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Clinton News-Record, 1983-11-16, Page 9Soils and Cro This past two or three years there has been a lot of talk about how cereals are grown in Europe - how farmers using growth regulators, fungicides and high nitrogen • rates are obtaining fantastic yields. It is referred to as intensive cereal management. Earlier this fall I had a chance to listen to Dr. Effland from Kiel, West Germany, speak on intensive cereal management. Dr. Effland works with B.A.S.F. B.A.S.F. are the producers of cycocel, one of the growth regulators used in intensive cereal management. Dr. Effland talked about winter wheat and winter barley. He stated that in Germany most of the research is funded directly by the farmers, not the government. A levy is collected based on a farmer's cultivated area. If you don't participate and don't pay the levy you don't get the information. Furthermore, Dr. Effland said, "Farmers are very reluctant to pass on research findings to other farmers who do not par- ticipate in the levy program." He said that in Germany varieties are released that are high yielding, but tolerant to diseases. They could release varieties that were resistant to diseases, but lower yielding. They have gone for the first option. This means their varieties will yield more if the fungicides are applied. Of course, if the fungicides are not applied, they will yield less than a resistant variety. One of the main keys in the European intensive cereal management is their varieties. They have a small number to work with. For instance, in Germany Dr. Effland said there have only been 10 wheat varieties since 1950. At present, one of these varieties accounts for about 40 percent of the acreage. Before a variety is released in Germany, it is tested for three years. Each variety has a specific disease reaction, and a specific need for nitrogen and growth regulators. The researchers will call a meeting when a variety is released. When a variety is released they also recommend a specific production program for this variety. For instance, for Monopol wheat the recommendation might be: - "You need a seeding rate to have a minimum of 30 plants and maximum of 80 plants per square meter. Apply cycocel first treatment at the full tillering stage when the temperature is between five and 15 degrees C at about 2.25 litres per hectare. Apply the second ap- plication of .7 L per ha. at the first node stage. Apply the third application when the flag leaf is out, but before the head has emerged. Use a rate of 1.5 to 2.0 L per ha. If the temperature is above 22 degrees C, use 1.25 L -ha." Different varieties will follow a different production recipe. For disease and insect control the recommendations are even more specific because you have to be able to identify the specific diseases and insects. Fertilizer rates, timing- are also crucial. Each of their winter wheat varieties respond differently to nitrogen. Some require nitrogen in the fall - some require urea dissolved in water to be applied with the growth regulator. Some require nitrogen in the above manner plus more spoon fed with a fungicide. Again I merely point these recom- mendations out to you to let you know what is meant by intensibe management. It was interesting to note that the average yield of winter wheat in Germany was about 85 bushels per acre. Sure better than ours, but we do have farms producing 85 bushels per acre. Also, if their average yield is 85 bushels per acre and some farmers are getting over 160, you know there must be other farmers getting 65 bushels per acre. It was also interesting that only about 5 percent of the farmers in Germany were using intensive management on their cereals. Dr. Effland thought that another 45 Best Interest *1 % 5 Year Annual We represent many Trust Companies. We are often able to arrange for the highest interest being offered on Guaranteed Investment Certificates. "subject to change Gasser-Kneale Insurance Brokers Inc. GRAND BEND GODERICH 238.8484 524-2118 EXETER CLINTON 235-2420 482-9747 Call NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR NEW COMMUNITY? I.�IVIII�N Ons phone 524-2544 Our hostess will bring gifts and greetings along with helpful community information. 1 CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1983—PAGE 9 s S.:eei.1ist says lack of c percent of the farmers were using some of the intensive management tools. The crop production techniques were paying off for these 5 percent of the farmers in their protected market. These farmers are selling in the E.E.C. The price of wheat that Dr. Effland quoted was $280 to $320 per tonne. That is about double what we get for our soft winter wheat and maybe $60 to $100 per tonne more than what Monopol is con- tracted at in Ontario. Intensive Cereal Management In Ontario I think the key word is patience. Growth regulators and fungicides will come to Ontario, but don't expect dramatic yield increases over night. King Grain, along with Chemagro and Union Carbide, have done some excellent field work this summer. They have shown that we can increase some of our barley yields. To me, the results suggest that if you're already getting