ARE TRAITS WORTH THE EXPENSE?

TRAITS CAN BE WORTH THE MONEY, BUT PROFITABILITY DEPENDS UPON PEST PRESSURE AND OTHER FACTORS.

Farmers quickly gobbled up corn and soybean transgenic traits when federal regulators first approved them in the 1990s. Initially, those traits zapped weeds and insects with nary a hitch.  

For the most part, genetically modified traits still work. “Some have struggled with resistance issues, but these traits do what they say they will,” says Joe Lauer, University of Wisconsin (UW) Extension agronomist. “Conversely, they are expensive, but with all the licensing and regulations, companies have to make a buck, too.”

Therein lies the rub. As a rule, traited hybrids cost more money than conventional ones.

SO ARE THEY WORTH IT?

Superficially, the decision seems simple. “Buy the traits you need,” says Lauer.

If you farm in east-central Illinois where corn rootworm can swarm cornfields like flies on a rotting animal carcass, a rootworm trait needs to be part of your rootworm-management program. If resistance to one trait has developed, another trait in a pyramid package will do, coupled with tools like crop rotation and a soil-applied insecticide.

Meanwhile, farmers in northern Wisconsin who rotate alfalfa and soybeans every so often with their corn, where rootworm is seldom a problem, likely don’t need a corn rootworm trait. That’s because by themselves, traits don’t increase yields.

Since corn traits hit the market 20 years ago, U.S. annual corn yield gains have clipped along at around 2 bushels per acre. Compare that with the mid-1950s yield gain from .8 bushels to 1.9 bushels per acre as a result of widespread use of hybrid corn, pesticides like 2,4-D, commercial nitrogen fertilizer, and on-farm mechanization.

Although traits have maintained the annual rate of U.S. corn yield gain, they haven’t increased it, says Bob Nielsen, Purdue University Extension agronomist.

“Current transgenic traits protect yields,” adds Lauer. Sill, yields won’t increase if pests are not present.

Seed price, though, complicates matters. Hybrids with trait packages don’t always cost more than conventional hybrids. Often, though, they do.

“With a $100- to $200-per-bag hybrid difference, I question if you can make up that difference through traits,” says Lauer.

YIELD IMPACT

Lauer bases these findings on the Wisconsin Corn Hybrid Performance Trials dating back to 1973. Each year, this trial tests more than 500 hybrids at 14 sites around Wisconsin with the goal of providing unbiased performance comparisons of hybrid seed corn for the state’s farmers. Lauer began including traited hybrids in the trials when they debuted in 1996. Along with UW agricultural economists Guanming Shi and Jean-Paul Chavas, Lauer conducted a statistical analysis showing that yields of hybrids with genetically modified traits varied widely.

In most cases, higher yields did result with traited hybrids. That was particularly true with European corn borer (ECB)-resistant hybrids. On average, ECB-resistant hybrids outyielded conventional hybrids by more than 6 bushels per acre.

“Hybrids with this trait had no yield drag,” says Lauer. “It (the ECB trait) did well right from the start.”

That’s not the case with corn rootworm traits, though. On average, yields of hybrids with these traits trailed the trial average by 12 bushels per acre.

“As a group, growers need to be careful with rootworm-resistant hybrids,” says Lauer. “Some years they do well, but most years, they don’t.”

Stacked traits helped. One example is a triple stack in which a herbicide-tolerant hybrid is teamed with traits that resist ECB and corn rootworm. In these cases, yields were 2 to 3 bushels per acre higher than those of conventional ones.

Still, that’s good, isn’t it?

On a yield basis, it’s questionable, especially if you’ve paid a hefty premium for the trait package.
“Yield increases have been underwhelming,” says Lauer.

Let’s say you have a triple-stack hybrid that gleans a 10-bushel-per-acre corn yield edge over a conventional one. With $3-per-bushel corn, you can pay up to $30 per acre more in seed costs – or $69 a bag. (This assumes one bag plants 2.3 acres.) If seed costs more than that, be wary.

“The bottom line is that if there is a price difference between hybrid A and B that is greater than $75 per bag, be careful about buying the more expensive hybrid,” says Lauer.

REDUCING RISK

There’s more to your seed decision than yields, though. You’d probably have steam churning out of your ears akin to the cartoon character Yosemite Sam if a hybrid that yielded 250 bushels per acre dropped to 100 bushels the next year.
That’s another perk of traits, as they can reduce this variability. The UW scientists found that even if transgenes produced only slightly higher yields in hybrids, they lower year-to-year yield variability. In a sense, this mimics a slight yield increase. Shi, Chavas, and Lauer found the downside risk of lower pest pressure mimicked a 0.8- to 4.2-bushel-per-acre yield spike, depending on the hybrid.

“Reducing yield extremes is one route in which transgenics can help,” says Lauer.

