WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Wet, cool conditions not only keep farmers out of the fields, but also favor moldy corn. One Purdue University specialist is getting calls from around the state about Diplodia and Gibberella ear rots in corn.

A pink mold that starts at the ear tip is characteristic of Gibberella ear rot. (Photo A. Robertson)

There’s a lot of Diplodia ear rot throughout Indiana, especially in the northeast and southeast, said Charles Woloshuk, a Purdue Extension pathologist who specializes in corn mycotoxins. Anywhere from a few percent to up to 30 percent of the ears are infected, he said.

Diplodia ear rot is characterized by a grayish or grayish-brown mold on and between the kernels on part of the ear. Gibberella ear rot, also known as Gib, is characterized by a pink to reddish mold, which begins at the tip of the ear and develops toward the base. Gib is easy to identify in the field on intact ears, but is more difficult to spot once the grain has been shelled.

Woloshuk encouraged producers and elevators to know what’s going on in their area. Producers need to walk their fields, pull 10 ears and determine if they have either Diplodia or Gibberella and the frequency, he said.

“If it’s Gib ear rot, then there’s concern about the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, or DON, as well as zearalenone. If suspect, the grain should be tested, especially if it’s to be fed to livestock,” Woloshuk said.

Purdue Extension pathologist Charles Woloshuk holds one good corn ear and one infected by Diplodia ear rot. (Purdue Agricultural Communication photo)

Two grain inspectors in the central and north-central regions of Indiana who analyze grain for DON are East Indiana Grain Inspection Inc., located at 7020 N. Walnut St. in Muncie, and Titus Grain Inspection Inc., located at 1111 E. County Road 800 North in West Lafayette.

“If it’s Diplodia, there is no need to be concerned about mycotoxins. However, if you are feeding a high percentage of moldy grain, that’s still not good,” Woloshuk said. “In either case, the grain needs to be harvested as soon as possible and dried for storage. This grain should not be stored through the summer months.”

Farmers also are encouraged to adjust combines to reduce the amount of fine and small, shriveled or broken kernels.

Growers that have problems this year with either Gib or Diplodia can take steps to help prevent a reoccurrence.

Genetics are involved with Diplodia, Woloshuk said.

“If a producer had a problem this year with a specific hybrid, then I would not plant that hybrid again,” he said.

With either of the diseases, the crop residue should be tilled under because that’s where the pathogens can survive, Woloshuk said. He also recommended rotating to soybeans.

For questions and additional information about Diplodia or Gib, contact Woloshuk at 765-494-3450, woloshuk@purdue.edu

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Farmers should see some relief on input costs next year, but profit margins are still likely to be squeezed.

While fertilizer prices have already come down, Erickson said overall costs remain relatively high and have not come down as much as commodity prices. Today's grain prices are placing downward pressure on the seed and crop protection companies.

Bruce Erickson, a Purdue University agricultural economist, said growers would likely see the most savings on fertilizer costs in the 2010 planting season.

“Some farmers were spending as much as $200 per acre to fertilize the 2009 corn crop, more than rent in some cases, when you consider nitrogen, P and K replacement, and any liming requirements,” Erickson said. “Next year it will be about one-third less — in our projections about $100 to $130 per acre — depending on soils and crop rotation.”

Erickson and his colleagues’ estimates are available in the “2010 Purdue Crop Cost & Return Guide,” now available online. The guide gives estimates of input costs and expected returns for the coming planting season.

At the time these estimates were prepared, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group futures indicated that fall 2010 cash prices were near $3.30 per bushel for corn and $8.40 for soybeans. These prices are lower than what was used in the 2009 budget estimates by 70 cents for corn and 30 cents for soybeans.

It’s fairly certain that these costs and returns will change before anything is planted, but the estimates provide a starting point for thinking about 2010, Erickson said.

“The guide provides a general barometer for people who do their own budgets,” he said.

While fertilizer prices have already come down, Erickson said overall costs remain relatively high and have not come down as much as commodity prices. Today’s grain prices are placing downward pressure on the seed and crop protection companies.

“Some technology fees have increased, and we know list prices of some of the newest hybrids have gone up, but we’re also hearing of significant discounting as well,” Erickson said.

