Key features for the start of 2023 US crop season:
Spring weather forecasts look to be fairly cool and wet to start April. A dry and warm May will be critical to avoiding seasonal delays for spraying and planting.
Overall US drought conditions have improved from a year ago. Currently, the worst drought conditions are in northeastern Nebraska, western Kansas, and south into the panhandle of Texas. As a whole, compared to 2022 the US is not facing widespread drought with excessive moisture in California, snow cover in North Dakota, and a wet forecast for the eastern corn-belt.
Of the US crops, winter wheat is the most at risk for being affected by drought this year. Poor emergence last fall from planting in dry soils, dry and windy conditions, and potential winterkill from very cold air will likely limit the total amount of winter wheat acres that will be harvested for grain from southern Kansas through northern Texas. For acres that are abandoned or grazed off, spring moisture will be essential for summer crops like corn, cotton, or sorghum to establish well.
Southern Kansas through Oklahoma to the Texas panhandle is experiencing exceptional drought along with parts of eastern Nebraska and southern Texas. University of Nebraska Lincoln Drought Monitor
Parts of Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Montanna, and Idaho are experiencing class 2 or worse degradation. Western states, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and parts of Texas and Oklahoma are experiencing class 3 or higher improvement. University of Nebraska Lincoln Drought Monitor
31 percent of corn and 22 percent of soybean production areas are experiencing drought while roughly half of the major winter wheat production areas are experiencing drought.
In the corn-belt, snow cover and residual cooling effects from the Dakotas into Minnesota ruled out an early start to spring field work and an early planting window. Parts of the corn-belt like western Iowa and eastern Nebraska will have average temperatures and be dry enough to start planting by mid-April.
Current snow cover will take time to melt, making it take longer for soil to dry out in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.
Office of Water Prediction 2023 snow analysis shows heavy snow cover in the west and moderate snow in northern states through the northeast. This is a significant increase from 2020-2021, where there was limited snow depth in the north and average cover in the west.
Northern California snow map shows a significantly heavier snow cover compared to 2022.
Once the flooding risk subsides, there is hope the aquifers will take in some of the excessive surface moisture and start to recharge for future crops seasons. This refill would allow for increased water availability for irrigation-dependent cropping systems in the next few years.
Northern and western states are predicted to have below normal temperatures while southern states are expected to be higher than normal.
The current weather outlooks into early April are cool and wet for most of the corn-belt. The southeast US and Mississippi Delta should be able to get summer crops planted timely and Texas is already about 50% done with corn planting.
The short-term forecast shows above-average or near normal precipitation across most of the country. However, the long-term forecast shows equal or below average chances for most of the country and above average chances wrapping around Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and parts of neighboring states.
Overall, by May 1st, the US will be behind schedule with spring field work and planting progress. A dry and warmer May will be imperative to completing planting without delay, on-time early season crop protection applications, and limiting potential preventative planting claims.
Surfactants are widely used across the world – in fact, you probably use surfactants every day in soaps, detergents, toothpaste, cosmetics, and countless other applications. Surfactants are just as important in agriculture and turf and understanding how and when to use the right surfactant can make or break a successful application.
As the heat of summer nears, so does the threat of fungal diseases infecting turf. Planning a fungicide application with adjuvants based on environmental conditions and the turf ecosystem can improve fungicide effectiveness.
Fungicides are an important part of plant health, protecting crops from disease. Corn tar spot, southern corn rust, and frogeye leaf spot are a few diseases that can be costly if not treated with an effective fungicide application. Planning an application with adjuvants specifically targeting these diseases is imperative to reducing disease pressure.
How do great ideas turn into high-quality products? The idea is translated into a stable, quality formulation then the questions begin. At what rate should the product be applied? When should it be reapplied? Can it be mixed with other materials? Does it need to be watered-in? We answer these questions by conducting field trials to put new product ideas to the test under real-world conditions.
Adjuvant decisions may not seem like a big deal, but they can make a real difference in active performance, agronomic effects, and overall cost of an application. It’s important to ask questions to understand product composition and potential agronomic effects to determine if an adjuvant will truly be cost effective.
Have you ever purchased a potted plant and noticed that after a few rounds of watering it, the water was going straight down to the drainage holes? This classic case of water repellency or hydrophobicity in the soil can be resolved with the use of soil surfactants, or wetting agents.
Maintaining consistent and uniform conditions within turfgrass ecosystems can be challenging. But, with effective turf management strategies such as the use of a wetting agent, localized dry spot, moss growth, and other ecological pressures can be managed in turfgrass ecosystems.
Burndown applications provide control early on to keep weed pressure low throughout the season. Improve coverage, minimize environmental interference, and ensure effectiveness by making sure these adjuvants are included in your burndown tank mix.
What happened at this year’s largest golf industry show? From sold-out seminars to a jam-packed trade show, this year’s GCSAA conference was a success. New connections, networking, and education surpassed expectations.
Dicamba, 2,4-D, and glufosinate tolerance for soybeans and cotton have opened a new world of opportunity for using these herbicides for post-emergence weed control. However, these opportunities also introduce challenges with antagonism when multiple herbicides are tank-mixed.
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