Chet Chaney says 2021 has been a year of ups and downs for Arkansas producers. While many growers are seeing record yields this harvest, state averages will most likely be down overall. That’s mainly due to uncooperative weather, particularly a once in a century rain event that destroyed thousands of acres of crops at a critical point in the growing season. The heavy flooding was followed by a drought that only added insult to injury for many growers. 

“Crops planted between about April 24 – May 2 were the hardest hit,” said Chaney, a technical agronomist with Dekalb/Asgrow. “Those heavy rains seemed to hit at a really critical time for those plantings and then the weather turned off hot and dry. We saw corn rolling up and looking droughty despite all the rainfall we had received.” 

It was most definitely an unusual year. In addition to the June floods, Arkansas growers saw another spring of unfavorable planting conditions, heavy insect pressure, a massive outbreak of Southern Rust in corn, and aggravation caused by inflated fuel and fertilizer costs, as well as delays in receiving parts and inputs. As Chaney looks back on 2021, he says growers can learn from what worked and what didn’t as they prepare for 2022. 

Lock down planting decisions 

After a wet growing season and late harvest, some growers may be buying seed for next year later than usual. And in the South, it’s never unusual for some growers to be unsure of their crop mix as late as Valentine’s Day. Chaney said he doesn’t anticipate any wild problems with seed supply but says it’s always good to get with a reliable retailer as soon as possible. Even if growers are unsure of crop mix for the following year, Chaney suggests getting some seed booked based on historical acreages. 

“This is a good time for seed orders,” Chaney said. “It’s important to lock down those better products. It’s not so much a supply chain issue — we always try to have a good supply — but a lot of the hot ones can get away from us.”  

Chaney adds that he is very confident in the performance of Dekalb’s top 10 corn hybrids for the Midsouth, but he cautions growers as they make their seed selection to not rely too heavily on one variety or maturity group. 

“I’ll often hear from growers who say a certain hybrid was good last year, ‘but this year it was my very best.’ The reason is we see different environments in different years, so it’s always important to spread out your risk,” Chaney said.  

Fall fertilizer and field work 

With fertilizer prices at their highest in years, many producers may be looking to save where they can when it comes to N, P and K applications. Reducing fall and winter applications can help, but Chaney cautions against going too low. 

“I’m not big on putting too much nitrogen out there early. Fifty to 100 lbs/a is fine. For one, you may not get to plant corn and have to switch to soybeans, then you’ve just wasted your money. Also, what does it do here in March and April? It pours rain. The more nitrogen you have out there early the more chance you have to lose it,” he said. 

“But you do not want zero nitrogen,” he added, “because some years you just can’t get back in the field soon enough. You don’t want to see V7 corn with high-yield potential that’s yellow and hurting and hungry. That’s costing us a lot of bushels. So, I want something out there.” 

“I’ve also seen research that we’re losing some of our P and K work in the fall, but you have to remember, when we harvest these good yields, like 250+ bu/a of corn or 100+ bu/a of soybeans, we’re hauling a lot of P and K to the dryer, and it’s got to be replaced.” 

Soil testing is the best way to know the exact nutrient levels in your fields and what you need for next year. Precision agriculture platforms such as Climate FieldView can also assist growers as they map nutrient needs across fields. 

Even with a later harvest, Chaney hopes producers prioritize fall field work. 

“Firm seed beds make a big difference for corn (as well as soybeans and cotton). Even if we have to re-hip in the spring, I’ve got a firm bed to start with,” Chaney said. 

“Our guys are not just farmers, but civil engineers,” Chaney said. “They’re moving water on and off a field from February through harvest. This year was a reminder just how important drainage is. Any work we can get done in the fall, bedding up ground and getting a nice firm bed before spring is huge.” 

Proper planting timing 

As Chaney looks ahead to next season, he’s just hopeful spring weather gets back to “normal.” 

“The last three years have been really tough,” Chaney said as he recalled the recent trend of cool, rainy springs. “It would be nice to have weather conditions like 2012 again where we had most of the crop planted in March, but as far as things we can control, we need to make sure that ground is dry enough before planting, and be sure to watch out for sidewall compaction on the soil.”  

“Our hybrids have no idea what day it is on the calendar, but they do have a pretty good thermometer, so watch that 3 – 5-day forecast. We can plant corn later than most growers think,” Chaney said. 

“If you just can’t stand it and have to get out there and plant something, soybeans can take colder temperatures a little better than corn,” Chaney added. “Chilling injury is real on both, let’s not get carried away, but we don’t see as great of a yield drop off in soybeans as with corn.” 

“A lot of corn yield is determined the day the planter leaves the field.”