cq perspectives may 2010

8/4/2019 CQ Perspectives May 2010

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OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CROP QUEST AGRONOMIC SERVICES, INC

C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s

Continued on Pa

A Crop Quest customer has a sodium problem on part of the farm.

tilizing the expertise of his Crop Quest Agronomist and Veris

technol-y to accurately map the areas out, this particular producer will be ableuse corrective measures in exactly the right areas and not spend money

here it isnt needed. The customer was amazed at how the Veris mapsnerated showed the exact sodium spots and how it correlated wheneld maps were compared to Veris maps.Another customer is using Crop Quest and the Veris unit to help de-de where to plant crops based on soil texture and type.Another eld that was mapped in Sedgwick County, KS,owed a tremendous amount of variation in soil pH goingross the eld. Using pH maps developed from data gener-ed by the Veris system, we can help growers target areasmost need of lime. We are nding from our work withe Veris that many areas within a eld dont need anyme. Using these pH maps, the grower can target areas

at need it and avoid applying lime where its noteded, says Rob Meyer, Crop Quest Agronomist.Lime itself isnt such a big expense, but transporting

lime to the farm and applying it to the land,especially where it is not needed, can be expensive,

Meyer explains.In the past farmers have done an excellent job of

averaging what is needed in a particular eld. Theyknow how much a particular eld needs on average,but that doesnt take into account areas of the eld thatneed more lime to be in good pH balance or areas of

the eld that have adequate soil pH.The result is the same as with averaging

fertility across a eld. Some areas of the

eld will get the right amount. Some areas will get too much, and s

will not get enough. The most likely end result of such guring is toa crop that doesnt reach its yield potential.The Veris soil electrical conductivity system has been in operatio

several years now and is beginning to be a valuable resource for CrQuest Agronomists as they strive to help farmers add precision manment and reduce risks in their farming operations.

Simply put, the Veris measures the conductivity of soils as electricurrent passes through it. Heavier clay soils generally have higher

resistance and lighter, sandier soihave less resistance. The result isdetailed map of the soil texture vability in the crop rooting zone.

Simple in design, the Veris sysuses six electrically charged diskcoulters that send and receive ele

impulses to a monitor mounted ithe tractor cab. One set of sensor

receives reected current at a 12-idepth and a second set at 36 inches. The discs themselves run

to four-inches deep. The composite data provides an accurate understanding of soil textures up and down the root zone of a plant.

Veris readings can be used to make electrical conductivity (EC) mCombined with GPS technology and Greenseeker technology, sopcated maps can be developed to help growers make a number of mosaving management decisions.

With Veris and some of these other pieces of equipment, we are gback to what our forefathers did, Meyer contends. Before we had trtors and modern equipment, elds were plowed by hand, usually

PRODUCTIVITY ZONESMAKE AND SAVE MONEY

FOR CROP QUEST GROWERS

Rob Meyer

Veris Elevation Map

Volume 20 Issue 3 May 201


2/4C r o p Q u e s t P e r s p e c t i v e s w w w . c r o p q u e s t . c o

behind a mule. Following a mule gave a farmer plenty of time andpportunity to look at each piece of land. He could make decisions as tohat inputs were needed where.Now, farms are so big, and we move through a eld with equipment sost, there is no way for a farmer to know whats going on in every part

f the eld. With Veris, Greenseeker, GPS and other technologies, we canpply just what is needed in a relatively small area of a eld, he explains.Veteran Crop Quest Consultant John Hecht says growers in centralansas, Oklahoma and Texas were getting into some real low pH situ-ions and several of them approached Crop Quest about helping them

olve this problem.They didnt want to just blanket apply lime as a soil amendment.

he Veris equipment can generate pH maps, using the Veris pH Manager.

We have had a tremendous amount of interest from growers, Hecht says.Using the Veris has been exciting from the perspective of helping ourrmers, but also as a means of learning new things. For example, in

arly April we had a farmer ask us to run this equipment in standingheat. We were concerned about damaging the wheat, but the growerid dont you dare stop the information you are generating is muchore important than any damage you can do to the wheat, Hecht recalls.Using Veris maps, GPS elevations and other mapping technology, Cropuest Agronomists can build productivity zones within a eld. Theseaps allow the grower to quantify acres within certain areas of his eld,hether for lime, nitrogen or other nutrients. For example, a grower mayave a 160-acre eld and in that eld, he knows he has 50 acres that coulde higher yielding. I can increase plant population and fertility and reallyush yield in that area of the eld, Hecht notes.

