Minnesota Crop News

By: Melissa Wilson, Extension Specialist in Manure Management Have you heard the phrase “manure is the gift that keeps on giving”? It refers to many different aspects of manure, but the gift of nitrogen is one of them. The phrase refers to how quickly, or not so quickly, the nitrogen releases over time. This depends on several factors but there are still some things we are looking into through our research. Animal species and storage Manure nitrogen can come in two broad forms: organic and inorganic. The inorganic form is primarily ammonium, which is immediately plant-available once land-applied, similar to a chemical fertilizer. The organic form is nitrogen that is tied up in organic matter and carbon. It has to be decomposed and released by microorganisms in the soil before it transforms into inorganic, plant-available nitrogen. Thus, organic nitrogen is more “slow-release” – the gift that keeps on giving! When we test manure for nitrogen content, we find different ratios of organic ...

Angie Peltier, Extension educator - crops Figure. Soybean roots. Yellow arrows point to swollen female SCN; white arrow points to a  larger nitrogen fixing nodule. Photo: Angie Peltier Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a microscopic worm that is attracted to and infests soybean roots where it uses the water and sugars that the soybean plant takes up to develop leaves, flowers, pods and beans (Figure) for its own growth and development. Capable of causing significant yield loss without alerting a producer of its presence, SCN caused an estimated $7.32 million in lost yield in 2023 in Minnesota (Crop Protection Network, 2024), making it the top yield-limiting pathogen of soybean in Minnesota and throughout the Midwest. One of the most sickening feelings is to visit a field to assist a farmer or crop consultant with diagnosing a soybean production issue only to have to break the news to the unsuspecting that the field is infested with SCN. The reasons my 'hair is on fire' reg...

In this episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we discuss probably the most important topic for many farmers - rate. What makes both over-application and under-application of nitrogen counter-productive in terms of yield? How does a Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) rate approach differ from a yield-based approach? What are long-term environmental consequences of over-application, and how does this relate to a farmer's operation? What are some ways to address in-field variability when determining rate? TRANSCRIPT Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) rate calculator  Are you overspending on fertilizer? Best practices for nitrogen management Nitrogen Smart (online course) --- Click here to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes. For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast ...

Ed Usset, Grain marketing economist at the University of Minnesota Center for Farm Financial Management, was the guest for episode 39 of Minnesota CropCast. Since 2001, Ed has been writing and executing marketing plans for two virtual farms; a corn and soybean operation in southwestern Minnesota and a wheat farm in the Red River Valley of northwestern Minnesota. Throughout the discussion, Ed emphasizes the importance for grain growers to forward price their grain based on an understanding of seasonal market patterns after harvest, especially during times of lower commodity prices. He also reviews some of the common mistakes in marketing in terms of timing grain sales. Finally, the discussion covers how national production and international demand factors may impact the 2024-2025 marketing year. Listen to the podcast What is Minnesota CropCast? Hosts David Nicolai and Seth Naeve discuss the progress and challenges of Minnesota's agronomic crops in this new podcast. They are joined...

The University of Minnesota Manure Team is reminding Commercial Animal Waste Technicians (CAWT) that recertification for licensure in 2024 is now accessible through an online course. This digital offering allows CAWT professionals to meet their mandatory training requirements from the convenience of their homes. The course, covering a variety of critical topics, will remain available until November 17th, 2024. Key focus areas include: Program Updates from MDA Environmental and Regulatory Issues Concerning Phosphorus in Manure Manure Characteristics and Sampling Precision Manure Equipment Safety Considerations for Manure Gas Emissions The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) emphasizes that anyone who fails to complete the course, whether in person or online, by the November deadline, will need to retake the certification exam to renew their licensure. With a growing focus on environmental sustainability and safe manure management practices, this course is crucial for staying infor...

This episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast is our annual fall fertilizer outlook for 2024. After such a challenging growing season throughout most of the state, how do things look headed toward harvest? Since most of the state went from being too dry last year to too wet this year, how should this affect the approach to fertility management? What role will fertility play in sound financial management this fall? What advice do our panelists give growers as we head into the fall? TRANSCRIPT Guests: Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca) Fabian Fernandez, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Are you overspending on fertilizer? 2024 Certified Soil Testing Laboratories Nitrogen Fertilizer BMPs for Agricultural Lands --- For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast wherever you listen...

Harvest of the winter and spring small grain performance evaluations wrapped up earlier this week.  The preliminary results of the individual trial locations and across locations have been posted on the University of Minnesota's varietytrials.umn.edu website. It's a treasure trove of data with some eye-popping numbers. The links below direct you directly to the individual crop page. Scroll down to the embedded Google Sheets for this year's yield data. Barley  -  Oats  -  Spring Wheat  -  Winter Rye  -  Winter Wheat  

By: Chryseis Modderman, Extension educator As we begin to think about fall manure applications, it is important to keep safety in mind. Working with manure presents some special safety challenges beyond the basic farm dangers of working with large machinery, stress, and fatigue. One of those challenges is harmful manure gases. Manure gas safety risks The first step to manure gas safety is to understand the risks. In most operations, hydrogen sulfide and methane are of the biggest concern. Other gases such as ammonia, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide can also cause health concerns but can be more easily managed through ventilation and equipment upkeep. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas created during anaerobic (low/no oxygen) decomposition of manure which is most commonly found in liquid storage pits. It accumulates in the manure and is then released during agitation and pumping. Though it can smell like rotten eggs, you can’t solely trust your nose since your sense of smell become...

In the 8th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we’re taking about timing. What makes understanding timing so important to using nitrogen efficiently? Should growers apply in fall, and if so, what source should be avoided? Between which growth stages does corn take up the bulk of a field's N? What do weather extremes teach us about optimal timing? Do some timing decisions negatively affect farmers' finances? In what ways? TRANSCRIPT Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Understanding nitrogen in soils Nitrogen Fertilizer BMPs for Agricultural Lands Does fall urea application reduce sugarbeet stand loss? --- Click here  to listen to all Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast episodes. For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast . And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newslett...