The Illinois Pesticide Act requires individual farmers to become certified as a Private Pesticide Applicator in order to purchase and use restricted use pesticides (RUPs). These products will clearly state the words "Restricted Use Pesticide" on the label.

To become certified, you must pass a closed-book, 50 question examination administered by representatives of the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA). Once passed, a three-year certification license will be issued by the IDA upon receipt of a $20 licensing fee. To help you prepare for the examination, the University of Illinois Extension offers Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) clinics, as well as a training manual and workbook. You may use the manual as a reference to complete the workbook before attending a clinic.

The Montgomery County Extension office will host a Pesticide Safety Education Program clinic on December 17^th, from 9 am – 2:30 pm. Please be advised that there is a $30 clinic fee and preregistration requirement. This $30 fee is for training only, and is separate from the $20 licensing fee charged by IDA. Stop by or call the Extension office to purchase current study materials. A testing only date will be held at the Montgomery County Extension office on January 18^th, 10 am-12:30 pm. Contact the Montgomery County Extension office at (217) 532-3941 for details.

2009 Illinois Farm Economic Summits

http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/

§ December 14, 2009: I Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign, IL

§ December 15, 2009: Interstate Center, Bloomington, IL

§ December 16, 2009: Best Western, Galesburg, IL

§ December 17, 2009: Hickory Grove Conference Center, Rochelle, IL

§ December 18, 2009: Holiday Inn, Mt. Vernon, IL

2009-2010 Certified Livestock Manager Training Workshops

Contact Randy Fonner, 217-333-2611, refonner@illinois.edu for program details or go to www.livestocktraining.com

§ December 15, 2009: 8:50 am, McLean County Farm Bureau Building, 402 N. Hershey Road, Bloomington, IL. Written exam will be offered at 1:00 pm.

§ January 13, 2010: 8:50 am, University of Illinois Extension, Knox County Unit Office, 180 South Soangetaha Road, Suite 108, Galesburg, IL. Written exam will be offered at 1:00 pm.

§ January 14, 2010: 8:50 am, University of Illinois Extension, Adams/Brown Unit Office, 330 S. 36^th Street, Quincy, IL, Written exam will be offered at 1:00 pm.

§ January 25, 2010: 10:00 am, University of Illinois Extension, Effingham County Unit Office, 1209 Wenthe Drive, Effingham, IL. Written exam will be offered at 2:00 pm. This workshop has a beef/dairy emphasis but is open to all producers.

§ January 26, 2010: 10:00 am, American Legion Post 252, 575 N. Main Street, Breese, IL, Written exam will be offered at 2:00 pm. This workshop has a beef/dairy emphasis but is open to all producers.

§ February 23, 2010: 10:00 am, Stephenson County Farm Bureau Building, 210 W. Spring Street, Freeport, IL. Written exam will be offered at 2:00 pm. This workshop has a beef/dairy emphasis but is open to all producers.

§ February 24, 2010: 8:50 am, DeKalb County Farm Bureau Building, 1350 W. Prairie Drive, Sycamore, IL. Written exam will be offered at 1:00 pm.

§ March 9, 2010: 8:50 am, University of Illinois Extension, Sangamon/Menard Unit Office, Illinois State Fairgrounds, South Gate, Building 30, Springfield, IL. Written exam will be offered at 1:00 pm.

Corn & Soybean Classics

Tentative: registration at 8:30 am, program 9:00 am – 3:30 pm, http://www.cropsciconferences.org/

§ January 6, 2010: Holiday Inn, Mt. Vernon, IL

§ January 8, 2010: I Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign, IL

§ January 11, 2010: Crowne Plaza, Springfield, IL

§ January 12, 2010: Doubletree Hotel, 10 Brickyard Drive, Bloomington, IL

§ January 13, 2010: i Wireless Center, Moline, IL

§ January 14, 2010: Kishwaukee College Convention Center, Malta, IL

2010 Illinois Dairy Days

All Dairy Day programs (except Jerseyville) begin with registration at 9:45 am, program start at 10:00 am and conclude at 2:30 pm. For further information contact Mike Hutjens hutjensm@uiuc.edu

§ January 7, 2010: Community Center, El Paso, IL

§ January 8, 2010: Yoder's Country Kitchen, Arthur, IL

§ January 12, 2010: Adams County Farm Bureau Building, Quincy, IL

§ January 12, 2010: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm, Super 8 Motel, Jerseyville, IL

