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Northern
States Boost Corn Yields Up To 53%
Earlier planting dates since the late 1970s could
account for as much as 53% higher yield gains in some parts of the
northern Corn Belt, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in the
Agronomy Journal. The study showed no relationship between
earlier planting dates and yields in more southern Corn Belt states.
"The bottom line is that the earlier you plant the crop in northern
states, the longer you extend the time that the plant is
photosynthesizing and increasing its biomass and yield," says Chris
Kucharik, a University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist with the Nelson
Institute for Environmental Studies. "It was surprising to me that the
corn in more southern states showed no yield response to earlier
planting dates, but there are also fewer limits on photosynthesis in
those states than in northern states."
States in the northern Corn Belt showed an approximate increase in yield
between 20% and 50% by moving planting dates up about two weeks earlier
than they had been in the late 1970s, reports Kucharik. Yields increased
53% in Iowa, 31% in Nebraska, 28% in Michigan, 27% in South Dakota, 22%
in Wisconsin and 19% in Minnesota.
"I looked at the average date across each state when 10% of the corn had
been planted," explains Kucharik. "For example, the average 10%-planted
date was May 1 in Iowa during the years from 1979 to1983. However, the
average 10%-planted date was April 19 in Iowa during the years from 1999
to 2005. That's about a two-week difference in planting date."
Better technology has contributed to assist northern corn farmers in
moving their planting dates up earlier and for seeds to germinate
successfully, adds Kucharik. "Newer seed technology allows seeds to
better withstand cooler and wetter conditions for longer periods of
time," he says.
When planting early, uniform emergence and a good plant
population are key to ensuring optimal yield potential, emphasizes Roger
Elmore, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension corn specialist. "In
addition to planting date, one thing that is very clearly linked to
increased yields is even emergence," he says. "You really want to get
every plant emerged at the same time, within a three-to-six-day window.
The plants that emerge after that time become like weeds that pull down
the field's overall yield potential."
In Iowa, the recommended planting dates are between April 20 and May 10,
notes Elmore. During this time, corn yields about the same, he says, and
research shows that planting any earlier than April 20 is more likely to
decrease, rather than increase, yields. On the other hand, planting
after May 10 in Iowa is more likely to decrease yields more than
planting a little before April 20.
Still, pushing the limits on early planting can be risky, says Elmore.
"I think early planting is one of the low apples on the tree of
increased yields that we've already picked," he explains. "I doubt we
can plant any earlier and still get a yield increase without some even
newer technology that will allow farmers to do so. Planting earlier is
no longer the magic bullet for all our corn production woes. Earlier
isn't always better."
Farmers who are hoping to plant corn early should check soil
temperatures to see if they are above 50° and climbing, in addition
to looking at the calendar date, advises Elmore. They should also check
the five-day forecast before planting to see if the weather looks
promising for continued warmth and dryness.
"If the soil looks great, the short-term forecast is promising and
you've done some test runs and know that your planter is in good shape,
then planting early is probably going to work," says Elmore. "If not,
you should probably consider waiting a little longer."
The three things that corn growers need to have just right when planting
corn early are their machine, their soil and their speed. "Number one,
you can't plant in wet soils and expect high yields," says Elmore.
"Number two, your planter must be well adjusted for proper seeding depth
and rate; number three, you need to know your planter and the designed
speed of operation. Most planters are only designed to operate at about
5-6 mph. Go any faster and the result might be uneven emergence, reduced
plant stands and lower yields."
To read more about the University of Wisconsin-Madison study on early
planting and its impact on yields, click here: www.news.wisc.edu/14821 or
here: agron.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract.
To learn more tips on planting corn early in Iowa, click here: www.agronext.iastate.edu.
By John Pocock
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Evening Up
Corn Emergence
When it comes to corn yields, conformity counts.
"Rapid, uniform germination and emergence of corn help set the stage for
maximum grain yield," says Purdue University Agronomist Bob Nielsen.
That's why it pays to get out of the tractor during planting to check
seed placement. It's your best defense against yield-robbing height
differences.
Uneven seedling emergence is common. "It's almost like hail," Nielsen
says. "Every year -- somewhere, someplace -- we'll see areas of uneven
emergence."
To continue reading this article about how to increase your odds for
even emergence in corn, click here: cornandsoybeandigest.com/corn/factors-causing-uneven-emergence-0215/.
By Liz Morrison
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Scientists Complete Working Draft of Corn
Genome
A team of scientists led by Washington University in
St. Louis has begun to unlock the genetic secrets of corn, a crop vital
to U.S. agriculture. The researchers have completed a working draft of
the corn genome, an accomplishment that should accelerate efforts to
develop better crop varieties to meet society's growing demands for
food, livestock feed and fuel.
