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Volume 16 Issue 2 March 2006
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CROP QUEST AGRONOMIC SERVICES, INC
Continued on Page 2
Special Edition: Pre-Plant 2006
C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s
By:Ron OHanlon,President
Member, National Alliance
of Independent Crop
Consultants, CPCC-I
CertiedFarmers! We hope you will take time to review this issue of our
wsletter. We wanted to do an expanded issue that would provide addi-
nal information to help you prepare and plan for the crop to be planted.
op Quest agronomists from across our entire service area have contrib-
ed to this issue by giving their thoughts or ideas on what they feel areportant in preparing for the upcoming planting season.
We realize that some farming practices in one area may not t another
ea, or that even some farmers are not set up to adopt a certain farming
actice, but the ideas may be enough to encourage you to try something
w, if you are looking for a better way. Maybe it will give you ideas on
w you could adjust your own program if what you have been doing is
t giving you the desired results.
We all know that the expense to plant a crop has raised dramatically
ese past couple of years with higher energy prices, increased fuel costs
d higher fertilizer expenses. In previous issues of our newsletter, we
have written about some of
the reasons for the higher
prices due to weather disasters, terror threats, increased usage of fertil
overseas and the phasing out of unprotable fertilizer facilities here in
United States. There doesnt appear to be anything on the horizon thatdramatically lower the cost of these inputs, so it is critical that we lear
how to make a prot while utilizing these inputs to maximize an econ
cal return.
In the last issue of our newsletter, we introduced some thoughts from
several economists to encourage you to take a serious look at your ma
keting plan. Knowing your cost of production and marketing your cro
a disciplined manner may be the only way to survive during these tim
high input costs and low commodity prices.
The entire agronomic staff at Crop Quest hopes you nd this issue h
ful and we pray that you will have a successful crop year in 2006.
Expanded Pre-Plant Crop Issue
Crop Quest agronomist Jim Halling has been helping row-crop farmers
Southwest Kansas since 1998. He has seen input costs uctuate since
started consulting. But like so many of his clients, he doesnt see an
d of high input and energy costs changing soon, so hes helping his
stomers meet their production and income goals with science and good,
mmon-sense management practices.
Cash ow and market decisions are causing a lot of producers to wait
ntil the last minute to decide which crop to put in their elds. Farm-
s need to be as exible as possible during these rough times, Halling
forms. Due to the areas high pumping costs and high fertilizer costs,producer needs to be exible in making decisions. Having good records
e going to go a long way in helping him make informed decisions that
ep his input costs in check.
Crop Quest agronomists all across the country are working
with their clients to go over cash ow issues and help them
budget the year out so they can make the most-informed
decisions possible.
Right now we are trying to put some realistic prices on
what pumping prices are going to be because of the
uctuating price of natural gas and diesel fuel, says
Halling. We are trying to pencil out scenarios that
may mean a complete change in the crop being
Make Strong Decisions This YearU t i l i ze Last Year s Records To
m Halling
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Utilize Last Years Records ...Continued from Page 1
C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s2 w w w . c r o p q u e s t . c o
planted in 2006. Some of those scenarios say that planting sunowers or
cotton that cut back on water use in our area might be a more economi-
cal choice over corn where we know we will be pumping all season
long. We are also penciling out the risk factors between planting cotton
or corn.A farmer with good production and cropping records has the upper
hand because he knows exactly what crops were in specic elds, whats
a viable crop to rotate into based on last years fertilizer and herbicide
choices and what the elds are capable of producing, Halling states.
Many of the chemicals we are using have longer residual activity and
some carryover concerns. We have to watch our rotational restrictions
for alternate crops or cropping options. We have to know which herbi-
cides were in the eld the year before to avoid a wreck this year or even
next season.
We have run into different scenarios where we were going to stay
long-term in certain crops. However, due to rising input costs and
market strengths, many of our farmers wanted to change to an alterna
crop, Halling recalls. Unfortunately, the long-term residual of some
the herbicides they used eliminated this option in certain cases. Know
a producers desire of a possibility to alternate to another crop is a ke
issue we discuss with our clients prior to planting or applying certainclasses of chemicals. Records will paint a clear picture of the rotation
restrictions oflast years crop prior to planting that eld this year.
