Clean bins, equipment before harvest to provide a fresh start and utmost grain protection

With fall harvest just around the corner, it’s important to check the condition of harvest equipment and grain bins. Keeping equipment and bins clean and in good working order is a critical first step in the harvest process.

Your grain crop is a major investment that needs to be protected. Grain quality does not improve in storage. At best, the initial quality can only be maintained. If you take the extra time to make sure conditions are good for storing grain, then you are protecting that investment. Proper storage begins with the condition of the harvested grain, including moisture level and its condition as it leaves the combine and is transported and handled.

• Before harvest, thoroughly clean equipment and make adjustments to minimize grain damage and maximize the removal of foreign materials. Many storage problems, including insects, are the result of damaged grain. Producers need to minimize the amount of grain that is cracked during combining and handling. Proper adjustments and management, such as combine adjustments and making sure transfer augers run at full capacity, help reduce damage and make grain more storable. Grain carts, augers, trucks, combines and other harvest equipment should be free of all traces of old grain. Old grain can be a source of mold or insect infestation. Over time even a small number of insect eggs or mold spores can contaminate a full bin of grain, especially if the grain is a little on the wet side.

• Thoroughly check and clean grain bins before harvest and remove all old grain. Never mix new and old grain. You can keep and manage old grain, but it should be kept in a separate storage bin. There is a high risk for insect development over time. It’s unusual for major insect infestation in the first year, but after that the risk goes up dramatically. Store grain in several small bins rather than a few large ones. Smaller bins provide for better management. It gives producers more options for moving and storing grain, and if one bin goes bad, the loss is not as great.

  Check under the perforated floors for accumulations of broken kernels and other materials that can be a breeding ground for insects and mold. A few simple tools such as brooms, shovels, and a good shop vacuum are effective in cleaning equipment and bins, and a high pressure air hose is good for those hard-to-reach spots. The use of power washers on bins and harvest equipment is discouraged because they can create moisture and corrosion problems. Ideally, perforated bin floors should be removed for cleaning. If that is not possible, and there is evidence of insect activity, the empty bin should be fumigated. Fumigation should be done as early as possible, because after application some chemicals require a waiting period of up to two weeks before grain can be added.

  Since fumigation materials are restricted-use pesticides, the applicator must be licensed to buy and apply the chemicals. It is absolutely essential that applicators follow the label on these chemicals. Only a very few are appropriate for soybeans. Most are labeled specifically for corn or sorghum. With improper use you risk contamination of food materials and loss of time and money.

• Check around the bin site before harvest and remove spilled grain and other debris such as old boards or tall grass that might provide hiding areas for rodents and insects. If necessary, re-grade the soil around the foundation to ensure water drains away from the bin.

• Inspect the bin foundations for cracks or other structural problems. Anchor bolts should be tightened, and any gap that could provide entry for rodents or insects should be sealed. Electrical wiring also should be checked for wear, and all wiring at entry and exit points should be sealed against weather and pests.
• Check fans, heaters, transitions, and ducts for corrosion and damage. Remove any accumulated dust and dirt. Be sure all joints in the duct-work are tight, otherwise the aeration or drying air will short-circuit, reducing the operating efficiency.

Final yields can be somewhat deceiving if this is the only variable you use to evaluate the crop’s performance. For example, two fields may produce 100 bu/ac, which is less than you would like. Upon investigation you discover that one field had yields reduced due to severe rootworm clipping while the other field was limited by a nitrogen deficiency. The ears from these two fields would have different fill characteristics and without looking at them now, you may incorrectly assume the fields were stressed similarly, based on the yield data.

Ears 1-4 in the figure lack ear-tip fill, while ears 5-6 are filled to the tip. The tips are not filled due to two possible causes: a pollination problem or limited photosynthate (nutrient) availability for the developing kernels. Silks attached to basal kernels typically emerge first while tip silks emerge last. Since silks emerge at different times this creates the possibility for variability in the fill pattern based on environmental conditions. If pollen shed occurred before all of the tip silks had emerged, the ovules would not have been pollinated. It is also possible that the silks did receive pollen and were fertilized, but the new developing kernels had to be aborted. Kernels are aborted during R2 and R3. Depending on the stress level experienced by the plant it will continue to abort tip kernels until it can support the remaining kernels with adequate photosynthates.

When an ear is completely filled, such as with ears 5 and 6, it shows that the plant was fully able to support all kernels throughout the grain filling process. Although this seems good, it is very likely that not all nutrients and water were used during grain fill. If ears are filled out to the very edge, consider increasing plant population next year so that supply is slightly less than demand.

