CS-lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 25, 1992
Deeper Incorporation Necessary For Top Efficiency
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. To
save a trip across the field, many
com growers apply their fertilizer
and preplant herbicide in the same
pass. But not all “weed-and-feed”
combinations can be incorporated
deep enough for proper fertilizer
efficiency.
Many soil fertility specialists
recommend that N, P, and K be
incorporated three to six inches
deep where plant roots are
concentrated.
“We recommend incorporating
phosphorus and potash fertilizers
for maximum nutrient uptake by
crop roots,” said Dave Mengel,
professor of agronomy at Purdue
University.
‘Our research has shown that
with conventional tillage, in a nor
mal growing season, the bulk of
the com roots are found between 3
and 10 inches below the soil
surface.
“P and K are both relatively
immobile, so you have to put these
nutrients where the plant roots can
reach them. But many herbicides
can’t be placed that deep,” he said.
Acetanilides including Dual,
Lasso and Cropstar should be
incorporated no more than two
inches deep. Triazines, like Extra
zine II and Bladcx 4L, can be
incorporated no more than three
inches deep.
Thiocarbamate herbicides like
Sutan+ and Sutazine+ work best
when the incorporation tool is set
to cut four to six inches deep. For
this reason, thiocarbamates are
considered more suitable for
weed-and-feed applications.
“In some years, you may get
enough rain to move the nutrients
deep enough into the root zone,”
said Mengel. “But last year, we
dried out after planting. Because
there was very little root growth
near the surface, the nutrients that
were not incorporated may have
They’re here! And They’re Built Ford Tough!
Ford 8030 Series tractors
• Optional Ultra-Command ,M powershift
• Extra-strength rear axles
• Improved weight distribution
• New flip-on diff lock
• New power brakes
• PTO/ignition protection
• 105- to 170-PTO horsepower
BIG DOINGS AT LANCASTER FORD TRACTOR OPEN HOUSE DAYS - February 20, 21, 1992
been unavailable.”
Similar conditions prevailed in
Kentucky, where weed-and-feed
applications like impregnation
spraying liquid herbicides onto
dry fertilizer granules have
been growing.
“When the weather is dry,
you’ll see more benefit from
incorporating your fertilizer, parti
cularly if you have a nutrient defi
ciency,” said agronomist John
Grove with the University of Ken
tucky. “If you incorporate P and K
with a disk or field cultivator, you
should get adequate utilization.”
In Ohio, potassium deficiencies
caused by the dry weather have
been serious, sa,d Ohio State Uni
GREENCASTLE (Franklin
Co.) Concerns of com growers
become more paramount in the
light of the past drought year and
the approach of com planting
season.
For growers who want to learn
more about troubleshooting com
production problems, com root
worm control, the latest in chemi
cal and cultural weed control,
reducing com production risks,
and other corn-related topics, the
Franklin County Com Clinic is for
you.
The clinic will be held Tuesday,
January 28, at Kauffman’s Com
munity Center four miles north of
Greencastle. Beginning at 9:30
a.m., com topics will include
“Troubleshooting Com Produc
tion Problems” by Dr. Greg Roth,
Penn State com specialist; “Limit
ing the Environmental Impact of
Herbicides,” by John Yocum,
director of the Penn State Landis
ville Research Center; “Reducing
the Financial Risk of Com Produc
tion,” by Roland Freund, Penn
State area farm management
versity soil fertility specialist Don
Eckert
“Last year, root growth in the
top one or two inches was so lim
ited by dry weather that most of
the potash near the surface was
unavailable,” he said.
“This has been a limiting fac
tory in no-till, and it’s the reason
why growers in conventional till
should incorporate their
fertilizer.”
Incorporation of nitrogen is also
important, especially if the fertil
izer contains urea. According to
Mengel, conditions in 1991 were
prime for volatilization of urea.