Insecticide management also ts into good record keeping,
Halling adds. We can go in with certain pesticides that handle both c
rootworm beetles and corn borer. This can eliminate a pass across the
eld and save half the price of a larvae treatment next season. That ty
of planning can save a farmer upwards of $10 to $15 off a rescue or s
applied treatment at planting next season. Knowing what you are goi
to do with the eld in advance can save you money, labor and improv
yield potential.
When diesel and
natural gas prices
were reasonably
inexpensive, it was
a routine croppingpractice to start
putting water on
the eld in Febru-
ary and March
while temperatures
were cool. With
the sky-high prices
of both diesel
and natural gas,
prewatering is
no longer being
viewed a routine
practice, but onethat requires the
help of science and
planning to make it
work.
Mickey Huddleston is entering his 15th year of helping farmers
reach their optimal yield potential in Southwest Kansas. While he
still believes that prewatering is a sound, economic practice, he is
hedging his opinion with good science and solid economic data.
That is exactly what his Crop Quest customers have come to expect
from him.
Experience and sound research tells us that if we dont start off
with a good moisture prole, it can typically mean a reduction of 20
to 30 bushels of corn and potentially as high as 80 to 90 bushels of
corn per acre, Huddleston states. We often see producers
who start off with a low moisture prole who think they can catch
up as the year goes on. It seldom works out that they can catch
up to the damage they inicted by not starting with an appropriate
moisture prole.
Huddleston, who is based in Ulysses, Kan., notes, If you start of
with a good prole, youre not having to water a lot, which cools th
soil temperature off early in the spring. This practice usually lets the
corn plants grow much faster and provides better plant health throug
out the growing season.Huddleston considers a good moisture prole is at least 5 to 6 fee
soil moisture that can be determined through moisture checks throug
out the spring prior to planting. We usually want to probe several p
of the eld to determine proles in various parts of the elds, he ad
Usually we try to focus on those parts of the eld that dont soak a
well or consist of a different soil type and make sure we get those w
tered to deliver a uniform stand of corn.
However, Huddleston also knows that current
energy costs are going to make many growers not
want to put 5 to 6 inches of moisture on the
elds. They will not want to spend the $50/
acre or more for 5 to 6 inches of water. The
downside to that decision, notes Huddleston,is that by not having a good prole, a producer
is taking a huge gamble that will certainly
affect performance, increase trips across the
elds, plant health and yield potential.
It only takes 20 to 25 bushels
of corn to pay for the prewatering
Huddleston points out. It is still
worth the cost, especially if we h
a normal, dry season.
In conclusion, Huddleston not
Prewater soil moisture checking
critical. The result is an even stan
that is up quick and grows better
than starting with a low prole an
ghting it all year.
Mickey Huddlesto
The Value of Prewatering
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Special Edition: Pre-Plant 2006
Farmers are constantly hearing, Plan ahead to take advantage ofmarketing opportunities. In reality, planning ahead can be as simpleas choosing the right herbicide or insecticide this year that providessome residual, cost savings next year. Paying close attention todecisions made this season that benet next season makes goodeconomic sense.
Entering his 20th season as an agronomist, Howard Bartel,Weatherford, Okla., is spending a lot of windshield time getting infront of his Crop Quest customers to help them plan ahead to optimizetheir input costs in 2006. He says that starts by looking at 2007.
My customer conversations right now are centered on what herbi-cide program we are going to use in 2006, relates Bartel. There are alot of residual herbicides being considered and used that growers needto be aware ofprior to planting.
New chemistry is allowing us to do an excellent job in weed con-trol. However, if you are not familiar with the long-term residual issuestied to many of these new chemicals, you can be opening yourself up toreducing or eliminating follow-up cropping options, Bartel adds. Intodays dizzy markets, thats not a good business position to be placingyourself, especially if it can be avoided by looking at next years cropbefore choosing herbicides and pesticides right now.
