A2O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 25, 1994
Nutrient Need Monitoring Can Be Useful To Grain Farmers
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANDISVILLE (Lancaster
Co.) For years, technology has
helped growers produce more
crops less expensively, involving
less labor. Only lately, however,
has technology been developed to
show a grower how good a job he
may be doing, especially regarding
crops.
Recently, companies have
released their own versions of a
crop fertility monitoring device
called a chlorophyll meter. The
device, which can cost $1,200 or
more, simply reads the level of
chlorophyll the amount of
“green” material in the leafy part
of a plant crucial to the plant’s
growth and health. Scientists say
this is an indication of levels of nit
rogen available to the plant.
A chlorophyll meter was
demonstrated to about 75 crop
consultants, farmers, and ag indus
try representatives at the Small
Grains Field Day on Tuesday at the
Penn State Landisville Research
Center. The device, a Motorola
Spad meter, is simple to use. For
instance, simply insert part of a
leaf from a com stalk into a clamp
like device, and the instrument
gives you a reading to help indicate
whether you may need more nitro
gen or whether there is sufficient
nitrogen present for the crop to
grow.
There is a distinct correlation
between the chlorophyll meter
There is a distinct correlation between the chlorophyll
meter reading and the possible nitrogen needs of the crop,
according to Doug Beegle, Penn State extension plant fertil
ity specialist.
A chlorophyll meter was demonstrated to about 75 crop
consultants, farmers, and ag industry representatives at
the Small Grains Field Day on Tuesday at the Penn State
Landlsvllle Research Center. The device, a Motorola Spad
meter, Is simple to use. For instance, simply Insert part of a
leaf from a corn stalk Into a clamp-llke device, and the
instrument gives you a reading to help Indicate whether you
may need more nitrogen or whether there Is sufficient nitro
gen present-for the crop to grow.
needs of the crop, according to
Doug Beegle, Penn State exten
sion plant fertility specialist The
device could be used when sam
pling com at growth stage 6 or 7 to
indicate whether there is sufficient
nitrogen in the ground for opti
mum yields.
The meter, said Beegle, “is one
tool we have that may help us do a
little better job of fine-tuning our
nitrogen needs for small grains.”
Penn State and other universi
ties are testing the meters to see if
they could prove useful to deter
mine nutrient needs for crops.
While the cost may be limiting for
farmers, crop experts who spend a
lot of time drawing up nutrient
plans and recommendations could
make the technology pay off in a
short time.
Also at the field day, com and
small grain experts spoke about
several new varieties of crops and
what to expect in the way of weed
control and other strategies for the
season.
Greg Roth, assistant professor
of agronomy and Penn State com
specialist, spoke about some of the
findings and detailed some of the
ongoing research at Penn State and
other universities.
Penn State is one of 20 research
centers nationwide that is studying
the advantages of narrow com row
spacing to increase yields for com
growers.
The researchers are looking to
see if there is an advantage to
30
inches. Initial trial results indicate
a 3-5 percent yield advantage by
going to 15-inch row;.
In general, although planting
and _ other management adjust
ments have to be made, a grower
won’t get hurt with the narrower
rows, according to Roth. In actual
ity, several studies indicate a
13-bushel per acre increase by
using narrow rows. In one Michi
gan study, those who participated
were generally optimistic about
using 22-inch rows to increase
yields.
Roth indicated that Penn State is
studying row width and yield var
iabilities on three silage plots
two in Lancaster and one in Leba
non, and two grain plots one in
Landisville and one in Centre
County. Last year, dry weather
hindered the studies at Landisville,
but the study continues to examine
the narrow row techniques.
Environmental studies, particu
larly the weather’s effects on yield,
indicated that while droughty con
ditions may cause shorter ears,
overall grain yield remains about
the same on narrower rows.
Whatever the early indications
may be, according to the com spe
cialist, more research needs to be
done to examine some of the early
findings, which include good soil
and nutrient conservation and bet
ter weed control because of the
improved canopy.
“I think we have to sort out
some of these other factors before
we can take full advantage of the
narrow row technology,” said
Roth.
Other com research involves:
Greg Roth, assistant professor of agronomy and Penn State corn specialist, spoke
about some of the findings and detailed some of the ongoing research at Penn State
and other universities.
Marvin Rlsiut, profastor of plant brooding at Penn State, epoke about the various
oat and barley variety trials underway. There was sawfly damage also to oat varieties
at the test she.
• Hybrid differences and obser- dry summers may actually lead to
vations on forage quality. Roth higher protein and higher digesta
said that results indicate hybrids bility in silage com, against what
vary in forage quality traits such as growers previously thought
digestability, NDF, and others. But • Growing degree days (GDDs)
one of the trouble spots they must on plant varieties. Could farmers
examine is the inconsistency from in the state go to a 100-day hybrid
field to field and site to site. Also, (T Urn to Page A2l)
Elwood Hatley, Penn State agronomist, spoke about
some of damage to wheat from fungus disease and
sawflles.
♦ \
Overview ol Recent Corn
Management Research
Results
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