Lower variability that translates into more consistent yields between years eases agronomic and economic farm planning.

“We’ve considered cutting down or going without traits, but the risk of yield loss is still too great.”   – Ron Moore, Roseville, Illinois

This variance reduction is most pronounced in low-yielding environments, says Lauer. The UW trials show that grain yield rises among lower yielding hybrids with transgenic traits compared to conventional hybrids.
 
Thus, the more transgenes a hybrid contains, the lower the variance, he says.

PESTS STILL EXIST

Pest pressure also can determine the trait payoff.  

“Last year, we didn’t see a lot of rootworm pressure in the heart of the Corn Belt,” says Jeff Hartz, director of marketing for Wyffels Hybrids. “That can push some growers toward a double-stack trait (herbicide-tolerant and European corn borer-resistant).”

Just don’t get caught. Corn rootworm still lurks in cornfields, and it can slice yields.

In 2016, the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) On-Farm Network found many eastern Iowa fields had high beetle numbers. If eggs laid last summer hatch this year, it could set the stage for infestations. In some fields last summer, beetle numbers were more than seven times the threshold for adult beetle numbers.

Ditto for ECB. Although it’s almost vanished, ECB can overwinter on 200 types of plants.

“It is still there,” says Hartz. In eastern Iowa, there have been cases where ECB has sliced non-GMO yields by 30 to 40 bushels per acre, he says.

Hybrids high in traits like SmartStax, which contains eight herbicide-tolerant and insect-resistant traits, will be under scrutiny by farmers for 2017, says Hartz.

“It will be a harder sell in 2017,” he says. “But farmers also have to make sure they don’t cut too many corners.”

“Farmers also have to make sure they don’t cut too many corners.”   – Jeff Hartz, Director of Marketing, Wyffels Hybrids

In the case of Noah Hultgren and his family, who farm near Raymond in central Minnesota, a diverse rotation (sugar beets-kidney beans-sweet corn-field corn-soybeans) has helped keep insects at bay.
“We have not had to face as many issues as some,” he says. “We have had some glyphosate-resistant weeds, though.”

To counter them, the Hultgrens have planted Liberty Link (glufosinate-tolerant) hybrids on some corn acres before planting LibertyLink soybeans for the first time in 2016. In their Roundup Ready sugar beets, they also have resorted to some cultivation and hand weeding due to glyphosate-resistant weeds.

In the more intensive rotations of the Corn Belt, though, resistance has been more severe.

“We’ve considered cutting down or going without traits, but the risk of yield loss is still too great,” says Ron Moore, a Roseville, Illinois, farmer. In his own neighborhood, ECB infestations have occurred in non-ECB-resistant corn and caused yield losses.

Moore’s concern also extends to weeds. In 2017, Moore plans to plant some Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans accompanied by an approved dicamba herbicide formulation.

“We are seeing some herbicide-resistant weeds,” he says. “Preventive treatments that prevent weed escapes are cheaper than rescue treatments. Traits cost money, but the benefits are more than the cost of seed,” he explains.

In some cases, trait use transcends agronomics. “We have producers who have 50,000- to 60,000-acre grain farms in western Canada,” says Jay Bradshaw, president of Syngenta Canada. “They want technology to control disease, weeds, and insects. But when you talk more with them, it is also about time management. There are fewer people available to do on-farm work. Traits can help them manage their farms.”

SEED FIRST

Think of buying seed like buying a pickup. “You have different options, but at the start, you focus on the truck itself,” says Cole Hansen, portfolio marketing leader for Mycogen Seeds. “You can buy all the traits there are, but it won’t mean increased yield without pest pressure. Selecting the correct hybrid for that individual farm is key before addressing pest concerns.”

Low corn and soybean prices have caused seed firms to ramp up offerings of less-expensive seed.

“We have expanded our trait choices, which include lower-priced options,” says Duane Martin, Syngenta commercial traits lead. When pest pressure is high, stacked traits with multiple modes of action are a sound agronomic choice. Where pest pressure is low, though, a single trait can provide the needed protection, he says.

“With margins like they are, I think farm managers can make a difference by employing field-by-field insect infestation history and by putting the best fitting soybean varieties and corn hybrids on those acres,” he adds. “There are cases where growers want to focus more on genetics and less on traits, and vice versa. We want to make sure those choices are available to growers to help make sound and cost-effective trait decisions.”

TRANSGENIC WILD CARD

Transgenes inserted in seed offerings can often be a yield wild card. “There can be a tremendous yield difference when we switch transgenes in and out of a hybrid,” says Joe Lauer, University of Wisconsin Extension agronomist. Swings of 20 bushels per acre or more have occurred either way between conventional and assorted trait packages in Wisconsin Corn Hybrid Performance Trials.

