For
more information contact Mike Rankin
Mike Rankin
Crops and Soils Agent - Fond du Lac County
University of Wisconsin - Extension
Although most farmers hope for nothing less than a bumper crop, such an event this year may lead to trading a bushel of corn for not much more than a gallon of gas. In years where low grain prices seem likely barring some major negative vibes from Mother Nature, it becomes even more critical to capitalize on agronomic practices that enhance yield, cost little or nothing, and drive production cost per bushel down.
These practices are sometimes referred to as "invisible" crop production inputs. They don’t directly involve typical input purchases like seed, fertilizer, or agri-chemicals but they can have a profound impact on the profit and loss column. Let’s use corn as an example but many of these principles apply to other crops.
Crop rotation: Add at least 10 to 15 percent more yield when corn doesn’t follow corn. Fertilizer, herbicide, and/or insecticide costs can often be reduced or in some cases eliminated simply by taking advantage of rotation effect. The impact on cost per bushel is huge. Capitalize on rotation effect whenever you can.
Planting date: It’s rare that we have good corn yields in years when most of the crop isn’t planted by May 15th. Early planting doesn’t necessarily insure good yields because weather can turn bad at some point later in the growing season. However, not planting early essentially guarantees average or below average corn yields. Obviously, planting can only be started when the soil is in good condition.
Planting rate: I think most producers now have realized that most commercial corn hybrids perform best when final stands are in the 28,000 to 32,000 plants per acre range. If not, be assured that the minimal cost of a several thousand more seeds per acre will pay for itself several times over. This has been documented many times in the past ten years in both production fields and research plots.
Planter maintenance: Uniform corn stands start with the planter. Based on research from this past growing season, seed doubles and row gaps cut into yield. A 5 to 10 bushel per acre yield loss is not unreasonable to expect solely from non-uniform stands. Additionally, worn disc openers can cause improper seed placement. Investing time and money in planter maintenance is an easy payback.
Manure and legume nitrogen credits: Agronomists have been preaching the manure and legume nitrogen credit sermon forever. Yet many producers fail to take the time to make an accurate assessment and account fully for the nitrogen supplied by previous manure applications or legume crops. This is easy money. For those who sidedress nitrogen, the pre-sidedress nitrogen test can be an excellent tool to evaluate soil nitrogen status and additional crop needs.
Don’t let these "invisible" crop production inputs pass you by. Collectively, they can shave $1.00 off your cost per bushel by both increasing yields and reducing costs. In a year like 1999 when the outlook for grain prices is pretty dismal, it can mean the difference between working for profit or getting exercise.
For
more information contact Mike Rankin