The drought monitor report as of Tuesday, March 4th shows a slight deterioration in conditions. Stafford County and part of Pawnee are sliding back to abnormally dry. The six to ten-day outlook (March 10 to 14) indicates a 70 to 80% chance of likely above normal for temperatures and near normal for precipitation. The eight to 14-day outlook (March 12 to 18) indicates a 33 to 40% chance of leaning above normal for temperatures and a near normal for precipitation.
It’s already March 7th. Spring planting will soon be here. Corn planted first followed by grain sorghum and soybeans. One of the great unknowns is what the precipitation and temperature patterns will be. So aside from determining hybrid/variety maturity and seeding rate, a producer needs to make every effort to conserve and not waste soil moisture. Not only prior to planting but all season long. Here are some ideas to conserve water:
• Start with a weed free seedbed and do everything possible to maintain that all growing season. There are two ways to do this as we are trying to avoid tillage. First up is through herbicides. This should involve herbicides to control weeds prior to planting; a pre-emergence program, and likely a post-emergence program. And with all the resistance issues producers face, several types of modes of action. It isn’t cheap but cost effective over time. It’s difficult, but controlling weeds effectively over a period of years, especially if you can eliminate tillage eventually leads to deceased weed pressure and costs. Second, within the constraints of the crop, soil type and average precipitation, select a plant population and row spacing, along with a planting date to have the crop leaf canopy cover the soil surface as quickly as possible. This achieves two things. The canopy shades out weeds and a good canopy also shades the soil which helps keep it cooler which slows evaporation and provides a better root environment.
• Minimize and, if possible, eliminate tillage. Strip tillage is a good option for many. If tilling, use the least aggressive tillage as early as possible. An undercutter or field cultivator work here. This accomplishes two water conservation goals. It allows for better rainfall infiltration and deeper into the profile. And allowing residue on the soil surface cools the soil and acts as a vapor barrier. Both decrease evaporative loss from the soil profile. And over time, a producer will increase stable organic matter on the soil surface which will increase water holding capacity.
• Plant as early as practical and within the weather to allow the crop to hopefully grow, flower and set seed before the worst of the summer’s heat and water stress. The challenge is that the time of year doesn’t always cooperate. A rule of thumb is that usually it’s better to plant earlier than later most years.
• Finally, fit the maturity level of your crop to average conditions to not waste water on unneeded vegetative growth. You may sacrifice yield in a good weather year but how often has the area had those?
Dr. Victor L. Martin is the agriculture instructor/coordinator for Barton Community College. He can be reached at 620-792-9207, ext. 207, or martinv@bartonccc.edu.
