Integrated Pest and Crop Management Newsletter Vol. 16, No. 20 December 11, 2006 Certification Requirements for Nutrient Management Planning TSP’s By John A. Lory The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) requires consultants responsible for nutrient management plans developed for cost share programs such as EQIP be certified Technical Service Providers. The routes available to obtain certification have changed over time and can be confusing. In a new program, Certified Crop Advisors (CCA’s) or Certified Professional Agronomists (CPAg’s) only need to sign paperwork verifying they are proficient in the areas and performance objectives associated with nutrient management and submit a nutrient management plan to the NRCS State Agronomist for review to be certified as a TSP. Contact Dick Purcell (Dick.Purcell@mo.usda.gov) for the required paper work. The traditional track to certification requires applicants to document four elements of their experience and background. This track is open to anyone who wishes to become a nutrient management TSP. This track requires: * Document education and experience. Prospective planners must provide one of three forms of documentation: professional certification (e.g. CCA, CPAg), Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (e.g. agronomy or soil science) plus one-year’s experience as a practitioner, or three years of experience as a practitioner. * Evidence of knowledge about the key tools used in nutrient management planning to reduce the potential for nutrient transport including the phosphorus index, RUSLE2, leaching index. * Completion of the on-line seven module course on the Nutrient track of the NRCS course Nutrient and Pest Considerations in Conservation Planning. Visit www.aglearn. usda.gov for this training. You will need an eauthentication number to use this website. * Provide two references that can verify your proficiency in providing nutrient management planning services. Nutrient management planners who also want to certify nutrient management plans as part of a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) must also complete an approved nutrient management course. University of Missouri Extension will be running a two-part Nutrient Management Course in January. This course covers the basic concepts in nutrient management planning. We recommend all people writing plans in Missouri take the Missouri course. The course can be used to document requirement (2) of the certification process (evidence of knowledge of key tools) and is an approved course to meet CNMP nutrient management planning certification requirements. The course also provides continuing education units for CCA’s and CAFO operators. Visit the website http://nmplanner.missouri.edu/trainings/mnmp_course.html for specific information on dates, costs and how to register for the course. Certification requirements can be confusing. Resources to help you understand the certification process are available at http://www.mo.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/tsp_index.html and http://techreg.usda.gov/. The contact for Missouri requirements for TSP’s is Dick Purcell (Dick.Purcell@mo.usda.gov) at Missouri NRCS. John A. Lory, Division of Plant Science, Commercial Agriculture Program 573-884-7307 ********************* Corn Diseases in Corn Following Corn By Laura Sweets The escalating interest in ethanol production has led to speculation that 2007 may see an increase in corn acres through much of the Midwest including Missouri. This could lead to an increase in acres of corn following corn. Certainly there are many factors to take into consideration as decisions are made on how many acres of corn and/or soybean to plant and which fields are to be planted to which crop. Certainly it would be wise to put some thought into how corn on corn could affect the diseases that occur in the second year corn crop. Corn diseases can and do occur each year in Missouri. Problems with germination and stand establishment that are related to seed decay, damping-off and seedling blights are often encountered in the field. These losses can be costly, especially if replanting is necessary. Diseases may cause leaf spots or leaf blights, wilts or premature death of plants. Corn diseases also can cause harvest losses, affect the quality of the harvested crop and cause storage losses. The extent of the damage due to corn diseases in a given season depends on a number of factors, including the susceptibility of the corn hybrid to the specific disease, the level of pathogen inoculum present and the environmental conditions during the growing season. Since many of the common corn diseases in Missouri are caused by pathogens that can survive on infested residues left on the soil surface, corn