“There will be interaction between transgenes and underlying genetics,” he says. “The point is, there are yield interactions (including yield drag) that go on. Within trait technologies, there are good and bad hybrids. Each hybrid has to stand on its own.”

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS KEY HYBRID SELECTION

Each year, you spend time deciding whether or not to use products promising to coax just a few more bushels per acre out of your corn. Just don’t let these distract you from spending time on the decisions like seed that can literally cost you your family’s farm.

Each year, the Wisconsin Corn Hybrid Performance Trials test more than 500 hybrids at 14 Wisconsin sites with the goal of providing unbiased performance comparisons of hybrid seed corn for the state’s farmers. Year in and year out, there’s a 72-bushel-per-acre difference within relative maturities between top and bottom yielding varieties, says Joe Lauer, University of Wisconsin Extension agronomist.

So how do you sort out the diamonds from the dogs?

“Use independent yield-trial data and multilocation averages to pick hybrids,” says Lauer. Picking multiple locations is more accurate than on-farm trials, he says.

On-farm trials do have merit. A random hybrid pick has a 50:50 chance of beating the trial average. Meanwhile, planting the best hybrids from on-farm trials can beat trial averages 67% of the time.

However, findings in the Wisconsin performance trials show hybrid selection with a multi-location assessment can beat trial averages 71% to 74% of the time. The more locations you have, the better the odds have been of hybrids beating the trial average, he adds.

Gleaning these results can enable you to concentrate on the top-performing hybrids. “Don’t care about all hybrids, just care about the top-yielding top 20%,” he says.

Look at individual hybrids, too, whether or not they are traited. Lauer notes when traited hybrids were first introduced in 1996, their yields eclipsed those of conventional hybrids.

“But in the last three to five years, conventional hybrids have come back,” says Lauer. We still always find conventional hybrids in the top 10 of the same relative maturities.”

Don’t be distracted by a hybrid family. Seed companies will often sell a new hybrid as belonging to an outstanding family. Like your own family members, though, there can be stark differences among them.

“We see a big difference among individual (trait) technology packages within a hybrid family,” he says. “Each one has strengths and weaknesses. Try to measure just genetics. Hybrids within a family are not the same.”

NIGERIA: BETTER WAYS TO FARM YAM – RESEARCHER

Yam is one of the nation’s most valuable tuber crops. The demand for yam is generally very high in Nigeria.

In some societies in Nigeria, festivals are staged to mark the beginning of yam harvest while some use yam in fertility and marriage ceremonies.

The Minister for State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said at the launch of the maiden set of improved certified seed yams (a 5-year $12 million research programme funded by the Bill and Mellinda Gate Foundation to improve yam seed) last year in Abuja, that yam is cultivated on 3 million hectares of land annually with the certified seed yam capable of generating N2.4billion if sold for N20 each.

He added that “about 48 million tonnes of the tubers are produced annually in the sub-region on 4 million hectares of land. Nigeria alone produces 36 million tonnes on 3 million hectares of land annually accounting for 68% of global production being the world’s largest producer.”

Dr. Nwaogu Edward Ngozi, Head of Station, National Root Crops Research Institute, Nyanya Sub-Station in Abuja, advised farmers to take note of important factors before planting yam.

Site selection:

He stated that yam grows well on upland soils. Being a high nutrient demanding crop, yam requires a soil that is deep, free draining, and relatively high to medium in fertility with loamy sand or clay loam characteristics. Good soil drainage is essential for optimum yields of the crop. Heavy clay soils tend to water-log in the rainy season and are liable to cause tuber rot. Infertile soils are not recommended for yam production because such soils are unable to retain sufficient water or nutrients to produce reasonably-sized tubers. Also, soils that have high amounts of gravels or stones are unsuitable as they constitute a barrier to tuber penetration and root anchorage.

SOURCEAll Africa

Getting more eggs from injected female catfish broodstock

When a female catfish brood stock is injected, depending on the room and water temperature, it starts releasing eggs from the eight hour.

For the average fish breeder, fish is assumed to be available once eggs are seen trickling out. From my own experience, it is better to let the fish stay for not less than 11 hours after administering the pituitary or hormonal injection.

When the eggs start coming out from the eight hour, the first thing a farmer should do is to tactically immobilize the fish by putting it in a large sieve.

Secondly, the eyes of the fish should be covered. Most animals like falcons, eagles, giraffes and fishes usually calm down once their eyes are covered. It has been noted that even man sleeps better in a dark room than in a room with bright lights filtering through the windows or from electric lamps.

So instead of leaving the fishes in water where they can move and ‘waste’ the eggs, it is wise and advisable to adopt the method above in order to have more eggs.

Getting more ‘sperm egg’ available from male catfish broodstock during breeding.

There are times when a 3kg male catfish selected for breeding will not have the anticipated quantity of milt.