In ears 1 and 5 we see sporadic areas with smaller than average kernels. If stresses occur over a long time and are general in nature, the tip of the ear will not be developed, as mentioned earlier. However, if stresses are short term and severe, a sporadic loss in kernels may occur anywhere on the ear. Compare ears 1 and 2; both are from non-irrigated fields but ear 2 has greater consistency in seed size and fill than ear 1. Ear 1 must have had stress(es) that ear 2 did not.

In ears 3 and 4, the basal portion on each ear does not have kernels. These basal kernels are unlikely to abort since they are closest to the photosynthate supply plant and receive priority. Instead, the lack of fill here is possibly because the basal silks emerged before pollen shed began. If pollen was available, the silks may have been selectively clipped by rootworm beetles. These ears also exhibit areas of missing kernels and rows. These barren areas are due to a lack of fertilization, which may be because pollen shed occurred before all of the silks had emerged. Pollen shed is accelerated by drought. Silks also may have become desiccated due to severe water stress and were no longer able to receive pollen.

The lack of fill in the middle of ear 4 sometimes occurs when that part of the ear is facing downward (on the bottom side of the ear). It is possible that the silks attached to these kernels were covered up by other silks and simply did not get pollinated. This would not be expected to occur frequently throughout a field. Also in ear 4, there is some overall irregularity in row development which is due to stress throughout the entire pollination period.

Ear 6 shows a reduction of rows from 16 to 14 at the very base of the ear. The number of rows, or ear girth, is determined between V8 and V12 and is largely set by the plant’s genetics. Severe stresses, such as environmental or chemical, can reduce ear girth. If rows are reduced part way up on the ear, try to determine when this would have occurred to identify possible causes.

Only in the last few years has it been possible to selectively control winter annual grass weeds in winter wheat. Control of these weeds is best when herbicides are applied in the fall, shortly after emergence, when the plants are growing rapidly but before they become well tillered. Winter wheat fields that look like a lawn probably have winter annual grassy weeds filling in between the rows of wheat.

Downy Brome

Maverick®, Olympus™, and Olympus™ Flex herbicides provide selective control of downy brome and other Bromus species in winter wheat. Maverick and Olympus provide similar control of downy brome when applied in the fall. Downy brome control with these products applied in the fall has ranged from about 70% to 95% in University of Nebraska trials. Spring applications have been less consistent and have ranged from 35% to 85% control. Plant growth rate and stage of development at the time of application, and weather conditions following application, influence the level of control.

Olympus is priced slightly lower than Maverick, with 0.9 oz/ac of Olympus costing about $9.90/ac and 0.67 oz/ac of Maverick costing about $10.70/ac. Olympus Flex, applied in the fall, has provided slightly better control (5-15% better) of downy brome than Maverick or Olympus, but 3 to 3.5 oz/ac will cost $12-$14/ac. When applied in the spring, Olympus Flex does not appear to provide better control than Olympus or Maverick.

All three products have significant soil residual concerns that restrict crop rotation options. Olympus Flex has a little less soil residual than Olympus, which allows a few rotational crops to be planted a little sooner than with Olympus, but the differences are small and may be of little practical significance in Nebraska.

Clearfield Wheat

Growers who seeded a Clearfield wheat variety can use Beyond™ herbicide to selectively control downy brome, jointed goatgrass, and feral rye. Of these three weeds, feral rye control has proven to be the most difficult and least consistent. The best control of feral rye has been achieved by applying 5 oz/ac of Beyond in the early fall before rye plants have formed a tiller. At this rate the cost is about $22.65/ac. It is recommended that UAN and surfactant be added to the spray mixture for improved control. In University of Nebraska trials, fall control of feral rye with Beyond has ranged from 70% to 90%. Some growers have reported poor control while others have been very happy with the level of control. Control of feral rye with spring applications of Beyond have been very inconsistent and are not advised in most situations.

Unlike feral rye, the control of jointed goatgrass with Beyond has been very good and consistent. Fall and spring applications of Beyond at 4 oz/ac generally have achieved 85-100% control. Four oz of Beyond will cost about $18.10. Surfactant and UAN should be added to the spray mixture. Herbicide resistance is a concern with jointed goatgrass, so growers should be careful not to overuse this technology or it may soon lose its usefulness. We recommend growers not use Beyond herbicide more than once every three years.

Although downy brome control with Beyond is usually good, downy brome can be controlled more economically with the previously discussed herbicides.

