Specialty

Corn Review

Uses

Livestock = 40%
Ethanol = 35%
Export = 14%
Wet mill = 8%
Dry mill & alkaline cook =
2%

Food-grade white and Yellow

Corn

Enogen Corn

Amylase corn for dry grind ethanol

Contract ($0.40 0.50/bu premium)
Farmer
Ethanol plant
Syngenta
Similar to field corn, but isolation
Usually deliver directly to the
ethanol plant

Similar production practices to field

corn
Hard endosperm, high test weight,
low stress cracks, bright color, no
aflatoxin
Transgenes available, use depends
on market
Harvest gently, natural air dry to
minimize stress cracks
Buyers call bushel contracts, strict
quality criteria
Identity preservation rotation,
isolation, volunteer corn, clean
equipment

Seed Corn Review

Economically important to NE
Cropping systems
Rotation with soybean
Ridge till with stalk grazing and
cover crop
Planting
4 female: 1 male most common
Split (delays) planting
N management
Lower rate due to lower yield
Less vigorous root system

Weed management
Small plants, topped and
detasseled
Male rows destroyed
Early harvest
Genetic purity
Cutter, mechanical and manual
detasseled
Isolation
Harvest on ear at physiological
maturity
Condition at seed plant
Market in 25% increments in market
year

Popcorn Review, & Harvest & Drying

Seed provided no GMO (Scout, use pesticides, low

economic threshold due to high value; corn ear worm
Lower yield, higher lodging potential Lower N rate
Harvest late allow to dry in field (16% ideal)
To maintain quality (expansion volume)
But increases lodging potential
Clean combine or dedicated combine
Gentle avoid mechanical damage
Avoid augers
Grind off sharp edges of combine
Drying (low temperature) and
storage at the processor facility

Identity Preservation
Clean planter
Volunteer corn
Isolation not as critical as for other specialty
corn grains

Contracts and Marketing

Acre contracts rather than bushel contracts

Buy seed from processor no choice in hybrid selection
Yields multiplied by a factor based upon yield potential
Require scout

Cost of Production Summary

Lower fertilizer, seed and hauling expense
No storage and drying expense
Higher insecticide and fungicide expense
Herbicide cost ?

Skip High Nutritional Quality

Corn

Guide Page V-11 bottom half

Winter Wheat Production

Wheat Uses (2011-12)

Export

Dry Milled Products Wheat

Flour (food & other uses) Highvalue product for wheat dry milling
Feed by-products (bran and germ)
White pericarp (white wheat)
sometimes preferred
Protein content of at least
12% for bread baking

COMPLEMENTATION
SELECTION STRATEGY
No single perfect hybrid/variety
Complementation allows one to

offset potential weaknesses of a hybrid/variety

with strengths of other hybrids/varieties

Steps

COMPLEMENTATION
SELECTION STRATEGY

identify workhorse
(i.e. proven) hybrids/varieties [Largely
public released variety has 26% turnover
rate, but best varieties remain available
longer]
Complement based on
production practices (no-till, narrow row, etc.)
soil conditions (high pH, low fertility, etc.)
likely pest problems (other hazards)
range of maturities (minimize pollination & frost risk)
different genetics (different parents - broaden
genetic diversity)

Wheat Variety Characteristics

Reading Assignment

WINTER WHEAT MATURITY

CLASSIFICATION

Less precise than for summer annual crops

Relative differences

early
mid (medium)
late

Highest yielding variety depends on

solar radiation [water adequate] (medium to late)

water limiting, especially during grain fill (early)

WHEAT GROWTH PROPERTY GROWTH HABIT

Dwarf - Green Revolution wheat and
rice, responds to water, nitrogen and
high production inputs with minimal
problems with lodging.
Not grown in Nebraska. Why?

WHEAT GROWTH PROPERTY GROWTH HABIT

Tall - more resistant to stresses, but
susceptible to lodging
Widely grown in Nebraska

WHEAT GROWTH PROPERTY GROWTH HABIT

Semi-dwarf

intermediate plant height, but classified short in

NE
much less lodging potential than for tall growth
habit
short coleoptile (this is the distinguishing
factor!)
genetically distinct from tall and dwarf growth
habits