Also, some input suppliers have already announced substantially lower glyphosate prices.

“For the second year in a row, farmers’ margins will be less than they were in 2007 and 2008,” Erickson said.

One cost-saving area could be machinery. Erickson said industry reports show sales of new large farm machinery to be down, which could keep a lid on the cost of those purchases. On the other hand, interest in buying used equipment is on the rise.

“There could be some bargains on new equipment out there,” he said.

To download a copy of the 2010 Purdue Crop Cost & Return Guide, go to http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/extension/pubs/index.asp

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — More of the fertilizers and pesticides used to grow corn would find their way into nearby water sources if ethanol demands lead to planting more acres in corn, according to a Purdue University study.

U.S. Department of Agriculture data has shown that corn acreage has increased with the demand for ethanol, with 93 million acres in 2007, an increase of 12.1 million acres that year.

The study of Indiana water sources found that those near fields that practice continuous-corn rotations had higher levels of nitrogen, fungicides and phosphorous than corn-soybean rotations. Results of the study by Indrajeet Chaubey, an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and Bernard Engel, a professor and head of agricultural and biological engineering, were published in the early online version of The Journal of Environmental Engineering.

“When you move from corn-soybean rotations to continuous corn, the sediment losses will be much greater,” Chaubey said. “Increased sediment losses allow more fungicide and phosphorous to get into the water because they move with sediment.”

Nitrogen and fungicides are more heavily used in corn crops than soybeans, increasing the amounts found in the soil of continuous-corn fields. Sediment losses become more prevalent because tilling is often required in continuous-corn fields, whereas corn-soybean rotations can more easily be no-till fields, Engel said.

“The common practice is there is a lot of tillage to put corn back on top of corn,” Engel said. “Any time we see changes in the landscape, there is a potential to see changes in water quality.”

Chaubey said there was no significant change in the amount of atrazine detected in water near fields that changed to continuous-corn rotations. The commonly used pesticide sticks to plant material and degrades in sunlight, keeping it from reaching water through runoff or sediment.

U.S. Department of Agriculture data has shown that corn acreage has increased with the demand for ethanol, with 93 million acres in 2007, an increase of 12.1 million acres that year.

“As we look forward here, if corn stover is going to be a preferred bio-feedstock, we would see more corn acreage being planted,” Engel said. “We need to know how that will affect water quality.”

The USDA and Purdue funded the study. Chaubey and Engel are expanding their research to Iowa, Tennessee and Arkansas. That three-year study will include impacts of various biofeedstock, such as switch grass, and developing management practices to reduce sediment, nutrient and pesticide losses.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University students from all majors are invited to an informational meeting on Sept. 15 to learn more about participating in the Student Soybean and Corn Product Innovation Competitions.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in Wetherill Laboratory of Chemistry, Room 200.

The two contests – which are separate, but run simultaneously – give students an opportunity to conceptualize a novel product idea; complete patent searches and literature reviews on current products; do market research reports; develop a budget; and create, package and market the product. The winning team from each competition will be awarded a $20,000 cash prize.

“These competitions give students real-world innovation experience and teach them how to take a product from concept to completion – all skills that will benefit them as they go out into the workplace,” said Katharine Woodhead, competition project coordinator. “Many of the most successful teams have been the ones made up of students from different majors and backgrounds because their multitudes of experience aid in the different aspects of the competition.”

Each team needs two faculty advisers – one technical and one non-technical – so professors and lecturers also are invited to the informational meeting.

“We need professors to step up to the challenge of advising teams,” Woodhead said. “It’s an extremely rewarding experience to help the students succeed in these competitions.”

In addition to the $20,000 cash prize for the winning team in each competition, teams may have an opportunity to network with large companies, some of which may be interested in commercializing the products. If a company is interested in commercializing a team’s product, Purdue will help with the patent process. If the company does buy the product rights, the students can receive a portion of the product’s sales royalties.

The Soybean Innovation Competition is sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance. The Corn Product Innovation Competition is sponsored by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council. All supplies and lab fees are covered, so students’ only cost is energy and creativity.

