Twine or Net-Wrap for Large Round Bales?

        Kevin Shinners, UW Ag Engineer, cites some pretty good reasons to consider net-wrap instead of twine for large round bales.  First, bales can be wrapped much more quickly.  Instead of 20 to 30 bale turns for twine, you simply need 1.5 to 3 turns for net-wrap.  Because more turns are needed for twine, there is also considerably higher harvest loss.  In his experiments, Shinners shows virtually no loss during the wrapping process with the net-wrap compared to 1 percent or more with the twine.  Finally, and perhaps most importantly, net-wrap preserves the bales much more effectively.  Losses during outdoor storage averaged just over 7 percent for net wrapping compared to 19 percent for twine.  The net-wrapped bales shed water better.  However, because water runs off these bales, it's important to place them on a surface that is well drained. Net-wrap cost more than twine but those costs are quickly recovered with savings in dry matter losses.  Virtually any round baler can be equipped to net-wrap bales. 

Avitec Approved for Use in 2007 as both a Dry and Liquid Formulation

        A Section 18 label has been issued by EPA and the WI DATCP for Avitec to again be used in Wisconsin for controlling sandhill crane damage to corn fields after planting.  A new wrinkle for 2007 is that the product will be available in both a dry and liquid formulation.  The latter can be applied with commercial seed treatment equipment and improve application uniformity. 

        Cranes have been an increasing problem in recently planted corn fields.  The birds systematically “work” a row and consume the planted seeds, even after germination.  Avitec seed treatment does not kill the cranes, but rather offers up a product that is distasteful.  When confronted with the treated seed, the birds choose to move to other food sources.  Reports on effectiveness from farmers who used the dry formulation in 2006 were very good. 

Alfalfa Fall Dormancy Ratings

        The days of judging an alfalfa variety’s winterhardiness by its fall dormancy rating are over.  Back in the day, a low fall dormancy rating of 2 or 3 often was an indication of superior winter survival because plants would shut down early in the fall and green up later in the spring.  This was often done at the expense of yield potential.  Conversely, higher fall dormancy ratings often translated into better yield potential but with a higher risk of winter injury.  A quick look at the 2006 UW alfalfa variety performance results shows us that FD 4 varieties now dominate nearly all categories of winter survival ratings (including those rated very good).  Further, there are even a couple of varieties with a FD 5 score (virtually unheard of several years ago in Wisconsin).

Western Bean Cutworm

        Each year there seems to be a new crop insect that dominates the media and media circuits.  In 2006, western bean cutworm (WBC) was that insect.  Once confined to the western corn belt, this critter is making its way east into Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.  Unlike European corn borer, it produces only one generation per year (good) but can cause significant yield damage by gnawing away at corn kernels (bad).  Eggs are usually laid by adult moths in mid- to late-July.  The WBC does overwinter in Wisconsin and so there is good reason to believe that the presence of this insect will continue to be an issue.  WBC moths are being trapped and populations monitored (yes, they have been found in Fond du Lac County). 

        Insecticide control of WBC is usually accomplished around the tasseling stage.  Once the larvae get into the ears, control is nearly impossible.  Control is also obtained with corn hybrids having the Herculex I or Herculex XTRA traits (YieldGard Bt traits do not control WBC).  To date, the WBC has not been a serious problem in Wisconsin, but this is an insect that deserves to be watched.  There will be a distance education short course at the UW-Extension office that will focus on WBC on February 28, 2007.  Exact details have not yet been released, but will be shortly.    

Dust and Glyphosate

        The evidence is starting to mount that dust and glyphosate just don’t mix if you want consistent weed control.  There was one field this past season in the Johnsburg area that had perfect weed control except for where the tire tracks from the sprayer rolled through.  The problem.......dust.  Glyphosate binds tightly to soil particles (this is the reason why it has virtually no soil activity).  If dust is kicked-up by the sprayer or tractor during application, the glyphosate will be adsorbed by the dust particles before it has a chance to penetrate the leaf surface.  Whether the spray boom is in front or behind really doesn’t make much difference since the dust will end up on the leaf anyway.

        In studies at North Dakota State University and the University of Wisconsin, glyphosate activity was reduced by 25 to nearly 100 percent where 7 to 8 lbs. per acre of dust was applied just prior to or just after spraying.  In North Dakota, they found that the higher the percentage of clay, the more dramatic the reduction in weed control. Further, if the dust was applied more than 15 minutes after glyphosate, there was no negative effect.