On the Turnrow

VIDEO: Seeing Green - University of Missouri Delta Center

2009-08-14T16:31:00.000-05:00

VIDEO: Wheat Harvest Down, Farmers Look for Alternatives

2009-06-22T08:46:00.000-05:00

VIDEO: Wheat Harvest Reveals Mixed Crop

2009-06-01T09:58:00.004-05:00

BATON ROUGE, La.-(LSU AgCenter)--Experts say heavy spring rains have taken a toll on this year's wheat crop with much of the damage not seen until harvest. Tobie Blanchard has that story.

A New Day for King Cotton: Biotech and Agribusiness Redefine Themselves

2009-05-21T08:21:00.002-05:00

MEMPHIS-(Memphis Daily News)--If you’re in the right place at the right time during May, you might glimpse a motorcade cutting through mid-day traffic, followed by a green bus with a big papier-mache boll weevil on top. Nothing hints at Memphis’ agribusiness roots like that longtime foe of the cotton plant.

Click HERE to read the full story.

VIDEO: Corn Acreage Declines in Louisiana

2009-04-22T12:45:00.005-05:00

BATON ROUGE, La.-(LSU AgCenter)--Experts say even though most of Louisiana’s corn crop is planted, many acres that saw corn a couple of years ago will likely be planted with a different crop this year. Tobie Blanchard has details.

VIDEO: Mexican Rice Borer Threatens Mid-South Rice Crops

2009-04-22T12:44:00.005-05:00

BEAUMONT, Texas-(LSU AgCenter)--Entomologists in Louisiana and Texas have crossed state lines to monitor the spread of the Mexican rice borer, a pest potentially threatening Mid-South rice. Tobie Blanchard has that story.

VIDEO: Producers Watching Salinity Levels in Rice Fields

2009-04-08T15:33:00.005-05:00

BATON ROUGE, La.-(LSU AgCenter)--The rice industry in southwestern Louisiana was struggling to recover from Hurricane Rita when Hurricane Ike hit last year. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard says high salt levels could leave some of the region's rice fields bare this year.

Bayer CropScience Announces 2009 Shared Risk Program For Cotton Growers

2009-04-07T10:39:00.002-05:00

LUBBOCK, Texas-(AgWatch)--Bayer CropScience releases details of the 2009 Shared Risk Program, which gives growers the opportunity to decrease certain risks in planting a crop. The program encourages cotton growers to use Best Management Practices and shares with growers the cost of replanting Bayer CropScience cotton seed brands or losing their final cotton planting due to certain weather events.

Shared Risk Program replant coverage offers options to compensate for:

* Replanting FiberMax®, Stoneville® and AFD™ cotton seed

* Retreating cottonseed varieties originally treated with Aeris®
insecticide/nematicide seed treatment, Temik® insecticide/nematicide, Trilex® Advanced fungicide seed treatment or Gaucho® Grande seed-applied insecticide

Shared Risk Program crop loss coverage offers options to compensate for:

* LibertyLink® trait portion of FiberMax® cotton seed and Ignite® herbicide used with LibertyLink cotton

* Stance® plant regulator used on FiberMax®, Stoneville® or AFD™ cotton seed varieties

"Bayer CropScience is committed to the success of the cotton grower and is willing to share in the annual risks associated with producing a crop," said Jeff Brehmer, U.S. marketing manager, FiberMax and Stoneville cotton. "Last year, High Plains growers faced wind and blowing sand early in the season, and coastal growers faced hurricane damage before harvest. This year, growers face a drought in the Southwest. The Shared Risk Program is available as a resource to help growers when these situations arise."

Growers must submit claims to the seed dealer from whom the seed was purchased. For a crop loss situation, the dealer must contact their local Bayer CropScience sales representative within 10 days of the loss. The seed dealer must contact the local Bayer CropScience sales representative prior to replant.

For complete program details, contact your local Bayer CropScience sales representative, distributor, retailer or visit www.CottonExperts.com.

LibertyLink Soybeans Approved for Import Into Korea

2009-04-03T13:20:00.003-05:00

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.-(AgWatch)--Bayer CropScience is pleased to announce it has received LibertyLink® soybean import approval from Korean regulatory authorities. This milestone will enhance the launch of LibertyLink soybeans in the 2009 crop season.

"We are very pleased that LibertyLink soybeans are now cleared for import into Korea," said Andy Hurst, product manager, Herbicide Tolerant Traits and Ignite® herbicide at Bayer CropScience.

"Top-performing LibertyLink varieties combined with Ignite herbicide give soybean growers the only nonselective alternative to glyphosate-tolerant systems. LibertyLink soybeans provide similar
over-the-top convenience and management benefits, including a means to avoid or manage weed resistance."

LibertyLink soybeans are fully approved for food, feed and cultivation in the United States and Canada. Prior to commercialization in December 2008, import approvals were obtained in key export markets with biotech product approval processes, including Australia, China, the European Union, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, South Africa and Taiwan.

