Month: August 2021

Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents 2020-21

Thursday, August 26th, 2021
Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management

Ohio cropland varies significantly in its production capabilities and, consequently, cropland values and cash rents vary widely throughout the state. Generally, western Ohio cropland values and cash rents differ from much of southern and eastern Ohio cropland values and cash rents. The primary factors affecting these values and rents are land productivity and potential crop return, and the variability of those crop returns. Soils, fertility, and drainage/irrigation capabilities are primary factors that most influence land productivity, crop return and variability of those crop returns.

Other factors impacting land values and cash rents may include field size and shape, field accessibility, market access, local market prices, field perimeter characteristics and potential for wildlife damage, buildings and grain storage, previous tillage system and crops, tolerant/resistant weed populations, USDA Program Yields, population density, and competition for the cropland in a region. Factors specific to cash rental rates may include services provided by the operator and specific conditions of the lease.

The Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents study was conducted from January through April in 2021. The opinion-based study surveyed professionals with a knowledge of Ohio’s cropland values and rental rates. Professionals surveyed were rural appraisers, agricultural lenders, professional farm managers, ag business professionals, OSU Extension educators, farmers, landowners, and Farm Service Agency personnel.

The study results are based on 94 surveys. Respondents were asked to group their estimates based on three land quality classes: average, top, and poor. Within each land-quality class, respondents were asked to estimate average corn and soybean yields for a five-year period based on typical farming practices. Survey respondents were also asked to estimate current bare cropland values and cash rents negotiated in the current or recent year for each land-quality class. Survey results are summarized below for western Ohio with regional summaries (subsets of western Ohio) for northwest Ohio and southwest Ohio.

According to the Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents Survey, cropland values in western Ohio are expected to increase in 2021 by 3.8 to 5.3 percent depending on the region and land class. Cash rents are expected to increase from 3.6 to 3.9 percent depending on the region and land class.

For the complete survey research summary go to the OSU Extension Farm Office website at:

https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management-tools/farm-management-publications/cash-rents

Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents 2020-21

Grain Fill Stages In Corn

Please note: While many of the Corn Growth Stages are passed for Paulding County in the article from Bob Neilson, I received a few calls on later stage Corn Growth stages. The article below had some great comparison pictures. 

DATE: AUGUST 18, 2021 – INCLUDED IN ISSUE:

BY: 

A stress-free grain fill period can maximize the yield potential of a crop, while severe stress during grain fill can cause kernel abortion or lightweight grain and encourage the development of stalk rot. The health of the upper leaf canopy is particularly important for achieving maximum grain filling capacity. Some research indicates that the upper leaf canopy, from the ear leaf to the uppermost leaf, is responsible for no less than 60% of the photosynthate necessary for filling the grain.

Kernel development proceeds through several distinct stages that were originally described by Hanway (1971) and most recently by Abendroth et al. (2011). As with leaf staging protocols, the kernel growth stage for an entire field is defined when at least 50% of the plants in a field have reached that stage.

Delayed planting of corn decreases the apparent thermal time (GDDs) required between planting and physiological maturity (Nielsen, 2019). A large proportion of that decrease occurs during grain filling and may be partially related to shorter and cooler days in late September and October that naturally slow photosynthesis and encourage plant senescence.

Silking Stage (Growth Stage R1)

Silk emergence is technically the first recognized stage of the reproductive period. Every ovule (potential kernel) on the ear develops its own silk (the functional stigma of the female flower). Silks begin to elongate soon after the V12 leaf stage (12 leaves with visible leaf collars), beginning with the ovules near the base of the cob and then sequentially up the cob, with the tip ovules silking last. Consequently, the silks from the base half of the ear are typically the first to emerge from the husk leaves. Turgor pressure “fuels” the elongation of the silks and so severe drought stress often delays silk elongation and emergence from the husk leaves. Silks elongate about 1.5 inches per day during the first few days after they emerge from the husk leaves. Silks continue to elongate until pollen grains are captured and germinate or until they simply deteriorate with age.

