No. 152, April 1996
Greetings, I hope you enjoyed the long, cold winter and are ready for some warm weather and the irrigation season. This is the first issue for 1996 of this newsletter which is written specifically for people who work with irrigation.
The articles for Water Spouts are selected by the NDSU Irrigation Task Force. The task force is comprised of the following individuals:
This is the 24th year that NDSU Extension has been publishing Water Spouts. Currently, there is a great deal of interest in North Dakota in growing and marketing specialty crops such as carrots, onions, garlic, cabbage and others on a commercial scale. Most of these crops need irrigation, so we decided the theme for this year would be specialty crops. There will be plenty of articles about other irrigation topics, but each issue will contain at least one article about specialty crops grown in North Dakota.
The author's name and phone number is always at the end of each article. If you have any questions about any article, please give the author a call, or if you prefer to write to them or use email, give me a call and I will help you get in touch with them.
Tom Scherer,(701) 231-7239
Extension Agricultural Engineer
The large increase in irrigated potato acreage in North Dakota has grabbed much well deserved attention. Potato consumption is increasing and the market is very good. This will probably translate into good profits for potato growers. But potatoes should only be planted on land once every three to four years. What should we plant the other years? Are there any good alternatives to the standard field crops -- which give marginal, if any, profits? In this article I would like briefly to review some high profit alternatives to corn, wheat, and soybean. For more detailed information, please contact me or a county agricultural extension agent.
About five years ago carrots were grown on about 50 acres in North Dakota. In 1995, carrots were grown on about 1000 acres, and for 1996 it appears that carrot acreage will increase to around 3000 acres. This large increase is due to demand for carrots for the fresh market as well as processing. The development of this industry is due to North Dakota's competitive advantages for carrot production and to a few entrepreneurs who are willing to take the risk of doing something new.
About 80% of the carrots consumed in the United States are grown in California, so we compete mostly with California growers and packers for the carrot market. North Dakota competes well with California for several reasons, including:
Carrots need special production equipment such as planters, diggers, sorting and packing equipment, trucks, coolers, and storage. Additional workers are needed for sorting and packing, and maybe for weeding (although most weeds can be controlled chemically). Carrots are more profitable than potatoes, onions or sugar beets.
Richard Greenland,(701) 742-2189
Supervisor, Oakes Irrigation Field Trials
Adequate phosphate (P) nutrition of alfalfa has been linked to greater winter hardiness, yield and water use efficiency. Crops gather mineral nutrition from the soil through soil reserves and applied amendments such as commercial fertilizer or manure. Soil reserves of phosphate (P) account for between 60 and 80% of annual P uptake of crops such as wheat, corn and sunflower. Phosphate use by crops is affected by its position in the soil and soil moisture. Phosphate does not move in the soil. It is tied up by iron and manganese compounds under acid soil conditions and by calcium minerals in high soil pH conditions, generally over pH of 7.
Phosphate that is incorporated in the root zone is generally more available than surface applied P. The most efficient P placement is when it is concentrated in a band within a couple inches of the seed. In alfalfa, P fertilizer may be incorporated at planting, but because alfalfa is left in place for between 3 and 10 years, there is little practical opportunity for soil P enrichment after establishment beyond what can be achieved by a surface application. Studies have shown that the efficiency of a surface P application to alfalfa is only about 12% in the first year.
Alfalfa uses high quantities of P. Most P taken up by alfalfa is removed with the hay. One ton of alfalfa contains about 12 lb/A of P2O5. An annual alfalfa harvest of 4 ton/A may remove the equivalent of 100 lb/A of 18-46-0. Given it takes 20 lb P2O5 to raise or lower soil test P levels 1 lb/A, each year alfalfa may lower soil P levels about 2 lb/A. A field currently being sampled in a precision farming project where a portion is fourth year alfalfa shows that the surrounding field in annual crop has a medium soil test P level, while the alfalfa ground is in the very low category.