"This year will be the first planting season since 1996 that farmers have access to new biotechenhanced soybean traits. LibertyLink soybeans can be planted, harvested, commingled and shipped without restriction," said ASA president Johnny Dodson, a soybean producer from Halls, Tenn. "LibertyLink soybean technology provides farmers an effective management tool to minimize the selection for herbicide resistant weeds, which will enhance the sustainability of all U.S. soybean production."

"This inaugural season of LibertyLink soybeans demonstrates the dedication from Bayer CropScience to bring this solution to soybean growers," Hurst added. "Bayer CropScience continues its commitment to research and development as a leading provider of seed treatments, crop protection products and traits for enhancing productivity and yield."

Ignite herbicide is now labeled for use on all LibertyLink crops, including corn, cotton, canola and new LibertyLink soybeans. Ignite provides postemergent control, in days vs. weeks, of more than 120 broadleaf weeds and grasses, including ALS- and glyphosate-resistant weeds.

VIDEO: On the Job With Precision Agriculture

2009-04-03T08:38:00.005-05:00

Researchers Discover Link Between Stink Bug, Cotton Disease

2009-02-10T15:22:00.003-06:00

COLLEGE STATION, Texas-(USDA)—A mystery about a disease that can destroy up to 15 percent of a cotton crop in the southeastern United States has been solved by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) researchers. The work could save cotton crops and prevent unnecessary insecticide spraying.

In 1999, scientists reported an emerging seed rot disease that was discoloring seeds and darkening fibers in cotton bolls in the southeastern states, making the crops unmarketable. It quickly spread throughout the southeastern Cotton Belt.

To study the problem, plant pathologists Gino Medrano and Alois Bell of the ARS Cotton Pathology Research Unit, part of the Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center in College Station, Texas, focused on the southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula L.) as the disease-transmitting culprit.

In the greenhouse, they infected cotton bolls with suspect bacteria, using a needle to penetrate the boll wall and mimic a stink bug's bite. The results showed the needle created a pathway for the bacteria to enter the boll and damage it.

The researchers used a strain of the bacterium Pantoea agglomerans in the research, but other bacteria may also be involved in damaging cotton plants, according to the scientists.

In other tests, Medrano and entomologist Jesus Esquivel of the ARS Areawide Pest Management Research Unit in College Station showed why stink bugs sometimes--but not always--cause extensive damage in cotton fields. By infecting bolls at various stages, they found damage levels depend on when infections occur in the fruiting cycle and on how long infection is allowed to spread before harvest. Bolls infected three weeks after flowering are resistant and undamaged. Younger bolls remain susceptible.

Farmers often spray insecticide to combat stink bug infestations. But knowing mature bolls are immune to infections should help farmers decide when to spray. Medrano also is developing a test kit that will offer guidance by telling farmers if stink bugs in their fields are infested with the pathogens that cause the seed/boll rot.

Do You Have a 'Ton' of Cotton?

2008-12-22T15:24:00.013-06:00

LUBBOCK, Texas - (OnTheTurnrow) -- Cotton growers have until March 1 to subit their qualification forms to applay for Bayer CropScience's 2008 FiberMax® One Ton Club™.

Bayer says producers may pick up forms at local gins, through company sales representatives or by visiting the FiberMax website, www.FiberMax.com.

Bayer says both first-time One Ton Club qualifiers and past members who qualify with their 2008 crop need to submit their qualification forms for membership in the 2008 One Ton Club class.

According to Bayer, producers need 2,000 pounds of lint cotton or more per acre on at least 20 acres planted to FiberMax cotton seed to qualify. The company adds that members have a chance to win a two-year lease on a Ford^® F350 Super Duty^® King Ranch^® truck and receive special FiberMax One Ton Club apparel and gifts.

Since establishing the One Ton Club in 2005, Bayer CropScience has inducted 234 members and will honor the 2008 One Ton Club class in Lubbock, Texas, April 2.

Converting CRP Land to Grain Crop Production Requires Planning

2008-12-02T15:57:00.003-06:00

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.-(MU Extension)--American farmers have retired millions of acres of cropland through the USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). However, increased grain prices and other factors have prompted many farmers to put idle acres back into service.

"Converting CRP land to grain crop production can present challenges not normally seen in a typical continuous grain production system," said Travis Harper, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist. "Planning should begin at least a year before the grain crop is to be planted to provide ample time for farmers to recognize and deal with potential issues that may affect grain crop production."

Erosion control was a key goal of CRP when the program began in 1986, and much of the land enrolled in CRP is prone to erosion.

"When this land is idle under the CRP, very little soil erosion takes place," Harper said. "If this land is tilled and brought back into production, it is likely to experience high erosion rates once again."

Farmers should consider managing this land under a no-till management system, he said. If that is not feasible, then it is important to leave waterways and field borders undisturbed. These undisturbed buffer zones will help limit erosion from the rest of the field.

"The most difficult part of converting CRP land to grain crop production may well be vegetation management," Harper said.

When managed as CRP land, a field is left largely undisturbed for 10 to15 years, allowing a thick layer of plant residue to develop. This layer may increase soil moisture, lower soil temperature, harbor diseases and interfere with planting. In addition, the majority of plant species in CRP land are perennials, which will try to grow back even after a field has been planted with a grain crop.

For no-till fields, vegetation and pests can be controlled through some combination of mowing, burning and herbicide application.

