairie grasses and forbs as part of the CRP program, or to provide wildlife habitat in less productive fields. Stands of prairie grasses such as big bluestem provide excellent wildlife habitat, but are often difficult to establish. It is not uncommon to take three or more years to establish stands of prairie grasses due to slow growth of the prairie grass seedlings particularly in the presence of annual weed infestations. Attempts to establish prairie stands frequently fail totally due to weed competition. Judicious use of herbicides can increase the likelihood of success.
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The idea of using naturally-occurring compounds as herbicides has ancient origins. The quest for such compounds has taken on renewed vigor as environmental stewardship gains Read more…
The idea of using naturally-occurring compounds as herbicides has ancient origins. The quest for such compounds has taken on renewed vigor as environmental stewardship gains momentum in the U.S. Historically there have been few naturally-occurring compounds which could be used to selectively control weeds in turf. New research in the 1980’s and especially the 90’s is leading to new possibilities.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Organic matter inputs, including plant residues, manure, and composted organic wastes, have been shown to significantly reduce the severity of a wide variety of root Read more…
Organic matter inputs, including plant residues, manure, and composted organic wastes, have been shown to significantly reduce the severity of a wide variety of root diseases, including those caused by Pythium spp., in natural systems (Perrin, 1986) and field systems (Lewis et al, 1992). Compost amendments have also been shown to reduce the incidence of bacterial spot in field tomato (Miller et al, 1998). Organic matter (OM)- mediated suppression of foliar diseases might be due to the induction of induced systemic resistance (ISR) by microorganisms supported by the OM. Induced resistance is a “state of enhanced defensive capacity” triggered by specific contact stimuli, whereby the plant’s active defenses are activated by a subsequent challenging pathogen (van Loon et al. 1998).
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Soil compaction is recognized as a yield limiting factor in crop production. Compaction problems continue to exist for several reasons, including; 1) the large size Read more…
Soil compaction is recognized as a yield limiting factor in crop production. Compaction problems continue to exist for several reasons, including; 1) the large size (mass) of agricultural vehicles; 2) increased operations on wet soils because of larger farm acreage and multi-axle driven equipment; and, 3) the lack of controlled traffic patterns in fields. Where compaction is identified as a problem, ameliorating its effects is difficult. Natural freeze/thaw and wet/dry cycles may take several years to correct the problem. Seeding tap-rooted forages is also often suggested, but is not practical because of rotational considerations. Many producers routinely subsoil (deep till) fields even if restricting layers have not been identified. Subsoiling is a relatively expensive and time consuming operation for which little research has been conducted to evaluate its impact on crop production.
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Soil erosion has been a problem in agriculture since ancient times. The main impact of erosion on the soil is a loss of soil productivity Read more…
Soil erosion has been a problem in agriculture since ancient times. The main impact of erosion on the soil is a loss of soil productivity because of decreased capacities in soil biological, chemical, and physical properties. Various researchers have reported reduced crop yields in eroded soils (Frye et al., 1982; Olson and Carmer, 1990; Chengere and Lal, 1995; Shaffer et al., 1995). This loss in crop productivity is caused by the removal of the surface soil, or topsoil, where most of the soil organic matter is present. It has been shown that reduced crop production in eroded soils comes from reduced water holding capacity in the soil (Andraski and Lowery, 1992). In general, reduced yields are noted with erosion, but similar and greater yields have been reported in eroded areas when compared to uneroded soils. This largely reflects weather differences between years, especially rainfall (Swan et al., 1987). Therefore, the productivity of an eroded soil could be restored if its plant-available water holding capacity is increased.
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Current recommendations regarding cutting height of alfalfa are designed to maximize yield while maintaining high quality forages and stand longevity. Forage growers frequently cut forages Read more…
Current recommendations regarding cutting height of alfalfa are designed to maximize yield while maintaining high quality forages and stand longevity. Forage growers frequently cut forages at a height of three or more inches. However, recent reports indicate that there may be an advantage to cutting alfalfa closer, leaving an inch or less of stubble height (@griculture Online, 1999). Research indicates that dry matter yields and nutrient yields are higher for shorter cutting heights as compared to leaving taller stubble (Sheaffer et al., 1988). Obtaining higher yields requires that the plants are healthy and that carbohydrate root reserves are adequate for plant regrowth following harvest. Early Wisconsin studies using Vernal alfalfa showed that forages harvested three or four times per season produced more total forage when cut at a 1-inch height versus cutting at 3 inches or more (Kust and Smith, 1961, Smith and Nelson, 1967). North Dakota research looking at cutting height since the mid-1960s shows similar results where shorter cutting height leads to higher yields.
