in-crop-weather State Indiana Crop Weather Week Ending Date October 24, 2004 Issue IN-CW4304 Agricultural Summary Rain slowed field activities in most areas of the state during the week, according to Indiana Agricultural Statistics. Corn and soybean harvest continued to make some progress in fields where soils were dry enough to support heavy equipment. Corn harvest is 6 days ahead of the average pace. Soybean harvest is about 5 days ahead of the average pace. Many farmers were visiting local FSA offices to fill out forms for LDP'S. Fall tillage continued to take place in some fields. The rain helped winter wheat emergence and growth. Field Crops Report There were 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Virtually all of the corn acreage is mature (safe from frost). Seventy-two percent of the corn acreage is harvested compared with 47 percent last year and 60 percent for the average. By area, 65 percent of the corn acreage is harvested in the north, 75 percent in the central region and 83 percent in the south. Moisture content of harvested corn is averaging about 17 percent. Corn condition is rated 84 percent good to excellent. Virtually all of the soybean acreage is mature except for some late planted and double cropped soybean fields. Eighty-seven percent of the soybean acreage is harvested compared with 78 percent last year and 81 percent for the average. By area, 88 percent of the soybean acreage is harvested in the north, 92 percent in the central region and 74 percent in the south. Moisture content of harvested soybeans is averaging about 11.5 percent. Seventy-six percent of the winter wheat acreage is planted compared with 80 percent last year and 77 percent for the average pace. By area, 92 percent of the winter wheat acreage is planted in the north, 77 percent in the central region and 62 percent in the south. Forty-four percent of the winter wheat acreage is emerged compared with 47 percent last year and 47 percent for the average pace. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Pasture condition is rated 2 percent excellent, 30 percent good, 40 percent fair, 22 percent poor and 6 percent very poor. Recent rain has helped improve pastures in most areas of the state. Livestock are in mostly good condition. Crop Progress Table ----------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-Year Crop : Week : Week : Year : Avg ----------------------------------------------------- Percent Corn Harvested 72 60 47 60 Soybeans Harvested 87 82 78 81 Winter Wheat Planted 76 66 80 77 Winter Wheat Emerged 44 21 47 47 Crop Condition Table ----------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Excel- Crop : Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : lent ----------------------------------------------------- Percent Corn 2 3 11 46 38 Wheat 1 3 38 51 7 Pasture 6 22 40 30 2 Soil Moisture & Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table -------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : : Week : Week : Year : -------------------------------------- Percent Topsoil Very Short 1 6 0 Short 11 31 7 Adequate 72 58 85 Surplus 16 5 8 Subsoil Very Short 4 15 4 Short 26 38 10 Adequate 66 46 81 Surplus 4 1 5 Days Suitable 2.8 4.2 5.8 Contact information --Greg Preston, Director --Bud Bever, Agricultural Statistician E-Mail Address: nass-in@nass.usda.gov http://www.nass.usda.gov/in/index.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Proper Grain Storage Part II: Insect Pest Management Practices (This article is a continuation in a series about proper grain storage practices. Part I appeared on page 4 of the September 27, 2004 Indiana Crop & Weather Report, Vol. 54, No. 39) Sanitation in and around stored grain facilities is the most effective and economical management practice to prevent insect infestations in stored grain. Prior to storing grain, all surfaces that may come in contact with the newly harvested grain should be cleaned. In addition, storage bins with false floors and aeration ducts may need to