Specialty Maize Production: Management Guidelines for Optimizing Yield and Grain Quality. 2000 P. R.

Thomison
Department Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Varieties of Maize used in the study:

White Maize: Since 1996, OSU has participated in an international white food grade maize testing program involving 10 U.S. states and the Canadian province of Ontario , which is coordinated by Dr. Larry Darrah, USDA-ARS at the University of Missouri. Table 2 compares the average and range of yields for white maize entries in the 1996-2000 Early White Food Maize Hybrid Performance Trials to those of yellow (normal) check hybrids (Darrah et al., 2000). White maize hybrids averaged yields 4 to 7% lower than the yellow maize checks, but top white maize hybrids each year produced yields comparable to yellow maize checks. High Oil Maize (HOM): Field trials have been conducted at two Ohio from 1997 to 2000, to evaluate the yield potential of HO-TC Blends. Although HOM TC Blends averaged yields 6% less than the normal maize over this four year period (Figure 2), top performing TC Blends generally produced yields that were comparable to some of the conventional maize hybrids each year (Thomison et al., 2002; Thomison and Geyer, 1999). Waxy Maize hybrids adapted to Ohio were compared with conventional maize hybrids at four Ohio locations in 1996-1997 (Figure 3). Some of the waxy maize hybrids produced grain yields similar to their non-waxy conventional counterparts, whereas other waxy hybrids yielded consistently less than the conventional maize hybrids at each site (Thomison, unpublished data, 1997, 2001). Nutritionally Enhanced Maize including Supercede and Nutridense maize hybrids developed by Dow AgroSciences and ExSeed Genetics, respectively, were evaluated at Hoytville and Wooster in 1999 and 2000 (Thomison and Geyer, 2000). In 1999, the nutritionally enhanced hybrids produced grain yields comparable to conventional hybrid checks at both locations, whereas in 2000, the nutritionally enhanced maize yields were 22% less than the conventional checks (Table 3). Greater stalk lodging in the nutritionally enhanced maize was a major factor contributing to reduced yields in 2000. Low Phytate or Highly Available Phosphorus Maize: In 2000, a commercially developed low phytate maize hybrid was evaluated at five locations of the Ohio Maize Performance Test. Averaged across sites, the low phytate hybrid yielded 35% less than the conventional hybrid entries (Thomison, unpublished data, 2000). Food Grade Open Pollinated (OP) Maize: Blue and red food grade OP cultivars and blue maize hybrids were evaluated at four locations of the Ohio Maize Performance Test in 2000. Average OP maize yields ranged from 1.2 to 4.9 Mg/ha across locations whereas hybrid entry yields ranged from 7.8 to 10.8 Mg/ha. Lodging (stalk breakage below the ear) was much greater in the

red and blue OP maize culitvars and blue maize hybrids compared to the conventional hybrids (Thomison, unpublished data, 2000). Suggested key management steps to consider when producing value-added grains with specialty maizes. 1. Select field sites with high yield potential. Plant specialty crops on the most fertile, well drained soils to reduce stress and maximize yield potential and grain quality. Avoid droughty soils as well as poorly drained soil conditions. Under stress conditions, the yield differential between specialty and normal types may widen. 2. Use crop rotations. Plant specialty maize hybrids or HO-TC Blends after soybeans or forage legumes. Grain yields of maize grown in rotation with soybean will typically be about 10% higher than continuous maize (monoculture). The yield advantage of growing maize in rotation with soybean is often much more pronounced when drought occurs during the growing season (OSUE, 1995). The benefits of growing maize in rotation with a legume vs. continuous corn cropping also include less injury from diseases and insects. 3) Isolate specialty maizes from normal yellow dent maize. Fields planted to certain specialty maizes need to be isolated to minimize cross pollination with normal maize and thereby prevent a reduction or change in the value-added grain characteristic. In seed maize production fields, distances of 201 m from yellow dent maize are recommended to minimize pollen contamination and ensure seed purity. 4) Select the specialty crops best adapted to your growing conditions. Choose the specialty maize best suited to your operation based on maturity, drydown, stalk quality, disease resistance, and yield potential and stability. Since premiums and relative feed value are based on the oil content of HO TopCross grain, growers need to plant TC Blends with high yield potential and grain oil content to maximize profits. Since some specialty hybrids may be less tolerant of herbicides than the conventional hybrids used in commodity maize production, check for pesticide restrictions. 5) Prepare a seedbed that will promote uniform seed emergence and crop development. Soil crusting or cool weather could have different effects on emergence and stand establishment of the two seed components in HO-TC Blends. Seedbed conditions that result in good seed to soil contact and seed furrow closure will help minimize variability in performance between the two seed types contained in a TC Blend. 6) Follow recommended seeding rates. According to company recommendations, HO- TC Blend seed maize should be planted with a plateless planter at a density of 5,000 kernels per hectare greater than the typical density with a maximum planting rate of 75,000 kernels per hectare. Above 75,000 kernels per hectare, TC Blend seed should be planted with a plateless planter at the same rate as a normal hybrid seed. The higher seeding rate is recommended to help compensate for the lower grain yields of the pollinator plants. White maize end users often specify plant