On the other hand, the grower may have 30-40 acres within that sameeld that has had low yield potential. On this part of the eld the growerossibly could have over-fertilized and planted too high of a population.ow, he can reduce input cost in those low-producing areas of the eld,

Meyer explains.Using this same information, growers can make better

management decision as to whether to use fungicides,nematicides and other pest management practices. Withthe cost of seed making up such a high percentage ofinput costs, growers need precise information onseeding rate, and after the crop is up, which parts ofthe eld are worth giving maximum protection andwhich wont benet yield as much.

Weve used the Veris and Greenseeker all overour coverage area, from Arkansas to Kansas. Weare learning as we go, but so far we see some realopportunities for growers to save a lot of money on lime cost and ocost of other crop inputs, Meyer says.

We are trained to look for problems in our clients elds. SometI go into a eld and pull a soil sample, and I inadvertently wonder samples are biased because Im looking for problems. When you pVeris across the eld, you know exactly what you have in the eld data is not always what we expect to nd, Hecht adds.

The opportunities for growers to ne-tune their farming operatioare here with the technology currently available. High tech fertilizeapplication rigs with on-the-go monitoring of crop needs are now fand coming down in price, but this equipment is only as good as thinformation fed into it. Knowing what is going on with the soil belsurface is critical to the success of high tech plant monitoring and vrate application.

Right now the Veris system were using offers EC mapping, pHmapping and elevation mapping, but the results we are seeing usin

equipment in addition to Greenseeker and other technologies are opthe eyes of farmers and even some of us (senior, experienced consutants), Hecht concludes.

NEMATODES

Productivity Zones ... Continued from Page 1

What Exactly Are They?Nematodes are worm-like multicellular animals that

are very small, even microscopic, in size. There are over

20,000 species of nematodes in the world, and they can befound virtually everywhere. They are so small that a handful of soilmay contain several thousand nematodes.

Most nematodes perform a benecial function to the ecosystem. Somefeed only on bacteria, fungus, insects or other nematodes while aiding inkeeping the system in balance. Other nematode species feed on decom-posing organic matter to help break it down and recycle the nutrientsresulting in fertility that can be used by growing plants.

There are, however, about a dozen species of nematodes that feed onliving plants and roots. These parasites, when present in large enoughnumbers, can cause signicant damage to a crop. Their direct feedingcan limit root development and limit the moisture and nutrient uptake ofthe plants. They have the greatest impact on crop productivity when theyattack the roots of seedlings immediately after seed germination.

The affected plants may appear normal but lack the vigor of the rest ofthe eld. They may also be stunted, off colored and exhibit various nutri-

ent and moisture deciencies. Because thesymptoms of nematode feeding may look

like fertility, insect or chemical problems,it is difcult to diagnose nematode prob-lems in the eld.

When a nematode problem is suspected, asample of the soil and the plant roots must be sentto a lab in order to positively conrm the diagnosis. The lab testwill determine which nematode species are present and at what levWith this information, your Crop Quest Agronomist can help you dmine what course of action needs to be taken.

It is important to note that once nematodes have penetrated the proot, chemical control is difcult. There are several nematicides onmarket, but management and prevention are the key. There are somnew seed treatment products for nematodes that have become avairecently. Where they are needed, these products are showing someising results. To determine if these products might benet your opevisit with your Crop Quest Agronomist.

St. John, Kan.

By: Jim GleasRegional Vice Pres

John H

Registered Trademark of Veris IndustriesRegistered Trademark of Trimble Navigat

14.13-122.25 (6.24 ac)

122.35-172.53 (20.57 ac)

172.55-200.63 (27.05 ac)

200.64-244.96 (17.94 ac)

245.04-339.93 (2.85 ac)

Dry Yield

11.7-56.8 (1382 p

56.9-94.7 (1015 pt

94.8-149.5 (561 pt

149.8-225.4 (377 p

225.7-391.1 (153 p

ShallowCorn Yield Map

Veris EC Map


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Crop Quest has been fortunate over the years to attractand keep top agricultural students, thanks in large part to anaggressive recruiting program and innovative student intern-ship program. The infusion of new talent and new thinkingkeeps the company vibrant and growing.

