Maize and Cropping 2020 by Wairarapa Times-Age

www.age.co.nz Thursday, September 3, 2020

Maize silage proven and sustainable 2020MAIZE& CROPPING

The recently announced Essential Freshwater (‘Action for Healthy Waterways’) rules have many livestock farmers rethinking their winter management and cropping regimes.

the rooting depth of pasture species. Recent published research conducted by Pioneer® brand seeds shows the annual nitrogen leaching loss under maize silage followed by a harvested annual ryegrass catch-crop can be as low as 6 kg N/ha*. “Because it produces high yields, a maize crop takes up a lot of nitrogen,” says Mark, “But maize silage itself is a low nitrogen feed which is great for diluting the high dietary nitrogen levels found in ryegrass-clover pasture for much of the year.”

Maize for silage is a great option, according to Mark Burke, Regional Manager for Pioneer® brand seeds. “Maize silage is harvested and stored so it is not a˜ ected by the intensiÿ cation or winter grazing restrictions that a˜ ect many other crops,” says Mark. “It o˜ ers a proven solution for Wairarapa farmers who are looking for wintering options which don’t involve intensive grazing.” One of the most talked about new rules is the cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser application. “While we encourage responsible nitrogen use, it is important to note that the 190 kg/ha synthetic nitrogen application rule does not apply to maize silage or grain crops regardless as to whether they are grown on arable or livestock farms,” says Mark. Maize silage has become an integral part of the feeding regime on a large number of New Zealand dairy farms over the past three decades. It is a low-cost supplement that’s great for increasing cow condition,

Research has shown that feeding less dietary protein results in less nitrogen in the urine. This is important as urinary nitrogen is a major contributor to nitrogen leaching losses.

extending lactation and ÿ lling feed deÿ cits Farmers are well aware of the production and proÿ t beneÿ ts of feeding maize silage but less aware of its environmental advantages,” says Mark Maize is a deep-rooted grass with welldocumented water and nitrogen use e˛ ciency. It has a water-use e˛ ciency 2-3 times that of perennial ryegrass. A maize crop can draw nutrients, including nitrogen, which have dropped below

“Maize yields are continuing to rise, and modern hybrids produce more yield in a shorter growing season than those farmers planted a decade or more ago,” says Mark. “Maize has a lot of proven environmental beneÿ ts and continued advances in crop establishment and management practices will see maize cropping become even greener in the years ahead.” Tsimba et al, 2020. Quantiÿ cation of nitrogen leaching losses under a typical maize silage cropping system. In: Proceedings of the 33rd Annual FLRC Workshop. Massey University.

Thursday, September 3, 2020 Wairarapa

Times-Age

2020MAIZE& CROPPING

Best practice required for summer forage crops Farmers feeding summer forage crops need to be mindful of best management practices to ensure soil and nutrients stay within the paddock and don’t end up in waterways. Matt Ward, Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s General Manager North Island, says farmers are very aware of how to manage winter feed crops to protect soil and water resources and the same principles also apply to summer forage crops. These include identifying and excluding stock from water ways and critical sources areas such as springs or gullies, grazing across a slope or from the top of the slope

towards waterways and critical source areas and having a stand-o˜ area away from the fodder crop available in very wet weather. “These management factors are just as important in summer as they are in winter as heavy rainfall events can still a˜ ect grazing on summer fodder crops.” Matt says wind can be more of an issue in summer and taking steps to minimise the time a paddock is bare will reduce the risk of soil loss from exposed paddocks.

paddock where it belongs.” While summer forage crops are typically used for feeding young stock such as lambs or calves, soil damage and run-o˜ can still occur in very wet weather, so farmers should have contingency plans in case of extreme weather events. Matt recommends farmers using forage crops this summer take the time to review their management practices and ensure they are doing their best for both their livestock and the environment.

