Dicamba Damage Heats Up

Dicamba Damage Heats Up

crop protection Soybeans

Dicamba damage is the buzz in agriculture right now.  New formulations were haled as the answer to drift issues with dicamba.  Industry officials are blaming everything except that dicamba is a bad idea.  Prairie Farmer has published a Monsanto Response that seems to be weak in some ways.  Drift is only one problem.  The field below had damage across the whole field.  That is likely caused by inversion.  We have heard that even a heavy dew on recently sprayed fields can cause a problem.

Some commercial applicators have quit using dicamba because of the issues.  If you continue to use it, be sure to follow label and understand that conditions can change quickly.  You may start a field on label and finish off label.  Dicamba residues in the tank have been blamed in some cases.  I am not sure how often that happens.  This article on what is happening in Illinois seems to cover many of the issues very well.  Monsanto claims that used as directed there should be no problems.  I am not sure I would use it at all.

Cupping indicates dicamba damage. 

Flag Your Field

Flag Your Field

crop protection

I have been seeing flags in fields.  If you Google "Flag Your Technology" you will see articles on placing flags in your fields to mark the technology your are using.  The idea is to prevent accidental applications that might damage your crops.  No-till Farmer has the biggest listing I could find.

Sprayers

Sprayers

crop protection Machinery Sprayers

This my last feature on the John Deere tour.  The sprayer below has a 120 foot span.  It is equipped with nozzle bodies like the one below.  The body supports 5 different nozzle types.  The can be changed by switch from the cab.  I saw this demonstrated at Saale Farm and Grain Plot tour.  On a long boom, this must be a huge time saving.  With all the nozzle variation needed for various crop protectant formulations, this is an important feature.  I am not sure how much automatic shutoff control there is on the sprayers I saw.  John Deere was touting their Exact Apply system which controls each nozzle individually.  I have no idea if they are the only ones with this setup.  

120 foot sprayer

Multi Tip Nozzle Body 

Are you using the Right Sprayer Nozzles?

Are you using the Right Sprayer Nozzles?

crop protection Machinery

You have probably already used your sprayer this spring, but did you check your nozzles before yo started?  Are you using the correct nozzle for your material.  Nozzle are not expensive, so replace them as needed.  No-Till Farmer posted this article on picking the right sprayer nozzles.

Pesticides in Food

Pesticides in Food

crop protection

I don't worry about pesticides in food.  To me, contaminants like E. Coli area much bigger worry, but one that can be overcome with good sanitation and cooking.  It turns out, that my confidence is well founded.  Prairie Farmer says that a recent pesticide report is good news for consumers.  Ckick on the link to learn more. 

Weed Control Time

Weed Control Time

crop protection weeds

I am surprised when I work in fields where no soil applied residual herbicide  has been used.  Whether you are following up with a post application or trying to kill weeds for the first time this season, now is the time to keep track of what needs sprayed and when.  I know you may want to try to kill everything at once, but that idea may not be appropriate.  Keep in mind that the best time to kill the weeds is when they are 4 inches tall or less.

Can You Save Money on Crop Protection Products?

Can You Save Money on Crop Protection Products?

crop protection

Much like yesterday's soil fertility question, the answer is maybe.  The first thing to look at is disease resistance.  If you seed is already bought, and it should be, in order to take advantage of discounts, you may past that.  Even if you have seed, know what you have.  For example, is your corn resistant to gray leaf spot?  You can avoid fungicide applications if you panted resistant hybrids. 

Crop rotations are another way to reduce the need for crop protection products.  On average, corn soybean rotations yield better than continuous corn.  Getting a third crop into the rotation is even better.  Especially avoid planting the same crop as last year in fields where you had a lot of insect or disease pressure last year. An example would be to avoid soybeans where you had SDS last year. 


Scouting and integrated pest management will assure that you only use crop protection products when needed.  If you don't have time to scout yourself, a scouting service can be a bargain.

Treated soybean seed pays for itself and then some most of the time.  You could cut it out thinking you used to grow soybeans without treatment, but be sure and think it through.  

I can't finish this entry without saying that cutting rates is not the answer.  The efficacy of many crop protectants depends on applying them at the recommended rate.  If you are going to cheat on the rate, it might be better to just not use the product at all.

With weed resistance and increasing weed pressures, you need to think your program through before cutting back on weed control.  If you start with a soil applied residual herbicide, you may want to scout to see if you can avoid additional applications of post planting products.