Bartel points to a few examples of commonly used products wherehe has seen rotational issues close down a producers
planting options. In peanuts, Cadre is an excellentproduct with long-term residual issues if followingpeanuts with certain crops. Similar rotational issues
exist when using atrazine and Callisto in corn,and Staple and Diuron in cotton. You must
plan ahead if youre using these longer-last-
ing residual herbicides.A common practice is applying Olym-pus or Maverick, Glean and Finesse
for weed control in wheat. If you forget
where you applied the chemical and plant canola the following yeyou could be facing a devastating loss. You would probably havecanola that would not germinate or die due to herbicidecarryover in that eld.
In addition, he adds, as you look to rotate into canola or evencotton after wheat, you have to be aware of the longer-residual hecides like Olympus, Maverick or Finesse. While effective for weewheat, they can stunt or even kill rotational crops like milo and ca
Look At Older Products
I am going back to some older residual herbicides in cotton tooptimize my control and cut some chemical costs, says the veteraagronomist. However, that means we need to know what we are to do with that farm next year. In light of advancing herbicide resitance issues in this part of the country, we really have to know whare planting this year as well as into next year and beyond.
Low pH is also an issue Bartel is visiting about with his producIf you have low pH soils, we need to plan in advance, especial
if we want to rotate into summer crops like soybeans and, to a lesextent, cotton. We really need to implement a plan to correct the pthose elds that we will rotate out of wheat into soybeans or cottowe have a chance to raise a good rotation crop vs. having the low shut us down. That planning should start right now, prior to planti
I have farmers who are all no-till or partially no-till. I have sevprograms in cotton and milo where I can put out a fairly long residherbicide well in advance of putting the crop in the ground, Barteexplains. That can save them possibly two to three passes with a down with glyphosate. Those reductions and cost of chemical acrothe elds could be the difference in making money on the crop or
Bartel also notes that the high price of nitrogen is making wheamilo budgets really tough. We can save farmers money by soil sapling and testing to see if we have carryover nitrogen that we can advantage of in milo. Milo/canola/cotton really benets and utilizcarryover nitrogen.
It is helpful to me to know how much carryover nitrogen is in eld, because that directly impacts how I set up the nitrogen manament on the crop during the growing season, he notes. If you arnot planning ahead by having us pull soil samples or deep soil nitrsamples, we do not know what you have. You could totally void thbenets of the carryover nitrogen by planting a crop that cannot uthe additional nitrogen. That would waste the cost benet you havinvested in the eld the year before.
P l a n n i n g N o w A l l o w s Y o u T oM a x i m i z e Y o u r I n v e s t m e n t
Howard Bartel
C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s 3
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C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s4 w w w . c r o p q u e s t
Stan Schield is entering his 31st year as an agronomist in
the Montezuma, Kan., area. He has seen farming practices
and trends come and go. The one practice that he says needs
to really be visited is ripping
the ground prior to planting.
The agronomist says ripping theground because it is something
you have always done just does
not have merit any longer.
I dont like to see farmers
routinely preplant rip the ground
in the spring, Schield says. Usu-
ally the soil is a little wet and that
certainly affects the efcacy of
the ripping. Ask yourself, What
is the soil moisture? prior to
ripping. In addition, Are there
dened compaction areas where
ripping makes sense or is it a mat-ter of routine? We need to stop
random ripping.
Schield says that he has fewer
people every year doing random ripping. We use to do quite a
bit of inner-row ripping after the crop is up (8- to 9-leaf stage),
but not as much now. We used to do it for runoff control fr
the sprinkler irrigation systems, but now we are practicing
either reduced- or minimum-till and my farmers are maint
ing crop residue on the soil surface so the runoff is less. So
inner-row ripping is quickly becoming a practice of the pa
But the agronomist is quick to add, If you feel you needrip the ground, I would much rather see producers do it af
planting (inner-row ripping) vs. preplanting when soils are
wet. The ground is easier to work and soil moisture is
not as critical an issue at that time.
Who are the likely candidates or situations
where ripping is a good tillage practice? Schield
contends that it depends on the compaction after
harvest.
Ripping may be a solid option if it was
extremely wet at harvest and compaction
issues now exist. This is the one time where
I would recommend ripping, he explains.
A good example of this was the harvest of2004 where farmers were dealing with extremely wet harv
conditions, causing major ruts in the elds, etc. In a year li
that I would recommend ripping regardless of the soil m
ture the following year. Severe compaction caused by a wet
harvest can dramatically affect yields.
When in Doubt , Don t R ip
Success Starts With Knowing Your Optimum Planting DatFarmers are always eager to get the year off to agood start. That usually means they want to be in
their elds as quickly as they can and when en-
vironmental conditions are as near to perfect as
possible. However, jumping the gun can also
have severe debilitating effects on your crop
and your crops health, standability and
yield projections. Just because you see your
neighbor in the elds doesnt mean you have
to jump on the planter and go.
Planting dates vary by regions and you
should visit with your Crop Quest agrono-
mist for the optimum planting dates in your
area. Why visit with them on this simple issue? Mainly becauseyour Crop Quest agronomist can provide you with the best planting
schedule based on your specic eld and farm conditions. Issues
like moisture prole, herbicide treatment timing, seed variety, etc.,
can play a huge part in your decision when to plant for optimum
performance, herbicide safety and yield.
The optimum planting dates for the major grain crops in central
Kansas, for example, are:
CORN: April 15th to May 10th
SOYBEANS: May 1st to May 30th
GRAIN SORGHUM: May 25th to June 10th
Planting at the optimum time allows for quick seedling emergence, which, in turn, provides more even stands. In addition,
adhering to proper planting schedules results in fewer seedling
mination issues, less early competition due to weeds, fewer dis
issues and healthier plants for the rest of the season.
Likewise, planting too early often results in erratic stand em
gence or weak plants. Sometimes, planting too early could resu
a total loss of the stand due to an unexpected late freeze.
Similar issues exist if you plant too late. Later planting dates
will put the crop at risk for being in its reproductive stage in th
hotter and drier part of the summer. We usually expect less yie
from a crop that is planted too far outside of the optimum plan
window.
Talk to your Crop Quest agronomist todayand get the whole picture prior
to planting. Utilizing an opti-
mum planting
schedule can
make a huge
difference in
your crops
success in
2006.
Stan Schi
By: Jim Gleason
Regional Vice President
St. John, Kan.
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5/8C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s
In 2006, Crop Quest agronomist RogerUnruh is recommending that many of hisarmers incorporate a good starter fertilizerrogram into their crop budgeting. He and hislients have seen what a good starter fertilizer
rogram means in getting their corn crop offo a good start prior to environmental stressesaking their toll.
Unruh, based in Halstead, Kan., says starterertilizer programs are growing inopularity in his area. Hav-ng a good starter fertilizerrogram is making solidconomic sense and is anxcellent way to start arop, get good early rootevelopment, developmuch healthier plantnd improve yields,
he agronomist out-ines. We continue totress starter fertilizerrograms in wheat and
were seeing that same production and plantealth benets when used in corn.When talking about starter fertilizers, Unruh
s insistent that the best way to take advantagef the investment is to place the nutrients in
concentrated bands. Banding starter fertilizersis especially important on early planted cropswhen soil temperatures are cool, adds Unruh.This is especially true on early planted cornand corn in general. Our experience has shown
this is the most efcient way to apply andutilize the nutrients.
In low pH soils, Unruh says phosphorusis more available to the plant when banded.He also recommends addingnitrogen in the starter so there
is an even nitrogen/phosphate ratio. Thispractice seems to move the nutrients downeffectively so the crop can utilize it more ef-ciently, Unruh notes. Nitrogen and phospho-rus work well in tandem with each other.
We are also doing quite of bitof dribbling the fertilizer on thetop of the soil, Unruh adds.There has been quite a bitof research showing that
if you keep your nitrogenand phosphorus in a goodratio of one another, youllsee excellent yield results.
Unruh says banding the starter fertilizer vbroadcast applications is catching on becausof the continued growth of minimum- andno-till practices. Banding causes less tie-up
on the residue vs. a broadcast application of nutrients, he points out.