“Getting a cover crop established as quickly as possible after the crop has been grazed will protect the soil and keep it in the

Supplementary feed guide for Beef & Lamb NZ Farmers in many regions are considering a range of supplementary feed options this year and a B+LNZ commissioned feed calculator will help them make informed decisions about the best feed for their budget and livestock requirements. Put together by BakerAg, the feed calculator provides indicative dry matter (DM) and energy (MJME) content of a wide range of supplementary feeds as well as a breakdown of costs per kilogram of DM and MJME.

says the table includes severalless commonly used feeds such as tapioca, canola meal, corn gluten meal, broll and vegetables. He says the costs provided were the costs of the feed on 20 April, so while these may vary, these will at least give farmers an indication of the relative value of di˜ erent feeds. All the costs are exclusive of freight and while energy (MJME) is a critical value, other nutritional factor should be taken into account when farmers are looking at purchasing non-traditional supplementary feeds.

Please note: These ÿ gures are intended as a guide and examples only. B+LNZ recommends for accuracy that you get test results for your supplement feed or crop. B+LNZ also recommends that feed planning decisions are monitored by weighing and/or Body Condition Scoring stock. You can ÿ nd the guide at https:// bee° ambnz.com/knowledge-hub/PDF/ supplementary-feed-guide.pdf

B+LNZ Extension Manager Mark Harris

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www.age.co.nz Thursday, September 3, 2020

New resources to help manage cadmium in New Zealand The Cadmium Management Group (CMG) has produced a series of resources to provide growers and farmers with advice about managing cadmium in New Zealand.

between the zinc:cadmium ratio and cadmium levels in grain, suggesting that zinc addition could help to reduce cadmium accumulation. Cadmium is generally more available to plants in soils with a low clay content. Therefore, the risk of high cadmium in produce is greater for sandy soils than clay soils. Plant uptake of cadmium is also generally lower in Granular and Allophanic (volcanic) soils than in non-volcanic soils.

The CMG, representing regional councils, primary sector groups and central government, is convened by the Ministry for Primary Industries to manage cadmium in agriculture. The resources include several of fact sheets and guides available on the www.fertiliser.org.nz website covering managing cadmium in food crops, leafy green crops, onion crops, potato crops, grazing farm systems, and wheat and cereal crops. Cadmium is a naturally occurring metal element, present in small amounts in soils, rocks, plants and animals. It can accumulate in humans and livestock, mainly through food consumption. Excessive long-term daily intake of cadmium can lead to health problems in humans and animals. The main source of cadmium to agricultural soils is from phosphate fertilisers which contain cadmium as an impurity from phosphate rock. New Zealand soils contain little cadmium naturally, from less than 0.1 to 0.6 mg/kg. Phosphate fertilisers are the primary source of cadmium in agricultural soils, so reducing their application rate and/or switching to lower-cadmium containing fertilisers will reduce the input of cadmium to soils. Olsen P is a key indicator of phosphate fertiliser requirements and phosphorus fertiliser can be reduced where the Olsen P is at or above recommended levels for your crop and soil type. Advice on the appropriate rate can be obtained by soil testing, from your soils and fertility adviser and by using nutrient management models or the reference guide ‘Managing Soil Fertility on Cropping Farms’ available from www.fertiliser.org.nz/ site/resources/booklets

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The Cadmium Management Group encourages farmers to assess how to include the management of cadmium in their farm management plan. As first steps, talk with your soils and fertility adviser about including cadmium in your next soil test, and talk to your sector group about monitoring the crops and cultivars you are growing.

Phosphoric-acid-derived fertilisers (eg triple superphosphate, DAP) typically have less cadmium than those derived from sulphuric acid (eg superphosphate) and rock phosphate. Those derived from nitric acid (eg complex products, with NPK in each prill) generally have the least cadmium. Composts and lime may also be sources of cadmium in agricultural soils, so ensure products containing low cadmium are used. Cadmium uptakes vary between plant species, and between varieties or cultivars of the same species. Some crops accumulate greater amounts of cadmium. Spinach, silverbeet, carrots, celery, leeks, and wheat generally accumulate more cadmium than onions or potatoes. This means that some stages in a crop rotation cycle may risk noncompliance with MLs. Different crop varieties or cultivars can accumulate cadmium at different rates. Testing in New Zealand of wheat cultivars in industry trials showed some typically higher-accumulating cultivars: those derived from Monad tend towards higher cadmium accumulation. This shows the importance of monitoring cadmium in your wheat. In general, plant uptake of cadmium can be reduced by:  increasing soil pH to the high end of the optimal range for your specific crop (often this is around pH 6.2)

 increasing soil organic matter (if using composts or manures, ensure lowcadmium products are used)  addressing any zinc deficiency (international studies have shown this to be important) – zinc status is best measured in plant material. New Zealand-specific research found that there were no identified relationships with soil properties and cadmium concentrations for wheat.