§ January 13, 2010: Community Club Building, Okawville, IL

§ January 14, 2010: American Legion Hall, Breese, IL

§ January 19, 2010: Community Center, Elizabeth, IL

§ January 20, 2010: Highland Community College, Freeport, IL

§ January 21, 2010: Stratford Inn, Harvard, IL

2010 Illinois Regional Crop Management Conferences

§ February 2-3, 2010, Southern Illinois Crop Management Conference, Rend Lake Conference Center, Whittington, IL, for further information contact Dennis Epplin, Mount Vernon Extension Center, 618-242-9310, depplin@illinois.edu

§ February 3-4, 2010: West Central Illinois Crop Management Conference, Northfield Inn Conference Center, Springfield, IL, for further information contact Robert Bellm, Edwardsville Extension Center, 618-692-9434, rcbellm@illinois.edu

§ February 16-17, 2010: East Central Illinois Crop Management Conference, I Hotel & Conference Center, Champaign, IL, for further information contact Dennis Bowman, Champaign Extension Center, 217-333-4901, ndbowman@illinois.edu

§ February 17-18, 2010: Northern Illinois Crop Management Conference, Kishwaukee College Convention Center, Malta, IL, for further information contact Greg Clark, Whiteside County Extension Unit, 815-772-4075, gmclark@illinois.edu

Regional, State & National Meetings

§ December 1-2, 2009: Illinois Ag Masters Conference, (formerly the Crop Protection Technology Conference) I Hotel and Conference Center, Champaign, IL, http://www.cropsciconferences.org/

§ December 7-10, 2009: North Central Weed Science Society Annual Meeting, Hyatt Regency, Kansas City, MO, http://www.ncwss.org/

§ December 11, 2009: Iowa/Illinois Fruit & Vegetable Growers Symposium, Iowa State University Scott County Extension Office, Bettendorf, IA, for further information contact Martha Smith, smithma@illinois.edu

§ December 17, 2009: Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Convention

§ January 5, 2010: Illiana Vegetable Growers School, Schererville, IN, for further information contact Maurice Ogutu, ogutu@illinois.edu

§ January 6-7, 2010: Northern Illinois Farm Show, NIU Convocation Center, DeKalb, IL.

§ January 6-8, 2010: Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism and Organic Conference, Crowne Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, Springfield, IL, http://www.specialtygrowers.org/

§ January 19-21, 2010: Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association Winter Convention and Trade Show, Peoria Civic Center, Peoria, IL http://www.ifca.com/convention/2009/

§ January 20-22, 2010: Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show, McCormick Place West, Chicago, IL, http://www.midam.org/index.html

§ January 28, 2010: Illinois Horseradish Grower School, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville, IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@illinois.edu

§ February 2, 2010: Southern Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit School, Holiday Inn, Mt. Vernon, IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@illinois.edu

§ February 3, 2010: Southwestern Illinois Commercial Tree Fruit School, First Presbyterian Church, Hardin IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@illinois.edu

§ February 7-11, 2010: Joint Annual Meeting Weed Science Society of America/Society for Range Management, Denver, CO, http://www.wssa.net

§ February 10, 2010: Southern Illinois Commercial Vegetable School, Holiday Inn, Mt Vernon, IL, for further information contact Elizabeth Wahle, wahle@illinois.edu

§ February 15, 2010: Illinois/Wisconsin (Stateline) Fruit & Vegetable Conference, Harvard, IL, for further information contact Maurice Ogutu, ogutu@illinois.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY:

§ December 15, 2009: Ag Marketing Group, 7:30pm, Montgomery County Extension office, please RSVP by calling (217) 532-3941.

§ December 17, 2009: Montgomery County Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) and Testing, 9am - 2:30pm, Montgomery County Extension office

§ January 4, 2010: Shepherd's Clinic, 7-9pm, Montgomery County Extension office, please RSVP by calling by calling (217) 532-3941.

§ January 11, 2010: Shepherd's Clinic, 7-9pm, Montgomery County Extension office, please RSVP by calling by calling (217) 532-3941.

§ January 19, 2010: Ag Marketing Group, 7:30pm, Montgomery County Extension office, please RSVP by calling (217) 532-3941.

