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Alfalfa Scissor-Cut Harvest Alert May 18, 2023

By Tyler Rice

UMN Extension Educator for Stearns, Benton, and Morrison Counties

With warmer temperatures and adequate precipitation, the alfalfa crop in Central Minnesota is growing rapidly. This also means that the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Project is well underway. The goal of this project is to alert alfalfa growers to start first crop harvest when the crop is at a level of quality that matches animal nutrition goals while maximizing yield potential.

The alfalfa scissor-cut alert program is not a prescription for any particular harvest date but can be a go-to decision tool for those alfalfa producers that are busy managing other crops in the rotation during one of the busiest seasons on the farm. Extension educators, farmer-cooperators and cooperating agribusinesses work together to begin collecting alfalfa scissor-cut samples mid-may until harvest.

Attached below is the scissor cut progress report beginning the week of May 14th:

You can also find up to date information on the project at this link:

      z.umn.edu/AlfalfaHarvestAlert

 
Source : umn.edu

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Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.