USDA OSU COUNTIES COOPERATING

DATE: February 5, 2009 VOLUME: 3

Corn and Soybeans Look Profitable in 2009Bill Burton

Trying to decide to plant either corn or soybeans this year? Both are pretty good bets to put money into your pocket this year. The lower prices for Urea and DAP fertilizers have brought corn back into the picture as a crop that could potentially show a profit. With a 100 bushel yield the return over operating expenses is estimated to be about $160 per acre. Soybean prices have stayed strong and a 30 bushel yield could return you approximately $190 per acre.

Both of these returns show the dollars left to pay on machinery and land notes. Any dollars left over is the return to owner’s labor and management. So it is possible that while they are showing a positive return over operating costs, that in the end a producer could end up in the negative.

When it comes to trying to decide to plant corn or soybeans, the decision is more complicated. These numbers are too close together to make a management decision based solely on them. Producers should look toward other factors to make this important decision.

In This Issue

**SPECIAL CROP ISSUE**

Corn and Soybeans Look Profitable in 2009Lower Fuel Prices Means lower Production Costs

Using Poultry Litter in Crop ProductionSecondary and Micro-Nutrient Deficiencies in NE Oklahoma

Maturity Groups and SoybeansA Brief History of Pest Control, a Reminder of Why We Should Care About How

We Control PestsIntegrated Pest Management, What it Really Means and How Does it Apply to us

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Lower Fuel Prices Means lower Production Costs

Bill Burton

We all know that fuel prices have come down in recent months. Crop producers can expect to see their fuel expenses to be somewhat lower in 2009 than in 2008, but how much lower. Utilizing the AgMac$ computer software developed by Agricultural Engineers at Oklahoma State University, this savings can be seen.

Taking a look at the three phases of production we can begin to estimate this savings.

Table 1: Cost per AcreFuel Price ($/Gallon) $5.00 $3.00 $2.00Chisel Plow $7.82 $6.25 $5.47Grain Drill $5.85 $5.07 $4.69Combine $41.47 $38.30 $36.72

Table 1 shows the estimated expenses for each of these three different operations at the three different fuel levels. Table 2 shows the percentage savings between the $5.00 and the $3.00 and $2.00 levels.

Table 2: Percentage Savings$5.00 to $3.00

Fuel Price$5.00 to $2.00

Fuel PriceChisel Plow 20% 30%Grain Drill 13% 20%Combine 8% 11%

The greatest savings comes in the tillage operation with the least savings on the harvesting operation. This will hopefully aid producers in trying to estimate how much they can expect to save due to lower fuel prices.

Using Poultry Litter in Crop Production

Josh Payne, Ph.D.

Poultry litter is recognized as an excellent source of the plant nutrients N, P and K, averaging 62 - 64 - 53 lbs/ton or 3.1 - 3.2 - 2.7%, respectively. In addition, litter returns organic matter and other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and sulphur to the soil, building soil fertility and quality. Crop producers should consider poultry litter as an alternative fertilizer source. In addition, factors such as litter availability, transportation and application costs, regulations and N availability should be considered.

Litter Availability Litter is not as easily obtained as purchasing commercial fertilizer from a local dealer. Most poultry operations clean-out their houses during the spring, thus the majority of litter becomes available at this time. However, this should not discourage a producer from attempting to obtain litter at other times of the year. In fact, obtaining litter in early fall not only compliments a wheat crop but may also occur when demand for litter is lower. The best advice for obtaining litter is to plan well in advance and have a plan B.

Transportation and Application Costs Obviously, the further you are from the source, the higher the transportation cost will be. A semi-load of litter will average 25 tons and transportation cost may vary from $3 to

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$3.50 per loaded mile. Application cost may vary from $7 to $10 per ton.

Regulations There are regulations associated with the land application of poultry litter in Oklahoma. A producer must provide a soil test prior to applying litter. In addition, anyone that applies poultry litter must be certified. Certification involves attending OSU Poultry Waste Mgmt. Education classes and paying a $15 fee to the OK Dept. of Ag. Food and Forestry. Poultry litter that is delivered to your farm must be surrounded by a compact soil berm or covered with a tarp if not immediately land-applied.

N Availability The N found in poultry litter is roughly 85% organic and 15% inorganic. The organic portion is considered a slow release fertilizer. OSU estimates that 50% of the total N is available in Year 1, while a remaining 20% is available in years 2 and 3. The remaining 30% is lost in the environment, mostly due to ammonia volatilization. For these reasons, additional inorganic N inputs may be necessary.

