Loss of nitrogen (N) as ammonia gas (NH3) is known as volatilization. While volatilization directly from soil can occur, such loss is generally relatively small compared to the amount that can be lost from fertilizers. Volatilization losses can be significant with granular urea and urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) sources, but the amount of loss varies greatly depending on placement of the fertilizer, soil pH, soil texture, and climatic conditions after application.

Liquid nitrogen fertilizers have typically been surface applied. This method of application places the fertilizer where the urea nitrogen component of the solution is susceptible to volatilization losses.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), or scab, continues to impact small grain crops grown in Virginia. Caused primarily by the fungus Fusarium graminearum (also known as Gibberella zeae), this disease can negatively impact yield and grain quality.

Germination of wheat within the grain head before harvest is called pre-harvest sprouting (PHS).

Most Virginia soils are acidic and require lime applications at three- to five-year intervals. Maintaining the correct soil pH has several benefits, such as encouraging healthy root development and making sure nutrients in the soil are available to the plant. For example, low pH can cause aluminum toxicity and can decrease phosphorus availability.

The demonstration and research plot results discussed in this publication are a cooperative effort by six Virginia Cooperative Extension agents, extension specialists from Virginia Tech, and an assistant professor at the Virginia State University School of Agriculture. We are proud to present this year’s on farm small grain plot work to you. We hope the information in this publication will help farmers produce a profitable crop in 2015.

The research and demonstration plots discussed in this publication are a cooperative effort by nine Virginia Cooperative Extension employees, a faculty member at Virginia State University, numerous producers, and many members of the agribusiness community. The field work and printing of this publication are mainly supported by the Virginia Corn Check-Off Fund through the Virginia Corn Board. Anyone who would like a copy should contact their local extension agent, who can request a copy from the Essex County Extension office.

The general purpose of a cover crop is to improve the soil, the broader environment, or other crops in rotation, not for direct harvest. Cover crops, depending on which are selected, are capable of providing many diverse assets. This publication provides a short description of these main benefits.

Cover crops increase soil organic matter, reduce erosion, suppress weeds, forage for nutrients, and reduce fertilizer costs (Clark, 2007). Cover crop species vary greatly and provide varied benefits. Performance evaluation of cover crop species and mixtures is needed in Virginia.

Early summer often means locally heavy and sporadic rainfall as thunderstorms deliver intense rains, and 2015 appears to be no different with many areas in eastern Virginia receiving 3+ inches of rain in a few days (Figure 1). These storms also often coincide with the timing of sidedress nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) applications on corn. While some rainfall after sidedress is very beneficial to facilitate N movement into soil, heavy rain (2+ inches) often leaves us wondering how much, if any, of that recently-applied N remains and if additional N is needed.

The mature and dried stem, leaves, and chaff remaining after barley and wheat are harvested is known as straw. Many farmers around Virginia harvest straw by baling in small bales, large round bales, or large square bales that range in weight from 40 to 1,000 lbs. plus per bale.

A forage production trial of commercial barley, oats, rye, triticale, and wheat cultivars has been conducted yearly from 1994-2015 at the Northern Piedmont AREC, Orange. Results from the 2014-15 crop season are presented in this report.

This report contains the results for performance trials from commercial corn hybrids produced for silage at four locations in Virginia in 2015 as well as two and three year average performance, when available. In order to avoid problems with comparisons over sites and years, multi-year yields are presented as a percentage of the total called relative yield at that particular site-year combination. All locations were planted with a Wintersteiger PlotKing 2600 planter and harvested with commercial silage equipment. Yields are presented on a dry matter and 35% dry matter basis for comparison. Quality analysis was performed using a Foss NIR XDS Rapid Content Analyzer. All hybrids entered in the Virginia trials were submitted for testing by commercial companies. The locations at which particular hybrids were entered were specified by the company. Companies entering hybrids were charged a fee for each hybrid per location to support the Virginia Corn Silage Performance Trials.

Performance trials of commercial corn hybrids were conducted at six locations in Virginia in 2015. The Mt. Holly location consisted of both an irrigated and non-irrigated test. All locations were planted with a Wintersteiger PlotKing 2600. All locations were harvested with a Massey-Ferguson 8XP plot combine. Yields have been adjusted to 15.5% moisture. Grain test weight, moisture, and plot grain weights were measured with a GrainGauge® manufactured by HarvestMaster. A list of the companies participating in the trials is shown in the above table. All hybrids entered in the Virginia trials were those submitted by commercial companies. The locations at which particular hybrids were entered were specified by the company. Companies entering hybrids were charged a fee for each hybrid per location to support the Virginia Corn Hybrid and Management Trials.