Source: http://www.fertiliser.org.nz/Site/ news/articles/managing-cadmium-in-newzealand-fact-sheets.aspx This fact sheet is one in a series of sector fact sheets and guides produced by Manaaki Whenua − Landcare Research for the Cadmium Management Group in 2020. Additional resources www.mpi.govt.nz (search cadmium) www.fertiliser.org.nz (search cadmium) www.far.org.nz

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Thursday, September 3, 2020 Wairarapa Times-Age

2020MAIZE& CROPPING

Liaising with your contractor and technical adviser Growing maize requires a range of operations:  Most dairy farmers will need contractors to assist with some or all of these processes  Some contractors and technical advisers will o˜ er a crop management service  Communication and good planning are key to working with contractors and technical advisers Growing maize requires a range of operations from cultivation through to harvest. Most dairy farmers won’t have the specialist equipment required for growing maize and will therefore need to employ contractors for these tasks. For those with limited time or experience, technical advisers from a range of merchant companies are available to o˜ er crop management services and/or advice. There are specialist contractors and advisers who concentrate on only one aspect of maize production (eg spraying or fertilisers). Others provide a complete service from sowing to harvest. The key to working with contractors and technical advisers is good communication.

requiring the same service at much the same time. Notice of your intentions well in advance and then regular updates will improve the service they can provide. You will need to talk with your contractor and technical adviser regarding your speciÿ c requirements, which may include: 1. Spraying Your spray contractor will need to know your sowing date so that they can plan when to spray out pasture, and later when herbicides will be required for the crop. Monitoring (chapter seven) will help determine if post emergence herbicides will be needed.

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2. Cultivation Your cultivation contractor can advise and outline costs of cultivation methods; however, this will need to be done well in advance of the projected planting date. 3. Sowing Your sowing contractor will need advance warning of both your intended sowing date and your fertiliser programme. Seed companies and rural supply ÿ rms will give advice on a suitable maize hybrid for your site, sowing date and planned harvest date. You should also discuss options regarding seed treatment for pest control. 4. Fertiliser Ensure you have a recent soil test, collected from 0-15cm deep from your intended maize paddock. Paddocks coming out of

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long term pasture can supply up to 300kg N/ha just from soil organic matter, so soil test for mineral nitrogen (0-60cm) to determine post sowing urea applications. Technical advisers and fertiliser companies can organise soil tests and develop fertiliser plans. There are several different methods of fertiliser application; bulk spreader for base fertiliser, sowing contractor for fertiliser applied through the drill, post emergence N - often referred to as side-dressing (knifing or broadcasting urea into the soil six to eight weeks after sowing). Your technical adviser will assist you in determining the best method for your conditions. 5. Harvesting Maize harvesting and stack building is an extremely busy and difficult time for contractors; with large hectares to harvest, a short time frame and often adverse weather to contend with. Maize is normally harvested from 30 to 40% dry matter. Let your contractor know your preference well in advance. Determining maize silage maturity in the field requires considerable experience. Generally harvest contractors will monitor crop maturity and determine harvest time. Technical advisers will also give guidance if required. Remember that stack sites and access areas must be prepared before harvest. Aim to get this done early in case the crop matures faster than expected. Post-harvest planning eg sowing new pastures, is also crucial to continued success. Again your technical representative will be able to assist you with the best options for your site. Source: Best Management Practices for Growing Maize on Dairy Farms www.dairynz.co.nz

