in-crop-weather State Indiana Crop Weather Week Ending Date October 18, 2009 IN-CW101809 AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY Harvest progress was hindered once again by rain showers and cool temperatures, according to the Indiana Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Moisture content in the corn and soybeans has been slow to come down requiring a great deal of the harvested crops to be dried. Many areas of the state encountered heavy frost over the weekend which will end the growing season for any crops that were not yet mature. Some intended winter wheat acreage may not be planted as farmers are being forced to wait until other crops are first harvested from these fields. FIELD CROPS REPORT There were 2.5 days suitable for field work during the week. Corn condition is rated 63 percent good to excellent compared with 56 percent last year at this time. Seventy-seven percent of the corn crop is mature compared to 92 percent last year and 96 percent for the 5-year average. Fifteen percent of the corn crop has been harvested compared to 39 percent last year and 49 percent for the 5-year average. Moisture content of harvested corn is averaging about 25 percent. Soybean condition is rated 63 percent good to excellent compared with 49 percent last year at this time. Twenty-seven percent of the soybean acreage has been harvested compared with 71 percent last year and 72 percent for the 5-year average. Moisture content of harvested soybeans is averaging about 14.5 percent. Twenty-two percent of the Winter Wheat acreage has been planted compared to 67 percent last year and 69 percent for the 5-year average. Four percent of the winter wheat has emerged compared with 28 percent last year and 27 percent for the 5-year average. Tobacco harvest is 95 percent complete compared with 96 percent last year and 97 percent for the 5-year average. LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE REPORT Pasture condition is now rated 58 percent good to excellent compared with 25 percent last year at this time. Livestock remain in mostly good condition. Crop Progress Table ------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-Year Crop : Week : Week : Year : Avg ------------------------------------------------------- Percent Corn Mature 77 69 92 96 Corn Harvested 15 10 39 49 Soybeans Shedding Lvs 95 90 97 98 Soybeans Harvested 27 19 71 72 Winter Wheat Planted 22 13 67 69 Winter Wheat Emerged 4 1 28 27 Tobacco Harvested 95 91 96 97 Crop Condition Table ---------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Excel- Crop : Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : lent ---------------------------------------------------- Percent Corn 3 8 26 51 12 Soybean 2 8 27 51 12 Pasture 2 9 31 48 10 Soil Moisture & Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table ---------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : : Week : Week : Year : ---------------------------------------- Percent Topsoil Very Short 0 0 11 Short 3 4 38 Adequate 56 51 50 Surplus 41 45 1 Subsoil Very Short 1 1 15 Short 9 10 36 Adequate 70 67 47 Surplus 20 22 2 Days Suitable 2.5 2.7 6.0 Contact Information --Greg Preston, Director --Andy Higgins, Agricultural Statistician E-Mail Address: nass-in@nass.usda.gov http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Indiana/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Other Agricultural Comments And News TEST WEIGHT ISSUES IN CORN Published Oct 2009 URL:http://www.kingcorn.org/news/timeless /TestWeight.html Among the top 10 most discussed (and cussed) topics at hometown cafes during harvest season is the test weight of the grain being reported from corn fields in the neighborhood. Test weight is measured in the U.S. in terms of pounds of grain per volumetric bushel. In practice, test weight measurements are based on the weight of grain that fills a quart container (32 qts to a bushel) that meets the specifications of the USDA-FGIS (GIPSA) for official inspection (Fig. 1 at the web address listed at the beginning of the this article). Certain electronic moisture meters, like the Dickey-John GAC, estimate test weight based on a smaller-volume cup. These test weight estimates are reasonably accurate but are not accepted for official grain