Nitrogen Deficiency in Corn

Many corn fields have been repeatedly saturated by recent successive rainfalls. Numerous fields, particularly no-till fields, are yellowing.

While this could be due to several factors, one may be the lack or loss of Nitrogen. On sandy soils, N has probably leached below the root zone and on heavier textured soils some may have also leached but more than likely some denitrification has occurred where N is lost to the atmosphere.

Regardless, some supplemental N applications may be necessary. Sidedressing N is the best option but soils are so wet that it may be a week or so before growers can get in. In other cases, growers may not have such equipment. Fertilizer suppliers may have equipment to apply such products as UAN solutions or Urea(preferably with a urease inhibitor if not incorporated). If surface applied, N losses can occur if rain doesnot follow application within a day or two.

How much N to apply is also a question. If a good amount of N was applied before or at planting then 50 lbs/A of actual N is probably appropriate. If growers put little or no N down in hopes of sidedressing, then a good portion of their planned amounts will be needed.

The ideal time to apply sidedress N is between corn stage V6 and V8 (12-18 inches tall). If the growers have early and late planted corn that is yellow, then the early planted, taller fields should be fertilized first.

A webinar has been posted by and on the Plant Management Network to help you with choosing the best seeding rates for corn. With the high price of seed and other inputs, fine tuning your seeding rates could help improve your overall profitability in 2013.

http://www.plantmanagementnetwork.org/edcenter/seminars/corn/CornSeedingRates/

Zane R. Helsel

A statewide soybean producers meeting sponsored by the NJ Soybean Board will be held Wednesday from 9-3 at the Rutgers EcoComplex off Exit 52B of I-295. Breakfast and lunch will be served. Various pesticide credits are available. Please register by noon Tuesday by calling 609-585-6871.

With the high price of soybeans and good yields this past fall there are a lot of stored beans in NJ that will need attention during the winter and spring to maintain good quality. The following is information on a webinar by one of the nation’s top drying and storage experts who also will be a presenter at the February 13 Statewide Soybean Producers Meeting held at Rutgers Eco-Complex. Viewing this webinar in advance of the meeting will give you an opportunity to get important questions answered.

‘Focus on Soybean’ webcast, “Soybean Storage”

by Dr. Kenneth Hellevang, Professor of Ag and Biosystems Engineering at North Dakota State University

http://tinyurl.com/Soybean-Storage

Produced to help practitioners in the United States dry, handle and store soybeans in a manner that helps maintain their value.

[Read more…]

The NJ Soybean Board (check-off program) is again sponsoring a Statewide Soybean Producers meeting at the Rutgers Ecocomplex from 9am to 3pm on February 13, 2013. Topics will include marketing, drying and storage, pest control updates (pesticide credits are being applied for) and other important topics.

You can register free by calling 609-585-6871 which will also entitle you to a free breakfast and lunch.

Although we were not hit as hard by the drought as other states, there is some evidence of diseases coming in on some ear tips from those fields that were significantly effected by the drought and are still awaiting harvest . The Plant Management Network, publisher of the Focus on Corn webcast resource, is re-opening two webcasts through December 31, 2012: “Ear and Kernel Mold Biology and Management” by Dr. Charles Woloshuk at Purdue University and “Corn Storage” by Dr. Ken Hellevang at North Dakota State University. [Read more…]