agronomy

Episode 165 – Which to plant first?

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Each planting window brings the same question- Should I plant corn or soybeans first? Perhaps you have heard it referred to as the Battle for the Belt. Dr. Osler Ortez joins us for an update on his research based competition with soybean specialist Dr. Laura Lindsey to determine when the best windows are for planting corn and soybeans. They are also looking at where the largest yield losses occur when planting is delayed. These results can help farmers make decision on when to switch between corn and soybeans based on the calendar, maturity and conditions.

Follow updates on YouTube, the C.O.R.N. Newsletter and X (Dr. Ortez and Dr. Lindsey).

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Episode 163 – Plant 2025 Weather Update

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We are once again joined by Dr. Aaron Wilson to share an outlook on what we can expect from Ohio’s weather for the spring planting season. We reflect on drought recovery, the heavy rains over the first weekend in April and what the summer is shaping up to look like.

For drought resources, visit: go.osu.edu/Ohio_drought. Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu/ to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to Aaron at wilson.1010@osu.edu.

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Episode 161 – UAV Cover Crop Seeding

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Dr. John Fulton and Alex Thomas share the latest on utilizing drones to seed cover crops. They have done extensive research evaluating seeding capabilities, timing and stand establishment and share the results with us. We also talk about what it takes to become a licensed UAV operator, the challenges and advantages of seeding with UAVs and the future of availability considering tariff restrictions.

For more information, find research results in the 2023 and 2024 eFields reports: https://digitalag.osu.edu/efields. You can also visit the Digital Ag homepage: https://digitalag.osu.edu/home and check out their social media: https://digitalag.osu.edu/connect/social-media.

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Episode 159 – Preparing for Spring Weed Control

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Dr. Alyssa Essman gives us the rundown on which weeds we need to watch for (hint- it’s still waterhemp) and management strategies for success. We talk about some cost effective options that still allow for a diverse selection of herbicides to mitigate further resistance development. Over the top application of dicamba is still illegal so we asked her about that as well. Tune in for insight as you make preparations for spring.

For more from the weed science program, visit https://u.osu.edu/osuweeds/, catch their articles in the CORN newsletter and find them on social media @OhioStateWeeds.

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Episode 157 – eFields 2024

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The 2024 eFields report is here! With 260 on-farm research sites across 42 counties, there is sure to be something of interest to everyone. In this episode, we highlight a few of the projects included in this year’s report.

To view the online version, visit: digitalag.osu.edu/efields. For a print copy, contact your local OSU Extension office or email digitalag@osu.edu.

To suggest topics for 2025, email Amanda at douridas.9@osu.edu and let us know what you want to hear about!

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Episode 154 – Fertility Decisions

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While fertilizer prices have come down somewhat, crop prices have many farmers considering where to cut budgets. Fertilizer can be an option and in this episode we talk about how to do it strategically. We cover where to start with soil testing, how lime might be your cheapest option and where to cut P and K if need be.

P & K Fertility Decision with Tight Margins
Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations
Ohio Agronomy Guide
Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator

Soil Testing Resources:
Soil Sampling to Develop Nutrient Recommendations
Interpreting a Soil Test Report
Choosing a Laboratory for Nutrient and Soil Health Testing

Soil pH:
Soil Acidity and Liming for Agronomic Production (AGF-505)
Understanding Value in Lime
Soil Acidification: How to Lower Soil pH
Lime Application Rate Calculator (excel)

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Episode 150 – Water Management

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For many parts of Ohio, water management used to mean draining water off a field. Today, with drier summers, it can mean a wider range of activities. Dr. Vinayak Shedekar is the state specialist for agriculture water management. He has conducted extensive research in not only drainage, but many aspects of field water management.

In this episode we will talk about current trends in water management, what research is underway and what farmers can expect from the future of the drainage industry. For more information, please visit: go.osu.edu/agwater.

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Episode 146 – Agrivoltaics

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Agrivoltaics is combining agriculture and solar energy production. In partnership with Savion Energy, we were awarded a Department of Energy grant to investigate the feasibility of forage production, grazing and impacts on solar health at the Madison Fields solar site near Rosedale, Ohio.

In this episode we share the details of the project and what we have learned so far in our first growing season. You can follow along on our progress at Energize Ohio.

To find details on upcoming field days, please visit: https://agcrops.osu.edu/events.

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Episode 144 – Dealing with DON

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There is nothing more frustrating than getting rejected at the elevator due to high vomitoxin (aka DON) levels. DON is produced by a fungi produced on the ear and is usually infected at the time of pollination. To give farmers a better perspective of what happens behind the scenes at a grain elevator, we interview 3 grain merchandisers on their process when DON test levels start creeping up.

Jason Beckman (Poet), Lisa Mitchell (Gerald Grain), and Seth Miller (The Anderson) take us behind the scenes of their operations to look at testing, grain flow and market impacts. We end with some quick reminders about DON management and to check the C.O.R.N. Newsletter for updates and research on corn fungicide and disease.

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Episode 142 – Summer ’24 Weather Outlook

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Dr. Aaron Wilson joins us for our summer weather update. We look back on a spring that was quite opposite of last year and what we can expect this summer. We also answer listener questions on a variety of weather topics!

Sign up to receive quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu/ to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to Aaron at wilson.1010@osu.edu.

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