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Equilibrium-tension lysimeters were used to quantify year-round drainage, inorganic nitrogen (N) concentrations, and inorganic N leaching losses from undisturbed Plano silt loam soil (fine-silty, mixed, Read more…
Equilibrium-tension lysimeters were used to quantify year-round drainage, inorganic nitrogen (N) concentrations, and inorganic N leaching losses from undisturbed Plano silt loam soil (fine-silty, mixed, mesic Typic Argiudoll) of N-fertilized no-tillage and conventionally-tilled chisel plow corn (Zea mays L.) agroecosystems for 1996, 1997, and 1998. The chisel plowed corn agroecosystem consistently had greater drainage losses of water from its soil profile than a notillage corn agroecosystem over the 3 year period. Both fertilized tillage treatments maintained nitrate-N concentrations above the 10 mg L-1 safe drinking water standard for the majority of the three growing seasons monitored between 1996 and 1998. Inorganic N leaching losses were nearly the same for both fertilized corn tillage treatments for the first 2 years of this 3 year study. During the third year, inorganic N leaching losses from the fertilized no-tillage corn agroecosystem were greater than inorganic N leaching losses from the fertilized chisel plow corn agroecosystem.
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Past research in Wisconsin and other mid-western states has shown that alfalfa will perform best when grown on well drained, near neutral soils that have Read more…
Past research in Wisconsin and other mid-western states has shown that alfalfa will perform best when grown on well drained, near neutral soils that have adequate nutrition. In Wisconsin, potassium is of special concern because this nutrient is often needed for this crop. Potassium functions in several physiological processes in forage legumes. These include enzyme activity, carbohydrate production and transport, and stomatal activity (Munson, 1985). Wolf et al. (1976) found that K increased the carbon dioxide exchange rate of leaves. Peoples and Koch (1979) found that K deficiency slowed the rate of growth of both the shoots and roots and increased the rate of maturation to first flower. Potassium also balances the negative charges of organic and inorganic anions within the plant and appears to be involved in starch formation, translocation of sugars, nitrogen assimilation and several other metabolic processes. Potassium uptake is also linked to increased resistance to disease and lodging, increased carbohydrate production, and improved winter hardiness of alfalfa (Schulte and Walsh, 1993). The response of alfalfa to additional K may reflect the influence of this element on one or several of these factors.
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Although there has been a significant amount of work done on the availability of legume-nitrogen for corn following alfalfa, several questions have arisen as to Read more…
Although there has been a significant amount of work done on the availability of legume-nitrogen for corn following alfalfa, several questions have arisen as to the sufficiency and availability of the legume N to wheat as a following crop. This is especially true if the wheat is planted soon after the alfalfa is killed. The synchrony of nitrogen released from legumes with crop demand for N has been a concern even with crops such as corn where N uptake can occur throughout the summer (Stute and Posner, 1995). Using mesh bags, these researchers found that 50% of the clover or vetch residue was not yet released by 1 June after spring burial. Since uptake of N by wheat may precede this time period, the residue decomposition and crop N need may be out of synchrony. Some previous work has shown that wheat following forage legumes used as green manure results in increases in grain yield and quality (Badaruddin and Meyer, 1990), but little work has been done following legume forage crops. For corn, it has been shown that once killed, forage legume stands release mineralized N sufficiently rapidly that few N responses are seen for corn following alfalfa (Kelling et al., 1992; Morris et al., 1994; Bundy and Andraski, 1994) and few differences have also been observed between fall or spring tillage on the availability of legume N (Harris and Hesterman, 1987; Kelling et al., 1992). Some experiments have also been done on the influence of tillage systems on N availability to corn following alfalfa. These results have indicated no significant difference in crop performance when comparing no-till with conventional till (Triplett et al., 1979; Levin et al., 1987), although some cases showed that conventional tillage increased the total available N somewhat more rapidly than no-till (Dow et al., 1994). This may be particularly important where wheat is the following crop.
