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AgAlerts 2005 From Griggs County
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Issue # 2, June 2, 2005
During the hectic planting season, don't
forget to monitor your stored crops so that they will not go out of condition
during the summer months. Summer temperatures are ideal for growing
insects and mold. Therefore, grain must be even drier for storage than
during the colder winter months. Recommended moisture contents for summer
months are: Soybeans 11%, Corn 13.5%, Small Grains 13%, Flax 7% and
Sunflower 8%.
Ken Hellevang, NDSU Extension Crop Storage Specialist offers
the following management practices. Ordinarily grain will
have been cooled to about 25 degrees Fahrenheit for winter storage. It can be
left at that temperature during the summer or can be warmed to no more than 40
degrees. The aeration system should be covered to limit the natural warming of
the grain.
Stored grain should be checked every
two weeks during the spring and summer. Remember to apply the temperature
correction to moisture readings when checking the grain moisture content. If the
grain temperature is below the operating range for the moisture meter, usually
about 40 degrees, place the sample in a sealed container and warm it to room
temperature before measuring the moisture content.
Grain should be kept below 30 degrees during late winter, and
then below 40 degrees as long as possible. A 10-degree temperature increase cuts
the allowable storage time approximately in half. In addition, insects are
dormant at temperatures below about 50 degrees. Since a temperature increase may
be an indication of grain deterioration or an insect infestation, check the
grain temperature in several locations.
Leaving grain cold offers several benefits. Insects are
dormant at temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and mold growth is limited
at lower grain temperatures. Warming the grain ten degrees cuts allowable
storage time by approximately half.
When cold grain is conveyed during hot summer days, moisture
will likely condense on the auger but should not cause problems.
Recent high winds and crusting problems has brought up the question of yield reductions due to poor stands. The optimum stand is between 35 and 40 plants/sq. ft. The following table shows the percent yield loss in relation to plants/sq. ft.
| Plants/sq. ft. | Yeild % |
| 5 | 78 |
| 10 | 84 |
| 15 | 89 |
| 20 | 93 |
| 25 | 96 |
| 30 | 99 |
| 35 | 100 |
| 40 | 100 |
| 45 | 99 |
| 50 | 98 |
| 55 | 94 |
| 60 | 91 |
| Nitrogen (N) | Phosphate (P2O5) or (P) |
| -2.0-2.5 lb/bu is needed. -About 80% of N uptake occurs before heading. -Necessary for photosynthesis. -Adequate supplies increase water use efficiency. -Uptake varies among varieties and environments. |
-Requires approximately 0.6 to 0.7 lb/bu. -As much as 70% of P uptake occurs before heading. -Essential for vigorous root and shoot growth. -Increases tillering and grain heads per acre. -Necessary for energy storage and transfer in plants. -Immobile in soil. -Advances maturity, lowers grain moisture at harvest. -Improves input efficiency, especially N. |
| Potash (k2O) or (K) | Sulphur (S) |
| -Requirements for K are approximately equal to N. -About 85% of K uptake occurs before heading. -More than 3 bu/a taken up each day during peak demand. -Helps plants tolerate moisture stress, lowers incidence of disease and lodging. -Increases water use efficiency. |
-A high-yielding crop requires about 0.25 lb/bu. -Essential for chlorophyll formation. -Can increase N and P use efficiency. |
| Magnesium (Mg) | Chloride (Cl) |
| -A high yielding crop will take up 20 lb/a or more. -Involved in Photosynthesis -A part of chlorophyll. |
-Involved in the photosynthetic process. -Helps plants retain moisture under stress conditions. -Helps lower incidence of foliar and root fungal diseases, especially when shoot CL concentrations are below 0.15%. -Responsiveness to CL differs among varieties. |
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Micronutrients |
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| -Most common deficiencies are from copper, maganese and
zinc. -Deficiencies usually visible by tillering. -Visible deficiency symptoms frequently occur too late for corrective measures. -High availability of P can limit uptake of Cu, Mn and Zn. |
Please Contact Our Office For Additional Information
E-mail: john.swenson@ndsu.edu
Go to the 2003 AgAlert Index Page