Research has shown that building soil test P levels with a single application may increase crop yields for a number of years without additional P fertilizer. Recently in an Oklahoma study, a single application of 600 lb P2O5/A before alfalfa establishment averaged 12% greater yield and $43/A greater profit annually than from annual maintenance P rates over a three-year period.
A single application of enough P to sustain the alfalfa crop for as many years as projected may be the most profitable strategy for P nutrition. To build soil test levels from 5 ppm to 15 ppm would require 400 lb P2O5/A. However, once soil test levels are built to this level the soil would supply at least medium levels of P for up to 8 years at 4 ton/A hay removal rates. In the long run, a single high establishment P rate may be more profitable and more efficient than annual maintenance rates of P.
Dave Franzen,(701) 231-8884
NDSU Extension Soils Specialist
Irrigated alfalfa can be established by various methods to produce productive stands. The most common method is to use a companion crop like wheat grown for grain. This provides a cash return while the alfalfa is becoming established. However, an underseeded alfalfa stand may be lost from severe light competition if the companion crop lodges early. The only method to prevent an underseeded alfalfa stand from being lost in severely lodged grain is to remove the companion crop as a hay shortly after lodging.
If lodging of the companion crop is a reoccurring problem in irrigated alfalfa establishment, try establishing the stand without a companion crop. Two methods are possible, a fall seeding after early removal of grain or a spring seeding without a companion crop (clear or solo seeding).
Successful alfalfa stands have been obtained by seeding after early removal of the small grain crop. Early seeded barley can be harvested by mid to late July, early seeded, early maturing wheat by late July to early August. Be sure to either remove the straw or, at very least, use a good straw chopper to spread the straw. If weed control in the small grain is excellent and wheel tracking by the irrigation set is not a problem, try no-till seeding into the standing 8 to 10-inch stubble. We have found that a no-till drill is not necessary, just a good double-disc-opener drill. Since no tillage has occurred, the firm seedbed controls seeding depth and helps prevent wheel tracking by the irrigation set. The stubble also prevents wind erosion on sandy soils from causing problems.
The primary problem with the fall seeding is that the alfalfa must be seeded early enough to obtain perenniality prior to killing frost or the stand will not survive the winter. Generally, alfalfa must be seeded before August 5 in the northern part of North Dakota and August 10 to 15 in the southern part to consistently establish a stand. The earlier the alfalfa is seeded the larger the crown that will develop in the fall and the more productive the stand will be the next year.
Early clear seedings in the spring, either no-till or on prepared seedbeds, with adequate weed control can be quite productive in the seeding year (Table 1). Forage yields in the seeding year averaged over 14 cultivars at Carrington was 3.4 tons/acre with a three-cut system in 1995. Rarely has a third harvest been attempted in the seeding year in the past due to concern with overwintering the stand. But recent experiments indicate that fall harvest is possible in most years without affecting the overwintering of the stand. High-quality alfalfa hay in Minnesota hay auctions have averaged over $100/ton. Therefore, a seeding-year alfalfa stand can economically compete even with $5/bu wheat.
Table 1. Forage yield of seeding-year alfalfa harvested 2 or 3 times at two locations in 1995. ------------------------------------------------- Cutting Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Total Location System --(tons dry matter/acre)-- ------------------------------------------------- Carrington* 2 cut 1.4 1.2 -- 2.6 3 cut 1.4 1.1 0.9 3.4 Fargo 2 cut 1.3 1.5 -- 2.8 3 cut 1.2 1.5 0.7 3.5 ------------------------------------------------- * Carrington is irrigated, Fargo is a dryland site.
Dwain Meyer,(701) 231-8154
Professor, Plant Sciences, NDSU
Weed Pro, a computer version of the 1996 North Dakota Weed Control Guide is available through the NDSU Extension Service. It is written and programmed to be a rapid information access program. It includes many databases on weed control from several herbicides averaged across several years. Contact your county agent or the NDSU Extension Distribution Center for purchase. Price will be approximately $20 per copy. A nominal fee will be charged for yearly updates.
