Corn south january 2018

Planting Tips

CornSouth ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

Southern Production & Marketing Strategies

A Supplement to Cotton Farming and The Peanut Grower Magazines

January 2018

CornSouth Need Strong Usage, Export Markets This was another year of record crop production in corn. But as usual, a big crop means that producers can expect lower prices the next year. That is the message from ag economists across the country, including Clemson agricultural econoAmanda Huber mists Nathan Smith and Editor Scott Mickey.

At the recent 2018 Ag Outlook Conference, Smith said, “Prices have dropped because of a large U.S. crop, so it’s going to be competitive in 2018. December futures slid from trading as high as $4.14 in July to $3.37 on Nov. 28.”

But it wasn’t just corn raking in good numbers. Other crops from cotton to peanuts also had bin-busting harvests. “The soybean crop was a great crop for producers,” Mickey said.

Corn South: Covering Southern Corn Production

South Carolina is projected to have a record yield at 37 bushels per acre, and the crop for the entire United States also is a record at a total of 90,207,000 acres of soybeans planted and another near-record yield of 49.5 bushels per acre is projected.

“Cotton producers looking for pricing opportunities in 2018 will have to closely watch the markets and budget more closely,” Smith said.

“What is encouraging for cotton producers is cotton use is up and we have strong exports.

Hopefully the lower prices will encourage more exports and more use.”

Unfortunately, in 2017, prices were not as good as producers had hoped for, Smith said, and it is not looking better for most crops in 2018 unless something changes. CS

Corn South is a supplement to the Mid-South and Southeast versions of Cotton Farming magazine and to The Peanut Grower magazine for producers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

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Cover photo by Amanda Huber Send comments to Corn South, 6515 Goodman Rd., Box 360, Olive Branch, MS, 38654. You may also call 901-767-4020 or contact Lia Guthrie at lguthrie@ onegrower.com or Amanda Huber at ahuber@onegrower.com.

Market Factors

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n his most recent Market Grain Outlook, Mark Welch, Texas A&M agricultural Extension economist, says The Office of the Chief Economist at USDA estimates that for corn, the projection is for planted acres of 91.0 million next year, up from 90.4 in 2017. Welch went on to say the following: The yield estimate is 173.5 bushels per acre. This would result in a slightly smaller corn crop next year than 2017, but supplies are up due to a higher level of carryover. The corn stocks-to-use ratio increases in this table from 17.2 percent to 18.0 percent, but the season average farm price is $3.30, up from the current estimate for 2017/18 of $3.20.

For other grains, sorghum acres are projected up 1 million to 6.7, the same as 2016.

The sorghum crop in 2018 is projected up 28 million bushels and ending stocks up 14 million, with the price for sorghum in 2018/19 at $3.30 per bushel compared to $3.10 currently.

Wheat for 2018 is projected down another million acres to 45.0. With a yield of 47.4 bushels compared to 46.3 in 2017, wheat production is up but supplies are down on lower carryover stocks. The stocks to use ratio for

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wheat declines from 43.8 to 39.2 percent and the farm price holds steady at $4.60.

Marketing Strategies

The seasonal price pattern for the December corn contract shows that prices tend to have some upward momentum early in the year as we watch crop conditions in South America and gauge planting prospects in the U.S. The first round of sales in my marketing plan coincides with this time period. I sold the last of the 2017 corn crop at harvest in late October and am now working on crop budgets and a marketing plan for 2018.

Trade Agreements

In other market news, corn industry associations, farm bureaus, farmers and many other stakeholders are greatly concerned about possible changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The Nov. 9, 2017, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Crop Production report pegs the national average per acre corn yield at 175.4 that, if realized, would be a record. With that in mind, Justin Durdan, president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association, had this to say, “We cannot say

Projections For 2018 ■ ■ ■ ■

Planted acres up Average yield down Slightly smaller crop Increased stocks due to carryover

strongly enough how important export markets are to the profitability picture for corn farmers. Specifically, NAFTA needs to remain in effect, and maybe even improved by the Trump Administration, but we cannot withdraw because losing our top corn customer right now is unimaginable.