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It is important to understand the yield loss associated with different weed species if we use weed thresholds to optimize the economics of weed management. Read more…
It is important to understand the yield loss associated with different weed species if we use weed thresholds to optimize the economics of weed management. Corn yield loss is often variable among weed species. At a density of 2 weeds per foot of row, corn yield was reduced 10% by giant foxtail, 11 % by common lambsquarters, 18% by velvetleaf, and 22% by common cocklebur (Beckett et al. 1988, Lindquist et al. 1996). Yield loss is also variable among locations and years even at the same weed density (Cowan 1998, Jasieniuk et al. 1999). For example, a study in Illinois reported maximum corn yield loss from common lambsquarters was 12% in 1985, but no yield loss was observed in 1986 or 1987 (Beckett et al. 1988). Langston and Harvey (1994) reported 9 giant foxtail plants per foot of row did not reduce corn yield in 1993 but reduced yield by 18% in 1994. Lindquist et al. (1996) suggested caution should be taken when estimating crop yield loss solely on weed density in bioeconomic weed management models.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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Harvest of crops, including corn for silage, which removes the majority of aboveground plant material leaves the soil exposed and vulnerable to erosion over winter. Read more…
Harvest of crops, including corn for silage, which removes the majority of aboveground plant material leaves the soil exposed and vulnerable to erosion over winter. Use of cover crops following harvest could provide residue to prevent or reduce soil erosion. The problem with this approach is finding a suitable cover crop and/or planting method which can produce effective soil cover in the short period from harvest to freeze up and not interfere with preparations for establishment of the following crop.
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The use of glyphosate resistant soybean (GRS) cultivars has increased rapidly from their introduction in 1996 to over 50% of Wisconsin soybean acres in 1999. Read more…
The use of glyphosate resistant soybean (GRS) cultivars has increased rapidly from their introduction in 1996 to over 50% of Wisconsin soybean acres in 1999. While much research has been conducted using conventional cultivars to measure the influence of row spacing and seeding rates on soybean growth and yield, little has been done with new GRS cultivars. It may be necessary and/or more profitable to alter management practices with GRS cultivars. For example, does the increased seed costs of GRS cultivars justify decreased seeding rates? Greater seed costs at planting need to be offset by an optimized seeding rate, reduced herbicide costs, and/or increased yields to make GRS systems economically profitable to producers. Evaluating GRS versus conventional soybeans at several row widths and seeding rates will allow for the comparison of these variables measured by their effect on yield, leaf area index, plant height, lodging, disease incidence, and gross margin.
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As you drive down the road in early summer, most corn fields appear uniform. However, a closer examination often reveals a wide variation in how Read more…
As you drive down the road in early summer, most corn fields appear uniform. However, a closer examination often reveals a wide variation in how evenly plants are spaced within the row. When planters are not operated or functioning properly, a high number of doubles or gaps may occur. Some researchers have suggested using standard deviation (SD) as a measure of in-row corn stand uniformity (Nielson, 1991). At Purdue University, Nielson (1991) has suggested that corn grain yield declines about 2.5 bu/acre for each 1 inch increase in standard deviation above a value of 2 inches. Conversely, many researchers have seen very little impact of corn spacing SD on final grain yield (Butzen, 1998). Nafziger (1996) has suggested that SD alone is not a good means of predicting yield responses to stand variability because of the differing and interactive effects of row skips, doubles, and plant density.
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No abstract provided.
No abstract provided.
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As you drive down the road in early summer, most corn fields appear uniform. However, a closer examination often reveals a wide variation in how Read more…
As you drive down the road in early summer, most corn fields appear uniform. However, a closer examination often reveals a wide variation in how evenly plants are spaced within the row. When planters are not operated or functioning properly, a high number of doubles or gaps may occur. Some researchers have suggested using standard deviation (SD) as a measure of in-row corn stand uniformity (Nielson, 1991). At Purdue University, Nielson (1991) has suggested that corn grain yield declines about 2.5 bu/acre for each 1 inch increase in standard deviation above a value of 2 inches. Conversely, many researchers have seen very little impact of corn spacing SD on final grain yield (Butzen, 1998). Nafziger (1996) has suggested that SD alone is not a good means of predicting yield responses to stand variability because of the differing and interactive effects of row skips, doubles, and plant density.
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Evaluation of Seeding Establishment Success with Winter Rye as a Cover Crop Following Corn Silage
2000No abstract provided.
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One interesting aspect of being an extension weed scientist is identifying weed samples people send to us via the mail, deliver in person or now Read more…
One interesting aspect of being an extension weed scientist is identifying weed samples people send to us via the mail, deliver in person or now send via cyberspace as digital images attached to e-mail messages. The Department of Agronomy at the University of Wisconsin does this as a free service for our clientele. We believe it is important to give people an accurate weed identification and do not want a fee to inhibit them sending in samples. Many of the identifications are critical to making the right control decision in the immediate situation and they also help plan the most appropriate management system for the long term.
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Use of organic by-products as soil amendments in agricultural production exemplifies a strategy for converting wastes to resources. Paper mill sludge is one of the Read more…
Use of organic by-products as soil amendments in agricultural production exemplifies a strategy for converting wastes to resources. Paper mill sludge is one of the largest underutilized organic by-products in Wisconsin. Paper mill sludge (PS) generation in Wisconsin increases approximately 5% per year, and 70% of all PS generated currently (740,000 dry tons) is land filled (Wisconsin Paper Council, 1998; pers. comm.). As landfill options decline for both economic and environmental reasons, the paper industry is shifting focus to beneficial reuse (J. Katers, UWEX Solid and Hazardous Waste Educ. Ctr., 1998; pers. comm.). At present, only 12% of PS generated (88,000 dry tons) is land spread; however, there is growing interest in using PS as a soil amendment. Use of PS or PS compost in annual crop production systems holds promise from a soil quality perspective, particularly in course-textured sandy soils where increases in organic matter content can improve soil chemical, biological and physical properties.
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In addition to water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide from the air, plants require 13 mineral nutrients that are typically derived from the soil. The macronutrients Read more…
In addition to water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide from the air, plants require 13 mineral nutrients that are typically derived from the soil. The macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) are needed by plants in relatively large amounts and often have to be added to the soil. Intermediate amounts of secondary nutrients magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and sulfur (S) are needed by plants. Trace or micronutrients [boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn)] are needed in small amounts and are seldom deficient in Wisconsin soils.
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Farming operations must become more profitable per acre to survive times like these. The profitable farming operations have been surveyed and they have revealed that Read more…
Farming operations must become more profitable per acre to survive times like these. The profitable farming operations have been surveyed and they have revealed that lower costs, higher yields per acre, and the attention to detail does reward management. Screening yield monitor data for trends is often a detail overlooked. This data has a wealth of knowledge if we better utilize this new technology. This paper will step though one aspect of how to manage data that is often regarded as a useless tool to production agriculture.
Most producers know areas within a field are costing them significantly more than they are returning. These areas often times could be better managed by proper drainage, adding lime, or perhaps taking areas out of production in extreme situations. A return on investment map provides the producer evidence that improvements need to implemented. The time period these improvements can be paid for can also be estimated from the maps. The recent technology leaps in geographical information systems, (GIS) have allowed producers, consultants, and university professionals the opportunity to observe how the specific areas within a field perform financially. It all starts with acquiring quality yield monitor data on the best and worst fields we farm.
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GMOs and Grain Marketing: Issues Impacting Wisconsin’s Farmers, Elevators, and Processors for 2000
2000No abstract provided.
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Up to one-half of the total amount of phosphorus in the A horizon of soils from the Midwest and other temperate zones may be present Read more…
Up to one-half of the total amount of phosphorus in the A horizon of soils from the Midwest and other temperate zones may be present as phosphorus bound to soil humic substances. All current evidence indicates that only inorganic forms of phosphate, orthophosphate in the form of HPO 2- and H PO – ions, are taken up by plants. The phosphate bound to soil humic substances must be mineralized to these inorganic forms before it is available for plant uptake. The process of mineralization is mediated by enzymes, especially phosphatase and phytase.
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Over the past decade The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has conducted several groundwater sampling programs that have contributed to the understanding Read more…
Over the past decade The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has conducted several groundwater sampling programs that have contributed to the understanding of nitrate occurrence in Wisconsin groundwater. These studies have sampled both private drinking water wells and monitoring wells installed near
agricultural fields. Early studies focused on susceptible areas (coarse-textured soils, shallow depth to groundwater) and showed that nitrate contamination was a problem in these areas. Two recent monitoring-well studies have expanded our knowledge of nitrate behavior in areas with medium-textured soils such as silt loams. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the results of three DATCP monitoring well studies and make some conclusions about in nitrate occurrence in Wisconsin groundwater. -
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In 1996, the phrase “Gulf of Mexico hypoxia” became common for agricultural scientists, regulatory agencies, the fertilizer industry, and even some farmers because the accusation Read more…
In 1996, the phrase “Gulf of Mexico hypoxia” became common for agricultural scientists, regulatory agencies, the fertilizer industry, and even some farmers because the accusation was made that inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizer in the Mississippi River Basin—and especially the Upper Midwest—was creating a “dead zone” in the Gulf. There is no question that this oxygen-depleted (< 2 ppm) area exists, and that since 1993, it has remained larger than the long-term historical size (Fig. 1).
