PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA, NE PERMIT NO. 36
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Volume VII, Issue 2
February 2013
Moisture remains top concern for planting season Field agronomists suggest game plans by Greg Forbes As the calendar turns to March, snow melts and temperatures rise, and planting season awaits just around the corner. Farmers throughout Iowa, as well as in the rest the of the country, wait with great anticipation and hope the weather cooperates more than it did last year. But as has been the tale for nearly eight months, more rain must fall from the sky before plants emerge from the ground. In a recent survey of Iowa State University (ISU) Extension field agronomists, moisture was unanimously declared the number one concern of growers heading into the planting season. “It (moisture level) varies so much from field to field but the bottom line is, for this time of year, we are about six to eight inches behind what we’d like to be,” said Clarke McGrath, an ISU Extension agronomist stationed in Harlan. “We came off a very, very tough drought and we really haven’t bounced back like we’d like to yet.” Paul Kassel, an ISU Extension agronomist who serves counties in lower northwest Iowa, added, “Obviously, the biggest concern is the lack of moisture. We’ve had a dry winter.”
He continued that moisture is incredibly important because another dry summer would create much lower yields than last year. “The area I cover had a very respectable crop production (last year). But in all seriousness, we have used the reserves of the reserves,” Kassel stated. Recent warm temperatures have caused precipitation to transition to rain and most importantly, soil has begun to thaw, which will allow increased moisture penetration. “As temperatures warm up, soil will be able to absorb moisture and rainfall will also warm up and loosen the frost on the ground,” said Aaron Saeugling, an ISU Extension field agronomist stationed in Lewis in Cass County. He added that although moisture on frozen soils provides runoff to replenish streams and rivers, the primary concern is water in the soil. “They (warmer temperatures) are a double edged sword. Frozen ground helps the rivers and streams but from a moisture recharge standpoint, we are looking for warm temperatures to thaw the ground,” Saeugling said. ISU Extension field agronomist Joel DeJong added that while the ground has not fully defrosted in his jurisdiction, extremely dry soil has possibly allowed more penetration. SOIL MOISTURE . . . Page 3A
Swirling lines A recent light snowfall highlights the swirly lines left behind from the fall harvest. This farm scene is south of Schleswig on the west side of Highway 59. Photo by Bruce A. Binning