Silks remain receptive to pollen grain germination for up to 10 days after silk emergence (Nielsen, 2020b), but deteriorate quickly after about the first 5 days of emergence. Natural senescence of silk tissue over time results in collapsed tissue that restricts continued growth of the pollen tube. Silk emergence usually occurs in close synchrony with pollen shed (Nielsen, 2020c), so that duration of silk receptivity is normally not a concern. Failure of silks to emerge in the first place (for example, in response to silkballing or severe drought stress) does not bode well for successful pollination.

Pollen grains “captured” by silks quickly germinate and develop pollen tubes that penetrate the silk tissue and elongate to the ovule within about 24 hours. The pollen tubes contain the male gametes that eventually fertilize the ovules. Within about 24 hours or so after successfully fertilizing an ovule, the attached silk deteriorates at the base, collapses, and drops away. This fact can be used to determine fertilization success before visible kernel development occurs (Nielsen, 2016).

 

Silk appearance at R1

Closeup of ovules and R1

Continue reading Grain Fill Stages In Corn →

Will a Second Fungicide be Worth the Cost for Tar Spot Management?

Please note: While I have not observed Tar spot in Paulding County, we have had many reports of Tar spot in Hardin and Hancock Counties, and in previous years in Fulton County. Please contact Sarah Noggle if you believe you have Tar spot.  

CPN 2018. Published August 19, 2021. DOI: doi.org/10.31274/cpn-20210820-1

By:  Darcy Telenko, Purdue University; Martin Chilvers, Michigan State University; Alison Robertson, Iowa State University; Albert Tenuta, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs; and Damon Smith, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Tar spot has quickly become a widespread concern on corn this season (2021) across much of the upper Midwest U.S. and portions of Ontario, Canada. This is especially concerning after reasonably localized epidemics resulted in low or no yield reductions over the past two seasons. This season the tar spot fungus has infected corn plants early and is rapidly increasing in many areas of the upper Midwest corn belt. The speed at which the epidemic is now moving and the crop growth stage across much of these acres (ranging from tassel to early dough) has resulted in questions about what in-season management approaches might provide an economic benefit.

Characteristic tar spot signs on a corn leaf. Image: Darcy Telenko

When is the best time to apply a fungicide for tar spot management?

Like most of the other diseases of corn, the timing of fungicide application to hedge your bets against tar spot generally is at tasseling (VT) to the silking (R1) growth stage. Recent regional research has demonstrated that while there might be little yield benefit with an application at the V6 growth stage, a single application of fungicide at VT-R1 on average can result in as much as 7 bushels or more yield compared to not treating. This is compared to just 2-3 bushels at the V6 timing and suggests that farmers are more likely to recover their fungicide costs if applying just one application at VT-R1. In the absence of tar spot and southern rust, spraying at V6 AND VT-R1 also has not resulted in economically positive returns. This practice, on average only results in an additional 1 bushel of yield compared to one application at VT-R1. There is no considerable return on investment (ROI) with two-pass fungicide programs for many corn diseases. But what about the tar spot situation this season? What do the data say about a second fungicide application to manage tar spot if I have already sprayed at VT-R1 and the disease is continuing to increase?

Continue reading Will a Second Fungicide be Worth the Cost for Tar Spot Management? →

Remember soybean aphids? They might be in your fields

By:  Andy Michel and Kelley Tilmon

Note for Paulding County growers:  If you suspect soybean aphids in your field, please call ANR Educator Sarah Noggle at 419-399-8225 with field location and soybean variety to have your field scouted and aphid sample taken for research purposes.

Soybean aphids have always been around Ohio, but it has been a while since we have had many fields with high populations.  Based on recent scouting, we have noticed increasing populations of soybean aphids.  As we go into the critical growth stage of soybean, this is also the most important time to check your fields for soybean aphids and see if you have exceeded the threshold of an increasing population of 250 aphids per plant.

