Ohio State Fair deadline June 20
By
John Grimes-
By most folks’ standards, summer vacation season is officially under way. The graduations have taken place and classes have ended for colleges that use the quarter system. 4-H camps as well as other camps are beginning. County fairs will begin later this month.
Speaking of fairs, the entry deadline of June 20 for many competitions at the Ohio State Fair is rapidly approaching.
Entry and schedule information for the Ohio State Fair is available at http://www.ohiostatefair.com/.
Late corn, soybean plantings
Due to persistent rains and wet soil conditions, questions arise about the advisability of planting corn vs. soybean after mid-June in Ohio. These questions have arisen in part because some corn fields need to be replanted due to emergence problems, including soil crusting, possible herbicide injury, hail, ponding, and saturated soil conditions.
Corn is not recommended as a late crop after mid-June. Soybean is an option until early July. Some exceptions to late plantings of corn might be if corn is being grown for silage rather than grain, and N and corn herbicides had already been applied.
Recent studies have shown that good yields are possible with corn planted as late as mid-June but as a rule there is likely to be greater yield variability with late planted corn than late planted soybean. Moreover, given current corn and soybean prices and production budgets planting soybean is going to be more profitable in most situations.
We can lose as much as 50% or more of our yield potential when corn is planted in late June (Ohio Agronomy Guide online at http://ohioline.osu.edu/b472/index.html). We lose about 1 to 2 bu/A of yield with every day of delayed planting after the first week of May – with the yield loss increasing more, the later it gets. There is an increasing risk of the corn crop not maturing before frost – unless growers plant hybrids of considerably earlier maturity than those normally planted.
Yields of soybean planted in late June are typically 65 to 75% of normal. Effects of soybean relative maturity on grain yield can be large for late plantings. A key consideration in late soybean plantings is planting the latest-maturing variety that will reach physiological maturity before the first killing frost. Generally, stay with the same planned maturity (unless it is earlier than 3.0). Keep in mind that a 3.5, 3.7, and 3.9 may be used until July 1 for northern, central, and southern Ohio, respectively. Planting rate should be increased to 200,000-225,000 seeds/A and established in narrow rows (6 ˆ 7.5 inch). If planting is delayed past June 15, a desired seeding rate may be 225,000 to 250,000 in narrow rows.
Weather conditions, especially adequate soil moisture, often limit the yield potential of late planted both corn and soybeans.
However, corn is highly susceptible to drought damage during pollination and early grain fill and the potential for high temperature and water stress typically increases later in the growing season when late planted corn flowers. Because soybeans flower over a longer period, they’re usually less vulnerable to this type of injury. As a result, late planted corn is a riskier crop than soybean. Some other factors to consider with late planted corn include:
* Higher corn grain moisture requiring artificial drying that will increase cost of production
* Lower test weights that may result in significant dockage (especially if a frost occurs before black layer)
* Greater stalk lodging and stalk rots. Late crops may experience more stress during grain fill and weathering during dry-down
* Increased injury from silk clipping insects like corn rootworm beetles and Japanese beetles (and second generation European corn borer damage, if the hybrids planted are not ECB Bt hybrids).
* Greater foliar diseases injury. Losses to gray leaf spot may increase with later planting dates.
* Less effective N uptake. If conditions turn dry after planting, late sidedress N applications may be ineffective.
Threat of late blight
increasing for gardeners
Late blight was confirmed in Pennsylvania and Kentucky in late May, generating concerns that this devastating disease of tomato and potato may soon show up in Ohio farm fields and backyard gardens.
Responsible for the Irish potato famine of the 1840s, late blight has caused widespread crop damage across the United States and Canada since 1990. If left unmanaged, this disease – which is transmitted via spores – can result in complete destruction of tomato and potato plants.
“We can assume that home gardeners have planted tomatoes with late blight in Kentucky at least, and that the inoculum (spores) is not far away,” said Sally Miller, a vegetable pathologist with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC).
“Therefore, we may see it sooner in Ohio than we did last year (when it was confirmed on June 25).” Late blight thrives under cool, moist conditions. “Hot, dry weather (which was prevalent in Ohio last week) suppresses the disease,” Miller pointed out, “but it does not make it go away entirely.”
In northwestern Pennsylvania, late blight was detected on locally grown greenhouse tomato transplants. Since then, the affected plants have been destroyed and the grower has adopted a fungicide spray program to manage the disease. In Kentucky, the disease was found on tomatoes in Boone County and Lexington retail operations. The plants in both locations came from Michigan. Miller said this operation may sell tomato seedlings in Ohio, mainly in the Cincinnati and Columbus areas, but its sales are reported to be fairly limited in Ohio.