WHEAT GROWTH PROPERTY GROWTH HABIT

Yield potential - depends on the production

conditions

high yield environment - semi-dwarf is higher

due to being
more responsive to management inputs (especially N
and water)
lower lodging potential

low to intermediate yield environment - tall is

higher due to greater stress tolerance

better able to adapt to growing conditions

WHEAT GROWTH PROPERTY GROWTH HABIT

Lodging tolerance

directly related to plant height

Emergence problems

planting in dry soils

greater planting depth to place seed in
moist soil
coleoptile length becomes important
shorter for semi-dwarf, thus
more potential for emergence problems
less flexibility in adjusting planting depth

Water Management - Wheat

Trend towards less tillage

Soil erosion
Water conservation

However, wheat tillage commonly used

Firm seedbed for rapid emergence

Kill weeds (fall planting, warm soil temp,
weeds emerge rapidly)
Narrow rows helps with weed competition

Cropping System

West Fallow

Disk, field cultivate, rod weeder for soil

preparation and weed management

Cropping
System

West Stubble mulch

V-blade (Fallow Master, Noble blade) undercuts

stubble and weeds, usually rod weeder used later

Leaves residue standing to catch snow, reduce weed

speed at the soil surface, and reduce evaporation

Cropping System

No-till - statewide, but especially in eco-fallow

(wheatecofallowcornfallow wheat) systems
Conventional (disk and/or field cultivator)
planting wheat after other grain crop in higher
rainfall areas

PLANTING DATE - WINTER

WHEAT

Too early?

excessive fall growth

depletion of soil water possible
winter kill
root and crown rots / cephalosporium
stripe
translocation ability
winter kill

PLANTING DATE - WINTER

WHEAT

Too early?

more virus disease problems (wheat

streak, soil-borne, high plains, barley
yellow dwarf) - longer window for infection
and more time for disease to develop before
winter
Hessian fly in
southeast

PLANTING DATE - WINTER

WHEAT
Too late?

lower yield potential

less time for tiller initiation in the fall
results in fewer spikes being produced

wind erosion due to inadequate soil cover

winter kill
probability of undesirable
weather for planting

PLANTING DATE - WINTER

WHEAT

Recommendation varies depending

upon production region in Nebraska

Southeast?

plant after the Hessian Fly free date

Southwest?

about Sept. 15 to have adequate, but not

excessive, growth going into winter

PLANTING DATE - WINTER

WHEAT

Recommendation varies depending

upon production region in Nebraska

West (Panhandle)
elevation due temperature effects upon the
rate of growth
3500 ft = Sept. 15
each 100 ft increase, plant one day earlier
5000 ft = Sept. 1

Row Spacing - Winter Wheat

Yield Potential in semi-arid Climate

relatively low, thus little advantage of

extremely narrow rows
same yield produced in 6 to 16 inch rows
high yield environments in Europe often use
row spacing as narrow as 4 inches

Row spacing varies from 6 - 10 inches in

southeastern NE compared to 10 to 14
inches in western NE.
Why?

Winter Wheat

Yield potential in semi-arid climate

relatively low & does not vary with row

spacing (within a reasonable range)
row spacing decision not due to grain yield
response

Winter Wheat

Weed Problems - competition with

winter annual weeds greater in narrow
rows

higher precipitation in eastern NE

more annual weed problems
narrow rows

Winter Wheat

Potential for soil erosion (water vs. wind)

Wide rows allow deeper furrows, thus

Rough surface reduces wind erosion
Facilitates no-till planting

Narrow rows allow faster canopy cover, thus

greater help in reducing water erosion

Wheat Seeding Rate/Plant Pop

Seed size varies greatly! (10,000 to 20,000
seeds per pound)
West and southwest

Southeast

40 - 60 lbs./acre = 600,000 to 900,000 seeds

500,000 to 750,000 plants/acre
60 - 90 lbs./acre = 900,000 to 1,350,000 seeds
750,000 to 1,100,000 plants/acre

Irrigated

70 150 lbs/acre = 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 seeds

850,000 to 2,000,000 plants/acre

Wheat N Fertilizer Recommendations

Maximum of 100 lbs/a for dryland, 150 lbs/a
for irrigated
Algorithm

N rate (lbs/a) =
[(N Price/Wheat Price) + (Soil N03-N/68.7)
0.235] X (-725)
See reading assignment
EC143 Fertilizing Winter
Wheat

Topdress spring
recommended

application

Other N Fertilizer Considerations

N credits

Soybean previous crop

Irrigation water similar to corn

N additions

credit since fall planted after soybean harvest

Increase grain protein add 20 lbs/a for each

1% increase in protein desired
Wheat after wheat with high
yield add 20 lbs/a

Over application leads to

lodging

Wheat Sufficiency Levels

Lime - pH = 5.5 or lower (economic response)
Phosphorus = 25 ppm (higher than for other
crops; important for tillering and preventing
winterkill)
Potassium = 125 ppm
Zinc = 0.4 ppm
Sulfur = irrigated sandy soils with low OM and
S levels up to 20 lbs/a
Chloride recommended in S. Dakota, but not
NE

