The recent windstorm that swept across eastern South Dakota left much destruction in its path during a very busy time of year for farmers. If you are seeking resources and ideas for dealing with damage and clean-up please visit the homepage of our website, extension.sdstate.edu, and see the “May Storm Damage” section. Ag-related articles range from dealing with pole barn damage to salvaging grain from damaged storage structures, tetanus in livestock, and more.
Standing small grains and perennials (like alfalfa) may have taken a hit during the storm as crops were laid over and sand-blasting or wind and hail injury may have occurred to the leaves. Keep in mind that often times, young plants will stand up straight again after a day or two, but it will take time to see the full effects of leaf injury.
Sand blasting or wind/hail injury can look different on each plant, but generally speaking, it causes discoloration to the leaf surface in either spots or potentially large portions of the entire leaf. This type of injury can create open wounds on the plant’s leaf surface, allowing pathogens a prime opportunity to enter. There is not a lot of “‘fix” to this issue, as this type of injury typically allows bacterial infections to occur (not to be confused with fungal infections). Bacterial infections are not controlled or prevented with fungicides, but rather are typically left alone in hopes that the plant can withstand the infection.
It is important to properly identify bacterial diseases in order to avoid spending funds on a fungicide that will not control the targeted disease. Bacterial infections generally appear to have water-soaked lesions on the leaf that may appear shiny to the naked eye. Although these infections lack in-season treatment options, there are a few ways to help avoid them from developing in the future. We can’t control Mother Nature, but we can take some preventative measures including:
• Practice crop rotation between row crops and small grains or perennials; three or more crops in a rotation helps to reduce inoculum for bacterial and other pathogens as host crops change.
• Plant pathogen-free certified seed to avoid introducing inoculum to fields; bacteria can survive on the seed.
• Look for cultivars that are tolerant to bacterial infections.
• Avoid injury to young leaves when possible.
While things might be a little crazy right now for many farmers, try not to forget about your stored grain this spring. As temperatures warm up, so does the bin. We want to keep bins as cool as we can as long as possible. Dry grain should be kept at or below 40°F as long as possible. As summer temps hit, the goal is to keep bins at 60°F or below to limit insect activity and mold growth.
Here are a few tips to help keep your stored grain in condition if you plan to store it into the summer:
• Cover bin aeration fans when not in use. Fans essentially go through the “chimney effect” where wind moves wet, warm air into the fan, and it travels upward, affecting the grain inside.
• Provide an inlet for air near the roof eave and outlet exhaust near the roof peak to allow warm air to exit the bin (much like the principles of an attic). Several vents at the same elevation can still allow heat to remain at the top of the bin without exhaust at the peak or roof exhaust fans.
• Add a temperature sensor near the south wall of the bin to collect readings, or be sure to take some grain samples from this area, which is likely the warmest part of the bin.
• Periodically run bin fans throughout the spring to help keep grain cool and slow warm-up.
• During summer months, choose cool mornings every two-to-three weeks to run the aeration fan to keep grain cool and push cool air up through warm grain near the top of the bin.
• Run the fan only long enough to cool the grain at the top of the bin; this may mean running fans for a couple hours on more than one cool, dry morning. Running fans more than necessary could result in grain warming near the bottom of the bin.
• Unload some grain. By unloading grain in bins with center sumps, warm grain from the top of the bin is unloaded first, leaving a funnel shape in the center of the stored grain. This can help to reduce grain temperature near the top of the bin and eliminate cone-shaped peaks (which lead to excess grain warming).
• Check your bin airflow rates. Visit the University of Minnesota Extension’s “online fan selection tool” for more information on fan selection (bbefans.cfans.umn.edu).
Best wishes for a safe and productive planting.
