JULY 16TH AGRONOMY UPDATE

The one-stop-shop to hearing everything you need to know this week about what is happening in your fields.

This week’s featured agronomists are:
Jake Heitshusen – Le Sueur
Casey Carlson – Goodhue
Tanner Borgschatz – Kenyon

 Zach Hinsch – Wanamingo
Chace Kinneman – Ellsworth
Scroll down to hear from your local agronomist.

West
Belle Plaine – LeCenter – LeSueur

Jake Heitshusen

Here to the west the crops look like they are taking the drought stress quite well! We have been catching rain just in the nick of time lately and aside from the sandy pockets both corn and beans look to be on track for a good year as it sits right now.

Currently, we are in the middle of flying on fungicides on corn. With Miravis Neo and Trivapro fungicides we have the option to go early and start in the late vegetative stage all the way through brown silk to achieve the maximum return. Not only do they help with preventing diseases like gray leaf spot and Northern corn leaf blight but they also help with plant health benefits like stomata regulation that helps utilize water more efficiently which helps in drier years like this year. It also helps increase standability in the fall to improve harvest.


East
Pine Island – Cannon Falls -Goodhue -Lake City

Casey Carlson Agronomist Goodhue

Casey Carlson

We are starting to see visual signs of potassium deficiency in corn and soybeans. We are seeing potassium deficiency caused by these factors or combination of factors.

Wetter weather patterns will improve potassium availability and uptake but yield damage may have already occurred.

  • Low potassium fertility/Low applied potash rates
  • Dry soil conditions causing potassium to be unavailable to the plant. (Potassium is tied up in soil colloids)
  • Compaction
  • Poor rooting depth
  • Competition from cover crops


Central
Owatonna – Morristown – Wanamingo – Kenyon

Tanner Borgshatz

Tanner Borgschatz

The time for soybean fungicide applications will soon be here. The optimum timing for fungicide on soybeans is late R2-R3 growth stage. R2 is full flowering which is an open flower at one of the two uppermost nodes and R3 is beginning pod which is a 3/16th inch pod at one of the four uppermost nodes.

Our AYS data shows the historical average yield response is 3-7 bu/acre. Years with less than normal late season rainfall can still result in a higher yield response since fungicide can help mitigate the effects of water stress even with lower disease pressure. For fields with white mold history, an early application or even a 2 pass program with Miravis Neo fungicide has shown to help suppress white mold. Below are the results of our AYS fungicide/insecticide trials from 2020 and a table showing the return on investment of a fungicide/insecticide application for a range of yield responses and selling prices.


Central
Owatonna – Morristown – Wanamingo – Kenyon

Zach Hinsch

Fungicide Fungicide Fungicide
Here come the Tassels! Over this past week and next week most of the corn fungicide in our geography will be applied. If you are still questioning to apply fungicide on your corn fields, get together with your local agronomist to discuss on a field-by-field basis.

In past years when it has been drier than normal like this year, we typically see an above average response to making a fungicide application. On top of that, corn prices are higher than we have seen the past few years, so it will take fewer bushels to get you in the $$$$. Lets keep making the best decisions we can for this corn crop and finish the growing season strong!

As for the soybeans, most all beans in our geography are in the R2 stage. This is when you have an open flower on one of the two upper most nodes on the main stem. As pods start to work there way up the plant, we begin R3 as soon as there is a ¼ inch pod on one of the four upper most nodes on the main stem. Soybeans are in the R2-R3 stages for roughly 20 days, and this is when fungicide timing is ideal. Typically we tag the fungicide and insecticide in one application to save a pass across the field. So now is a great time be out there scouting for aphids before we make that fungicide application.

As things start slowing down coming up, don’t hesitate to call up your local agronomist and take a drive around to scout your fields. It is a great idea to be taking notes on crop progress all through the year and evaluate decisions we have made this growing season to help us make the best decisions for next year.


WWAS
Ellsworth

Chase Kinneman

Its Fungicide season at WWAS!!! 
The helicopter started this week and will be around for at least 8 days. The 5 year historical response on corn is 13.8 bushels, according to our AYS data.  We did some research on protein levels in snaplage and found 1.5% higher levels of protein treated vs. untreated.

Soybean fungicide is also in full swing. AYS data shows a 4 bushel response to a fungicide application. Dry years have shown the highest response when sprayed during pod fill.

Contact your WWAS Agronomist for more info. Hope everyone has a great week.