Herbicide Selection Guide computer software by Whetstone software will also include Weed Pro. These two programs will be sold as a package and both programs will be linked together once installed on a computer. Both programs will offer fast and accurate herbicide selection options after indicating weeds to be controlled. It will include additional information on cost/A, tank mix options, rates, adjuvants, storage temperature, and varieties. Cost will be $65 or $20 for the yearly update for those who have already purchased the program. Contact Whetstone software at 1-800-748-2541.
Roundup changes--In 1996, Monsanto will release a "full load" Roundup called Roundup Ultra and Roundup Ultra RT. It will be the same 3 lb ae/gal formulation as Roundup but will contain a complete adjuvant base. The label will state: "DO NOT add surfactants, additives containing surfactant, buffering agents or pH adjusting agents to this product." The only additives that will be allowed are ammonium sulfate and drift control additives. Ammonium sulfate is recommended:
Roundup Ultra and Roundup Ultra RT restricts companies that market adjuvants for Roundup from allowing their adjuvant products to be used with the Roundup Ultra products. Roundup Ultra and Roundup Ultra RT will have a "Caution" warning statement instead of "Warning" as with Roundup and Roundup RT. Due to increased herbicide absorption, tillage can be performed after 1 day for annual weeds. The price of the Ultra formulation may be approximately $3/gal more than the original products. For example, if Roundup cost $50/gal Roundup Ultra will be $53/gal and if Roundup RT cost $43/gal, then Roundup Ultra RT will cost $46/gal. The Ultra labels will be written exactly the same as the regular Roundup labels. As the glyphosate patent nears termination, this may be an attempt to put the best formulation of glyphosate on the market before other generics enter. A "full load" Roundup has already been introduced into the turf and ornamental market. It is called "Roundup Pro."
Several generic formulations of Roundup will be sold until supplies are depleted. These include Honcho, Rascal, Rattler, Silouette, etc. The only other form of Roundup that will continue to be available for ag use is Glyphos, which is sold by Cheminova, a European based company. It is identical to Roundup, not Roundup Ultra with the same 3 lb ae/gal formulation.
DoublePlay is a premix of Eradicane (EPTC + safener) and Surpass (acetochlor + safener). The active ingredient in Surpass has been shown to give greater broadleaf weed control than similar herbicides (Lasso, Dual, Frontier) in NDSU studies. Eradicane gives consistent weed control in dry or moist conditions. The two products together in DoublePlay provides more consistent weed control in adverse weather conditions. DoublePlay is a restricted use herbicide.
TopNotch is a micro-encapsulated formulation of Surpass (acetochlor + Safener) for reduced or no-till. TopNotch is a restricted use herbicide.
Sencor (metribuzin) at 1.6 to 2 oz 75DF/A or 2.4 to 3 fl oz 4F applied POST with Banvel/Clarity, Buctril, 2,4-D provides economical and excellent wide-spectrum broadleaf weed control in corn. Sencor at 1.6 to 2 oz 75DF/A or 2.4 to 3 fl oz 4F can be applied POST directed with Banvel, 2,4-D, or Buctril using drop nozzles to direct spray below the corn whorl and upper leaves. Sencor + Banvel or Buctril has given excellent control of most annual broadleaf weeds in NDSU field tests.
Tough (pyridate), a selective herbicide for POST control of kochia, pigweed, and sunflower. Tough must be applied with another broadleaf herbicide for wide-spectrum broadleaf weed control. Tough is effective on sulfonylurea resistant kochia.
Permit (halosulfuron) is a sulfonylurea herbicide used at 0.66 to 1.33 oz DF/A applied POST in corn for control of nutsedge, sunflower, common and giant ragweed, common cocklebur, Venice mallow, and kochia. Permit provides excellent control of nutsedge and velvetleaf but must be tank-mixed with another broadleaf herbicide for control of common lambsquarters, pigweed and other weeds. Degradation of Permit increases as soil pH increases, which is different from many sulfonylurea herbicides. Follow label directions for rotational follow crops. Battalion (halosulfuron + safener) has been labeled for soil application in corn but will not be actively promoted in North Dakota. Both products are 75DF.