Corn, also known as maize, underlies myriads of products, from breakfast
cereal, meat and milk to toothpaste, shoe polish and ethanol.
The genetic blueprint was announced on Thursday, Feb. 28, by the
project's leader, Richard K. Wilson, Ph.D., director of Washington
University's Genome Sequencing Center, at the 50th Annual Maize Genetics
Conference in Washington, D.C. "This first draft of the genome sequence
is exciting because it's the first comprehensive glimpse at the
blueprint for the corn plant," Wilson says. "Scientists now will be able
to accurately and efficiently probe the corn genome to find ways to
improve breeding and subsequently increase crop yields and resistance to
drought and disease."
The $29.5 million project was initiated in 2005 and is funded by the
National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the U.S. Department of Energy. "Corn is one of the most economically
important crops for our nation," says NSF Director Arden L. Bement Jr.
"Completing this draft sequence of the corn genome constitutes a
significant scientific advance and will foster growth of the
agricultural community and the economy as a whole."
The team working on the endeavor, including scientists at the University
of Arizona in Tucson, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and Iowa
State University, has already made the sequencing information accessible
to scientists worldwide by depositing it in GenBank, an online public
DNA database. The genetic data is also available at maizesequence.org.
To continue reading this press release about scientists completing a
working draft of the corn genome, click here: mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/11155.html.
To read comments from the National Corn Growers Association about the
corn genome draft sequence, click here: www.ncga.com/news/notd/2008/February/022708.asp.
Source: Washington University In St.
Louis
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Nearby Corn Futures Contract Hits New
High
May corn futures hit a price high of $5.55/bu. on the
Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) last Monday, which set a record price high
for a nearby corn futures contract, according to the Feb. 25 issue of
Commodity News For Tomorrow, a CME Group publication. "The
historic price rise eclipsed the previous high of $5.54 1/2 set July
12, 1996," it states.
May corn futures again hit a record price high On Friday, Feb. 29. This
time the May corn futures high hit $5.59 ¾, before settling at
$5.56 1/2.
For more information on futures prices on the CBOT, click here: www.cbot.com/cbot/pub.
By John Pocock
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More Corn In
2008
Even with higher input costs, Ron Smit from Hospers,
IA, plans to grow more corn this year. In fact, he's been growing some
continuous corn for almost 10 years. Triple-stack hybrids have made that
possible and profitable for him. A big reason for going with more corn,
he claims, is that "demand for corn should be better than for beans,
especially with ethanol use and the livestock expansion in my area.
"We're also seeing more corn stubble being baled for use as livestock
bedding and feed. Our neighbor is baling our stalks," says the
1,850-acre grower who then trades the stalks for cattle manure. "I've
about cut my fertilizer costs in half by using his manure."
To continue reading this article about the advantages of growing more
corn, click here: cornandsoybeandigest.com/mag/smit-grows-more-corn-0215/.
By Greg Lamp
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Crop
Insurance And 2008 Yields
A 30% chance exists this year that harvest prices will
exceed crop revenue coverage (CRC) limits, says Gary Schnitkey, a
University of Illinois (U of I) Extension farm financial management
specialist.
"This probability is much higher than has existed in previous years,"
says Schnitkey. "Higher chances of exceeding CRC limits increase the
value of revenue assurance (RA) crop insurance relative to CRC."
Schnitkey is the author of a recent report, "Impacts of CRC Price Limits
on the Value of CRC Relative to RA," (www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/manage/),
which is available on U of I Extension's farmdoc website.
"CRC and RA are similar products insuring farm revenues," he explains.
"These products differ in three manners. First, CRC and RA will have
different premiums. CRC averages October settlement prices of the
December corn futures contract traded on the Chicago Board of Trade to
determine its harvest price. RA averages November settlement prices to
determine its harvest price.
"Finally, CRC limits how much the harvest price can differ from the base
price while RA does not have limits," he adds. In past years, Schnitkey
notes, farmers have had few reasons to worry over price limits
associated with CRC.
"In 2008, price limits are a concern as price volatility has increased
greatly, increasing the likelihood that settlement prices will fall
outside CRC price limits," he says. "This could cause RA to have higher
payments than CRC."
Schnitkey's full report includes projected scenarios illustrating how
this situation could impact farmers in 2008.
Source: University of Illinois
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Blenders
Expand Ethanol Options At The Pump
Fuel pump supplier Gilbarco has introduced the
industry's first alternative fuel blending dispensers. The new dispenser
will offer regular unleaded, E10, E20, E30 and E85, potentially giving
drivers a smorgasbord of ethanol choices.
The announcement is well timed. The Illinois Corn Growers Association
(ICGA) is currently working on legislation at the state level that will
launch a pilot program to test the use and acceptance of blender's
pumps. The Illinois program will offer E10, E25 and E85 under the
current proposal.