Although Secretary of Ag Sonny Perdue has said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing for the loss of NAFTA, Durdan says no amount of preparation will make a difference to losing that market.

“We have a bright spot to improve markets through ethanol exports to Mexico since they recently approved improving their gasoline to a ten percent blend of ethanol,” Durdan says.

Renewal of NAFTA will be critical to corn producers and many others. CS CORNSOUTH.COM

Planting Tips

Planning for 2018

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s you study field notes from last season and prepare for corn planting in 2018, the following information on burndown, nematodes and root limiting soil conditions may also be beneficial in maximizing crop potential.

Burndown Considerations

When burning down fields near planting, herbicide selection and rate and spray coverage are very important to ensure complete control. If mare’s-tail, henbit, cutleaf evening-primrose, and sowthistle are present, be sure to apply 2,4-D at one pound of acid equivalent per acre. In many instances, when weed control is unsatisfactory from spring burndown, it is because 2,4-D rates that were too low or 2,4-D was not applied at all.

Applying a burndown four to six weeks prior to planting gives plenty of time for weeds to die and break the “green bridge” and for soil residual herbicides, if applied, to

keep fields weed-free until planting.

For planting corn, a soil residual herbicide applied in the fall may provide weed control until corn planting time. Therefore, a fall residual herbicide can pay and keep the field weed-free until planting. If you are planting soybeans or cotton, a fall-applied soil residual herbicide may not be the best choice.

In some years, soil residual herbicides can provide weed control up to 120 days. If applied in early-December, you might get weed control until mid to late March. However, fields must be scouted. Don’t assume a fall-applied residual herbicide will hold through spring.

The main goal of any burndown operation is to be weed free at the time of planting. Choice of fall or spring burndown will depend on what crop you intend to plant, if Italian ryegrass an issue, and if soil and bed erosion a problem. Spending more money than necessary is a big concern when deciding on burndown.

Information by Josh Copes, Daniel Stephenson, and Donnie Miller, LSU Ag Center.

Corn Nematodes, Silent Thieves

Field and sweet corn are good hosts for the southern or cotton root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita Race 3). This is the same root-knot nematode that has plagued Alabama cotton and soybean along with some vegetable producers for generations.

Based on a recent Alabama study, cotton root-knot nematode can reduce expected corn yield by 30 percent. Available corn hybrids have also proven to be an excellent bridge hosts for maintaining high populations between cotton crops. Yield gains from nematicide treatments in field trials have consistently been in the 10 to 18 percent range, which suggests that the 30 percent loss value may be real because no nematicide gives 100 percent yield protection.

Stubby root nematode is a damaging early season pest in seedling corn. Irregular

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Planting Tips patches of stunted corn with off-color foliage and stubby roots that does not respond to nitrogen are typical symptoms of stubby root damage. Yield losses due to stubby root are in the same range as those reported for cotton root-knot.

Recent trials have focused on the efficacy of the seed treatment nematicide products Avicta Duo Corn and Poncho VOTiVO as well as the insecticide/nematicide Counter 20G for the control of cotton root-knot and corn yield response. While sizable yield gains from Avicta Duo Corn have been recorded, recent Alabama trials have failed to show yield gains with either of the above nematicide seed treatments. In contrast, the granular insecticide/nematicide Counter 20G has consistently returned yield gains up to 20 and 30 bushels per acre in stubby root and/or cotton root-knot infested fields, respectively, in multiple Alabama studies.

Information by Austin Hagan, Alabama Cooperative Extension entomologist and plant pathologist.

Root Limiting Conditions

The era of remote sensing and aerial drones has most producers focusing on visible issues. However, the root of most problems is actually roots, or lack thereof. The yield potential of all agricultural crops can be traced back to the soil. Soil conditions that limit root development and proliferation throughout the topsoil and subsoil, ultimately limit the yield and long-term sustainability of the field.

Root limiting conditions often come down to four issues: compaction, acidity, salinity and limited soil nutrients. Soil compaction is likely the single most limiting, yet under-appreciated, yield-robbing soil problem facing Texas producers. Estimates to the actual impact of compaction on yield range from 5-100 percent; fluctuating in-season rainfall and evapo-transpiration rates makes it difficult to place a more solid estimate.