yields of 80 or 90 bushels per acre, you probably won't get much higher yields with intensive management with our present varieties. If your yields have dropped 40 or 50 bushels per acre, you may be able to raise those yields to 70 or 80 bushels per acre. The present varieties we have tend NOT to respond to high nitrogen rates. If we apply more N their yield will not increase. This is because of our breeding and testing system. In Ontario we do not breed varieties that will respond to nitrogen. Similarly, in our present variety testing system, all varieties are tested at the same low nitrogen rate. This system will probably not change. The odds of having a variety licenced that will yield well under low nitrogen and will also respond to high nitrogen rates are awfully small. Spring grain varieties just don't work that way. So then, where does that leave regulators and fungicides? Probably at the demon- stration and experimental stage on most farms for another three or four years. There may be a definite use for growth regulators on fields where you have to apply manure. Fields that you know will lodge. There is also probably a place for fungicides such as Bayleton for disease control on some fields some years. However, you will have to know which disease you have - which of those many brown spots on the leaf is a controllable disease. You will also have to know when to put it on. Increasing Spring Grain Yields In Ontario, our five year average for spring grain yield is about 55 bushels per acre. However, some of you are obtaining 80 plus bushels per acre. That means that many fields are yielding closer to 40 bushels per acre. rot . tin a pro What causes the difference? I don't like to sound like a broken record, but the main problem is crop rotation. When you try to grow continuous corn, diseases build up. When you grow continuous cereals, diseases build up. If you want to increase your cereal yield, then lengthen the number of years between cereal crops on the same field. In fact, Dr. Effland stated that 20 percent of the income from intensive cereal management will come from soil con- ditioning. In Ontario, the best soil con- ditioner is rotation. The other reasons that I see for low spring grain yields in order of importance are: le f= in cereal yields 1) Late planting caused by wet fields. 2) Poor weed control either twitchgrass, or hard to kill weeds that 2,4-D or MCPA won't control. 3) Spraying too late. 4) Growing varieties that are poor yielders or using Canada No. 1 seed. Even if this,Canada No. 1 seed was grown from pedireed seed of a good variety one year ago. In summary, intensive cereal management will come to Ontario. Probably on spring cereals before winter cereals. The reasons are obvious. We have more problems with our spring cereals. We have more acres and that means a bigger market for companies to look at. However, we will have to learn a new technology. Most of the intensive management in Europe is on winter cereals. We will have to develop technology for spring cereals. I also hope that through all this you will be patient. In Europe, intensive cereal management started over 20 years ago. We have really only three years experience. In the meantime, our biggest yield in- creases can come from improving our present production practices. By Pat Lynch, Soils and Crops Specialist Soil Today and Food Tomorrow conference Three Huron County farmers will play major roles at the Soil Today and Food Tomorrow Conference at the Downtown Holiday Inn in Toronto from December 6 to 8. Don Lobb of Clinton will comment on his experiences with "No Till - My System". Laurence Taylor of Londesboro will be a discussion leader for the hot topic discussion period in connection with, "Energy and Economics of Reduced Tillage". John Maaskant of Clinton will be talking about his experiences with "Terracing on my Farm". Speakers from across Ontario and some keynote speakers from the United States are featured at the information -packed con- ference. Advance registration forms are available from the Huron County Office of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The $80 registration fee includes all sessions, con- ference handbook, banquet and luncheon. • —By Don Pullen, Ag. Rep. Huron Soli and Crop Annual Meeting The annual Huron County Soil and Crop improvement Association will be held on Thursday evening, November 24 at the Seaforth Community Centre in Seaforth. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and the meeting will follow. Tickets are available from the County Executive and Directors as well as the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food office in Clinton. Plan to attend this informative event and get the County Report on crop trials and conservation activities. For more information, contact the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Clinton. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 9:00 P.M. UNTIL 11::30 P.M. ONLY IN STORES SHOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT SUPER SPECIAL SUPER SPECIAL FRESHLY MINCED 30% OR LESS FAT CANADA 'A' GRADE REGULAR GROUND BEEF LARGE EGGS 10 Ib. 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