Crop Report – May 26, 2021

Figure 1. Cereal rye left as over-winter cover crop is being harvested as high quality ryelage and will be followed with a crop of corn or soybeans immediately after harvest.

Conditions

Some thunderstorms through Essex provided some moisture, but most areas of the province received less than 5 mm over the long weekend and conditions throughout the province remain dry. Temperatures have transitioned from colder than normal to summer-like, and double-digit night-time temperatures have helped newly planted crops to emerge quickly.

Cereals

Early planted wheat fields are starting to head. T3 fungicide applications are being planned for control of fusarium, but also to help the plant stay green longer during grainfill. Each day the grainfill period is extended by staying green, there can be up to a 3 bu/ac/day yield increase. Dry conditions can shorten the grainfill period, in which case fungicides have less impact on yield. The current DONcast modeling (May 25) suggests low level risk for fusarium, however that risk increases moving east across the province.  Unknown impact of potential moisture and humidity combined with strong wheat prices helps sway the decision to apply T3 fungicide.

Wheat samples with symptoms that look like that of cereal viruses (e.g. barley yellow dwarf virus) have so far come back negative. The symptoms may be associated to rarely seen magnesium deficiency. Tissue sampling is suggesting that magnesium levels in the plant are low. While manganese deficiency has been visible in many fields this year, it is relatively easy to correct with foliar applications. Magnesium levels in the soil may be adequate, but magnesium deficiency symptoms occur when soils are dry.  Magnesium in dry soil conditions is converted to the oxidized form which is less soluble and has limited ability to move with mass-flow into the plant roots. Rainfall will help correct the problem.

Corn and Soybeans

Corn and soybean planting are all but complete, except where planting will occur after forage harvest. Planting into moisture is important, but beyond 2.5 inch depth in some soils, if moisture is down too deep, it may be better to plant into a dry seed bed and wait for rain rather than to plant into a transition zone where the seed can take on moisture and start to emerge before running out of moisture a few days later.

Crop emergence has been excellent for the most part, with fields planted during warm conditions emerging in as quickly as 4 days. Some fields planted before soil conditions were ideal are experiencing some stand reduction, but even fields planted during the cool conditions have uniform stands.

Forages

Forage harvest will start in earnest during the last week of May for dairy producers.  Orchard and Italian ryegrass are heading. With current soybean crop prices, protein is expensive for livestock producers. Some beef and sheep producers plan to harvest legume forages earlier than usual to increase the protein content of the hay. Earlier harvest comes at the cost of yield; however, straw may help stretch feed.

Older stands of alfalfa and fields with cereal rye for ryelage are being harvested with plans to plant a crop of corn or soybeans as soon after harvest as possible (Figure 1.). Cereal rye yield and quality were excellent where there were good fertility levels.

Figure 1. Cereal rye left as over-winter cover crop is being harvested as high quality ryelage and will be followed with a crop of corn or soybeans immediately after harvest.
Figure 1. Cereal rye left as over-winter cover crop is being harvested as high quality ryelage and will be followed with a crop of corn or soybeans immediately after harvest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concerns about lack of moisture in these fields is resulting in some no-till planting of corn and soybeans. Forage and rye root mass are difficult to plant into without some tillage. Too much tillage will dry soils, but no-till into alfalfa crowns makes uniform seed depth and consistently seeding into moisture difficult. Application of high-liquid manure can help add some moisture. Un-agitated manure will provide the highest liquid content and a 10,000-imperial gallon (12,000 US gal) provides just under a half inch of moisture.  It is important to be aware of salts in manure, especially with finisher hog manure. The ammonium and potassium and sodium salts can be high and if applied and followed immediately with planting, it can increase the risk of seed burn, especially in sandy soils and when soil moisture conditions are dry.