Boll Weevil Feeding Habits Now Better Understood

2008-12-02T13:37:00.004-06:00

WESLACO, Texas - (USDA) — Boll weevils don't hibernate during winter in the subtropics but actually remain active, feeding on orange, grapefruit and other plants, according to an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist studying this infamous cotton pest.

For many years, from South Texas to Argentina, the feeding habits and nutritional requirements of the boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman) have been poorly understood, making it harder to eradicate the pest.

Despite great strides in controlling the boll weevil, it remains one of the most destructive cotton pests in the Western Hemisphere. The weevils, which feed on and lay eggs in cotton buds, can destroy a crop if left unchecked.

For nearly a decade, ARS entomologist Allan Showler at the agency's Integrated Farming and Natural Resources Research Unit in Weslaco, Texas, has been examining boll weevil ecology in subtropical environments. The research refines knowledge on the boll weevil that may help enhance the Boll Weevil Eradication Program in the subtropics, run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and supported by ARS research.

The program has enabled cotton farmers to reduce their use of pesticides by between 40 and 100 percent, and increase their cotton yields by at least 10 percent since the program’s inception.

In the winter months, it was previously believed that the weevils entered a form of hibernation or dormancy called diapause. But Showler has found that boll weevils generally remain active in during winter in the subtropics, surviving by feeding on the edible portion of orange, grapefruit and prickly pear cactus, and possibly other plants. Orange and grapefruit can sustain adult boll weevils for as long as eight months--more than enough to see them through the mandatory cotton-free winter period.

The research could help scientists develop new, biological and ecological approaches to controlling the boll weevils. Most of the new proposed tactics recommended by Showler and collaborators do not rely on insecticide use, and the one that does ensures that insecticides would be applied when they would be most effective.

Market Planning Can Help Producers Avoid 'John Deere Lows,' Get Better Crop Prices

2008-10-13T12:40:00.002-05:00

COLUMBIA, Mo.-(MU Extension)--Producers should examine costs now to make informed decisions on how to break even with higher operating costs, said a University of Missouri Extension specialist.

"Producers need to plan ahead, make a market plan and follow it so they don't get caught taking a lower price than they have invested in their crop," said Randa Doty, MU Extension agriculture business specialist in Nodaway County.

Producers who do not follow their market plan may fall into the trap of accepting whatever price they can get for their crop when they need cash for payments, she said.

"There's usually a flood of grain on the market when payments are due," Doty said. "It's often referred to as the 'John Deere lows' in January because a lot of people have payments due then. Many farmers will load up, call their elevator and sell at whatever price they can get that day."

With rising costs and a volatile market, advance planning becomes even more important, she said. "Producers need to make sure they have a cash reserve. We're in a time of higher costs. Inputs are drastically higher, and rent and land prices are increasing."

Cash rental costs for Missouri croplands increased an average of 14 percent since last year, according to the MU Extension publication "2008 Cash Rental Rates in Missouri."

"Some people with highly productive land are paying $200 per acre or more cash rent," Doty said. "The better land will cost more. One farm was recently auctioned off for $6,500 per acre. This is not typical, but it reflects the times we're in now."

Producers are facing input cost hikes that have outpaced the average U.S. yield increase of about 1 percent a year, she said. Nitrogen costs rose 75 percent over last year; phosphorus increased more than 100 percent; potassium rose 250 percent; and fuel costs increased 75 percent over a year ago, she said.

Based on the 2008 cash rental rate guide, dryland corn growers with a typical yield of about 135 bushels per acre and an average cash rent of $97 per acre would need to get $4.79 per bushel to break even, she said.

Soybean growers who yield about 42 bushels per acre and pay an average of $96 per acre cash rent would need $9.82 per bushel to break even.

Break-even costs for wheat farmers depend on whether they harvest straw, Doty said. Wheat farmers with a yield of 56 bushels per acre, paying an average of $86 per acre cash rent and not harvesting straw would need about $7.50 per bushel to break even.

"These numbers are just to give producers an idea of the price they may need to sell their commodities to break even with today's input costs," Doty said. "They won't be exactly right for any one farm."

Ways to cut costs include wise purchasing of inputs; marketing ahead to lock in prices; soil testing to determine necessary fertilizer treatments; informed pest control; reducing energy use; and purchasing seeds based on specific farm needs.

"You may not need the newest seed technology," Doty said. "If you usually dry your corn with propane, you can cut energy use by waiting a week to let it dry out naturally."

Risk management is essential, she said. "If you have a market plan and safe targets, it will be easier to get a better overall price than if you try to do it last-minute."

Resources to help farmers with planning and budgeting decisions are available online HERE. On the "Software Tools" page, users can download the Crop Budget Generator, a spreadsheet for developing custom crop budgets and evaluating leases.

Cotton Prices Lag Behind Production

2008-08-13T15:04:00.002-05:00

STARKVILLE, Miss.-(MSU Extension)-- Cotton farmers are having a good production year despite a late start, but time is running out for prices to catch up.

Mississippi State University Extension agronomist Darrin Dodds said a wet spring across Mississippi’s cotton-growing areas in east Mississippi and the Delta delayed planting.

