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Oct. 11, 2021
In This Edition:
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Notes from Pennington
Should you use starter fertilizer on wheat?
 By Dennis Pennington, MSU wheat specialist pennin34@msu.edu
Do high fertilizer prices justify lower starter fertilizer rates?
The high price of fertilizer is causing producers to ask how important is starter fertilizer in wheat? Can I cut back on rates without significantly reducing yield potential? These are good questions that deserve some attention.
The first question to answer requires some data about yield response of wheat to fertilizer inputs. For nitrogen, click here to review MSU research published on the Michigan Wheat Program website points on the inconsistent response to fall nitrogen (N) application, except where soil nitrate levels are below 10 ppm. Where soil nitrates are low, 10-15 lbs. N with starter is recommended. For soils in the maintenance ranges for P and K, crop removal rates should be applied.
For a 90 bu./acre yield, wheat grain will remove 56.7 and 33.3 lbs. of P and K, respectively. If straw is also harvested, the additional nutrients in the straw must be added.
So, let’s assume a field has a yield goal of 90 bu./acre, soil nitrate levels are above 10 ppm and is in the maintenance range for P and K. A starter fertilizer applied to the field should be 0 lbs. N, 56.7 lbs. P and 33.3 lbs. K/acre.
The current price for MAP (monoammonium phosphate or 11-52-0) is $821/ton and potash (0-0-60) is $700/ton. In this case, the cost of starter fertilizer would be $64.19 per acre (56.7 / 0.52 x $821 / 2000 + 33.3 / 0.60 x $700 / 2000).
To learn more about how to calculate fertilizer cost per acre click here to visit the DEMaND fact sheet: Introduction to Fertilizer Planning.
Now that we have established a fertilizer rate and cost per acre – what is the yield response with and without starter and can that rate be cut back? I have conducted research on starter fertilizer application as recently as 2018 with several goals in mind:
- starter fertilizer compared to no starter (target was 50 lbs. P/acre)
- placement: in furrow vs. broadcast incorporated
- liquid (10-34-0) vs. dry (11-52-0) fertilizer
| Table 1. 2018 Wheat Starter Fertilizer Trials at Mason Research Farm and Saginaw Valley Research and Extension Center. |
| Treatment |
Placement |
Product |
Form |
Rate (actual P/a) |
Yield (bu/a) |
|
Yield vs. Treat 9 |
Benefit ($/a) |
| 2 |
Furrow |
MAP |
Dry |
96 lb/a (50) |
83.4 |
A |
14.0 |
$56.21 |
| 3 |
Furrow |
10-34-0 |
Liquid |
12.7 gal/a (50) |
82.1 |
A |
12.7 |
$40.49 |
| 4 |
Furrow |
10-34-0 |
Liquid |
6.3 gal/a (25) |
81.3 |
A |
11.9 |
$58.21 |
| 7 |
Broadcast |
MAP |
Dry |
96 lb/a (50) |
79.8 |
A |
10.4 |
$31.88 |
| 8 |
Broadcast |
10-34-0 |
Liquid |
12.7 gal/a (50) |
78.7 |
A |
9.3 |
$17.44 |
| 6 |
Furrow |
28% UAN |
Liquid |
5 gal/a (14.7 lb N) |
71.9 |
B |
2.5 |
$6.95 |
| 9 |
None |
None |
None |
90 lb N/a |
69.4 |
B |
0.0 |
$0.00 |
| 5 |
Furrow |
Urea |
Dry |
23 lb/a (10.6 lb N) |
62.9 |
C |
-6.4 |
-$48.45 |
| 1 |
None |
None |
None |
None |
46.7 |
D |
-22.7 |
-$154.96 |
| Wheat=$6.83/bu. Fertilizer prices per ton: MAP=$821, 10-34-0=$624, Urea=$390, 28%UAN=$380 |
- Treatments 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 had the highest yields, but were not statistically different from each other. These treatments included in furrow and broadcast incorporated application methods, as well as liquid and dry formulations of fertilizer.