This spring a number of new employees will help thecompany expand its borders both geographically and itsareas of expertise in helping farmers. Crop Quest Consul-tants joining the team this spring include:

CHRIS SHEPPARD

Chris Sheppard, who will be working in the DodgeCity ofce, grew up surrounded by close family farmers incentral Illinois. From an early age he knew farming was inhis future, he just wasnt sure how.

He earned a Bachelors degree in agronomy from TexasTech University and went on to earn a PhD in plant andsoil science, specializing in soil nutrient management. Inbetween his agriculture degrees, Chris also earned an MBAfrom Texas Tech University.

The combination of degrees and experience t perfectlyin his new role at Crop Quest. He will be working withgrowers, helping them put together farm plans that improveprotability and about half his time will be spent workingwith Crop Quest Agronomist Randy Waldren developingnutrient resource management plans.

In the Dodge City area, many feedlots and the meatpacking industry face challenges on how to get rid of theirwastewater. Finding solutions to these issues t perfectlywith Sheppards advanced college work.

I worked extensively during my PhD with the relation-ship of various soil nutrients, particularly municipal wasteproducts and crop production. So, this part of my new job isparticularly interesting to me, Shepherd says.

RICK EHRLICH

Rick Ehrlich grew up on a Kansas farm, helping hisfather from an early age manage about a thousand acres ofgrain crops. Ive always been fascinated by the science ofgrowing crops. This job with Crop Quest allows me to studydifferent crops and work with farmers to help them makebetter management decisions, he says.

Ehrlich graduated from Kansas State University with a de-gree in animal science and industry. Combining his on-farmexperience and university training will be a big benet inhelping grain and alfalfa growers better manage their crops.

JOSH BUCK

Josh Buck, like so many Crop Quest employees, grew upworking on a farm. His dad worked on a large family farmnear Ada, OK, and Josh tagged along from an early age,helping in every aspect of farming as he grew up.

Throughout high school he worked on a large grain farmnear Medicine Lodge, KS. He attended Hutchinson JuniorCollege and joined his soils teacher, Steve Sears, on a tourof Kansas agricultural companies, including Crop Quest. Hethen interned for Crop Quest last summer.

Josh said the family atmosphere of the company and theknowledge of the Crop Quest Agronomists really impressedhim. Josh says he kept in contact with the people he had metat Crop Quest and is excited to start his full-time career as aCrop Quest Agronomist.

KEENEN TAYLOR

Keenen Taylor grew up on a farm near Weatherford, OK.Crop Quest Agronomist Howard Bartel is a neighbor of the

Taylors and took an interest in Keenen. During college, hworked two internships with Crop Quest.

After high school, Taylor tried his hand at welding, buhe couldnt get past his desire to work in agriculture. Hewent on to Oklahoma State University, earning a degreecrop science.

While grain will make up the majority of the crops wiwhich Taylor will work in the Oklahoma territory, he wialso consult on some cotton, sesame, sunowers, and eva few acres of peanuts.

STEVE KROSKY

Unlike most of the new Crop Quest Agronomists,Steve Krosky brings over 30 years of production agricutural experience to the job. Included in his farm experienis nearly 10 years working as a consultant.

Krosky grew up on a family farm in Brighton, CO.Working from the time he was old enough to do so, Stevwas intrigued when eld representatives from Coors formalt barley or sugar beetsthe primary crops grown on

their farmwould come to the farm to help his dad.I always thought that would be an interesting job whe

I grew up, he recalls. After graduating from Colorado SUniversity with a degree in agronomy, he did just that, taing a job as a consultant for Servi-Tech in 1979. He workfor nearly 10 years in Colorado and Kansas.

In each of the jobs Ive had since those early yearswith Servi-Tech Ive worked with farmers. With Crop QI will be working with corn, winter wheat, malting barleyalfalfa and sunowers grown for confectionary productshe concludes.

JASON FOWLER

Jason Fowler will graduate from college one week inMay and start working for Crop Quest the next. He grew

up on a 1,000-acre livestock and grain farm in CentralMissouri.His family owned a livestock marketing facility wher

he worked growing up. If I wasnt working on our farmI was helping somebody else work on their farm, Jasonnotes. He was involved in FFA in high school and extendhis interest in agriculture to community college. He movon to the University of Central Missouri, where he willearn a degree in agriculture business.