All of these factors should be considered prior to researching the use of poultry litter for crop production. The best first step is to take a soil test to determine if you need all the nutrients supplied by litter. If the answer is yes, the OK Litter Market website is a great place to start searching (www.ok-littermarket.org).

If litter availability becomes an obstacle, a producer may consider purchasing litter when demand is lower and stockpiling the litter under a covered storage area. The litter can then be applied at his/her convenience. Keep in mind that stockpiled litter creates conditions conducive for ammonia volatilization and research has shown total N losses of approximately 12% from stockpiled litter.

Secondary and Micro-Nutrient Deficiencies in NE Oklahoma

Robert L. Woods

Identifying yield limiting plant nutrient deficiencies is simple, “get a soil test”. Cooperative Extension has been promoting this concept for decades because a one size fits all approach does not work for fertilizer decisions. Most farmers should be familiar with the routine soil test for determining the status of the primary plant nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and soil pH. But recently there seems to be an increased concern about the need for secondary or micro nutrients in northeast Oklahoma.

There are 16 essential plant nutrients of which 3 are classified as secondary nutrients and 7 are micronutrients. The secondary nutrients include calcium, magnesium and sulfur and the micronutrients are iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, and chlorine.

Secondary Nutrients

Calcium (Ca) – A low soil pH would restrict yield before you would encounter a calcium deficiency. Lime applied to correct a low pH would provide the calcium. The OSU laboratory provides this test because calcium deficiency is a potential concern if growing peanuts.

Magnesium (Mg) – Not a widespread problem but enough deficiencies can be found in northeast Oklahoma to justify spending an extra $4 for a secondary nutrient test on crop fields. I have seen deficiencies in soil tests from Ottawa, Rogers, Muskogee, and Cherokee Counties. If a routine test shows a need for lime, it might be worth the effort to call your county extension office and ask them to have the lab then run a secondary test to check the Mg level. The lab keeps samples for a period

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of time in the event an additional test is needed. Dolomitic limestone contains Mg and might be the cheapest alternative if you need both lime and Mg.

Sulfur (S) – Deficiencies are unlikely in northeast Oklahoma. Sulfur is only needed in an amount equal to 1/20th of the nitrogen required to grow a crop. Sulfur is one of the mobile nutrients so a subsoil sample is necessary for a true picture of the sulfur available to the plant. Applying sulfur may give a bright green color even with adequate sulfur present in the soil. But, this aesthetic benefit does not necessarily translate to a yield response. Brighter green might be important for a leafy greens crop or a golf course. A deficiency would be most likely to occur in a deep sandy soil and that would limit susceptible sites to areas along the Canadian or Cimarron rivers.

Micronutrients

Iron (Fe) – Iron deficiencies are usually limited to susceptible crops grown in high pH soils found in western Oklahoma. A deficiency is unlikely in northeast Oklahoma because our soils normally have a low pH. I have encountered only 2 iron deficiencies in northeast Oklahoma. One was a strip in the edge of a field of Forrest soybeans along a county road that had recently been graveled. Forrest is an old soybean variety that was sensitive to iron deficiency in high pH soils. The second case was in a field of grain sorghum planted too soon after a heavy application and shallow incorporation of water treatment lime which caused a short term elevated soil pH.

Zinc (Zn) – Zinc deficiencies are not common in northeast Oklahoma but occasional deficiencies have been indicated by soil tests for corn and pecans. Spending the additional

$4 for a micronutrient test is a good idea if corn is to be grown.

Boron (B) – In Oklahoma, legumes, especially alfalfa and peanuts, are the only crops where we are concerned about boron deficiencies. Boron is another of the mobile nutrients so deficiencies are most likely to occur on deep sandy soils. In northeast Oklahoma, boron deficiencies have been found in alfalfa grown in sandy soils along the Canadian River in McIntosh and Muskogee counties. Too much boron can be toxic, so a soil test and careful application is a must if applying this nutrient. I have encountered one suspected boron toxicity problem caused by an over application of a starter fertilizer, when planting corn. Fortunately, since boron is mobile, a timely rain helped the field recover without replanting.

Chlorine (Cl) – Deficiencies are highly unlikely in northeast Oklahoma. Dr. Gordon Johnson, a retired State Extension Soil Fertility Specialist, once pointed out that chlorine deficiencies are unlikely in Oklahoma because so much of our moisture originates from a salt water source, the gulf or the pacific. Another reason that Cl deficiencies are unlikely is that our soils are inherently low in potassium and to supply potassium we use potassium chloride (0-0-60 fertilizer) which provides Cl.

