Update from the Field: Relay Race for High Yields
Posted by Dave Dyson, Agronomist on February 04, 2022
This week is the start of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. I’m not a big winter sport fanatic, but speed skating is always fun to watch. On February 12, the short track speed skating mixed relay will make its Olympic debut. I have always loved watching the track relay teams in the summer Olympics speeding around the track. Each runner gives everything they’ve got in perfect unison then hands the baton to the next runner. This reminds me of high corn yield production; not one single event during the growing season can be attributed to a corn plant producing higher than trend yields, it takes a relay of events.
It all starts at the end of the previous season with field preparation. After harvest, using residue sizing equipment on the combine coupled with spraying a residue management program like The Andersons’ Bio Reverse® will have a significant impact on residue decomposition over the winter months. This combination will start the mineralizing process that will break down vital nutrients to be available to next year’s crop and will improve seed-to-soil contact during planting.
The next leg is the planting pass. The planting pass is the most important pass made across the field. The entire growing season relies on consistent emergence of the corn crop. If corn plants emerge at differing rates, the slower emerging plant may not produce an ear. There are three practices a grower can perform to ensure uniformity in emergence of the corn crop; even seed depth, constant seed-to-soil contact, and application of an in-furrow high quality, low salt starter fertilizer. When fertilizer is applied in-furrow, it opens up options for applying micronutrients, carbon, and biological products close to the seed.
Once the corn crop is planted, the focus shifts to nitrogen. Some producers apply all their nitrogen needs with the herbicide, while others will split apply the nitrogen throughout the growing season. The more nitrogen that can be held in the root zone, the more it will benefit the crop, the grower, and the environment. Adding UltraMate® Zn to stabilize your UAN application will prevent the urea portion from escaping into the air through volatilization and the nitrate portion from leaching out of the soil. UltraMate Zn will also provide additional zinc while promoting biological activity in the soil.
The last and typically the fastest leg is the anchor. Just like in a relay race, a grower wants to finish strong. The anchor in crop production is foliar fertilizer. We do not want to see deficiencies creep in during the corn crop’s life, so a planned approach to applying foliar fertilizer will produce the best results. Starting at V5, when the rows around the corn ear are determined, 1 pint/acre of Phosfix® should be applied. Our research has shown an increase of 1-2 rows around the ear when Phosfix is applied during V5 stage. Phosfix has a 7-4-9 analysis with fulvic acid, cytokinins, gibberellic acid, and auxins to encourage cell division and elongation. We need to follow up with an application at the VT stage with fungicide and Over Pass® 22-0-2. The fungicide will protect the yield and the Over Pass 22-0-2 will finish out grain fill with slow-release nitrogen, sulfur and boron.
In conclusion, there are usually four parts to a a cropping system, much like a relay race; field preparation, planting and emergence, nitrogen protection, and finishing the crop. If we can run hard and finish strong throughout 2022’s crop season, we will see above trend line yields. If you have any questions, please contact your trusted Ag Advisor from The Andersons.
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Dave Dyson is a regional agronomist for The Andersons’ Farm Centers which are located throughout Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. He is an Indiana native and grew up on a dairy farm in Miami County. A graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Crop & Soil Science, Dave has a deep knowledge of various agronomic topics and is committed to helping growers improve their crops. If you have any questions, Dave can be reached at david_dyson@andersonsinc.com.
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