2023 Cornell Winter Grains Variety Trial Results
Winter small grains planting is right around the corner. Do you know what varieties you are going to plant? Cornell just released their yield results for this year’s red and white winter wheat, hybrid rye and malting barley small plot variety trials. You can view them all on our NWNY Team webpage (https://nwnyteam.cce.cornell.edu/resources.php) If you would like to see past trial summaries, go to https://blogs.cornell.edu/varietytrials/small-grains-wheat-oats-barley-triticale/small-grains-cultivar-trial-results/.
Soybean Updates
There have been quite a few soybean fields that are showing the first signs of white mold infection. The conditions were perfect for it to be a problem this year. I even have fields that were sprayed with fungicide once and even twice that are showing severe signs of infection. Timing and coverage are crucial in managing this disease. Infection of flowers could have happened before the fungicide, in between applications or after. Soybeans are always flowering so there are always infection opportunities. There is nothing we can be now except know that there will be inoculum in that field and prepare the next time soybeans are rotated in. It is helpful to try and combine infected fields last so that you are not spreading the reproductive structures to other fields. Make sure to clean out the combine well at the end of the year.
Otherwise, soybeans look good. We are a little behind on maturity as are most crops. USDA NASS NY’s report on August 21 shows 70% were at bloom compared to 94% last year and 45% were setting pods compared to 71% last year. Ratings this week were 7% very poor, 9% poor, 21% fair, 48% good and 15% excellent.
Corn Updates
Like soybeans, leaf diseases are starting to become more prevalent. Northern corn leaf spot and blight are both showing themselves. Gary Bergstrom confirmed our first official incidence of tar spot from a field in
southwestern Livingston County on the Genesee River. It was next to a field that had tar spot last year. It is still relevant to keep on scouting on later planted corn and so we know where the inoculum will be next year. It has been slow spreading for us in NY which is a good thing. You can follow the spread of tar spot in the US at https://corn.ipmpipe.org/tarspot/. We are still behind on our maturity and still need some heat and sunshine to fill the ears. The potential is definitely there! USDA NASS NY’s report on August 21 shows 78% were at silking compared to 87% last year and 25% were at dough stage compared to 30% last year. Ratings this week were 3% very poor, 6% poor, 19% fair, 54% good and 18% excellent.
Last Chance to Enter the NY Corn & Soybean Yield Contests
The deadline for the yield contests is only 7 days away! Last day is Wednesday, AUGUST 30! Here is a link to the entry form and contest rules for both contests. Entry forms must be emailed ak2367@cornell.edu or postmarked by the 30th to Ashley Knapp, Genesee County CCE, 420 East Main St., Batavia, NY 14020. I have not received as many entries as usual, so this is a great year to enter! I have seen some good-looking crops out there. Good Luck!
Next report will be August 30.
