Mid -Atlantic Crop Management School

November 28-30, 2006

Princess Royale Hotel and Conference Center, Ocean City, MD

This Web Site is contains recorded presentations from the 2006 school and requires Windows Media Player or Real Player to view most of the presentations. Fact Sheets are in PDF format and require Acrobat Reader to view. The Web Site was created by Craig Yohn, West Virginia University Extension Agent. Presentations were recorded, edited and produced by Craig Yohn.

A CD of this Web Site is available by emailing Craig Yohn

Sponsored by the University of Maryland, University of Delaware, and West Virginia University Cooperative Extension Systems, Mid-Atlantic Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Board, and the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS).

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of March 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, University of Maryland, College Park, and local govern­ments. Dr. Cheng-i Wei, Director of Maryland Cooperative Extension, University of Maryland. The Maryland Cooperative Extension’s programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, gender, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin.

The presentations are for educational purposes only . No credits for Certified Crop Advisors or Nutrient Management Consultants are available for these presentations.
Contact Information for Crop School Speakers
Contact Information of Participants

The presentaions are divided into the following categories:
Crop Management
Nutrient Management
Pest Management
Alternative

Crop Management

Specialty Corns and IP Grain Production: Where We’ve Been and Where Are We Going? - (44 minutes) Specialty corns are being developed with improved nutritional traits to meet the needs of specific end-users. Producing nutritionally enhanced grains with new seed technologies may allow corn growers to market identity preserved (IP) grains and obtain significant premiums. To date, acreage planted to specialty corns have been limited and the potential of IP grains not yet fully realized. Several factors including agronomic performance of specialty corns and competition from feed (animal) fat have limited adoption of specialty corns. Instructor: Dr. Peter Thomison, Ohio State University

Web Site: Specialty Corns for Value-Added Grain Production

Stress in the Corn Crop: Flowering to Grain Fill (50 minutes)
Stress in the Corn Crop: Grain Fill to Maturity - (45 minutes) The effect of stress on the corn crop depends both on the severity of the stress and the timing of the occurrence of the stress relative to crop growth stage. The interactions of plant stresses with crop growth and development with emphasis on the period from flowering to maturity will be discussed. Instructor: Dr. Robert Nielsen, Purdue University
Web Site:
King Corn
King Corn Chat 'n Chew Café

Planter Adjustment for Peak Performance – (43 minutes) Establishing good plant stands is a key element for producing top-yielding crops. There are planter adjustments that can be done either prior to taking the planter to the field or before you start planting the crop that will allow you to achieve uniform stands. Learn many of the “do’s” and “don’ts” of planter setup from one of the Midwest’s innovative farmers. Instructor: Mr. William Lehmkuhl, Precision Agri-Services, Minster, Ohio.

 Forage Management Potpourri - This two hour session will provide a look at three aspects of forage management: Developing a Grazing Plan with C-Graze (42 minutes); Evaluating the Nutritional Benefits of Wrapping Large Round Bales of Hay (PowerPoint Presentation); and Using Various Methods to Weigh Large Round Bales.(17 minutes) The attendant will gain useful information about tools that can help producers make better decisions in the management of their forages. Instructors: Dr. Ed Rayburn and Mr. Craig Yohn, West Virginia University and Mr. Elmer Dengler, USDA-NRCS

Publications: Example Gazing; Plan Using Hydraulics as a Scale on the Farm
Web Site: C-Graze Computer Program

 Tips for Saving Fuel Dollars – (45 minutes) Reducing tillage or adopting continuous no-till can provide the largest fuel savings. I compiled a list of 50+ other items that give small, but not irrelevant, savings. Five to ten percent adds up. The main areas include tractor operation, engine and power train maintenance, tires, and fuel management. A few items require some investment (auto-steering), but most are free or low cost (correct tire pressure), and they help save on other farm inputs as well. Instructor: Dr. Randall Reeder, Ohio State University

