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/

by Dan Martens, U of M Extension Educator in Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties

Three Items:

1. Reports from May 2, 2013 Sauk Centre Hay Auction (here)

2. Winter Alfalfa Injury Resources (read more)

3. Alfalfa Harvest Alert Scissors Cut Project in Central MN (read more)

MAY 2 HAY AUCTION REPORTS

May 2 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A summary of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, type of bale and 25 RFV points... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf ... A summary of hay auctions held this year showing Medium Square Alfalfa 101-200 RFV divided in 25 RFV groups, and medium sq. straw.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A line graph of these auctions from 2001 to 2013. For the Feb 16 auction, the 176-200 RFV group is just one load - so not really an average.

The next auction at Sauk Centre will be held on Thursday May 16.

By Daniel Kaiser

Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

With the variation in conditions we have seen this spring there are a few issues that may show up in fields related to cool and wet soils. Purpling of corn leaves due to phosphorus (P) deficiency and early season interveinal striping due to sulfur (S) may occur if temperatures remain cool and we continue to have frequent rains. I want to take some time and outline these issues and some of the related research that has been conducted in the past five years.

By John Wiersma
Agronomist
Northwest Research and Outreach Center

High pH, highly calcareous soils, common in western Minnesota, restrict the availability of soil Fe needed for optimum soybean growth and yield. On such soils, the amount of Fe fertilizer applied must surpass a threshold before there is sufficient available Fe in the soil solution to induce a positive growth response. Only a limited number of management tactics designed to improve the availability of Fe have been studied with soybean. These include variety selection, seeding density, seed-applied or in-furrow materials, and foliar treatments.

By Dr. Craig Sheaffer, David Nicolai and Doug Holen

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 Dan Martens, Extension Educator Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
I am posting 3 items based on information from the April 18, 2013 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre Minnesota. The next auction is scheduled for May 2, starting at 12:30.

April 18 SC Hay Auction.pdf.. A list of tested lots sold an bedding materials, grouped by bale type and quality.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf... Average and range of values for Medium Square Alfalfa in 25 RFV groups from 101 to 200 RFV, listed for each sale this year.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... Line graph for market years since 2001 for Medium Square Alfalfa in groups by 25 RFV points from 101-200 RFV.

By Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

Management of Iron (Fe) deficiency chlorosis (IDC) in soybean is seemingly and endless topic of research in soybean growing areas with high pH, calcareous, parent materials. We are just finishing a three-year summary of a series of IDC management strip trials that began in 2010. Our main focus for this work was to study the variability in response for a tolerant and susceptible variety to an oat companion crop and a 6% EDDHA-Fe treatment applied in-furrow (we used Soygreen at a rate of 3 lbs of product per acre). The field areas were selected to have some variation in the severity of IDC.

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.

By Bruce Potter

IPM Specialist SW MN

The late spring has had one advantage.   Migration of insect pests from the south into Minnesota has been delayed.

The black cutworm, one of the migrant pest species that sporadically causes problems in Minnesota crops, reduced stands in some 2011 and 2012 corn fields.  The females prefer to lay eggs in un-worked fields where areas of winter annual or early spring germinating weeds, common lambsquarters for example, occur.

Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

I know there are still questions on the application of sulfur for soybean.  Between me and a number of other researchers in Minnesota, we have been working on a number of projects focusing on sulfur management on corn, soybean, and spring wheat.  Recently the soybean research has been fully summarized so I want to take a minute or two to highlight some of the findings to outline where we are at with the current guidelines for fertilizer management on soybean.

By Lizabeth Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops

Much of the seed planted this year will have been treated with a fungicide, insecticide and/or nematicide. As when working with any pesticide, care should be taken when handling treated seed so that exposure to the handler, non-target organisms, and the environment is reduced or prevented as much as possible.

While nearly all the small grains were seeded in Minnesota by this date in 2012, this spring is a different story. The unseasonably cold temperatures and relentless snow fall is setting us up for a (very) late spring. This will mean that, already, the planting window for small grains is closing for parts of the state. Understand that you can still plant spring wheat, barley, and oats after the last recommended date but that the chances to have good, competitive grain yields and quality are greatly reduced.

Check out this post from 2008 to understand how and why the planting window for wheat, barley and oats is what it.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
I am posting 3 items based on information from the April 4, 2013 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre Minnesota. The next auction is scheduled for April 18, starting at 12:30.

Apr 4 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf.. A list of tested lots sold an bedding materials, grouped by bale type and quality.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf .... Average and range of values for Medium Square Alfalfa in 25 RFV groups from 101 to 200 RFV, listed for each sale this year. 

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf.... Line graph for market years since 2001 for Medium Square Alfalfa in groups by 25 RFV points from 101-200 RFV.

By Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties

I am posting three items based on the March 21 Sauk Centre Hay Auction:

Mar 21 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf... a list of loads sold, divided by kind and type of bale of hay or bedding, RFV in 25 point groups for alfalfa, grass based on protein... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf... Average and range for Medium Square alfalfa RFV 101-200 in 25 point groups, medium square straw and round bales grass hay 5-9% protein

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf.. Line graph for Medium Square Alfalfa groups 101-200 RFV.

Read further for discussion about evaluating alfalfa stands this spring

Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Fertility Specialist
University of Minnesota

Seemingly unpredictable weather conditions each spring inevitably bring up questions on placement of fertilizer with the seed.  Starter fertilizer has played an important role in nutrient management in corn in Minnesota.  However, tools for deciding on how much that can safely be applied have not been widely available.  While these tools can be used common sense is still needed in making a decision on what should be done.

Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

A few questions arose over the winter as to options for spring applied nitrogen for small grains in areas where fall application was not possible.  One option that was questioned was increasing application rates with the air seeder.  While this does present increased risk, with spring approaching I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight some resources available for helping make decisions on what to apply.  Application with the air seeder allows for more options due to a wide range of seedbed utilized with the various seed spread patters available. 

By Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

With spring finally approaching it is a good time to address some questions on soil testing that came up of the winter concerning testing soils in a field moist state versus the standard dried samples that are run through soil testing labs.  First I would like to make it clear that the issue of drying of a soil sample mainly pertains to potassium.  Most other tests routinely run through the lab are not affected by drying of the sample.  The reason why potassium is different is due to its chemistry in the soil.  We currently have finished the second year of potassium studies looking at both testing methods but will be continuing this work for the foreseeable future to gain a better understanding of what is going on within the soil.

By Doug Holen, Dr. Phil Glogoza and Dr. Craig Sheaffer on March 28, 2013

The increasing cost of forages, fearing continued 2012 droughty conditions, and extending the winter season has many producers wondering about the productivity of their hay fields in 2013. While temperatures have been respectively cold this winter, the good news is that an insulating layer of snow has persisted across most of the state for an extended period of time.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties

41 LOADS - That's just the Loads of Large Round Bales-Grass Hay in the 5-9% protein range...41. What a pile of hay!

Prices continue to run strong.

I am posting links to the my summary reports following the March 7, 2013 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre ... should try to get this posted at least one day ahead of the next auction on March 21 - don't ya' think...

Mar 7 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf .... A list of all tested hay lots and bedding material sold... grouped by kind of hay, RFV, and type of bale ... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point calculated

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf... A summary of auctions held since September; Medium Square Alfalfa 101 to 200 in 25 RFV point groups, bedding material, round grass bales protein 5-9

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A line grahp of Auction seasons since 2001

The next auction at Sauk Centre is on March 21.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
I am posting links to the following reports following the Feb. 21, 2013 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre.

Feb 21 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf .... A list of all tested hay lots and bedding material sold... grouped by kind of hay, RFV, and type of bale ... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point calculated

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf ... A summary of auctions held since September; Medium Square Alfalfa 101 to 200 in 25 RFV point groups, bedding material, round grass bales protein 5-9

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A line grahp of Auction seasons since 2001

The next auction at Sauk Centre is on March 7

Read further about Workshops coming up:
1. Capturing $Value of Manure Nutrients and Alfalfa N Credits
    Little Falls March 8, Foley March 19, Melrose March 20

2. Forage for U - featuring Dan Undersander, Wisconsin Extension Forage Specialist
    Fergus Falls March 19, Hutchinson March 20, Rushford March 21

Source: Doug Holen, Extension Educators in Crops, U of M Extension

To address key forage production and management issues in Minnesota, a series of Forage Workshops will be held the week of March 18^th. Individual sites include Fergus Falls on March 19^th in the AgCountry Farm Credit Service Building, Hutchinson on March 20^th at the McLeod County Fairgrounds, and Rushford on March 21^st at the Lynndyn Bridge Restaurant.

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 Dan Martens, Extension Educator in Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
WORKSHOPS in Little Falls March 8, Foley March 19, Melrose March 20
     At each site the workshop will start with registration at 9:30 a.m.; program starts at 10 a.m.; lunch at noon; and adjourn at 2:00 p.m.
     MORNING MANURE NUTRIENT TOPIC AT ALL SITES
     Randy Pepin, Extension Educator with Nutrient Management Projects, will lead a discussion built around on-farm case studies looking at soil grid sampling information as a clue for manure application decisions. Whether you've used grid sampling, you're just thinking about it, or just want to consider strategies for making good use of manure nutrients - you will likely gain something useful from this discussion.
     AFTERNOON ALFALFA NITROGEN CREDIT TOPIC AT LITTLE FALLS AND MELROSE
     Extension Corn Agronomist Jeff Coulter and research assistant Matt Yost will share information about on-farm field trials looking at nitrogen available to a corn crop following alfalfa. Many farmers and crop advisors have valid questions about whether you can bank on 150 pounds of nitrogen available to a corn crop following alfalfa. The field trials are providing some valid information to look at these questions.
     AFTERNOON AT FOLEY:
     Alfalfa N Credits - Extension Educator Dan Martens
     Benton SWCD / NRCS Field Trials and Resources
     MPCA Feedlot and Manure Application Discussion

Check the attached flyer for times locations and registration information. Lunch will be free for the first 30 registrations.  Manure Alfalfa Nutrients Workshop.pdf

By Dan Martens

This information is from the Sauk Centre Hay Auction held on February 7, 2013. I am posting three reports:

Feb 7 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf...  A list of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold ... grouped by kind of hay, RFV and type of bale ... cost per pound of dry matter and cost per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf ... A summary of auctions held this year: Medium Square Alfalfa 101 to 200 RFV divided in 25 point groups, and bedding material.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A line graph of auction seasons from 2001 to 2010

You can look at USDA Hay Market Reports at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/LSMNpubs. Click on "Livestock, Poultry and Grain News" in the middle of the page... and then Click on "Hay" in the middle of the next page. and a "hay wanted" and "hay  for sale" Minnesota Hay List at www.haylist.umn.edu 

Ken Barnett, U Wisconsin Extension posts a useful Upper Midwest Hay prices summary at Weekly Hay Prices

Read more for information about three Workshops on Manure Nutrient Management and Alfalfa nitrogen credits for corn following alfalfa in the crop rotation.

By Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
I am posting three items based on information from the Jan. 17 2013 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre MN.

Jan 17 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A list of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, bale type, RFV in 25 point groups for alfalfa and by protein for grass.. cost per pound of dry matter and cost per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf ... Average and range of RFV values and prices for Medium Square Alfalfa in 25 RFV groups from 101-200 RFV. This include average for each of the last 4 years and for each auction so far this year. Medium Square Straw is also listed.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... Line graph for average price of Medium Square Alfalfa by 25 RFV groups. Dotted lines indicate where sales did not have hay in that group.

Hay Stocks Dec 1 2012.pdf... USDA Hay Inventory Dec 1, 2012 USDA report by states for hay on inventory December 1, 2011 and 2012.

Read more... for information about:
Winter Forage Workshops: Feb 5 at Floodwood in NE MN; Feb 6 at Richmond in Central MN; and Feb 7 at Rochester in SE MN
Private Pesticide Applicator Workshops
Minnesota Milk Producers Dairy Management Workshops Feb 5 at St. Joseph; Feb 6 at Rochester.
District DHIA Meetings, NE at Foley Feb 7 features Brant Groen's "Udder Dissection Clinic"
Farm Estate and Farm Transfer workshop February 13 at St. Augusta

By Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
I am posting three items based on information from the January 3 2013 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre.

Jan 3 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A list of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, bale type, RFV in 25 point groups for alfalfa and by protein for grass.. cost per pound of dry matter and cost per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf ... Average and range of RFV values and prices for Medium Square Alfalfa in 25 RFV groups from 101-200 RFV. This include average for each of the last 4 years and for each auction so far this year. Medium Square Straw is also listed.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... Line graph for average price of Medium Square Alfalfa by 25 RFV groups. Dotted lines indicate where sales did not have hay in that group.

Read more... for information about:
Winter Forage Workshops: Feb 5 at Floodwood in NE MN;  Feb 6 at Richmond in Central MN; and Feb 7 at Rochester in SE MN
MFA Wisconsin Forage Symposium Jan 21-13 at Wisconsin Dells
Private Pesticide Applicator Workshops
Minnesota Milk Producers Dairy Management Workshops Feb 5 at St. Joseph; Feb 6 at Rochester.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
I am posting three items based on information from the December 20 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre:

Dec 20 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... Lots sold are grouped by bale type, kind of hay and 25 RFV points for alfalfa, and based on protein for grass. Straw and corn stalks are included. Averages are calculated where it seem appropriate.

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf  ... Average and Range of RFV and prices for Medium Square Alfalfa by 25 RFV points from 101 to 200 RFV for sales so far this year. Grass Hay 5-9% Protein is listed for this year. Medium Square straw is also listed. This also lists season-long average and range values for each of the last 5 years.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf... Line graph of markets for Medium Square Alfalfa groups from 2001 to present time. This year's line is Maroon. Dotted lines indicate where there were not any loads in the group at a sale.

We are working with the Midwest Forage Association to have a Central MN Winter Forage Meeting on Wednesday February 6 at River Station at Richmond. There will be a similar meeting Feb 5 in NE MN at Floodwood and Feb 7 in SE MN Rochester  at Rochester.

Read more for information about some other things coming in January

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.

Proceedings from the 2012 University of Minnesota & Minnesota Crop Production Retailers Crop Pest Management Short Course and Trade Show held December 11-13 in Minneapolis are available to be viewed at the Institute for Ag Professionals web site. The proceedings web page includes a listing of abstracts authored by the speakers at the short course and copies of their slide presentations in a PDF format for your review.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
   I am posting information from the November 1 and 15 Hay Auctions at Sauk Centre. 
   Look at averages carefully, considering the number of loads and range of values that make up the average.
   Check extra reading for other sources of hay market information. 

Nov 1 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf  Lots sold are grouped by bale type, kind of hay and 25 RFV points for alfalfa, and based on protein for grass. Averages are calculated where it seem appropriate.

Nov 15 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf  Same Format as Previous 

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf  Average and Range of RFV and prices for Medium Square Alfalfa by 25 RFV points from 101 to 200 RFV for sales so far this year. Grass Hay 5-9% Protein is listed for this yMedium Square straw is also listed. This also lists season-long average and range values for each of the last 5 years.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf Line graph of markets for Medium Square Alfalfa groups from 2001 to present time. This year's line is Maroon. Dotted lines indicate where there were not any loads in the group at a sale. The first plot for the 101-125 group was posted Nov 15.

By Dave Nicolai, Coordinator for the Institute for Ag Professionals

Face the 2013 crop year armed with the latest University of Minnesota research. Each year brings new crop production challenges. As an agricultural professional, keeping up with these new issues is a top priority. At the 2013 University of Minnesota Research Update for Ag Professionals, you will find research-based strategies to deal with today's pest, disease, variety, and nutrient recommendations. Presentations and discussions at the update will allow you to visit with experienced university researchers and offer you the opportunity to visit with colleagues to discuss topics of interest to you in your region. You will leave with research-based knowledge and field-tested solutions that will help you in the field for the year 2013.  Descriptions of the research update presentations can be viewed at the Institute for Ag Professionals web site.

By Liz Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops and Jeff Coulter, Extension Corn Agronomist

Results of the 2012 University of Minnesota corn grain and silage trials are available online at the following links:

2012 Corn Grain Hybrid Trial Results: http://z.umn.edu/corn2012

2012 Corn Silage Hybrid Trial Results: http://z.umn.edu/cornsilage2012

Results are based on replicated trials conducted at multiple locations across Minnesota to provide growers and agronomists with an unbiased source of information on hybrid performance. 

By David Nicolai, Coordinator, Institute for Ag Professionals

The three-day Minnesota Crop Pest Management Short Course program starts Tuesday, December 11th with an Update for Technical Service Providers program 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Minnesota Crop Protection Retailers "Management & Ag Professional Agronomy Focus Sessions" 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM, Pesticide Applicator Recertification: Category H -- Seed Treatment Session 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM. The Crop Pest Management Short Course Educational Sessions will begin on Wednesday, December 12th from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM and continue on Thursday, December 13th from 8:00 AM - 2:20 PM.

Nutrient Management Planner for Minnesota software, version 4.0 for M.S. Windows 7 and Access 2010 is now available on a CD from UM Extension, http://www.extension.umn.edu, at the Extension Store. NMP helps producers and their advisors plan field-specific fertilizer and manure applications that meet crop needs and agency requirements. Recommendations are consistent with current University of Minnesota fertilizer recommendations, the USDA-NRCS-Minnesota 590 (Nutrient Management) Standard, and Minnesota State 7020 Feedlot Rules. The software generates reports that meet NRCS and MPCA requirements, and that serve producers' farm management needs. The software includes a farm nutrient supply and demand calculator to determine the acres needed for manure applications. NMP V 4.0 requires a computer with MS Windows 7 and MS Access 2010. More information is at http://z.umn.edu/nmp.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
   This is the first posting of my summaries of the Sauk Centre Hay Auction for the 2012-13 season. The first sale in September was the largest of 4 sales held now. It could be that buyers and sellers got busy with harvest after the first sale.
   Look at averages carefully, especially when they cover a small number of loads. Also take a close look a situations where there might be an odd load in the bunch. Large Round Alfalfa RFV 151-175 on October 18 is an example of this. There were 4 loads listed at $210 to $240 and one load listed at $40 per ton. Sometimes this is a load that is in poor physical condition, even though it tested in the range. Sometimes it is a data error. For me in this case, it doesn't make sense to include it in the average.
   I will list the postings here and some other sources of hay market information are listed in the extra reading.

Sept 6 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf SC Hay Auction  Lots sold are grouped by bale type, kind of hay and 25 RFV points for alfalfa, and based on protein for grass. Averages are calculated where it seem appropriate.
Sept 20 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf  Same Format
Oct 4 20 12 Hay Auction.pdf  Same Format
Oct 18 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf Same Format

History of Selected Lots 2012 2013.pdf  Average and Range of RFV and prices for Medium Square Alfalfa by 25 RFV points from 101 to 200 RFV for sales so far this year. Medium Square straw is also listed. This also lists season-long average and range values for each of the last 5 years.

Graph 2001 to 2013 SC Hay Auction.pdf   Line graph of markets for Medium Square Alfalfa groups from 2001 to present time. This year's line is Maroon. Dotted lines indicate where there were not any loads in the group at a sale. This graph starts with October sales; so there's not much on it yet for 2013

Corn Stalks 2010 to 2012.pdf  This is list of all the corn stalk sales during the 2010-11 sale season and 2011-12 season in a effort to get a more composite look at corn stalk prices. You can draw your own conclusions about whether it is useful.

In September, 2011, University of Minnesota Extension, partnered with NDSU Extension, brought you the Tires, Traction, and Compaction Field Day near Fergus Falls, MN. There are now four videos highlighting the key messages presented during the day. Each video takes you to the unique soil pits constructed for that day to illustrate soil structure and effects of equipment traffic on soils. Each video is under six minutes yet captures the field experience for those unable to attend. They represent a great refresher for the 200+ participants who were there.

By Jose A. Hernandez
Extension Educator - Nutrient Management

A new Manure Management and Air Quality Education website has been launched. The new website provides educational materials, and current research from the University of Minnesota, in the area of manure management and air quality in livestock production.