If late blight is found in your garden, destroy plants already infected – pull out the entire plant, place it immediately in a plastic bag, and dispose of the closed bag in the garbage. Miller advised against putting infected plants on a compost pile or in a composter, or leaving them lying around. “Live plant tissues serve as a source of inoculum, and uprooted plants may support active spores of the pathogen for some time,” she pointed out.
Healthy-looking plants should be protected with a fungicide. Conventional gardeners can use fungicides containing chlorothalanil or copper; several brands are available in garden centers and other retail outlets. Organic gardeners can use copper-based fungicides; several OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute)-approved copper-based fungicides and formulations are available.
Miller said another possible source of late blight inoculum at this time of year may be volunteer potato plants that were infected last season. Volunteer potatoes should be destroyed as soon as they emerge, particularly if late blight was observed in the area last year. Commercial growers planting corn after potatoes may consider several herbicide options (check out http://vegnet.osu.edu/news/currentvn1409.htm for details).
Gardeners who spot potential late blight disease symptoms and are unsure of identification can submit samples to Ohio State University’s C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic for a nominal fee.
For more information, log on to http://ppdc.osu.edu or call 614-292-5006.
What to look for
Under cool, moist conditions, late blight lesions may appear on leaves within three to five days of infection, followed by white mold growth soon after. Spores formed on the mold are spread readily by irrigation, rain and equipment. These spores can also be easily dislodged by wind and rain and can be blown into neighboring gardens or fields within five to 10 miles or more, beginning another cycle of disease.
Late blight appears on potato or tomato leaves as pale-green, water-soaked spots, often beginning at leaf tips or edges. The circular or irregular leaf lesions are often surrounded by a pale yellowish-green border that merges with healthy tissue. Lesions enlarge rapidly and turn dark brown to purplish-black.
During periods of high humidity and leaf wetness, a cottony, white mold growth is usually visible on lower leaf surfaces at the edges of lesions. In dry weather, infected leaf tissues quickly dry up and the white mold growth disappears. Infected areas on stems appear brown to black, and entire vines may be killed in a short time when moist weather persists.
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.[[In-content Ad]]
Speaking of fairs, the entry deadline of June 20 for many competitions at the Ohio State Fair is rapidly approaching.
Entry and schedule information for the Ohio State Fair is available at http://www.ohiostatefair.com/.
Late corn, soybean plantings
Due to persistent rains and wet soil conditions, questions arise about the advisability of planting corn vs. soybean after mid-June in Ohio. These questions have arisen in part because some corn fields need to be replanted due to emergence problems, including soil crusting, possible herbicide injury, hail, ponding, and saturated soil conditions.
Corn is not recommended as a late crop after mid-June. Soybean is an option until early July. Some exceptions to late plantings of corn might be if corn is being grown for silage rather than grain, and N and corn herbicides had already been applied.
Recent studies have shown that good yields are possible with corn planted as late as mid-June but as a rule there is likely to be greater yield variability with late planted corn than late planted soybean. Moreover, given current corn and soybean prices and production budgets planting soybean is going to be more profitable in most situations.
We can lose as much as 50% or more of our yield potential when corn is planted in late June (Ohio Agronomy Guide online at http://ohioline.osu.edu/b472/index.html). We lose about 1 to 2 bu/A of yield with every day of delayed planting after the first week of May – with the yield loss increasing more, the later it gets. There is an increasing risk of the corn crop not maturing before frost – unless growers plant hybrids of considerably earlier maturity than those normally planted.
Yields of soybean planted in late June are typically 65 to 75% of normal. Effects of soybean relative maturity on grain yield can be large for late plantings. A key consideration in late soybean plantings is planting the latest-maturing variety that will reach physiological maturity before the first killing frost. Generally, stay with the same planned maturity (unless it is earlier than 3.0). Keep in mind that a 3.5, 3.7, and 3.9 may be used until July 1 for northern, central, and southern Ohio, respectively. Planting rate should be increased to 200,000-225,000 seeds/A and established in narrow rows (6 ˆ 7.5 inch). If planting is delayed past June 15, a desired seeding rate may be 225,000 to 250,000 in narrow rows.
Weather conditions, especially adequate soil moisture, often limit the yield potential of late planted both corn and soybeans.
