Parsons, Kansas —
Summer annuals are often used by cattle producers for summer grazing or harvested for hay. Plants such as Sorghum-Sudan hybrids, Sorgo-Sudan hybrids, Sudan-Sudan hybrids, and millets, all fall in this category. These summer crops can be very productive and high quality, but can also accumulate toxic levels of nitrate when stressed. The heat and dry weather of the past two weeks has caused many of these plants to become very stressed.
Based on the assumption that the plant continues soil nitrate uptake during nighttime hours, followed by accelerated conversion of the nitrate to protein during daylight hours, previous recommendations have been to wait until afternoon to cut forage sorghum for hay if anticipated nitrate levels are marginally high.
To evaluate the significance of the change in nitrate concentration in forage sorghums during the day, Oklahoma State University Extension Educators collected samples at two hour intervals from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Five cooperator’s fields (“farm”) were divided into quadrants. Three random samples, consisting of ten stems each, were taken from each quadrant at the specified interval. The samples were analyzed at the Oklahoma State University Soil, Water, and Forage Analytical Laboratory to determine the level of nitrates, in parts per million (ppm).
As expected, differences between “farms” were substantial and significant. The average concentration of nitrate for individual farms varied from 412 ppm to 8935 ppm. The average nitrate concentrations across all farms were 3857, 3768, 4962, 4140, 4560, and 4077 ppm for samples at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 6 p.m., respectively. Remember, most laboratories consider nitrate concentrations at, or above 10,000 ppm potentially lethal. There was much more variation between farms than between harvest times. Time of day of harvest did not impact nitrate concentration or proportion of dangerous samples of forage sorghum hay. Therefore it would be a dangerous false sense of security to think that cutting the forage later in the day would prevent a potentially toxic concentration of nitrates in the hay. Source: Levalley and co-workers. Abstract, 2009 Midwest Section American Society of Animal Science.£
Crops
Time of day of harvest impacts nitrate levels
- Crops
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Plant now, add nitrogen later
When the rain faucet shuts off, plant first and apply nitrogen later, advises Peter Scharf, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist and professor in plant sciences at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
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MU Field Scouting Report: No freeze damage to wheat, delayed corn planting
Wheat is in the flag leaf to early boot stage. No freeze damage to the wheat head was seen. Temporary phosphorus deficiency, identified by purpling on leaf tips, was seen due to cold weather.
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Corn planting dates and cold temps cause concern
“The possibility of temperatures nearing 32 degrees or below, there is concern among producers for damage of the wheat head,” said Jill Scheidt, agronomy specialist with the University of Missouri Extension in Barton County. According to Bill Wiebold, state specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, wheat is the most sensitive to freezing temperatures when the heads are coming out and flowers are beginning to form.
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Wildcat Extension Report: Can gypsum fix what ails your soil?
A man much wiser than me once said that the easiest way to change your soil is to move. Unfortunately, this is not always an option for most producers. Soils in southeast Kansas are classified, in general, to be heavy clay soils.
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Kansas wheat growers should be aware of crop diseases
With forecasts of snow still a possibility and the wheat just starting to green up in parts of Kansas, it may surprise some wheat growers to know that March is an important month for wheat disease development.
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Cover crops can provide many benefits
Having plant growth in fields year-round can improve the soil, according to Tim Reinbott, superintendent of the University of Missouri Bradford Research Center. He says using cover crops in the fall and spring can provide large benefits.
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Drought impacts U.S. soybean quality results
According to a recent soy-checkoff-funded study, the overall oil levels in last year’s U.S. soybean crop increased over the previous year, while average protein fell. United Soybean Board (USB) Customer Focus Action Team Chair Sharon Covert says U.S. soy’s biggest users pay attention to those results.
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Midwest soil could take up to two years to recover
The Midwest suffered the worst drought in years last summer, and Midwest soil has been suffering from a drought since early 2010. As a result, crops have wilted and farmers have fallen on hard times. Now, a University of Missouri researcher says that it may take at least two years for crops and soil to recover.
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Ag profitability conference addresses crop concerns
Corn and soybean producers face wide-ranging harvest price possibilities for the crops they plant this spring.
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Local growers get latest on new herbicides
Controlling herbicide resistant weeds was the hot topic during the Andrew County Ag. Update conference on Thursday, Jan. 17 in the Clasbey Center in Savannah, Mo.
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Plant now, add nitrogen later