The wet planting season was followed by extremely dry conditions in a large portion of the state. Both the planting delay and the dry weather in June and July may lead to a later-than-normal harvest in some areas.

“We may see a delay of two to four weeks for harvesting irrigated cotton,” Dodds said. “Dryland cotton harvest probably will occur within the normal timeframe.”

He said by early August cotton consultants and farmers were reporting occurrences of cut-out, or cotton’s final growth stage before bolls open, in many dryland fields. Bolls there have filled out well.

Irrigated cotton also is developing well, Dodds said. Farmers are seeing a range of four to seven nodes above white flower, which is promising.

Insects and weeds have not hampered the crop’s development this year. Problems creeping up in isolated spots have been controlled with timely applications of specific pesticides.

“The No. 1 insect problem in cotton in the central and south Delta is spider mites,” said Extension entomologist Angus Catchot. “Hot, dry weather is ideal for spider mite outbreaks, and farmers worked hard to control them.”

Catchot said farmers reduced populations of tarnished plant bugs and bollworm moths in some areas. Aphid outbreaks in the hills area have been thwarted with a naturally occurring fungus.

Some farmers in the Delta encountered weed resistance to glyphosate-based herbicides developed for today’s cotton production systems.

“Glyphosate resistance is a hot issue in weed control because there are not many alternative chemistries available with the systems we have,” said weed scientist Jason Bond, who is based at MSU’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville.

Farmers may have to re-evaluate their production schemes if glyphosate resistance in weeds becomes widespread.

Despite problems they face, many farmers expect yields to be good in 2008, but their expectations for better prices are tempered by the economic reality of the past two years.

“The 2008 crop appears to be as good as or even a little bit above the average, but it probably won’t surpass the statewide average of 960 pounds per acre reached last year,” Dodds said.

Cotton yields in 2007 were the high point of a production year hampered by higher fuel and fertilizer costs and lower prices.

In 2006, farmers planted 1.2 million acres of cotton. Then fuel and fertilizer prices rose dramatically, but cotton prices did not. Farmers responded to the situation by planting 665,000 acres of cotton in 2007, a decrease of 46 percent from the previous year.

Cotton prices held steady, but expenses continued to climb. Soybeans and corn became attractive because their prices kept increasing. After assessing the economic outlook at the end of 2007, farmers cut back cotton planting intentions to 365,000 acres in 2008.

On average, the cost of production for cotton is about $700 an acre, Dodds said. However, fertilizer prices, pest pressure and pumping expenses could inflate this cost for individual farmers.

Cotton prices approached 98 cents per pound early in the spring, but farmers had a difficult time finding buyers, he said.

“Price is the determining factor for acreage,” Dodds said. “Farmers compare the relatively low prices for cotton with the higher prices for grain crops. For cotton acreage to go back up, the price farmers receive must be competitive with soybeans and corn.”

Field Day Will Highlight Sweet Sorghum's Ethanol Potential, Sept. 2

2008-08-06T10:20:00.003-05:00

COLUMBIA, Mo.-(Univ. of Mo.)--During World War II, when sugar was rationed, bootleggers used the juice of sweet sorghum to make moonshine. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center are studying ways to boost the plant's potential to brew biofuel rather than booze.

The corn-like grass, which can grow to 12 feet, already shows promise as a source of ethanol, said Gene Stevens, MU Extension agronomist at the Delta Center, Portageville, Mo., in the Missouri Bootheel. It can yield as much ethanol as corn with less nitrogen and water; returns nutrients to the soil; and uses less energy in the ethanol production process, he said.

However, the plant, which is native to Africa, is best adapted to warmer climates and has a shorter growing season in Missouri and other temperate regions, which lowers its ethanol - and profit - potential.

At the Delta Center, Stevens and MU graduate student Roland Holou are studying cold-tolerance in sweet sorghum as a way to boost the plant's potential as a fuel crop. They will discuss their research at the Delta Research Center Field Day, Sept. 2.

"In Africa, we can grow sweet sorghum twice a year, but here in America, you can grow it just once," said Holou, who is originally from the African nation of Benin. "It's a big benefit we have in Africa to get two yields."

"Here in southeast Missouri, we may plant corn at the end of March or early April," Stevens said. "With sweet sorghum, we usually have to wait until early May to plant."

Stevens has planted five sweet sorghum varieties on about 10 acres at different seasonal timings to test which has more natural cold-tolerance. Once the plants mature, Holou measures the sugar content in their stems. The best-performing varieties may be candidates for efforts to genetically engineer a crop better suited to Missouri.

"If we can take genes from the cold-tolerant variety and put them into a variety that produces more sugar, we'll get the best of both worlds," Stevens said.

A more cold-tolerant, early-maturing hybrid could increase ethanol yields, he said. "If we can harvest earlier, it will grow back again and we could get two harvests instead of one."

Making sweet sorghum a viable fuel crop would also benefit farming and conservation. "Sweet sorghum can be grown in areas where corn doesn't grow very well right now," Stevens said. "It's another crop option that's versatile and will keep performing in situations where corn won't."

