Attention Grower!

With the recent cool weather slowing down soybean harvest we thought we would share with you some information that you should keep an eye out for.

Stalk rots are something we should be on the lookout for. If you didn’t apply a fungicide to some fields we suggest going out and checking for stalk quality or have one of us come out with you to see if there are any issues. Stalk rot generally occur during late season stress like leaf disease. The leaf diseases slow down photosynthesis causing some hybrids to then cannibalize the stalk in order to finish filling the ear. Be mindful when starting harvest and pick the field where stalk quality is an issue.

Checking Stalk Quality ( Click Link for more information )

Example of Gibberella Stalk Rot                                                                     Example of a Health Stalk

Vomitoxin is a problem in this year’s corn crop!  It is not variety specific or location specific.  You’re not able to physically see it.  We have supplied a few samples on how to sample for vomitoxin along with how to harvest if you are affected by it.

With not a lot of dry weather post flowering we are seeing some ear mould out in the corn fields. Infection is occurring in fields that might be showing some tip back, hail, bird or insect damage. Another thing we have noticed is the late emerging corn plants have a high rate of infection due to the miss application of a fungicide or tip back compared to the rest of the plants. This is another reason attention to planting is very important. Fields that are showing some ear mould should be harvested first and also should be dried down to stop the spread.

Ear Mould Pictures and Descriptions  ( Click Link for more information )

Best Practices for Harvest:

• Segregate suspected field with high levels or areas where there was lots of damage.
• Harvest the fields with the higher levels first and get the grain dried down to 15% to stop the growth of the moulds.
• Try to minimize the combine damage and reduce the amount of the small kernels in the sample.
• Set fan speeds higher to blow lower density damaged kernels out the back of the combine
• Clean out pieces of cob, fines and red dog as they could be a source of mould.
• Check the dried stored grain regularly to make sure no wet spots or hot spots in the bin formed.
• If you are an Agri Corp customer contact them if you have damage.

How to Take Samples:

• Samples must be representative so either using a probe or taking cup full’s from the grain stream throughout the load is best
• Mix the samples thoroughly and get the sample tested as soon as possible as delayed testing could lead to miss leading results.
• A&L labs is doing VOM testing along with other Feed labs in the area. They will give the most accurate reading of the levels in your corn.

Moving forward to 2019. This year’s weather was perfect for Ear mould infections and is why it’s been very hard to prepare for it. Yes some hybrids are showing higher levels than others but we are also seeing differences based on planting date, Tassel date and local specific weather. Different regions are also showing drastic differences. In one county or township a hybrid is testing for high levels and a few miles in either direction its testing low. There are hybrids with some resistances but there are no hybrids that are completely resistant to getting infected.  We are asking everyone this harvest to see how their corn is to build a local data base to help understand this issue better for the future corn crops.

Corn ear mould and vomitoxin (DON) survey sampling locations and results from grower fields in 2018.

2018 Grain Corn Ear Mould and Vomitoxin  ( Click Link for more information )

DEKALB’S EARLY ORDER EARLY PAY DEADLINES 

We have begun our 2019 seed ordering season!  Here are some key dates to keep in mind during the next couple weeks!

DeKalb Early Order Deadline – November 28, 2018

DeKalb Early Pay Deadline – December 7, 2018

Don’t forget about the additional savings based on your Order Volume.

We will be around to discuss your seed needs for 2019, ensuring you get all your discounts that you qualify for.

For more information call us today!

   Jeff Shea                     Cole Koolen                       Jake O’Neil                           Carrigan MacDougall

519-521-5446               519-464-2653                    519-777-6447                              519-318-4612