To scout for soybean aphids, walk at least 100 ft from the field edge and count the number of aphids from 5 plants in 10 different locations.  If your average is greater than 250 per plant, you’ll need to come back and re-scout 3-4 days later.  If the aphid population increased in that time, an insecticide application is recommended.  Keep in mind that to accurately determine the threshold, scouting should be performed at least weekly and multiple times a week if aphids are active in fields.

Soybean aphids can cause yield loss up to the late R5 to early R6 growth stage. If an application is necessary, there are several effective insecticides available.  Although some soybean aphid populations in the western corn belt are resistant to pyrethroids, we have not seen any evidence of this in Ohio.  If you make a pyrethroid application and suspect resistance, contact us, Andy Michel or Kelley Tilmon (michel.70@osu.edu, tilmon.1@osu.edu) or your local extension educator.

Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership Program

Information provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Image: Ohio Department of Natural Resources

The Ohio Landowner/Hunter Access Partnership (OLHAP) Program is a new way for Ohio hunters to get access to private properties. This program is funded in part by the federal Farm Bill under their Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP). This bill provides funding to state and tribal agencies through a competitive grant process to implement programs encouraging hunting access on private properties. As part of the 2018 Farm Bill, Ohio was awarded $1,831,500 to implement the new OLHAP program. The OLHAP program uses part of those funds to pay landowners for hunters to access their property. Participating landowners receive annual payment rates ranging from $2.00 to $30.00 per acre depending on the characteristics of the property enrolled. Enrollment contracts are for 2-3 years, with the possibility of extension.

If you are a landowner interested in finding out more about the program or wishing to enroll your property, please complete the form at https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/buy-and-apply/hunting-fishing-boating/hunting-resources/ohio-landowner-hunter-access with your contact information. An OLHAP program representative will be in contact with you to provide more resources.

Check out the new Michigan State/Ohio State Field Crops Insect Pest Management Guide

Press Release from Chris DiFonzo (Michigan State) and Kelley Tilmon (Ohio State)

The newly completed Michigan State/Ohio State Field Crops Insect Pest Management Guide is available for online use and downloads at https://aginsects.osu.edu/sites/aginsects/files/imce/MSU%20-%20OSU%20Insect%20IPM%20Guide.pdf

This publication contains a series of chapters with information on biology, damage, management recommendations, and insecticides related to insect pests in field crops in Michigan and Ohio. Chapters cover field corn, soybean, wheat, and other small grains, alfalfa and grass forage, and (for Michigan growers) dry beans and sugar beet. Each chapter stands alone, focusing on a particular crop.

In the preparation of this guide, we checked state databases and consulted labels for each of the pesticides listed in the crop chapters; we made every effort to include correct information and to list most of the commonly-used products for Michigan and Ohio. However, labels do change over time. Always read the labels of the products you use to reconfirm application rate, precautions, PPE, pre-harvest intervals, and other key pieces of information prior to spraying.

Users are the best source of feedback on this guide. If you see information that is not correct or complete,  please contact us so that we can update the guide accordingly.

Rapid Increase in Ivermectin Prescriptions and Reports of Severe Illness Associated with Use of Products Containing Ivermectin to Prevent or Treat COVID-19

From Center for Disease Control (CDC – Press Release August 26, 2021)

Summary
Ivermectin is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription medication used to treat certain infections caused by internal and external parasites. When used as prescribed for approved indications, it is generally safe and well-tolerated.During the COVID-19 pandemic, ivermectin dispensing by retail pharmacies has increased, as has the use of veterinary formulations available over the counter but not intended for human use. FDA has cautioned about the potential risks of use for prevention or treatment of COVID-19.