Fowler will begin his career with Crop Quest workingin Northwest Kansas. One of my main interests is in theescalating cost of production for farmers, and I want toprovide them a service that will help them maximizetheir crop output and overall farm protability, Fowlerconcludes.

JUSTIN NEUSCHThough he is nishing his college degree in May,

Justin Neusch is a ve-year veteran of Crop Quest.Starting after his senior year in high school, he begandoing internships with the company.

Neusch grew up on a farm near Amarillo, TX. His famgrows corn, cotton, wheat and various other crops. Wehad a Crop Quest Agronomist who worked with my dadhelping him with our farm, and I thought that would be ainteresting thing to do, he recalls.

Five internships and a college degree from West TexaA&M University later, Neusch joins the Crop Quest teamas a full-time agronomist and will be headquartered inSpearman, TX, about an hour from his family farm.

NEW EMPLOYEES TO EXPAND

CROP QUEST AGRONOMIC SERVICEChris Sheppard

Rick Ehrlich

Josh Buck

Keenen Taylor

Steve Krosky

Jason Fowler

Justin Neusch


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Mission StatementCrop Quest is an employee-owned company dedicated to providing the highest quality agricultural services for each customer. The quest of our network

professionals is to practice integrity and innovation to ensure our services are economically and environmentally sound.

PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE

PAID

DODGE CITY K

PERMIT NO. 43

Employee-Owned & Customer DrivenCrop Quest Agronomic Services, Inc.

Main Ofce: Phone 620.225.2233

Fax 620.225.3199

Internet: www.cropquest.com

[email protected]

Crop Quest Board of Directors President: Ron OHanlon

Director: Jim Gleason

Director: Dwight Koops

Director: Cort Minor

Director: Chris McInteer

Director: Rob Benyshek

Post-Emerge Herbicide Success

The success of a good post-emerge herbicide application does not,and should not rely on concocting the best tank mix of chemicals thatyour agronomist can come up with. It starts much earlier than that.

A successful herbicide program has rarely been accomplished bytrying to control weeds using only post-emergent ingredients. A solidweed control program includes a combination of an early season, orpre-emerge application, followed by a post-emerge application, ifnecessary.

The theory behind a two pass program (or multiple pass pro-

gram) is to eliminate as much weed pressure as possible early in thegrowing season, and rely on the post-emerge application to targetsome of those hard to control weeds or weeds that tend to beginemerging later in the season.

Trying to catch the entire weed spectrum at one time and at anoptimal stage of growth is nearly impossible. Expecting satisfactoryresults consistently is nearly a pipe dream and usually ends upcosting producers more herbicide dollars and reduced yield in thelong run. We need to give ourselves the best opportunity possible tomanage the entire weed spectrum.

A two pass approach allows farmers to accomplish a few veryimportant goals:

1)Resistance Management: It is important that we varyand use multiple modes of action (MOA) while controllingweeds. Overuse of the same MOA or an individual herbi-cide leads to resistance issues. Using a two pass approach

and then tank mixing different MOAs in a specic applicatwill help accomplish this goal.

2)Season long control: A planned two pass program will allocontrol of weeds at a proper time in addition to managemof herbicide residuals that can extend control throughout growing season.

3)Efcient and economical: There is just too much risk in-volved when you rely on a total post program. The likeliho

of controlling all the weeds at the same time is very low. Itcommon to have to come back with another treatment thacosts as much or more than the rst treatment just to cleaup a few species or escaped weeds.

4)Targeted weed control: The pre-emerge treatment targetsthose early germinating weeds and typically has residual ativity. In order to make a successful post emerge applicatiyou need to have a manageable weed spectrum and weedsize. The pre-emerge treatment should set this up. Then aproper tank mix at the proper time can be applied. If donright, you will be able to combine multiple MOAs, add thproper residual products to the tank and utilize herbicidethat stay within your budget.

Crop Quest Agronomists are here to help you manage your entir

herbicide program and make sure that when you do need to apply post-emergent treatment, you are already in a position to make asuccessful application.

Ulysses, Kan.

By: Dwight KoopsRegional Vice President

cq perspectives may 2010

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