Major categories in the new website are: manure management, feedlot and manure storage, air quality, milk house wastewater, manure pathogens, manure treatment, and manure application.

The revised website includes the release of three major additions:

• The long-standing UM Extension Bulletin "Manure Management in Minnesota" has been updated, printed, and posted on the web.


• Results of 12 site-years of trials measuring corn yield response to time of swine manure application have been published as a research report entitled: "Swine manure application timing: Results of experiments in southern Minnesota."


• Eight case studies of the economic and environmental response to using grid soil sampling to guide zonal manure application have been posted to the revised Manure Management and Air Quality website. These case studies will be presented in workshops this winter.

The website will also provide an events calendar with local and regional manure management educational opportunities.

This website was made possible by funding from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

By John Lamb
Extension Soil Scientist

This year the crops have matured early and harvest is moving ahead of normal.  With a large amount of the soybeans and corn coming out, thoughts are turning to getting fertilizer applied for next year's crop.  For phosphorus and potassium, there are very few problems with an early fall application.  These nutrients are not mobile in most soils.  The only big concern with a broadcast application of P and K is getting the fertilizer incorporated into the soil so it is in a place for the plant roots to utilize them next spring.  Incorporation also reduces the chances of P and K being lost through erosion.

By Dean Malvick

Development of corn ear and kernel rots and associated mycotoxins in grain may have been favored by the dry and hot weather in some areas of Minnesota this summer. Although few problems with ear rots or mycotoxins seem to have been reported so far, only about 12% of corn was harvested in Minnesota as of September 16 and there is much grain to be harvested where potential problems may have occurred. Several different types of ear rots occur in Minnesota, but Aspergillus ear rot and Fusarium ear rot are of greatest concern because they produce mycotoxins and are favored by hot and dry conditions.

The unusually warm summer this year now means that there are many acres that have been harvested that potentially could be planted to winter wheat. It appears that the lack of rainfall could be a deterrent to winter wheat planting, at least to getting it planted during an optimum period. Our current recommendations are to plant winter wheat in the northern half of Minnesota by the middle of September and the rest of the state by October 1st. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any rain in the immediate forecast. Planting into dry soil and waiting for rain is a viable option. In this scenario, put the seed about an inch deep so that it will be able to emerge quickly once rainfall is received. Though seeds that just begin the germination process will vernalize (meet the necessary cold requirement to produce a spike in the summer), a much larger seedling typically has a better chance of overwintering and being more productive. In the last three years of our research, the early planted treatments have always been more productive than those planted later than optimal, though the difference was not always large, depending on the year and the variety grown. If the warm weather we are currently experiencing spills over into the October, however, there should be ample time to produce a productive seedling, even if rains delay a week or two more.

The following are some guidelines to consider when planting winter wheat late or in conditions where it may germinate and emerge late:

• Increase your seeding rate by about 150,000 to 200,000 seeds per acre. There is no advantage to seeding more than 1.8 million seeds per acre, however.
• Select more winter hardy varieties. Late planted seedlings will be small as winter approaches and will be more prone to winter injury, particularly if there is little snow cover this winter. A winter hardy variety will help reduce the risk of winter injury and be more productive when conditions are conducive to winter injury. Check the most recent University of Minnesota Variety Trials Bulletin for information about the winter hardiness of varieties currently available for planting.
• Plant into standing stubble if you have a choice. Standing stubble will catch snow, if there is any, and help insulate the crop during the winter. Since late plantings are more prone to winter injury, management practices that increase the likelihood of warmer soil temperatures will improve the chance of winter survival.
• Add some phosphorous with the seed. This is especially true if your soil test for P is low. P helps to develop strong roots and crown tissue which will aid in the overwintering processes. The rate of P applied, should be limited by the amount of N that is applied with the P. With narrow rows, nitrogen should not exceed about 15 lbs/acre with the seed, particularly in these dry conditions. With wider rows, be more conservative with the rate.
• Consider treating your seed with fungicides and possibly an insecticide. Since the seed may lay in the soil for an extended period before germination, a fungicide applied to the seed will help protect it from diseases and an insecticide will be beneficial especially if wireworms are likely to be present.

One of the experiments at the U of M Southwest Research and Outreach Center (SWROC) is currently displaying interesting visual results which will rapidly fade as the season progresses. An impromptu tour on Friday, August 24 from 1 to 2 PM will give you a chance to see the effect of SCN resistance for yourself.

By Ken Ostlie and Bruce Potter, University of Minnesota Extension

Calls over the last two weeks indicate Bt-RW trait performance problems may be expanding in scope. Field observations suggest corn rootworm populations have increased markedly in corn after corn fields since 2011; recent calls indicate a major expansion of the geography of performance problems into SC and WC Minnesota. Unfortunately the drought has masked the primary tip-off to severe corn rootworm injury—lodging. With injury largely completed and corn rootworm emergence peaking, now is the time to check fields for signs or symptoms of performance problems with your Bt-RW traits. Getting a handle on Bt trait performance is critical before making seed purchases for 2013. You may need to change your corn rootworm management strategy/strategies.

Since the first reports surfaced in 2009, scattered performance-problem fields have been reported in a broad arc from NW Illinois through NE Iowa, W Wisconsin, SE Minnesota, SW Minnesota, E South Dakota, NW Iowa, and NE Nebraska. The map at the right indicates where Bt-RW performance problems have been previously reported in Minnesota (2009-2011 map). Field visits and phone calls in 2012 suggest an increase in the geographical scope of performance problems, especially in SC and WC Minnesota, and prospective resistance to more Bt-RW traits. Your help is needed in identifying where, and to which traits, these problems are occurring!

Drought this summer has been both a blessing and a curse when it comes to identifying performance problems. Typically, the most visual tip-off to corn rootworm injury and performance problems is lodging. But lodging is an imperfect indicator since besides corn rootworm injury, it also requires thunderstorm activity. The moist soils loosen root grip and strong winds generate strong force on the corn. Under drought conditions, thunderstorm prevalence has been minimal and offer little insight into status of the resistance problem. However, corn rootworm survival and injury is enhanced under drought conditions and above-ground, stress symptoms of this root injury (stunting, leaf roll) are magnified. For many growers this year, it's these symptoms and unusually high numbers of corn rootworm beetles that have been the tip-off to performance problems.

Click an image below for a closer look at symptoms.

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If you identify fields with Bt-RW performance problems, and prospective resistance to a Bt-RW trait, it's critical to report the field ASAP to the seed company (whether or not the field is in compliance with respect to refuge)! Confirming resistance involves both field and lab verification. The process begins by contacting your seed dealer to report the problem. This page outlines this reporting process and what to expect. Field visits will gather field history, verify trait presence and corn rootworm injury of sufficient magnitude to report the problem, and possibly collect adult beetles to evaluate their progeny for resistance.

If you detect a performance problem field, we'd appreciate notification as well: www.extension.umn.edu/cornrootworm/. These reports will enable us to get a better handle on the geography of the problem and the traits involved so we can tailor our extension and research efforts, serve as an independent source of information, and improve transparency on the critical issue of Bt-RW trait resistance!

This year proved to be an interesting in more ways than one for the cereal crops in Minnesota. The mild winter and spring saw many growers planting their crops very early. However these same conditions conspired to give us early influxes of aphids carrying Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). While this disease can always be found in low levels in wheat, barley and oats (characterized by yellowing and eventually drying of leaf edges originating for the leaf tip and progressing down towards the stem in wheat and barley and red to purple discoloration in oats), symptom severity this year was far more extreme in a lot of cases due to plants being infected at very early growth stages. This resulted in severe dwarfing and excessive tillering, something rarely, if ever, seen before in Minnesota.
By the same token, parts of Minnesota also experienced large populations of Aster leaf hopper early in the year which have the potential to transmit Aster Yellows (AY) to the crop. This disease can cause symptoms very similar to BYDV, and without lab testing it can be very difficult to distinguish between these two diseases. This trend was echoed in canola which is also susceptible to AY.
Another disease, stripe (or yellow) rust caused by Puccinia striiformis then became evident. This disease is also rarely seen in Minnesota and is more commonly seen in the Pacific North West, as conditions in the typical growing season here are more favorable to leaf rust. The stripe rust infections were able to continue despite warm daytime temperatures and little rain, probably due to much cooler night temperatures and the high humidity in late June. The difference between plants that had been sprayed at Feekes 5 with fungicide and those which had not became marked as the stripe rust infections continued. However, once temperatures really warmed up to the low to mid 90s F, stripe rust entered a decline and went in to its resting phase.
Tan spot as always, was ever present in many fields with the worst affected being those fields which had minimal fungicide inputs to control foliar diseases.
Fusarium head blight (FHB) did make an appearance later in the season but this year conditions were not optimal for FHB to really take hold as it has in previous years.
In addition to diseases this year, there were many reports of herbicide injury in the wheat crop. Again this was probably in part due to high temperatures and lack of moisture which left plants stressed and less able to cope with the demands placed on their metabolism by pesticide applications.
Despite such an atypical - and in parts of the State - extremely dry growing season, some farms are averaging 60-70 bushels an acre.
We wait with baited breath to see what next year's growing season brings us.

Sin-cereal-ly,

Madeleine Smith, Extension Plant Pathologist and Jochum Wiersma, Extension Agronomist.

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. 

From the University of Minnesota Extension Southeast Crop Connection newsletter

Spider mites are the concern today. Symptoms have become more obvious in some fields, especially along field edges, drought pockets and drier area in the region. Is this a "tornado watch" or "warning"? A watch in most fields, but we have touchdown (warning), with damage in some (more drought stressed conditions). You need to scout now. Here are some additional precautions and suggestions to consider.

