It is said that 'knowledge is the bedrock of existence'. As such, this blog serves to freely inform the general public about the importance of agriculture. The blog also serves to educate people on the different products that could be used on plants and animals to boost their growth and minimise loss and mortality.
This past Sunday when I picked my oldest son up from his preschool-age class after church, the teacher pulled me aside.
“Your son made me so proud today,” she said.
These are words every mother loves to hear. I was curious about what he’d done in class to make her proud.
She went on to explain. The class had gone out to the playground, but instead of jumping on a swing or climbing up to slide, my son went over to a bare patch of dirt.
“Don’t you want to play on the playground?” his teacher asked.
“I have to finish my work first. I need to plow the field,” was his reply.
She told me he proceeded to visit every bare patch of dirt on the playground to “plow the field.” When he was done, he joined the other kids on the playground.
His teacher wasn’t the only person proud of him that Sunday. He may be only 4 years old, but he’s learning great life lessons growing up on a farm.
Note: The photo above is one I took of his sandbox at home. He had to finish “planting his field” before coming in for dinner.
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.
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.”
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.”
As part of efforts to enhance agricultural productivity in Nigeria, while promoting economic resurgence through the agriculture sector, AgroNigeria is organising the Feed Nigeria Summit.
Addressing journalists at a press conference, the organisation’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Richard-Mark Mbaram said the summit under the theme seeks to provide, a homegrown solution to typically localised developmental challenges in the sector.
“The Feed Nigeria Summit is AgroNigeria’s attempt to address the problems and challenges in the Agricultural sector.”
He added that the event will address key national agricultural productivity issues like finance, market access, research, infrastructure, mechanisation, and Information and Communication Technology, while ensuring a mainstreaming of gender and other related issues.
Speaking on the relevance of the Homegrown School Feeding Programme as a driving force to enhancing agricultural productivity, he informed that various dignitaries would be engaged in a plenary session on a sustainability of School Feeding Programme.
Stakeholders at the Press conference were the Managing Director, Hills Harvest Limited, Mr. Deji Rotimi; Mrs. Oby Inuwa of Triton Group; Mrs. Chioma Omolaye representing Geopoll, and the Chief Operations Officer, Cellulant Nigeria Limited, Mr. Sanmi Akinmusire.
Akinmusire noted that the summit would provide a veritable platform to represent the interest of the farmers at the grass root.
The summit with the theme: “Feed Nigeria, to Feed Africa” is scheduled to hold on the Thursday 6th – Friday 7th April, 2017, at the Grande ball room, Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos State
Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, a producer of a wide range of improved certified agricultural seeds, said it has developed maize and sorghum varieties that are drought resistant.
Mr. Afolabi Samson, the company’s Research and Development Manager, who spoke exclusively with our reporter, said the special varieties can do well in those areas with low rain fall.
“For the North Eastern part of the country where drought is a problem, we have maize and sorghum varieties that are drought tolerant and resistant that can do well in those areas,” he said.
“For the tropical rain forest down south, where there is long term rainfall, we also have varieties that are adapted to rain forest that can do well in those areas too,’’ he said.
Mr. Afolabi said they have a department in charge of research and development that develops all the varieties they have. He noted that they have a quality control team and quality control laboratory which tests the varieties before they are sent out.
In terms of certification, Mr. Afolabi explained that seeds production in Nigeria is being monitored by the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).
“They monitor all our seed production and we cannot sell any seed unless they certify that these seeds have met the standard that is required for seed production that is why we refer to seeds that we sell to farmers certified seeds”.
Mr. Afolabi added that they sell seeds through Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs), through NGOs like FAO, AGRA and also through the Government Enhancement Scheme (GES) of the Federal Government.
Another platform for selling seeds according to Mr. Afolabi is through village stock or shop.
He noted their seeds are specifically bred in consideration of the ecology of the area that the seeds are going to be grown, adding that they also look at abiotic stresses.
“We have varieties that are striga resistant, and those that are downy mildew resistant,” Mr. Afolabi affirmed.
Climate projections for West Africa has indicated that crop yields and grass for livestock grazing are likely to decline in the future.
