Potash levels are falling in some Ontario fields according to soil and tissue samples. K depletion is often a result of not fully accounting for K removal during forage years of the rotation. 3 years of alfalfa can remove more than 900 lb K2O /ac (Table 1). That’s 1500 lb/ac of muriate of potash (0-0-60). For example; in a loam…
Co-Authored by Ian McDonald Background: In 2013 a range of corn fields were sampled to determine what impact the weather has had on the level of residual soil nitrate. This year April was cool and relatively wet while the first half of May came in warm and dry followed by conditions since mid-May that have been cooler and wetter than average….
Liquid manure targeted to forage crops has value beyond the convenience of application. With phosphorus and potassium prices increasing over time, no one has to tell a livestock producer that manure has value. With the realization of the manure nutrient value, there has been a greater effort to target the manure beyond just corn crops and to fields further…
The fertilizer value of liquid hog manure is significant and can provide all the required P205 and K20 and most of the nitrogen required by a corn crop. The table below shows the average available nutrients on a per thousand imperial gallons per acre basis. The availability is based on spring applied and incorporated within 1 day. When manure is fall…
According to Environment Canada, atmospheric sulphur dioxide emissions were reduced by over 50% from 1990 to 2010. Although this is a positive outcome for emissions reductions it does signal an inevitable need to ensure that field crops have an adequate supply of this essential nutrient. A study was initiated in 2011 to determine how varying rates of sulphur affected winter…
Does ESN pay in spring wheat? Results from two on-farm sites in eastern Ontario showed no advantage in grain yield or protein content with the use of ESN in 2011 (see Table 1). There was also no significant difference in residue soil nitrogen levels. As expected there was also no impact in the percentage of Fusarium Damage Kernels (FDK%) or…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team September 11, 2012 5506 Comments Off on Seed Placed Starter Delivers in Winter WheatOntario research shows an average of 7.5 bushels more wheat. Add in improved winter survival and a more uniform stand and you have an agronomic no-brainer. Stooped over a seed trench late at night, squinting through the beam of a flashlight at dark grey soil, Alan McCallum still doesn’t doubt how worthwhile starter fertilizer is for a wheat crop. In…
Diagnosing nutrient deficiencies in field crops can sometimes be challenging. That is why I put together the following nutrient deficiency key. Let me know what you think. Click on the above image to download the nutrient deficiency key.
Coordinated by: Ian McDonald and Greg Stewart, OMAFRA Background Annually the OMAFRA field crops team surveys a range of corn fields to determine what impact the weather has on the level of residual soil nitrate. In 2012 weather conditions have been almost polar opposite to last year when April was cool and May was wet. What impact has the warm…
Christine Brown May 24, 2012 4738 Comments Off on Johne’s Disease: Should Manure Be Applied To Forages?Application of manure from animals infected with pathogens is a potential method for spreading infection. This becomes a higher risk when the manure is applied to crops used for animal consumption. Johne’s (yo-nees) Disease is a persistent and debilitating bacterial disease that affects the intestines of ruminant animals, including cattle, goats and sheep. The disease is especially problematic in dairy…
A livestock farmer appreciates the value that manure has to their cropping system. In the past, cash crop producers, who did not have access to such a beneficial organic soil amendment were envious. Now there are options to source and apply various different organic amendments, but with many non-agricultural sourced materials on the market, it is important to know which…
The handling of manure is a cost associated with the livestock portion of the farm. Handling manure has many costs connected with it, including equipment purchase and maintenance, the opportunity cost of the time it takes to apply manure to fields, and the liability if something goes wrong and there is a spill. Additional costs may be incurred where the…
There has been a great deal of debate about the need for boron on spring canola. It is well documented that boron plays a critical role in proper canola pollination and seed set. This has created quite a bit of interest from growers who have been experimenting with foliar boron applications at early-flowering. Also driving this interest, were the results…
Fields that usually get nitrogen applied prior to planting and incorporated may have been planted this year without any nitrogen in order to speed up the process. Post planting N application of UAN (28%) is a good option in these situations but there are a few things to consider. Nitrogen application using UAN will cause some corn leaf burn but…