However, corn is highly susceptible to drought damage during pollination and early grain fill and the potential for high temperature and water stress typically increases later in the growing season when late planted corn flowers. Because soybeans flower over a longer period, they’re usually less vulnerable to this type of injury. As a result, late planted corn is a riskier crop than soybean. Some other factors to consider with late planted corn include:
* Higher corn grain moisture requiring artificial drying that will increase cost of production
* Lower test weights that may result in significant dockage (especially if a frost occurs before black layer)
* Greater stalk lodging and stalk rots. Late crops may experience more stress during grain fill and weathering during dry-down
* Increased injury from silk clipping insects like corn rootworm beetles and Japanese beetles (and second generation European corn borer damage, if the hybrids planted are not ECB Bt hybrids).
* Greater foliar diseases injury. Losses to gray leaf spot may increase with later planting dates.
* Less effective N uptake. If conditions turn dry after planting, late sidedress N applications may be ineffective.
Threat of late blight
increasing for gardeners
Late blight was confirmed in Pennsylvania and Kentucky in late May, generating concerns that this devastating disease of tomato and potato may soon show up in Ohio farm fields and backyard gardens.
Responsible for the Irish potato famine of the 1840s, late blight has caused widespread crop damage across the United States and Canada since 1990. If left unmanaged, this disease – which is transmitted via spores – can result in complete destruction of tomato and potato plants.
“We can assume that home gardeners have planted tomatoes with late blight in Kentucky at least, and that the inoculum (spores) is not far away,” said Sally Miller, a vegetable pathologist with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC).
“Therefore, we may see it sooner in Ohio than we did last year (when it was confirmed on June 25).” Late blight thrives under cool, moist conditions. “Hot, dry weather (which was prevalent in Ohio last week) suppresses the disease,” Miller pointed out, “but it does not make it go away entirely.”
In northwestern Pennsylvania, late blight was detected on locally grown greenhouse tomato transplants. Since then, the affected plants have been destroyed and the grower has adopted a fungicide spray program to manage the disease. In Kentucky, the disease was found on tomatoes in Boone County and Lexington retail operations. The plants in both locations came from Michigan. Miller said this operation may sell tomato seedlings in Ohio, mainly in the Cincinnati and Columbus areas, but its sales are reported to be fairly limited in Ohio.
If late blight is found in your garden, destroy plants already infected – pull out the entire plant, place it immediately in a plastic bag, and dispose of the closed bag in the garbage. Miller advised against putting infected plants on a compost pile or in a composter, or leaving them lying around. “Live plant tissues serve as a source of inoculum, and uprooted plants may support active spores of the pathogen for some time,” she pointed out.
Healthy-looking plants should be protected with a fungicide. Conventional gardeners can use fungicides containing chlorothalanil or copper; several brands are available in garden centers and other retail outlets. Organic gardeners can use copper-based fungicides; several OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute)-approved copper-based fungicides and formulations are available.
Miller said another possible source of late blight inoculum at this time of year may be volunteer potato plants that were infected last season. Volunteer potatoes should be destroyed as soon as they emerge, particularly if late blight was observed in the area last year. Commercial growers planting corn after potatoes may consider several herbicide options (check out http://vegnet.osu.edu/news/currentvn1409.htm for details).
Gardeners who spot potential late blight disease symptoms and are unsure of identification can submit samples to Ohio State University’s C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic for a nominal fee.
For more information, log on to http://ppdc.osu.edu or call 614-292-5006.
What to look for
Under cool, moist conditions, late blight lesions may appear on leaves within three to five days of infection, followed by white mold growth soon after. Spores formed on the mold are spread readily by irrigation, rain and equipment. These spores can also be easily dislodged by wind and rain and can be blown into neighboring gardens or fields within five to 10 miles or more, beginning another cycle of disease.
Late blight appears on potato or tomato leaves as pale-green, water-soaked spots, often beginning at leaf tips or edges. The circular or irregular leaf lesions are often surrounded by a pale yellowish-green border that merges with healthy tissue. Lesions enlarge rapidly and turn dark brown to purplish-black.
During periods of high humidity and leaf wetness, a cottony, white mold growth is usually visible on lower leaf surfaces at the edges of lesions. In dry weather, infected leaf tissues quickly dry up and the white mold growth disappears. Infected areas on stems appear brown to black, and entire vines may be killed in a short time when moist weather persists.
John Grimes is the Ohio State University Extension Educator for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Highland County.[[In-content Ad]]