But a new study in the journal Global Environmental Change shows that when ineffective institutions and political instability limit investment in agriculture climate change would have greater impacts on regional food security.
West Africa is a major producer of crops such as cassava, millet, and sorghum but in the future, regional production may not be able to meet the growing demand for food and livestock feed.
“How and to what extent the region’s agricultural sector develops in the future will have profound implications for the livelihoods of millions of people,” says IIASA researcher Amanda Palazzo, who led the study.
“How and to what extent the region’s agricultural sector develops in the future will have profound implications for the livelihoods of millions of people,” says IIASA researcher Amanda Palazzo, who led the study.
“In some ways, West Africa is at the mercy of changes in the rest of the world–there is not much that people can do to stop global change on a local level. Our study shows that indeed, socioeconomic development and climate change in the rest of the world will affect West Africa.”
But that doesn’t mean that policymakers are powerless to avoid the impacts,” says Ms Palazzo.
“We found that food security in the region could improve even under the threat of climate change if the region takes a coordinated and long-term approach to investment and development.”
In particular, the study finds that investments in agriculture, specifically to improve crop yields, could lead to greater food production but also to an expansion of agricultural area into forest and other natural lands within West Africa.
However, regional productivity gains in the agriculture sector could help to reduce the global burden on land for agricultural production, in some cases, sparing three times as much land outside the region for each hectare of land converted to agriculture within the region.
The study also shows that which people in the region make the decisions in managing resources, directing investments, and prioritizing market access, will be a key driver for the economic growth, and, therefore the food security, of the region.
In a process led by the CGIAR program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), Palazzo and colleagues from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute (ECI) worked closely with local experts to develop plausible futures for the region.
Then they linked the scenarios with the new global socioeconomic projections developed for climate change research–the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) –and adapted them to provide specific information for West Africa.
In order to create scenarios that would be useful for regional planning, the researchers conducted extensive meetings with policymakers, farmers, and other stakeholders to gain an understanding of the many factors driving agricultural production in the region.
The study resulted in a package of scenarios specifically designed for West Africa, up to the year 2050, where climate change is considered an unavoidable outside force that looms in each scenario.
The scenarios provide descriptions of potential future developments, including narratives as well as quantitative projections for factors such as population, economic growth, deforestation, land use, food production, and trade.
The scenarios have already proved useful to policymakers because they offer multiple, challenging future worlds in which they can test draft plans and policies.
“This is quite unique. Often, the process ends after stakeholders and modelers finish envisioning scenarios through words and numbers. However, we design processes that allow policymakers to identify actions that are necessary to avoid potential problems or actions to take that have a good chance of yielding desirable results in all potential futures,” says Joost Vervoort, the scenarios officer for CCAFS and a senior researcher at the ECI, a study coauthor.
In 2015, policymakers used the scenarios to test and examine Burkina Faso’s National Plan for the Rural Sector (PNSR), which led to 22 policy recommendations.
In 2016, versions of the scenarios were used to examine Ghana’s National Livestock Policy. These processes relied on model-based quantitative scenarios, to give policymakers insights into the development of the agriculture sector and measure the trade-offs between regional development, food security, and the environment.
Soybeans were slightly lower while grains were modestly higher in overnight trading ahead of today’s Grain Stocks Report and Prospective Plantings Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Many investors are staying on the sidelines ahead of the reports, which are expected to show a jump in soybean acres in the U.S. and a decline in corn and wheat area.
Competition from Brazil is likely capping soybean prices, as both countries are expected to produce large crops. Brazil is forecast by the USDA to produce a record 108 million metric tons. Prices at ports in the Gulf of Mexico are reportedly nearing five-year lows as exporters attempt to attract overseas buyers.
The U.S. is expected to produce 117.2 million tons of soybeans.
Soybean futures fell 2¢ to $9.61 a bushel overnight on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soy meal rose 30¢ to $315.20 a short ton, and soy oil dropped 0.25¢ to 31.76¢ a pound.
Corn rose a penny to $3.58½ a bushel in Chicago.
Wheat futures for May delivery added 1¼¢ to $4.22¼ a bushel in Chicago. Kansas City wheat gained 1½¢ to $4.18¾ a bushel.