1. We are entering the critical time for soybean growth--pod set and fill, determining yield.
2. When/If you pull the trigger and apply an insecticide now, this early in the season, plan on multiple application for multiple pests (aphids). You'll remove all beneficial insects and open the door to other pests.
3. When making multiple applications it is imperative that you choose multiple modes of action.
4. Canopy penetration is critical for good control.
• Do not cheat on insecticide rates.
• Do not cheat on water (gallons/acre applied).
• Do not cheat on pressure--keep PSI up.
5. Consider preharvest interval (PHI) when planning multiple applications of insecticides. Average range, 18-45 days. You may need to use a product with a longer PHI first followed by one with a different mode of action and a shorter PHI second.
6. Insecticide/miticides will not kill spider mite eggs. Life cycle completed in 5-19 days (faster with temps above 90°)
7. Remember buffer zones, and setbacks to sensitive areas for the insecticides you use. Read the label.
8. Places to scout first: heaviest infestation usually occur along roadways, ditches, near alfalfa fields. Watch for spider mite movement from alfalfa to soybeans.

Read this article for more information on managing spider mites.

Don Nitchie, Extension educator, dnitchie@umn.edu

How quickly crop conditions have changed from the wet weather of May.

Extreme heat and lack of rainfall throughout June has resulted in USDA Crop reports having been dramatically revised to reflect deteriorating crop progress throughout the U.S. Corn Belt. At the moment, conditions appear not quite as severe in SW Minnesota as in other regions but, that could change soon. I hope it is for the better as the result of rainfall.

Dry conditions threatening to generally impact final yields across the U.S. Corn Belt have historically had significant impacts on "old crop" and "new crop" prices. We have certainly seen that in the last few weeks. If market demand for corn or soybeans remain the same and stocks are tight, a relatively small change in expected supply leads to a larger change in prices.

Dan Martens, Extension educator, marte011@umn.edu

Rain during the last week to 10 days provided some relief to some crops through central Minnesota in various amounts. Crops are at a lot of different stages. Some scorched corn crop may not benefit much from rain anymore. Pollination may have been hurt for some corn. There is a large amount of corn, soybeans and hay crops that will benefit significantly from recent rains.

Where crops are starting to deteriorate, like corn turning brown, some farmers might think about saving some other stored feed and starting to chop some of this corn. For anything you might do with the crop, for those carrying crop insurance, have a good discussion on with your crop insurance rep first.

For day to day feeding I'd think about the following:

Temperatures are set to be high again this week with maximum temperatures forecasted from the high 80s to mid 90s. Humidity will be lower than we have seen in the past week. Most of the wheat crop is now in the soft to hard dough stage of development.
With the warmer weather, stripe rust is finally entering the resting stage of its life cycle evident as black telial pustules on leaves. Leaf rust incidence is moving North and West through the state with the highest incidences (up to 100%) and severities (up to 30%) being reported in Otter Tail county.
Incidence of tan spot is on the increase as well - in some cases 100%,of affected - with low to moderate severity. This trend is likely to continue in the central and eastern parts of the state over the next few days.
Risk of leaf rust in the central and eastern part of the state will trend much higher in the next couple of days. The risk for tan spot remains high throughout the state.
Scab risk remains moderate to high in the north west of the state. Initial reports of scab infections have been confirmed, especially in the most northwestern portion of the State. This is the same area for which the risk model had shown a moderate risk for FHB 2 to 3 weeks ago. Incidence and severity are low at this point.

John Lamb and Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Specialists

The corn is tasseling, we are praying for rain, and the week of the 4th of July was hot and miserable.  It must be time to think about evaluating this year's nitrogen management program and making decisions about next year's nitrogen needs.  

07/10/2012

Temperatures are set to be slightly cooler this week than last, and expected to stay in the low to mid 80s. Humidity will be lower than we have seen in the past week. Most of the wheat crop is now in the late milk early dough stage of development.

Stripe rust is still prevalent across the state. However weather conditions are now becoming favorable for development of leaf rust which is evident in the south and west of the state with severity ranging from moderate to severe. Sibley county being the worst affected at present. Septoria diseases have progressed with 100% of some fields affected with moderate to high severity.

Risk of leaf rust in the central and eastern part of the state will trend much higher in the next couple of days . The risk for tan spot remains high throughout the state. Scab risk remains moderate to high in the north west of the state.

Reports of fields with a unusual amount of dead heads with little or no grain have been reaching us. Incidences as high as 15-20% have been reported. We are sampling some of the worst fields to determine the exact cause or causes and will share those results as they become available.

We've been getting calls about spider mites in soybeans, not surprising given our high temps and the dry conditions in some locations. As temps get into the 90's, spider mite reproduction and development rates increase significantly. Drought also exacerbates spider mite populations, and when drought conditions are relieved by rain, spider mite populations may not necessarily decrease. Consequently, even after drought conditions pass, best to continue scouting for spider mites damage.

Spider mites are tiny and only large females are visible to the naked eye (unless you've got really good eyesight!). The best way to see spider mites is to shake a plant over a piece of white paper - any moving pieces of dirt are likely spider mites... So to scout for something that small, it's best to look for damage. Spider mite damage will first appear as small yellow spots (stippling) on lower leaves. There is currently no solid treatment threshold in soybeans, but If stippling reaches mid-canopy leaves, a treatment is likely necessary. Pyrethroids may flare spider mite populations, spreading mites and increasing their populations.

A good source for information on spider mite biology, scouting and thresholds was prepared last year by Bruce Potter and Ken Ostlie and is available at:

http://www.soybeans.umn.edu/crop/insects/spider_mites.htm

Keep scouting!

by David Nicolai, Coordinator Institute for Ag Professionals, University of Minnesota

A reminder that the 2012 Field School for Ag Professionals will be held on July 25-26 which is a Wednesday and Thursday at the University of Minnesota Agriculture Experiment Station, St. Paul Campus, University of Minnesota. The two-day program focuses on core principles in agronomy, entomology, weed and soil sciences on the first day and builds on this foundation with timely, cutting-edge topics on the second day. A total of 12 Certified Crop Advisor Continuing Education Units will be offered for the two days of the Field School. Participants may choose to attend either day or both days of the field school. Advance registrations made before Friday, July 20th are eligible for a discount; $150 per day or $270 for both days before July 20th, after July 20th the registration tuition will be $300 for both days.

The aphid monitoring network, Aphid Alert, lives again....

The network, which ran from 1997 through 2003, was designed to monitor the seasonal dynamics of aphid vectors of viral diseases of seed potatoes. The national epidemic of Potato Virus Y (PVY) has been increasingly impacting marketability of MN & ND seed potatoes. Vector control is an important part of PVY management, but is depedent upon a cleqar understanding of the spatial and temporal dynamics of vector populations. To provide this data to producers in MN and ND, we are re-establishing the Aphid Alert network.

Aphids have already been found in the Crookston location trap and in plots at the NWROC. It looks to be an early year!

Weekly results and updates can be found on:
aphidalert.blogspot.com

Weather conditions have been getting steadily warmer over the last week, routinely in the mid-80s° F. This trend is set to continue over the next week with temperatures reaching the low 90s° F. This unusually dry and warm weather is having a direct impact on the range and severity of diseases and plants reactions to other stresses such as herbicide drift and drought. With the majority of wheat in the end of milk and into the early dough stage, many plants are clearly showing evidence of heat stress. This heat stress is exacerbating other diseases that are not normally prevalent.

Stripe rust is still very evident across the state with high severity on spring and winter wheat in to the mid canopy. A number of fungicides will give good control of stripe rust provided they are applied before symptoms are evident on the flag leaf. Fungicide application will not cure already visible or latent infections. Although the warm temperatures will slow stripe rust development, cooler night time temperatures and the chance of stormy precipitation, will allow this disease to continue. If generic Folicur, Prosaro or Caramba were already applied at Feekes 10.51 to suppress scab, you can expect sufficient control for the remainder of the growing season for stripe rust.

Septoria species are also becoming prevalent in the west central portion of the state with low - mid severity on 20-50% in the fields scouted. Evidence of wheat stem maggot is now appearing in the south-west of the state. Typical symptoms of damage caused by this insect are white or blasted heads which will produce no grain, while the rest of the plants looks normal. The head can easily be pulled from the plant to reveal the feeding damage.

Because of the weather, the risk of scab is likely to be very low over the next week. These same conditions are more conducive to stem rust and leaf rust may become more evident, especially in the southern part of the state.

A fair number of spring wheat fields appear to be quite variable in plant height this season. Obviously varying degrees of drought stress can create height differences that are, in some instances rather striking ( Photo 1). Differences in height, however, are more interspersed and without clear delineations and/or transitions as is the case in photo 1, it is probably not drought stress per se but one of three things:

• a variety blend
• a variety that is segregating for plant height
• a variety that suffers from a genetics anomaly that results in a chromosome being lost across generations.

The first cause is rather straightforward; if during anytime in the previous generations seed of another variety inadvertently has been comingled with the variety you think you have, you will get mixtures of varieties. This happens more often than probably any of us want to admit and it's the reason why sanitation (i.e. cleaning equipment and bins) is so important to maintain variety purity.

The second reason for differences in plant height is much less common but the extreme growing conditions we are experiencing this year can bring some differences in plant height that previously had gone unnoticed. Without going into too much detail, you have to understand that most varieties that are released are actually number of sister lines derived from the same cross that are nearly identical. These lines only differ for a few percentage point of the total number of genes, most of which will go unnoticed. After all, to be recognized the Plant Variety Protection Act requires that the variety meets certain minimum for distinctness, uniformity, and stability or DUS requirements for wheat. Breeders will generally select a number of sister lines that phenotypically are hard to distinguish from another in an environment that shows differences well. Dr. Jim Anderson, for example, will often do this work in the winter nursery in Arizona to detect even the slightest of difference in plant height and/or maturity. The extreme conditions we are encountering this season may, however, trigger some differences that previously had gone unnoticed.

The third reason is related to a problem that is particularly unique to wheat. It can create challenges for the DUS requirements, especially if the enforcement of the PVP is strict as is the case in many European countries. With the introduction of the semi-dwarf genes, the breeders quickly noticed that in certain lines and genetic backgrounds a number of tall plants would appear at a low frequency from one generation to the next generation (Photo 2). Subsequent research showed that in certain wheat varieties up to 6% of the time something goes during the formation of the pollen grains in certain g. This, in turn, leads to some 1% of the next generation to be so-called aneuploids, meaning having an individual progeny with one of more chromosomes missing or extra. Monosomic deletions, i.e. plants missing one chromosome, are most commonly encountered. Most often you will never see a difference, except in the case of semi-dwarf wheat varieties.

