November 1997
Be Wary A Valley Annexation of the Cornbelt
by Jochum Wiersma, U of M Small Grains Specialist
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Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.
One of the most common sentiments I have heard in the weeks after harvest is to abandon wheat all together and grow soybeans and corn instead. The feeling is understandable; both corn and soybeans did very well in the Red River Valley this year, in large part due to the exceptional warm fall weather. And wheat, you know how that story went.
But a few words of caution here, before the Cornbelt annexes the Valley. Northern corn and soybean growers have benefited from weather patterns in the 1990s that seem to be changing to more rains in June and July and warmer falls. Whether this is a long-term and predictable trend remains to be seen (El Nino, global warming, ad nauseam). Further, gains in genetics have given us access to corn and soybean varieties that mature early enough that the odds are stacked in their favor.
But if you are considering soybeans or corn on your farm for 1998, or stepping up production of these crops, match the maturity with the latitude. The further north the shorter the maturity. And bear in mind that just as sure as every Northern Plains autumn, there is the threat of an early frost. If we get caught, especially in the Red River Valley, we do not have enough livestock around to put all that silage to use.
Don't forget too that corn is an alternate host to Fusarium graminearum, the fungus that causes FHB or scab, and thus poses more of a problem to wheat than soybeans. And, that soybeans can be vulnerable to its own disease problems as well.
Hey, I personally have no objections to corn and soybeans. What I do object to is substitution. In this neck of the woods, don't substitute all your wheat or barley acreage to corn and soybeans. I would much rather see you add to your rotation.
You have heard me talk about rotation often enough. The wider our rotation is with different crops that differ in their weed control options, susceptibility to specific fungi, insects or nematodes, the better off we are. Rotation is the most cost-effective weed and disease control options you have. Canola, alfalfa, dry beans, sunflowers, flax, buckwheat, among others, are all crops that are suited for our area. I don't have a pre-cooked ideal rotation, but we can discuss things and I welcome suggestions.
The four legs under the table for wheat and barley are rotation, residue management, fungicides and genetics. Unless a major breakthrough occurs in the near future, I don't believe genetics itself will solve the problem. As I mentioned, rotation is part of the equation. The question of residue management; moldboard plow versus chisel is still very much debated and partially unanswered. We have very good indications though that removal of residue reduces incidences of FHB (in addition, it reduces Septoria and tanspot leaf diseases).
The Section 18 for Folicur for wheat and barley offered farmers a competitive alternative to the Benlate/mancozeb label. Hopefully, the Section 18 for a heading application of Folicur will be granted again for 1998, and in a more timely fashion.
I want Valley growers to seriously consider the option of using Folicur and budgeting for it. The losses we sustained this year were not only caused by scab. The predominant varieties right now have some serious problems with leaf diseases in addition to scab, and we lost yield and test weight due to those diseases as well. Spraying a fungicide like Folicur at heading will keep the development of leaf diseases at bay and provide suppression of scab.
Results of the 1997 University of Minnesota small grains yield trials may be found elsewhere in this issue. Take the time to evaluate the varietal performance. The information will be helpful in 1998 crop rotation considerations. Of which corn and soybeans may be inclusions, but not substitutions.n