CQ Perspectives Jan 2008

8/4/2019 CQ Perspectives Jan 2008

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/cq-perspectives-jan-2008 1/4

C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CROP QUEST AGRONOMIC SERVICES, INC

®

Volume 18 • Issue 1 • January 2008

Continued on Page 2

Using high tech sampling technology perfected in corn, wheat andoybeans, Crop Quest Agronomist Cort Minor is demonstrating toastern New Mexico pecan growers how to maximize fertilizer use toncrease yields and protability.

Though a minor crop in most states, pecans are a huge agricultural

usiness in New Mexico. In 2007, the state was ranked #1 in totalroduction for a few months before being edged out by Texas. Everyear they push production numbers to gain back their #1 ranking.Pecans have been grown commercially in New Mexico for over 70

ears and most growers use standard production guidelines that precedehe use of grid and zone sampling, and in many cases fertilizer use isar from efcient. With the cost of most fertilizer blends nearly triplingn cost over the past ve years, using variable rate application to get the

most out of these inputs is critical to the grower’s bottom line.“I started working with some growers here in eastern New Mexicocouple of years ago, and have had to learn along with my growers in

ome cases,” says Crop Quest Agronomist Cort Minor. “Most of theserowers have done things the same way for a lot of years, but they areways open to new ideas and ways of improving production,” he adds.

“Having worked with grid and zone sampling on row crops, I feltke we could help pecan growers make some better managementecisions on fertilizer use. Nathan Woydziak (Crop Quest Precisiongriculture Specialist) came down, and we used some different sam-ling techniques,” Minor says.Woydziak says they ran the gamut on developing a system for opti-

mum sampling to help growers maximize fertilizer use. “We started asasic as one sample per tree,” he recalls. “We used our row crop modelor grid sampling on a 2.5 acre grid, and we sampled by rows. It wasnteresting that the degree of variability in nutrient levels showed theame trends, regardless of the size samples we took,” he explains.

Minor adds that the variability they found in nutrient levels wereery similar to what is typically found in row crops in the area.What we found is exciting that it opens up some real opportuni-

ties for growers to increase yields much thesame way grain growers have done in theMidwest, once they got into variable rateapplication of nutrients,” he concludes.

New Mexico pecan growers are set up

to apply chemicals and fertilizers to theirorchards between the tree rows, and it ap-pears that row sampling will work out best for the growers workinwith Crop Quest. Trees are typically planted on 30-40-foot rows w20-30 foot spacings between trees depending on future thinning ortransplanting plans.

A typical 2.5 acre grid sample would cover about 88 trees, whicis somewhat more than the number of trees in a pecan row sampleThe smaller sample may be a bit more precise than the typical rowcrop grid samples, and considering the relative high price of pecanto-grain, this technology stands to pay huge dividends to eastern NMexico pecan growers.

The orchard in which the Crop Quest agronomists tested the varous grid methods had been on the same fertility program for more

than 20 years. Despite this consistency, they found signicant variability from row to row. “The test showed that we could save thisparticular grower 20% to 30% on fertilizer costs, if they could usevariable rate application,” Minor predicts.

In the 70-year history of commercial pecan production in NewMexico, acreage has increased to nearly 34,000 acres and over 1.5million trees. According to USDA statistics, the state produced mothan 46 million pounds of pecans in 2007.

Minor says the same variable rate application of fertilizer that hhelped boost grain production in the U.S. could be used to maximNew Mexico pecan production. A problem with long-term pecanyields is alternate year bearing. By optimizing fertility using preciapplication technology, the veteran Crop Quest agronomist says

ROW SAMPLING: SAVING DOLLARS FOR

NEW MEXICO PECAN GROWERS

Cort Mino


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/cq-perspectives-jan-2008 2/4C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s w w w . c r o p q u e s t . c o m2

Manure May Be A Viable Fertilizing OptioLivestock manure has always been tough to bearound. Regardless of how it is handled, it smells.