Ivermectin is not authorized or approved by FDA for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19. The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel has also determined that there are currently insufficient data to recommend ivermectin for treatment of COVID-19. ClinicalTrials.gov has listings of ongoing clinical trials that might provide more information about these hypothesized uses in the future. Continue reading Rapid Increase in Ivermectin Prescriptions and Reports of Severe Illness Associated with Use of Products Containing Ivermectin to Prevent or Treat COVID-19 →

Fall armyworms are marching

Fall armyworm damage to a yard in Paulding County. If you are seeing this please contact me. There is a chance the yard will come back with the rains received on Thursday evening.

I have received many phone calls and emails this week about armyworms this week from both farmers and landowners.  I have worked with Curtis Young in Van Wert County to make the positive ID of Fall armyworm.  I have shared some of the pictures of the damage armyworms can do.  I am receiving these calls from around the county.

Fall armyworm in a lawn in Paulding County. The threshold for control is 4 worms per square foot for lawns/homeowners.

Across the US, the Fall armyworm numbers have been much higher than in previous years due to our current weather patterns and the life cycle of Armyworms, there is a chance we could see a third-generation yet this year.  These guys like to feed on the species in the grass family and their “candy” is newly seeded yards (within the last few years), volunteer wheat fields, and newly seeded forages. Additionally, I am linking extra articles with information on control and general question both agronomically and for homeowners. As always, contact me with your questions.

Thanks,

Safety Around Manure Pits

Tragedy struck a farm family in Mercer County when three brothers were killed after entering the manure storage on their dairy farm. This is an unimaginable loss and one that occurs way too often. It is hard to stand by and wait for help when a loved one is unconscious in a dangerous situation but we see time and again how entering to save them often leads to the death of another family member. Please be aware of all the dangers on your farm and inform your family and employees as well. To learn more about manure gasses, read this fact sheet.

Tracking Rainfall Across Ohio

NW Ohio and NE Indiana CoCoRaHS map of monitored locations.

What farmer doesn’t love to record the weather for their area of the county? Many of you are recording this daily but why not help give our county more.  The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network is comprised of volunteers who track rainfall across the United States. This is an excellent way to ground-truth radar predictions and track precipitation across the rural landscape. We currently only have one consistent reporter in Paulding County near the Hedges area. Wouldn’t it be awesome to see how much rainfall each part of the county got? When you join the reporting network, you get a weekly newsletter containing reporting tips and weather stories. View the most recent newsletter linked under the Resources section. It does require a specific rain gauge which can be purchase on Amazon or at these websites. To learn more about the network, click here. If we have enough interest, I have been asked to host a training in November or December.  Please let me know if you are interested in the training by emailing me at noggle.17@osu.edu.  This training would be open to the public.

Unusual Armyworm Outbreaks are Taking Many by Surprise

Kelley Tilmon, Mark Sulc, Andy Michel, James Morris

Figure 1. Fall armyworm feeding damage. Photo by James Morris, OSU Extension

We have received an unusual number of reports about fall armyworm outbreaks particularly in forage including alfalfa and sorghum-sudangrass, and in turf.  Certain hard-hit fields have been all but stripped bare (Figure 1).  Armyworm is not typically a problem in Ohio in late summer, so we encourage farmers to be aware of feeding damage in their fields.  Armyworms are much easier to kill when they are smaller, and feeding accelerates rapidly as they grow, so early detection is important.  Look for egg masses glued not only to vegetation but to structures like fence posts.  Egg masses have a fluffy-looking cover (Figure 2).  When the cover is peeled back, eggs are pearly and tan when new, and turn darker as they approach egg-hatch.

Figure 2. Fall armyworm egg mass, with cover peeled back. Photo by Ric Bessin, University of Kentucky.

Fall armyworm caterpillars vary in color from greenish to tan to dark brown with stripes along the body.  They can be easily confused with other species, but a good identifier is an inverted white “Y” shape behind the head. (Figure 3). Another species, true armyworm, feeds at night but fall armyworm will feed during the day.