Lower nitrogen needs could reduce runoff into streams. The plant is also carbon-neutral, Holou said. "It removes almost the same amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while growing that is emitted during ethanol production."

The field day will feature four tours covering cotton and corn; soybean; pest control; and energy and agriculture, during which Stevens will discuss his work with sweet sorghum.

For more information about the field day, call the Delta Center at 573-379-5431.

U.S. Corn Condition: Best and Worst States

2008-08-06T08:07:00.000-05:00

Best Corn Condition: Good To Excellent



United States	66%

State	Percent Of Crop

South Dakota	81%
Nebraska	75%
Kentucky	74%
Illinois	73%
Pennsylvania	73%
Minnesota	72%
Wisconsin	69%
Indiana	67%

Worst Corn Condition: Very Poor To Fair



United States	34%

State	Percent Of Crop

North Carolina	81%
Texas	77%
Colorado	56%
Missouri	49%
Kansas	47%
Tennessee	45%
Ohio	40%


Source: NASS/USDA

Production Meeting Demonstrates Benefits of Early Weed Control, Liberty Link Technology

2008-07-22T07:44:00.010-05:00

At a recent field day in Clarkdale, Ark., soybean producers saw the potential benefits of treating problem weeds--such as horseweed and Palmer Amaranth (pigweed)--early rather than waiting for a delayed application of glyphosate.

Bayer CropScience, in cooperation with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, hosted the event, which demonstrated Liberty Link technology in soybeans as a means of battling glyphosate resistant weeds.

DR. DICK OLIVER, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS CES

(Audio Clip 1): Oliver says that early season weeds pose the greatest threat to yield loss.

(Audio Clip 2): Oliver adds that with multiple glyphosate resistant weeds across the Mid-South, producers should spray herbicides before their weeds become unmanageable.

(Audio Clip 3): Oliver outlines the economic impacts of not managing weeds early and how that decision could create extra input costs.

ANDY HURST, BAYER CROPSCIENCE

(Audio Clip 1): Hurst discusses Liberty Link, the only non-selective alternative to Roundup Ready systems.

(Audio Clip 2): Hurst says the active ingredient in Ignite herbicide exists in chemistry class all by itself.

(Audio Clip 3): Hurst describes the difference between Ignite and Roundup's modes of action on weeds and whether producers should attempt tank-mixing the two herbicides.

(Audio Clip 4): Hurst says producers using Ignite should spray weeds shortly after emergence.

DR. BOB SCOTT, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS CES

(Audio Clip 1): Scott says most of his research has centered around timing applications of Ignite and the use of residuals with it.

(Audio Clip 2): Scott says that the horseweed continues to display the greatest resistance to glyphosate, but Palmer Amaranth (pigweed) could soon pose a greater problem for producers.

(Audio Clip 3): Scott adds that he hasn't received more phone calls from producers complaining about glyphosate resistant Johnsongrass this year.

(Audio Clip 4): With years of glyphosate reliance, Scott says he doesn't think many producers have considered the issue.

It is Time for Growers to Fight Back When it Comes to Herbicide Resistance

2008-07-07T15:32:00.005-05:00

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - (AgWatch) -- With the Weed Science Society of America now reporting nine weeds confirmed resistant to glyphosate in the United States, growers cannot afford to continue down the same herbicide path. This leaves researchers focused on finding new solutions.

Bayer CropScience has answered with new LibertyLink^® soybeans and Ignite^® herbicide, the onlynonselective alternative to the Roundup Ready^® system. Along with other coming innovations, LibertyLink soybeans and Ignite herbicide will be on display at the LinkUp Tour at the Mid-South LinkUp Field Day in Clarkedale, Ark., on July 16. The day starts with registration at 8:30 a.m. and ends with a lunch presentation.

Hosted by Bayer CropScience and the University of Arkansas, this event offers growers, retailers and consultants a chance to witness trials first-hand and see how products perform in their region. Plus, the day includes lunch and a chance at door prizes. Featured LinkUp Tour speakers include Bob Scott, Ken Smith and Dick Oliver, all of the University of Arkansas Extension, Ronnie Helms with G&H Associates, and Ford Baldwin with Practical Weed Consultants LLC.

“Glyphosate-resistant weeds have taken hold in 19 states across the country, stretching from Minnesota to Mississippi and California to New Jersey,” says Bob Scott, weed specialist, the University of Arkansas Extension. “Add that to a long history of ALS resistance in many areas, including Arkansas, and growers are beginning to look for a new option.”

Expected to be available in 2009, LibertyLink soybeans and new Ignite herbicide is the only nonselective alternative to the Roundup Readysoybean system. The LibertyLink trait provides built-in tolerance to the powerful, postemergent weed control of Ignite. Plus, the LibertyLink trait is available in high-yielding soybean varieties with no yield drag or lag.

“Smart soybean growers know it is time to blaze a new trail,” says Alan Hopkins, Bayer CropScience technical service representative. “Roundup Readymade it easier to grow soybeans, and LibertyLink soybeans and Ignite herbicide keep it that way.”

Ignite herbicide is the only nonselective alternative to glyphosate, providing outstanding control of more than 120 broadleaf weeds and grasses, including woolly cupgrass, velvetleaf, cocklebur, foxtails, marestail, ragweeds and waterhemp, along with ALS- and glyphosate-resistant weeds.