§ February 10, 2010: Soil & Water Management February Workshop Teleconference, 9:00 am – 2:15 pm, Montgomery County Extension office

§ February 11, 2010: Macoupin/Montgomery County Agronomy Day, Litchfield-LLCC

§ February 16, 2010: Ag Marketing Group, 7:30pm, Montgomery County Extension office, please RSVP by calling (217) 532-3941.

Natural Resources Management and Crops Systems Educators will be facilitating a Soil and Water Management Workshop for Certified Crop Advisors on February 10, 2010. The workshop is planned to provide 4.5 hours of CEUs in Soil and Water Management.

The future of Soil and Water management in agronomic settings will be the focus of the Soil and Water Management Workshop. This workshop will be a distance presentation, using Telenet and Power Point. "Those attending will learn about Cap and Trade issues, water and water quality issues, cover crops, and practical information on soil and water management," says Duane Friend, U of I Extension natural resources educator. Other topics covered will be biochar, new conservation tillage tools, and the Web Soil Survey.

Registration for Certified Crop Advisors and others interested in the workshop will be $45 per person. Lunch is provided! The workshop is tentatively scheduled to run from 9am to 2:15pm. Registration must be made before February 5^th, 2010. To register, you will need to call the Montgomery County Extension office at (217) 532-3941. If dietary or disability accommodations are needed, please indicate when registering.

Webinar scheduled for wet-corn strategies

Source: Mike Hutjens, 217-333-2928, hutjensm@illinois.edu

URBANA -- With late planting of corn, a cool summer, and a record wet fall many crop and livestock producers are faced with questions and concerns with corn over 25 to 30 percent moisture, presence of yeast, molds, and mycotoxins. And University of Illinois specialists are scheduled to answer these questions and concerns in a Webinar on Wednesday Nov 18, 2009 from Noon to 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.

To register go to https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/169847248. Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar. However, the system requirements include:

· PC-based attendees: Windows 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista

· Macintosh®-based attendees: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or newer

Topics to be covered include:

• Status of wet molds and mycotoxin formation

• Update of mycotoxin levels measured in commercial labs

• Storage alternatives including drying, high moisture corn, and use of propionic acid

• Pricing wet corn

• Feed value of immature corn for livestock

• Mycotoxin binder choices

• Your questions from participants

Another session is scheduled for Thursday Dec 3, 2009 Noon to 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Go to https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/842673729 to register for this session.

There has been considerable attention directed toward the use perennial warm-season grasses as renewable energy crops. However, information on yield optimum nitrogen requirements for these grasses managed as energy crops has been limited in the central United States.

To address this need, Iowa State University researchers recently reported on the effect of nitrogen fertilization allocation between the above- and belowground plant components of four warm-season grasses. The allocation of plant nutrients to roots before crop harvest is a desirable trait for energy crops as it improves biomass quality and nutrients in the roots can be recycled by the crop for future growth.

In the two-year study (2006-2007), established stands of big bluestem, switchgrass, indiangrass, and eastern gamagrass were fertilized with 0, 58, 125, or 196 pounds of nitrogen per acre in the spring and harvested following frost in the fall.

The optimum yield after two years was 6 tons per acre at 125 pounds of nitrogen per acre for all grasses except eastern gamagrass, which demonstrated lower yield and a consistent linear response to nitrogen.

For big bluestem and switchgrass, 125 pounds of nitrogen per acre maximized

root biomass and favored the allocation of nutrients to roots over shoots (above ground growth). In contrast, for indiangrass and eastern gamagrass, root biomass and root nutrient allocation were adversely affected by nitrogen.

For all four grasses, 196 pounds of nitrogen per acre shifted allocation of nutrients to shoots over roots.

The researchers concluded that identification of crops and management practices that optimize yield, and resource partitioning to roots at low to intermediate nitrogen rates will promote the development of productive and efficient bioenergy systems by furnishing large quantities of high quality, low cost feedstocks. The Iowa State University study was reported in the November-December 2009 issue of the Agronomy Journal, and can be viewed at http://agron.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/101/6/1363

- Jim Morrison, Extension Educator, Crop Systems

URBANA - Record October rainfall plus cool weather has increased risk for mold development in corn, and telephone calls to the University of Illinois have increased with questions from producers on how to best deal with this risk.

Moldy corn reduces bushel weight, corn quality, nutrient content, and increase the risk of mycotoxin formation.

"Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by fungi or molds that grow on grain or feed in the field or in storage. Mycotoxins associated with cool and wet conditions are zearalenone, T-2 toxin, umonisin, and deoxynivalenol, also called DON or vomitoxin," said Mike Hutjens, U of I Extension dairy specialist.

Aflatoxin is another toxin but is associated with hot weather and drought stress conditions, so it has not been a problem this year.

"Signs of mycotoxin in dairy cattle include rumen disorders and reduced microbial digestion, loose fecal discharges, reduced dry matter intake, decline in fertility, hormonal-like changes such as udder development and fertility, and immune suppression where cattle do not respond to disease challenges," Hutjens said.

The following are mycotoxin risk levels for dairy cattle, expressed on a total ration, dry-matter basis.

· DON (vomitoxin); less than 5 to 6 parts per million

· Fumonisin; less than 25 ppm million

· T-2 toxin; less than 100 to 200 parts per billion

· Zearfalenone; less than 300 parts per billion

· Aflatoxin; less than 20 parts per billion

"Dilution of contaminated feed with clean feed can reduce micotoxins to acceptable levels, but be forewarned -- contaminated feed can vary greatly in concentration," Hutjens said.

If you are concerned that mold risks could be a problem, the first recommendation is to test the feed. Tests can be expensive and sampling and feed variation can reduce the usefulness of the results.

"Adding a mycotoxin binder can reduce the impact of toxins by reducing their impact in the digestive tract and/or not absorbed. Binders include yeast cell wall extracts or MOS products and clay binders," Hutjens said.

High moisture corn could increase the risk of addition mold grow until the pH of the fermented corn drops. But drying corn below 15 percent moisture stops further toxin development.

"Adding a grain inoculant to speed up fermentation and stabilize the wet corn is recommended. And steers can tolerate higher levels of problematic feed than young animals and pregnant cattle," Hutjens said.

Removing fines, damaged seeds, and cracked corn kernels can reduce toxin risk. And the reverse is that, if you purchase corn screenings, you can expect higher levels of mycotoxins.

"Also, distillers grain produced from ethanol production can concentrate the level of toxins in the feed," Hutjens said.

Finally, adding propionic acid at the time of ensiling can reduce mold development in wet corn.

- Mike Hutjens, 217-333-2928, hutjensm@illinois.edu

NCR-SARE Announces 2009 Farmer Rancher Grant Call for Proposals

The 2009 North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) Farmer Rancher Grant Call for Proposals is now available online at http://sare.org/ncrsare/cfp.htm.

Farmers and ranchers in the North Central Region are invited to submit grant proposals for projects to explore sustainable agriculture solutions to problems on the farm or ranch. Proposals should show how farmers and ranchers plan to use their own innovative ideas to explore sustainable agriculture options and how they will share project results.

Sustainable agriculture is good for the environment, profitable, and socially responsible.

Projects should emphasize research or education/demonstration. Grants can range from $6,000 for individual farmers up to $18,000 for groups of 3 or more farmers.

NCR-SARE expects to fund about 50 projects in the twelve-state North Central Region with this call.

The deadline for proposals is Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Joan Benjamin, NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Program Coordinator, at jbenjamin2@unl.edu or 402-472-0809 or (800) 529-1342 or Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, Illinois SARE Coordinator, cvnghgrn@illinois.edu. 217-968-5512.

The NCR has funded more than 700 farmer rancher grants worth more than $4,300,000 since the inception of this program.

Information about Illinois projects and other info about the Farmer Rancher Grant program can be found at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/smallfarm/sare

- Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant

News

______________________________________________________________________________________

tom jennings, Director ● pat quinn, Governor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS:

October 28, 2009 Jeff Squibb 217-558-1546

Stacey Solano 217-558-0994

CONSERVATION IS KING

IDOA study finds Illinois farmers are switching from conventional tillage methods to practices that preserve soil and protect the environment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A new study from the Illinois Department of Agriculture indicates the state's farmers increasingly are using tillage practices that protect the environment.

According to the 2009 Illinois Soil Erosion and Crop Tillage Transect Survey, nearly half (49.9 percent) of the state's cropland was farmed with a conservation tillage system this year, the highest percentage since the department began tracking use of crop tillage systems in 1994.

