In this week‘s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture and host of this weekly podcast, provides an update on harvest conditions in Ontario. He also answers a plethora of feedback related to everything from nightshade plugging combines to last week’s special edition on neonicotinoids.
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The Highlights
Crop Updates
There are lots of fields seeing variability in upwards of 100bu/ac on the yield monitor. Why? Well, according to Johnson, some fields definitely saw frost and are seeing higher moisture levels and lower test weights as a result. Other fields may be seeing variability in organic matter and symptoms of zinc deficiency.
On soybeans, Johnson talks about how heavy tillage may increase yields slightly, but may not be economically feasible. He also answers a question around using 15? floating row cleaners to manage residue, and talks about fields planted 8 days before big spring rains seeing better yields than those planted the day before.
Feedback and Questions
Once again, Johnson takes questions and comments from listeners, this time covering:
- Big responses to dry starter fertilizer in corn (upwards of 22bu/ac where applied in the strip in the spring).
- Options for lands with poor soil test levels and short-term leases.
- Nightshade’s negative role at harvest.
- Cover crops – how late to plant cereal rye, fertilizer benefits from rye, getting rid of clover with few herbicides.
- Neonicotinoids – aren’t they a federal problem? What does yield data show on Fortenza, and what insects does it control?
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