- Treatment 1 was the control that received no starter and no nitrogen fertilizer.
- Treatments 2-9 received 90 lbs. N/acre (urea) applied at green-up.
- Treatment 9 received no starter fertilizer.
- Treatment 4 was added due to concern of salt burn from 10-34-0 so the phosphate rate was cut in half to 6.3 gallons/acre or 25 lbs. phosphate/acre. Both fertilizers, MAP and 10-34-0, contain nitrogen.
- Treatments 5 and 6 were added to test the response to nitrogen vs. phosphorus. Both were applied in furrow with the seed.
- Treatment 5 showed significant burn and resulted in a yield reduction of 6.4 bu./acre compared to Treatment 9.
The benefit in dollars per acre was calculated using a cash price of $6.83 per bushel. Fertilizer prices are listed in the table. Benefit per acre was calculated by multiplying the yield benefit x wheat price minus the cost of fertilizer. Based on current wheat and fertilizer prices, the greatest benefit per acre occurs in Treatment 4. This suggests that the lower rate of phosphate fertilizer is the most profitable treatment.
With updated prices and costs, the research data suggests that a lower rate of starter fertilizer can be profitable. However, keep in mind that this study does not include any data on potassium fertilizer response, nor addition of manure.
It is also important to note that when this study was conducted in 2018, wheat price was $5.00 per bushel and MAP was $500 per ton. At that time, Treatment 2 was most profitable. The expected price for wheat and cost of your starter program are important factors in deciding if a lower starter fertilizer can be profitable.
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Planting wheat in late October or early November? Follow these tips!
By Dennis Pennington, Martin Nagelkirk, Ricardo Costa, Manni Singh
In a perfect world, wheat should be planted right after the standard Hessian fly-free date. That would be the first week of September in the Northern Lower Peninsula, about mid-September in mid- and central Michigan, and the third or fourth week of September for Southern Michigan.
Highest yields are often attained when seedlings emerge within two weeks following the posted fly-free-date, assuming heat unit accumulation is near average in October and November. The goal is to plant early enough to have 2-3 tillers produced before winter vernalization.
That said, planting early isn’t always possible. Many years, weather conditions and soybean harvest make it very difficult to plant wheat “on time.”
The recommended seeding rate for wheat is to plant 1.2-2.2 million seeds/acre. If you’re planting within a week of the hessian fly-free date, you should use seeding rates on the lower end of the range to avoid overly thick stands that can promote disease development and increase the likelihood of lodging the following season.
As the calendar advances, seeding rates should become progressively higher. If planting continues into the third week of October, increase seeding rates to 1.8-2.0 million seeds/acre or more (28 or more seeds per foot of row).
Also, planting shallower (1 inch or less) will allow the seedlings to emerge more quickly and start tillering. If planting in early November, these seedlings may not emerge until next spring.
As fall progresses, late-planted wheat seeds might be slower to emerge due to lower temperatures. To protect the vulnerable seed from soil-borne diseases, fungicide seed treatments should be considered.
If you will plant wheat in late October or even early November, make sure to apply approximately 20 lbs./acre of nitrogen fertilizer this fall, hoping that an extended fall season may allow some tiller development. To further promote tillering, apply some or all of next spring’s nitrogen early during green-up.
Questions should be directed to Dennis Pennington at pennin34@msu.edu.
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’21 Michigan wheat crop production up
 On September 20, 2021, USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service released the Michigan Small Grains Summary (NR2152MI). In all reported categories, MI wheat production was up over a year ago.