"Conservation tillage is good for the environment because it prevents soil erosion and improves water quality," Agriculture Director Tom Jennings said. "It also is good for farmers because it preserves fertile farmland and ensures our agricultural production is sustainable for generations to come."

In the 16 years since the first survey, the utilization of conservation tillage practices, or production methods that leave at least 30 percent of the prior year's crop residue on the ground after planting, has increased from 32 percent to 49 percent of farm fields. During the same span, there has been a corresponding decrease in the use of conventional tillage methods that leave little residue on the soil surface. In addition, 85 percent of farmland was below "T," which is the amount of soil that be replaced naturally by the decomposition of crop residue.

-more- 1527**09

SURVEY/2222

No-till farming still is the conservation practice of choice among Illinois farmers, primarily due to the large amount of soybeans planted by no-till. However, the survey found a significant increase this year in the use of mulch-till systems.

"The number of no-till acres actually declined, probably because this spring was so wet," Land and Water Resources Specialist Alan Gulso said. "In an attempt to dry-out their saturated fields and get a crop planted, conservation-minded farmers decided they had to till some of their land and opted to switch to mulch-till, which is a minimal tillage system."

The period from April through July this year is the ninth wettest on record. Precipitation, those four months totaled 20.94 inches, or 4.74 inches above average.

The Soil Erosion and Crop Tillage Transect Survey was completed with assistance from Illinois' 98 soil and water conservation districts and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Data was collected last spring and summer from more than 50,000 fields across the state. A summary of the results follows:

	TILLAGE SYSTEMS --- ALL CROPS (percentage of fields surveyed with each system)
Tillage Practice	2009	2006	2004	2002	2001	2000	1999
No-till	29.2%	33.1%	29.2%	30.2%	29.3%	29.1%	25.8%
Mulch-till	20.7%	16.4%	17.2%	15%	17.8%	18.7%	15%
Reduced till	20.9%	19.3%	20.1%	19%	21.2%	21.2%	22%
Conventional	29.2%	31.2%	33.5%	35.8%	31.7%	30.4%	36.4%
Unknown	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	.6%	.8%

-more-

SURVEY/3333

	TILLAGE SYSTEMS --- CORN (percentage of fields surveyed with each system)
Tillage Practice	2009	2006	2004	2002	2001	2000	1999
No-till	13.2%	16.7%	14.9%	16.9%	17.0%	16.4%	13.7%
Mulch-till	19.5%	13.5%	12.0%	10.7%	10.5%	11.5%	8.5%
Reduced till	25%	21.9%	21.9%	19.5%	23.5%	23.2%	21.3%
Conventional	42.3%	47.9%	51.2%	52.9%	49.0%	48.7%	56.2%
Unknown	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	.2%	.3%

	TILLAGE SYSTEMS --- SOYBEANS (percentage of fields surveyed with each system)
Tillage Practice	2009	2006	2004	2002	2001	2000	1999
No-till	48.8%	51.0%	45.6%	43.9%	42.1%	41.7%	38.3%
Mulch-till	22.1%	18.7%	22.1%	18.9%	24.8%	26.0%	21.9%
Reduced till	15.2%	16.5%	17.9%	18.0%	18.9%	19.8%	23.2%
Conventional	13.9%	13.8%	14.4%	19.2%	14.2%	12.4%	16.4%
Unknown	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	.1%	.2%

	TILLAGE SYSTEMS --- SMALL GRAINS (percentage of fields surveyed with each system)
Tillage Practice	2009	2006	2004	2002	2001	2000	1999
No-till	34.5%	35.5%	32.9%	34.0%	32.4%	38.2%	34.9%
Mulch-till	22.5%	25.3%	25.9%	24.3%	27.9%	21.9%	17.5%
Reduced till	26.7%	17.3%	20.5%	25.2%	18.9%	13.2%	16.9%
Conventional	16.3%	21.9%	20.7%	16.5%	20.8%	16.9%	19.2%
Unknown	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	9.8%	11.5%

TILLAGE SYSTEMS:

• Conventional: A full width tillage system that leaves 0-15% residue after planting.
• Reduced Till: A full width tillage system that leaves 16-30% residue after planting.
• Mulch Till: A full width tillage system that leaves greater than 30% residue after planting.

· No-Till: Planting or drilling is accomplished in a narrow seedbed or slot created by coulters, row cleaners, or disc openers. Crop residue greater than 30% remains after planting.