Manure application after forage harvest has been shown to improve yields and alfalfa quality, however it is important to apply manure as quickly after harvest as possible before regrowth occurs. Application on regrowth damages the new stems and results in lower yield in the tracked areas of the field. Application rates should be set to apply no more than 50 lbs/ac as ammonium-N – which is usually around 3,500 – 4,000 imperial gallons/ac with dairy manure – to prevent leaf burn or salt injury. A manure analysis will provide the phosphorus and potassium that was applied. Potassium applied with manure on alfalfa is often lower than crop requirements.

Insects

With warmer soil temps, grubs and wireworms have been very active at the soil surface. Warm conditions have led to rapid emergence of crops and have limited insect damage so far. Scouting for cereal leaf beetle in wheat and spring cereals and for alfalfa weevil in legume fields, especially older stands, should continue. If there is 40% leaf-tip feeding, with 2 or 3 active weevils per stem, and there are more than 7–10 days to preferred harvest date, consider applying an insecticide. Registered insecticides can be found in Chapter 3 of Publication 812.

Weed Control

Dry conditions are leading to concerns about weed escapes from pre-emerge herbicides not being activated, although the emergence of weeds is also limited by dry conditions. Rainfall is required to activate weed control however there is still reasonable herbicide activity (50 to 80%) of control which will reduce the number and pressure of weeds to control with post emerge herbicides. Rainfall will also bring on a flush of weeds, so scouting at 7, 14, and 21 days after herbicide application to evaluate weed pressure and weed stage is important for best application timing of post treatments.  With dry conditions the weeds will be physically smaller, but at a more advanced stage of growth.

Weather Data

Location      Year Weekly May 17-23 Accumulated
Highest Temp (°C) Lowest Temp (°C) Rain (mm) Rain (mm) April 1st GDD 0C April 1st  GDD 5C April 1st CHU May 1st
Harrow 2021 56  8  0  74  605  359  324 
2020 20  10  35  144  444  210  256 
2019 26  5  24  203  537  280  274 
Ridgetown 2021 53  6  0  64  555  317  307 
2020 21  10  24  114  389  170  232 
2019 28  2  7  186  491  241  248 
London 2021 52  6  3  83  547  315  288 
2020 25  6  48  134  378  161  209 
2019 27  3  9  185  430  200  224 
Brantford 2021 54  5  0  82  527  293  279 
2020 25  3  25  106  364  154  193 
2019 29  3  4  176  423  197  216 
Welland 2021 56  5  0  53  538  300  275 
2020 24  6  22  110  390  172  209 
2019 29  4  6  170  460  222  232 
Elora 2021 48  4  0  71  477  251  244 
2020 25  5  21  79  320  128  166 
2019 28  2  8  193  361  148  181 
Mount Forest 2021 45  6  3  75  483  260  252 
2020 27  8  25  89  309  130  170 
2019 27  2    129  350  145  181 
Peterborough 2021 51  2  0  78  483  247  253 
2020 29  2  4  74  335  129  198 
2019 25  2  10  189  387  164  204 
Kingston 2021 54  6  0  81  496  260  232 
2020 27  5  2  120  378  155  199 
2019 23  4  15  191  426  192  203 
Kemptville 2021 57  6  0  79  565  323  288 
2020 28  4  0  98  352  139  204 
2019 22  3  11  159  401  180  205 
Earlton 2021 57  2  7  60  457  239  223 
2020 29  0  0  63  212  82  147 
2019 19  0  37  176  203  55  104 
Sudbury 2021 56  5  5  79  460  243  236 
2020 30  3  0  81  253  98  158 
2019 19  2  42  169  229  67  112 
Thunder Bay 2021 59  4  65  165  352  147  191 
2020 26  1  0  30  223  84  158 
2019 21  -2  9  103  220  58  123 
Fort Frances 2021 46  7  18  110  389  180  273 
2020 28  0  0  38  288  126  203 
2019 21  -3  16  74  262  87  144 
Report complied by OMAFRA using Environment Canada data. Data quality is verified but accuracy is not guaranteed. Report supplied for general information purposes only. An expanded report is available at www.fieldcropnews.com.