Recently in the Forages Category

The weather has put us in a bind. Significant amounts of planting have yet to be completed, which has led to questions on the "correct" course of action. There will be no one "correct" course of action and with fields unsuitable for planting and more rain in the forecast there will be no easy decisions. One choice could be to utilize prevented planting, a choice that is appropriate for some and will lead to many other decisions to be made. A second option is to switch corn acres to soybeans; this may also be a wise and appropriate decision for some acres. Remember when planting soybeans after June 10th it is generally recommended to drop 0.5 RM from your typical full season varieties. The final choice is to stay the course and plant corn, a perfectly viable option for some acres.
A full set of delayed planting resources can be found at: http://z.umn.edu/lateplanting

By David Nicolai and Doug Holen, Extension Educators - Crops

The University of Minnesota Extension Forage Team has developed a list of resources available to livestock and alfalfa producers affected by the recent alfalfa winter injury and winterkill in 2013. These resources are available at the U of MN Extension crops website http://www1.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/crops/spring-issues/

An unusual amount of winter injury and winterkill of alfalfa stands occurred in south central and southern Minnesota. While reports do not represent a detailed analysis of where injury to alfalfa has occurred across Minnesota, they do suggest a need for producers to check on stands and evaluate them for potential winter injury.

Les Everett - Water Resources Center Education Coordinator, U of M. Randy Pepin and Jose A. Hernandez - Extension Educators, University of Minnesota - Extension

Using grid soil sampling to guide manure application can be a profitable investment, is the conclusion from case studies based on eight Minnesota farms. In fields where there is a history of non-uniform manure application, targeting new manure applications to areas with lower phosphorus and potassium soil test values can result in considerable economic returns above the cost of grid soil sampling. Variable rate manure applicators are not required when fields can be divided into application and no-application zones, with supplemental nitrogen fertilizer in the no-manure zones. The brief case studies are available on the University of Minnesota Extension web page for Manure Management and Air Quality http://www.manure.umn.edu, under Grid Soil Sampling for Manure Application. An introduction, the eight case studies, and a set of short video presentations based on the case studies are available at http://z.umn.edu/gridsoilsampling.

Funding for the development of these case studies was provided by the McKnight Foundation.

By Daniel Kaiser

University Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

With the extreme variability in growing conditions there have been some questions regarding the variability in soil test. A project is being launched to establish a series of sentinel plots to study the monthly variation in soil test values over the next two growing season. We are looking for participants that are willing to take samples from a single point within a field and mail them off to us at Saint Paul. The goal of this study is to gain a better understanding of what is happening over the growing season for a number of different nutrients commonly measured.

University of Minnesota Extension is presenting workshops for livestock producers and ag professionals on the use of grid soil sampling to guide manure application. Grid soil phosphorus and potassium maps from Minnesota livestock farms are used to create manure application zones and manure exclusion zones within fields in order to maximize the economic value of the manure as a fertilizer replacement and minimize phosphorus in runoff. Determination of manure application rates and supplemental fertilizer where necessary are part of the demonstration and discussion. Eight case studies are posted on the UM Extension manure website, http://z.umn.edu/manure .

Since the number of workshops funded by the McKnight Foundation project grant is limited, we invite county feedlot officerss and NRCS/SWCD staff to attend one of the following workshops. The workshop presentation Powerpoint is available for those wishing to conduct their own workshops, and a few more workshops could be presented by Randy Pepin, UM Extension (pepin019@umn.edu).

Workshops have been held Feb. 12, 26, and 27. Remaining workshops and hosts are:.

March 5: 11 a.m., Lake Crystal American Legion, Diane DeWitt, UM Extension.
March 6: 1 p.m., Murray County Courthouse, Slayton, Mike Boersma, UM Extension.

By Lizabeth Stahl

The University of MN Field Crop Trials Bulletin is now available in print and electronic forms. The new publication, dated January 2013, provides results from U of MN trials conducted in 2012 across the state. The varieties tested are from both public and private breeding programs and include U of MN developed forage, grain, and oilseed crop varieties.