In fact, some males have been seen to possess just one single lobe of milt sac, instead of the required two. A big and well matured male catfish can fertilize eggs stripped from five to six females.

When this is to be done, it is advisable to increase the chances of every egg fertilized by the numerous eggs contained in the milt. The simple way a farmer can achieve this is to ‘multiply’ the medium that carries these SPERM eggs.

This can be achieved by emptying the SPERM from the sac into saline water. In pharmacy stores, it is referred to as normal saline. This milt sac is carefully lacerated using a small sharp scissors and the white, milk like fluid is emptied into the saline water.

This does not increase the quantity of eggs in the sperm sac, but increases the chance of an individual sperm egg, getting attached to an individual egg from the female, thereby increasing fertilization rate during the breeding process.

by

Lanre Ogunsina

5 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR YIELDS

FARMERS ON COMMODITY CLASSIC PANEL SHARE WAYS TO BREAK THROUGH YIELD BARRIERS.

Ever wonder how to break though yield barriers? Or maybe how to tweak your crop rotation to make sure it’s firing on all cylinders? A panel of farmers at an event sponsored by Stoller at this week’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, did just that.

1. Plant Soybeans Early

So far, a warm winter in many areas may give you the idea to pull out your planter this month. Don’t.

Still, you may be able to plant soybeans earlier than you think. Dan Arkels, Peru, Illinois, has planted soybeans in northern Illinois as early as April 17. That’s two weeks earlier than what is considered normal in that area.

Planting soybeans by that date – protected from early-season stressors by a seed treatment – gets plants off to an early start in soaking up sunshine and churning out photosynthesis. “The faster you can get (to the point) where the plant is blossoming by June 21 (summer solstice), the better off you will be,” Arkels says. In the case of the April 17 planting, plants were setting blossoms by June 9, he says.

Just don’t go overboard. “I would not plant earlier than April 15 in my area,” Arkels says.

2. Scout, Scout, Scout

During the growing season, Zack Rendel, Miami, Oklahoma, checks his fields several times a week. A drone is a tool that enables him to do this. “It can warn you if something bad is going on in the field,” he says.

Still, he says a drone is no substitute for getting out and walking fields. “There are some things that I can’t see with a drone, so I still need to get boots on the ground,” he says.

3. Plant On-Farm Test Plots The Right Way

Perry Galloway, Gregory, Arkansas, has lots of on-farm tests plots on his farm. It enables him to evaluate products touted by companies for performance on his farm. He does it on one condition, though. “If I do it, companies have to be there. I have a lot to do (during test-plot establishment),” he says. Company reps who assist during this busy time can help ensure the test plot is established correctly so it can yield accurate results.

“One way I learn is by side-by-side evaluations with different products,” adds Arkels.

4. Feed Your Corn Several Times

“I am a firm believer in multiple applications (of nitrogen) on corn and not a lot at one time,” says Arkels. “You get the most bang for your nitrogen (N) dollar that way.” Arkels applies liquid UAN preplant and then sidedresses N up to V8 corn, and then he often comes back with a foliar application later in the season.

Manure is also a valuable tool. “Our fields are heavily manured from a nearby dairy,” says Steve Albracht, a Hart, Texas, farmer. Besides fertility, manure also aids soil health, he says. “We have seen it increase organic matter and water-holding capacity,” he says.

5. Scrutinize Your Crop Mix

Low corn prices are making sorghum viable again in some areas. “A lot of people consider sorghum the red-headed stepchild of crops,” says Rendel.  “They just put it out and go.”

Managed properly, though, grain sorghum can play a valuable role in a crop rotation. It’s particularly important to manage it through sugarcane aphid outbreaks with an insecticide, he says. “Sorghum is very similar to corn in how we treat it,” he says. “If we get a drought in mid-August, it will push through and yield. It is a drought-tolerant crop.”

12 OVERLOOKED PREPLANTING MAINTENANCE TASKS

Take a day, maybe two, this spring to buy yourself some extra planting season insurance – in the form of preventive maintenance.

You are probably already tending to those common pre-planting chores such as calibrating seed meters, changing the oil in the engine, replacing sweeps on the field cultivator, and the like.

Yet, it’s what you often overlook in your preseason preparations (a dead battery, the engine on a transfer pump that won’t start, a closing wheel bearing that seizes, or a hydraulic hose that blows) that could flare up into a breakdown in a month or so.

Below are 12 of the most-often overlooked preseason maintenance areas and how to get in tip-top shape before planting.

1. Planter closing wheels

Of all planter components, closing (packing) wheels are the most-often overlooked preseason maintenance chore, says planter expert Kevin Kimberley. “They have a huge impact on seed-to-soil contact, which affects rapid emergence,” he points out. 