“Planting in wet soils, followed
Franklin Co. Hosts Corn Clinic
agent; and “Integrated Pest Man- ics, including western com root
agement” by John Shearer, Frank- worm control; planting rye to
lin Co. agent reduce pesticide use, improve
The Com Club awards will be yields, etc.; com, crown vetch, and
presented after the 11:30 a.m. oats in one field; crown vetch, the
lunch. Afterward, more topics will living mulch; and using earth
include “The Latest In Chemical worms in no-till com. Panelists
and Cultural Weed Control” by include Martin Krone, crop man-
Yocum and “Nitrogen Manage- agement association manager;
ment For Com Production” by John Koons, a com grower in
Roth. At 2 p.m., a panel will high- Waynesboro; Steve Mellott, Pen
light several com production top- nsylvania Master Com Growers’
York Dairy Day
Farm” discussed by a panel includ
ing Roland Freund, farm manage
ment agent, Louis Glantz, attor
ney, and dairy farmers Earl Fuhr
man and Jed Beshore.
Lunch will be served at noon
and an Atlantic Breeders Coopera
tive District Meeting will be held
in the afternoon.
YORK (York Co.) York
County’s Atlantic Dairy Day will
be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on
Thursday, February 13 at the
Seven Valleys Fire Hall.
The morning educational prog
ram will include the following top
ics: “York Agricultural Land Pre
servation Program Update,” by
Patricia Cornish, program director,
“What’s New in Milk Marketing”
by Dr. Robert Yonkers, of Penn
State Ag Economics Extension;
and “Holding on to the Family
Ford 8030 Series
Tractor Warranty:
3 years/3,000 hours
+2 years ESP
=5 years coverage*
* see your dealer for full details. No
deductible for the first three years.
LANCASTER FORD TRACTOR INC.
1655 Rohrerstown Rd., Lancaster, Pa. • Rt. 741 Exit Off Rt. 283
Ph: 717-569-7063
Service Does Not Stop At A Sales Promise
by extended periods of dry weath
er with low humidity, will result in
significant nitrogen loss from
urea,” said Mengel.
According to the University of
Illinois* Bob Hoeft, as much as 30
percent of the nitrogen can be lost
in as little as three days.
“If you have three or four days
without rain, you will lose UAN
solutions or urea,” Hoeft said.
“These fertilizers should be incor
porated as soon as possible. The
ideal placement is at least three
inches deep. Thorough soil mix
ing of the fertilizer and herbicide
combinations are necessary for
optimum herbicide performance.”
There’s a Ford 8030 Series tractor to fit the jobs you do,
Model 8530 105-PTO horsepower
Model 8630 121-PTO horsepower
Model 8730 140-PTO horsepower
Model 8830 170-PTO horsepower
Ford 8030-Series tractors give you power, performance
and new features to make your work faster and easier.
And they’re available with Ultra-Command™ Powersoft.
According to University of Illi
nois ag engineer Loren Bode, two
incorporation passes with a field
cultivator or disk harrows will do
the most effective job of mixing
fertilizer and herbicides into the
soil.
“If you are using a field cultiva
tor, it is important to keep your
field speed up to at least five miles
per hour,” Bode said. “Higher
speeds will give better soil mixing
and better herbicide
incorporation.”
Horizontal distribution of the
fertilizer and herbicide can be
improved by making a second
incorporation pass at an angle to
the first.
Association director, Wilmer Leh
man, Willow Hill com grower; and
Mark Cayman, Waynesboro-area
dairy farmer.
Pennsylvania pesticide credits
include 1 core and 2 category for
private applicators and 1 core and
2 category 01 or 18 for
commercial/public applicators.
For more information, contact
the Franklin County Extension
office at (717) 263-9226.
Set
To register or for more informa
tion, contact the York County
Extension Office, 112 Pleasant
Acres Road, York, PA 17402, or
call (717) 757-9657 or (800)
441-2025, ext. 9408, on or before
February 5. Reservations for the
event are $3.50 per person which
includes a buffet lunch.