Planted acres were up 24% to 610,000 acres, as were harvested acres at 560,000 acres. Yield was up 8% from 75 bu./acre in 2020 to 81 bu./acre in 2021. Total production of winter wheat was up 34% to 45,360,000 bushels.
| |
2020 |
2021 |
% Change |
| Area planted (1,000 acres) |
490 |
610 |
24% |
| Area harvested (1,000 acres) |
450 |
560 |
24% |
| Yield (bu/a) |
75.0 |
81.0 |
8% |
| Production (1,000 bu) |
33,750 |
45,360 |
34% |
The Season Average Farm Price for US wheat was reported at $5.05 for the ’20-21 crop. Current projections for the 2021-2022 crop are at $6.60 with strong futures prices remaining steady. Factors contributing to these prices include tight supplies in Canada and uncertainty about Russia’s export tax on wheat.
Overall, the wheat picture for ’21 was good even though we had some areas in the state hit with poor grain quality and discounts.
As we look ahead to the 2022 crop, there is a lot to be considered. There are good prices to be locked in, dry beans and soybeans are getting harvested early so you should have ample time to get your wheat planted for a great ’22 crop year.
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Michigan wheat farmer and NAWG president David Milligan testifies before US House Agriculture Committee on carbon markets
 In late September, National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) president and Cass City’s own David Milligan – longtime board member and now-past president of the Michigan Wheat Program – was back in Washington, DC, testifying in front of the House Agriculture Committee. The subject was voluntary carbon markets in agriculture and forestry.
Milligan highlighted several benefits that growing wheat has on the environment, such as improving soil quality, protecting against erosion, and reducing weed pressure when added to a crop rotation.
He also discussed the unique characteristics of wheat production and potential participation in voluntary carbon markets. Wheat production includes diverse rotations and existing conservation and crop management systems that are specific to the climate, soil and markets.
Milligan, the only farmer to testify, stressed that as carbon markets are explored, growers will need technical assistance to understand both the agronomic and environmental impact of additional “climate smart” practices.
Milligan highlighted NAWG’s interest in voluntary carbon market opportunities that work for diverse wheat production systems across the country, but noted that growers still have many questions.
“The carbon credit will be generated on the farm. The farmer needs to have an equitable return as the carbon credit increases in value,” Milligan said. “NAWG is cautiously optimistic about voluntary carbon efforts and while we see the potential to have both an increasingly positive environmental impact and additional revenue stream for those ecosystem services, there is still a lack of transparency in program details and growers have questions about the voluntary carbon markets.”
 NAWG will continue to advocate for wheat growers to reflect their needs in voluntary carbon markets and voice their concerns and questions about requirements, costs, measurement, and carbon pricing of the numerous carbon efforts before growers today.
NAWG is the primary policy representative in Washington, DC, for wheat growers, working to ensure a better future for America’s growers, the industry and the general public. NAWG works with a team of 20 state wheat grower organizations to benefit the wheat industry at the national level. From their offices on Capitol Hill, NAWG’s staff members are in constant contact with state association and check-off organization representatives, NAWG grower leaders, members of Congress, Congressional staff members, Administration officials and the public.
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Reminder for 2021: Spots remain for Great Lakes Wheat Yield Enhancement Network (YEN)
 Since mid-July, the brand-new Great Lakes YEN team has been accepting applications from Michigan wheat producers wishing to join this novel crop management coalition.
Great Lakes YEN program organizers include: the Michigan Wheat Program; the Grain Farmers of Ontario; Michigan State University; the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA); and the University of Guelph.
Most Michigan wheat farmers probably first heard about the British-launched Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) in March, when Michigan Wheat Program brought Dr. Pete Berry of ADAS in North Yorkshire, England, to its Winter Wheat-tastic Webinar.
Through the Great Lakes YEN, farmers are connected to share soil, tissue and whole plant analysis for comparison and benchmarking, to allow the Great Lakes YEN research team to offer better insight into each field’s performance. Farmers will learn more about how their wheat crop develops and produces yield and how they compare to their peers and their overall yield potential.
YEN will encourage farmers to try new things and learn from data that are comparable across the Great Lakes region. Every field is different and has different yield potential based on a multitude of factors, such as environment (rainfall, sunlight), soil (water holding capacity, nutrient levels), and management (inputs used and timing).