Kimberley recommends examining the closing wheel assembly for looseness where its arms connect to the row unit. “Grab the assembly and move it up and down and from side to side to check for looseness,” he says. “This could indicate worn bearings, bushings, or cams.”

Also, spin closing disks (if your planter is so equipped) and press wheels, listening for noise, which indicates worn bearings. Finally, examine the assembly to determine if it is bent or cracked. “Planting on a curve or on hillsides can put pressure on mountings, causing undue wear on one side,” Kimberley says.  

SPRING PLANTER CHECKLIST - PART 1

2. Drive belts

Brent Oman doubts it would take you more than an hour or so to conduct a key inspection that could save you a day of planting. Inspecting drive belts now – whether they are in use on a tractor engine or a fluid pump – could detect an impending belt blowout that would stop planting for hours or even the day, as you search for a replacement and tackle the often-tedious task of taking the belt assembly apart.

The Gates Corporation engineer offers this belt-inspection guide. “A great general rule is to recall what a belt looks like new as a comparison,” Oman says. “Give them a squeeze. They should deflect and then spring back. A belt that is hard as a rock should be replaced. What has happened in this case is that rubber in the belt compounding has leached out, mostly likely due to high operating heat. It’s the rubber that gives the belt a lot of its needed flexibility.

Here are six other signs that warn when a belt needs to be replaced.

• Sidewall glazing. This warning sign indicates the belt has been slipping excessively. Once a belt has become glazed, it will continue to slip – even if its tension is increased. 
• Cuts and unusual wear patterns. Oman points out that an unusual wear pattern is likely caused by worn, misaligned, or damaged pulley sheaves. If you see this damage, the pulley may need to be replaced, as well.
• Damage spots. Oman explains that most damage is caused by “the freak accident, such as a piece of debris coming in contact with the belt. Foreign objects getting between the belt and pulley sheaves often damage both belt teeth and internal tensile cords. If the damage on the belt is widespread, look around and see what might be causing it,” he says.
• Flaking, sticky or swollen belt surfaces. This is caused by oil or chemical contamination, such as fertilizer or herbicides.
• Cracks radiating from the bottom of the belt vee to the top.
• Frayed spots.

Oman also recommends taking time to check belt tension using a spring scale-type tester. “Improper tension and misalignment are the two most common causes of belt deterioration,” he says. This simple device (retails for around $15) uses a sliding rubber O-ring that reads deflection force. Compare that reading to the recommended deflection force at gates.com/drivedesign. 

3. Planter drive components

Every component on a planter drive system (including the transmission) should be examined. That includes chains or cables, sprockets, idlers, clutches, and their bushings or bearings. 

“Replace overly rusty, stiff, or kinked chains,” Kimberley says. “A faulty chain can set up a vibration that affects meter accuracy, especially for hard-to-plant seed sizes.” 

On cable drives, remove the unit and turn the cable to see if it’s rotating smoothly. 

4. Implement tires

Implement tires are the unsung heroes of the planting season. Key to maintaining tillage or planting depth in the field and then carting massive weights down the road, they don’t require much more maintenance than just an inflation check prior to and during the season, says Wayne Birkenholtz of Firestone Tire. Make it a habit to check inflation regularly during the season. Proper inflation greatly prolongs an implement tire’s life, he adds. 

Underinflation can cause the tire to wear rapidly and unevenly, particularly in the shoulder area, eventually leading to cracks in the carcass. Overinflation, on the other hand, creates an underdeflected tire leading to increased wear on the center of the tire. Moreover, the tightly stretched carcass becomes more susceptible to impact breaks.

Correct inflation pays off by keeping a toolbar or an implement level in operation as well as making sure drive tires (on older planters or fertilizer applicators) are turning at the same speed, says Kevin Kimberley.

Other preseason tire tips include inspecting tires and their rims for damage. Also, lower the implement or planter and, if possible, spin the rim by hand, listening for bearing noise that can indicate a worn bearing. “Now is the time to replace a bearing that is going bad rather than in the field,” Kimberley notes. “You could also end up scoring the spindle in the process.” 

5. Air bags

Planter air bags rarely present repair issues, but their connections can spring leaks in time from vibration and hoses becoming brittle. “With the air bags inflated and with a spray bottle full of soapy water, walk down the planter and spray every connection. If bubbles appear, then you know you need to replace the hose,” Kevin Kimberley says. “The impact of a leaking connection is that the individual row unit’s ability to maintain accurate seed depth as well as good seed-to-soil contact is jeopardized.” 

6. Batteries

Sudden death syndrome isn’t restricted to soybeans. Batteries sitting in stored vehicles and machinery can suffer the same injury. In these cases, sudden death is the result of the battery’s tie (or buss) bar (connecting all of its cells together) becoming degraded (thin) and then suddenly breaking, explains SF Engine Man Ray Bohacz. 

