It’s October, and the weather has finally cleared up for farmers to start harvesting crops in earnest. This time of year, is also one of the most dangerous times for people working in the fields. The combination of long hours, heavy machinery, unpredictable weather, and tight deadlines often creates a high-stress environment where safety shortcuts can lead to injuries or fatalities. Here are some tips to prevent accidents. The rush to harvest can lead to mechanical failure. Preventative maintenance is the first line of defense against farm accidents. Ideally, do daily inspections of equipment and perform a rigorous inspection of fluid levels, belts, tire pressure, and mirrors. Ensure all Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) and Power Take-Off (PTO) shields are fully intact and locked in place. Never operate machinery with missing safety guards. Remove dry chaff, dust, and crop buildup from engines and bearings regularly. This buildup creates fire hazards when exposed to extreme ...

  Rain this past week caused some flooding, especially in the several counties around Lima, Ohio and further south and west. Rainfall amounts of 9-10 inches were recorded. Most of Northwest Ohio got several rainfall events over several days. Officially, the 5-year drought appears to be over. Flooding effects on corn and soybean development varies and depends on crop stage of development, soil types, and how long water remains in the field. For the State of Ohio, if the corn was planted early and the corn is more mature (dough to dented), the flooding effects may be less severe; unless the corn stands in water for extended period of time (past 2 days). For northwest Ohio, delayed spring planting delayed corn growth development. Corn has caught up somewhat but a lot of corn is just past the tasseling stage and is setting kernels. This can be a tough stage for corn development if fields remain flooded for extended periods of time. Some corn fields may have had high winds, lodging and ...

  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)...

  Some crop diseases are intensifying and being enhanced by current weather conditions. Cool night time temperatures (below 70°F), humid conditions, and wet leaves enhance tar spot in corn. Tar Spot is often helped by August and September weather conditions. Red Crown Rot in soybeans is also being found in Ohio.  Corn tar spot ( Phyllachora maydis ) is becoming a major corn disease. Tar spot fungus came from Central America and is spreading by wind into corn growing states. Tar spot grows rapidly when temperatures are 60-70°F and humidity is 75% or higher with rainy, foggy, cloudy summer weather spreading this disease. Corn will mature early with reduced ear weight, poor kernel fill, stalk rot, and lodging with yield losses ranging from 0-60 bushel per acre, depending upon disease severity.  Corn tar spot was spotted earlier this year at the OSU South Charleston research plots. Due to weather conditions at that time, it was at relatively low levels and mild. It was found ...

Beck’s Hybrids conducts annually extensive corn and soybean research to improve crop yields. They recently released a 256-page book on their recent results. Research is conducted throughout the USA, Midwest, and Ohio.  Over 2 decades, the yield penalty for late corn planting is less than on soybeans. The most important thing on corn is getting it planted at a consistent depth, spacing, population, and under the right conditions more so than actual planting date. In no-till, having good closing wheels to close the slot is essential. Optimal seed to soil contact is critical for uniform emergence and the yield benefit was 2.7 to 5%. Spiked wheels help crumble soil when conditions are not perfect.  Becks did significant corn nitrogen (N) research. Putting N fertilizer on both sides of the seed allowed more uniform root distribution and yielded an average of 7 bushels more corn. The highest average corn yield of 225 bushel per acre over 4 years was 60# N applied on both sides of th...

  Harvest has started and farmers were making considerable progress until the recent rains. Most farmers welcomed the rain since we have been in a major drought. For most corn and soybeans crops, the rain is probably too late, but it may help on late or double crop soybeans (planted after wheat) and for new wheat or cover crops being planted this fall. Of course, fruit trees, lawns, and other vegetation needed the rain. On crop harvest, it’s the first time I heard soybeans being harvested at 5-6% moisture and corn at 11% moisture! Normally, ideal moisture for soybeans is 14% and corn 15%. Harvesting at low moisture reduces yields at least 4-6%, so many farmers stopped harvesting or waited until nightfall to gain moisture. Depending upon how much rain was received, harvested moisture levels now are probably closer to normal. Looking forward to the future, once harvest is complete, farmers will start to plan for next year’s crops. A recent development is the research being done by Ba...