All ethanol blends above 10% ethanol are for flex-fuel vehicles only at
this time. Dispensers are clearly labeled to signify which products are
to be used in which vehicles, and carry the "e" brand on all ethanol
blends.
The Illinois legislation proposes setting up a blender pump near every
ethanol plant in the state. This approach will place the pumps in areas
that already have good ethanol awareness with consumers, provide ethanol
plant operators with firsthand exposure to the blender's pump concept
and give the public a peek at what ethanol options might look like in
the future as ethanol production continues to expand.
From a grower perspective, the increased-percentage blends help assure
we can continue to grow the ethanol industry, continue to combat our
reliance on imported petroleum and set the stage to make corn a growing
force in energy production as corn yields continue to grow in the years
ahead.
For more information from the Illinois Corn Growers Association, click
here: www.ilcorn.org. For more
information about Gilbarco fuel blending dispensers, click here: www.gilbarco.com.
Source: Illinois Corn Growers
Association
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Ethanol
Bushels Working Double Time
Not all of the grain processed for fuel ethanol is
lost from the livestock feed chain. Some of it goes back to work as
livestock feed.
For every bushel of corn going into a fuel-ethanol plant, 16 lbs. (wet
milling process) to 18 lbs. (dry milling process) of energy, protein and
mineral feed come back out. Or, put another way: For every 3 bu. of corn
taken out of the livestock feed stream for ethanol production, the
equivalent weight of nearly 1 bu. of corn returns as animal feed.
Availability of ethanol feed coproducts has soared right along with fuel
ethanol's demand and production the past couple of years.
A recent USDA survey reveals that roughly half of the cattle and hog
operations in a 12-state region either fed ethanol coproducts or
considered feeding them in 2006. That survey covered 9,400 producers in
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
To continue reading this article about the value from ethanol
coproducts, click here: cornandsoybeandigest.com/biofuels/ethanol-bushels-working-0215/.
By Dave Howe
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Michigan/Indiana Corn Crop Management Program Convenes
March 7
With corn prices nearing all-time highs and seed-corn
production areas expanding across southwestern Michigan and northern
Indiana, many growers are looking to maximize corn yields. Growers can
learn about factors that can affect corn development and how best to use
precision technologies for increasing yields during an educational
program set for March 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sturges-Young
Civic Center & Auditorium in Sturgis, MI.
Robert Nielsen, Purdue University professor of agronomy and Extension
corn specialist, will share the results of his research to help
producers better understand the conditions that contribute to corn
stress, how these factors can affect yields and the best ways to manage
around field and environmental challenges. Nielsen will also talk about
the effects of in-row seed spacing and ways to tweak planters to achieve
exceptional stands.
Other speakers include Rich Schlipf, technical representative with
Precision Planting; Greg LeBarge, Ohio State University Extension agent
based in Fulton County; and a member of Ohio State University Precision
Agriculture Team. Representatives from Oxbo International Corp. and John
Deere will discuss how site-specific technology is being incorporated
into seed-corn production, specialty crop harvesting equipment, tractors
and combines.
Lyndon Kelley, Michigan State University (MSU) Extension and Purdue
Extension irrigation educator, will close the program with a talk about
the results of a survey of corn production experts identifying the most
important factors for profitable corn yields in highly irrigated fields.
Kelley will also discuss how to determine if an irrigation system is
capable of providing enough water to be able to reach optimal yields of
commercial and seed corn.
Registration for this program is $40/person, which includes materials
and lunch. To register or learn more, call the St. Joseph County MSU
Extension office at 269-467-5511 or e-mail program assistant Deanna
Mumby at mumbyde@msu.edu.
This program is jointly sponsored by the St. Joseph County MSU Extension
Office and LaGrange County Purdue Extension.
Source: Michigan State University
Extension
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Biofuels
'Unstoppable' Says Europe's Mister 10%
U.S. producers of corn-grain ethanol and soybean
biodiesel can take heart from comments made last week by the head of
Europe's most influential renewable energy body.
Oliver Schaeffer, policy chief at the European Renewable Energy Council
(EREC), says that the growth in biofuels cannot and must not be stopped,
despite ever-tightening standards and regulations. The EREC chief,
speaking ahead of the World Biofuels Markets congress from his office in
Brussels, firmly backed the European Union's (EU) commitment to
achieving a 10% biofuels-to-tansport-fuel ratio by 2010.
And America has a key role to play in setting global standards, he says.
"Despite the strong criteria and regulatory issues for biofuels in
Europe, I believe we can hit the 10% target. And the potential is much
higher than that," says Schaeffer. "Take the likes of California, one of
the world's biggest economies -- they and the EU both have very strong
criteria. I have every confidence that the biofuels markets will rise to
the challenge. The sellers will adapt. They cannot afford to be turned
away by such big markets."