Insecticides will not penetrate egg masses well; it’s best to spray caterpillars when they are less than ¾ inches long, at which point most armyworm-labeled pyrethroids will kill them reasonably well.  For larger caterpillars, products containing chlorantraniliprole will provide longer residual which may help with control of the harder-to-kill caterpillars over ¾ inches.

Figure 3. Fall armyworm caterpillar, with an inverted “Y” near the head. Photo by James Morris, OSU Extension

In forages, a threshold that can be used is 2-3 fall armyworm larvae per sq foot.  If larvae are smaller (less than ¾ inch), they can still do a lot of feeding and are worth treating with an insecticide application. An early cut can help limit damage, but check the field for survivors.  If survivors are abundant, an insecticide application may be warranted to protect nearby fields.  Armyworms get their name from moving in large bodies (marching) to new feeding areas.

In corn, armyworms can randomly feed on leaves, with holes occurring throughout the leaf surface. The more damaging stage is when they feed on developing silks and kernels after entering the ear. Once they enter the ear, control by insecticides is much more difficult.  Most Bt corn varieties with above-ground protection is labeled for armyworm control, but resistance to several Bt traits has appeared in the US.  While we have not found Bt resistance in armyworms in Ohio, we would recommend growers scout ALL corn (Bt or non-Bt) for any evidence of damage or resistance. If feeding is found, please contact us (tilmon.1@osu.edu, or michel.70@osu.edu) or your local extension educator.

Figure 4. Fly Free Dates in Ohio. Wheat planted after this date have lower risks of damage from Hessian Fly as well as other pests, including fall armyworm and aphids that spread wheat viruses

Fall armyworm does not overwinter in Ohio.  Moths come up from the South early in the season and temporarily colonize the area, especially in grassy areas.  The current caterpillars are second-generation.  If we have a warm fall we could possibly see a problem third generation, especially in forage, cover crops, and winter wheat planted before the fly-free date (see Figure 4).

Please visit the Forages chapter in the Michigan State/Ohio State Field Crops Insect Pest Management Guide for management notes and labeled insecticides in forages.  https://aginsects.osu.edu/sites/aginsects/files/imce/MSU%20-%20OSU%20Insect%20IPM%20Guide.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

2021 Ohio Wheat Performance Trial results released

The publication for the 2021 Ohio Wheat Performance Trials has been finalized and is attached as a PDF file. This article will be published in the mid-August issue of the Ohio Country Journal. All of these results are also available online at the wheat performance trials website: https://ohiocroptest.cfaes.osu.edu/wheattrials/

2021 Ohio Wheat Performance Trial results

Join Us for the Soil Health Tour and Event – Tour Opens August 13

Paulding County Extension will be hosting two events in Northwest Ohio in August: a soil health tour and a follow-up event with a guest speaker. The soil health tour includes stops around Northwest Ohio showcasing different practices to help improve soil health. A map of tour stops can be found at go.osu.edu/soilhealthtour and will be updated as tour stops are confirmed. The tour stops will be accessible from Friday, August 13th at 8:00 AM to Thursday, August 19th at 5:00 PM. Following the close of the Soil Health Tour, Paulding County Extension will host speaker Shalamar Armstrong on August 19th from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM to speak on cover crops’ effects on Nitrogen and Phosphorus cycling and fate. In addition, farmers that provided sites for the soil health tour will be present to discuss practices and ideas with attendees before and after our speaker.

