October 11, 2019

Good afternoon,

Warm temperatures continued this week as crops took advantage of needed time to mature.  As of the October 7 Ohio Crop Weather Report (attached), 68% of Ohio soybeans have dropped their leaves with only 18% harvested.  Corn is at 84% dented with only 44% mature.  Hopefully warmer temperatures will continue to delay frost to allow more time for area crops to reach maturity.  I have also observed several late cuttings of hay as producers try to get an additional cutting made.  Wheat has been planted, in several cases was up in 4-5 days and appears to be growing well.  Although corn has been harvested for silage in the county, very few fields have been harvested for grain.  This past week I did our county weed survey and noted that 33% of soybean fields checked are weed-free, which was probably aided by late planting.  However, soybean fields infested by waterhemp is now at 19%, up from 12% a year ago and 4% three years ago.  Giant ragweed and marestail are a problem in 28% of soybean fields and volunteer corn is growing in 18% of county soybean fields checked.  For more information about the county weed survey, see the attached news article.

Ohio Crop Weather Report

County Weed Survey News Release

I’ve also attached the USDA Ohio Cash Rent County Estimates 2019 report that puts Hardin County at $188 per acre, compared to $191 per acre West Central agricultural district and $155 per acre state average.  The Ohio No-Till Council has announced that the annual Ohio No-Till Conference will be held December 5 at Der Dutchman in Plain City.  Read about this and more in the attached October Ohio No-Till News.  I have also included a copy of the article I wrote about our annual Hardin Sheep Management Tour which last month visited farms in Wayne and Ashland counties.  If you know of a professional livestock hauler who needs Beef Quality Assurance Transport Training, there is a class coming up October 21 in Hancock County.  More details about this class as well as another one in Williams County can be found on the attached flyer.  OSU Extension has also scheduled its annual OSU Income Tax Schools for Tax Professionals starting the end of this month and running through December.  See the attached document for more information about these in-depth trainings.

Ohio 2019 Cash Rent County Estimates

Ohio No-Till News

Sheep Tour News Release

NW Ohio Beef Quality Assurance Transport Training Flyer

OSU Income Tax Schools for Tax Professionals Brochure

In the last issue of the Hardin County AgNR Update, I mentioned posters that I put together for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.  If you have an interest in viewing these on-farm research posters, they are attached to this email.  One compares three years of research with nitrogen rates in mineral and muck soils while the other one takes a look at late season application of nitrogen to corn.  A final flyer that I have included is Agraria “Putting Down Roots!” sponsored by the Logan County Land Trust on October 23.  Upcoming local events include Ag Hall of Fame committee meeting Wednesday, October 16 starting at 4:30 pm at the Extension office; Soil and Water Conservation District meeting Thursday, October 17 starting at 7:30 am at the SWCD office; and Forestry Field Day Sunday, October 20 starting at 1:00 pm at 17950 County Road 85, Belle Center with a rain date the following Sunday.  As in the past, I have included ag crops articles below that you may be interested in reading.

Corn Nitrogen Rates in Muck vs Mineral Soils Poster

Late Season Nitrogen Application to Corn Poster

Agraria Flyer

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potential for Nitrate Problems in Drought Stressed Corn – Peter Thomison, Laura Lindsey, Steve Culman, Sam Custer

Have very dry soil conditions increased the potential for toxic levels of nitrates in corn harvested for silage? Nitrates absorbed from the soil by plant roots are normally incorporated into plant tissue as amino acids, proteins and other nitrogenous compounds. Thus, the concentration of nitrate in the plant is usually low. The primary site for converting nitrates to these products is in growing green leaves. Under unfavorable growing conditions, especially drought, this conversion process is retarded, causing nitrate to accumulate in the stalks, stems and other conductive tissue. The highest concentration of nitrates is in the lower part of the stalk or stem. For example, the bulk of the nitrate in a drought-stricken corn plant can be found in the bottom third of the stalk. If moisture conditions improve, the conversion process accelerates and within a few days nitrate levels in the plant returns to normal.  Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-34/potential-nitrate-problems-drought-stressed-corn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is a late soybean harvest in your future? – James Morris, Will Hamman, Jason Hartschuh, Elizabeth Hawkins

The variability of the 2019 cropping year is continuing into harvest. With a broad range of planting dates this spring, many soybean producers will be faced with variable harvest conditions. Additionally, the hot and dry conditions this late summer into early fall has sped up the senescence and dry down of many soybean fields. While seed quality is currently very good, a few weeks of wet weather can degrade quality quickly. Be sure you are ready when the soybeans are. When harvesting soybeans, harvest loss can be a real concern. The ideal time to harvest soybeans is when the soybean seed reaches 12-15% moisture. This will allow for optimal threshing and reduced harvest loss.  Continue to read about reducing soybean harvest losses at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-34/late-soybean-harvest-your-future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stalk Quality Concerns – Peter Thomison, Pierce Paul

2019 may be an especially challenging year for corn stalk quality in Ohio. Stress conditions increase the potential for stalk rot that often leads to stalk lodging.  This year persistent rains through June caused unprecedented planting delays. Saturated soils resulted in shallow root systems. Corn plantings in wet soils often resulted in surface and in-furrow compaction further restricting root growth. Since July, limited rainfall in much of the state has stressed corn and marginal root systems have predisposed corn to greater water stress.  Finish reading about stalk rots and potential lodging and drooping ears at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-34/stalk-quality-concerns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be Aware of Late-Season Potential Forage Toxicities – Mark Sulc

Livestock owners feeding forage need to keep in mind potential for some forage toxicity issues late this season. Nitrate and prussic acid poisoning potential associated with drought stress or frost are the main concerns to be aware of, and these are primarily an issue with annual forages and several weed species, but nitrates can be an issue even in perennial forages when they are drought stressed. A few legumes species have an increased risk of causing bloat when grazed after a frost. Each of these risks is discussed in this article along with precautions to avoid them.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-33/be-aware-late-season-potential-forage-toxicities to finish reading about late season forage toxicities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Safety During Harvest Season – Dee Jepsen

Meteorologists would likely correct us if we referred to this year’s summer climate as bipolar. However, the early fall rain patterns seem to be completely different depending on where one stands in the state. It is either rain, and lots of it – or dry, on the verge of drought. So when readers see an article about fire safety for harvest season, it is intended for those encountering dry and windy conditions, whenever these conditions appear. October and November are two months where fire is a particular concern. In agricultural areas, fires can break out during unseasonably warm temperatures. Fire risks are particularly a concern around fields with dry crop residues, near woodland areas, or within equipment with heated bearings, belts, and chains. There are several aspects to consider for fire prevention and fire protection during harvest season. Read more about preventing fires during harvest at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-33/fire-safety-during-harvest-season.

 

 

 

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu