This newsletter is an update on current topics and events in agriculture in Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marshall, Polk, Story, Tama, and Warren counties.
Updates from an agronomist and weed nerd in central Iowa.
In this issue:
Drying and cooling grain
Fall Nitrogen Applications
Residue Breakdown - Facts and Myths
We need your help - What ate your bushels this year?
Upcoming meetings this winter
Drying and cooling grain
It's very frustrating to still have corn (and some soybeans) coming out of the field at higher moistures than we'd like to see in October, let alone on November 1. This is now compounded by shortages of propane that may further be a problem for many farmers. Charlie Hurburgh, grain quality specialist, has suggested that if you are facing a possible shortage of propane with significant harvest to go, only dry corn to 16-17% moisture and get it in a bin to cool it ASAP. Weather is very favorable to cool grain and as you can see in the table below, properly cooled grain will have an extended storage time even at these higher moistures.
I've seen manure and anhydrous ammonia going on already this fall, but it's a good time to remember why these nitrogen fertilizers are the only ones (basically) we apply in the fall and why it's important to wait until soils are 50 degrees Fahrenheit and cooling to apply them. John Sawyer has some good information in this article. You can find the 3-day historic 4 inch soil temperature for the state on this website.
Residue breakdown - Facts and Myths
I often hear that tillage and fall nitrogen application (like with AMS) break down residue faster in our cropping fields. ISU research by Mahdi Al-Kaisi found these to be myths in some research conducted several years ago. You can read the research report here and read the summary article here.
We need your help - What ate your bushels this year?
Did you see a swarm of thistle caterpillars this year? Do you think corn earworms or corn rootworms ate away some yield? ISU Extension Field Agronomists are seeking your input on what problematic insect pests you experienced this year via our#WhatAteMyBushelscampaign.
Please take a moment to complete the short survey for us.
Upcoming meetings this winter
We've got several big educational opportunities coming up this winter that you may be interested in:
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