trading purposes. The official minimum allowable test weight in the U.S. for No. 1 yellow corn is 56 lbs/bu and for No. 2 yellow corn is 54 lbs/bu (USDA-GIPSA,1996). Corn grain in the U.S. is marketed on the basis of a 56-lb "bushel" regardless of test weight. Even though grain moisture is not part of the U.S. standards for corn, grain buyers pay on the basis of "dry" bushels (15 to 15.5% grain moisture content) or discount the purchase price to account for the drying expenses they will incur with corn grain wetter than 15 or 15.5% moisture. Growers worry about low test weight because local grain buyers often discount their offered price to farmers for low test weight grain. In addition, growers are naturally disappointed when they deliver a 1000 -bu semi-load of grain with an average 52-lb test weight because they only get paid for 929 56-lb "market" bushels (52,000 lbs ÷ 56 lbs/bu). On the other hand, high test weight grain makes growers feel good when they deliver a 1000 bushel semi-load of grain with an average 60 lb test weight because they will get paid for 1071 56-lb "market" bushels (60,000 lbs ÷ 56 lbs/bu). These emotions encourage a belief that high test weight grain is associated with high grain yields (lbs. of dry matter per acre) and vice versa. However, there is little evidence in the research literature that corn test weight is strongly correlated with grain yield. Hybrid variability exists for grain test weight, but also does not necessarily correspond to differences in genetic yield potential. Test weight for a given hybrid can vary from field to field or year to year, but does not necessarily correspond to the yield level of an environment. The graph in Fig. 2 illustrates the absence of a strong correlation between relative grain yield and test weight for two hybrids grown in our nitrogen rate trials over multiple site-years in Indiana. Conventional dogma suggests that low test weight corn grain results in lower processor efficiency and quality of processed end-use products like corn starch, though the research literature does not consistently support this belief. Similarly, low test corn grain is often thought to be inferior for animal feed quality, though again the research literature is not in agreement on this. Whether or not low test weight grain is inferior to higher test weight grain may depend on the cause of the low test weight in the first place. COMMON CAUSES OF LOW TEST WEIGHT CORN So far this 2009 harvest season in Indiana, there are more reports of low test weight corn grain than good or above average test weights. There are primarily six factors that account for most of the low test weight grain in 2009 and four share a common overarching effect. First and foremost, growers should understand that test weight and grain moisture are inversely related. The higher the grain moisture, the lower the test weight. As grain dries in the field or in the dryer, test weight naturally increases as long as kernel integrity remains intact. Test weight increases as grain dries partly because kernel volume tends to shrink with drying and so more kernels pack into a volume bushel and partly because drier grain is slicker which tends to encourage kernels to pack more tightly in a volume bushel. Therefore in a year like 2009 with many of the initial harvest reports of grain moisture ranging from 25 to 30% instead of the usual starting moisture levels of about 20 to 23%, it should not be surprising that test weights are lower than expected. Hellevang (1995) offered a simple formula for estimating the increase in test weight with grain drying. In its simplest form, the equation is (A/B) x C; where A = 100 - dry moisture content, B = 100 - wet moisture content, and C = test weight at wet moisture content. The author does not say, but I suspect this simple formula is most applicable within a "normal" range of harvest moistures; up to moistures in the mid-to high 20's. * Example: Dry moisture = 15%, Wet moisture = 25%, Test weight at 25% = 52 lbs/bu. * Test weight at 15% moisture = ((100 - 15) / (100 - 25)) x 52 = (85/75) x 52 = 58.9 lbs/bu An older reference (Hall & Hill, 1974) offers an alternative suggestion for adjusting test weight for harvest moisture that also accounts for the level of kernel