There is much emphasis placed on the importance of stand uniformity and emergence in producing high yielding corn. Stand uniformity refers to spacing while uniformity of emergence refers to how even emergence is within the field.

A forage production trial of commercial barley, oats, rye, triticale, and wheat cultivars has been conducted yearly from 1994-2016 at the Northern Piedmont AREC, Orange. Results from the 2015-16 crop season are presented in this report.

Many of the corn fields on the Eastern Shore and in Eastern Virginia are “yellow” and stunted due to the weather this Spring (Figs. 1 and 2) and is similar to conditions that Virginia farmers experienced in Spring 2010. There are many reasons for the corn to be yellow that range from nutrient deficiencies to abiotic factors.

This report contains the results for performance trials from commercial corn hybrids produced for silage at four locations in Virginia in 2016 as well as two and three year average performance, when available. In order to avoid problems with comparisons over sites and years, multi-year yields are presented as a percentage of the total called relative yield at that particular site-year combination. All locations were planted with a Wintersteiger PlotKing 2600 planter and harvested with commercial silage equipment. Yields are presented on a dry matter and 35% dry matter basis for comparison. Quality analysis was performed using a Foss NIR XDS Rapid Content Analyzer. All hybrids entered in the Virginia trials were submitted for testing by commercial companies. The locations at which particular hybrids were entered were specified by the company. Companies entering hybrids were charged a fee for each hybrid per location to support the Virginia Corn Silage Performance Trials.

Performance trials of commercial corn hybrids were conducted at six locations in Virginia in 2016. The Mt. Holly location consisted of both an irrigated and non-irrigated test. All locations were planted with a Wintersteiger PlotKing 2600. All locations were harvested with a Massey-Ferguson 8XP plot combine. Yields have been adjusted to 15.5% moisture. Grain test weight, moisture, and plot grain weights were measured with a GrainGauge® manufactured by HarvestMaster. A list of companies participating in the trials is provided before the table of contents. All hybrids entered in the Virginia trials are those submitted by commercial companies. The locations at which particular hybrids were entered were specified by the company. Companies entering hybrids were charged a fee for each hybrid per location to support the Virginia Corn Hybrid and Management Trials.

There has recently been increased interest in the use of crop residues for different industrial uses in the US and the world. Corn residue is frequently cited as the most likely candidate for alternate industrial uses because of the large area of production and the relatively large amount of residue produced per acre. Among the potential alternate uses for corn stover, biofuel production has received the greatest attention.

According to Meteorologist Scott Minnick with the NOAA-National Weather Service in Wakefield, VA, May 2017 is “yet another wet and cloudy May for the record books. With the rain on [May 31, 2017], Norfolk moved up to the 3rd wettest May on record.” The 2017 growing year is almost identical to last year (the wettest May on record for Norfolk, VA), with a dry March and April leading into a record breaking cool and wet May as corn tries to establish roots. Young corn largely depends on residual and starter fertilizer prior to sidedress applications and these fractions can be impacted greatly with excessive rain.

A forage production trial of commercial barley, oats, rye, triticale, and wheat cultivars has been conducted yearly from 1994-2017 at the Northern Piedmont AREC, Orange. Results from the 2016-17 crop season are presented in this report.

Variable-rate applications (VRA) of nitrogen (N) fertilizers are a new option to assist producers with real-time fertilizer rate decisions. Two commercially available systems that allow variable-rate nitrogen applications are GreenSeeker (Trimble Navigation Limited; www. ntechindustries.com/greenseeker-home.html) and the OptRx Crop Sensor (Ag Leader Technology; www. agleader.com/products/directcommand/optrx/). A discussion of the science behind these systems, potential economic benefits, and other methodologies to make VRA is discussed in Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 442-505, “Precision Farming Tools: Variable- Rate Application” (Grisso et al. 2011).

The 2015 grain sorghum OVT tests contained 21 hybrids planted as a full season crop and 22 as double crop. Full season tests were conducted at three locations, the Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center (TAREC) in Suffolk, VA, the Eastern Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center (EVAREC) in Warsaw, VA, and in a farmer field near Windsor, VA, in Isle of Wight County. The double crop sorghum trials were conducted at three locations, the TAREC, in a farmer field near Windsor, VA, in Isle of Wight County, and in a farmer field near Locust Grove, VA, in Orange County.