following corn in fields in which residues are left on the soil surface may mean that the level of inoculum present in the field is higher for the second year corn crop. This can mean an increased risk or potential for disease development from the higher level of inoculum in the field and the fact that the inoculum is in close proximity to the developing corn. Weather during the growing season will still have a significant impact on disease severity. Even if inoculum levels are high in a given field, if the weather conditions are not conducive to disease development, the disease may not occur or may not occur at damaging levels. However, if weather conditions are favorable for disease development, a disease may occur earlier in the season or at more damaging levels because inoculum was present in close proximity to the developing corn. The principle diseases of corn in Missouri can be divided into seed rots and seedling diseases, foliage diseases, stalk and root rots and ear and kernel rots. Management strategies for each of these categories of corn diseases along with suggestions if corn is following corn are given below. In general if corn is being followed by corn, hybrid selection (especially the selection of hybrids with resistance to diseases likely to occur in that field) and agronomic practices such as planting under best possible conditions, planting at proper populations for specific hybrid, following appropriate fertility practices, and managing weed and insect problems become more important. Seed Rots and Seedling Blights Seed rots and seedling blights are caused by a number of different fungal species. Some of these, such as Pythium species, Fusarium species and Rhizoctonia solani are common soil fungi found wherever corn is grown. Some, such as Fusarium moniliforme and Penicillium oxalicum, may be either soilborne or seedborne. Most of these pathogens can survive as saprophytes colonizing crop residues, but many also produce survival structures that enable them to survive adverse environmental conditions such as low or alternating temperatures and low soil moisture until conditions are again favorable for their growth. Most of the seed rots and seedling blights on corn are more severe in wet soils, in low-lying areas in a field and in soils that have been compacted or remain wet for an extended period of time. Low soil temperatures (below 50-55 degrees F) favor seed rot and seedling blights. Disease severity is also affected by planting depth, soil type, seed quality, mechanical injury to seed, crusting, herbicide injury and other factors which delay germination and emergence of corn. Residues left on the soil surface may influence the incidence and severity of seedling blight through their effect on soil moisture and soil temperature. ManageMent options for seed rots and seedling blights: * Plant good quality seed of hybrids adapted for your area. * Plant under good seedbed conditions, especially at soil temperatures above 50 to 55 degrees F. * Use fungicide treated seed. Most commercial corn hybrid seed comes treated. Be certain that the seed treatment is one that will control both water mold fungi such as Pythium and other fungi such as Rhizoctonia, Penicillium and Fusarium. This may mean that a combination of active ingredients is needed or that an additional at planting seed treatment is needed. Foliage Diseases There are a number of fungi and a few bacteria that cause foliage diseases of corn. These various foliar pathogens cause leaf spots, leaf blights and similar symptoms on corn. The fungi that cause most of these corn foliage diseases (gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, anthracnose leaf blight, yellow leaf blight, eyespot, etc.) survive in infested corn residues left on the soil surface. The following season spores are produced during moist periods and are carried by wind currents to susceptible corn leaves where infection may begin. Common rust and southern rust are two exceptions to this simplified explanation of disease development. The rust fungi do not survive in infested residues left in a field and , in fact, do not survive the winter months in this area. Rather, the rust fungi are reintroduced into this area each season when spores are carried up on air currents from the southern United States. are carried up on air currents from the southern United States. Most of the corn foliage diseases are favored by warm temperatures and wet or humid weather or heavy dews. They tend to start in the lower canopy and, if weather conditions are favorable, move up through the plant. ManageMent options for corn foliage diseases: * Select disease-resistant corn hybrids. Keeping records of which diseases have been problems in individual fields and then choosing hybrids with