populations of less than 62,500 plants per hectare to help provide conditions for increasing kernel size. 7) Plant early to optimize grain yields. Planting early will help extend the grain filling period and reduce the likelihood of stress during pollination. However, avoid wet, cold soils which may cause emergence problems. In maize, adjust seeding rates 10 to 15% higher than the suggestion in (6) to compensate for higher seedling mortality that often occurs in early plantings especially with reduced tillage. 8) Scout fields for potential pest problems throughout the growing season. Weed pressure should be monitored. Early season weed control is essential to minimize stress caused by weed competition for sunlight, soil nutrients and water. Early season insect problems like cutworms or slugs which reduce stand or injure young plants could be particularly serious in HO-TC Blends if the number of functioning pollinator plants is reduced below the level needed for successful pollination. Similarly, excessive pollen feeding and silk clipping by insects such as rootworm beetles and Japanese beetles could pose a greater threat to TC Blends than to normal maize because of the limited number of pollinators (Strachan and Kaplan, 2001). 9) Adjust combine cylinder speed and clearance During the harvest operation as necessary to reduce grain breakage and maintain quality. 10) Follow practices that will minimize IP crop contamination by normal seed or grain. Clean all seed out of the planter before planting. Clean the combine, augers, trucks, dryers, bins, legs and pits prior to beginning harvest of specialty crops. Store specialty grain in separate bins to prevent mixing with normal maize grain. 11) Use recommended grain drying procedures. Avoid artificial drying of IP grain, or use low heat (<49 degrees C) to prevent stress crack damage. 12) Keep detailed records of the management practices and inputs. Document what crops are being grown in the proximity of IP maize so proper isolation methods can be used to prevent cross pollination. When growing non-GMO maize for a specialty market, it will be especially important to establish if any transgenic maize is planted in nearby fields. Retain samples of specialty grains produced to corroborate end user grain quality analyzes, and to meet requests for purity guarantees.

AN ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABLE MAIZE PRODUCTION UNDER DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT AND CLIMATE SCENARIOS FOR SMALLHOLDER AGROECOSYSTEMS IN KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA. 2006

by N.J. Walker and R.E. Schulze, School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

The study was designed to evaluate the sustainability level of the smallholder Agro-ecosystem in regard to yield, soil organic carbon and nitrogen responses to a range of management practices and plausible climate scenarios. The following combinations were simulated: a) 4 tillage practices b) 2 fertilizer practices c) 6 climate scenarios The results for all climate scenarios and for all tillage options show that the addition of inorganic fertilizer is required as an input in the system to sustain yields over the long term. Below graph shows that the maize yields from those treatments in which inorganic fertilizer was applied, were approximately twice as high as those treatments using manure. Overall the differences in yield between the various tillage practices were small.

Wheat Production and Management Practices used by Oklahoma Grain and Livestock Producers. 2004 Ishrat Hossain, Francis M. Epplin, Gerald W. Horn, and Eugene G. Krenzer, Jr. OBJECTIVE: The study provided information about production methods, management practices, and lease arrangements used by Oklahoma wheat, wheat pasture, and wheat pasture livestock producers. The specific objectives were to (1) determine the proportion of wheat grown for each of the three purposes (grain-only, forage-only, and dual-purpose), and determine if production practices differ across intended use; (2) determine production methods and management practices used by Oklahoma wheat, wheat pasture, and wheat pasture livestock producers; (3) determine characteristics of wheat pasture lease arrangements; and (4) to compare selected responses from the 2000 survey to those of the 1996 survey of Oklahoma wheat, wheat pasture, and wheat pasture livestock producers. METHOD: A four-page questionnaire was mailed to a randomly selected group of Oklahoma wheat producers in March of 2000. A total of 4,815 producers were randomly selected from the database. A total of 1,204 (25%) questionnaires were returned. However, 114 questionnaires did not contain useful information. The 1,090 respondents reported that they had planted 460,997 acres to wheat in the fall of 1999. This was approximately 8% of the total Oklahoma acres of 6.1 million planted for all wheat purposes in the 1999-2000 crop year. MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: o Soil Testing: Soil testing is recommended to identify nutrient deficiencies and is the most reliable guide to develop an efficient fertilization strategy (Krenzer, 1994). Nitrogen and phosphorus are the nutrients of concern for most Oklahoma wheat acres. The availability of phosphorus is greatly affected by soil pH. Soil testing every three years is recommended to check the levels of pH, phosphorus, and potassium (Johnson et al., 2000). o Identification of First Hollow Stem: Research has found that grazing wheat beyond the first hollow stem growth stage substantially decreases grain yield (Redmon et al., 1995). Therefore, the ability to identify the first hollow stem growth stage is very important for dualpurpose wheat producers. This is the stage when the stems begin to elongate or hollow stem is forming just above the roots (Krenzer, 1994). o Wheat Variety Selection: Variety selection is an important management decision. Producers ranked grain yield and forage yield as the two most important variety characteristics in every region. Statewide, grain yield received 44% of the number one (most important) ranks, 22% of the number two ranks, and 8% of the number

