wheat / corn rotation irrigated

[sw363535]

We have been rotating wheat and corn in an irrigation rotation.  We notil the wheat into the corn stalks after corn harvest and apply urea or liquid nitrogen at planting time, then top dress later.  lately we have been vt discing the stubble to try and improve the wheat stand.  

We are facing this ----- disappointing wheat yields--- somewhat because of late freezes and dry winters, but it seems like the fertilizer does not water in as well as it should.  But the corn following the wheat is our best and seems to maintain 20-30 bpa better yields than our other continuous corn.

We are thinking ---- maybe the wheat fertilizer is not getting to the root zone until the second year to help the corn and all the wheat gets is the leftovers from the corn just harvested.

If that is true. then-------- one of our old ideas is not right---- We have always delayed fertilizer applications until the months before planting because of our sandy loam soils and low organic matter, thinking we face leaching potential. if too early.

If 46-0-0 or 32-0-0 takes time to become available to the plant then maybe fall applications for the next season make good sense in corn  or ------ we should be pumping the nitrogen to the wheat knowing it will be there for the corn the next year..

Any thoughts or are we thinking too much.  🙂

[Longcreekfarms]

It's a different critter, but on soft wheat, I only apply 15 units of uan with my herbicide in the fall. Lay down 100 in the spring with a humic acid. Growing consistent 110-120 bu wheat.
Is there a fusarium issue with wheat behind corn? I read somewhere years ago that corn can carry the same fungus that wheat can get but it only affects the wheat. Usually beans around here come off before corn and it's a beautiful, mellow seed bed for no till in the fall.
Could you get different soil samples in the same area at different depths before planting corn? If all your N is 18" down at that point, corn will find it eventually but the wheat can not. Just thinking out loud so to speak here. I don't know your dirt or it's characteristics. Throwing my cents of ideas in there can't hurt though 🙂

[clayton58]

Could be that the 32% is getting tied up by the corn residue. Dry should settle through the trash and get watered in better but some tie up could still be occurring

[clayton58]

Maybe try a test strip where you increase the planting time n 30 lb. or maybe try a strip of 30 more and some at 50 more

[ECIN]

I probably should not reply to this - many because I haven't raised any wheat here in 30 some years - But I will throw out some ideas sw .

To start with , most around - and even me back in the day - planted wheat behind beans and the wheat comes up good , looks good and mist part yields good , wheat after corn always looked like crap here - poor stands - you name it . Disked or no tilled = the same deal .

About the 46 or 32 - liquid is the most readly available there is - urea as 32 can be lost pretty easy is dry warm weather - maybe need to add something like agrotan to it ??  OR like somebody said - its getting tied up in the residue - to feed the micorbs in the fall to break it down ???

Around here - to plant corn on corn the next year - you need to add a extra 30 to 40 units = tie up - can this be happening to your wheat ? not enought N ??

You said your corn behind wheat is your best - could that be from the cover on the ground = wheat stubble to help hold that water your pumping on it ?  Or like your said - is it the carry over of fert - , heres my problem with this reply - we recieve around 40 to 43 inchs of rain a year and what do's sw get ? 12 to 15 inchs ? so who I'm I to put out ideas from another world ? 

Well thats about it I guess have a good one

ken

[farmerguy89]

Sw...

Corn after wheat results in higher corn yields... We've known this for a long time. Wheat also boosts soy yields after the corn.. Big rotation effect that ontario extension is pumping.

As for wheat yields after corn: corn drags cereal yields. Some guys it's fusarium. I think many diseases cross. Far better to grow beans then wheat here. We can't do wheat behind corn: November harves when we need sep/oct planting.

How about you try this: seed placed fertilizer. Better use efficiency. Would help to suppress disease growth earlier during the fall. Unless your doing that of course lol! But even in warm planting condition it helps vs the well supplied broadcast check.

The problem with high n rates, in the north, is that you need a fungicide for all the added disease pressure to make it pay. Do you have any chance of fusarium in Kansas under irrigation? High n+ fungicide check strip under irrigation may be worth looking into.

As for fall n... Why? Use isn't much if any. Granted I believe your area can hold n trough the winter, I can't. I don't see the advantage.. We aim for 3 leaves, 2 tillers, 7-20 plants/ft.. Here that can set huge yields, but much more than that and we lose plants or tillers in spring. Snow mood, etc. but it's hard to get that growth here.

Other factors like super high day/night temps could also be screwing up otherwise good management.

Anyways... I think part of the problem is wheat after corn, with some certainty

[sw363535]

Thanks 89,

We take the corn off in Sept.  and have 45 days to get the wheat in.  

ripping and working up the corn stubble is what we are going to try----- to break the disease cycle.   ----- if that is what the issue is.

[farmerguy89]

You've probably got the equipment and the know how to get to the bottom of it: strips of no till, no till at angle, tillage.. Replication and checks is the best process of elimination.

We are all dying to know though: can you get fusarium in Kansas?

[sw363535]

I didn't want to respond until I "asked the agronomist", 

We are dry climate with irrigation.  Fusarium is more prevelant east of us but there is probably a little present.  Rarely a problem.

For us wheat is a crop of minimal return.   I will get back to this as I get time.