resistance to those diseases is important and will be even more important if corn is planted in fields with infested residues present. * Rotate crops with at least one year out of corn. If crop rotation is limited, then hybrid selection and other agronomic practices become even more important. * Manage corn residues. In reduced tillage systems, hybrid selection and crop rotation are especially important. If crop rotation is limited, then hybrid selection and other agronomic practices become even more important. * Follow appropriate fertility practices. * Manage insect and weed problems. * Plant at the proper population for the hybrid. * Apply foliar fungicides if warranted. Traditionally foliar fungicides have tended to give the best economic return on speciality corns such as seed corn, white corn or popcorn rather than field corn. This may change in corn on corn situations. To achieve the maximum benefit from foliar fungicides it is critical to scout corn on a regular basis and begin fungicide applications at the onset of disease development. If a foliar disease is already well established in field, the benefits of a fungicide application may be minimal. Stalk Rots Stalk rots are important worldwide and are among the most destructive diseases of corn. A number of different fungi and bacteria cause stalk rots. Stalk rots are caused by a variety of fungi and bacteria that survive one growing season to the next in soil, in infested corn residues or on seed. Stalk rot pathogens enter the corn plant through one of several avenues. The spores may be blown into the base of the leaf sheath, where they may germinate and grow into the stalk. Spores may enter into a plant through wounds made by corn borers, hail or mechanical injury. When fungi are present in the soil or infested residue as either spores or mycelium, they may infect the root system causing root rot early in the season and later grow up into the stalk causing stalk rot. Stalk rot becomes a problem when plants are stressed during the grain filling stages of development. Water shortage, extended periods of cloudy weather, temperature stresses, hail damage, corn borer infestation, low potassium in relation to nitrogen, leaf diseases, and other stresses that occur in August and September may be associated with an increase in stalk rot. ManageMent options for corn stalk rots: * Select hybrids with good stalk strength and lodging characteristics. * Plant at recommended populations for that hybrid. * Follow proper fertility practices. * Maintain good insect and weed control. * If irrigating, try to deliver optimum water from silking through late dough stage. * Avoid or minimize stress to corn (especially during pollination and grain fill). * Harvest in a timely manner. Ear and Kernel Rots There are a number of fungi that can invade and cause damage to corn ears and kernels. Field fungi invade the ears or kernels before harvest while the corn is still in the field. These fungi may affect the appearance and quality of kernels. Some of the field fungi on corn in Missouri include species of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Diplodia, Fusarium and Gibberella. Most of these fungi are more prevalent when rainfall is above normal from silking to harvest. One exception is Aspergillus flavus, which is favored by drought stress to corn during pollination and warm temperatures as kernels mature. These ear and kernel rot fungi may survive in residues left on the soil surface or as survival structures in the soil. ManageMent options for ear and kernel rots: * Select locally adapted hybrids with husks that close over ear tips. * Plant at recommended plant populations for that hybrid. * Maintain good plant vigor over the growing season. * Use a balanced fertility program. * Select planting dates appropriate for your area. * Follow recommended management practices to limit damage by ear-feeding insects. * If irrigating, try to deliver optimum water from silking through late dough stage. * Harvest in a timely fashion. Laura Sweets Ag Ext.-Plant Sciences 573-884-7307 ********************* Missouri Herbicide Update for 2007 By Kevin Bradley New Herbicides and Systems I. Corn Status is a herbicide from BASF that contains the same active ingredients as Distinct (dicamba + diflufenzopyr), but also contains the safener isoxadifen. Unlike Distinct, this will allow Status to be applied postemergence to corn from 4 to 36 inches in height without drop nozzles. Status can be applied with a nonionic surfactant, crop oil concentrate, or methylated seed oil. In our trials, we observed no differences in weed control between postemergence applications of Status and Distinct. The remaining stocks of Distinct will be sold out and Status will essentially replace Distinct over