Biochar is a fine-grained, porous, charcoal-like substance produced by heating organic plant or animal matter (biomass) in a zero- or low-oxygen env ironment. This chemical decomposition process is called pyrolysis. Unlike regular charcoal, which is primarily produced to be burned as fuel; biochar is created for agricultural enhancement and long-term carbon storage. Biochar is made from wood chips, crop residues (like corn cobs), forestry waste, and animal manure. The biomass is sealed inside a container and heated to high temperatures, usually between 750°F and 1300°F. Because oxygen is absent, the material cannot catch fire or turn to ash. Instead, it breaks down into energy-rich gases and a highly stable, solid carbon structure. Biochar is great for enhancing soil. The microscopic, sponge-like structure of biochar acts as a physical filter that catches and holds moisture in the soil. For nutrient storage, biochar prevents fertilizer runoff by trapping essential minerals and ma...

  Smoke from over 830 Canadian wildfires continue to cause hazy skies, poor air quality and breathing health concerns for those most vulnerable, especially in Northern Ohio, Northern Indiana, and Michigan. While the worst air quality concerns occurred 2-3 weeks ago, there is still an Air Quality Alert for this area. The smoke contains many fine particles which get in the lungs and exacerbate breathing problems. Elderly people, children and those suffering from any type of illness need to stay vigilant. The hazy skies and campfire-like smell may make the sunrise and sunsets more colorful, but they are dangerous for affected individuals. For these individuals; limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, monitor the air quality index and monitor your breathing. Consult a doctor if experiencing difficulty. With the recent rains and weather patterns, the smoke and haze may start to diminish. The effect of the Canadian wildfires on crop development has been minimal. The weather has been...

  Waterhemp is a tall summer annual and a common Midwest weed, thriving in wet areas but is adaptable to various conditions. It is an invasive weed in both corn and soybean fields. Yield losses may range from 11% to 75%. It has separate male and female plants, producing over 1 million seeds per plant. Waterhemp seedlings have light green to red-pink stems. Cotyledons (first leaves) are oval to lance-shaped, hairless, red-green above, and dark red below. The first true leaves are oblong, dark green, shiny on top, reddish-pink underneath, and shallowly notched at the tip. Mature plants can be 2.5–12 feet tall, upright and branching. Waterhemp has a deep taproot with secondary fibrous roots, competing with corn and soybean crops for water and nutrients (Cornell University). The pigweed family includes waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, and redroot pigweed species. Palmer amaranth has longer leaf stalks than the leaf blade, broader leaves, sometimes with white chevron markings while waterhemp...

  Corn Tar Spot (Phyllachora maydis) is showing up in Southwest/Central Ohio in Preble and Madison counties. Corn that is tasseling or reaching silking stages with warm, humid, foggy, cloudy and wet weather create favorable conditions for corn tar spot to develop. Tar spot looks like small raised black spots on corn leaves when air temperatures are 64°F - 73°F, high humidity (>75%), and long periods of leaf wetness. Once the tar spot reaches the upper leaves during grain fill, photosynthesis is reduced and it decreases kernel development and grain yield. Tar spot is a corn disease originated in Central America and is spreading rapidly by wind into corn growing states. Corn will mature early with reduced ear weight, poor kernel fill, stalk rot, and possibly lodging with yield losses ranging from 0-60 bushel per acre, depending upon disease severity. There are several ways to combat tar spot. No corn hybrid is totally resistant but some varieties (especially early maturing) are mo...

As summer progresses, not only do the crops grow, but also the Ohio Field Days multiply. Here are some field days coming up. July 22: Maria Stein, Ohio, Manure Science Review, 9 AM–3:30 PM The event focused on the latest research, technologies, and best practices in manure management and water quality. Hosted at Homan, Inc., 6915 Olding Road, Maria Stein, Ohio. Topics: Comparisons between manure and commercial fertilizer, nutrient best management practices, updates on water quality and Lake Erie, H2Ohio initiatives from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. For more information, visit: ocamm.osu.edu or waterqualityextension.osu.edu August 5: Allen Dean Farm, Soil Health Field Day, ½ Mile North of RT 6 on CR 13, Bryan, Ohio 43506. 1 PM–8 PM with a Gourmet Meal. $25 per person. Call or text Shelley: 419-533-6844. Speakers are Dr. Elizabeth Rieke on Soil Microbiome and Brain Rath, Soil Health Institute. August 13: Planter & Technology Field Day, 9 AM–1 PM includes lunch. Precision Agri ...

  As wheat and barley harvest progresses, farmers often ask what should they do with wheat straw? Should I keep the straw on the field to build soil organic matter (SOM) or should I sell it? What is the value of the wheat straw and how many nutrients are being lost? Does straw residue hurt the next crop? Straw is a valuable resource in high demand for bedding or mulch and livestock farmers are even using straw to add fiber to their livestock rations. Fewer farmers are growing wheat today and a little barley is being grown. At a minimum, straw sellers should consider the value of nutrients leaving the farm plus the value of the lost organic material plus the harvesting cost. The nutrient value of straw varies but 9-12 pounds of nitrogen (N), 3-4 pounds of phosphorus (P2O5) and 25-45 pounds of potassium (K2O) per ton can be lost on fields that yield 1-2 tons straw per acre. Based on N-P-K values of $.60-$.90-$.40 per pound, the nutrient value per ton varies for N from $5.40-$7.20, fo...