Manure may be a viable fertilizer option though.Until recently, manure has been viewed aswaste needing disposal. With the current fertil-izer prices, crop producers are taking anotherlook at manure for its nutrient value.

Beef feedlot manure is the most readilyavailable product in the High Plains region.

Because it is produced by animals fed a

ration high in grain and lower in ber, normalcomposition of feedlot manure may be12 to 15 lbs. nitrogen, 9 to 14 lbs. phosphate and 10 to 14 lbs. potas-sium per ton. It contains secondary elements like sulfur and zincas well as micro nutrients like magnesium, boron and copper. Thenutrient composition of manure varies widely depending on the dietthe cattle were fed and the way that the manure is managed. Manureshould be tested by a laboratory to conrm a more accurate analysis.

Due to it’s bulky form, manure is not a concentrated source of plantnutrients. It is expensive to haul and spread because of the large vol-ume of material that is being handled. A typical application rateis 20 tons per acre. Lighter application amounts are hard to getspread evenly. Soon after the manure is applied to the land, itneeds to be worked into the soil to prevent the loss of nitrogen intothe atmosphere.

Despite its downfalls, there are several advantages to using maas a source of fertilizer. There would be around 280 pounds of Pand 420 pounds of K

2O applied per acre with a normal applicati

of stockpiled manure. This will provide enough fertility to growmultiple years of crops. This is appealing to many producers whthey compare it to the cost of commercial fertilizers. It will costabout 50% of a comparable amount of commercial fertilizer deping upon distance hauled and the cost of the manure. Not all of tnutrients are available the rst season. They will be released oveas the manure decomposes. Because of this, manure does not po

threat to the environment with proper management.Besides the nutrient value that manure contains, it also has othproperties that will have to be considered and managed. Solubleand weed seeds are usually present. If the land has an inherent saproblem, an application of manure may aggravate it even furthercan be monitored with soil testing. Weeds are not quite as much concern with the use of glyphosate herbicides applied to glyphotolerant crops as it once used to be.

Even though manure is not highly concentrated, it is a good soof plant nutrients. It may also improve soil tilth and water holdincapacity as well as aid in wind erosion control. Although the usmanure presents some special management issues, it is worth cosidering as a fertilizer source if it is available in your area. Visit your Crop Quest agronomist about incorporating a manure progrin your fertilizer management plans.

growers may be able to reduce the degree of alternate year bearing.By making pecan yields more uniform, it is expected that overall

yields would increase, but more importantly growers, shellers andultimately consumers would have a more reliable supply from year toyear. “More consistent production from year to year would obviouslymake a big cash ow difference for our growers,” Minor explains.

One of the biggest advantages for variable rate fertilizer applicationmay be in young orchards, Minor contends. When young trees beginbearing pecans, it takes six to eight years to get into signicant produc-ion. “If we can even out fertility, we may be able to bring an orchard

nto full production earlier, and that would make a big difference forgrowers,” he adds.In addition to maximizing pecan orchard fertility, Minor is working

with growers to ne-tune long-standing models for spraying variousnsect pests, primarily pecan case borer. By monitoring pheromoneraps weekly and scouting orchards during peak insect movement, the

Crop Quest consultant is able to give growers an edge on timing, andultimately help them make better use of insecticides.

For example, he says, the model calls for spraying pecan case borersusually in late May, but New Mexico had a late spring in 2007. Theesults for growers using the spray model were too early an application

of insecticide and reduced control which caused increased insect dam-age. “Most of the insecticides we are using have a two to three weekesidual, so if you miss the optimum timing of application by a week or

two, you will lose some of the residual activity,” Minor says.Fine-tuning extends into weed management in pecan orchards

according to Minor. “Some of our growers like to run cattle in thchards to keep grass and weeds under control. Whenwe are watering or get rainfall the cattle can’t keepup, and it is too wet for mowing equipment. Weare working with several growers to try and spraywith low rates of glyphosate early to burn theweeds back enough to prevent competition withthe pecan trees, but at the same time not killing the

grass and eliminating grazing.”Woydziak says the grid sampling technolo-gy is just the beginning of applying variablerate fertilizer application. “I would like touse some aerial and satellite imagery tosee what kind of differences we see. If we map some of these orchards, we canbegin to see some real advantages to precision agriculture,” he s

“When working with a high value crop as pecans, it doesn’t tamuch yield increase to really affect gross income per acre,” Minconcludes. “Just a 5% increase in yield would equate to over $15acre in gross income. Technology can give a producer the edge tto maximum production and easily pay for itself.”