The odds that a chromosome gets lost in the shuffle that is called meiosis during the formation of pollen grain appears to be equal for all 48 chromosomes that make up wheat. Consequently, ever so often the one of the two chromosomes that carries the semi dwarf genes goes missing. This in turn results in half the reduction in height compared to the genetically equivalent variety without the semi-dwarf genes (another way to think about this is that only one instead of two doses of a medicine are given to shorten the height of the patience). The frequency of this phenomenon appears to be rather constant in certain background and varieties like Vance were notorious for getting 'dirty' over time.

A nice article that describes this phenomenon in more detail can be found here. An interesting experiment to do is to safe some seed of these tall off-types and grows them out next year. Half the plants derived from these tall off-types should revert back to the original variety, the other half of the plant will be the taller off-type again.

While a 11-plus inch deluge made for national headlines in Duluth, much smaller but timely rains have helped stave a worsening of the drought stress in parts of northwest Minnesota. Drought stress is pretty evident is many fields as evidenced by differences in plant height across the field. On June 19, the majority of northwest Minnesota is still rated to be in a moderate drought while a large portion of west central Minnesota is still considered abnormally dry. Timely rains will be needed to allow grainfill not to be impacted by drought as the crop needs nearly a 0.25 inch of water daily at the beginning of grainfill.

Most spring wheat is passed anthesis and in to the grainfill period. Reports indicate that many of you applied a fungicide to protect against foliar diseases and protect against Fusarium Head Blight. The University of Minnesota scouts continue to report that BYDV, stripe rust, tan spot and Septoria spot blotch are the most commonly found diseases. Severe BYDV is being reported from the west and central areas of the state, with yellowing and sever stunting in many cases due to the early season infection this year. Cool wet conditions have seen the increase of Septoria spot blotch in the north west of the state becoming prevalent on the lower canopy. With low humidity and little rain forecast the disease is likely to be slow moving into the upper canopy. Stripe rust is present throughout the state to varying degrees. Faller being one of the most affected varieties with infection reaching mid to upper canopy in some fields, but some stripe rust has also been found on Vantage.

The risk of FHB as predicted by the disease forecast models indicated relatively low risk for most of Minnesota for much of the past 7 days. The exception being much of Kittson county in the extreme northwest corner of the State. The weather outlook for the next 3 to 5 days suggests that the risk is likely waning.

A few calls have come in about powdery mildew having been detected in the lower canopy despite an application of a fungicide at anthesis. Understand that most if not all of the spray volume was deposited on the head and the upper canopy. Consequently it will not give good control of powdery mildew despite the fact that tebuconazole and Prosaro give good control of powdery mildew. The warmer daytime temperatures should really slow down these infections. Powdery mildew will turn from gray white to a tan color when it gets too hot for it to flourish.

The first case of crown rust has been reported on oats in Renville County.

By Dean Malvick, Department of Plant Pathology

The fact that Goss's wilt is was a widespread corn disease in Minnesota in 2011 is broadly known.  The question of how much Goss's wilt will develop in 2012 is dependent in part on field and weather conditions.  As of June 13, 2012, Goss's wilt had been confirmed over the previous week in several counties in Iowa and Nebraska. Thus it could also start to appear soon in Minnesota.  This article summarizes key points about this disease, including where it has been confirmed in Minnesota, factors that favor its development, and how to recognize it.

06/14/2012

The spring wheat in many parts of the state is now fully headed or pretty close to it. The drought stress has been partially abetted with some timely rains over the weekend. Yield potential, however, of the most drought stricken fields has been greatly reduced as tillers and lower leaves were aborted. This is very visible as the canopy opened up. Some of the worst field will likely not yield much over 35 to 40 bushels.

As far as diseases are concerned, these are some of our own observations and those of the scouts that are paid for through a grant of the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council. Tan spot is still the most prevalent disease, closely followed by stripe rust. Both diseases have progressed to the middle of the canopy, particularly on more susceptible varieties, as is the case for Faller and stripe rust

BYDV like symptomology can be readily found in barley, particular in the southern half of the state. Disconcerting in these cases is the high incidence and the severity; very seldom, if ever, have we seen such a widespread infection across fields, and the severe stunting. Fields have actually been abandoned and replanted with soybeans in the past week.

Now is the time to scout the fields to assess yield potential and the presence of any foliar diseases such as tan spot and leaf or stripe rust. With the increase in precipitation, disease risk models have, and will likely continue to trend higher, especially for the foliar diseases such as tan spot and stripe rust.

The decision to apply a fungicide at Feekes 10.51 will not be easy this year. Given the weather forecast for the next 5 to 7 days, we don't expect the risk models for FHB to increase dramatically. The decision therefore will hinge as much on the presence of foliar diseases as on the risk for FHB. The lower yield potential further complicates the matter.

The Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council funded a disease survey in small grains in 2012. This is a summary of what the scouts have found in the past few days:

The winter wheat is mostly at or just past anthesis is looking very good overall. The spring wheat is not far behind and is more variable. Drought stress is evident in the central and northern portions of the Red River Valley with the area around Crookston being the hardest hit by drought. Available soil moisture at the NWROC is between ~ 2.7 to 3.3 inches in the top 5 ft of three soils series that were sampled last week (or less than 25% of field capacity), with less than 0.5 inch in the top two feet of two of the three samples.

As far as diseases is concerned:

1) Scattered incidence of powdery mildew in winter wheat throughout the state. Incidence and severity generally pretty low except for one particular field where is was quite high.

2) Tan spot can pretty readily found in the middle and lower portions of the canopy of winter wheat and initial infections are starting to show in spring wheat. Incidence in spring wheat is very low. This is likely a function of the fact that most growers now routinely use half a labeled rate of a fungicide at F5 in a tank mix combination with the weed control program. Likewise initial infections of net blotch in barley and Septoria spot blotch in spring wheat can be found.

3) BYDV like symptomology can be readily found in oat and winter wheat across the state. Foci tend to be small (couple of plants) to medium sized (several feet in diameter) circular patches throughout the field. Aphids (bird cherry oat and English grain) can be found but are generally not at threshold. Some stunting evident, something we rarely see.

4) No confirmed cases of aster yellows to date, but the first few cases have been submitted for diagnosis.

5) Stripe rust is now common in the southern portion of the state with incidence nearing 100% in 'Faller' spring wheat (Faller is readily identified because of the rather distinct purple auricles - click here for more details). Severity is approaching 10% on the penultimate and/or flag leaf is some fields.

6) Leaf rust has been confirmed is a spring wheat field near Barrett, MN (west central MN). The variety was unknown but the incidence was low. The reaction type, however, was S.

There is a fair amount of herbicide injury also showing up in spring wheat that may be mistaken for disease symptoms. The drought stress and a couple of cool nights following the herbicide application is causing this increase in the incidence and severity of the herbicide injury.

For high yields, small grains need 14 to 17 inches of water depending on weather conditions and length of growing season. The water used for optimum growth is a combination of stored soil moisture, rain and irrigation. Small grains require about six inches of water as a threshold for grain yield. Each additional inch of water will provide four to five bushels per acre. In deep well-drained soils, the roots of small grains will extract water to a depth of three feet. Small grains are most sensitive to water stress in the boot to flowering stage of growth.

While many parts of Minnesota have come out of the drought, northwest Minnesota is still very dry. As of May 29th, the US Drought Monitor classified this area of the state as either abnormally dry or in a moderate drought. Last week's available soil moisture was less than one inch in the top 3 ft of two soils cores that were taken at the NWROC and less than two inches in the top 3 ft of a third core.

During the peak water use period, small grains can use up to 0.30 inches per day depending on air temperature and cloud cover. Daily crop water use - often called evapotranspiration or ET - depends on plant development and local weather conditions. Small grain water use will generally peak between heading and early dough stage. Daily ET estimates in the tables are based on long term average solar radiation and cloud cover. Daily ET estimates in northwestern Minnesota may be 5 to 10 percent greater than estimates found in Table 1 for central Minnesota because there is a greater chance for clearer and cloud free sky.

Real-time daily crop ET estimations during the growing season can be obtained from the Internet: For North Dakota go to here and for Minnesota go to here.

Small grains are susceptible to fungal infections. Most small grains are irrigated with center pivots; therefore it is better to apply at least an inch of water per irrigation rather than more frequent small applications. Wheat and barley are particularly susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB) prior to and during flowering. Irrigation during this period should be avoided if possible thus root zone water should be brought to a high level prior to flowering.

For detailed instructions on how to apply the daily crop water use estimations from these tables within an irrigation scheduling program review the Irrigation Scheduling by Checkbook Method Extension bulletin from the University of Minnesota Extension.

By Dean Malvick

With most of the soybean and corn crop emerged and growing across Minnesota - it is a good time to assess fields for seedling disease problems and the potential benefits or failures of seed treatments.  The recent fluctuating temperatures and abundant rainfall that resulted in surplus topsoil moisture in about 21% of the state last week (USDA-NASS data) have created good conditions for seedling diseases and root infection by a complex mix of pathogens in many fields.  Scattered problems with seedling diseases have been reported.

By Dave Nicolai, IAP Program Coordinator

The 2012 Field School for Ag Professionals will be held on July 25 - 26 at the University of Minnesota Agriculture Experiment Station, St. Paul Campus, University of Minnesota. The St. Paul Campus (located in Falcon Heights, MN next to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds at Larpenteur and Gortner Ave) is this year's site for the Field School for Ag Professional which is the summer training opportunity that combines hand-on training and real-world field scenarios that no winter program can offer.  The two-day program focuses on core principles in agronomy, entomology, weed and soil sciences on the first day and builds on this foundation with timely, cutting-edge topics on the second day.