Scorpion III (Broadstrike (flumetsulam) + Stinger (clopyralid) + 2,4-D acid) at 0.25 lb WDG/A. Formulated as an 84.3% wettable granule packaged in water soluble packets with each packet treating 2 acres. Apply POST to corn up to 8 inches tall (measured to the top of the whorl). Scorpion III provides excellent, economic (Approximately $8/A) control of a wide range of broadleaf weeds including sunflower, kochia, Russian thistle, pigweed spp., common lambsquarters, common and giant ragweed, mustard spp., marshelder, and nightshade spp. Scorpion III has provided excellent control of most broadleaf weeds in NDSU field tests, including common cocklebur and suppression of Canada thistle.
Basis (rimsulfuron + thifensulfuron) at 0.33 oz 75DF/A was added. It can be applied to 4-leaf (2 collar) corn for foxtail, barnyardgrass, redroot pigweed, wild mustard, common lambsquarters, and annual smartweed control. Basis will control all grasses that Accent controls plus crabgrass. Basis has provided varying levels of control of common cocklebur and Canada thistle in NDSU field trials. Basis is a 2:1 ratio of rimsulfuron (Matrix) and thifensulfuron (Pinnacle). Basis will be formulated as a 75DF in 4 acres/water soluble packets. Basis contains 0.167 oz ai rimsulfuron and 0.33 oz Pinnacle (0.083 oz ai thifensulfuron). Basis appears to require good soil moisture for adequate weed control. Basis provides best weed control when applied to young, actively growing weeds, during moist, warm conditions, with good soil moisture conditions. Weed control may be reduced if weeds are stressed. A cultivation or sequential application of Accent may be made 14 days or more after Basis application. Basis will burn down grasses quicker than Accent. Basis cost approximately $11/A at 0.33 oz DF/A. Because of the low rate at which Basis is labeled, DO NOT use Basis at lower than labeled rates. Many crops can be planted the year following application. See label for crop rotation restrictions.
Exceed (prosulfuron + primisulfuron (Beacon)) was labeled in corn in 1995. Exceed is a premix of two long residual sulfonylurea herbicides. Exceed is not intended to be used in North Dakota because primisulfuron may carryover and injure small grains the year following application. Exceed has provided excellent control of many broadleaf weeds in mid-west field trials.
Poast--ONLY ON POAST TOLERANT CORN. Will be used to control problem grasses in corn: wild proso millet, field sandbur, quackgrass, woolly cupgrass, etc. Antagonism occurs when tank-mixing with broadleaf herbicides in corn for full spectrum weed control.
Frontier is labeled at 13 to 25 fl oz/A in dry edible beans for foxtail and redroot pigweed control and suppression of eastern black nightshade. Frontier can be applied early preplant, preplant incorporated, preemergence, or early postemergence. A good fit for Frontier use in North Dakota is through an early postemergence application with Basagran or Pursuit banded over the row to provide long-season eastern black nightshade control.
Assure II is expected to receive federal registration for application in dry edible beans prior to 1996 use season. Assure II has not been approved at the time this article was written. Assure II is the least expensive postemergence grass herbicide on the market. The 7 fl oz/A rate may cost between $6 to $7/A. This would provide a substantial savings as compared to Poast Plus, which was the only postemergence grass product available and cost around $12.50/A. Higher Assure II rates may be needed depending on the grass species to be controlled. Consult label for additional information. The following is information on all postemergence grass herbicides and crops they are labeled.
Poast Plus 1EC: labeled on soybean and alfalfa.
Poast 1.5EC: labeled on all crops labeled in 1995.