Ignite herbicide provides weed control in days vs. weeks and, with its unique mode of action, it is an effective tool to manage all herbicide-resistance issues. Globally, there is no documented weed resistance to Ignite.

“Uncontrolled weeds can really burn a hole in a grower’s pocket,” Hopkins says. “With Ignite herbicide on LibertyLink varieties, growers can take control of resistance and torch weeds while still farming the way they want to farm.”

Ignite also will be registered for use on all LibertyLink crops, which includes FiberMax^® cotton, InVigor^®canola and LibertyLink corn, including all Herculex^® and Agrisure^® CB/LL hybrids.

In addition, Bayer CropScience expects to provide all corn growers with two additional herbicides in 2009, Balance^®FLEXX and Corvus^™.

Balance FLEXX herbicide will provide corn growers with fast, flexible control of grasses and broadleaf weeds, from burndown and up through canopy, with the strength of Recharge^™ and new Crop Safety Innovation (CSI) Safener^™ technology. Research shows that Balance FLEXX controls glyphosate-, triazine- and ALS-resistant weeds, including resistant marestail, giant ragweed, waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. At the 4-6 oz/A rate, Balance FLEXX will control even tough grasses, such as woolly cupgrass.

Corvus is a new soil-applied herbicide that, upon approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will provide season-long control of important grass and broadleaf weeds in field corn grown for grain or silage. A low-use-rate product, Corvus will be easy to measure, handle and apply. It is formulated as a suspension concentrate with 2.6 pounds of active ingredient per gallon.

“These new innovations for 2009 complement each other and the broad, trusted Bayer CropScience portfolio,” Hopkins says. “Our continued goal is to provide growers the tools they need to control pests, manage resistance and boost their bottom line.”

To learn more about how these new innovations can fit into your management plans, join the LinkUp Tour on July 16 at the Mid-South LinkUp Field Day, one mile north of Routes 50 and 77, in Clarkedale, Ark., or contact your local Bayer CropScience field representative.

Mid-South Rice Progress Spans 'Across the Board' (Audio)

2008-06-12T11:45:00.011-05:00

JONESBORO, Ark.-(AgWatch)--Mid-South rice progress ranges from unplanted to near mid-season according to rice experts from Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri.

Randy Chlapecka, Jackson County staff chair for the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, Service gives an update for Arkansas rice in the first audio clip.

Dr. Nathan Buehring, extension rice specialist for Mississippi State University, tells what's happening with Mississippi rice in the second audio clip.

And finally, Dr. Mike Milam, agonomy specialist for the University of Missouri, gives a report of Missouri rice progress in the third clip.

Bt Plants Don't Hurt Beneficial Bugs, Entomolgists Find

2008-06-06T15:36:00.003-05:00

Even if you already know the truth, it's nice to hear some good news every now and then. Maybe this finding will slow the environmental push toward the elimination of transgenic crops.
___________________________________________________________________________

ITHACA, New York-(Science Daily)--Genetically modified (GM) plants that use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), a common soil bacterium, to kill pests won't harm the pests' natural enemies, according to new research by Cornell entomologists.

That is welcome news for ecologists and farmers in the debate over GM plants. Much of the debate surrounding the use of GM crops focuses on their effect on organisms that aren't pests.

The research showed that GM plants expressing Bt insecticidal proteins are not toxic to a parasite that lives inside the caterpillar of the diamondback moth, a devastating worldwide vegetable pest. It was published in the May 27 issue of the online scientific journal PLoS One.

"The conservation of parasites is important for enhancing natural biocontrol that will help suppress pest populations as well as reduce the potential for the pest insects to develop resistance to the Bt," explained Anthony Shelton, Cornell professor of entomology at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y., who conducted the study with postdoctoral associate Mao Chen. "Our studies make it clear that Bt plants are a win-win situation to control pest insects and to enhance biocontrol and biodiversity."

The Bt bacterium, which is not harmful to humans, has been used for decades as a leaf spray and since 1996, in GM plants, a method that has proven much more effective and is now more widely used. Both uses are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In 2007, Bt corn and cotton plants were grown in 22 countries on 104 million acres, according to Shelton.

"Few studies have examined the effect of Bt plants on parasites of caterpillars, but some of them have reported negative impacts," said Chen, noting that the new research suggests that those negative findings were likely due to testing methods.

To separate out the effect of insecticides and Bt proteins on the caterpillar and parasite, the Cornell researchers isolated and bred strains of caterpillars that were resistant to Bt or a conventional or organic insecticide. Then the caterpillars were parasitized with a wasp that kills the caterpillar in nature.

The resistant caterpillars were then either fed GM plants expressing the Bt protein or non-GM plants sprayed with the Bt protein, conventional insecticides or organic insecticides.

The parasitized caterpillars that ate plants treated with conventional and organic insecticides to which they were resistant, survived and developed into moths because the parasite was killed by the insecticide the caterpillar ingested. However, when the caterpillar fed on the Bt-sprayed plants or Bt plants, the parasite was not affected and killed its host caterpillar when it emerged as an adult wasp, showing that Bt plants are not toxic to the parasite.