If winter annual grass weeds are a regular problem in fields, change the crop rotation. Including a spring-seeded crop such as corn, sorghum, oat, proso millet, or sunflower in the rotation with winter wheat and fallow provides an additional year in which to prevent seed production and allows the soil seed bank to gradually decrease.

Manure offers many benefits beyond adding nutrients. It improves soil structure, increases the water infiltration rate, and reduces water and soil loss in runoff events.

As fertilizer costs increase, the potential profitability of manure use increases. Manure is an excellent source of nutrients. While nitrogen may be of primary interest to many producers, manure is also a valuable phosphorus resource for fields testing low or very low in this nutrient. One manure application can supply enough phosphorus to meet plant needs for two to five years. When manure is applied to meet the nitrogen needs of a corn or milo crop, the amount of other nutrients applied (P, K, S, Zn, etc.) typically matches that removed by several years of crops.

Some types of manure have a liming effect – applying one ton of a typical feedlot manure is like applying 60 lb of ag lime. This can be a significant benefit as soil pH in many fields is approaching or already at levels where a yield response to lime application can be expected.

Learn more about the value and use of manure UNL Cooperative Extension, with the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Environmental Trust, is offering training to crop producers related to manure use. Four events were held this summer in Pender, Adams, Phillips and Scottsbluff. These events provided an opportunity to learn how: to determine the value of manure for specific fields; to calculate manure N availability; about recent research results on fertilizer use; and, from other crop producers of the benefits and difficulties to using manure. If you are interested in helping organize such an event in your area, please contact Charles Wortmann, Extension Nutrient Management Specialist, (402) 472-2909, cwortmann2@unl.edu

Manure application amends many soils to improve soil structure, increase the water infiltration rate, and reduce water and soil loss in runoff events. In a study at the UNL Agricultural Research and Demonstration Center near Mead fields where manure had been applied had less than half the runoff and erosion of field where manure had been applied. This effect was found during the years of manure application and afterward – persisting for at least four years after the last application. Irrigators often observe improved water infiltration during sprinkler irrigation and a reduced irrigation requirement following manure application.

On many soils, crop yield increases with manure application as compared to only fertilizer use. A survey of many on-farm trials showed an average yield increase of about 7 bu/ac for corn and 2 bu/ac for soybean in the year of application, with some yield increase expected the following years. Yields are increased much more on some fields than on others. The yield increase may be due to improved nutrient supply, reduced soil acidity, and improved soil structure and water availability.

Two tools are available for calculating the dollar value of manure applied to a field:

• Calculating the value of manure for crop production (G03-1519) and
• The Nebraska Manure Value Calculator (an Excel spreadsheet).

Both are available online at cnmp.unl.edu. These calculators consider the nutrient content of the manure as well as expected nutrient needs for a crop in a particular field, the value of expected yield increases, as well as the costs of manure use. These tools help the producer determine a dollar value for manure from a particular source and applied to a particular field.

Note: The next two issues of CropWatch will feature further stories on determining the available nutrients in manure and issues affecting its use.

Charles Wortmann
Extension Nutrient Management Specialist

How will you use this hay? If you plan to just roll it up to sell for grinding or to feed to stock cows later, is it worth the effort? It may be possible to get $50 a ton, but $30 or $40 is more like it. With current fuel prices, it may cost about $20 a ton to complete harvest. Is it worth it? Could this time be better used to harvest corn, beans, or beets, plant wheat, or maybe wean calves?

If you were planning to feed it to your own animals, consider whether you really need it. Is it just going to be extra hay that eventually molds and turns rotten or can you buy it cheaper than you can bale it. Remember, you can graze it later on, possibly along with corn stalks, so it doesn't need to be wasted. Also, letting it go until a good hard freeze will help ensure strong growth next spring.

Of course, if your plan is to make square bales instead and then market that hay to dairies, taking this final cutting could be well worth your time and expense. Put up properly and marketed effectively, you could get $100 or perhaps even $125 a ton in the right situation.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist

Small grains, like winter wheat, rye, and triticale, can be ready to graze shortly after warmer weather arrives next spring. They allow you to move your cows and calves away from muddy, less healthy hay yards and out into fresh, open pastures with green, nutritious grass.

Winter wheat that will be harvested later for grain can't be grazed for very long, however. Thus, for more spring grazing, rye and triticale usually are better choices than wheat.

