Page 10-Com Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 13,1393 John Rowehl York County Extension Agent Although not the most wide spread weed problem, Johnsongrass has been often named by farmers as one of the most difficult weeds to control in corn in southern Pennsylvania. Prior to 1990, the main tools available to keep this under control were primarily cultural practices. Tillage and cultiva tion could aid in suppressing the vigor of the rhizomes from which the nasty weed regener ated it’s growth. .Rotation to small grain and hay crops offered a little more crop growth competition to the weed during the growing sea son and following small grain harvest Roundup could be used. Rotation to soybeans allowed the use of effective post emergence herbicides. When growing com however, control with an herbicide was limited to using Eradicane which required immediate and thorough incor poration into the soil. In 1990, two new herbicides, Accent and Beacon, became labeled for use in com and were readily available in 1991. Both of these products are applied over the top of the com after the ATTENTION CORN FARMERS: aSifISSTSS* The easy weigh J-STAR 7’xlo’ Platform Scale Systems: accurate axle weights...at surprisingly-low cost Now, when you need precise weight information, load after load for efficient, cost-effective management of your farm, over the-road or custom hauling operation J-STAR makes it easy With accurate, reliable scale systems at a fracton of the cost of scales you may have considered in the past This "easy weigh” lets you • Accurately check axle and vehicle weights • Assure maximum weights, every load, without risking fines for running over legal limits Johnsongrass Control Trials In Corn weeds have reached a specified v stage of growth. They both K show activity on Johnsongrass \i and other weeds that are emerged at the time of applica tion and low injury potential to the com if applied as labeled. However, they do not provide residual weed control of later emerging stems or seedlings, so a tradeoff between waiting for late emerging weed growth and sacrificing control of the earlier weeds that might get too big is inherent. The additional pro duction cost from using these products ranges from twenty to twenty five dollars per acre Because of concerns about application timing and poten tial rate reduction by users as a means of lowering costs, Dr. William Curran, extension weed specialist and I started a study in 1991 in York County to determine the effects of dif ferent application timings and of using less then standard rates. The study was conducted on a cooperating farm in a field with a history of a severe John songrass infestation. The field was chisel plowed and disked prior to planting and received a pre-emergence herbicide to control other weeds. Each pro duct was applied at two rates; standard label rate and one-half J-STAR Scale Systems combine reliability, versatility, durability and accuracy with a low cost you'll have to see to believe. *%»}>•«? • Make more efficient use of your trucks by consistently hauling at or near capacity, without underhauling • Monitor load placements and weights at the time of shipment • Verify the weight of bulk commodity purchases ■ Monitor crop yields • Handle up to 40,000 or 50,000 pound loads per tandem or single axle • Assemble and install the J-STAR scale system where needed quickly and easily LAPP’S BARN E 5935 OLD PHILADELPHIA PIKE, GAP, PA 17527 PHONE: 717-442-8134 we service what we sell (DdWEKf TPMJK MlWi! PENNSYLVANIA MASTER COHN GROWERS ASSOC.. INC. label rate. Each of these were applied at two different times; at the label recommended weed growth stage and also two weeks following the first appli cations. A third treatment included two half rates applied in a split application timing. Each plot was 12 feet wide and 25 feet long. Application was made with a carbon dioxide pressurized backpack sprayer, flat fan nozzles with 20 gallons of water plus 1 qt. crop oil con centrate per acre. The height of the Johnson grass at the first application on May 31 ranged from 8 to 18 inches. At the second applica tion on June 11, the range was from 18 to 30 inches. Growing conditions in 1991 were terrib ly hot and dry. Both the com and Johnsongrass were under stress before, during and after applications. Visual ratings of the percentage of weed control were taken. The full rates and the earlier applications general ly did better than the half rates and later applications. 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JMpa bb Rugged J-STAR Scale Ja Ir Systems are constructed of heavy gauge structural steel OPEN HOUSE DAYS - WED. thru FRI. - MARCH 10, 11 & 12 Watch For Details In March 6th Issue! herbicide and reduced spray penetration due to obstruction by the weed and crop canopy at the later time. There was a greater differ ence in control between the full and half rate of Accent than there was between the full and half rate of Beacon and the con trol ratings for Accent tended to be slightly higher than Beacon. For Beacon, the split applica tion had the best control rating. But with Accent the rating for the split treatment was similar to the full rate first application timing. Half rates provided no more than sixty five percent control with either product at either application time.ln 1992 the study was continued with some modifications to the treatments. For both products, the stan dard label rate was compared to two thirds the standard rate. Liquid nitrogen was also used as an additive in addition to crop oil concentrate. All treat ments were applied at one application time when the weed was in the recommended growth stage. An additional liable weighing. for years ol UIPMENT Dispatched Trucks All this plus J-STAR's years of A choice that gives you a proven expertise in building hard- management tool that can provide working, long-lasting equipment vital information to help you con makes a J-STAR Scale System the sistently make belter business logical choice for your operation. decisions The “easy weigh ” Option* »nd weighing versatility • Detachable ramps • 3-pomt tractor hitch lift attachment (40,000 pound model only) • AC/DC power converter for stationary operation. • Indicator stand 7 ft. by 10 ft weighing platform easily handles tandem axles. J ' nearby building or. on the optional indicator stand. treatment consisted of a combi nation of both products applied together at a half rate each. Growing conditions were more favorable than in 1991. Although rainfall was below average, it was adequate. Temperatures were much below average. The same field was used, but the com was planted without tillage (no-till). Growth of the Johnsongrass out-paced the com and had reached 10-12 inches by the time the com had reached 4 inches in height, which was the minimum label recommended growth stage for application. Applications were made on May 28. Visual ratings of the percen tage weed control made through the beginning of July showed no differences between any of the treatments, all pro viding close to ninety percent control. In the control ratings taken in late July, Accent and the Accent-Beacon combina tions were slightly better than the Beacon treatments. Those data suggest that comparable control with two thirds the rate may be attainable when made at the optimum weed stage and with adequate growing conditions. (Turn to Page 11) • Radio-controlled remote opera tion (Model 15 only) • Printer for batch or other weighing applications (Model 15 only). • Computer interface capabilities (Model 15 only) w
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