“When this happens, all of the battery’s cells will check fine with a hydrometer, but the battery will produce 0 volts because it is broken inside.” 

Bohacz says performing a load test (conducted with a volt-ohm meter as shown below) in the winter usually reveals the tie bar becoming challenged, predicting a potential midspring sudden death. “If you do not have that ability to conduct a load test, replace any battery that is 5 years or older with a new one designed for heavy-duty use,” he urges. “Just because the engine cranks fine right now is no indicator of the internal condition of the battery. A battery with more than 14.6 volts after the surface charge is removed with a load tester is internally sulphated and is on the way out.” 

7. Small engines

Many planting days have been derailed by a small gas engine on a nurse trailer or a seed tender that doesn’t want to run, Ray Bohacz has observed. 

To avoid this frustration, the Engine Man recommends cleaning and tightening the engine carburetor and intake manifold while conducting regular maintenance such as changing oil, spark plug(s), and any air, fuel, and oil filters. 

Here are three more preseason small engine maintenance pointers: 

• Put antiseize compound on the threads of the spark plug and dielectric compound in the boot of the wire. 
• Inspect the engine shroud for signs of any rodent nests. If necessary, remove the sheet metal and blow out any dust from the cylinder head fins. 
• Run the engine and adjust the carburetor mixture. Then, dose the gasoline with 1 ounce per gallon of Chevron Techron Fuel System Cleaner. Let it run for one hour at full throttle or one tank of fuel, Bohacz says. This will clean the internal passages of the carburetor and remove carbon deposits from the intake valve and piston crown. You may have to slightly retune the carburetor if the engine was carbon laden. Use gasoline treated in the same manner the first few days of planting so that everything is well cleaned out.

8. Air conditioning

Air conditioning maintenance should rank right up there with regular to-do requirements such as changing engine oil and air filters, says Engine Man Ray Bohacz.

Actually, AC filters should be pulled and cleaned or replaced every time engine filters are changed. At that same time, use compressed air to blow dust and debris from the filter cavity in addition to the system’s condenser, compressor clutch, and evaporator. Check your tractor’s operator’s manual for additional cleaning recommendations specific to your models. 

It would seem that the biggest reason for maintaining the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system on a vehicle would be to maintain personal comfort.

Poor maintenance may also be costing you money, as it makes the HVAC blower work harder, ultimately shortening its lifespan and reducing efficiency. 

The HVAC system must also have an adequate level of coolant. Gone are the days when you could check it yourself and recharge the system with freon. Today’s coolant generally requires the use of a pressure gauge and professional charging. Nevertheless, there is a simple way you can look for leaks. Because it has an oil base, any coolant that leaks from a fitting or a joint will collect dirt in much the same way as a hydraulic leak. So look for dirt buildup around the hoses and components.

It’s also a good idea to clean the compressor clutch with compressed air. Check the operator’s manual for additional recommendations on your specific tractor or combine. 

Troubleshooting and diagnosing an AC System: 

• Start engine and set to normal fast idle speed. 
• Turn on air conditioner and set for maximum cooling with blower fan on high speed. 
• Operate air conditioner for 5 to 10 minutes to stabilize system. 
• Check for charge by noting sight glass if used. Note gauge readings for normal pressures. 
• Establish whether the electrical components (thermostat, blower, and clutch) are functioning properly. 
• Check that the air passages and ducts, refrigerant lines, hoses, compressor drive, and belts are all free. 
• Service the unit in accordance with your operator’s manual. 
• Take it into your machinery dealership for additional checks if troubles persist.

9. Engine coolant

“The additive package in the coolant becomes consumed from boiling cycles in the cylinder head during high thermal loading, such as pulling tillage equipment or a planter,” says SF Engine Man Ray Bohacz. “When this occurs, the coolant will allow for cylinder liner cavitation, electrolysis, and other events that can and will damage the engine.” 

For this reason, Bohacz recommends that you check engine coolant using test strips every winter. Available at automotive supply stores, test strips allow you to quickly evaluate coolant’s pH, freeze point, and, most importantly, its supplemental coolant additives (SCA) in the fluid.

Recommended levels of SCA in coolant should range between 1.5 to 3 units per gallon of coolant. Using the test strip results, add SCA based on the size of the engine’s radiator being evaluated. (Refer to your owner’s manual for additional information on SCA levels.) 

10. Electrical grounds

Nothing drives electrical systems (monitors and controllers) crazy and makes them act wacky like an errant ground circuit on a tractor, says SF Engine Man Ray Bohacz. That’s why he highly recommends removing ground wires, cleaning them, and snugging them down tight before heading to the field. “If possible, examine the eyelet or wire connection for corrosion,” he says.

