Carry the Crop to Yield Smartly Tips for in-season management offer growers and agronomists time and money savings Above: Agronomic analysis, such as on corn tissue similar to that shown here, offers a snapshot of what the plants are experiencing, allowing agronomists and growers to know if the crop is carrying enough nutrients to carry it to yield. 62 BCT August
Planting season is over. The crop is in the ground, and for a short time, growers are breathing a sigh of relief and maybe even catching some time to see their families. But within a blink, the reality of low commodity prices, delayed planting, poor germination, denitrification, and missing or late applications hit. And this list of in-season grower challenges goes on and on. These and many other problems have plagued the 2017 growing season thus far, leaving growers and agronomists scratching their heads searching for answers. Have we lost some of the nitrogen we applied to denitrification? If so, how much? Does the crop have enough fertility to carry it through to yield? Do we apply additional nitrogen to a crop with limited yield potential? Do we need additional sulfur or boron to support yield? There are ways to fill in those blanks. “Agronomic analysis offers a snapshot of what the plants are seeing,” explains Scott Fleming, Rock River Laboratory soil sampling director. “This allows agronomists and growers to know if enough nutrients are available to carry the crop to yield, rather than hoping enough fertility is left,” he says. To guide agronomists and growers through some common in-season challenges, Fleming offers some tips: continued on pg. 64 Specializing in Controlled Environment Potato Storage Buildings Building for the Wisconsin Potato Industry since 1974 SchROEDER BROS. FARMS 300’ Building Including Fan Rooms Eight Storage Bins Holds 120,000 cwt. of Potatoes A partial list of our satisfied customers includes: Baginski Farms, Big Iron Equipment, Bula Potato Farms, David Fleischman Farms, Gallenberg Farms, Guenthner Potato Company, Hyland Lakes Spuds, Kakes Farms, Mach’s Sunny Acres, J.W. Mattek & Sons, Jesse Teal Farms, Plaspack USA, Riverside Farms, Schroeder Bros. Farms, Seidl Farms, Volm Companies, Wild Seed Farms and Wirz, Inc. • Post Frame and Steel Structures • Grading and Packing Sheds • Machine Sheds • Loading Docks • Raynor Garage Doors • Offices Above: Running a soil nitrate analysis can help set a baseline to dial-in the current nitrate levels in the soil and best administer only the nitrogen that is needed. In a wet year like 2017, nitrate levels could be lower than expected. John Ruzicka of Guth Farm, Inc. is shown transferring nitrogen into Antigo, WI Email: spiegl@spieglconstruction.com www.spieglconstruction.com Raynor Garage Doors, Operators and Accessories, Rolling Steel, Mini Storage & Bi-Fold Doors a nurse tank. 715-627-4718 • 800-376-8154 BCT August 63
Change language