Considerations when planting wheat into dry soil
Soils in portions of western and central Kansas have become steadily drier through the late summer and early fall. Topsoil conditions are now very dry in many areas of Kansas. Wheat producers have limited options for planting: "dust in" the wheat, plant deeper, or wait for rain. Read more about these options in this article.
Planting wheat too early can lead to several problems
Early sowing of wheat can lead to several problems, from increased chances of insect- or mite-transmitted viral diseases to decreased emergence due to high temperatures and its consequences on wheat germination of particular varieties and reduced coleoptile length.
In-furrow fertilizers for wheat
Wheat is considered a highly responsive crop to band-applied fertilizers, particularly phosphorus (P). Application of P as starter fertilizer can be an effective method for part or all the P needs. Wheat plants typically show a significant increase in fall tillers and better root development with the use of starter fertilizer (P and N).
Common causes of late-season stalk lodging in corn
Stalk lodging in corn occurs when the stalk weakens and breaks at some point below the ear. This results in harvest losses and slows down harvesting considerably. Stalk rots occur for a variety of reasons, ranging from disease organisms and environmental factors.
Check for stalk rots prior to grain sorghum harvest
It is important to check sorghum fields for stalk rot diseases prior to harvest. Even in fields where lodging is has not yet occurred, producers should be prepared to deal with stalk rot issues. Symptoms generally appear several weeks after pollination when the plant appears to prematurely ripen.
Grain sorghum yield potential: An on-farm calculation
Yield estimates prior to harvest can be helpful for producers to make informed management decisions for the crop while there is time before harvest. As sorghum gets closer to maturity, yield estimates will be more accurate. Nonetheless, you can start taking yield estimations three to four weeks after flowering.
Grain sorghum yield potential: Understanding the main yield components
In order to best estimate the yield potential of grain sorghum, you need to understand the main plant components of yield. These components are number of plants, tillers per plant, seeds per head, and seeds per pound. The interaction among all four components will determine the actual yield, but a wide range of variation can be expected in all these main yield-driving factors.
When do the first freeze and first frost events typically occur in Kansas?
From a meterology perspective, fall starts on September 1 and ends on November 30. With the start of fall, many people wonder when the first frost or first freeze will arrive in their area. This article looks at 20 locations across Kansas and the probabilities of when these events could occur.