Baldwin County Extension Office
302A Byrne Street
Bay Minette, AL  36507
(251) 937-7176
Richard L. Petcher                                                                               
Regional Extension Agronomist for Southwest Alabama
(251) 847-2295, cell (251) 202-1009, SL 7*145 

News Letter May 2006 

To Row Crop Producers in South West Alabama.  Some of this news letter is concerning new information and some of this will serve as a reminder of production practices that you already know, but may serve as a simple check list to go over before planting.

Wheat and Oats

It is during dry years that small grains really produce.  During dry times the small grains do not suffer from diseases and that ups their yields.  Also during a dry year it typically does not pay to spray with a fungicide.  Scout your fields for diseases before making this decision.  Several growers have cut their oats already for hay.  Did this drought hurt our yields?  That remains to be seen.  A few good rains would help to fill out the grain and bump up the yields.

How late can I plant corn and still make a crop?

The recommended planting date is up to May 1.  However yields usually start dropping after April 15.  From April 15 to June 15 it is best to plant Bt hybrids.  They hold up fairly well under insect pressure and could give you a decent crop.  After that you should go with a Tropical Corn because you then get into heavy disease and insect pressure.  You can plant Tropical Corn up until July 31.  Of course, the later you plant the less likely you are to make a good crop.  There is also a Topical Bt Corn.  This corn has been fairly consistent in making a crop as it has both disease and insect resistance.  To my knowledge there is no Tropical Roundup Ready corn on the market.   

                                          Peanut Acreage

                        Nathan Smith, UGA Peanut Economist

This information is from Nathan Smith, UGA Peanut Economist. 

Plant Growth Hormones:  This research information is from Dr. John Beasley, UGA Peanut Agronomist. I've had lots of questions concerning plant growth hormones being promoted for use on peanuts. We've conducted trials the past two years on several of these products. The table below provides the yield data for the two trials. The trials were conducted on a farm in Turner Co. The cultivar in both years was Georgia-03L. The experimental design for the trials was a randomized complete block with four replications and plots were two rows by 500 feet in length.

Yield response of Georgia-03L peanut to plant growth hormones.

Statistical analysis of the data indicates there was no difference in yield between the plant growth hormones and the untreated check in either year. There was a larger LSD in 2005 due to greater field variability.

Evito: A New Fungicide for Peanut Growers in 2006 (Bob Kemerait and Tim Brenneman)

There is a new strobilurin fungicide called Evito (fluoxastrobin) that will be labeled for peanut this year.  Evito is a product from a company called Arysta, formerly “Arvesta”. Apparently, fluoxastrobin was initially developed by Bayer CropScience and is effective as a soilborne fungicide in peanut production. We have very little information on this product other than some initial testing from last year. 

Thrips Survey in Peanuts  This started back in the 1900’s with Dr. Jim Todd, UGA Peanut Entemologist and Albert Culberth, UGA Peanut Plant Pathologist.  They monitored thrips and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus on peanuts.  In 2000 Dr. David Riley, Associate Professor of Entemology at UGA with a team started monitoring thrips on weeds during the winter months.  They also surveyed the level of virus in the weed hosts during the winter months.  So far high levels of thrips and high levels of TSWV in the weeds during the winter have resulted in high levels of thrips and TSWV in peanuts that following summer.  This January 2006 the thrips level was up ten fold from last year.  The TSWV in weeds was twice as high as last year.  In February the thrips level went down a little and in March it was still five times as high as last year.  Thrips thrive in dry weather.  The drought will make thrips migrate from drying down weeds to anything green like home gardens and then later to peanuts.  All indications from this survey are we need to be ready for a heavy TSWV year on peanuts.  Some good news is that a good rain will lower the thrips level.  Research from N.C. State reports that a good rain will end in 30 % mortality of thrips. 

Nutrient Recommendations for

Peanuts

  Comments

For peanuts apply 0.3 to 0.5 pound B per acre in the fertilizer, gypsum, or disease control spray or dust.

Apply 250 pounds of gypsum at blooming time. (Where calcium is medium and no lime is recommended or calcium is low and lime is recommended.) Apply 500 pounds of gypsum at blooming time. (Where calcium is low and no lime is recommended.)