One of the disadvantages obanding is that you must keean eye on the salt index inrelation to where you plant a
where the fertilizer is.Unruh adds that all Crop
Quest agronomists areextensively trained to help
farmers work through these types of applica-tion options and soil conditions. He says thatyour agronomist should perform a soil nutrietest prior to banding to help assure proper anexpected results.
Get Your Investment Off To A Strong Start
There is much debate
whether or not solid-seeded soybeans are a more efcient planting
actice than conventional 30 rows or even split-row 15 rows. Accord-
g to veteran Crop Quest agronomist Scott Beguelin, Silver Lake, Kan.,
e old adage works just ne if it aint broke, dont x it.
If it is working, stay with what you have, Beguelin advises. Until
mething like Soybean Rust becomes an issue, there is no reason to
ange the row widths.
One of the apparent benets of solid-seeding soybeans is that there
a quicker canopy (especially in no-till situations) to keep weeds from
tablishing and competing for nutrients and moisture, Beguelin adds.
he main benet of this planting system is developing a quick canopyd greatly reducing the need for expensive herbicides and weed tillage
practices.
In general, though, I think there are perhaps more
disadvantages associated with solid-seeded soybeans
vs. 30 or 15 split-row plantings.
Beguelin says that in dry years, solid-seeded elds
tend to lose moisture much quicker than in wider
rows. With more roots per inch, moisture is
taken up quite quickly, he points out. In
the wider rows, the roots dont branch out
so quickly until they need to go out for more
moisture. Normal to above normal rainfall years, we d
not see much difference in yield based on row widths.
Another issue that must be factored in is that, in solid-seeded soy-
beans, there is a much larger investment in seed. We use about 40%
more seed in solid-seeded plantings, Beguelin notes. In years with
more moisture, we see more disease in solid-seeded beans vs. conven-
tional row widths as well.
Beguelin adds that many farmers are compromising between con-
ventional 30 rows and solid-seeding by moving to split-row plantings
that utilize 15 row spacing. Split-row plantings dont t under a ood
irrigation system because we cant get 15 furrows, he notes, But
under center pivots or dryland conditions, the split-row plantings workgreat. There are some disadvantages to split-row plantings, mainly the
additional cost of planting and tillage equipment, he adds.
In dry years, we have consistently better yields under the wide
rows vs. solid-seeded elds, Beguelin states. Ten years ago the
solid-seeding was growing, but over the last three to four years, weve
seen it decreasing as more producers adopt the split-row concept. Also
contributing to this increase is the high cost of seed and the diseases we
have been seeing in some solid-seeded elds. In the irrigated areas, it is
predominantly 30 rows, but in the uplands and dryland, we are seeing
more split-row plantings.
Solid-Seeded Soybeans vs. Conventional Widths . . .
Special Edition: Pre-Plant 2006
W h a t s R i g h t F o r Y o u ?
Roger Un
Scott Beguelin
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6/8C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s6 w w w . c r o p q u e s t . c
With crop production inputs under the microscope in 2006,
corn and soybean growers using glyphosate-tolerant seed tech-
nologies hope to hold on to the fact that they are only going to
need one or possibly two glyphosate (Roundup) applications to
have a weed-free environment for their crops to grow in. How-
ever, Cimarron, Kan.,-based Crop Quest agronomist Harlan
Bartel says it may not be that easy in 2006.
Glyphosate-Tolerant Soybeans
Apparently the wide use of glyphosate alone on soybeans
has caused problems, says Bartel. Im not prepared to say
that were seeing resistance to glyphosate, but were certainly
seeing several weeds break through the Roundup treatments andthey are starting to get established in troublesome numbers. In
many of our soybean elds, well be recommending the use of a
pre-emergence herbicide program in these glyphosate-tolerant
soybean elds to try and stop the establishment of some of these
problem weeds and assist the glyphosate treatments.
Bartel is speaking directly to the increased pressure brought
on by kochia, Palmer amaranth and velvetleaf weeds.