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Agroecosystems are domesticated ecosystems intermediate between natural ecosystems and fabricated ecosystems, and occupy nearly one-third of the land areas of the earth. Chemical perturbations as Read more…
Agroecosystems are domesticated ecosystems intermediate between natural ecosystems and fabricated ecosystems, and occupy nearly one-third of the land areas of the earth. Chemical perturbations as a result of human activity are particularly likely in agroecosystems because of the intensity of that activity, which include nutrient inputs intended to supplement native nutrient pools and to support greater biomass production and removal. At a long-term fertility trial at Arlington, WI, significant increases in exchangeable acidity were accompanied by decreases in cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation, and exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ with application of ammoniacal N fertilizer. Similar trends have been noticed in other long-term fertility experiments.
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Nitrate is Wisconsin’s most common groundwater pollutant. Agriculture is the largest nitrate source, accounting for about 90% of that which leaches to groundwater (Shaw, 1994). Read more…
Nitrate is Wisconsin’s most common groundwater pollutant. Agriculture is the largest nitrate source, accounting for about 90% of that which leaches to groundwater (Shaw, 1994).
Only recently have the university and state agencies put together sufficient pieces of the nitrate puzzle to realize the extent of nitrate pollution (e.g., Central Wisconsin Groundwater Center, 1994; LeMasters and Baldock, 1997) and that it is increasing (e.g., Albertson and Shaw, 1998; Mason et al. 1990). A steep increase in groundwater nitrate began in the 1960s, coinciding with a large increase in chemical fertilizer-N use (Hallberg, 1989). Fertilizer-N use more-or-less leveled only about 15-20 years ago, but groundwater nitrate continues to increase. The continuing increase is due to the length of groundwater residence times (averaging decades to centuries, depending on the basin) relative to the short duration (~40 years) of increased fertilizer-N use. Groundwater nitrate concentrations and export from basins will continue to increase until aquifers equilibrate with modern nitrate loading rates. -
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When crop prices hit the floor, it’s human nature to look for ways to cut costs. However, cutting back in the wrong places can do Read more…
When crop prices hit the floor, it’s human nature to look for ways to cut costs. However, cutting back in the wrong places can do more damage than good if the cuts hurt yield or quality. Finding costs to cut takes knowledge and an understanding of the impact each input has upon production levels and profitability. To properly evaluate your fertility program, you need knowledge of what that fertilizer is doing for your crop, your production levels, and your profitability. There’s an old saying that no one ever saved themselves rich. Proper fertilization is an investment in your operation. It’s a well- known fact that yields are what cover the costs of production. Let’s be sure this fall that we are planning for higher profits.
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This paper begins by comparing the bioavailable P requirements of terrestrial, land- based plants with those of aquatic plants. This comparison can be used to Read more…
This paper begins by comparing the bioavailable P requirements of terrestrial, land- based plants with those of aquatic plants. This comparison can be used to develop new strategies, and to assess existing strategies, for maintaining adequate soil P for optimal crop growth while minimizing excess P in surface water. It also discusses the application of the “whole farm effect” analysis for evaluating the total impact of the farm on P bioavailability in water.
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States throughout the country have repeatedly cited nutrients as a major cause of waterbody impairment, and the Federal Clean Water Act requires States and Tribes Read more…
States throughout the country have repeatedly cited nutrients as a major cause of waterbody impairment, and the Federal Clean Water Act requires States and Tribes to adopt water quality criteria for pollutants that may adversely affect a waterbody’s designated uses. To assist States and Tribes in meeting their obligations under the Clean Water Act, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is preparing technical guidance to assist States and Tribes in developing nutrient criteria. Criteria guidance documents are being written for each major waterbody type and reflect the input of a team of national experts. USEPA also will analyze available data and publish recommended criteria values to serve as guidelines for States and Tribes. States and Tribes are expected to adopt nutrient criteria into their standards within three years of USEPA’s publication of nutrient criteria recommendations. The criteria recommendations will vary by waterbody type and by ecoregion, and they will be derived using a reference condition approach (similar to how biocriteria are derived). Criteria will include both causal variables (e.g., total nitrogen, total phosphorus) and response variables (e.g., algal biomass, turbidity). Regional nutrient teams, led by USEPA staff, consist of interested parties from government, academia, agriculture, industry, and environmental groups. These teams are compiling and reviewing data from their respective regions. In addition, they will review national criteria recommendations and facilitate State and Tribal adoption of criteria. By adopting numeric nutrient criteria, States and Tribes will be better able to identify waters where nutrients are a problem, implement control measures, and evaluate the success of nutrient management efforts.