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ADVANTAGES OF DIVERSITY IN CHINESE RICE AND KANSAS WHEAT
By: David Frey, Administrator
A large-scale internationally monitored experiment in China has confirmed the agronomic value of growing a mixture of rice varieties in the same
field. Similar work is being done on a much smaller scale for Kansas wheat with favorable results.
The Chinese work, published in the August 16th edition of Nature, was especially dramatic. A rice fungal disease named "blast" had devastated certain
popular varieties of rice, and by mixing those susceptible varieties in other rice varieties in the same field the disease could not so easily spread. Chinese farmers in the test eliminated the use of fungicide and
still increased yield. The Chinese experiment included thousands of farmers (nearly a whole province). Some of the varieties were taller and later maturing and were harvested separately by hand (which is how the
rice is harvested there anyway).
One scientist working with the Chinese experiment explained, "The mixture approach represents a simple ecological way of dealing with disease while
maintaining production from high-yielding varieties." Lead research scientist Youyong Zhu, noted, "The current world population of over six billion does not allow us to return to agricultural production
practices of the past. Rather, we need to maintain the benefits of modern agriculture while addressing its drawbacks."
"We've been blending wheat in Kansas for a long time," says K-State Extension agronomist, Jim Shroyer "because farmers might forget what
varieties they have in their different bins when it comes to planting time."
"In the mid 80s, KSU started doing some blending on purpose, in limited studies. At the time there was a lull in varieties, and we didn't know which
varieties would be best in a specific year. Another reason for interest in the blends, I would call 'landlord management'," said Shroyer. "The best example is a farmer that has several landlords, and he
plants a blend, and in that way treats all the landlords alike."
"Every year the weather is different. Multi-lines of wheat in the same field take advantage of the fact that we don't know how a specific variety will
perform in a given year." In 1996, at the Hesston experiment field Jagger yielded 6 bushels to the acre while a blend which included Jagger netted more than 40 bushels to the acre. Shroyer points out,
"Jagger did better in N.C. Kansas in 2000 than the history would indicate, yet not so well in S.C. Kansas where it had been considered best adapted. In 2000, the number one wheat in the state was Jagger, #2 was
2137, and the third most popular wheat seed in the state was "blends."
In work supported by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Shroyer has several years of comparing blends with the individual components of the blends, and on average,
there is a narrow yield advantage for blends. Blends also tend to take the highs and lows out and even out the yields year after year. Blends have been used in soybeans for many years.
In another Wheat Commission sponsored study, K-State is looking at blending white wheat varieties to maximize the value of combined yield and end-product
quality. The focus this year is a combination of Trego (a new high yielding white wheat) and Betty (a superior milling and baking white wheat). It's hoped that the result will be a high yielding, top qualityblend of
wheat for the market.
MOROCCO MAY BUY LESS WHEAT FROM FRANCE BECAUSE OF QUALITY PROBLEMS WITH FRENCH WEHAT
Morocco's grain agency, ONICL, indicated the
agency will not lower it quality specifications for wheat imports and that it would "probably" buy less French wheat during the 2000-01 marketing year following France's poor wheat harvest.
Traditionally, ONICL buys mostly French wheat due to the benefits enjoyed from the use of the French Coface credit program. One ONICL official indicated the agency is still studying quality reports from the French harvest and will wait for definitive results before making its decision. However, the official stressed that ONICL will buy at the most "competitive" price, and wheat quality will have to meet the required import standards. In the July, the grain agency pegged Morocco's 2000-01 wheat import needs at 2.5 MMT following two consecutive years of severe drought conditions.
INTERNATIONAL GRAINS COUNCIL INCREASES WORLD WHEAT CARRYOVER PROJECTION
The International Grains Council (IGC) issued their
latest world wheat forecast for the 2000-01 marketing year.
