Wheat Pete's Word, June 13: Weevil whacking, the nitrate report, and dry bean replants

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It’s dry, dry, dry in some areas of Ontario, but some relief could show up as many forecasts are calling for rain. Just how dry is it? As Peter Johnson, host of Wheat Pete’s Word, shares in this week’s edition, dry beans have failed to emerge and relay crop soybeans are wilting.

The lack of moisture is certainly shining a spotlight on some put-in-rough corn, but that’s just one of the environmental struggles out there this week. The east coast is assessing the damage from several nights of freezing. How bad has it been? Some berry growers have had to water over 20 times to protect the crop from freezing.

Johnson discusses that, plus the findings of the nitrate report from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, why harrowing for weevil control is not a sound strategy, and why you may still want to consider a dry bean replant. Full summary is below.

Have a question you’d like Johnson to address? Or some yield results to send in? Leave him a message at 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at [email protected].

SUMMARY

  • Corn that was pushed to get in the ground is visible from even a 50 mph crop scout. Very little rainfall since planted has led to restricted root growth. Not much you can do now, as even inter-row cultivation to get roots out of that zone is a crap shoot
  • There are also some poor stands of no-till soys out there, especially on the knolls. Is tillage the answer? Johnson says that in-between the old corn rows those plants are doing just fine, thankyouverymuch
  • Dry bean emergence is spotty and very variable, which is not what you want. Uniformity is so key to dry beans. If there’s moisture in the forecast, a replant may pay off
  • Relay intercrop soys into twin row wheat are wilted (see tweet below)
  • The nitrate report is out! May had more than100 heat units  about average, and the nitrate report came in at 12.7 ppm, so that’s normal. Don’t cut rates.
  • At the 3 to 4 leaf stage of corn, Steph Kowalski asks is a repeated frost more or less harmful? Turns out a second or third frost can be more detrimental than the first. Whether or not the crop pulls through depends on the growing point and if it was damaged or can push through damaged tissue
  • We posted a video on stripe rust this week. See it here, because it’s a large issue on susceptible varieties
  • Questions about weed control? Do what Wheat Pete does and start with the Pest Manager app!
  • Can harrowing alfalfa kill weevil eggs? Save the diesel! Weevils lay eggs in the stem of the plant. Harrowing won’t do a darn thing.

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