time. Autumn is a new herbicide from Bayer CropSciences that is available for use as a fall-applied herbicide prior to corn planting. Autumn can also be applied up to 30 days before corn planting in the spring. Autumn is not labeled for use on areas that will be planted to soybeans. Autumn is an ALS-inhibiting herbicide which contains the active ingredient iodosulfuron. It should be applied at a rate of 0.3 oz/A. Autumn should be applied with a crop oil concentrate at 1% v/v and a nitrogen fertilizer. In our research with Autumn last year, we observed good control of henbit and common chickweed with fall applications of Autumn or Autumn plus 2, 4-D. Similar levels of henbit and chickweed control were also achieved with Basis plus 2, 4-D and Princep plus 2, 4-D. The addition of 2, 4- D increased control of annual fleabane and corn speedwell compared to applications of Autumn alone. Although we have not evaluated these weeds in our trials, other university researchers have also observed good field pennycress, shepherd’spurse, purple deadnettle, marestail, and dandelion control with applications of Autumn plus 2, 4-D in the fall. Impact (topramezone) was first available for use last year, but will be discussed briefly as many are still unfamiliar with this product. Impact is a new herbicide from AMVAC that is a HPPD-inhibiting “bleacher” herbicide like Callisto. Impact can be applied postemergence in corn at either 0.5 or 0.75 fluid ounces per acre. In our trials conducted last year, Impact provided similar levels of broadleaf weed control as Callisto, but slightly higher levels of grass control. Both products are enhanced significantly by the addition of atrazine. Stout is a new premix from DuPont that contains nicosulfuron (Accent) and thifensulfuron (Harmony GT) and is registered for use primarily for grass weed control in corn. Stout may be applied at ½ to ¾ ounce per acre to corn that is up to 16” tall and exhibiting up to and including 5 leaf collars. II. Soybean Prefix CP is a new co-pack from Syngenta that contains S-metolachlor (Dual II Magnum) and fomesafen (Reflex or Flexstar). Later in 2007, it is expected that this product will become a premix (both ingredients mixed in one bottle) but at least initially in 2007 this will be sold as a co-pack where one package contains one bottle of S-metolachlor (which actually has Prefix on the label) and one bottle of Reflex. The typical use rate of this product will deliver 1 pint per acre of Dual II Magnum and 1 pint per acre of Reflex. Prefix CP is labeled for preemergence weed control in soybeans and in our trials during the past year, this product has performed similar to Boundary, which is the product from Syngenta that this herbicide will replace. Sonic and Authority First are identical products from Dow AgroSciences and FMC, respectively. They both contain the active ingredients sulfentrazone (Spartan) and cloransulam (Firstrate) and are registered for use preemergence in soybean at planting or within three days of soybean planting. These products should provide good control of a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds including waterhemp, lambsquarter, moningglory, ragweeds, cocklebur, and others. Canopy is now being marketed and sold again from DuPont for preemergence weed control in soybeans. Canopy can also be applied as a burndown product, or as part of a burndown program in no-tillage systems. This is the Canopy formulation that contains chlorimuron (Classic) plus metribuzin (Sencor). Remember that Canopy EX is another product from DuPont that contains chlorimuron (Classic) plus tribenuron (Express), and is primarily utilized for winter annual weed control in the fall-applied market. Canopy may be applied at planting or up to 45 days before planting and provides residual control of a number of small-seeded grass and broadleaf weeds. III. Wheat Axial is a new herbicide from Syngenta for use in wheat for the control of winter annual grass weeds like wild oat and annual or Italian ryegrass. However, Axial does not provide control of cheat or downy brome, which are two of our most common winter annual grasses encountered in wheat production in Missouri. Axial (pinoxaden) is labeled for use at 8.2 ounces per acre and should be applied with the Adigor adjuvant at 9.6 ounces per acre. IV. Grass Pastures and Hay Remedy Ultra and Garlon 4 Ultra are both new products from Dow AgroSciences that will be replacing the old products Remedy and Garlon 4 in the pasture market. All of these products have triclopyr as the single active ingredient. The difference in the new “Ultra” formulations is that these will contain methylated seed oil rather than kerosene as the solvent or carrier. Additionally, the “Ultra” formulations are low-odor compared to