damage in the harvested grain (Table 1 at web address listed at beginning of this article). The table values are based on the premise that kernel damage itself lowers test weight to begin with and that further drying of damaged grain results in less of an increase in test weight that what occurs in undamaged grain. Compared to the results from using Hellevang's simple formula, adjustments to test weight using these tabular values tend to result in smaller adjustments to test weight for high moisture grain at harvest, but larger adjustments for drier grain at harvest. Secondly, thirdly, and fourthly; drought stress (primarily northern Indiana), late-season foliar leaf diseases (primarily gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight), and below normal temperatures throughout September all resulted in a significant deterioration of the crop's photosynthetic machinery beginning in early to mid- September that "pulled the rug out from beneath" the successful completion of the grain filling period in some fields; resulting in less than optimum starch deposition in the kernels. Fifthly, early October frost/freeze damage to late-developing, immature fields resulted in leaf or whole plant death that effectively put an end to the grain-filling process with the same negative effect on test weight. Finally, there were widespread reports of ear rots (diplodia, gibberella, etc.) throughout many areas of Indiana in 2009. Kernel damage by these fungal pathogens results in light-weight, chaffy grain that also results in low test weight diseased grain, broken kernels, and excessive levels of foreign material. This cause of low test weight grain obviously results in inferior (if not toxic) animal feed quality grain, unacceptable end-use processing consequences (ethanol yield, DDGS quality, starch yield and quality, etc.), and difficulties in storing the damaged grain without further deterioration. RELATED REFERENCES Bradley, Carl. 2009. Diplodia Ear Rot Causing Problems in Corn Across the State. The Bulletin, Univ of Illinois Extension. [online]. http: //ipm.illinois.edu/bulletin/article.php?id=1233. [URL accessed Oct 2009]. Hall, Glenn and Lowell Hill. 1974. Test Weight Adjustment Based on Moisture Content and Mechanical Damage of Corn Kernels. Trans. ASAE 17:578-579. Hellevang, Kenneth. 1995. Grain Moisture Content Effects and Management. North Dakota State Extension Publication AE-905. [online]. http://www .ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/pdffiles/ae905.pdf. [URL accessed Oct 2009]. Hicks, D.R. and H.A. Cloud. 1991. Calculating Grain Weight Shrinkage in Corn Due to Mechanical Drying. Purdue Extension Publication NCH-61 [online]. http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/nch/nch-61.html [URL accessed Oct 2009]. Hill, Lowell D. 1990. Grain Grades and Standards: Historical Issues Shaping the Future. Univ. of Illinois Press, Champaign, IL. Hurburgh, Charles and Roger Elmore. 2008. Corn Quality Issues in 2008 - Moisture and Test Weight. Integrated Crop Management News, Iowa State Univ. Extension. [online]. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ CropNews/2008/1023hurburghrobertsonelmore1.htm. [URL accessed Oct 2009]. Hurburgh, Charles and Roger Elmore. 2008. Corn Quality Issues in 2008 Storage Management. Integrated Crop Management News, Iowa State Univ. Extension. [online]. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2008/ 1023hurburghrobertson.htm. [URL accessed Oct 2009]. Nafziger, Emerson. 2003. Test Weight and Yield: A Connection? The Bulletin, Univ of Illinois Extension. [online]. http://ipm.illinois .edu/bulletin/pastpest/articles/200323h.html.{URL accessed Oct 2009]. USDA-GIPSA. United States Standards for Corn. 1996. USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). [online] http://archive.gipsa.usda.gov/reference-library/standards/810corn .pdf. [URL accessed Oct 2009]. Wise, Kiersten and Charles Woloshuk. 2009. Dealing With Diplodia Ear Rot. Pest & Crop Newsletter, Purdue Extension. [online]. http:// extension.entm.purdue.edu/pestcrop/2009/issue 24/index.html. [URL accessed Oct 2009]. R.L. (Bob) Nielsen, Agronomy Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054. E-mail address:rnielsen at purdue.