Two corn diseases farmers need to be monitoring again this year are vomitoxin and tar spot. Cooler temperatures especially at night and August rains tend to promote Gibberella (GIB) erot or vomitoxin. GIB is caused by a fungus named Fusarium graminearum , also called Gibberella zeae , causing ear rot, stalk rot, and head scab in both corn and wheat. Corn symptoms include a reddish or pinkish-white mold on the ear tips which is a toxin. The pathogen over- winters on plant residue, usually corn stalks/leaves and wheat residue (straw and chaff). GIB ear rot is most prevalent when cool wet weather occurs for about 21 days after silking. Fields most susceptible are corn after corn or corn after wheat, especially if the wheat was infected with Fusarium head scab. Corn that is stressed from lack of nutrients, by insects, or other types of plant stress (soil compaction, poor soil health) tend to have higher levels of GIB ear rot. Some corn varieties, when they start to dry, keep their husk up...

  Most farmers have finished planting for the first time but may be looking to replant. Replanting corn can be a difficult decision. Young plants can recover especially if the damage is above ground. However, below ground damage from insects, disease, compaction, saturated soils, or fertilizer injury are more difficult for corn to recover. With the cold nights lately and cloudy days, sometimes sunshine and warmer temperatures allow your crops to recover, making that decision easier to make. First, determine how widespread the damage is and how healthy the plants are that are remaining on the whole field. Aerial Drones can help cover a large area but you still need to inspect the remaining plants to determine their health.  Dr Robert Nielson, Purdue University offers these suggestions on corn replant decisions. Most modern corn varieties are fairly tolerant of both low and high populations. Based on 10 years research, populations ranged from 23,500 to 40,000 seeds per acre. Bas...

Phosphorus (P) is often applied at corn planting to improve crop yields. However, does it always pay for itself? Ohio State University Extension Research (E-Fields) investigated where applying P at planting is worthwhile. Soil testing is critical. Past soil test recommendations were based upon Bray P1 but now they use Melich P. Bost methods are very similar. Under Bray P1, 15-30 Parts Per Million (ppm) P was considered good for attaining optimal crop yields on corn and soybeans. Under Melich P, 20-40 PPM for P is considered good. Most soils have a lot of tied up P but only the P that is plant available is considered usable. Only about 25-30% of the P that is applied that year is actually used by the plant. The other 70-75% become available in following years, depending on weather, soil type, humus levels etc. Cover crops and crop residue tie up many nutrients short-term, but they come available when they decompose. Residue from crops or cover crops are good P sources. From 2016-2018, O...

Dr. Connor Sible, University of Illinois recently shared research on corn yields and corn crop residue. As corn matures, corn puts energy into creating kernels of corn. However, to make corn kernels, it takes roots, stalks, leaves, tassels, and cobs. Dr. Sible’s research shows that higher corn yield resulted in higher corn crop residue, which seems logical.  Dr. Sible reports every bushel of corn results in 43.7# of corn crop residue. For 200-bushel corn, that’s 8,740 pounds or 4.37 tons/acre of corn residue; for 300-bushel corn, 13,110# or 6.6 tons/acre. Most farmers struggle to get their crop residue to degrade, and as crop yields increase, so does the corn crop residue. Dr. Connor Sible and Dr. Fred Below are striving to get 300-bushel corn. Dr. Sible finds that weather contributes 2-ton residue/Acre, soil fertility (2 Ton), corn hybrid selection (1.1 ton), corn population (8 ton) with lesser amounts attributed to crop rotation (.4 ton), type of tillage (.3 ton) and biological f...

At the 2024 National No-till Conference, Dr. Fred Below, University of Illinois talked about “Striving for 300-bushel Corn.” Almost all of his research was done on conventional tillage corn plots, however; he made important points that apply to all farmers striving for higher yields. With the world population currently 8 billion and reaching 9 billion by 2037, higher yields will be needed to feed the growing world population. Dr. Below emphasized three pre-requisite conditions that all farms need to follow to achieve optimal yields. First, good soil drainage and good soil structure. Without good drainage, roots can not grow to reach soil nutrients. Without good soil structure, both the soil microbes and root development is limited. Second, control all pests including weeds, insects, and diseases. Pests reduce yields by about 30% world-wide. Healthy plants can reduce the harmful effects of almost all agricultural pests. Third, soil test to get adequate fertility (pH, macro-, and micro-n...

