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Early harvest might be needed on dryer soils
An agronomist is concerned dry conditions have caused stalk quality issues across Michigan.
Terry Jones with Dairyland Seed tells Brownfield conditions across the state are varied but on lighter soils, crops that have struggled with moisture need to be watched closely heading into harvest.
“Guys are waiting to get the moisture down a little bit before they get started. I highly encourage folks to go out, check that stalk quality, and even if it is a little wetter than you want to take it off, you should consider getting that corn out while you still can.”
He says heavy pod feeding by insects in soybeans could also cause quality issues now the weather has turned wet.
“When they feed on the pods, they strip away the protective waterproof coat on the seed pod and it allows moisture to get into there and possible spoiling of the seeds.”
Jones says the dry conditions can expose other issues in the field like fertility imbalances or compaction and recommends farmers take note of those places to correct in 2021.
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