To keep grazing until permanent pastures are ready, some rye or triticale or even wheat needs to be planted specifically for grazing only. It doesn't take a lot of acres. One acre often feeds two or three cows for a month if grazing doesn't start until plants begin to joint. Or, you can plant more acres and start grazing soon after after greenup. Plus, you can still plant corn, beans, or other row crops into the grazed out stubble.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist

U.S. corn production is forecast at 10.6 billion bushels, based on September 1, 2005 conditions, up 3% from last month but 10% below 2004. Yields are expected to average 143.2 bushels per acre, up 4.0 bushels from August but 17.2 bushels below the record high last year. Soybean production is forecast at 2.86 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the August forecast but down 9% from the record crop of 2004. Yields are expected to average 39.6 bushels per acre, up 0.9 bushel from August. Sorghum production is forecast at 398 million bushels, up 5% from last month but down 13% from last year. Yield is forecast at 66.0 bushels per acre, up 2.9 bushels from August but down 3.8 bushels from last year.

Dr. Stephen Wegulo

We would like to introduce a new member of the UNL Extension Plant Pathology team: Dr. Stephen Wegulo. Dr. Wegulo is based on UNL’s East Campus in Lincoln and has an appointment that is 75% extension and 25% research. His work will cover diseases of small grains, forages, and ornamental plants. Prior to coming to UNL he was an extension specialist at the University of California, Riverside, for three years and covered diseases of ornamental plants. He shared the following about his education and experience:

I grew up in Kenya and after high school attended Kenya Science Teachers College in Nairobi where I obtained a degree in Science Education in 1985. I taught math and biology in high school for three years before coming to Davidson College, North Carolina, to study biology. I graduated in 1991 with a B.S. in Biology and returned to Kenya where I taught math in high school.

In 1992 I returned to the United States to begin my graduate studies in plant pathology at Iowa State University, Ames. I obtained M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 1994 and 1997, respectively. I conducted research on corn during my M.S. program and on soybean during my Ph.D. program. After completing my Ph.D. program, I was employed at Iowa State University as a research associate for one year and then as an assistant scientist for three years before joining the faculty at the University of California, Riverside. As an assistant scientist at Iowa State, I worked on diseases of fruits, vegetables, and turfgrass.

I am glad to be back in the Midwest and I look forward to working with Nebraska growers, crop consultants, industry representatives, and commodity groups as well as extension educators, faculty, staff, and students at UNL.

NCR-SARE awards competitive grants to farmers and ranchers for on-farm research, demonstrations, and education projects. Individuals can apply for grants of up to $6,000, and groups of three or more can apply for grants of up to $18,000. Grant recipients have up to 21 months to complete their projects, and must share their findings with others through reports and outreach activities such as field days and presentations.

Grant recipient, Grant Gillard of Jackson, Missouri says, “Every innovation or dream involves risk. The SARE program gave us boldness because we had the financial support to take the risks in moving to sustainable practices.” With his grant, Gillard explored how to locate and raise bees that are resistant to insects and diseases.

In 2004, NCR-SARE received 171 proposals and funded 51 grants totaling $391,678. Roughly $400,000 will be available in 2005 for farmers and ranchers who live in the 12 states of the North Central Region – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The Call for Grant Proposals is available by contacting NCR-SARE at 1-800-529-1342 or ncrsare@unl.edu. Proposals are due in the NCR-SARE office by December 1, 2005. Nebraskans seeking help writing grants or exploring grant ideas for this program that are ecologically sound, profitable and socially responsible, contact:

Joan Benjamin
Farmer Rancher Grant Program Coordinator
NCR-SARE

Scheduled to begin in November 2005 in Syracuse, the program hopes to mimic the eight-year Minnesota track record of over 220 graduates, 60% of whom are now engaged in farming, said Jim Peterson, Extension Educator.

The program consists of three components: classes, tours, and a mentoring program. Nine classroom sessions will be held approximately two weeks apart, beginning on the first Saturday of November. In the summer of 2006, a mentoring program will fit participants with farmers engaged in the enterprise of interest to the participant. In addition, there will be several tours of alternative farm enterprises.

“This is an important program for Nebraska,” said Paul Rohrbaugh, Executive Director of the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society. “A strong commitment to Farm Beginning^TM has been the bedrock provided by the members of the steering committee, made up of representatives of UNL Extension, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, the Center for Rural Affairs, the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, and the Land Stewardship Project.”

“The Farm Beginning^TM Program provides beginners with the "How to" for a successful career in agriculture while the existing programs provide the tools for reaching that goal. Farm Beginning^TM is the missing link that brings together state, federal and private farming startup programs” said Martin Kleinschmit, Center for Rural Affairs Sustainable Agriculture Specialist.

“This program fits the needs of rural and urban folks,” Peterson said. “Approximately 20% of Farm Beginnings^TM graduates have moved from urban to rural areas to pursue their farming dream.”