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WEB POLL
Which of the following Top 10 products of the year would you select to win AgProfessional Readers’ Choice 2008 Best New Product? (Select only one)
Climate change could provide the warmer weather pests prefer, leading to an increase in populations that feed on corn and other crops, according to a new study. Warmer growing season temperatures and milder winters could allow some of these insects to expand their territory and produce an extra generation of offspring each year, said Noah Diffenbaugh, the Purdue University associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences who led the study. More information.
Vote For Your Top Product of 2008
AgProfessional’s editors have picked their Top 10 Products of the Year for 2008, and it's your turn to pick which of these products is your choice for the Readers’ Choice Top Product of the Year. The Top 10 products were selected based on the newness of the product and how well the product innovations were communicated. Only new products announced in 2008 were eligible. For more information about each product and to vote, click here.
Producers Should Plan Ahead for 2009 Nitrogen Needs
Producers should calculate their 2009 fertilizer needs now to save money. Nitrogen fertilizer prices have declined since last summer, but prices are still relatively high, said Ron Gelderman, professor of plant science at South Dakota State University. More information.
Only One Iowa County Left Without SCN Find
Greg Tylka, Iowa State University, said the soybean cyst nematode has been known to exist in Iowa since 1978. By the end of 2007, it had not yet been found or officially confirmed in only three Iowa counties — Allamakee, Ida and Lyon County. Earlier in 2008, SCN was confirmed to be present in Lyon County. More information.
Midwest Agronomists Survey: 90 Percent N Loss in 2008
In a survey of agronomists from Midwestern universities funded by Agrotain International, more than 80 percent of respondents ranked the season as wet or very wet. In a year also remembered for high fertilizer prices, weather conditions contributed to significant nitrogen deficiencies in corn and wheat. More information.
Have Triple and Quad Stacks Become New "Conventional" Hybrids?
"Traited" hybrids (i.e hybrids with transgenic traits for Bt insect resistance and herbicide tolerance) now dominate the Ohio Corn Performance Test and more than 71 percent of the entries are triple or quad stacks (contain three or four transgenic traits), according to Peter Thomison, Rich Minyo and Allen Geyer, Ohio State University. In the 2002 test, less than 15 percent of the hybrid entries were traited. This year more than 92 percent of the entries were traited. More information.
Final Agreement Signed to Commercialize Harpin-Based Technology
Plant Health Care Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Plant Health Care Plc, and Monsanto Company have entered into an agreement for the commercialization of harpin-based technology as a seed treatment in Monsanto's major row crops and vegetables. The harpin technology offers farmers in-season benefits, including the suppression of pests like nematodes and yield-inhibiting diseases, as well as additive plant health benefits. More information.
ERS Releases Economic Outlook for Ag
The Economic Research Service has released its Agricultural Income and Finance Outlook. According to the report, although there is considerable uncertainty regarding macroeconomic events, commodity prices and input costs going into 2009, farm sector financial performance remains strong despite volatile financial and commodity markets. More information.
Study: Data Analysis Influences Farmland Protection Policy
They might be neighbors geographically and agriculturally, but Indiana and Illinois are worlds apart when it comes to preserving farmland, said two Purdue University forestry and natural resources researchers. More information.
EDITORIAL
Scientific Safety
By John Schlageck, Kansas Farm Bureau
Talk about a happy holiday and a great New Year. Kansas recently received news the Department of Homeland Security is recommending the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility be built on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan. This decision will mean a $451 million federal scientific laboratory will accelerate animal disease research to protect our U.S. food supply and agricultural economy. Full
editorial.
Nitrogen Management Update for Indiana
Jim Camberato, RL (Bob) Nielsen, and Brad Joern, Agronomy Department, Purdue University, said, nitrogen fertilizer costs remain volatile but continue to be one of the most expensive variable costs for corn. Applying "more than enough N" is no longer cheap "insurance" as it once was many years ago. More information.
Converting CRP Land to Grain Crop Production Requires Planning
American farmers have retired millions of acres of cropland through the USDA's Conservation Reserve Program. However, increased grain prices and other factors have prompted many farmers to put idle acres back into service. Travis Harper, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist, said, "Planning should begin at least a year before the grain crop is to be planted to provide ample time for farmers to recognize and deal with potential issues that may affect grain crop production." More information.
Cost to Grow Crops Most in History
Row-crop harvest is winding down in Georgia. Farmers don't know yet exactly how much corn, cotton, peanuts and soybean they've grown. But one thing is almost certain: This year's row crops were the most expensive in history to produce. More information.
Model May Help Predict Crops' Role in Bioenergy Production
A computer model called ALMANAC promises to provide answers about a key issue facing agriculture today: the management of crops such as corn and switchgrass for bioenergy production. Agricultural Research Service agronomist Jim R. Kiniry at the Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory in Temple, Texas, and his colleagues originally developed ALMANAC as a crop-management tool, then updated it as a pasture management tool. Now it's being used to evaluate biofuel crops. More information.
GREENBOOK
Pyrimax 3.2SL herbicide from MANA for 2009 Cotton Season
MANA Crop Protection introduces Pyrimax 3.2SL cotton herbicide for the 2009 season to provide broad-spectrum control of tough weeds, including those resistant to glyphosate. More information.