For more information, visit the Student Soybean and Corn Product Innovation Competitions group on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/mla4yy, or contact Woodhead at 765-496-3837, kwoodhea@purdue.edu

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — This year could be another record-setting year for U.S. corn production, said Purdue University’s Chris Hurt, who believes those numbers will be reflected in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Sept. 12 Crop Production report.

This year could be another record-setting year for U.S. corn production, said Purdue Extension agriculture economist, Chris Hurt.

USDA’s August estimate for corn was 159.5 bushels per acre for the average yield — 3 bushels per acre above trend — which was bold at that time, according to the Purdue Extension agriculture economist. As the crop progressed in August, Hurt questioned: “Is that number high enough? Is it fairly accurate? Has the crop improved, in terms of yield potential, since early August?”

“I think we’ll see the September estimate for corn at about 161.5 bushels per acre.”

He is aware some might not agree with the estimate, given the less than ideal crop year. Spring was extremely wet, preventing many farmers from getting into their fields on time.

However, Hurt believes the sufficient moisture and moderate weather conditions have given the crop an opportunity to increase the grain count for corn and the pod count for soybeans, as well as grain fill or the weight of the seed.

“We’ll see record yields on corn,” Hurt said. “Could this year end up being that mammoth of a yield like we had in 2004?”

He compares this year’s crop to then.

“A year much like this one, in terms of moderate weather during the growing season, 2004 ended with record yields at 160.4 bushels per acre,” Hurt said. “I think we’ll take that out in the September estimate at about 161.5.

“In looking back, the USDA weekly crop ratings track about like they did in 2004. It’s the best crop we’ve seen, and I think corn may end up slightly better this year, because in 2004 we saw declines in late August and on into September.”

Unless there is a frost, Hurt expects the crop to continue to look good and even improve a little.

Hurt also noted that in 2004, yields were about 10 percent above trend. If that were to happen again, that would put yields in the upper 160-bushel-per-acre range — close to 170 bushels per acre, he said.

“It’s too early to talk about yields that good, but we could certainly begin to think that there’s potential for yields to be in the mid-160s,” Hurt said. “I don’t think the market is thinking a number quite that high at this point. We would make new contract low prices on corn if it would move on up into the mid-160-bushel-per-acre range, and this means vulnerability on the downside of prices.”

For soybeans, the crop rating is the highest rating in recent years, Hurt pointed out.

In early August, USDA had soybean estimates at 41.7 bushels per acre, which was below trend, said Hurt, who believes they were right in their estimate.

“The beans had a long way to go, but they’ve come a long way since early August and from what can be seen on the weather forecast, weather is not going to be a threatening factor in September,” Hurt said. “I think we can be above trend this year. The previous record is 43 bushels per acre, and I’m looking for the USDA’s September number to push us on up — eventually going above that 43-bushel-per-acre record yield range going into October.”

This means there is going to be a lot of corn and soybeans, and prices are going to decrease to get end users to come in and buy more of this crop, Hurt explained.

Soybean carryover may increase from extremely tight supplies of 110 million bushels in early September, according to Hurt, who expects to see that triple and move up to 300 million bushels by the end of the 2009-2010 marketing year.

“Again, there are some price depressing forces on soybeans, but the worst might not come until we see the size of the South American crop as we go into January, February and March of 2010,” he said.

From a strategy standpoint, Hurt said this year has a different look.

“We’re likely to see good returns for corn storage — depressed prices at harvest time and above normal price appreciation going into next spring and summer,” he said. “With soybeans, we have the threat of a return to normal yields in South America and that alone would add about 800 billion bushels more world production.

“The fear then is that our exports really drop off for soybeans in the spring and summer of 2010 and we actually end up seeing lower prices. If soybean prices are around $9 out of the field this fall, we could see soybeans under $9 next spring and summer.”

However, he said a lot will depend on world demand, the value of the dollar and the ultimate size of the U.S. and South American crops.

“We’re really in a different situation now than we’ve been in,” Hurt said. “The last three years, we’ve tended to see shortages in the world market and prices had to be high to get end users to cut back.

“Now we are on the other side. Big crops in the United States could mean that we have to depress prices to get more end users to come into the market and, for now, it looks like we’ve tilted a little bit back to the old days of surplus production and lower prices to stimulate use.