Next, use a voltmeter to do a voltage drop test. “Connect the voltmeter’s positive lead to the ground and the negative lead to the battery negative. Then, evoke the circuit and have a helper read the meter,” Bohacz says. “The reading on the ground should be less than 0.20 volt. If it is greater than that, find where the high impedance is.”

11. Tillage finishing attachments

Finishing attachments, due to their location at the back of tillage implements, are often ignored in preseason maintenance chores. Kevin Kimberley warns that these attachments do wear, can break, and will have a huge effect on how well a field is prepared for planting.

“Attachments – whether they be coil tines or rolling baskets – are crucial to leveling fields and distributing residue,” he says. 

Kimberley offers a simple inspection guide to attachments that begins with examining their frame for structural breaking and mounting points for wear. Next, scan all soil-engaging components for wear.  

“Coil tine length is particularly critical to how well an implement performs. Pay attention to the tine or spike length at the front of the ranks as they wear fastest,” he says.

Regarding rolling baskets, the key here is to appraise their bearings by spinning them to determine smooth rotation. 

Finish off the chore by examining the baskets for bent rods or bars. 

PLANTER CHECKLIST - PART 2

12. Hydraulic hoses

The lifeblood of the modern planter is the hydraulic oil coursing through the hoses from the tractor. When those hoses go south, so does a planting schedule. An entire day can be blown making a repair. Even worse, what if it’s the hose that supplies the transport wheels’ cylinders on a piece of tillage implement running between fields? asks Tim Deans of Gates Corporation. 

Avoiding such disasters is really quite simple, Deans says. “Grab a pad, pen, and paint marker and walk every piece of equipment prior to the season,” he recommends. “Inspect all the components’ hydraulic systems to look for problems. Better to find and fix a problem in the shop than in the middle of a field.”

A thorough inspection of most implements shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Begin by always releasing the pressure in any system. Then, starting at the hitch, work your way back to the component (cylinder, orbit motor, etc.) being supplied.

Mark needed repairs such as a crushed hose or cracked fitting with the paint marker. “Use the pad and pen to write down developing problems not needing immediate repair,” Deans suggests.

During your inspection, examine the length of all hoses, looking for wetness, “which can indicate a puncture in the hose,” Deans says. “You will also want to look for abraded, cracked, crushed, or punctured hoses, all of which call for replacement.”

The last item during the hose inspection is to look for twisted or distorted hoses. Twisting misaligns the steel reinforcement of a hose, reducing its ability to withstand pressure, Deans warns. Twisting a high-pressure hose by as little as 7° can reduce its service life by as much as 90%.

The solution here is not replacement but rather loosening the hose to eliminate the twist.

“If the twist is happening during movement, such as when the implement is being folded, then use elbows and adapters to eliminate the twist,” he advises.

For a hose not showing obvious distress, check the condition of its cover by pressing a ballpoint pen into the rubber, Deans says. The pen shouldn’t permanently indent or penetrate the cover. “If it leaves a mark, then write it down in the pad for reinspection next year.” 

SETTING UP YOUR FARM FOR MAIZE PRODUCTION

Maize one of the most sought after crops in Nigeria can be grown in most parts of the country. It does especially well in areas with medium amount of rainfall of between 800mm and 1100mm per annum.

However, improved varieties like the drought tolerant maize (DTM) and QPM are able to tolerate lower amounts of rainfall and harsher weather conditions found in the northernmost part of the country.

A former programme officer with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), who is also a current director at the Ministry of Agriculture, Katsina State, Alhaji Kabir R. Charanchi, has said, for one aiming to go into maize production, land clearing is location specific. However, the effort one puts in land clearing in the northern part of the country cannot be compared to that of the eastern or southern parts of the country.

He outlined two basic methods adopted in land clearing; cultural method where simple farm tools like hoes, cutlasses and machetes are used for land clearing and the mechanical method which uses machines like tractors and caterpillars depending on the vegetation of the area.

Charanchi said once a farm has been cleared, the residues are collected and burnt which has both advantages and disadvantages.

“In areas where you burn to increase fertility to the soil, invariably you are also burning some of the micro nutrients, micro organisms and termites that are very useful to soil formation and aeration of the soil,”  he said, adding that burning is greatly discouraged in order not to destroy the ecosystem of the area.

The former IFAD programmeofficer further disclosed that a farmer needed to take into

cognisance the onset of the rain before commencement of land clearing, adding that in the southern part it may begin from January/February while in the northernmost part it may be around April/ May.

He also explained that the ideal time for planting of maize is when the rain is fully established which is around April/ May in the south while up north it could be around June/July.

“It is always a risk to plant when there is no adequate rain,” Charanchi warned, and advised that only people with large farms should employ mechanical labour to save cost through manual labour.

“I am a practicing farmer. I plant assorted crops on my farms and each land holding does not exceed 1.2 hectares, so the best option for me is the cultural method, because hiring a tractor per hectare would be difficult.

