Update from the Field: Remember to Enjoy the Little Things
Posted by Dave Dyson, Agronomist on October 15, 2019
As harvest progresses across the Corn Belt, we are pleasantly surprised to have some yields better than we were expecting. With the increase in yields comes the increase in the amount of corn stover we must deal with, not only this fall, but next spring as well. The corn stalks left in the field after harvest can do damage to equipment and tires. The excessive residue left on top of the soil can cause havoc during planting by being hair-pinned in the furrow with the seed, Figure 1. Even though residue prevents soil erosion by wind and water, the residue can lock up nutrients that can benefit both the crops and soil structure.
Figure 1: This picture, taken near Elkhart, Indiana, in the spring of 2018, shows residue hair- pinned in with the seed by the planter. This causes seedling death, late emergence, and possible blank stalks.
Crop residue can be a valuable resource; 50 pounds of stover are produced for each bushel of corn harvested. This means a 200-bushel corn crop produces 4.73 tons of residue, containing 75 pounds of nitrogen, 26 pounds of phosphorus, and 124 pounds of potash. This is money tied up for up to three years just in the residue. Soil microorganisms are the key to success in releasing this treasure out of the crop residue. The quicker you can increase the right microorganisms’ population, the faster the residue will break down. There are two main nutrients required for soil microorganisms to thrive and increase, nitrogen and easily-digestible carbon. We can jump-start the population explosion by adding certain products that will encourage microorganisms to multiply and decompose residue.
Residue choppers and tillage take time and fuel, and will serve to reduce the size of the crop stover. Sizing residue will help move the stalks through planting equipment next spring, causing less damage to the seeding bed and equipment. However, proper sizing does little to increase the cellulose breakdown process. The Andersons has a product to supply easily-digestible carbon which will, in turn, stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the soil. UltraMate® LQ, Figure 2, has shown a consistent yield increase in research trials over multiple geographies and multiple years. I recommend applying 1 gal/ac of UltraMate LQ to no-till and conventional till fields alike. Applying a residue treatment within two weeks after corn harvest has regularly shown a 4-5 bushel increase in soybean yield the following year.
Figure 2: Adding a humic acid such as UltraMate LQ to residue will drastically increase residue decomposition. This picture was taken west of Walton, Indiana, in the fall of 2018. The strip to the left was treated with 1gal/ac of UltraMate LQ., the strip to the right was the untreated check.
To make the most out of your post-harvest application, combine UltraMate LQ with your fall herbicide package to combat herbicide-resistant weeds. Whether we are dealing with no-till or conventional tillage, a residual herbicide is a must in the battle with winter annuals weeds and Marestail. Piggybacking a product like UltraMate LQ, a liquid humic acid that will completely mix with any pesticide formulation over a wide range of pH values, will give your application pass a 1-2 punch. Not only will you be keeping your fields clean of weeds until next spring, you’ll be exploding your microorganism populations, allowing these “little things” to digest and release valuable nutrients from your crop residue.
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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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