  Farmers are starting to buy seed for next year to get the early discounts. GMO (genetically modified) corn and soybeans are popular in the United States. About 90-94% of soybean and 87-92% of corn in the USA are GMO. The USA produces 38% of all GMO crops in the world. Other countries, like Europe (Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy) and Mexico have banned or limited GMO crops. Mexico and Europe want food security against monopolies. In Europe, after World War II, food security became a big issue and they consider the risks too high to accept GMO crops. What constitutes a GMO? Scientist select a gene that helps with a certain trait (insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought, etc.). They transfer that gene to another plant, test it, get government approval for the gene, and then release it for commercial production. A benefit of GMO crops is that they speed up natural selection for beneficial genes. Gene stacking involves putting several beneficial GMO genes in the...

  Farmers, starting in 2025, will get paid for corn delivered to ethanol plants based on a carbon intensity score (CIS). This is part of the Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (BIRA) which has to do with trying to reduce climate change impacts. The BIRA program starts in January 2025 and runs for 3 years. Farms with a lower CSI may get higher premiums while farms with higher CSI may not even be able to sell their corn to an ethanol plant. Farmer’s need to start planning, collecting data, and even change some farming practices to lower their CSI if they want to take advantage of the program. BIRA pays ethanol plants and biofuel companies (biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuels) to collect the data and they are the ones that get paid the tax incentives and tax credits. According to Mike Estadt, OSU Extension Educator, “The government decided it was easier to work with close to 100 ethanol plants and pay them to conduct the program then to try to collect data from 100,000 farmers.” Mik...

  Every two years, Ohio State conducts a survey of farmers on cropland values and cash rent. Barry Ward, OSU Economist conducts this survey of professionals including ag business, farm managers, farmers, rural appraisers, and ag lenders. Western Ohio cropland values and rental rates are significantly different than the eastern and southern values. The type of soil, fertility, productivity, and generally higher returns result in higher prices in Western Ohio. Also, larger squarer fields, flatter soils, and access to crop markets add value to the cropland and to rental rates. In 2022-2023, Barry Ward surveyed 190 participants and the results were just released in August 2023. The numbers are reported for top, average, and bottom farmland with only the average farmland and cash rent values reported. For all of Western Ohio, average producing cropland produced 185.3 bushels corn per acre and had a projected value of $9,672/acre in 2022 with a projected value of $10,329/acre in 2023 for...

  In between rains, farmers are harvesting corn. Due to cooler temperatures, Canada smoke, and fewer growing degree days; moisture levels in corn are wetter than normal. August rains also promoted Gibberella (GIB) ear rot or vomitoxin. Vomitoxin levels above 5 PPM can not be fed to hogs and some elevators are reporting 6-10 ppm or higher. Farmers are getting charged discounts for both vomitoxin and high moisture which lowers the price. Farmers also cannot deliver high vomitoxin corn for ethanol because it concentrates vomitoxin levels in the distilled grains (DDGs) which are fed to livestock. Elevators often mix good grain with poor grain to dilute the vomitoxin levels to an acceptable level. Michigan seems to have more vomitoxin issues than Ohio. GIB is caused by Fusarium graminearum, a fungus that is also called Gibberella zeae. This pathogen infects corn and wheat causing ear rot, stalk rot, and head scab. Corn symptoms include a reddish or pinkish-white mold on the ear tips whi...

  As crops crop growth enters the last weeks of August, nights are getting shorter and colder. Crops are trying to fill either pods (soybeans) or kernels (corn). Time is slipping away for many crops. Some soybeans with an early start have good pods and good yield potential. Many double soybeans and those farms hit by drought do not have a lot of pods set yet. Corn may have taken the weather better than soybean this year, however; some corn ears are not fully filled out. For the last two years, hot dry weather in June has hurt crops from getting a good start. Perhaps it’s the smoke from Canadian wildfires, but many crops are at least 2 weeks behind normal development. Some farmers are hoping for a late frost this year to let those slow developing crops mature. Most famers tell me they had some of the best wheat yields ever plus high-quality grain. Wheat yields generally range from 60 to 90 bushel for my farmers. This year the range was 80 to 120 bushel. With less rainfall in spring ...