Planting Rate Chart: The varieties and their average seed count per pound is taken from the Wiregrass Research and Extension Service 2005 Tests.  Seed count in a variety does vary from lot to lot.  Research has shown the larger the peanut the higher the calcium requirement.   

Strongarm and Valor: The War Continues: This information is from Dr. Eric Prostko, Weed Scientist with the University of Georgia.  

During this past meeting season, I received numerous questions about the use of Valor or Strongarm for weed management in peanuts. My opinion about these products is that both are great products. I do not have a preference for one or the other. The use of either Strongarm or Valor should depend upon the needs of the grower (i.e. weed species, rotations, etc.). In order to help make a better choice between these two herbicides, I have developed the following chart to compare them.

Table 1. A comparison of Strongarm and Valor.

Many of you are also aware of the research that has been conducted in Georgia over the past several years using the combination of Strongarm + Valor at reduced rates (Peanut Pointers - May 2005). Results from my 2005 field research program are presented in Table 2.

Table 2. A comparison of full and reduced rate programs of Strongarm and Valor, 2005.

1PRE = preemergence; POST = postemergence (27-30 days after planting).
2Means in the same column with the same letter are not significantly different according to Duncan 's Multiple Range Test (P = 0.05).

In my opinion, the combination of Strongarm + Valor is generally more effective on a wider range of weed species than either herbicide applied alone (except for Florida beggarweed where I prefer the full 3.0 oz/A rate of Valor).  Many growers have successfully adopted this technology with the goal of minimizing production inputs. If you have growers that are interested in trying this program, I would suggest that they start with Strongarm @ 0.15 oz/A + Valor @ 1 oz/A (1/3X + 1/3X). These rates can be adjusted according to the dominate weed species that are present in the field. Remember, it is not illegal to use herbicides at reduced rates. However, chemical companies and UGA are not liable for poor product performance when herbicides are applied at reduced rates.

2006 SOYBEAN PRODUCTION IN SOUTH ALABAMA

Asian Rust is a major factor in the decision to plant soybeans this year or not.  Asian Rust can be controlled with a preventative fungicide program.  Start the spray at first bloom.  Soybeans always respond to fungicides.  However, it usually does not pay unless you are making 40 bushels beans or more.  A grower would need to plan for the cost of at least two sprays in his budget.  That extra cost would be between twenty and thirty dollars and probably closer to thirty with application costs.

Last year there were 75 million acres of soybeans in the United States.  The U.S., China, Brazil and Argentina are the world’s major soybean producers. Alabama growers planted 180 thousand acres of soybeans with an average yield of 32 bushels per acre.  No one knows exactly how many acres will be planted this year.  Most growers will not plant unless they have at least a 35 bushel yield potential on their land. 

Here is a guide for the basics of soybean production.  This may be old information to most growers, but would save you time in looking it up if you have forgotten. 

Rotation is a major key.  Soybeans have never been a good rotation for peanuts.  Neither do soybeans do well behind peanuts.  Rotation with these crops have greatly decreased soybean acres in lower Alabama. 

Planting dates:  Soil temperatures need to be 55 degrees F at 2 inches depth before beginning to plant regardless of the recommended planting date.  Soybeans do germinate much better at 65 degrees than at 55 degrees F.  Soybeans flower in response to day length.  Therefore, it is very important to plant the correct group of soybean to fit South Alabama’s day length.  In April plant Group IV soybeans.  In May plant Group V and VI.  In June or latter plant Group VI and VII.  The latter you plant go to a later group.  July 15 is the last recommended day for planting.  However, yields start dropping around June 15th on.

Seeding rate:  There are from 3,000 to 3,2,00 seed in one pound of soybeans.  A fifty pound bag typically has 160 thousand seeds.  One bag is about a perfect seeding rater for South Alabama.  When planting narrow rows, planting early or planting very late it is recommended to plant 180 to 200 thousand seed per acre.  Ten more pounds of seed would give you the increased seeding rate.

Row Spacing:  Planting narrower rows gives you a yield advantage.  The early beans tend to grow more upright and therefore especially yield better under narrow row.  Faster canopy cover aids in moisture and weed competition.

Variety Selection:  This is very important.  Study the University Variety information along with Company Tests and seed availability.  Get your name in the pot early if you plan to get the seed you want.