Molybdenum (Mo) – The only reason to be concerned would be from planting soybeans that originated from an area with a known Mo deficiency. A soybean seed grown with adequate Mo will contain sufficient Mo for the plant that grows from that seed. If concerned, Mo is applied as a seed treatment.

Copper and Manganese (Cu, Mn) – Deficiencies of either of these would be extremely rare. However, the OSU soil testing laboratory does include Cu in the micronutrient test. They do not test soil for Mn.

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When county educators are asked to help diagnose a crop production problem during the growing season, they will typically collect samples from good and bad areas within the problem field. If the problem is a plant nutrient issue, it will most often be a problem that would have been prevented by regularly testing and following the recommendations of a routine soil test. Seldom has the problem been the result of a secondary or micro nutrient deficiency.

When you consider the price of fertilizer, a soil test is one of the most cost effective crop management tools available. A routine test only costs $10 and for an additional $8 you can have the peace of mind of knowing if secondary or micro nutrients are, or more likely, are not needed.

Maturity Groups and SoybeansRobert L. Woods

Attending a company sponsored soybean meeting recently, I was somewhat surprised by a lengthy discussion about soybean maturity groups and determinate versus indeterminate varieties. It was a reminder that even experienced people can occasionally benefit from a review of some basic management principles to remind us why and how we grow the crops we do. So here is a review of the difference between indeterminate and determinate soybean varieties and maturity groups.

From publication E-967, Oklahoma’s soybean production guide, you will find the following descriptions of determinate and indeterminate soybeans.

Determinate Varieties

Grow very little in height after flowering begins

Flowering occurs about the same time in both the top and bottom of the plant

Pod and seed development is about the same throughout the plant

The terminal leaf is about the same size as other leaves on the plant

Terminal node on the main stem usually bears a long flowering stalk

Terminal node has several pods Considered southern varieties (for NE

Oklahoma, primarily maturity groups IV, V, and VI)

Indeterminate Varieties

Are less than ½ their final height when flowering begins

Grow taller and produce branches while flowering, pod, and seed development are taking place

Pods and seed development on lower part of the plant are more advanced than at the top

Top of plant generally has smaller leaves than those lower on the plant

Only a few pods at terminal node Little branching when grown in

optimum stands Considered northern varieties 9 (for

Oklahoma primarily maturity groups III and IV)

Soybeans are photoperiod sensitive, which means they respond to day length as a signal for the stages of plant growth. As a consequence, a large difference in planting date will be a smaller difference at maturity. A two month difference in planting date might be only a one month or less difference in harvest date. To take advantage of our summer growing season, we plant soybean varieties from maturity groups III, IV, V, and VI.

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We plant group III or IV soybeans in April to mature ahead of our normal August drought. In 3 early planted soybean trials conducted in NE Oklahoma during the summer of 2008, the top varieties ranged from a 3.4 to a 4.9 maturity group.

Full season soybeans from maturity groups IV, V, or VI are planted in June to ride out the August drought in a vegetative stage of growth and fill pods after “county fair” rains arrive in the late summer and early fall. In full season, June planted, trials at Bixby and Miami in 2008 the top tier June planted varieties ranged from a 4.9 to a 5.4 maturity group.

So, how do you select the right maturity group? That’s hard to answer but our past yield trials would suggest a late 3 or 4 if planting in April and a mid to late 4 or 5 if planting in June. A 6 might be considered if planting early in June but might be susceptible to frost if planted in late June. Review available yield trials, study the seed catalogs for the traits you feel are important, and plant more than one maturity group.

I once observed a field of soybeans in northeast Oklahoma through a summer growing season that was reportedly planted twice with maturity group II soybeans. The intention was to harvest 2 soybean crops in one summer. The result was an early, short stature, low yielding crop followed by a second, even shorter statured, low yielding crop. Neither crop could take advantage of the available growing season. So, stick with what we know works and understand that the best variety for the year depends primarily on when the dry season occurs and how long it persists.

A Brief History of Pest Control, a Reminder of Why We Should Care

About How We Control PestsGeorge Driever, Ph.D.

Pests, animals, insects and diseases, have caused problems for humanity since before recorded history. The first farmers dealt with pests by planting more than they needed. Eventually, man began to think about how to control pests. As far back as 2500 B.C, early records show that the Sumerians used sulfur compounds to kill insects. The Chinese and Egyptians used herbs and oils to control insects. The Chinese also used mercury and arsenic compounds to control body lice. In addition to using chemicals, early civilizations also learned to manipulate planting dates and use burning of crop residues to control pests. By 200 B.C. the Roman, Cato the Censor recommended oil sprays for pest control. Marcus Pollio, a Roman architect, built the first rat-proof granary around 13 B.C.