be fumigated or treated with diatomaceous earth. The grain and dust that accumulate in these areas are excellent sources of insect infestations. If fumigation is selected as the optimal procedure, seek a licensed applicator to do the job. Fumigants are highly toxic to humans and must be applied with proper protective equipment. After the storage area is cleaned, an approved residual insecticide should be applied on both the outside and inside bin walls and on floors. As the grain is binned, preventative measures include applying a protectant if the grain will be in storage for more than a year. Grain protectants kill insects as they crawl about or feed on the treated grain. However, grain protectants should not be applied to high moisture grain or above 90 F because they can lose their effectiveness. After binning, some grain protectants can be applied as a surface treatment ("top-dress ")to protect the grain from surface feeders such as Indianmeal moth and invading beetles. Legal tolerances can be exceeded if a product is applied both as a grain protectant and top- dress, so the label MUST be read and followed. Storages should not be overfilled. Furthermore, insecticide treatments, aeration, and fumigation cannot be done effectively when the grain surface is not level. Above 55-60 F the grain should be inspected at least every two weeks for insect activity. Plastic grain probe traps are excellent sampling devices that can help determine insect activity below the grain surface. To prevent stored grain insects, effective measures can be as simple as maintaining grain temperatures below 60 F or above 100 F. Mold and Mycotoxin Management Grain spoilage is the result of microorganisms using the nutrients within the grain for their own growth and development. During this process they produce heat and increase the temperature of the surrounding grain, which may result in hot spots. Heat damage significantly reduces grain quality. If environmental conditions in the grain are right, the major storage mold may produce mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, fumonisin, DON, and zearalenone. These may cause serious illness and even death when consumed by livestock or humans. The presence of mold does not mean mycotoxins will be present, but rather that the potential for their development exists given the right combination of temperature, moisture content, and storage time. Even more frustrating is the fact that the absence of mold does not guarantee a mycotoxin-free commodity. This is because the growth of the mold may not be extensive enough to cause visible damage, but nevertheless it can still produce toxins. Generally, broken, ground, and dead grain are more vulnerable to fungal attack than whole grain; stored grain dried at high temperatures is more vulnerable to molding than is grain dried at low temperature; and grain stored for long periods of time is more vulnerable than freshly harvested grain. Although molds are diverse in their requirements, all mold growth can be prevented by low moisture, low temperature, and low oxygen environmental conditions. Summary Maintaining stored grain quality requires an integrated approach by the stored grain manager that incorporates a number of tools and pesticides to prevent quality deterioration. Relying on a single tool to take care of a problem is an approach of the past that is doomed to fail in the future. Single solutions, especially if they are chemical in nature, are under intense public and regulatory scrutiny and will continue to be a limited option. Prevention is the only acceptable way to maintain grain quality. Table 1. Examples of residual insecticides for empty grain bins in Indiana Diatomaeceous EarthReldan 4E Storcide (does NOT have CODEX MRLs) Tempo SC Ultra Table 2. Examples of grain protectants approved for application to stored corn in Indiana Actellic Diacon II Diatomeceous Earth type products (Insecto, Protect It Dryacide) Malathion 6% grain dust or Malathion 5EC --Linda Mason, Department