###

- Jeff Squibb and Stacey Solano

During the past several seasons, a number of farmers completed harvest early and then proceeded with the fall application of anhydrous ammonia. In some cases, a nitrogen stabilizer was not used, and application was done before the soil had cooled to the recommended soil temperature of 50 F. Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Extension natural resources educator, reports that a significant amount of fall-applied nitrogen was lost in saturated soils this season through denitrification and leaching through drainage tiles. As a result, many Illinois cornfields exhibited symptoms of nitrogen deficiency by midsummer.

This waste of nitrogen is not only very costly to producers, but is contributing to environmental problems in lakes and rivers throughout Illinois and in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Hypoxia Zone is a "dead zone" near the mouth of the Mississippi River where the dissolved oxygen level is below 2 ppm and most aquatic life is severely limited. During 2009, the Gulf Hypoxia Zone was 3,000 square miles in size, which is larger than the land area of the state of Delaware.

More research is needed, but many hydrologists feel that Midwest agriculture is at least partially to blame for this "dead zone" due to high levels of sediment, nitrogen and phosphate in surface water runoff flowing into the Mississippi River. This summer, new research from the United States Geologic Survey documented that Illinois now has the dubious distinction of being the state which is contributing the greatest amount of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Gulf of Mexico.

With high anhydrous ammonia costs predicted for this fall coupled with increased environmental concern, many farmers have been asking the question "How and when should I apply my nitrogen to maximize yield and minimize loss?"

To enhance nitrogen efficiency and avoid environmental problems, Frazee encourages producers to examine the form of nitrogen being used, when it is applied, how it being applied and use of nitrification inhibitors and to take credit for other nitrogen sources.

If producers still choose to fall-apply their nitrogen, Frazee offers the following recommendations. Producers should wait until the third week of October or until the soil temperature at 4 inches is below 50 F to apply ammonium nitrogen, unless they plan to use a nitrification inhibitor. At 50 F most of the nitrogen won't convert to nitrate or be lost to leaching or denitrification. According to Frazee, fall applications with an inhibitor can be made when soil temperatures are no higher than 60 F.

The Illinois State Water Survey and the Illinois Department of Agriculture are operating an excellent website, which shows on a daily basis, the 4-inch bare soil temperatures across the state at selected Illinois Climate Network sites. Check out www.sws.uiuc.edu/warm/soiltemp.asp. These data are intended to assist Illinois farmers with timing of post-harvest nitrogen (N) fertilizer application and are specifically representative of the actual locations where soil temperature observations are made. Elsewhere, these data should be viewed as a guide to general soil temperatures within a given region and as indicative of current temperature trends progressing across the state. Farmers and applicators should monitor the soil temperature of each field before fall application of N fertilizer.

University of Illinois research suggests that ammonium fertilizers are the best form of nitrogen for fall applications. They give added protection against leaching from heavy rains in the fall and winter if they are applied when temperatures are cool enough to prevent the ammonium from converting to nitrate.

Research throughout the Midwest has shown that when inhibitors were applied in years of

excessive rainfall, increases in corn yield ranged from 10 to 30 bushels per acres. However, when moisture conditions were not as conducive to denitrification or leaching, inhibitors produced no increase.

University of Illinois research shows that the following soils will probably benefit the most from nitrification inhibitors: poorly drained soils, sand and coarse-textured soils and even moderately well-drained soils that undergo frequent periods of three or more days of flooding in the spring.

With agriculture being identified by the Illinois EPA as the major source of surface water pollution, it is essential that farmers take steps to minimize the runoff of sediment, nutrients and pesticides. If farmers do not exert caution with their fall nitrogen applications, Frazee is concerned that state and federal water quality regulations may be enacted which would have an adverse impact on Illinois agriculture.

- Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Extension educator, natural resources management

This year's corn harvest is going to place quite a demand on grain drying systems, both on the farm and at the elevator. It has been years since we have seen the kind of harvest we are likely to be facing this year. I will be the first to admit that I know very little when it comes to improving/increasing the efficiencies of grain drying systems, but I will try and summarize some of what I've read.