the older formulations. We have not seen or heard of any significant differences in weed control as a result of this new formulation. Kevin Bradley, 573-882-4039 ********************* Interpreting Manure Test Reports By John A. Lory Manure tests are the best way to know the fertilizer value of any type of manure. But understanding a manure test report can be a challenge. Fortunately many manure testing labs have been updating their manure test reports to make them easier to understand an easier to use. To use manure you need to know the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer value of the manure. The example below (Figure 1) is based on a manure test from a Missouri Lab and provides all the information you need to make a fertilizer recommendation with this manure source. These results are reported on an “as-is” basis which is what farmers are expecting. The results also have been converted to units the farmer is expecting. In this case, with turkey litter, the farmer is expecting a result in “lbs/ton”. There are many forms of nitrogen in manure and not all nitrogen in manure is available to the crop. Some test results, including this one, report “P.A.N.” (plant available nitrogen) or “available nitrogen”. Use these estimates of availability with caution. In this case the report clearly states the estimate of P.A.N. is for surface applied manure and reports the availability factors used to determine P.A.N. at the bottom of the report. This estimate of available nitrogen is appropriate for surface applied litter in Missouri. All manure phosphorus and potassium are equivalent to the same amount of commercial fertilizers. Be sure to use the estimates based on phosphate and potash to develop fertilizer recommendations. Not all manure tests report the fertilizer value of manure in such useful units. Many times you will need to convert values from less useful units into something the farmer knows how to use. Find more information on interpreting manure test reports and converting report values into useful units in the MU Guide EQ215 Laboratory Analysis of Manure. For more information on labs that do manure testing see my website ( http://nmplanner.missouri.edu/manure_labs_state.asp ). John A. Lory Division of Plant Sciences and Commercial Agriculture Program ********************* Weather data for the Week Ending December 11, 2006 By Pat Guinan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Monthly | Growing Weekly Temperature (deg. F) |Precip (in.)|Degree Days^ -----------------------------|------------|------------ Ext- Ext- Depart| Depart|Accum Depart Avg.Avg. reme reme from |Dec 1 from |since from Station County Max.Min. High Low Mean avg. |Dec 11 avg |Apr 1 avg. ------------------------------------------------------|------------|------------ Corning Atchison 48 23 60 6 35 +5 | 0.10 -0.41 | 3880 +552 St. Joseph Buchanan 43 24 54 8 34 +2 | 0.09 -0.57 | 3803 +389 Brunswick Chariton 39 19 53 2 30 -3 | 0.15 -0.65 | 3795 +313 Albany Gentry 44 21 52 5 33 +2 | 0.00 -0.67 | 3577 +185 Auxvasse Audrain 41 21 53 2 31 -2 | 0.56 -0.55 | 3768 +263 Columbia Boone 43 20 53 -1 32 -3 | 0.60 -0.34 | 3903 +234 Sanborn Field Boone 44 24 54 5 34 -1 | 0.47 -0.49 | 4159 +403 Williamsburg Callaway 44 22 53 2 32 -1 | 0.36 -0.75 | * * Novelty Knox 37 17 51 0 29 -3 | 0.44 -0.61 | 3493 +71 Linneus Linn 39 20 53 4 31 0 | 0.03 -0.75 | 3562 +239 Monroe City Monroe 39 18 49 0 29 -3 | 0.26 -0.79 | 3630 +137 Versailles Morgon 46 25 55 5 35 -1 | 0.62 -0.35 | 4213 +456 Green Ridge Pettis 43 22 58 2 32 -2 | 0.18 -0.85 | 4057 +607 Lamar Barton 45 24 62 5 34 -3 | 0.42 -0.70 | 4226 +275 Cook Station Crawford 46 23 55 3 34 -3 | 1.28 -0.01 | 3699 -102 Alley Spring Shannon 48 17 57 2 31 -6 | 0.36 -0.91 | 3544 -58 Round Spring Shannon 48 18 55 3 31 -6 | 0.36 -0.91 | 3552 -50 Delta Cape | | Girardeau 45 22 57 10 33 -5 | 0.25 -1.14 | 3934 -237 Cardwell Dunklin 48 24 60 14 36 -5 | 0.18 -1.37 | 4508 -26 Clarkton Dunklin 46 24 58 11 35 -5 | 0.15 -1.16 | 4403 -73 Glennonville Dunklin 46 26 57 14 36 -4 | 0.17 -1.13 | 4369 -79 Charleston Mississippi 46 24 61 11 35 -3 | 0.14 -1.36 | 4244 +128 Portageville- | | Delta Center Pemiscot 47 27 61 14 37 -4 | 0.18 -1.38 | 4575 +125 Portageville- | | Lee Farm Pemiscot 48 27 62 14 37 -4 | 0.20 -1.36 | 4586 +168 Steele Pemiscot 48 26 61 15 37 -4 | 0.14 -1.72 | 4692 +237 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Complete data not available for report ^Growing degree days are calculated by subtracting a 50 degree (Fahrenheit) base temperature from the average daily temperature. Thus, if the average temperature for the day is 75 degrees, then 25 growing degree days will have been accumulated. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pat Guinan, Commercial Agriculture Program (573) 882-5908