New research show that microbes, especially bacteria and now fungi are the best at pulling moisture from the sky and making it rain. Dust and dirt particles can help it rain, but they are not as efficient as microbes. A recent article in Science Advances shows how the rain cycle works. Most rain starts as atmospheric water vapor and has to freeze into ice crystals before it comes down, turning into rain. Water in the atmosphere does not always freeze at 32OF. In fact, atmospheric water can stay liquid down to -40OF below zero. Temperatures are much lower at cloud level so clouds can stay full of moisture till it gets cold enough and attaches to something to freeze to cause ice crystals and then turn to rain. “Supercooled” water is a liquid cooler than normal freezing water because it has nothing to hold onto. For clouds to make snow, ice, or rain, it needs a “seed”, a tiny particle for the water molecules to grab onto to form an ice crystal before it falls from the sky as rain. Dust, s...

  Corn and soybeans require a steady supply of phosphorus (P) for early seedling vigor, root development, and stalk growth. P is used by plants in the lipid layer of the cell wall, as the backbone to genes (DNA and RNA) and for energy transfer (ATP). While P is an essential element (ranked 8th in the amount needed) it is one of the big 3 nutrients (N-P-K) because it yields more bushels per acre. Recommended corn and soybean soil test are between 20-40 ppm Mehlich. In corn, most rapid P uptake occurs after the V6 stage (six leaf collars). About 80% of absorbed P ends up in the grain. Post-tasseling P availability is critical to maximize yields. In early vegetative planting (Planting to V6), P is essential for root, shoot, and initial ear structure development. Severe P limitations early can permanently reduce yield potential. The most rapid uptake of corn P is V6 (vegetative stage) to R1 (reproductive stage). Demand spikes as biomass multiplies after V6 (4 to 6 weeks after planting)...

In the last few weeks, some areas have received a considerable amount of rain, some would say excess rain. While all microbes live on water films in the soil, too much water changes the microbial community. Excess water also displaces oxygen in the soil which is detrimental to both certain types of microbes and also to plant health. Roots need to be able to absorb oxygen for respiration to break down the root sugars for energy. Oxygen is the fuel to making both fires burn hotter and also for plants and animals to burn oxygen and sugars to produce energy. In flooded soils, the majority of obligate aerobic microbes die within 24-72 hours. As dissolved oxygen is depleted; biological activity drops by 50% within 48 hours. Then facultative and obligate anaerobic organisms take over. Obligate means that either oxygen is totally required (obligate aerobes) or not required (obligate anaerobe). Aerobe mean oxygen loving, anaerobe means absence of oxygen. Facultative microbes may live in either ...

After a week of relatively good weather, farmers have mostly finished planting. Crops are starting to grow with the warmer weather but crops are quite variable. Having spent some time out West in the states of eastern Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and even Texas; overall the crops look good. That is until you get about an hour west of Fort Wayne and into Northwestern Ohio along US Route 30; then unfortunately, the ground is soggy and crops are still struggling to emerge. Eastern Indiana, and Northwest Ohio had some good crops but many fields just recently got planted. Now forecasted weather reports are coming out saying that the USA has a 60-100% chance of a “Super El Nino” developing between May and July and lasting until the end of the year. In El Nino years, surface water in the eastern Pacific Ocean warms up and this causes extreme weather across the USA. In extreme Super El Nino years, the sea surface temperatures rise 2.5-3.00C or causes about a 4.5-5.40...

  A week of good weather finally is letting farmers either replant or finish planting. May weather was more like March and April weather while March and early April were warmer than normal. Some crops look good but many are still struggling and stands are quite variable. Wheat looks the best and likes cool wetter weather. Hay is finally started to get made. Now farmers are turning to spray spraying tweeds and get nitrogen (N) put on corn. With warmer weather, corn should start growing and have a better color. Microbial populations double with every 8-90F in soil temperature. This is good for getting nutrients into the plant and also in helping the plant with its N needs. For corn, N fertilizer prices are really high and corn prices are low, so putting on what N is needed and no more is the most economical. When N was cheap, the common rate was 1.2# of N per bushel of corn produced. So, for 200-bushel corn, a total N rate of 240# N was advised and for 250 bushel 300# N. With new cor...

A week of good weather is welcomed news as farmers finish planting and replanting. The past several weeks have been cold and wet and crop growth has been slow. Warm weather increases plant growth and warms up the microbes to release abundant nutrients. A number of agricultural pests including insects, pathogens, and weeds are now slowing down crop growth. On insects, seed corn maggot and wireworms are two of the worst Midwest seed insects. Cold, wet, soggy fields allow these insects to thrive. Seed corn maggots ( ) are pale larvae that burrow into and hollow out germinating seeds and young seedlings. Infestations cause poor crop stands, stunted growth, and plant death and are a problem in cool, soggy, and manured fields. Wireworm ( Melanotus communis Gyllenhal ) is the most common wireworm attacking corn and soybeans and is the larval form of the click beetle. Wireworms have a slender elongated body and are dark brownish orange. They have a distinct head and projecting mouthparts with...

  Spring is always a fickle thing when it comes to weather. Late March and April weather was more like May and May was more like April even March at times. The difference this year is cold, wet, and windy are common themes. Some farmers have a lot planted, some a fair amount planted, some for the first time. Others are already replanting. Although a week old, USDA's crop progress report is probably fairly accurate but behind for the weekend plantings. Estimates at that time were 34% of corn acres are planted in Ohio (much higher by now), with 20% of corn emerged. For soybeans, 34% of soybean acre were planted and 16% of soybeans emerged. Planted and emerged acres are probably much higher by now and warmer weather is expected. After a drought last year which lasted most of last fall and winter, most areas have recharged but that is highly variable. Along US 30, rain has been steady since March 10th with over 26 inches reported. Some areas North are less than half that amount. On cor...