Timing Post-Emergence Weed Control In Corn

2008-05-21T13:46:00.003-05:00

In the coming weeks as your corn gets off to a good start, so will the weeds, competing with the crop for light, water and nutrients. The longer weeds compete with corn, usually the higher the yield losses. The level of yield loss will depend on

1. environmental variables,
2. weed species composition within a given field,
3. weed density and
4. time of weed emergence relative to the crop growth stage.

When determining whether weed control is economical, it’s important to understand whether a given weed infestation is likely to reduce yield if left uncontrolled. This is the basis for the concept – the critical period of weed control (CPWC). This is the period in the crop growth cycle when weeds must be controlled to prevent yield losses. Weeds that emerge before or after this period may not present a threat to crop yields. This information is essential in deciding the need for and timing of weed control and in achieving an efficient use of herbicides.

Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has shown that each crop has a critical period of weed control during which weeds must be controlled to maintain maximum yields. The length of this period is influenced by cropping practices such as nitrogen level in corn and can vary from field to field.

Nitrogen Effect on Critical Period in Dryland Corn

UNL researchers have studied how nitrogen levels affect the critical period of weed control using plots with velvetleaf, common waterhemp and green foxtail at densities ranging from 80-120 plants per square yard. Nitrogen was applied immediately prior to planting as 46-0-0 and incorporated within one hour after application.

Table 1. Critical period of weed control in corn based on 5% yield loss expressed as crop leaf stage (e.g., V1) and days after crop emergence as affected by the level of nitrogen fertilizer.
Nitrogen-Level	Time to Control Weeds	Time to Control Weeds
lbs / acre	Corn leaf stage	App. Days After Crop Emergence

N = 0	V1 - V11	8-45
N = 55	V3 - V10	10-42
N = 110	V4 - V9	15-39
N = 210	V6 - V9	20-39

The results showed that, generally a reduction in nitrogen fertilizer resulted in a longer critical period of weed control, thus corn was the less tolerant crop to weed presence. For example, at zero nitrogen, the critical period was from approximately the 1st to the 11th leaf stage of corn, based on a 5% acceptable yield loss (Table 1). This suggests that when no nitrogen fertilizer is applied, weed control measures should begin early in the season (at the 1st leaf stage of corn) and should be maintained through the 11th leaf stage, approximately the time of crop canopy closure.

This data implies that an increase in nitrogen fertilizer delayed the timing of weed control and increased the corn tolerance to weed presence. From a practical standpoint, insufficient nitrogen can reduce corn’s tolerance to weeds and widen the time that weed control is critical. From a nitrogen restricted use and regulatory perspective, anticipated restrictions on the level of nitrogen use in corn may require more intensive weed management programs.

Cost of Delaying Weed Control in Corn

A common question among producers is "How much is it going to cost me if I delay weed control?" In order to answer this question, we graphed the yield loss data against the crop growth stage at the time of weed removal (Figure 1). In a practical situation you might decide to select, for example, 2%, 5% or 10% yield loss to signify the beginning of the critical period (time of weed removal). This will allow you to adjust the critical period of weed control, depending on the risk you’re willing to take. Our study used an arbitrary level of 5% yield loss to determine the beginning of the critical period of weed control (see the 5% yield loss line in Figure 1).

Figure 1. Corn yield loss and beginning of the Critical Period of Weed Control (CPWC) as influenced by the timing of weed removal and nitrogen rate. (Knezevic and Evans, 2000, University of Nebraska)

To determine the cost of delaying weed control, use the curve above the arbitrarily selected point (the beginning of CPWC). For example, if you select 5%, yield loss will occur if the weeds are removed at the 2nd leaf stage in the 0 nitrogen level (Figure 1). Delaying weed control to the 3rd leaf stage will cause about 7% yield loss, in essence costing the producer a 2% yield loss. Similar trends are observed for later leaf stages at each of the four curves (Figure 1). We concluded that delaying the time of weed removal, after the starting point for the critical period of weed control, will cause an average 2% yield loss per every leaf stage of delay. This is applicable up to canopy closure in corn (about 11 fully developed leaves).

To determine the actual economics of delaying weed control, convert the percentage yield loss of the actual target yield on your farm. For example, if a target yield for corn is 100 bushels per acre, delaying weed control for every leaf stage of crop growth will cost about two bushels per acre (2% of 100 bushels per acre). In terms of actual economic loss, it will be about $10 per acre for every crop leaf stage of delay, assuming a price of $5 per bushel of corn.

Weed Size

Another factor is the weed size at the time of weed control. In the corn study, weeds were about the same size as the crop at the time of removal. If the weeds are taller than the corn, they will shade the crop so control should be initiated four to five days (one to two leaves) prior to the beginning of the critical period of weed control. If the weeds emerge five to eight days after the crop, they will not shade the crop early in the season and control can be initiated 5-10 days (2-3 leaves) after the beginning of critical period, as it is shown with the later start of the CPWC at Mead in 2000.