They pegged 2000-01 world wheat production at 583 MMT, up 1.0 MMT from their July forecast. Similarly, the IGC raised 2000-01 world wheat trade by 1.0 MMT to 106 MMT. Likewise, the IGC estimated 2000-01 world wheat consumption at 596 MMT, up 1.0 MMT from last month's forecast. Finally, the IGC raised 2000-01 world wheat ending stocks by 2.0 MMT to 110 MMT
SOME OF AUSTRALIAN WHEAT CROP NEEDS RAIN
Australian crop watchers suggest dryness in southeastern Queensland and northeastern New
South Wales has become a growing concern for some producers and traders. Reportedly, the region has been drier than usual this winter and may require a soaking rain soon to support winter cereal crop as they
move into the reproduction stage of development over the next few weeks. Sources indicate that crops farther north in central Queensland may have already suffered "some" reduction in yield due to dry
conditions. In contrast, recent rains across southern Australia have been nearly ideal in restoring soil moisture after dryness caused delays to last fall's planting activity.
Most of the winter wheat crop in southern Australia is in the vegetative to joint stage of development, while general crop conditions have been rated fair to very good.
LOW WATER LEVELS IN THE GREAT LAKES REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WHEAT BEING SHIPPED OUT OF DULUTH
According to news reports, low US
Great Lakes water levels continue to slow Port of Duluth-Superior export tonnage.
Port officials indicate waterborne commerce through July 2000 was 8% below the previous year, as year-to-date cargo tonnage totaled 16.1 MMT compared with 17.6MMT during the same period last year. Moreover, vessels have not been able to take on "full" loads of cargo all season due to draft restrictions on the St. Mary's river between lakes Superior and Huron. Port statistics show that bulk grain exports, historically the port's third leading commodity, stood at 1.3 MMT through July, or a 19% decrease from last year's export figure of 1.6 MMT.
POLYMER SEED COATINGS REGULATE GERMINATION
A polymer seed coating that uses a "temperature switch" to regulate seed
germination was used on 10,000 acres of seed corn by 17 seed companies this growing season, including Pioneer, Garst, and Cargill, Successful Farming editor Rich Fee reports. The company that developed the seed
coating expects the product to be used on 30,000 acres of seed corn next year, including all the production of Fielder's Choice Direct. Similar coatings will enable farmers to plant seed in colder soils than normal
and could open the door to advances in relay cropping as well.
COUNTY SOYBEAN AND CORN PLOT TOURS SCHEDULED
The Norman County Corn Variety Plot Tour starting at 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 5th.
Location is one mile west of Perley, MN and ¼ mile south on the Bryan Hest Farmland. Over thirty conventional and Bt corn varieties of 80-85-90 day maturity.
Clay County's Soybean Plot Tour of the Minnesota Reseach Soybean Variety Trials will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Sept 5th at the Alvin Swanson farmland, one mile north of Kragness, MN Co. Rd. # 99 and 1 ½ miles west.
Mahnomen County Soybean and Corn Variety Plot Tour will be on Sept 6th starting at 12:00 noon with lunch sponsored by participating seed companies. The location is on the Paul & Bill Donner Farmland, one mile east of the Norman - Mahnomen County line on County Road # 6 or 5 ¼ miles west of Hwy # 59.
The University of Minnesota Research Variety Plot Tour will be on Sept. 6th starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Swenson Brother Farmland, two mile south of Shelly, MN and ¾ mile west on Rd. # 119. Soybean Research Plots have Public and Private varieties.
Norman County Soybean Plot Tour will be at 6:45 p.m. at the Doug Nelson farmland, three miles north of Ada, MN along Highway # 9. A number of Public
and Private, and Roundup Ready varieties will be viewed.
Norman County Soybean Plot Tour will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Jason Gilbertson Famland, south of Ada, MN ½ mile east of quansets along Highway #9.
The tour will conclude with Brats, Beans and Beverage at the 4-H Building, sponsored by participating seed companies.
Speaker for each plot tour will be Dr. Jim Orf, University of Minnesota Soybean Breeder, St. Paul, MN, variety performance; Ross Rehder, MN Soybean Council
Representative and Mark Beedy, Farmer and Clay County Soybean Grower Member with lobbying efforts in the State and Washington D.C. Corn and Soybean Company Representative are invited to cover their varieties
at each location.
USDA RELEASES EXPORT SALES REPORT 08/31/00
http://www.fas.usda.gov/export-sales/esrd1.html
USDA RELEASES OUTLOOK FOR AG TRADE 08/30/00
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/erssor/trade/aes-bb/2000/
USDA RELEASED WEEKLY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/field/weather/2000/
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