“After land clearing, you go into land preparation, the soil should be harrowed so that it would be tilted and carry a lot of moisture, and then you should make the ridges for planting,” he said.

He further explained that areas that have sandy soil practice zero tillage because the soil cannot be used to make ridges.

Charanchi stated that although the commonest planting is the single row, on the middle of the ridge, a yet to be released research has showed that double row planting of maize on the same ridge guaranteed increase in yield.

Similarly, he revealed that up to 7 tonnes per hectare of maize yield is achievable under the ‘sasakawa’ recommended spacing, which used one seed per hole with closer spacing than the conventional spacing.

A maize farmer, Emma Mamuda, said he paid up to N5,000 for land clearing of his 1.7hectares farm and that ridging of the farm could cost up to N10,000 if he hired five labourers.

Another farmer, Jonah Magaji, who plans to go into maize production this year, said he has a virgin piece of land of about 1.5hectares which could take up to four days to complete clearing by 10 labourers.

Magaji also plans on planting improved variety of maize because it tolerates closer spacing and with adequate fertiliser application, he should be able to get higher yield

SOURCEDaily Trust

Sustainable Agriculture Techniques

Sustainable agriculture provides high yields without undermining the natural systems and resources that productivity depends on. Farmers who take a sustainable approach work efficiently with natural processes rather than ignoring or struggling against them – and use the best of current knowledge and technology to avoid the unintended consequences of industrial, chemical-based agriculture. One important result is that farmers are able to minimize their use of pesticides and fertilizers, thereby saving money and protecting future productivity, as well as the environment.

Below are some of the most common sustainable agriculture techniques employed by farmers today to achieve the key goals of weed control, pest control, disease control, erosion control and high soil quality:

• Crop Rotation
• Cover Crops
• Soil Enrichment
• Natural Pest Predators
• Biointensive Integrated Pest Management

Crop Rotation

Crop rotation—growing different crops in succession in the same field—is one of the most powerful techniques of sustainable agriculture, and avoids the unintended consequences of putting the same plants in the same soil year after year. It is a key element of the permanent and effective solution to pest problems because many pests have preferences for specific crops, and continuous growth of the same crop guarantees them a steady food supply, so that populations increase. For example, right now European corn borers are often a significant pest in the United States because most corn is grown in continuous cultivation or in two-year rotations with soybeans. Four- or five-year rotations would control not only corn borers, but many other corn pests as well. In fact, rotation reduces pest pressure on all the crops in the rotation by breaking the pest reproductive cycles.

In rotations, farmers can also plant crops, like soybeans and other legumes, that replenish plant nutrients, thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. For instance, corn grown in a field previously used to grow soybeans needs less added nitrogen to produce high yields.

On a related note, the importance of crop rotation as a defense against pest infestations should be a key part of any discussion about growing crops for bioenergy purposes. Government policies to encourage bioenergy crops should not inadvertently encourage farmers to forgo crop rotation in favor of planting corn year after year. 

Cover Crops

Many farmers also take advantage of the benefits of having plants growing in the soil at all times, rather than leaving the ground bare between cropping periods, which produces unintended problems. The planting of cover crops such as hairy vetch, clover, or oats helps farmers achieve the basic goals of:

• preventing soil erosion,
• suppressing weeds, and
• enhancing soil quality.

Using appropriate cover crops is worth the extra effort because it reduces the need for chemical inputs like herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers.

Soil Enrichment

Soil is arguably the single most prized element of agricultural ecosystems. Healthy soil teems with life, including many beneficial microbes and insects, but these are often killed off by the overuse of pesticides. Good soils can improve yields and produce robust crops less vulnerable to pests; abused soils often require heavy fertilizer application to produce high yields. Soil quality can be maintained and enhanced in many ways, including leaving crop residues in the field after harvest, plowing under cover crops, or adding composted plant material or animal manure.

Natural Pest Predators

Understanding a farm as an ecosystem rather than a factory offers exciting opportunities for effective pest control. For example, many birds, insects, and spiders are natural predators of agricultural pests. Managing farms so that they harbor populations of pest predators is a sophisticated and effective pest-control technique. One of the unfortunate consequences of intensive use of chemical pesticides is the indiscriminate killing of birds, bats, and other pest predators.

Biointensive Integrated Pest Management

One of the most promising technologies is the control of pests through integrated pest management (IPM). This approach relies to the greatest possible extent on biological rather than chemical measures, and emphasizes the prevention of pest problems with crop rotation; the reintroduction of natural, disease-fighting microbes into plants/soil, and release of beneficial organisms that prey on the pests. Once a particular pest problem is identified, responses include the use of sterile males, biocontrol agents like ladybugs. Chemical pesticides are only used as a last resort.