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2. USDA EXPECTED TO RAISE BEAN ACREAGE FORECAST, LOWER CORN AREA, ANALYSTS SAY
Area planted with soybeans is expected to jump this year while corn acreage declines, according to analysts surveyed by Reuters.
Producers are expected to plant 88.2 million acres with beans this year, up from 83.4 million last year, the survey said. The range of estimates was from 86.4 million to 89.3 million.
Much of the increase in area will come from corn that will be sown on about 91 million acres, a sharp decline from 94 million last year, analysts said. The range of estimates was entirely below last year’s area from 90 million to 92.5 million acres.
The USDA also will report quarterly grains stockpiles at noon in Washington, D.C.
Inventories of corn in storage in the U.S. on March 1 likely totaled 8.53 billion bushels, up from 7.82 billion on the same date a year earlier, according to analysts. The range of estimates was wide from 8.21 billion to 8.9 billion.
Soybean stockpiles at the start of the month probably totaled 1.68 billion bushels, according to the survey, up from 1.53 billion a year earlier. The range of estimates was from 1.63 billion to 1.89 billion.
3. THUNDERSTORMS RETURN TO SOUTHERN PLAINS, ILLINOIS MAY SEE FLOODING
Thunderstorms are expected in the Southern Plains, while flooding may occur in parts of Illinois from rain that’s already fallen, according to the National Weather Service.
Storms are expected to return after a one-day break to parts of southwestern Kansas and the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles.
“Thunderstorms are expected in northwest sections of the combine panhandles this afternoon,” the NWS said in an early Friday forecast. “Chances for thunderstorms will increase this evening and overnight to include all of the panhandles. Some of the storms, particularly across northern sections, may be strong to marginally severe with hail and gusty winds possible. Brief heavy rains will also be possible.”
In Illinois, as much as 2 inches of rain fell in parts of the state in the past 36 hours and more is expected, the NWS said. The Illinois River in Henry is at 17.3 feet and is expected to rise to 23.5 feet by Monday afternoon due to upstream precipitation, which would be above its 23-foot flood stage, the agency said.
Minor flooding is expected near Peoria early next week as the river breaches the flood stage of 18 feet, reaching a crest of 19 feet on Tuesday, according to the NWS.
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.”
The world’s leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry, Drinktec has been scheduled to come up between 11th and 15th September, this year in Munich, Germany.
The organisers who made this known during a press presentation at the ongoing 3rd International Trade Exhibition Agrofood & Plastprintpack Nigeria 2017 at the Landmark Center Victoria Island Lagos, said the exhibition was meant forbeverage and liquid food producers and other stakeholders in the liquid food industry.
Drinktec trade fair is expected to attract 1,600 exhibitors from 70 countries and more than 70,000 trade visitors from more than 180 countries all over the world.
According to the Head of Market Development VDMA (German Engineering Federation) Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, Martina Claus“The exhibition will show the entire production process in the beverage and liquid food industry, starting from manufacturing, filling and packaging to marketing, raw materials, beverage ingredients and logistics solutions.”
Other highlights of the exhibition include the Innovation Flow Lounge (IFL) -an exclusive networking and communication platform for decision makers and managers in the fields of marketing, sales as well as product brand and innovation managers.
Also, there will be the Drinktec Forum where independent experts from research and practical work provide answers and present pioneering ideas to practical solutions.
The event will feature the place2beer which the organisers said would be “a perfect place for brewers, beer lovers, and all that have something to do with beers.”.
Other speakers at the press presentation were, Executive Director Institute of Packaging Nigeria, Ahmed Omah, Consul General of Germany, Ingo Herbert, and the Managing Director KHS Nigeria, Michael Kloss.
The trade fair which comes up every four years began in 1951 as “Deutsche Brauerei Ausstellung”, which was called later Interbrau and then drinktec-interbrau and since 2005, has the name drinktec. It connects manufacturers and suppliers from all over the world, such as market and industry leaders as well as regional and medium-sized companies, with producers and dealers for drinks and liquid food.
For more information on the Drinktec Trade Fair 2017, please visit www.Drinktec.com