When:

Soil Health Tour – Opens Friday, August 13th at 8:00 AM and will close Thursday, August 19th at 5:00 PM

Soil Health Event – Thursday, August 19th from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Where:

Soil Health Tour – Tour stops across Northwest Ohio, see map for details at go.osu.edu/soilhealthtour

Soil Health Event – Paulding County Extension Building, 503 Fairground Dr. Paulding, OH 45879

Cost:

No cost for either event

RSVP:

RSVP is not required for the Soil Health Tour

Registration is required for the Soil Health Event, as a meal will be provided at go.osu.edu/soilhealthtour

For more information, contact Rachel Cochran at Cochran.474@osu.edu or 567-344-5016 or Sarah Noggle, noggle.17@osu.edu or 419-399-8225

Register for the 2021 Soil Health Field Day Evening Event

Event Flyer

Details about the Stops

Register for Door Prizes

Map to Locations

Regional Field Days Focus on Cover Crop Application and Termination – Paulding County host site

OSU Extension will host two educational field days focused on soil health and cover crops next week. Extension specialists and farmers experienced with cover crops will present on topics including inter-seeding cover crops into a growing crop, terminating cover crops, cover crop variety selection, and more. Field demonstrations cover crop plots, and equipment demonstrations will be on-site.

Each field day is free to attend. Registration is appreciated. Register at go.osu.edu/RegionalFieldDay

Monday, August 16th – 6:30-8:30 pm. Location: Klopfenstein Farm (Paulding County), 10136 Road 60, Haviland, OH.  The event will feature Jason Hartschuh speaking about interseeded cover crops and Alyssa Essman will speak about cover crop termination.

Tuesday, August 17th – 2:00-5:00 pm. Location: Fayette County Airport, 2770 Old Route 38, NW, Washington CH, OH. This event is part of the Southwest Corn Growers’ Field Day, which is from 9:00-2:00 pm. Get more information on this field day here.

Purdue Researcher Shalamar Armstrong to speak in Paulding County on Thursday, August 19

Know via his Twitter handle as the @CoverCropDr, Dr. Shalamar Armstrong is an Associate Professor of Soil Conservation and Management in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University. He holds a B.S. degree in Plant and Soil Science from Southern University, an M.S. in Soil Fertility from Alabama A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Agronomy from Purdue University.

Paulding County is very excited to host a soil health tour round-up event with Armstrong as the keynote speaker. Speaker Shalamar Armstrong of Purdue University will speak on Cover Crops’ Effects on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling and Fate, and certified crop advisor credits will be available for this talk. In addition, talk with farmers from Northwest Ohio about different practices used to improve soil health on their farms. This event follows the Northwest Ohio Soil Health Tour showcasing different soil health practices, such as reduced tillage, cover crop usage, manure usage, and structural practices such as controlled drainage and wetlands.

Soil Health Event – Thursday, August 19th from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM; networking from 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM with speaker Shalamar Armstrong beginning his talk at 7:30 PM. A free meal is being sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and an RSVP is appreciated by Wednesday, August 18 by 5:00 PM.

Where:  Soil Health Event – Paulding County Extension Building, 503 Fairground Dr. Paulding, OH 45879

Cost: No cost

RSVP: Registration is required for the Soil Health Event, as a meal will be provided at go.osu.edu/soilhealthtour

For more information, contact Rachel Cochran at Cochran.474@osu.edu or 567-344-5016 or Sarah Noggle, noggle.17@osu.edu or 419-399-8225

Don’t get Burned by Hopperburn—Check Alfalfa for Potato Leafhoppers

By:  Andy Michel, Mark Sulc, Curtis Young, CCA, Kelley Tillmon

alfalfa leaf hoppers on dimePotato leafhopper (PLH) adults arrived in Ohio during the last week of June and the first week of July. Since then, the eggs have hatched and we are now seeing late-stage nymphs and adults infesting alfalfa fields.  A few fields are showing the typical “hopper burn”, which is a triangular yellowing from the center of the leaf to the leaf margin. The more mature the crop of alfalfa is since the last cutting, the more the hopper burn symptoms will be showing. Hopper burn will also become more pronounced in areas of the state that are short on rain or are predicted to become drier because the alfalfa will not be able to outgrow the feeding activity of PLH.  Scouting now and making appropriate management decisions based on the scouting can help avoid serious damage to the crop. Continue reading Don’t get Burned by Hopperburn—Check Alfalfa for Potato Leafhoppers →