General Updates

Dave Wilson, Research Agronomist In 2014, we had a customer in Belleville, Pennsylvania report rootworm problems with a Bt corn hybrid, possibly suggesting rootworm resistance to the trait. This began an investigation into a trend toward resistance that more customers are struggling with. We notified Dr. John Tooker, Associate Professor of Entomology at Penn State…

…To Take Steps to Survive Low Dairy Prices By Leon Ressler, Lancaster Farming (Original article: http://www.lancasterfarming.com/agriculturalinformation/1031-NowTime#.Vjd6nH6rSM9) This year, the dairy industry is experiencing a down cycle similar to 2009 and 2012. These volatile market swings are not new or unexpected. Extension dairy specialist Virginia Ishler says there are management practices that can be implemented to help…

The original Ray’s Crazy Mix. Seed size diversity makes planting a challenge, and usually means that a prepared seedbed and careful depth adjustment is critical. As we start adding more species to a mix, we are likely to see less expression of every species, especially with more variation in seed size. Diversity is always a…

Seeding rate and seeding date are mutually influential. For example, a later seeding date with a grass crop might mean less tillering in the fall, demanding a higher seeding rate to achieve the same ground cover. Planting dates that stretch later into the fall produce far less cover crop biomass, heights, and ground cover. The…

  By Joshua Baker, King’s AgriSeeds Southern Region Coordinator Buron Lanier in a stand of AS 6501 used in a spray-smother-spray program Ask North Carolina producer Buron Lanier what his number one challenge is and he will readily tell you “the battle with old K-31 fescue.” A staple forage throughout the transition zone, K-31 grows…

King’s Agriseeds Inc. supported this project, providing some of the seed for the on-farm research. Dave Wilson, King’s research agronomist is on the advisory board for the project and worked with the group to provide cover crop mixes and advice. The Interrow seeder is an exciting technology recently released by Penn State University and is…

David Hunsberger, Central Region Coordinator As the 2015 Summer crop matures, planning for the next crop continues. Winter annuals are an excellent choice for either cover cropping or forage production. In diverse mixtures or monocropped several principles are worthy of review. Planting Date: Proper timing of seeding is critical. For best survival and volume of…

Late summer is often the time to begin thinking about early spring. What will you plant and how will you get your soil in the kind of condition it In spring, roots from overwintering hairy vetch and crimson clover have built soil structure and fertility for the summer crop should be in for that spring…

Overgrazing and high pasture productivity don’t often go hand in hand– unless you’re getting ready to interseed. If done correctly, a simple no-till pasture renovation can be more economical than tillage or conventional establishment. Before no-till seeding into your pasture, it’s best to prepare ahead of time by getting the competition from the existing stand…

Cool season forages diversify the cropping system and the ration and maximize fields’ productivity by adding several additional tons of dry matter yield to each acre’s yearly total. They also keep fields covered year-round, providing many of the soil benefits of a cover crop. You’ll get the most production out of these forages in the…