During the 300-400 A.D. period, the Chinese were using predatory ants as a biological control to control caterpillars and beetles on their citrus trees. They even built bamboo bridges so that the ants could more easily move from tree to tree. Around this same time a Chinese alchemist recommended

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dipping rice transplants in white arsenic to protect the roots from insect pests. In Arabia from 1000-1300 A.D., date growers transported predatory ants from the mountains to control phytophagus ants which attacked the date palms. Also around this time weed control was practiced with hoes, crop rotation and cultivation methods. During the 1700’s, man began to grow crops in rows to make weed removal easier and Linneaus began describing insects and how to use various control methods to control the insects. In the middle 1800’s the insect causing grape Phylloxera nearly put an end to the French wine industry, but in 1873 a natural enemy of the Phylloxera causing insect was released in France to provide adequate control. A few years later the Bordeaux mixture and Paris Green were developed and these controlled Phylloxera and powdery mildew on French grapes. Resistant rootstocks and grafting were also developed around this time.

Around 1900 iron sulphate, a selective herbicide for broad leaf weeds was developed and many breeding programs were started to control Fusarium wilt on several crops. As the early 1900’s progressed, so also did the understanding of insect life cycles and their relationships to disease and each other. This resulted in disease control programs and the use of natural enemies to control some insect pests. At the end of World War I, synthetic organic compounds for plant pathogen control were developed. Likely this was derived from previous research with the caustic gasses used against soldiers in WWI. In the early 1930’s, large chemical manufacturers in Germany developed organophosphate poisons from their research on nerve gasses. This research was being mirrored in the U.S. and Britain. DDT was recognized in 1939 and in 1940 the precursor to 2,4-D was identified as having herbicidal activity. In 1944 2,4-D became available. Insect resistance to DDT was first reported in Sweden in 1946. During the 1950’s

to 1960 DDT and benzene hexachloride were credited with the dawn in a new era of insect control (Green Revolution). By 1960, many reports of insect resistance to DDT were noted. The sex pheromone for the gypsy moth was also synthesized in 1960. The publication of “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson in 1962 brought to public light the dangers to the environment and public health of uninhibited pesticide application. During this same period the science of pest management was introduced and the term Integrated Pest Management was introduced in 1967. The EPA was established in 1970. Since that time until present, the creativity of chemical companies is unbounded in the creation of other pesticides and other safer products.

So, the question is, why do you care about the history of pest management. While this article has been exceeding brief in summarizing the many, many pages of discoveries and applications of all aspects of pest management, the bottom line is that every person is responsible for the chemicals that are applied to the earth. While this may seem like a “treehugger” attitude, we all need to be reminded that there are multiple ways of controlling pests. Even before the advent of synthetic chemicals, man has used biological, cultural and chemical methods to control pests that affect human health and the crops that we grow. We all best serve each other by using non-pesticide methods as the first line of defense and use chemicals as the last choice.

If anyone is interested in more complete history of pest management, the history or organophosphate poisons, history of biological pest management (yes, this is different from the first one) or the development of insecticides, send me an email and I will send you the links.

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Integrated Pest Management, What it Really Means and How Does it Apply

to us TodayGeorge Driever, Ph.D.

The definition of IPM from the OSU IPM program is as follows: It is a sustainable approach to manage pests that combines prevention, avoidance, pest monitoring and suppression in a manner that minimizes health, economic, and environmental risk. To use an IPM approach requires that we identify the pest, understand the pest lifecycle, monitor for the presence of the pest and its abundance, establish an action threshold (will their be a yield loss that is greater than the costs to control the pest with chemicals), consider and select the multiple tactics for pest suppression and evaluate the results.

These many steps while time-consuming also enable us to choose the least toxic approach to controlling a given pest. Yes, going to the shelf and grabbing a quick knock-down chemical to control a pest is easier and sometimes we may end up at that point, but the result of this quick and easy kill type of thinking is that we continue to build up residues of chemicals and their breakdown products in our water, soil and in our bodies.

Even as early as 1885 imports of the “natural” insecticide pyrethrum was 622, 114 pounds. Arsenate compounds continued to accelerate in use and by 1929 the U.S. was producing over 60 million pounds per year valued at over $5 million. And this was only one group of pesticides. After the discovery of organophosphates in the late 1930’s many pesticides have been developed. The production start of DDT in 1944 was 91.6 million pounds. By 1947, over 13,000 insecticidal chemicals had been synthesized and classified. In 1953 500 million pounds of pesticides were produced annually in the U.S and by 1985 500 billion pounds were produced

in the U.S annually. Since that time the chemical classes and volume of pesticides have only continued to increase. In addition to the pesticides, there is the toxic waste that is the result of this production. Where does it go?