By Lizabeth Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops

Drought conditions continue to intensify in areas across the state including Southwestern Minnesota.  According to the July 24, 2012, U.S. Drought Monitor report, the southwest corner of the state is now rated in the "Severe" drought category.  The western half and southern counties of the state are also rated as "Abnormally Dry" or in the "Moderate" to "Severe" drought categories, and throughout this area soil moisture levels are low.  For example at the U of MN Southwest Research and Outreach Center in Lamberton, soil moisture levels are less than half the historic average for this time of year, and what moisture remains is almost all at a depth of more than 3 feet.  In areas hardest hit by the drought, growers are assessing grain yield potential and if or when to harvest drought-stressed corn for forage. 

By Jennifer Obst, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, 612-625-4741

A comprehensive comparison of most crop varieties grown in Minnesota is now available in print and electronic forms. Minnesota Varietal Trials 2012, published by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, provides the results of the 2011 University of Minnesota evaluation of more than 1000 individual entries of plant varieties.

By Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

U of M Nutrient Management Website

A new nutrient management website has been launched that houses most of the current fertilizer suggestions and data from the University of Minnesota. This website was made possible by funding from the Minnesota Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council and was put together through a joint effort for several researchers from the University of Minnesota who's research focuses on nutrient management issues for several crops growth throughout the state of Minnesota.  We would like to thank the AFREC program because without them this effort would not have been possible

Authors: Dimitre Mollov and Jennifer Flynn

When crops or plants are not growing well and look diseased or less vigorous than healthy plants, an accurate diagnosis of the problem may be critical to reducing and managing it. The Plant Disease Clinic at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul is open year-round to diagnose crop and plant problems and to assist with other plant testing questions. The Plant Disease Clinic welcomes samples from anyone and offers a wide variety of diagnostic and testing services.

by Doug Holen, Extension Educator - Crops, Fergus Falls
and Phillip Glogoza, Extension Educator - Crops, Moorhead

Just a quick note to report a significant outbreak of alfalfa weevil in WC MN. It escalated over the weekend with a lot of spraying starting on Monday. We have fields in all stages with 1st crop still standing, cut alfalfa in windrow for some time, and 16" of 2nd crop regrowth. All fields have been hit hard. All alfalfa growers in west central MN should be checking for possible infestations.

By Phillip Glogoza, Extension Educator - Crops

The cool temperatures have delayed alfalfa weevil population development in the region. In west central MN, first cut got underway two weeks ago. As we move northwest, first cut may just be beginning for some. In some cases, cutting alfalfa may have removed significant eggs laid in stems, while in other sites young larvae are feeding in the growing terminals, whether it is regrowth or uncut alfalfa.

May 1 & 7 Alfalfa Stand Evaluation Workshops

Spring On-Farm Alfalfa Evaluation Workshops by University of Minnesota Extension Institute for Ag Professionals

Thorough and accurate assessment of alfalfa stand health and density is essential to profitable alfalfa production.  Spring green-up is a key time to take a detailed look at all alfalfa stands and make stand management decisions.  The University of Minnesota Institute for Ag Professionals (IAP) will host two on-farm alfalfa stand assessment workshops this spring in Minnesota.

Charla Hollingsworth, UM Extension Plant Pathologist, and Jeff Stein, South Dakota State University Plant Pathologist

Crown rust (caused by Puccinia coronata var avenae) and stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis f.sp. avenae) are widespread and common on oat in the North Central (NC) state region. If environmental conditions promote rust development on susceptible hosts prior to grain fill, significant crop losses are likely to occur. While both diseases are responsible for repeated losses in oat, crown rust has a history of being the most damaging in this region because epidemics occur with more regularity.

Paul Peterson, Neil Broadwater, Lisa Behnken, Doug Holen, Dan Martens, Krishona Martinson, and Russ Mathison, University of Minnesota; and Beth Nelson and Jenna Knoblauch, Midwest Forage Association

Harvesting results for a profitable future is the theme for the 2009 Minnesota Forage Days to be held at five locations in Minnesota the week of February 9.  The program is sponsored by University of Minnesota Extension and the Midwest Forage Association (MFA).  Dates and locations are:

• Feb. 9, SWROC at Lamberton
• Feb. 10, Floodwood Savannah Portage Restaurant
• Feb. 11, Detroit Lakes ClubHouse Hotel (formerly Holiday Inn)
• Feb. 12, Royalton American Legion
• Feb. 13, Rochester UCR Heintz Center.