We see kochia as a particularly difcult weed to control in
some elds with just glyphosate alone, Bartel adds. Where we
have heavy kochia problems, were having a hard time killing it.
We are going to have to do more than what we have done in the
past. We will have to attack them with pre-emerge herbicides.
Weve been hampered in our choices for good herbicides withthe absence of Authority herbicide which showed good kochia
control, but Spartan, which is similar to Authority in control-
ling some of these broadleaves and especially kochia, will be
available and will be a viable option.
Glyphosate-Tolerant Corn
The veteran agronomist reports similar concerns when it
comes to Roundup Ready corn. Were starting to see some
major weed breaks in Roundup Ready
corn. The agronomist adds that, on
some farms that have a history of these
key broadleaf weeds, he is advising
against using Roundup Ready corn
varieties.
Well need more than just glyphosate
to have the crop meet yield projections in
2006. All of our agronomists are working
closely with customers to make sure we
are in position to handle these weed pres-
sures in corn. It is going to require the use of some traditional
herbicides in combination with glyphosate-tolerant hybrids.Bartel says that he is going to recommend growers who are
using Roundup Ready technology should augment their weed
control with more traditional herbicides. I dont think well
need to always use these traditional herbicides at full rates and
we might alter some of the herbicide timing. Some elds will use
pre-emerge and early post-emerge treatments in combination
with glyphosate. I do not think glyphosate alone will be good
enough to provide the protection we need to meet yield goals in
my area. Regard-
less, if we want to
make yield projec-
tions, were going
to have to do a bet-ter job of protect-
ing these crops.
M a n a g i n g W e e d C o n t r o lI n G l y p h o s a t e - T o l e r a n t C r o p s
Harlan Bartel
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7/8C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s
Perennial weed problems in corn and soybean have generally in-
creased across the region with the adoption of reduced tillage systems.
Most products used for selective weed control in corn and soybean
have limited activity on perennials; thus, control options are limited as
long as the eld is maintained in row crop production.
The availability of Roundup-Ready soybeans and corn has some
weed managers thinking that problems with perennial weeds are
solved. Recently, though, we are nding that is not the case.
Pre-emergence herbicide programs have long been the mainstay of
weed management in corn, due in large part to the low cost of atrazine
and its broad spectrum of control. A total pre-emergence approach can
still be effective in elds with low-to-moderate populations of most
perennial and annual weeds.
The best way to approach them is with the class of chemicals
referred to as growth regulator herbicides, i.e., Banvel and 2,4-D.
Usually well see the perennial herbicide sprays going on just prior
to corn reaching the ve-leaf stage. Another chemical that seems to
be providing some promising perennial weed control in corn with no
crop damage is Callisto used in a post-emerge application. In addi-
tion, another chemical named Distinct that ts this growth regulator
category has been used in tank mixes in corn. The problem with these
chemicals in corn especially at high rates that are needed to control
perennial weeds is crop damage.
A total post-emergence herbicide program should be applied before
most weeds in a eld exceed 4 to 6 inches in height, and reinfestation
with later-emerging weeds is likely if a herbicide with residual activity
is not included.
Perennial Soybean Problems
Generally, prior to planting soybeans, well recommend a tank-
mix of Roundup and 2,4-D to keep the elds clean until planting.
Roundup is a popular herbicide, especially in Roundup-Ready crops.
It does a good job on perennial weeds in soybeans where we are using
Roundup alone. If we are really wanting some good control of the
perennials, we will usually use a higher than standard rate to get some
activity on those weeds.
Perennial Weeds . . . Treat or Not?
Special Edition: Pre-Plant 2006
Kyle Aljoe
It is the contention of veteran Crop Quest agronomist
yle Aljoe, Dimmitt, TX, that when it comes to weeds,
you start clean, it is easier to stay clean. Moreover, in
year where chemical input costs are a major decision
ctor, getting ahead of perennial and annual weeds and
asses could make the difference in your 2006 crop.