Size of the weed species also will affect the herbicide rate, especially for Roundup or generic glyphosate products in Roundup-Ready soybeans. The 16 to 24 oz rates should provide control of most common annual grassy species (foxtails, barnyardgrass, field sandbur, woolly cupgrass, and panicums) that are 3-8 inches tall. The same rates should control annual broadleaves (velvetleaf, lambsquarters, pigweeds, mustards) that are less than 6 inches tall. For taller grasses and broadleaf species a full rate (32 oz) will be required. Higher rates of Roundup (40-60 oz) will be needed to control species such as ivy-leaf morning-glory, sweet clover, field bindweed, Venice mellow and various smartweeds (lady’s thumb, Pennsylvania smartweed, wild buckwheat, etc).

Practical Application in Herbicide-Tolerant Crops

A generally sound strategy, for example in Roundup-Ready corn, would be to apply Roundup tank-mixed with a residual herbicide at the beginning of the critical period. This would provide adequate weed control for the entire critical period. In order to select appropriate herbicide mixtures for the weed spectrum at your farm, check the herbicide efficacy tables from the Guide for Weed Management in Nebraska (EC-130) and on the UNL Weed Science Web site.

10 Strategies to Maximize Diesel Fuel Efficiency

2008-05-09T10:04:00.003-05:00

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.-(Purdue Univ.)--Diesel prices have increased about 50 percent from this time last year, and farmers are considering different methods to maximize fuel efficiency.

According to Indiana's Agriculture Statistics Service, farmers paid an average price of $2.50 per gallon for diesel fuel in the Corn Belt last April. This figure compares to the current average price of $3.66 per gallon.

"This means it's going to take more money to get the crop in the ground and to harvest it in the fall," said Alan Miller, Purdue Extension farm business management specialist. "At Purdue, we've estimated it will cost farmers $10 more this year to produce an acre of corn just due to fuel for machinery operation.

"To plant an acre of soybeans, it will cost farmers $4 more per acre than last year, and for wheat, $6 more per acre."

However, Miller said machinery fuel is a relatively small part of the total cost of producing corn and soybeans compared to the rest of the operation, at approximately 7 percent.

"This year will be a record year for crop production expenditures," he said.

Miller recommends 10 strategies to maximize efficiency and reduce fuels costs:

* Switch to a no-till or reduced tillage operation for corn where it makes sense.

* Combine more operations into each pass over the field.

* Think like a marketer and keep in mind the annual cycle of fuel prices due to seasonality.

* Shop around to get the best fuel price and try and buy in bulk - half semi-tankers plus.

* Check out technologies such as auto-steer to reduce overlap and get out of the fields quicker.

* Organize to reduce costs and minimize the amount of time spent getting to and from different fields.

* Operate at the optimal speed.

* Match the tractor's horsepower with the equipment being pulled behind it.

* Inspect and maintain the right combination of tire slippage, tire air pressure and axle weight to get optimum traction rates.

* Follow appropriate maintenance schedules for all field equipment.

"Farmers should go back to the drawing board and reevaluate their production system from a holistic approach and make changes or adjustments where needed to maximize efficiency," Miller said. "It's often the little things you do that add up more than changing any one big thing."

Bayer CropScience Announces Certified FiberMax Cotton Merchants for 2008

2008-05-07T15:23:00.006-05:00

Program to promote confidence, maximize value-added potential

LUBBOCK, TEXAS-(AgWatch)--To help growers achieve the maximum value potential for their high-quality Certified FiberMax Cotton™, Bayer CropScience has selected three outstanding U.S. cotton merchants as exclusive partners for the 2008 Certified FiberMax Cotton program.

The three Certified FiberMax Cotton merchants – Allenberg Cotton in Cordova, Tenn., Knowles-Taylor Cotton in Matador, Texas, and Queensland Cotton in Dallas, Texas – will work cooperatively with Bayer CropScience to promote Certified FiberMax Cotton as premium fiber to mills worldwide.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with these three respected merchants,” said Richard Shaw, Certified FiberMax manager, Bayer CropScience. “The Certified FiberMax Cotton merchants program is another step in our continuing efforts to build closer relationships with mills worldwide. It will improve the reliability of supply for mills while improving the potential for growers, through these merchants, to benefit from the premium quality of FiberMax lint through our certification program.”

Demand for Certified FiberMax Cotton has steadily increased from mills around the world, Shaw continued. This collaboration allows merchants to create additional demand for the quality fiber. The Certified FiberMax Cotton program assures spinners and textile manufacturers they are receiving genuine FiberMax® cotton that provides the spinability they have come to expect.

Growers who register their bales for certification will be in a better position to take advantage of the increased profit potential created through the Certified FiberMax Cotton program, Shaw said.

As in years past, growers interested in participating in the Certified FiberMax Cotton program can sign up their bales at www.CertifiedFiberMax.com.

Bayer CropScience will issue certificates of authenticity only for validated bales sold to mills and purchased from one of the three Certified FiberMax merchants. The Certified FiberMax merchants program is another step by Bayer CropScience to assure quality cotton delivery from the field to mills worldwide.

For more information about the Certified FiberMax Cotton program, call (806) 765-8844, contact your local Bayer CropScience seed and technology representative or visit www.CertifiedFiberMax.com.