In the meantime, says Schaeffer, the EU must press on with using
first-generation biofuels while waiting for the second generation to
fully develop. "If we don't start now, we won't reach the target. We're
shooting for the moon, but it can be done."
He adds, "Biofuels can deliver in respect of cutting greenhouse gases."
These topics are among many being debated at the World Biofuels Markets
Brussels Expo. For the full program and latest news, visit www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com.
Source: Green Power Conferences
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Tiger Manure
Repels Deer, And Neighbors
Advice continues to reach me from Corn E-Digest
readers on what works to reduce yield damage to corn from deer feeding.
Probably the most unusual suggestion to come across my computer screen
from readers so far is to haul away some tiger droppings from the
nearest zoo and apply it closest to where deer are consuming your corn.
Tiger manure apparently kills the deer's appetite for grain. The
drawback is that tiger manure may be even more offensive to people than
it is to deer. So, this technique is probably inadvisable if you have
any close neighbors downwind.
The suggestion was submitted to me by Calvin Jeanroy, Farmers
Cooperative Association, Ravenna, NE, who relates that residents near
Billings, MT, once complained bitterly about a farmer who had used tiger
manure to keep deer away from his crops.
"It appears that this grower of corn (sweet, silage and grain), beets
and malt barley, had his belly full of deer damage and decided to take
it to the max. He visited the local zoo, which had taken in a Siberian
tiger just the year preceding. He approached someone he knew at the zoo
and asked for some tiger manure, which they gladly gave him. It appeared
a win-win for all parties concerned. The deer virtually disappeared
overnight."
Unfortunately, the farmer and the zoo were the only happy customers.
"This stuff stinks so bad that the neighbors for about a mile in either
direction of where he made piles were literally calling the county
sheriff, local police department and the conservation department to
complain," writes Jeanroy, whose son volunteered at the zoo one summer.
"It was so bad that they couldn't go out in the evenings when the wind
laid down. The city has [since] passed an ordinance that it shall be
'unlawful to sell, distribute or otherwise allow the tiger poop to fall
into anyone else's possession.' The only thing I never did find out was
what class crime one would be subject to if they were to have any."
By John Pocock
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More
Deer Control Tips: A Note From The Corn E-Digest
Editor
I apparently struck a nerve with Corn E-Digest
readers when I invited those of you to write to me who have had
difficulty controlling deer damage in corn fields or who might have a
suggestion for controlling the damage. This topic has generated more
correspondence between me and readers like you than just about any other
topic in which I've asked for input.
Some recent examples follow. One is from a reader from Ohio who wrote me
that keeping some space between the woods and the corn fields seems to
help reduce overall damage to his fields. Here's what he wrote:
"Here in Ohio the deer population is out of control -- at least to most
farmers' way of thinking. We have severe damage anywhere there are woods
by a field. One thing we have done with some success is staying out from
the trees one to one-and-a-half rounds (that would be 15-25 ft.). This
process does not stop all damage, but it seems that less damage is done
in the next rows. I think the deer don't like crossing an open space
where they might be seen. We mow around the edges or spray it with our
regular spray program. [So far,] this seems to work."
You may be unwilling to give up corn production on your outside rows. If
so, then here's another suggestion from Curran Lehr, a game fence
salesman for Bekaert Corporation. "I am the regional sales manager for
Bekaert covering the Great Lakes region. We offer products specifically
designed for long-term deer exclusion. The most common fence that is
used for deer exclusion is Solidlock 2096-12 12.5g High Tensile Game
Fence. This product has been used with great success for many years
around orchards, vineyards and other high-value crops for deer exclusion
in the Great Lakes region. The next option is a new product that we
specifically designed for deer exclusion last year. The product is
Bekaert 1690-6 14g High Tensile Exclusion Fence. This product is
designed to be nearly as effective the Solidlock, but costs less. The
final option is an electric deer exclusion fence. This option does not
offer the long-term effectiveness of a woven wire but will provide some
relief from deer pressure.
"A good permanent deer fence using our products can be professionally
installed starting at approximately $3/ft. -- less if you want to
install your own. If you consider the cost for an 80-acre field, this is
about $300/acre. If you are losing 20 bu./acre from deer damage, then
you can cover the cost of your fence in three years."
Including Lehr's comments here may be of help to some of you who are
looking to find a solution to your deer-damage problems. I personally
have had no experience with these products to know how well they do or
do not work.
For more information on Bekaert fencing, call 800-241-4126 (extension
2272) or visit www.bekaertfence.com.
If you're like these readers and have comments or tips for others to try
on topics related to corn production, please write to me (John Pocock)
at: jpocock@csdigest.com. As
always, you're also welcome to write to me if you have concerns or
questions about this issue.
Thanks for your readership!
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