Flowering Alyssum can help protect brassica crops A common garden plant may hold the key to protecting brassica crops from the wheat bug, Nysius huttoni, a damaging pest. In a paper just published in the journal, Agricultural and Forest Entomology, Sundar Tiwari, who has just completed his PhD through the Bio-Protection Research Centre, outlines his research into protecting brassica seedlings from the wheat bug. It shows that alyssum (Lobularia maritima L. Desvaux cv. Benthamii White) planted around the perimeter of a brassica field protects the seedlings by “trapping” wheat bugs. Trap cropping is a form of companion planting, using one plant to keep insect pests away from nearby plants. It can help to reduce the need for insecticide. Brassicas, such as broccoli and cauliflower, are not just important horticultural crops; many farmers also plant fields of brassicas as stock feed. The wheat bug is a major pest of

bug away from brassica crops. While coriander and clover did not perform well, alyssum and, to a lesser extent, alyssum and wheat together did. “To significantly reduce wheat bugs in brassica fields, first establish alyssum at its flowering stage or alyssum plus wheat at its seed-ripening stage around the perimeter of the brassica field,” Dr Tiwari says. “This can prevent wheat bugs from migrating from outside the field into the brassica crop.”

FLOWERING ALYSSUM

Once the bugs are established in the trap crop, and the brassica seedlings have matured past their vulnerable stage, the trap crops can either be removed (along with the wheat bugs) or treated with suitable insecticide, but making sure to not taint the brassica crop.

“These practices can generate severe external costs, including to human health, the environment and biodiversity,” Dr Tiwari and his coauthors wrote. “Trap cropping is one alternative option to protect brassica seedlings from N. huttoni.”

“Such a trap-cropping protocol potentially reduces pesticide use in brassicas, and can also deliver multiple ecosystem services such as biological control of insect pests,” Dr Tiwari concludes. The Bio-Protection Research Centre, hosted by Lincoln University, is a Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE), that pursues multidisciplinary research to meet the biosecurity and pest management needs of New Zealand’s plant-based primary industries and natural ecosystems.

For his PhD research, Dr Tiwari tested alyssum, as well as wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Morph), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.cv. Santo) and clover (Trifolium repens L. cv. Nomad), for their ability to draw the wheat

It was formed by New Zealand’s leading plant protection scientists. Current research programmes span a range of applications including computational intelligence, molecular biology, biotechnology and agro-ecology.

brassica seedlings, and is usually controlled by treating seeds with neonicotinoids and spraying with chlorpyrifos and pyrethroid insecticides.

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Thursday, September 3, 2020 Wairarapa Times-Age

2020MAIZE& CROPPING

Growing a great crop of beet Managed correctly, fodder beet can be a valuable winter feed crop for ewes, says Beef & Lamb NZ. Norwood farmers Peter and Tom Chamberlain began feeding fodder beet to ewes when they had surplus of the crop - and their traditional rape crops had not yielded as well as expected. While the sheep had to learn to eat it once they got a taste for it they were away. Meadow and ryegrass straw was fed as a supplement initially and later they fed protein-rich lucerne baleage to o˜ -set fodder beet’s low protein content. The ewes did so well on it that fodder beet is now part of the Chamberlains’ wintering system. Dr Jim Gibbs from Lincoln University says unlike cattle, sheep do not need to be carefully transitioned on to the crop as it does not cause acidosis in ovine rumens. It is more a case of running them on to the crop for a couple of hours over a few days so the sheep get used to eating it. It is however vital that sheep are vaccinated against clostridial diseases before going on to fodder beet because the crop’s high sugar content will feed the clostridial-causing bacteria. Sheep also have a higher protein requirement than cattle and while there

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is usually su° cient protein in the leaf, in crops with damaged leaves, a high protein supplement will be necessary. This need for protein is also the reason Gibbs recommends daily breaks, as this ensures the sheep are eating the leaf and the bulb. Longer breaks will have the sheep only eat the leaf on day one and then spend subsequent days just eating the bulb.

“

The plants will establish but they will su° er if they come under stress” James White from Seed Force says sheep farmers should be selecting varieties of fodder beet with low dry matter and a high proportion of good quality leaf. He says these varieties (such as Brigadier™) sit higher out of the ground, making them more accessible to sheep (and young cattle), but most importantly they produce a lot more leaf and will hang on to that leaf into winter when managed correctly. White says farmers are able to run 150200 ewes/ha and it’s the crop’s ability to hold a large number of animals for around three months over winter that is its greatest appeal. This allows farmers to build pastures over winter or run other classes of stock on the freed-up area. White says lambs generally won’t ÿ nish on fodder beet, but the crop will hold these animals