of Entomology, Purdue University --Dirk Maier, Extension Agricultural Engineer, Purdue University --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weather Information Table Week ending Sunday October 24, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------- | Past Week Weather Summary Data |--------------------------------- Station | Air | | Avg | Temperature | Precip. |4 in. |---------------|------------|Soil |Hi |Lo |Avg|DFN|Total |Days |Temp ----------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) Chalmers_5W 70 30 51 -2 1.56 4 52 Valparaiso_AP_I 69 35 50 -2 1.08 3 Wanatah 70 27 49 -1 1.08 4 53 Wheatfield 71 31 49 +0 1.49 4 Winamac 66 33 50 +0 1.21 3 50 North Central (2) Plymouth 68 31 50 -2 0.69 3 South_Bend 67 37 50 -1 0.49 1 Young_America 66 33 50 -1 1.22 3 Northeast (3) Columbia_City 64 32 48 -1 0.86 2 51 Fort_Wayne 66 34 50 +0 1.11 2 West Central (4) Greencastle 68 30 53 +0 2.35 5 Perrysville 73 37 53 +3 1.72 5 56 Spencer_Ag 68 28 53 +3 2.71 4 Terre_Haute_AFB 71 38 56 +3 2.94 4 W_Lafayette_6NW 68 33 51 +1 1.22 3 55 Central (5) Eagle_Creek_AP 68 39 53 +2 1.91 4 Greenfield 64 36 51 -1 1.90 4 Indianapolis_AP 68 42 53 +2 2.45 5 Indianapolis_SE 69 34 51 -1 1.93 4 Tipton_Ag 66 33 49 -1 0.95 4 53 East Central (6) Farmland 65 34 49 -1 1.20 3 45 New_Castle 61 31 48 -3 1.16 2 Southwest (7) Evansville 76 48 61 +8 1.77 2 Freelandville 70 36 56 +4 5.10 4 Shoals 69 38 57 +5 4.97 5 Stendal 74 38 59 +6 4.33 5 Vincennes_5NE 70 35 56 +4 3.43 4 54 South Central (8) Leavenworth 69 36 57 +6 3.51 5 Oolitic 67 34 55 +4 6.01 5 56 Tell_City 76 40 61 +7 2.70 3 Southeast (9) Brookville 64 35 52 +2 3.16 4 Milan_5NE 64 35 53 +3 3.19 5 Scottsburg 69 35 56 +4 5.17 5 ----------------------------------------------------- Weather Information Table (Continued) Week ending Sunday October 24, 2004 ----------------|-------------------------------- | Accumulation |-------------------------------- | April 1, 2004 thru Station | October 24, 2004 |-------------------------------- | Precipitation |GDD Base 50oF |-------------------------------- | | | | | |Total | DFN |Days|Total| DFN ------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) Chalmers_5W 32.12 +8.09 67 3024 -170 Valparaiso_AP_I 22.58 -3.93 71 2843 -80 Wanatah 24.48 -0.89 79 2611 -162 Wheatfield 39.60 +15.16 79 2750 -79 Winamac 31.28 +6.81 84 2879 -40 North Central (2) Plymouth 28.64 +3.39 82 2765 -309 South_Bend 24.05 -0.57 80 2951 +70 Young_America 29.45 +5.63 71 3021 +5 Northeast (3) Columbia_City 26.29 +2.54 82 2765 +17 Fort_Wayne 26.96 +5.17 77 3007 -20 West Central (4) Greencastle 26.66 -0.76 75 2970 -463 Perrysville 24.31 -1.20 62 3284 +100 Spencer_Ag 31.57 +4.22 80 3203 +0 Terre_Haute_AFB 23.67 -2.11 72 3510 +105 W_Lafayette_6NW 25.25 +1.09 57 2988 -26 Central (5) Eagle_Creek_AP 22.99 -1.14 73 3417 +46 Greenfield 26.10 -0.36 72 3200 -40 Indianapolis_AP 30.99 +6.86 69 3528 +157 Indianapolis_SE 25.04 +0.29 62 3238 -127 Tipton_Ag 25.69 +0.82 76 2913 -2 East Central (6) Farmland 23.74 -0.06 70 2946 +105 New_Castle 25.42 +0.03 55 2622 -292 Southwest (7) Evansville 25.79 +1.29 61 4024 +101 Freelandville 30.13 +4.64 66 3556 +37 Shoals 32.29 +4.75 70 3566 +154 Stendal 30.81 +3.59 64 3817 +132 Vincennes_5NE 30.03 +4.54 77 3706 +187 South Central (8) Leavenworth 36.54 +8.84 75 3616 +229 Oolitic 32.93 +6.39 80 3372 +125 Tell_City 34.81 +7.02 63 4124 +322 Southeast (9) Brookville 23.45 -2.09 63 3414 +337 Milan_5NE 32.02 +6.48 101 3323 +246 Scottsburg 39.09 +12.86 69 3442 -61 ----------------------------------------------------------------- DFN = Departure From Normal (Using 1961-90 Normals Period). GDD = Growing Degree Days. Precipitation (Rainfall or melted snow/ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precip of .01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. Copyright 2004: AWIS, Inc. All rights reserved. The above weather information is provided by AWIS, Inc. For detailed ag weather forecasts and data visit the AWIS home page at www.awis.com or call toll free at 1-888-798-9955.