The last two mornings thermometers have dipped below 32oF in many places across Northwest Minnesota. Unlike the freezing temperatures we endured in April, these lows may have actually caused some damage as most fields are now at or past the jointing stage. Kansas State University has published an excellent bulletin about freeze injury in wheat that describes in detail what the damage looks like and what the yield impact can be. Simply follow this link: Spring Freeze Injury to Kansas Wheat

Understand that any freeze injury is probably localized to sheltered and low lying areas. You should also now that damage to the growing point may not be evident immediately. Leaf tissue that is damaged should show symptoms after a day or two.

05/31/2012

Winter and the earliest spring wheat fields are heading across the State. While producers in the southern half of the State comment that their winter and spring wheat has never looked this good, the northwest part of the State suffered enough drought stress to impact the yield potential of the spring and winter wheat crops. The drought and last week's heat caused tillers to be aborted and crop phenology to advance rapidly, with some field moving from jointing to having the flag leaf fully emerged in just over a week. A few initial counts of the number spikelets per spike were disappointing.

There are confirmed reports of stripe rust across the state but there are no confirmed cases of leaf rust to date. More details scouting reports will be available as of next Monday morning.

Now is the time to scout the fields to assess yield potential and the presence of any foliar diseases such as tan spot and leaf or stripe rust. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and the disease forecasting models to determine the risk for Fusarium head blight to decide whether an application at anthesis is warranted.

By Daniel Kaiser
Extension Nutrient Management Specialist

The dry conditions in March and April have given way to extremely wet areas in some parts of Minnesota.  Since alfalfa stands got an early start this year there were a few concerns popping up early in the southeastern part of the state on areas of fields yellowing.  While there may have been some effects due to the cool weather in April a couple of nutrient could be of concern.

Daniel Kaiser and Jochum Wiersma
University of Minnesota Extension

Weather conditions have been extremely variable around the state of Minnesota this year. While some areas have experienced near record rainfalls others have still been in the midst of a drought. These differences have brought some interesting questions regarding management of potassium and soil testing in the midst of dry soil conditions.

John A. Lamb and Daniel E. Kaiser
Soil Fertility Specialists

Nitrogen is important for corn growth. This has been a concern on growers' minds since March. First concern was with the poor tillage conditions last fall. Did the nitrogen applied stay in the soil. We attempted to answer that question in a March 18 E-news. At the time of that E-news, drought was the weather condition on everyone's mind. Now with the record rainfalls, there are concerns if nitrogen has been lost to leaching or denitrification.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
The link listed here provides Central MN Alfalfa Harvest Alert Scissors-Cut data through May 25. If we get additional information for May 25, it will be updated in the link posted here.

Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 May 25.pdf

Read more for some observations about insects, fertilizer, and a Forage Field Day and Dairy tour planned for June 15 near St. Anthony north of Albany in Stearns County.
 

By Liz Stahl and Jeff Coulter

Growers are finding high populations of volunteer corn in their fields this spring.  Factors likely contributing to this include lodging in many fields last fall due to poor stalk quality and drought conditions, and higher harvest losses due to low grain moisture at harvest.  Other factors that can lead to high populations of volunteer corn the following year include storm damage and ear droppage.  The question arises:  When are populations of volunteer corn high enough to warrant control?  

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
UPDATED May 22 5:30 p.m.
The link listed here provided Central MN Alfalfa Harvest Alert Scissors-Cut data obtained through May 21. Additional Information might be added to this report on May 23 later in the afternoon or evening. If so it will be edited here at this link. We will sample again on Thursday Morning, weather permitting.

It looks like finding a WEATHER opportunity may be the primary decision factor for a lot of the hay crop in this area now milk cow quality hay. There are some fields yet that are just starting to show some bud development and might have a little time to grow yet.

PAST HAIL. Good news for hailed off field on May 1 north of Albany. It is a very nice looking stand of 12 inch alfalfa now. Nearly every stem was broken at 3 to 7 inches by the hail.
 
Remember, for scissors-cut sampling, we like to have 3-4 samples that are 3 or 4 days apart to establish a trend line to gain more confidence in the numbers.

Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 May 21.pdf

ALFALFA WEEVIL RESOURCE. There a couple notes at the end of the posted report finding some alfalfa weevil larva in a field today... and a resource listing some threshold guidelines. Here's another:
AW trtmnt thresholds.pdf

Leafhopper populations are increasing in the northern RRV. Fields which held low numbers on Friday have significantly increased populations this week. These are all winged adults and so are likely the populations from the southern part of the state that are migrating north. We don't have any data on what impact on yield these higher populations of leafhoppers may have on small grains but sap-feeding leafhoppers generally don't impact yield. Having said that, leafhopper populations in typical years are much lower; in dry conditions, sap feeders have been known to exacerbate drought stress. Generally, leafhoppers are more important as vectors of the disease, Aster Yellows (AY). Caused by a phytoplasm, AY can infect wheat, and under the right conditions cause yield loss. Symptoms show up a couple of weeks after infection by the leafhopper and include yellowing of leaves, often accompanied with reddish or purple coloration (similar to BYDV).

There have been several reports from the northern RRV of yellowing in small grains fields (see figure at bottom). While the primary symptom of Aster Yellows is yellowing leaves, it's felt that leafhopper populations have not been established in the northern part of the valley long enough for AY to be the cause of this discoloration. On the other hand, there's some indication that yellowing now being seen in the northern RRV is likely related to nitrogen and potassium deficiencies. Even in fields which typically have high potassium or good nitrogen levels, the dry soil conditions may be making these nutrients unavailable to the plants. So, yellowing may not necessarily be AY, but something else.

There have been a lot of questions about adding insecticide along with the next herbicide application in efforts to kill off leafhopper populations. Technically, not a difficult practice; almost any insecticide labeled in small grains will kill leafhoppers, and the small, thin crop canopy means there will be less of a deleterious effect of applying insecticides with the lower pressure and larger drop size you get from herbicide nozzles. But, as we currently have no data on the effect on grain yields of these high leafhopper populations, nor on how much AY is being transmitted in the field, we cannot provide a recommendation for or against this practice.

If you considering treating fields, there are a few points to keep in mind about your expected outcomes (you may need to modify your expectations):

1) AY phytoplasm is transmitted very quickly by the leafhoppers (just like non-persistent virus by aphids). If you have heavy populations of leafhoppers in your fields, plants may already be infected with AY. We know from experience that insecticides, both foliar and seed treatments, are not effective in managing quickly transmitted plant diseases (e.g. PVY in potatoes). In the time the insecticide takes to do its job, the disease can be transmitted. Consequently, don't be too surprised if there are AY infected plants in fields later this season after you had successful leafhopper control.

2) AY symptoms can be similar to those caused by a number of nutrient and other disease factors, including early-season tan spot, BYDV, nitrogen or potassium deficiencies. Removing the leafhoppers will not be effective in solving the underlying cause of yellowing.

3) The thin crop canopies make for a reduced expectation of insecticide residual. They allow UV light, wind, and any moisture available onto all the leaves. These are the environmental factors that break down the active ingredients in insecticides. The plants are also still relatively small, meaning more vegetative material is going to develop, none of which will be protected by insecticide.

4) Shorter residual means potential re-infestation by immigrating populations of leafhoppers. Keep scouting fields.

5) Early spraying may remove predator insects that can limit later populations of aphids. If we get aphids later in the season, sprayed fields may require re-treatment. If aphids infest local grain fields, keep a close eye on their numbers (85% stems with more than one aphid present).

6) Leafhopper populations in the south are decreasing so we may well see similar dynamics here in the next week or two.

Bottom line - we can't recommend spraying, we can't recommend not spraying - we just have no data. But even if a field is treated, you may have to modify your expectations.

- Ian MacRae (UMN), Jochum Wiersma (UMN), Janet Knodel (NDSU), and Bruce Potter (UMN)

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
UPDATED MAY 18 9 PM
The link listed here provides Central MN Alfalfa Harvest Alert Scissors-Cut and PEAQ data obtained as of May 17. I expect to get a few more lab reports back on Friday and will aim to update the document posted at the link listed here sometime later Friday afternoon.

More buds - and more harvest decisions. As fields appear to meet harvest goals, farmers are making harvest decisions.

Remember, for scissors-cut sampling, we'd like to have 3-4 samples that are 3-4 days apart to establish a trend line to gain more confidence in the numbers. Thinking about a trend line takes out some of the "bounce" we see sometimes from one sample to the next.

Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 05 17.pdf

Check the notes at the end of the report for some discussion about why we might see better RFV in some fields this year. We'll find out in the feed bunk and for dairy herds in what cows are able to do with it.

CORN EMERGENCE - On another topic, we've had some calls in central MN this week about problems with corn emergence, mainly due to heavy rains around May 1 and 6. One key point to remember is that for corn that starts to leaf out underground, those plants will likely NOT make it to the surface. For some discussion about evaluating stands do a website search for "Minnesota Extension Corn Emergence" or go direct to:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/corn/emergence.html

Please continue to have a safe spring work season, hay harvest, and other things you enjoy in the spring.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
UPDATED MAY 15 5 pm

The link listed here provides Central MN PEAQ and Scissors-Cut sample information from Monday May 14... and a list from past sampling days for each cooperating farm.

We will have more lab reports for Monday sampling on Tuesday and I will update the link listed HERE with new data as we get it. Remember, for scissors-cut sampling, we like to have 3-4 samples taken 3-4 days apart to consider a trend line to provide more confidence in the numbers. The can bounce up and down some based on the chance of what is clipped each day.
 
Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 05 14.pdf

Read more for some other observations and resources

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
UDATED MAY 11 about 10 PM
This is the information from PEAQ field notes and Scissors-Cut sample lab tests on May 10 for the Central MN Alfalfa Harvest Alert Project. We expect to get more sample information from today on Friday and we'll aim to update this posting here sometime on Friday night.

Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 05 10.pdf

The data for entries in the "height" column marked with an asterisk are still from a previous sample date.

Alfalfa at the Poppler farm near Waverly was CUT on Wednesday May 9. It was 24 inches on Monday. Some farms are considering harvest plans for next week, where the crop is ready for their ration targets. Things will likely change quickly if we get warm weather.