The cause of soil compaction or densification can be due to multiple causes including tillage and vehicle traffic on moist to wet soils, loss of rooting development due to low phosphorus and/or low general soil fertility, low pH, high sodium and/or high soil salinity. As root proliferation declines in a soil, the soil, specifically the non-tillage subsoil, slowly increases in density. Under ideal growing conditions, the constant turnover of root system regenerates the macro-pores in the soil, plus helps maintain natural soil aggregation through the plant/microbiological relationships. As a root system decomposes, the resulting soil voids allow for

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rapid exchanges of gases and movement of water, plus provides a conduit for future root development. Lacking these voids or macro-pores, poor oxygenation of the root system often occurs, plus standing or increased runoff of rainfall or irrigation water is observed.

Key strategies toward avoiding compaction are to: 1) reduce axle loads when-ever possible, 2) avoid tillage or movement of equipment when soils are moist or wet on the surface and deeper in the profile, 3) Use controlled wheel tracks, thus limiting the overall percent of the field that large axle/wheel loads impact and 4) ensure other soil fertility related limitations are resolved. The tillage and wheel traffic on moist and wet soils is often the more immediate and most obvious form of compaction. This wheel traffic compaction is often associated with shorter plants nearby and also immediate ponding during rainfall events.

The first step for remediation of compaction is to determine where and to what extent a field is compacted. Yield monitors and visual observations can provide some insight into potential areas of compaction, and a soil probe used to collect soil samples can be used to evaluate ease of penetration, depth of hardness layers and changes between areas of the field. When compacted areas are noted, a further understanding of the compaction depth is needed. Longer soil probes or soil penetronometers can be utilized to evaluate the depth of compaction.

Most compaction problems can only be reduced by mechanical means, including deep ripping, chiseling or other fracturing of the soil when dry. Another approach is to plant a taproot type of cover crop. Select legumes, including sweet clover, are uniquely adapted to penetrate compacted layers, but may require multiple plantings.

Information by Tony Provin, Extension soil chemist, and Ronnie Schnell, Extension specialist-cropping systems, Texas A&M.

Summit Agro USA recently announced the launch of Shieldex 400SC corn herbicide, a new post-emergent HPPD chemistry that is safe and effective for use in all types of corn.

Shieldex 400SC controls a wide range of broadleaf and grass weeds, including troublesome weeds such as tall waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, giant ragweed and giant foxtail. The unique HPPD technology that powers Shieldex 400SC provides growers with a flexible new tool in the battle against herbicide resistance.

“We are very excited about the registration of Shieldex 400SC corn herbicide, and look forward to working with our exclusive distribution partners Helena Chemical Co. and Tenkoz Inc. to get the product out to retailers and growers across the United States,” says Jon Forbis, Shieldex 400SC product manager.

For more information on Shieldex 400SC, or to learn more about the full range of products from Summit Agro USA, please visit www.summitagrousa.com/products/shieldex.

Boost Phosphorus, Yields

A series of university, retailer and company field trials shows that use of Avail Phosphorus Fertilizer Enhancer from Verdesian Life Sciences can boost the amount of phosphorus (P) available for plant uptake up to 45 percent.

“In some of these trials, the rate of applied P was reduced by 20 to 50 percent with little or no adverse effect on yield,” says Todd Carpenter, technical development manager for Verdesian Life Sciences. “Improved P availability and early season uptake of P translates into faster root development, improved root structure and stronger stalks. This means a more robust crop that can better withstand environmental stresses.”

The increase in P efficiency that Avail provides has a direct correlation to improved return on investment (ROI) from every pound of P applied. “Ninety percent of our corn trials have shown a yield increase of 10 Bu./A, on average when Avail is applied,” Carpenter says. “At $3.25-perbushel corn, the ROI could be as high at 5:1. Getting up to 45 percent more of the P applied into a crop during one growing season can make a big difference.”

Further information about Verdesian is available at vlsci.com.

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