Tillage:  Soybeans respond to deep tillage.  Often growers will deep till before planting their wheat.  This boosts yields on the wheat and the soybeans. Tests with the University of Georgia show that soybeans will benefit from a deep tillage pass again right before planting.

Inoculants:  Soybeans are a legume so with the help of soil bacteria they fix their own Nitrogen.  Bradyrhizobia japonicum is the bacteria that fixes Nitrogen.  It attaches itself to the root of the plant and takes atmospheric N and converts it into a usable form for the plant.  Nitrogen fixation is critical for producing cost effective high yields of soybeans. For this reason soybean inoculation is recommended, unless you have grown soybeans on that land in the last three years.  Seed treatment inoculum is preferred over in furrow.  Molybdenum deficiency can also be a problem.  You can take care of this by adding one ounce of sodium molybdate or ammonium molybdate per bushel of seed at planting.

Fertility:  Soybeans, like most of our crops here, are sensitive to low pH soils, so soil test and add lime if you need to.  Soybeans are a legume so they make their own nitrogen.  You do not need to add Nitrogen.  In fact, they do worse if you do add commercial Nitrogen.  Soybeans need 40 units of Phosphorus and 40 units of Potash on medium testing soil, and 120 units of P and 120 units of K on very low testing soil.  Soil test and if planting after well fertilized grain, you may not need to add any additional fertilizer.

Boron is also a necessary minor element that may be applied at planting or foliar spray applied.  Sulfur may also be deficient on deep sandy soils.  Ten pounds per acre is recommended for deep sandy soils.

Herbicide: Weed control during the first month of plant growth is the most important. Most soybeans planted now are Roundup Ready.  Roundup may be applied in sequential treatments at any growth stage, but not to exceed 2 lb of active ingredient per acre.  The rate should  be adjusted to the size and kind of weed controlling.  When planting no-till it is usually necessary to use a burn down herbicide before planting.  Growers may find preplant herbicides such as Prowl, Sonolan or Treflan useful to give them early protection before using Glyphosate.

Insects:  Soybeans are a crop that from time to time gets forgotten.  Scouting is especially important from the time of blooming until the beans are mature in the pod.  Soybeans suffered greatly last year from stink bugs, so be prepared this year again.

Diseases:  The presence of Asian Soybean Rust in Alabama will require the use of fungicides.  There are other diseases in our soybeans that an early bloom fungicide program will help to control and increases yields.  Typically a two time fungicide program will up yields from 5 to 15 bushels. 

Harvest:  Proper adjustment of the combine is very important.  In the Midwest studies show average harvest losses to be 9 to 13 per cent.  And then after proper adjustments the yield loss average 3 per cent.  That is around a 5 bushel or $30 loss due to combine mal adjustments.  Be alert at harvest.  Soybeans dry very slowly early on.  They dry from 60 per cent moisture down to 50 % moisture in 16 days.  Then they dry from 50 % to 10 % moisture in ten days.  Start harvesting when soybeans are 15 % moisture.  Once beans hit 11 % moisture shattering losses increase rapidly.

This is probably enough information to get your crop up and growing.  After that get busy scouting for weeds and then Asian rust and for insects.  Hopefully, there will be some profits in soybeans this year.  If not, bale the soybeans.  They make excellent hay. 

Using a crusher or crimper to speed the drying of the stems will help reduce leaf loss and assure a higher quality hay.

Deer also like soy beans and will often run a mile or more to find a patch.  Soybeans are much less intense and are a lot easier to grow than cotton or peanuts.  You might even have a little time for fishing this summer.

Soybean Rust Hotline

The new phone number for the Soybean Rust Hotline this year is 800-446-0388.  The hotline provides weekly updates on soybean rust as well as suggestions on fungicide spray programs.  The number in the 2006 Soybean IPM Guide and the one provided at this winters soybean meetings is incorrect.  That was the number used in 2005 and had to be changed.  Dr. Ed Sikora, Extension Plant Pathologist is the author of this hot line.  He also puts weekly updates and recommendations on the USDA soybean rust information site at sbrusa.net. 

ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES, AND TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, COUNTY GOVERNING BODIES AND USDA COOPERATING.

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