“The partners have all been working to develop the YEN program for the Great Lakes Region,” said Jody Pollok-Newsom, executive director of the Michigan Wheat Program. “While we will be accepting applications for years to come, to be part of the 2022 Great Lakes YEN wheat crop study we need growers to get signed up so we can make our plans for the upcoming crop.”
To sign up for the 2022 Great Lakes YEN, wheat farmers should click here to access and complete the application. To learn more visit www.miwheat.org and click on the Great Lakes YEN logo in the “What’s Hot” box. Growers can also click on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) link to learn more about the Great Lakes YEN.
For more information on the Great Lakes YEN project visit https://www.GreatLakesYEN.com or look for the hashtag #GreatLakesYEN.
Companies interested in joining the Great Lakes YEN as a sponsor to support the US portion of the program should contact MWP executive director Jody Pollok-Newsom by emailing jody@miwheat.org. Or if you are interested in supporting the Ontario component of the program email Marty Vermey at the Grain Farmers of Ontario at mvermey@gfo.ca.
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Sign up now! MI Ag CORE educational program for ag leaders
 The Michigan Wheat Program, Michigan Soybean Committee and the Michigan Potato Industry Commission have announced their creation of a new leadership program aimed at helping Michigan farmers grow their leadership experience and professional development.
Named MI Ag CORE (Communication, Organization, Relationships and Engagement), the program offers personal and professional development opportunities for any farmer or agricultural professional interested in advancing their leadership skills and experience.
MI Ag CORE is a year-long program that includes seven total sessions – three in-person and four virtual – that altogether cover several important topics to being successful in ag leadership:
- Personality profiles
- Creating team culture, managing dysfunction, friction and strong personalities
- Employee engagement, servant leadership
- Overview of human resources topics and legal issues related to employment practices and workplace safety
- Organizational governance
- Public speaking, issue advocacy and communication
For more information on the training program or to apply, click here to visit the MI Ag CORE website. The program begins January 18, 2022. Registration, upon acceptance into the program is $200 with $100 of that amount being refunded upon course completion.
Sponsors are welcome. For more information on sponsorship, click here.
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Michigan House Agriculture Committee chair makes wheat video
 State Rep. Julie Alexander (R-Jackson County) and chair of the House Agriculture Committee, gave a boost to Michigan wheat earlier this month when her office released the latest video in her Grown in Michigan video series.
Alexander talks about Michigan wheat and flour in a visit to the Frankenmuth area. It’s a good watch! Click here to see the 7-minute video.
“I would like to offer many thanks to those helping make this happen including NAWG President Dave Milligan; Mike Fassezke and Jim Howe from Star of the West; and Representatives Julie Alexander and Rodney Wakeman who toured the facilities and supported the industry,” said Jody Pollok-Newsom. “We are so glad Representative Alexander choose to highlight wheat in her outstanding video series!”
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Calendar of events
 The winter schedule is warming up, and it looks to be back to almost-normal! See you soon.
- Weds., Dec. 8, 2021 – Thumb Ag Day at the Ubly Heights Country Club.
- Mon., Dec. 20, 2021 – Integrated Crop Pest Management Update, MSU Livestock Pavilion.
- Fri., Jan. 7, 2022 – Center for Excellence Crop Day
- Tues., Jan. 18, 2022 – First class in 2022 Michigan Ag CORE Educational Leadership Program begins.
- Jan. 26-27, 2022 – Great Lakes Crop Summit, Soaring Eagle Hotel & Casino, Mt. Pleasant.
- Weds., Feb. 23, 2022 - MICHIGAN WHEAT PROGRAM WINTER ANNUAL MEETING, Eagle Eye Conference Center in Bath, Michigan.
- Mon. (notice the new day), June 6, 2022 – MICHIGAN WHEAT PROGRAM SUMMER FIELD DAY, Saginaw Valley Research & Extension Center, Frankenmuth.
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