so they can be ÿ nished on spring pasture. He urges anyone thinking about growing beet for sheep to get good advice from people with experience and expertise in growing and feeding the crop. White says correct paddock preparation has a huge impact on crop yield and one of the biggest problem they see is rushing to get the crop established without doing the ground work- literally. He says any fertility issues in the selected paddock should have been addressed after a soil test from at least the previous autumn. Going into spring, he recommends farmers together with their advisers or contractors, go out into the paddock and dig an inspection hole to check if there are any compaction layers at depth. Sub-soil pans or compaction – need to be broken up before the crop is drilled. These pans will prevent the tap root penetrating the soil to access moisture and nutrients, will inhibit growth and stop the plants reaching their yield potential. “The plants will establish but they will su˜ er if they come under stress.” Once the paddock is prepared, the crop can be sown as early as environmental and soil conditions allow – taking climatic risks into account. Farmers should seek advice from reputable and experienced advisers to ensure the crop is getting the required nutrients for optimum growth at the key timings. Source: bee˜ ambnz.com

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Maize crop establishment with DairyNZ Site selection Many dairy farmers use maize crop as part of their pasture renewal programme, however not all paddocks are equally suited for maize production. Steep paddocks are not only difficult for cultivation and harvest but tend not to yield well. Low lying wet paddocks often lead to cultivation delays and often don’t yield well unless drought conditions prevail. A paddock that is wet under pasture acts as if 10% wetter when the structural strength of the pasture is removed by cultivation. Wet paddocks risk loss of soil structure under cultivation which leads to lower yields. Long-term effluent paddocks have high N and K levels and are ideal for growing a deep-rooting crop of maize often without using bagged fertiliser. Long-term dairy pastures have high fertility levels which means N fertiliser inputs for maize crops can be reduced without impacting yield. To grow high-yielding maize on farm for the least cost, consider the factors which make the contractors’ jobs speedy and efficient and reduce harvest cost, eg paddock location, access, entrance ways, track conditions, culvert strength, overhead wires.

FOR THE LEAST COST, CONSIDER THE FACTORS WHICH MAKE THE CONTRACTORS’ JOBS SPEEDY AND EFFICIENT SUCH AS PADDOCK LOCATION, ACCESS, ENTRANCE WAYS, TRACK CONDITIONS, CULVERT STRENGTH AND OVERHEAD WIRES Soil preparation Maize seed is normally sown around 5cm deep. An uneven soil surface (undulations, ruts etc.) makes it difficult for the planter to sow at a uniform depth resulting in variable emergence. Maize does not need a very fine seedbed. It is a large seed and seed-to-soil contact is generally sufficient for germination, except on very cloddy soils. Light rolling after sowing may help seed-soil contact, seal in moisture, and reduce risk of wind erosion. Maize nutrient requirements Maize requires substantial nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), both of which are present in dairy soils. On cropping farms, N is the nutrient most likely to limit maize yields and the largest fertiliser input. These inputs are generally unnecessary on

dairy paddocks coming out on long-term pastures. Up to 300kg N/ha is released from soil organic matter when high fertility dairy pastures are cultivated. Maize is unlikely to respond to K fertiliser unless soil K test levels are very low. Replacement K fertiliser can be applied after harvest to avoid any luxury uptake by the maize crop (luxury uptake is the K uptake in excess of what the plant needs. K can be absorbed by plants in amounts higher than what is needed for optimum yield, this can lead to higher than normal concentrations of K in the plant tissue). Soil test for N before applying postemergence N fertiliser to determine requirements. There are two soil tests regularly used for maize: Basic soil test (0-15cm) for pH, Olsen P, K,

Ca, Mg etc Deep N test (0-60cm) for mineral N. Dairy effluent can be used as a nutrient source for maize provided the crop requires the nutrients and good effluent practices are followed. Weeds Paddocks out of long-term pasture often have a broad-leaf seed bank while paddocks previously run-out pastures often have grass weeds, e.g. summer grasses. Weeds can cause a significant yield loss, and moisture-activated pre-emergence herbicides generally work well - however in some situations further post-emergence applications are required. Source: https://www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/ crops/maize-crop/