Dusty Days

Here's a little of what I saw this week:

1) Dust effects on post chemical applications, mainly glyphosate. With all this dry weather, the dust is playing havoc with weed control. Glyphosate is very sensitive to dust. You can see the effect in the picture below, the sprayed rounded the corner throwing up dust behind the wheels and the glyphosate was deactivated before it could get on the weeds.

2) Another effect of the dry weather is the control of Lambsquarters. The dryness had hardened off the weed, and lots of calcium and magnesium deposits have formed on the top side of the leaves, making sprays like glyphosate roll right off. Mike Cowbrough with OMAFRA has done some work on it, you can find more at this link: http://beready.caseih.com/available-land/lambsquarters-research-yields-unusual-results/.  What may give you a better chance of control when using glyphosate on these Lambsquarters is to increase your water volume, apply after a rain when the plant is actively growing and apply in the early morning before the heat of the day.

3) Here's a bonus to the addition of Broadstrike RC to Boundary applications.  Not only are you getting increased control but it does a nice job on Horse Tail too.  It won't kill it out completely but will hold it back for the beans to get ahead of it.

4)  There are reports of some different bugs being found in area wheat fields including: Cereal Leaf Beetle, Aphids and Army Worm.  Below is a picture of some aphids I found.  They were the only ones that I found in the field, but it would be a good idea to scout your wheat for insects this year with the weather that we are having.  Here is some info from OMAFRA to help: http://fieldcropnews.com/2012/05/wbc-trapps-grubs-and-more-is-this-really-may/

So that's what a wheat flower looks like...

The next week is going to be a very busy time for area wheat growers.  Although the tap has been turned off for most of the last two months, it looks like Mother Nature is going to share the rain with us just when we don't want it.  Warm, humid days with the odd thunderstorm are just the type of weather than Fusarium Head Blight loves.  Even without the moisture, some fields are in need of a fungicide application for Stripe Rust control.

Below is the staging guide for Prosaro from Bayer.  You want to spray when the majority of the heads begin to show small yellow flowers in the middle of the head.  If the flowers have turned grey and falling to the ground, you are too late.  Check you fields daily as the wheat can move quickly with the warmth and chance of moisture we are to get.

Frosty

There was a light frost over night Wednesday night and I saw a little damage in the fields yesterday.  Most corn plants had some yellow/brown leaf tips but a few showed the typical watersoaked, dark leave damage from a frost.  No worries though, a corn plant's growing point is below the ground until the fourth leaf.

Last night the temperature got down to 2C.  For best weed control, I would try to have 24 hours over 5C.  It looks like we will be having that this weekend!

A Farmer's Work is Never Done.

It's May 16th. The corn is up, the soys are in the ground, the wheat herbicide is down. Edibles will go soon, then what? You might actually be able to take week off! Not quite.

There are reports of wheat in the Chatham Kent area receiving their fusarium control. Below is a pic of the most advanced wheat I could find in the area. It is almost in the boot stage and with the warm weather forecasted for the weekend, it will be in head next week and due for some Caramba or Prosaro. Either or, the choice is yours. Efficacy is the same for both, price and programs will make the difference. More importantly are the nozzles you are using. Front and back facing is a must for good head coverage. Anything else for nozzles and you are wasting your money.

The other thing to keep you busy are some early weed escapes.  We are in a pocket of some drier ground than most of Ontario.  With the dry weather, soil applied chemistry has not been activated in all fields.  Even with a setup residual application on RR corn,  you need to be keeping and eye out for annuals that will need control before the corn gets to 6-8 leaf.

Hello Beautiful

Every morning on my drive to work there are more fields of corn out of the ground than the morning before.

So far, the fields that I have been in look good for population. I am hearing some reports that corn planted the first week of April is needing some replants. Not sure of acres effected though.

No fields of soys up yet but this morning I checked a field planted Thursday May 3. The knuckle was 1/4" below the surface. They'll be popping out of the ground in a day or two.

The wheat is jumping with the temps and moisture that we are getting. Some fields are pushing the flag out. There is a little bit of powdery mildew found on the lower leaves and stems so keep an eye on your fields. Weed control is just wrapping up.

Last night, with a few hour window of dry-ish dirt, we got my Pioneer corn plot in. I'm excited to see how the plot does on our no-till ground. As we were putting it in, Wylie and his wife came out to see us. These guys have no fear!

Opportunity Knocks

Time to take advantage of an opportunity. Since the wheat growth has stalled this spring, the sow thistle is emerging with the annuals. In the pic below you'll see a nice array of weeds that are prime for some control. If you have heavy sow thistle in a field, think about using some Peak (Peak only, not Peak plus) in the tank.  Talk to your retail for tank mix options. It won't kill the sow thistle completely but it will hold it back. If the field is really heavy, consider a pre harvest on the wheat as well.