Ultima 160 1.3EC: labeled on canola, crambe, rapeseed, drybean, flax, peas, lentils, potato, sugarbeet, sunflower.
Assure II: labeled on lentil, soybean, and sugarbeet (dry edible beans in 1996).
Select: labeled on soybean only.
Prism: labeled on sugarbeet.
----------------------------------------------------------------- Rate Herbicide Crop lb ai/A Cost/A ----------------------------------------------------------------- (product/A) Sethoxydim Poast Plus 1EC Soybean 0.2 (1.6 pt/A) $8.80 Poast 1.5EC Specialty Crops 0.2 (1 pt/A) $12.50 Ultima 160 1.3EC Sugarbeet, flax, 0.2 (20 fl oz/A) $8.50 dry bean, sunflower, canola, potato, peas, lentils Clethodim Select 2EC Soybean 0.094 (6 fl oz/A) $8.20 Prism 0.94EC Sugarbeet 0.094 (13 fl oz/A) $8.50 Quizalofop Assure II Soybean, Lentils 0.05 (8 fl oz/A) $7.00 Sugarbeet (1996) 0.05 (8 fl oz/A) $7.00 Specialty Crops(1996+) 0.05 (8 fl oz/A) $7.00 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Richard K. Zollinger,(701) 231-8157
NDSU Extension Weed Specialist
Herbicides used successfully on last year's irrigated fields can come back and haunt this years crop if certain label restrictions are not followed. If irrigated crops on land with herbicide residue are not properly rotated, reduced stands, injured seedlings, and lower crop yields may be the result. With most herbicide residues, various tillage practices or watering schedules would not be totally effective in reduction of potential injury. Planting of tolerant crop species on the irrigated suspect land is the safest management practice to reduce any risk of herbicide carryover damage. See the table below on rotation restrictions for various crops.
Always check the herbicide labels for rotational restrictions on the use of a product. Keep good herbicide and/or pesticide records and always check with the owner or previous operator if renting newly irrigated land when chemical use history is unknown.
Rotation restrictions for crops grown in North Dakota. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Dry Soy- Sugar- HRS Herbicide Alfalfa Corn Bean Potato bean beet Wheat ------------------- (months) ------------------------- Accenta 12 0 10 18 0.5 18 8 Allyb 34d 22c 22c 34d 34d 34d 1 Amber f 22 f f 36f f 0 Assert 15 NCS NCS 15 NCS 20 0 Aatrex/Atrazine f 0 f f f f f Banvel/Clarity (1 qt/A)g 2CS NCS 2CS 2CS NCS 2CS 3 Basis 10 0 8 4 0.5 12 8 Broadstrike + Dual 4 0 4 f 0 26 4.5 Broadstrike + Treflan 4 8 4 f 0 26 4 Broadstrike Plus PRE/PPI 10.5 0 10.5 f 10.5 f 4 Buckle NCS 16 NCS NCS NCS 14k NCSh Curtail 12 1 12m 18 12m NCS 1 Far-Go NCS NCS NCS NCS NCS NCS 0 Finesse f f f f f f 0 Harness/Surpassn NCS 0 NCS NCS NCS NCS 4 Lexone/Sencorp 4 4 12 4 4 18 8p Permit 10 0 10 12 10 30 3 Prowl NCS 0q 0 0 0 2CS NCS Pursuit 9.5 9.5 9.5 26 0 40 9.5 Scorpion III 10.5 0 10.5m f 10.5m f 4 Sonalan 18 NCS 0 NCS 0 2CS NCS Stinger 10.5 0 10.5m 18 10.5m 0 0 Tordon (1.5 oz) 2CS 2CSr 2CS 2CS 2CS 2CS NCS Treflan/ Trifluralins 0 NCS 0 0 0 2CS NCS --------------------------------------------------------------------- NCS=Next cropping season after herbicide application. 2CS=Second cropping season after herbicide application. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Field Bioassay Instructions - Refer to label. a) Sorghum may be planted after 10 months if soil pH is less than 7.5 or 18 if soil pH is greater than 7.5. Sunflower can be planted 11 month after application if soil pH is below 7.5. All other rotation crops not listed can be planted after 18 months or after 10 months if soil pH is less than 6.5. b) Do not use on soil with pH greater than 7.9. c) Requires 22 months and 22 inches of precipitation west of Hwy 1 or 34 months and 34 inches of precipitation east of Hwy 1. d) Requires soil pH to be 7.9 or less and a 34 month minimum rotation interval and 28 inches of cumulative precipitation. e) Barley can be planted 6 months after application west of highway 83 on soil with pH less than 7.9. f) Do not plant until field bioassay indicates it is safe. Crop rotation after Aatrex/Atrazine