In the previous article I wrote about the use of arsenic as far back as 1200 B.C. and the use of sulphur before that. In contrast, as far back as 2000 B.C. cats were recognized as a rodent control and man was using cultural controls to control pests. Since those times many early “scientists” have made great efforts to understand the life cycles of pests and their relationships to man’s health, their crops and the environment. These efforts increased during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries to help us arrive at the point of Integrated Pest Management that we have today. Indeed, many people in the mid to late 1900’s dedicated their un-notable careers and in some instances their lives to the furtherance of this work.

So, the bottom line is this. Every person born and every bit of water and soil is likely impregnated with some kind of chemical. Man has caused an imbalance in nature to such a point that spraying requires more spraying and we still get nearly the same losses as were recorded before the “Green Revolution”. What are we to do? The simple answer is to think about what we do. All producers who grow animals or crops for food should try to use resistant plants, biological controls, mechanical controls, scouting and exclusion to try to control the insects and disease that reduce their yields. Yes, some of these methods are more time consuming, but in the long run the health of our families, generations to come and the health of our environment is worth the effort. Many of the cancers and other illness that have become commonplace in our lives are the result of our exposure to the chemicals that have been produced to enable us to increase yields and save time. It is our jobs to educate others to understand that a faster kill of a pest is not

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always the best way. As a Pest Management Specialist, it is my job to help others find solutions to control pests. Yes, sometimes I have to recommend chemicals, but I always try to find a non-chemical method first and then the least toxic product that will do the job as a last resort.

References:

History of Pest Management and the History of the Development of Organophosphate Poisons. Stephen Tvedten. http://www.safe2use.com/ca.ipm/01-04-27.htm

Chronological History of the Development of Insecticides and Control Equipment from 1854 to 1954. Clemson University, Pesticide information Program. http://entweb.clemson.edu/pesticid/history.htm

History of Biological Pest Control. http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/biotact/bc-2.htm

Bill BurtonArea Economist

George Driever, Ph.D.Area Pest Management Specialist

Josh Payne, Ph.D.Area Animal Waste Management

Specialist

Dates to Remember

February 24 – Poultry Annual Update Training 3 Hours, Stigler, OK

March 2-4 – Oklahoma Beef Quality Summit, OSU

March 4-6 – Oklahoma Beef Quality Summit, OSU

March 26 – Poultry Annual Update Training 3 Hours, Jay, OK

March 26 – Poultry Annual Update Training 3 Hours, Miami, OK

March 26 – Poultry Initial 9 Hour Training, Antlers, OK

March 27 – Poultry Initial 9 Hour Training, Jay, OK

September 20-24, 2009 – NACAA AM/PIC, Portland, OR

July 11-15, 2010 – NACAA AM/PIC, Tulsa, OK

Robert L. WoodsArea Agronomy Specialist

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Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Robert E. Whitson, Director of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. This publication is printed and issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the Vice President, Dean, and Director of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and has been prepared and distributed at a cost of $9.00 for 30 copies. 0209

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2009 Winter Row Crop Meeting

Wagoner Civic CenterFebruary 19, 20094:30 pm – 8:30 pm

(Registration begins at 4:30 pm)

TopicsUsing Poultry Litter in Crop Production

Update on Spray Equipment – Boom ControllersHerbicide Resistant Ryegrass in Oklahoma

Sunflowers as a potential Alternative to Late Planted SoybeansFertilizer Strategies – Band Applications, Foliar Feeding, Intensive

Sampling and MoreThe Value in an IPM Approach to Crop Management

Partners in Research

SpeakersDr. Josh Payne, Area Animal Waste Management SpecialistDr. Randy Taylor, Extension Agricultural EngineerBob Woods, Area Agronomy SpecialistDr. Chad Godsey, Extension Cropping Systems SpecialistDr. Brian Arnall, Precision Nutrient Management Specialist

Dr. George Driever, Area IPM SpecialistRodney King, Extension Educator, Muskogee County

Dinner Sponsored byFarm Credit Services (Broken Arrow, Muskogee, Stilwell)

RSVP to Muskogee or Wagoner County Extension Office by February 17

Muskogee County, 918-686-7200, rod.king@okstate.eduWagoner County, 918-486-4589, alan.parnell@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Robert E. Whitson, Director of Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. This publication is printed and issued by Oklahoma State University as authorized by the Vice President, Dean, and Director of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and has been prepared and distributed at a cost of 1 cent per copy. 0209

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