There are a number of factors that affect grain drying, including: grain moisture, air flow, temperature (outside, grain and heated air), humidity, type of drying system, etc. However, some factors are going to be the same, regardless of the drying system you have. One of those would be air movement. Generally speaking, the more air you can move, the better conditions you would have for drying. There are certain minimum air flows required based upon grain moistures and temperatures. The lower the heat, the higher you would like the air flow to be. The higher the heat, the quicker and more efficiently you will lower the grain moisture levels.

Following are some grain drying tips taken from Dr. Ken Hellevang, North Dakota State University. The entire paper is located on eXtension at www.extension.org/pages/Postharvest_Tips_for_Later-maturing_Corn.

High Temperature Grain Drying—using the maximum drying temperature that will not damage the corn increases the dryer capacity and can reduce energy consumption. The amount of energy required to remove a pound of moisture is about 20 percent less at a temperature of 200 F versus 150 F. Remember, however, too high of temperatures can lead to increased cracking and lower test weights. Also with higher moisture corn, lengthened drying times with high temps can lead to corn browning and discounts.

In Storage Cooling—using in storage cooling rather than in dryer cooling will boost your capacity. It requires airflow rates of about .20 cfm/bu or 12 cfm/bu-hr of fill rate. Cooling should start immediately when corn is placed in the bin. About 1 percentage point is removed during corn cooling.

Dryeration—dryeration will increase dryer capacity by 50 percent or more, reduce energy by 25 percent and remove about 2 to 2.5 points of moisture (.25 points for each 10 degrees corn is cooled). Place the hot corn from the dryer into a bin, let sit for 4 to 6 hours without airflow, then turn on the fan to cool it. There will be a tremendous amount of condensation, so you must move the corn to a different bin.

Estimating Costs for High Temperature Drying—use the following formula: cost/bu. point= 0.022 x propane cost/gallon. For example, the drying cost is 2.9 cents/ bu. point if the cost of LP is $1.30 (0.022 x $1.30) It will cost about $34 for LP to remove 10 points of moisture from 120 bu of corn using $1.30 propane. The estimated quantity of propane needed to dry is 0.022 gallon per bushel per point of moisture removed. For example, 26 gallons of propane is needed to dry 120 bushels of corn from 25 percent to 15 percent (0.022 x 120 bushel x 10 points).

Test weight will also increase as corn moisture decreases. Normally, test weight increases about 0.25 pound for each point of moisture removed during high temperature grain drying. However, mechanical damage during harvest and gentleness during the drying process can affect test weight. In North Dakota last year, due to mechanical damage involving 25 to 30 percent moisture corn and high drying temperatures, there was sometimes no test weight increase. There will be little to no test weight increase on immature (frost damaged) corn.

Remember also to account for shrink when drying grain. To dry corn to 15.5 percent moisture, the shrink factor is 1.1834. The shrink drying corn 5 points would be 5 x 1.1834= 5.92 percent.

- Mike Roegge, University of Illinois Extension crop systems educator

Most producers know that going into a wet field with equipment will cause soil compaction. However, faced with a later harvest season and high soil moisture in most of the state, many will take compaction as a lesser evil. Soils at field capacity will allow the greatest amount of compaction to occur. If compaction occurs this fall, it will probably still be noticeable during the next growing season. Uneven plant growth, ponded areas in wheel tracks or evidence of stress during dryer times may be seen.

Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension natural resources management educator, says there are still some considerations that will reduce the amount of compaction that may occur.

Whenever possible, restrict traffic to specific tracks or lanes. The first trip through the field creates the greatest amount of compaction. Secondary trips over the same lanes do not significantly increase the amount of compaction in those areas. When unloading the combine, use the combine's previous wheel tracks. Never cross the field diagonally. If you cannot park the semi trucks on the adjoining road, keep them on the headlands.

Research indicates that high surface contact pressure, such as from over-inflated tires, concentrates loads onto smaller areas and compacts soil. Using larger wheels and tires for floatation of a given load allows lower inflation pressures. Although less conclusive, research also suggests that large axle loads (greater than 10,000 to 15,000 pounds) may cause some compaction in subsoil, even if surface pressure is relatively light (e.g., 10 to 15 psi).

Once a soil is compacted, time will be needed to reduce it. Wetting/drying and freezing/thawing will diminish compaction over time but should not be expected to correct problems by the next season. Some research suggests that only well-defined, compacted soil layers deeper than four inches below the soil surface are candidates for loosening, or sub soiling.

- Duane Friend, University of Illinois Extension natural resources management educator