is rate and soil pH dependant. Broadstrike requires 26 month rotation and a successful field bioassay. g) Corn, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, or any rotational crop may be planted following a normal harvest. If interval before harvest is shortened or if herbicide is fall applied do not rotate to a sensitive crop. To estimate breakdown in soil, under normal conditions, allow 45 days per 1 pt/A of Banvel/Clarity or 2 pt Banvel SGF used excluding days when ground is frozen. h) Buckle is labeled as a fall treatment in durum wheat and spring PPI application for durum and HRSW (some varieties excluded). k) Requires 20 months in areas that received less than 20 inches of precipitation during the growing season. m) Do not plant dry bean, soybean or sunflower for 18 months on soil with less than 2% OM and rainfall less than 15 inches during the 12 months following application OR may be planted 12 months after application if risk of injury is acceptable. Do not plant lentil, pea, potato or any other broadleaf crop grown for seed for 18 months unless risk of injury is acceptable. Perform a field bioassay prior to planting these crops for areas that receive less than 15 inches of rainfall and have less than 2% OM. n) Label restricts follow crops the next season as corn, soybean, and sorghum. Restriction is based on non-legal residue and not on crop safety. Acetochlor (active ingredient of Harness/Surpass/TopNotch) is degraded the year of application and is undetectable in follow crops planted the next season. p) Must add 2 months if soil pH is 7.5 or above. Wheat and barley can be planted 4 months after application following lentils or soybeans. q) Corn can be planted only if Prowl is applied PRE. DO NOT APPLY PPI. r) Do not plant corn or sorghum until soil samples analyzed for Tordon residue indicates no detectable levels present. Restriction is based on non-legal residue that may be found in corn and sorghum and not on crop safety. s) Oats, sorghum, and annual or perennial grass crops may be planted at least 12 months after application in areas that received 20 inches or more of precipitation during the growing season.
Duane R. Berglund,(701) 231-8135
NDSU Extension Agronomist
The pressure gage is an often overlooked and neglected instrument on many irrigation systems. However, it is one of the most important indicators of proper irrigation system operation and is very important when an irrigation pumping system is having problems.
The heart of most pressure gages is a Bourdon tube which expands and contracts to indicate the pressure. When subjected to the frequent pressure fluctuations of irrigation systems, this tube loses its flexibility which results in inaccurate pressure readings. To counteract these constant mechanical fluctuations, most manufacturers offer liquid filled pressure gages.
If your irrigation system has non-liquid filled pressure gages, they probably lost their accuracy within the first year of operation. Liquid filled pressure gages will indicate accurately for a couple of years, but still will degrade.
Since pressure gages only convey information when you are looking at them, why not install a small shut off valve at the pressure tap. When you want to read the pressure, just open the valve. When you are done, shut off the valve. This will remove the pressure fluctuations and extend the life of the gage. If you have more than one irrigation system or pumping station, install small shutoff valves on all pressure taps. Then buy one or two accurate pressure gages and keep them in your vehicle(s). When you need to read the pressure, screw the pressure gage into the valve. When done, remove the gage and take it with you.
Tom Scherer,(701) 231-7239
Extension Agricultural Engineer
No. 152, April 1996
NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied
Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo,
North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal
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