In The Field with Randy

To Drain or Not to Drain...

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As I write this article on July 14th, the 2023 crop continues on the fast track. The work I’m doing now feels more like what I would normally be doing in early August. I’m optimistic about the potential of this crop. But as Dickey Nutt always used to say when he was head basketball coach at ASU, “I can promise you we haven’t done anything yet”. To maintain that potential, we need moderate temperatures along with plenty of sunshine and a few timely rains. With our crop being ahead of schedule, we will be making irrigation termination decisions earlier than normal. Following are recommendations on when you can stop irrigation on corn, rice, and soybeans.

In corn, the development of the starch layer in the kernel should be monitored to determine when you can terminate irrigation without sacrificing yield. If the starch layer has progressed 50 percent or more down the kernel and you have good moisture, then you should be able to safely terminate irrigation with furrow irrigated corn. With pivot irrigated corn, the starch line needs to be 75 percent or more down the kernel before irrigation is terminated since less water is likely applied during each irrigation. If in doubt, I would err to the safe side and go ahead and irrigate one more time especially if hot and dry conditions are forecast.

With rice, the University of Arkansas has a couple of rules of thumb that can be considered in regard to when you can safely drain fields. One is that the field should be 25-30 days past 50 percent heading, 25 days for long grain varieties and 30 days for medium grain varieties.

The other rule of thumb is based on visual observation of the maturing grains on the panicle. On silt loam soils the panicles should be two-thirds straw-colored and on clay soils the panicles should be one-third strawcolored prior to draining.

A personal rule of thumb that I have always used is that I want the end grains to be straw colored and I want the base grains to be milky before I begin to consider making a drain recommendation. I always consider predicted weather and soil type when using any of these methods.

With soybeans, research has shown that there needs to be good moisture until about Growth Stage R6.5 in order to obtain maximum yield. This is the point where the beans separate from the white membrane within the pod wall. You should start seeing the beginning of color change at that point.

If producers will utilize these irrigation termination recommendations, they can avoid losing yield after pretty much all inputs have already been spent on the field.

For more information, feel free to contact me through Farmers Supply Association at 870-318-0739 or by e-mail at randychlapecka@gmail.com.