Because of the tremendous VARIATION we see in fields this year for a lot of different reasons, it's even more important for farmers to check their own fields and to have a clear idea of their own feed needs related to quality and yield. Some fields are ready now, some might not be ready for 10 days to 2 weeks. Along the way, everyone can wrestle with what they can count on from the weather.

Please note cooperating agribusiness and Extension people who are working with this project as noted at the end of the report, the Central MN Forage Council and cooperating farmers.

Please Plan and Prepare for a SAFE hay harvest.

 

High populations of Aster Leafhopper (also called 6-spotted Leafhopper) have been reported in small grains over the past couple of weeks. Starting in the south but now spreading to northern MN and ND. Aster Leafhoppers are greyish leafhoppers; the adults have clear wings and 6 spots between the compound eyes (Figure 1). Other than their coloration, the adults and nymphs both very much resemble potato leafhopper. The leafhopper uses it's piercing sucking mouthparts to feed on the plant's sap. The damage caused by Aster Leafhopper feeding is more localized than that produced by potato leafhopper. Feeding may produce localized necrosis or stippling (Figure 2), however, damage is much less than that caused by the Potato Leafhopper.
While they may overwinter as eggs in parts of MN, the sudden arrival of large populations of adults, together with the lack of nymphs present, indicates they arrived here from somewhere else. Like many other snowbirds in this area, part of the northern plain's populations overwinter somewhere warmer and return to the north when the weather once again becomes bearable! Once active in the region, Aster Leafhoppers feed on a wide variety of grass and broadleaf plants, crop and non-crop alike. Adults may move between host plants and follow what's green and available.
Disease Vectors - These insects can be economically important in wheat when they vector of Aster Yellows (AY). Feeding injury of aster leafhoppers is less important than disease vectoring. AY has a very wide host range and causes economic losses in several vegetables and ornamentals. If you have seen purple coneflowers with green distorted flowers, you have seen the aster yellows plant disease. Aster yellows is caused be a phytoplasm; an organism similar to a bacterium but without cell walls. When AY infects wheat, it produces symptoms very similar to Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV).
Research has shown that heavy infections of AY can cause yield loss in susceptible wheat varieties. There are anecdotal observations from wheat varietal plots in northern Minnesota, which indicate that AY symptoms may be more severe, or that the disease is aggravated under wet conditions.
Aster leafhoppers acquire the phytoplasm by feeding on an AY infected plant for a minimum of 30 minutes. Acquisition of the phytoplasm increases with longer feeding times. The AY phytoplasm requires another two weeks, to incubate within the aster leafhopper before the leafhopper can transmit the disease to new plants. Consequently, immigrating aster leafhoppers, arriving already infectious for AY, are more likely to vector the disease into fields than the smaller overwintering populations which have to acquire and incubate the phytoplasm before they can infect plants. However, once it acquires the phytoplasm, a leafhopper remains infectious for an extended period of time. Although the acquisition phase may be long, it takes a very short feeding period by the leafhopper to transmit the disease to uninfected plants. Generally speaking, the more disease vectors that are present, the greater the potential for that disease to spread.
Feeding Damage - Other than vectoring AY, there is little data on the impact of very high levels of aster leafhoppers. In most years the populations of aster leafhoppers are lower and their feeding injury has little or no impact on wheat yield. We have no data indicating if this is the case with very high populations of aster leafhoppers such as we are seeing this year.
Management -Unfortunately, there is no clear cut answer as to whether treatment of an individual field is warranted; we have no action thresholds for this insect as it is rarely a problem (the only mention we can find of treatable levels is from a 1935 paper that refers to clouds of leafhoppers at one's feet). There are a number of factors to be considered before making individual decisions.

• High numbers of vectors increase the chances of disease spread


• There is little data indicating that direct feeding damage causes wheat yield losses. There is no treatment threshold (clouds not being a very useful term).


• The rapid transmission of AY may mean that fields with heavy populations of aster leafhoppers may contain plants already infected with the disease, so killing aster leafhoppers to avoid AY may not be effective.


• There's not yet a canopy, plants are small, rapidly adding new leaves and have maximum exposure to wind, sun and moisture, meaning insecticide residual is going to be shorter than later in the season. So there's no guarantee that treated fields may not become re-infested with aster leafhoppers.


• Treating with a broad spectrum insecticide will kill beneficial organisms and may lead to higher aphid populations and BYDV. Bird-cherry oat aphids are already present in southern MN and BYDV is a more serious threat to wheat yield than AY. Populations of aphids in the field would favor treating the field and influence the insecticide used.


• Both Aster Yellows and Barley Yellow Dwarf must be transmitted by insects (aster leafhoppers and aphids respectively). If you see discoloration in the absence of these insects, it isn't AY or BYDV, look for some other cause!

The bottom line is this will have to be an individual's decision and is a field by field situation, please use the facts that we've mentioned above and make the best decision for your production system.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
UPDATED MAY 9 about 9 PM - Added report from Maus farm near Freeport
The link listed here provides Central "MN Alfalfa Harvest Alert" scissors-cut data and PEAQ readings for May 7 and previous dates.
Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 05 07.pdf

Some fields are looking about ready, depending on goals, weather and soil conditions. Some fields may be 10 days to 2 weeks later.
Read more for other resources.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
Hail did some damage to alfalfa fields as well as automobiles and homes on Tuesday afternoon and evening on May 1 at places  from out toward Padua in western Stearns County to Albany. In some fields nearly all stems in established alfalfa were broken as stripped of leaves. These will need to start again with new shoots from the crown. In new emerged alfalfa seedlings, stems broken below the leaves are done. I'll attach an article here written previously by Wisconsin Extension Specialist Dan Undersander that offers some discussions about decisions that might be made.
 Hail Alfalfa Undersander.pdf

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
The link listed here provides Central MN Alfalfa Harvest Alert Scissors-Cut data obtained as of May 5. Addition information might be added to this report on May 7. If so it will be edited here. Remember, for scissors-cut sampling, we like to have 3 or 4 samples that are 3 or 4 days apart to establish a trend line to gain more confidence in the numbers.
Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 05 03.pdf

For more information about scissors-cut sampling or PEAQ go to  http://www.extension.umn.edu/forages
Or search for Midwest Forage Association

Daniel Kaiser

University of Minnesota Soil Fertility Specialist

Research on Iron Deficiency Chlorosis (IDC) has been identifying methods to manage the problem for soybeans. Since 2010 research has been conducted using strip trials within farmers' fields. Currently we are looking for a 5 acre area to conduct a field study looking at the effect of Soygreen and oat cover crops on areas of the field that range from no-IDC to severe IDC. Our goal is to determine the economic benefits of the treatments on varying IDC severity within fields planted with two soybean varieties with varying tolerances to IDC.

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties    
       The Central MN Alfalfa Harvest Alert Scissors-Cut and PEAQ Sampling project has started for 2012 with data collected in Carver, Scott, McLeod, Meeker, Wright, Stearns, Benton and Morrison Counties.
      Data from fields measured and sampled on April 30, 2012 are posted at
 Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data 2012 April 30.pdf
       There could be a lot of variation between fields based on soil moisture conditions, any earlier frost damage, how late fields were cut in the fall, how much growth was on fields in the fall, hail damage, and other factors.
      Some questions have been asked about whether the hay crop will be more mature than height and maturity would indicate because it came out of dormancy so early. The numbers from the first three fields sampled would seem to indicate this won't be much of an issue, but we'll get a better look at that as we see more field and lab results.
       More sampling sites will be started on May 3 and perhaps a couple more next week. Results will be posted here as the information is put together.
Read Further for more information.

By Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties

This information is from the Sauk Centre Hay Auction held on April 19, 2012. I am posting three reports:

Apr 19, 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf ...  A list of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold ... grouped by kind of hay, RFV and type of bale ... cost per pound of dry matter and cost per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2011 2012.pdf ... A summary of auctions held this year: Medium Square Alfalfa 101 to 200 RFV divided in 25 point groups, and bedding material.

Graph SC Hay Auction 2001-2012.pdf ... A line graph of auction seasons from 2001 to 2012

Read further for a couple observations about the auction and a resource for evaluating hail damage on alfalfa.

The last two auctions of the season are scheduled for May 3 and 17.

You can look at USDA Hay Market Reports at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/LSMNpubs and a "hay wanted" and "hay  for sale" Minnesota Hay List at www.haylist.umn.edu 

The 2012 growing season is well under way. The spring planting progress has been at a record pace, a consequence of a very dry fall and winter and a very warm March. Winter wheat has very little winter injury and stands are generally very good.

The winter wheat crop is at or near jointing and some of the earliest spring wheat fields are not far behind. This means that it is time to start scouting for early season tan spot.

To aid in your decision whether a fungicide is needed to control early seaon tan spot you can go to http://mawg.cropdisease.com to evaluate the risk that conditions are favorable for tan spot to develop. Make sure to select the model for tan spot in the left hand model.

An overview article of control of early season tan spot can be found here:
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/cropnews/2010/05/early-season-tan-spot.html.

Be aware that tank mixing fungicide with certain herbicides can result in temporary crop injury. See here for details here http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/sub/cm/research/2011/mixing/ and http://blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/cropnews/2011/06/early-season-tan-spot-and-risk.html

by Dan Martens, U of M Extension Educator in Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
This information is from the Sauk Centre Hay Auction held on April 5, 2012. It is based on information provided by Stearns DHIA Lab and the Mid-American Auction Company.

April 5 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A summary of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, type of bale and 25 RFV points... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2011 2012.pdf... A summary of hay auctions held this year showing Medium Square Alfalfa 101-200 RFV divided in 25 RFV groups, and medium sq. straw.

Graph SC Hay Auction 2001-2012.pdf.. A line graph of these auctions from 2001 to 2012. For the Feb 16 auction, the 176-200 RFV group is just one load - so not really an average.

The next auction at Sauk Centre will be held on Thursday April 19.

Read more for some comments on Other hay market info, Alfalfa and frost, Alfalfa harvest alert scissors cut project, Pricing standing hay, Summer tours, Safety, Useful forage websites.