Cotton producers especially understand that if you
ve a lot of weeds in the seedbed, youre not going tot good soil-to-seed contact. Secondly, if you have a
t of weeds, they are going to compete for the available
oisture which will, in turn, cause problems with sprout-
g and germination and cause stress on the seedlings.
Our conventional till cotton producers
ll probably put down Trean or Prowl
iuralin-based yellow herbicides) to
ld back the grasses and small seeded
oadleaves, Aljoe adds. That seems to
ld true regardless if the producer is
practicing chemigation or spraying it on and working it
in. Most producers will utilize something (squirrel cage
packer, etc.) to rm the bed. On the at ground, we will
run a eld cultivator with a Flexi-Coil behind it to rm
the beds up.
In our no-till cotton ground, we will apply the triura-
lin, then kill the weeds with glyphosphate, and imme-
diately plant right into that, Aljoe continues. In all ofthese management practices, we are recommending a
preplant-incorporated herbicide program using a yellow
herbicide and a pre-emerge herbicide tankmix.
Aljoe, who has been an agronomist for 23 years, also
notes that farmers have a good technology in place with
the Roundup-Ready and the Liberty Link programs. We
need to help these programs out a bit with good grass and
weed control to take the pressure off the seedling cotton
and reduce competition for soil moisture.
Star t C lean , Stay C lean
By: Kent Norton
Agronomist
Wichita, Kan.
8/4/2019 CQ Perspectives Mar 2006
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Mission StatementCrop Quest is an employee-owned company dedicated to providing the highest quality agricultural services for each customer. The quest of our netwo
professionals is to practice integrity and innovation to ensure our services are economically and environmentally sound.
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Employee-Owned & Customer DrivenCrop Quest Agronomic Services, Inc.
Main Ofce: Phone 620.225.2233
Fax 620.225.3199Internet: www.cropquest.com
Crop Quest Board of Directors President: Ron OHanlon
Director: Jim Gleason
Director: Dwight Koops
Director: Cort Minor
Director: Chris McInteer
Director: Rob Meyer
Planter Maintenance ...Its The Little Things That Matter
Q. I once had a corn
grower call me out to
his eld because the
planter was planting
more seeds on one side of the planter than the
other. Can you diagnose his problem?
A. A well-maintained planter gives seed its
best chance. Planter maintenance is espe-
cially important for producers in no-till and
reduced-tillage systems. Most of the physical
responsibility for manipulating soil, placing
seed and getting the seed off to a good startrests on the planter.
Key Planter Issues
aTire pressure: This is often overlooked,
but can make a huge difference in how
your planter and accompanying equip-
ment operates.
aChains and bearings: Make sure the
chains are loose and that the bearings
are not worn and are working properly.
aSeed tube wear can affect how success-
fully the planter is going to plant. Checkfor wear and proper feeding.
aTractor hydraulics: Most tractors todayrequire a lot of hydraulic uid to run the
equipment. If you are running markers
and sprayers, etc., make sure the uidlevels are good and that everything is
running correctly.
aMake sure press wheels are centered
over the row. During the course of the
season, you can have an operator who
starts to turn the tractor before the
planter is raised up out of the ground.
This causes a lot of drag and may move
the press wheels off-center over the row.
aMake sure your fertilizer delivery
system and your sprayer systems are
functioning properly. In most cases,those tanks have not been looked at
since they were used last year and they
can have buildup on the nozzles, akes
in the tanks to clog lines, etc. Flush the
system out and make sure it is spraying
accurately.
aMarks can be difcult to
see in heavy residue,
even if additional
weights are used for
markers. Try foam
markers or use the
old rows in residue as
a guide.
aGet off the tractor periodically, es
ly as conditions change, and chec
depth, spacing, population and se
soil contact.
aPlanting speed is critical. You can
at your planter book to get a recom
mendation for your specic equip
but I usually tell producers to ope
the planter at the 5-mph to 5-1/2-m
range. Field conditions dictate spe
And the answer to the corn growers
tion was that he had a at tire on the si
the planter that was planting more seed
Which leads to my number one tip in
planter efciency get off the tractor
once in a while and make sure everythi
working properly.
By: John Hecht
Agronomist
Farmington, NM
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