St. John, Kan.

By: Jim GleasonRegional Vice President

Nathan Woyd

Row Sampling ... Continued from Page 1



Mission StatementCrop Quest is an employee-owned company dedicated to providing the highest quality agricultural services for each customer. The quest of our network

professionals is to practice integrity and innovation to ensure our services are economically and environmentally sound.

PRSRT STD

US POSTAG

PAID

DODGE CITY

PERMIT NO. 4

“Employee-Owned & Customer Driven” Crop Quest Agronomic Services, Inc.

Main Ofce: Phone 620.225.2233

Fax 620.225.3199Internet: www.cropquest.com

[email protected]

Crop Quest Board of Directors President: Ron O’Hanlon

Director: Jim Gleason

Director: Dwight Koops

Director: Cort Minor

Director: Chris McInteer

Director: Rob Benyshek

Two Crop Quest agronomists were recog-

nized for 30 Years of Agronomic Service.Farrell Allison started his crop consulting

career in the summer of 1977 with Ag-Tech,a rm out of Dalhart, Texas. He was thenemployed by Servi-Tech in Dec. 1977 untilCrop Quest was founded in February of

1992. He became Division Manager withServi-Tech during the early 80s when theGreensburg Division was created. He has re-

mained Division Manager during his 15 yeartenure with Crop Quest. He services farmersand acres in Edwards, Kiowa, Ford, Pratt,Comanche and Stafford counties.

He indicated that some of his notable

achievements have been in the area of best

utilization of water, as irrigation was justcoming into the area where he has spent his

career. He has also assisted his clients ingoing from conventional tillage to minimalor no-till farming. He has been instrumentalin the use of starter fertilizer on low organic

matter sandy soils. In addition, he has been abig advocate of grid sampling throughout histerritory. To his accomplishment, he was therst to discover the presence of Gray Leaf Spot disease in 1989 on Pioneer 3162 cornhybrid in South Central Kansas. He has beenon the cutting edge with the use of fungicides

for the control of this disease as he has seen

it spread across Kansas and become a majordisease problem since that time.

Farrell received his Bachelors Degree

from Texas Tech University in Lubbock,Texas in Agronomy. He is married to Debbie,and they have two married children - Shelley

and David.The summer of 1977 was a big career

move for Roger Unruh since that is whenhe started working with Servi-Tech in theHaviland, KS area within Kiowa County.However by December 1977, Servi-Techwas opening a new territory around Mt.Hope and Halstead, KS, and he made thedecision to move closer to where he wasborn (Halstead). In 1983, he was promoted toDivision Manager of that area. Roger cameto Crop Quest when the company formed

in 1992 and has remained the Mt. Hope

Division Manager during his time with CropQuest. He works throughout Harvey, Butler,Sedgwick and Marion counties.

He indicated that he has gained satisfac-

tion from making good decisions with hisclients in the area of fertility and produc-

tion agriculture. His goal is to continue toimprove and grow the Mt. Hope Division.Some of the challenges facing the area are

the loss of water and land due to urbaniza-

tion and recreation land use. The cost of cropproduction is also a major concern.

Roger received his Bachelors Degreefrom Fort Hays State University in Hays,

KS in 1972 in the area of General Agri-culture. He and his wife, Inez, have onedaughter, Jennifer.

Two Recognized for Years Of Service

30

CQ Perspectives Jan 2008

Documents

Transcript of CQ Perspectives Jan 2008