Approximate P Application Rates Based

on Bray-1 Soil Test (50 bu/acre Yield)
0 to 5 ppm = 60 lbs P2O5
5 to 10 ppm = 45 lbs P2O5
10 to 15 ppm = 30 lbs P2O5
15 to 25 ppm = 20 lbs P2O5

PHOSPHORUS Placement

Band

Apply with seed

Dual placement (liquid 10-34-0 injected with
NH3)

Reduce application rate by 50% compared

to broadcast when band applied

Irrigation 5% of NE Crop

Crop ET

Two peaks (fall and late spring, the latter

is greater due to higher LAI)
Transpiration near zero during winter,
evaporation continues
Peak ET at boot to early grain fill stages

Wheat is suited for limited irrigation

Relatively low water use (16 inches)

Winter annual growth cycle
Anthesis most sensitive to stress
expected precipitation and temperatures

Irrigation Timing

Fall

Dependent on precipitation received

Before planting germination
Early growth soil water in top 2 ft of soil

Early spring

Risk of bringing plant out of dormancy too early

Soil profile usually is at field capacity
Avoid unless severe water stress

Irrigation Timing

Boot through grain fill

May need to start early to assure adequate

water stored in soil
Boot through early grain fill stages critical
3 to 4 inches required in last 4 weeks
Monitor
Precipitation
Soil water
Crop ET

Over Irrigation Precautions

Lodging
Disease infestation

Weed Management

Planted into warm, moist soil ideal for rapid

weed growth
Weed free seedbed critical using obtained
by tillage for fallow and/or preparation of a
firm seedbed

Weed Management

Crop competition critical as essentially no

herbicides for grass weed control: Exceptions

Beyond but requires Clearfield varieties

Maverick, Olympus, Powerflex for control of
downy brome

Many herbicides for

broadleaf weed
control

Rusts
Leaf, stem and stripe rusts when severe can
reduce yields 40 to 100%
Resistant varieties

Rust fungi develop resistance rapidly

Reduce risk by planting different varieties

Rusts

Apply foliar fungicides

based upon risk
factors:
Mild winter rust can
overwinter in NE
Susceptibility of variety
Progression of rust from
southern states
Wheat growth stage
Rust favorable (wet)
weather forecasts
Goal to protect the flag
leaf

Complex of Wheat Streak and

High Plains Virus and Curl Mites

Virus is not seed transmittedrequires vector

Wheat curl mites transmit virus can survive

only a few days off of host green plant material
Green bridge between previous and new wheat
crop
Volunteer wheat as result of hail storm
as crop is maturing (also foxtail millet
oats)
Wind moves curl mites from maturing
volunteer wheat to new wheat crop
must be close to one another

and
wheat to
fields

Wheat Streak and High Plains

Virus Control

Control volunteer wheat or other host crops

(foxtail millet ad oats)
Do not plant before recommended date
Plant tolerant varieties
Practice good weed control following wheat
harvest (some weeds can serve as hosts for
wheat curl mite)

Wheat Use Review

Export & dry mill (flour)

12% protein
White pericarp

EU & China largest

producers & consumers
U.S. & EU largest
exporters
Huge number of
consumers Egypt &
Brazil largest

Variety selection
complementation
strategy
Maturity classification

Relative early to late

Depends upon expected
water supply during gran
fill

Abundant medium to late

Limited - early

Wheat Growth Properties & Pest Review

Wheat growth habits
dwarf - high yield, low stress
(not found in NE)
tall - ability to adapt to
conditions (stress tolerant),
but in good production
situations can grow excessively
tall & lodge
semi-dwarf - not as stress
tolerant but responds to mgt,
but do not grow as tall thus
less lodging
semi-dwarf has short
coleoptile, thus less ability to
adjust planting depth into dry
soil conditions

Planting date
Too early excessive fall growth &
water depletion, winter kill,
diseases (especially virus), Hessian
fly
Too late lower yield (fewer
tillers), wind erosion, winter kill
Southeast after Fly Free Date
Southwest Sept 15
West Elevation
Row Spacing 6 to 16 inch produces
similar yield
Weed competition
Soil erosion wind and water