three ranks. Forage yield received 38%, 19%, and 8% of the one, two, and three ranks, respectively. Seeding Rate: Based upon these findings the average seeding rate increased by 4 to 5 pounds per acre from the fall of 1995 to the fall of 1999 across all three intended uses. These increases in seeding rates are consistent with research-based recommendations. Planting Date: Based on the study, the reported average target planting dates show that producers consistently planted forage-only wheat earliest, then dual-purpose wheat, followed by grain-only wheat. Nitrogen Fertilizer: Available nitrogen changes in the soil mainly as a result of the amount of nitrogen removed in forage and grain harvest relative to the amount added. Nitrogen requirements can be calculated based on expected yields. It is estimated that 1,000 pounds of dry forage requires 30 pounds of nitrogen and each bushel of grain requires two pounds of nitrogen.

Management options for increased Wheat yield and profit: A review of high input wheat production research in North Dakota in 2003. By J.K. Ransom, North Dakota State University The intent of this report is to synthesize and summarize the salient findings of these somewhat diverse experiments in order to develop recommendations on how to increase the productivity and profitability of wheat. In these experiments the data suggests that there is little or no advantage to increasing the seeding rate of wheat beyond 1 to 1.2 million seeds per acre. The results presented here were based on seeding rates and not on plant stands per se, which is the critical yield component that is managed through seeding rate. Factors that affect seedling emergence such as year to year and environmental differences and seed quality may justify higher seeding rates than were considered optimum in these studies. These data suggest, however, that it may be more profitable for you pay for treating your seed or purchasing certified seed if you were planning on using bin-run seed than to go with an excessively high seeding rate. Effect of seeding rate on wheat yield in North Dakota, 2003. Location Seeding Rates Yield (bu/acre)+ (seeds/acre) Casselton Carrington1 Carrington2 Langdon Minot Prosper 1.0 million 1.5 1.0 1.5 1.0 million million million million 68.1
N.S

67.1 90.7** 87.8 53.3 N.S 52.1 71.9 N.S 72.3 62.5 64.7 39.4* 39.7 42.1 42.3

2.0 million 1.2 million 1.8 million 1.0 million 1.8 million 900 thousand 1.2 million 1.5 million 1.8 million

N.S. means that there is no statistically significant difference between the values within an experiment, *, ** means there are statistically significance differences at the 5% and 1% level, respectively.

In most environments sampled by these studies reported here, applying all of the nitrogen before planting was less expensive and more effective in terms of wheat yield than applying it in splits. When applying N post emergence, the earlier the application the better (i.e. it is best to apply all of the nitrogen before the 6 leaf stage). A reasonable strategy for applying nitrogen might be to apply the entire N requirement based on a modest yield goal at planting. Then, if early in the season, it appears that your crop has the potential to exceed your goal, apply additional N prior to the 6 leaf stage. Effect of N timing on wheat yield in various experiments in ND, 2003. Location N timing Yield (bu/acre)+ Casselton 125 lb PPI (Urea) 62.5 lb PPI, 62.5 lb 5 lf (28% N) 42 lb PPI, 42 lb 5 lf, 42 lb boot stage Carrington1 (irrigated) 150 lb PPI (150 lb N asUrea) 75 lb PPI, 75 lb 5 leaf stage (28% N) 50 lb PPI, 50 lb 5 lf, 50 lb boot stage 180 lb PPI 90 lb PPI, 90 lb 3,4 lf 90 lb PPI, 90 lb 5,6 lf 180 lb PPI 90 lb PPI, 90 lb 4 lf 90 lb PPI, 90 lb 5,6 lf 135 lb PPI 45 lb PPI, 90 lb 3 lf 45 lb PPI, 90 lb 6 lf 135 lb 3 lf 135 lb 6 lf 90 lb PPI 45 lb PPI, 45 lb 2.5 lf 90 lb 2.5 lf 90 lb jointing 66.8** 69.6 68.5 84.3** 92.3 92 63.0 N.S 60 60 73.2* 82.9 88 74.1 71.5 75.5 72 64.5* 67 65.6 63.5 58.4*

Carrington3 (dryland) (irrigated)

Langdon

Minot

N.S. means that there is no statistically significant difference between the values within an experiment, *, ** means there are statistically significance differences at the 5% and 1% level, respectively.

Folicur applied at heading has the potential of increasing yields by protecting the flag leaf from foliar disease even in years and regions of the state where FHB pressure is low. Fungicide trials conducted in previous years have consistently shown a yield advantage of between 15 and 20% if there is any disease pressure. The 2003 data and previous research suggest that for crops with a reasonable yield potential, applying Folicur will likely be profitable in the wetter regions of the state and in seasons which are conducive to disease development. Effect of applying Folicur at flowering on wheat yield in various experiments in ND, 2003. Location Fungicide Treatment Yield (bu/acre)+ Carrington2 Minot Propser
+

No Folicur Folicur No Folicur Folicur No Folicur Folicur

45.7** 59.6 63.1 N.S. 64.2 39.1** 42.8

N.S. means that there is no statistical significant difference between the values within an experiment, *, ** means there is statistical significance at the 5% and 1% level, respectively.