Publication: Fuel Saving Tips
Web Site: Nebraska Tractor test Laboratory

Nutrient Management

Soil Testing: Reliability and Uncertainty - (48 minutes) Soil testing is a fundamental component of nutrient recommendations. Laboratory clientele, be it the farmer/owner or the consultant all expect high quality results and a fast turn-around time for minimal cost.  With the advent of NRCS 590 nutrient management plans, there is increasing scrutiny assigned to the quality of the laboratory analyses.   Issues have been raised regarding laboratory repeatability and uncertainty about soil analytical methods used by the industry.  Using nutrient management as the focus, this session will discuss client expectations of laboratory analyses and the quality of soil testing. Instructor: Dr. Robert Miller, Colorado State University

Streamlining the Nutrient Management Plan Development Process: Are We There Yet? - (48 minutes) Nutrient management plans (NMPs), whether voluntary or regulatory in nature, are supposed to demonstrate that a producer has developed a strategy to use commercial fertilizers, manures, and other nutrient resources to optimize crop yields and reduce the potential loss of nutrients and sediments to the environment. The NMP also should serve as a management guide for the operation providing value to the producer. This presentation will provide an evaluation about just how close we are to making this a reality. Instructor: Dr. Brad Joern, Purdue University

Publications: Nutrient Management Environment; Nutrient Management Planning; Modeling Phosphorous in the Environment
Web Site: MMP Website

Pest Management

Transgenic Corn - From Development to Delivery - (48 minutes) Like any new technology, there is public concern about the rapid adoption of genetically-modified corn hybrids that have insect resistance and herbicide tolerant traits. Crop advisors, extension educators, and others working directly with growers and the general public are often asked if transgenic crops are safe for food and the environment. To better address these concerns, the first step is to fully understand how transgenic crops are made and regulated. This talk will cover the basics of biotechnology and the stages of development of a new, genetically modified product from discovery to sales. Instructor: Dr. Galen Dively, University of Maryland

 Roundup-Ready Alfalfa: Friend or Foe? - (51 minutes) This presentation will focus on the potential benefits and disadvantages of Roundup Ready alfalfa.  This crop was registered for use in 2005 and may have a place on some Mid-Atlantic farms.  We will cover how the Roundup Ready program compares to the competition relative to performance, cost, quality and yield. Instructor: Dr. Bill Curran, Penn State University

Publications: Guidelines for Weed Management in Rounup Ready Alfalfa

 The Development of Roundup-Ready Crops – (35 minutes) Developing a Roundup Ready crop is a multi-step process. Learn about this interesting process from the initial step that identified a single gene that imparts resistance to glyphosate herbicide to the selection of a single soybean plant that possessed outstanding tolerance to Roundup herbicide while showing no signs of undesired affects. This single soybean plant became the source of the Roundup Ready gene for every Roundup Ready soybean in the market today. This basic process has been used to develop all the various Roundup Ready and insect protected crops in the market today. Instructor: Tim Dutt, Lehigh Agricultural and Biological Services

What's New with Invasive Species? - (41 minutes) This session will alert you to some recently introduced invasive species as well as re-visit some widely established ones.  We'll cover identification, biology and effective management techniques. Instructor: Ms. Betty Marose, University of Maryland
Web Sites:
 Maryland Invasive Species Council
National Park Service – Alien Plant Factsheets
The Nature Conservancy
Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council
Invasive Species Gateway - federal & state info 
Penn State Roadside Vegetation Management
Penn State Invasives & Bugmobile Lesson
Virginia Cooperative Extension Pest Management Guidelines
Virginia Natural Heritage Alien Plants List  
West Virginia Exotic\Invasive Species
CropData Management Systems


Disease Models – Do They Really Work? - (47 minutes) Many weather-based fungicide application models have been developed to assist scheduling sprays for vegetable diseases. Models, such as MelCast for watermelon and muskmelon, have been tested in the Mid-Atlantic region. Data on production practices, and market forces that lead to successful implementation of these models will be discussed. Instructor: Dr. Kate Everts, University of Maryland

Web Sites: Melcast