Diligence
Technologies Inc., West Tennessee
EVENTS FROM
THE PAST MONTH:
We have
spent a good portion of the past couple of months trying to catch up on trial
establishment. Frequent showers meant
that we had few full weeks to get things done, so we have been working where
and when we can. As a result, trial
establishment was farther behind than in any year in recent memory. Several trials had to replanted due to
excessive moisture with a few even requiring three or four attempts before we
finally got a good stand. As always, the
crew (Jesse, Kevin, and Jackson) did a heroic job of making sure everything got
done.
CROPPING
SEASONS:
Wheat is
almost over for this season. We are
finishing up post-harvest data collection (seed weights, etc.) at present. Disease pressure was pretty good in the
fungicide trials and you could see the benefits of a well-timed foliar
application.
We have corn
trials at almost every imaginable growth stage.
Planting dates on yielded trials range anywhere from mid-April to
mid-May. Our later trials (generally
fungicide trials planted intentionally late to increase disease pressure) are
just beginning to enter the reproductive phase and corn fungicide applications
will begin in mass next week.
Applications
will also begin soon in soybean fungicide trials. Applications at R1 will likely be next week
with R3 applications a couple of weeks later.
Cotton
trials began the year very slowly. With
excessive moisture and reduced amounts of heat and sunshine, the cotton struggled
to get a good start. Stands were
sometimes thin and the crop in general was less than impressive. The good news is that growth has improved
substantially with the increased heat and sunshine over the past month. It is finally time to break out the growth
regulator and try to slow things down just a bit.
GREENHOUSE
ACTIVITIES:
The
greenhouse is officially closed for the summer which is a good thing. The greenhouse is heated which makes it a
great place to work during the winter.
However, the cooling fans can only do so much in summer and it is
difficult to find volunteers to go in there in July.
Keep us in
mind for your greenhouse needs later this fall.
We should have it back in operation in October.
TOURS:
Thanks to
everyone who has stopped by for a visit so far this spring. However, with trial establishment slower than
normal, much of the prime viewing time for plots is still to come. Several tours have been rescheduled for a
little later in the season. As always,
just let us know when you will be in the area.
We always enjoy getting to spend time with friends.
PEST INFO:
Preemergence
weed control has been generally good this spring as frequent showers allowed
for herbicide activation in the soil.
Postemergence herbicide injury has been above normal as crops had little
opportunity to “harden off” during the early spring. Even our normal maintenance applications
tended to show burn on the foliage.
Probably not a significant issue, but it does not help make the plots
look good.
Disease
activity is still pretty low right now in the fungicide trials. It usually takes a while for grey leaf spot
in corn and frogeye leaf spot in soybeans to build and the crops are still
relatively young. For those wanting to
look at fungicide trials, late August has traditionally been a good time for
viewing.
Insect
pressure has been fairly light this year with the exception of thrips on
cotton. However, we generally have some
excellent opportunities to test insecticides on late-planted soybeans. Let us know if you need a late bug trial and
we will work something out.
We are very
thankful to those who have sent trials our way so far this season. We still have some ground available for an
evaluation late this summer or early fall.
I tell folks all the time that it is a rare September that we do not
plant a few corn or soybean trials. Just
let us know how we can be of service.
Proverbs
12:27
… the
substance of the diligent man is precious.