Daniel Kaiser
Extension Soil Fertility Specialist

Dry fall and early spring soils have led to questions about starter fertilizer application this spring.  While that planting with starter in a dry seedbed can significantly increase the risks, the overall effect will not be known until after planting.  Assessing the situation after emergence will be the best way to determine if damage has occurred due to "pop-up" fertilizer application.  With some corn already planted and fertilizer decisions made there are a few key points to remember when dealing with starter fertilizers.

by Dan Martens, U of M Extension Educator in Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
This information is from the Sauk Centre Hay Auction held on March 15, 2012. It is based on information provided by Stearns DHIA Lab and the Mid-American Auction Company.

Mar 15 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A summary of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, type of bale and 25 RFV points... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2011 2012.pdf... A summary of hay auctions held this year showing Medium Square Alfalfa 101-200 RFV divided in 25 RFV groups, and medium sq. straw.

Graph SC Hay Auction 2001-2012.pdf ... A line graph of these auctions from 2001 to 2012. For the Feb 16 auction, the 176-200 RFV group is just one load - so not really an average.

The next auction at Sauk Centre will be held on Thursday April 5.

 

Written by: Dr. Jeff Stachler, University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University and edited by Al Cattanach, Mark Bredehoeft, and Mike Metzger

Questions from sugarbeet growers have been coming in to Extension and Sugarbeet Cooperative Ag Staff about how to properly manage glyphosate-resistant waterhemp. The three Sugarbeet Cooperatives and Jeff Stachler recently met to determine the best strategy to manage glyphosate-resistant waterhemp in Roundup Ready sugarbeet.

The record breaking temperatures of the past week make it feel more like the middle of May than the middle of March. Obviously, as the fields look ready, the question arises whether this early is too early. With the very late start of 2010 and the disappointing wheat and barley yields that followed still fresh in memory, everyone understands that early planting is paramount. What are the risks of planting too early? Is there such a thing as too early for seeding wheat and other cool season grasses?
Spring wheat (and spring barley and oats) will start germinating in earnest when soil temperatures reach 40⁰F. Once the imbibition phase starts there is no return to dormancy and the germination/emergence should be as quick as possible to establish a healthy, vigorous seedling. Protracted emergence will predispose the seeding to attacks of soilborne fungi like Pythium damping off or common root rot, ultimately reducing stands. Daytime highs in the sixties and night temperatures around 40 are great and will allow the crop to emerge in 8 to 10 days and make for a robust stand.
During this whole germination and seedling emergence and up to the 5-leaf stage, the growing point will be at ~1 inch depth. At this depth it is protected from the ambient temperatures. The crown can sustain temperatures down to 28⁰F and probably even handle short periods of temperatures as low as 22⁰F. Even if above ground leaves freezes, the plant will survive and continue its development as long as the crown does not suffer any freezing injury.

Thus planting this early is a risk if winter returns and temperatures plummet. The immediate forecast, however, looks very favorable for germination and emergence as National Weather Service's extended outlook favors temperatures in the region to average 16-20 ⁰F warmer than normal through the end of March. The 10-day extended outlook looks for daytime highs in the 50 and 60⁰F and nighttime lows in the low 40⁰F or high 30⁰F.

To assess the risk of winter returning in April and the first half of May, I took the weather records from the Northwest Research & Outreach Center that date back all the way to 1890. If we take the latest 30-year climate normal (1981 through 2010), winter can still return in April and when it does, the number of days the minimum temperatures go below 22⁰F between April 1 and May 15 is relatively small at 9% (Table 1). The number of days the nighttime temperatures dips below 28⁰F is much greater at 25%. If however, the warmer weather continues and we look at the 30 warmest Aprils on record, these percentages are cut in half. Taking the warmest 5 April months on record, cuts those percentages again in half. The National Weather Service's outlook for April favors temperatures to average warmer than normal.

Obviously this is somewhat of a roughshod approach as each individual day has its own probability function, meaning that it has its own mean and distribution around that mean. To do these calculations statistically correct you would have to calculate the probability that temperatures dropped below 22, 28 and 32 degrees for each individual day and then average them out over the same time period. Intuitively you would understand that the risk is greatest in early April and diminishes with each day the season progresses.

Bottom line: there is a risk that cold weather returning. Frost is likely to return to the region but the odds of really cold temperatures that could damage the crown appear to be relatively small. Of course, if any snow accompanies the cold weather, the snow will act as insulation and reduce the risk of the crowns freezing.

Daniel Kaiser and John Lamb

Soil Fertility Extension Specialists

The snow is gone and summer is here? The change in weather this spring has allowed for earlier field work to begin. Questions that come to mind include what kind of tillage should I do and do these condition affect me nitrogen management program for corn.

by Dan Martens, U of M Extension Educator in Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
This information is from the Sauk Centre Hay Auction held on March 1, 2012. It is based on information provided by Stearns DHIA Lab and the Mid-American Auction Company.

Mar 1 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf... A summary of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, type of bale and 25 RFV points... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2011 2012.pdf... A summary of hay auctions held this year showing Medium Square Alfalfa 101-200 RFV divided in 25 RFV groups, and medium sq. straw.

 Graph SC Hay Auction 2001-2012.pdf ... A line graph of these auctions from 2001 to 2012. For the Feb 16 auction, the 176-200 RFV group is just one load - so not really an average.

The next auction at Sauk Centre will be held on Thursday March 15.

by Dan Martens, U of M Extension Educator in Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
This information is from the Sauk Centre Hay Auction held on Feb. 16, 2012. It is based on information provided by Stearns DHIA Lab and the Mid-American Auction Company.

Feb 16 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf ... A summary of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, type of bale and 25 RFV points... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2011 2012.pdf... A summary of hay auctions held this year showing Medium Square Alfalfa 101-200 RFV divided in 25 RFV groups, and medium sq. straw.

Graph SC Hay Auction 2001-2012.pdf ... A line graph of these auctions from 2001 to 2012. For the Feb 16 auction, the 176-200 RFV group is just one load - so not really an average.

The next auction at Sauk Centre will be held on Thursday March 1.

You can look at the USDA Hay Market Report at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/LSMNpubs Select "Hay" in the middle of the page.

by Dan Martens , U of M Extension Educator in Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties
This information is from the Sauk Centre MN hay auction held on Feb. 2, 2012. It is based on information provided by Stearns DHIA lab and the Mid-American Auction Company.

Feb 2 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf .... A summer of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold ... grouped by kind of hay, type of bale and 25 RFV points... cost per pound of dry matter and per RFV point are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2011 2012.pdf ... A summary of auctions held this year: Medium Square Alfalfa 101-200 RFV divided in 25 RFV point groups, and medium square straw.

Graph SC Hay Auction 2001-2012.pdf ... A line graph of auctions from 2001 to 2012. Dotted lines indicate where hay was not sold in a group at a particular sale. Averages might not mean so much when 1 a few loads were sold.

Read more for a little discussion about alfalfa winter survival and other sources of market information.

UMN Extension has developed a new web-based calculator to determine the value of manure

William F. Lazarus - Extension Economist, Jose A. Hernandez - Extension Educator, and Les Everett - Water Resources Center Education Coordinator. University of Minnesota - Extension

A new web-based tool developed by Dr. William F. Lazarus, Extension Economist and Professor in the Department of Applied Economics, is now available. The web-based calculator may be used to compare the economic value of manure from alternative manure application rates and methods. The value is based on crop nutrient needs for a specific field and crop rotation, fertilizer prices, manure hauling costs, manure type, and application method. In addition to assisting with management of current livestock and crop operations, the calculator can be useful in budgeting new facilities or evaluation of contract production through estimating the effect of manure and manure management on cash flow. The calculations can also assist crop and livestock producer estimate the value of manure that may be transferred or sold from one entity to another.

Livestock producers face uncertain markets and narrow margins. This situation motivates growers to optimize production methods, utilizing all resources including manure. In addition, an increase in the price of commercial fertilizer experienced since 2009, has heightened interest in the use of livestock manure for supplying crop nutrients and has significantly increased the value of manure as a nutrient source.

In recent years more producers have been considering the contribution of manure value to cash flow in livestock operation budgets, and seeking an appropriate market value in exchange situations between livestock producers and crop producers. More crop producers also appear to be seeking manure as a major nutrient source, either by purchasing from a livestock producer or by adding livestock to their operations, particularly swine finishing.

Determining the economic value of the nutrients in livestock manure can be tricky. Nutrients in commercial fertilizer are acquired by paying for the nutrients and a small application charge. With manure you, in effect, "acquire" nutrients by paying for the cost of application, even if you already have ownership of the manure in a storage structure.

Additionally, commercial fertilizer supplies the amount and ratio of nutrients you need or ordered. With manure, you get the amount and ratio of nutrients that it contains, which complicates the determination of a value. Even when a rate that supplies the correct amount of nitrogen is applied, the amount of phosphorous and potash applied may not match what you would have purchased commercially, and amounts applied above crop need probably have no value. In the past, manure application costs often exceeded the value of the nutrients applied. Now, in many situations, the nutrient value in the manure exceeds the cost of application.

The web-based calculator is available at http://z.umn.edu/manurevalue. For more information about manure economics please visit: http://z.umn.edu/manureworth.

Funding for the development of this tool was provided by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Section 319 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program from the Environmental Protection Agency.

By Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties

I am posting three items based on information from the January 19 Hay Auction at Sauk Centre:

Jan 19 2012 SC Hay Auction.pdf... A list of all tested hay lots and bedding materials sold... grouped by kind of hay, RFV in 25 point groups, and type of bale ... cost per pound of dry matter and cost per point RFV are calculated.

History of Selected Lots 2011 2012.pdf ... Average and Range of RFV values and prices for Medium Square Alfalfa in 25 RFV groups from 101 to 200 RFV. This included the average through each of the last 4 years and each auction so far this year. Medium Square Straw also listed.

Graph SC Hay Auction 2001-2012.pdf .... Line graphs fro markets fo Medium Square Alfalfa by 25 RFV groups. This year's line is a bold gold line. Dotted lines indicate and in-between sale did not hay hay in this group.

Read further from information about:
4 Regional Forage Production Workshops, Feb 6-9, in Rochester, Lamberton, Greenwald and Cromwell.

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