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The INDIANA CROP & WEATHER REPORT (USPS 675-770), (ISSN 0442-817X) is issued weekly April through November by the USDA, NASS, Indiana Field Office, 1435 Win Hentschel Blvd, Suite 110, West Lafayette IN 47906-4145. For information on subscribing, send request to above address. POSTMASTER: Send address change to the USDA, NASS, Indiana Field Office, 1435 Win Hentschel Blvd, Suite 110, West Lafayette IN 47906-4145. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Weather Information Table Week ending Sunday October 18, 2009 ----------------------------------------------------- | Past Week Weather Summary Data |--------------------------------- Station | Air | | Avg | Temperature | Precip. |4 in. |---------------|------------|Soil |Hi |Lo |Avg|DFN| Total| Days|Temp ---------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) Chalmers_5W 53 31 42 -13 0.61 5 Francesville 51 31 41 -12 0.60 5 Valparaiso_AP_I 49 33 42 -13 0.22 4 Wanatah 51 32 41 -12 0.38 5 47 Winamac 51 30 41 -12 0.44 5 48 North Central(2) Plymouth 50 32 41 -13 0.18 2 South_Bend 51 32 41 -12 0.17 2 Young_America 52 31 41 -13 0.53 2 Northeast (3) Fort_Wayne 53 29 43 -11 0.31 4 Kendallville 53 33 44 -10 0.06 3 West Central(4) Greencastle 60 29 43 -13 0.43 4 Perrysville 60 27 44 -11 0.37 5 46 Spencer_Ag 64 29 44 -11 0.81 3 Terre_Haute_AFB 62 27 45 -11 0.46 2 W_Lafayette_6NW 54 28 43 -12 0.43 6 49 Central (5) Eagle_Creek_AP 60 33 45 -11 0.36 3 Greenfield 62 28 43 -12 0.39 5 Indianapolis_AP 61 31 45 -10 0.32 3 Indianapolis_SE 60 27 42 -13 0.67 5 Tipton_Ag 57 29 42 -11 0.55 4 54 East Central(6) Farmland 60 23 42 -11 0.48 4 48 New_Castle 63 24 43 -10 0.50 3 Southwest (7) Evansville 68 32 49 -10 1.41 3 Freelandville 64 34 46 -10 1.13 3 Shoals_8S 66 28 45 -11 1.03 4 Stendal 69 33 48 -9 0.56 3 Vincennes_5NE 67 30 47 -10 1.26 4 54 South Central(8) Leavenworth 67 31 47 -9 1.18 5 Oolitic 64 30 45 -10 1.14 5 48 Tell_City 68 35 49 -9 1.22 3 Southeast (9) Brookville 64 28 46 -8 0.44 3 Greensburg 65 28 45 -9 0.47 4 Seymour 64 28 44 -10 0.62 4 ----------------------------------------------------- Weather Information Table (Continued) Week ending Sunday, October 18, 2009 ------------------------------------------------- | Accumulation |-------------------------------- | April 1, 2009 thru Station | October 18, 2009 |-------------------------------- | Precipitation |GDD Base 50oF |-------------------------------- | | | | | |Total | DFN |Days|Total| DFN ------------------------------------------------- Northwest (1) Chalmers_5W 24.56 +0.98 83 2612 -556 Francesville 24.38 +0.41 75 2558 -339 Valparaiso_AP_I 19.66 -6.29 77 2717 -180 Wanatah 24.30 -0.61 84 2436 -317 Winamac 20.65 -3.32 73 2640 -257 North Central(2) Plymouth 23.50 -1.24 95 2565 -485 South_Bend 26.09 +2.01 74 2713 -145 Young_America 24.78 +1.48 59 2659 -337 Northeast (3) Fort_Wayne 24.55 +3.21 78 2849 -154 Kendallville 21.18 -1.20 91 2887 +63 West Central(4) Greencastle 34.63 +7.76 86 2665 -736 Perrysville 34.28 +9.23 82 2973 -183 Spencer_Ag 38.14 +11.29 82 2986 -192 Terre_Haute_AFB 25.57 +0.27 69 3238 -136 W_Lafayette_6NW 28.60 +4.96 78 2813 -177 Central (5) Eagle_Creek_AP 31.53 +7.89 78 3261 -80 Greenfield 37.64 +11.76 82 2892 -320 Indianapolis_AP 35.10 +11.46 76 3380 +39 Indianapolis_SE 38.33 +14.11 81 2888 -448 Tipton_Ag 29.37 +5.08 83 2708 -185 East Central(6) Farmland 22.68 -0.67 77 2756 -65 New_Castle 29.31 +4.50 78 2648 -245 Southwest (7) Evansville 34.29 +10.29 75 3860 -24 Freelandville 41.55 +16.60 76 3343 -144 Shoals_8S 40.51 +13.56 74 3040 -341 Stendal 43.82 +17.15 75 3755 +103 Vincennes_5NE 40.90 +15.95 81 3481 -6 South Central(8) Leavenworth 44.73 +17.63 105 3380 +23 Oolitic 36.81 +10.90 88 3089 -131 Tell_City 35.21 +7.94 71 3668 -95 Southeast (9) Brookville 30.94 +5.97 76 3133 +80 Greensburg 37.98 +12.80 82 3269 +140 Seymour 40.35 +15.62 72 3015 -197 -------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2009: Agricultural Weather Information Service, Inc. All rights reserved. DFN = Departure From Normal GDD = Growing Degree Days. Precipitation (Rainfall or melted snow/ice) in inches. Precipitation Days = Days with precip of .01 inch or more. Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit. For more weather inrformation, visit www.awis.com or call 1-888-798-9955.