Fresh from the Farm Randy Cubbage, County Extension Agent
Sunday, May 16, 2004 Clemson Extension, Bishopville
As better prices and better planting conditions enter the farming picture this season, soybean planting is the talk in the area. Generally, soybeans get the back seat in cotton and peanut country when it comes to priorities for a farmer. This season, however, has seen some early planted Group IV maturity beans emerging before some of our cotton has been planted. This is not normal. Last year more soybeans were planted in the multi-county area because of the abnormal wet planting season that prevented corn and some cotton acres from being planted. This time price is playing into the picture as old crop soybeans could be booked for $8-$10 per bushel and the new crop is offering high expectations.
This may be a good time for a reality check since farmers will tend to spend more money on a crop when the commodity has more potential to bring a profit, something not seen in the area for awhile until 2003. The reality check relates to soybean management. In a normal season since 1996 when Roundup Ready beans hit the market, the majority of farmers have been planting mostly these biotech varieties(seed containing a gene that allows the plant to resist applications of glyphosate (active ingredient in Roundup herbicide products and other generic products). A main reason in doing so is an easier approach to weed control of hard-to-kill weed species such as pigweed, sicklepod and morningglory species. Conventional herbicides took several trips and required more attention to application timing.
The Roundup Ready soybeans are still the varieties of choice based on sales but they have a disadvantage when compared to many of the conventional varieties. The conventionals as a group offer more diversity in nematode resistance. Based on field sampling in this area of the state for nematodes conducted by Dr. John Mueller, Extension nematologist at Blackville, 50% of our row crop fields have nematode infestations. At least 60% of these infested fields justify use of a resistant variety or a nematicide. A number of growers are using Temik 15G, produced by Bayer Crop Science. In tests conducted by Mueller, he has shown a 15% increase in soybean yield when choosing the right variety in combination with the Temik for nematode control.
He encourages producers to choose soybean varieties in our area with the best resistance to rootknot, cyst, and reniform nematodes. These are the most destructive in soybeans and found in the highest damaging populations in our multi-county area. We encourage growers to periodically take nematode samples in the fall after harvest. A sample could represent 20 acres. The current fee is $10 per sample that translates to fifty cents per acre in these suspect fields.
Corn and soybean varieties are being planted in strip plots in the multi-county area this season. Each hybrid or variety has a check variety planted adjacent to it. Those
interested in comparing these varieties as the season progresses may contact your respective county extension agent for location of these sites. Corn trials are planted, but soybeans may or may not be planted yet. Lee County’s plots will be planted following a wheat crop. We plan to harvest these plots and report yields to our local farmers. A replicated cotton test is also planted in the Elliott area of Lee County to allow growers to compare the same hybrids treated with Roundup WeatherMax vs. conventional herbicide treatment. These are FiberMax hybrids provided by Bayer Crop Science. The test includes FiberMax (FM) 989 conventional compared to FM 989 Roundup Ready and FM 989 BollGard/Roundup Ready varieties. This is a comparison of the conventional variety to hybrids developed from this containing the biotech genes. This test is on the farm of Steven Welsh.
Dr. Mitchell Roof, Extension cotton entomologist at the Pee Dee Research & Education Center near Florence, is offering the cotton scouting school on Tuesday, June 8th. Registration begins at 8:00 AM and the program at 9:00. The program should end around 4:00 PM. The fee is $10 for registration, and lunch is own your own. Anyone working with cotton will benefit from this event. It offers a good refresher course to those of us who think we already know all there is to scouting cotton.
Getting insects identified when they are 1/16th to 1/8th inch long is important to a cotton farmer. This is the stage of growth when they can best be controlled. Insect identification is only a part of the scouting school but obviously very important. Anyone needing directions to the PDREC may contact your nearest Clemson Extension Office. Phone numbers for Clarendon, Lee, and Sumter Extension offices respectively are 803-435-8429, 803-484-5416, and 803-773-5561.
Clemson Extension offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. If you are unable to attend an Extension event due to a physical disability, contact the Extension event coordinator in advance.