This tip was provided by:
Calvin Trostle, Extension Agronomy, Lubbock, 806-746-6101, ctrostle@ag.tamu.edu
Statewide
Wrapping up Grain Sorghum Crop In-Season Management Decisions for 2016
Grain sorghum across Texas ranges from harvested several months ago in South Texas to pre-bloom in the lower Texas High Plains. The further northwest in Texas the more likely there are still significant management decisions remaining in the cropping season. Here are three remaining in-season management issues for finishing the Texas grain sorghum crop:
- Sugarcane aphid. Activity in the High Plains is mixed as some fields have hit thresholds with significant potential damage whereas other fields seem to have a prolonged duration of low levels of SCA that have not taken off. Recent rains and cooler temperatures may be slowing SCA development, but as noted in earlier Sorghum Tips, this is no time to be complacent. Remember, all grain sorghum hybrids are susceptible to SCA at some level. To review recent SCA information from Texas A&M AgriLife, re-visit the information and web links in the May 25, 2016 Sorghum Tip by entomologist Dr. Ed Bynum, see http://texassorghum.org/avoiding-complacency-about-sugarcane-aphid.html
- Irrigation termination. With recent rains over most of the Texas High Plains irrigation needs to make yield goals have lessened, and later maturing dryland sorghum is in better shape provided N fertility is available to make yield. Typically irrigation termination occurs by early soft dough if some soil moisture remains. For a brief review of late-season grain sorghum irrigation see the Sorghum Tip from August, 2012, at http://texassorghum.org/irrigation-termination-for-high-plains-grain-sorghum.html
- Harvest aids. We reviewed information for grain sorghum harvest aids in September 2015. Evaluate cost of treatment and your yield potential and apply your assessment of A) lodging potential, and B) your ability to harvest in timely fashion rather than letting the crop sit for a long time in the field if you get busy with corn harvest, wheat planting, and cotton harvest. See the prior information at http://texassorghum.org/harvest-aids-in-grain-sorghum-a-review.html
Bushland/Amarillo Forage Sorghum Field Day, September 8
Dr. Jourdan Bell, extension agronomist, Amarillo, will showcase the Texas A&M AgriLife forage sorghum hybrid research trials near Bushland on September 8, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. The tour will convene at the plots north of Bushland, plots north of Bushland at the intersection of Jim Line and Blessen Roads (35.205836, -102.041460). This trial of commercial hybrids is among the largest of any kind in Texas—101 hybrids in 2016—and provides excellent multi-year data. For further information contact the Amarillo AgriLife Center at (806) 677-5600, or e-mail Dr. Bell, jourdan.bell@ag.tamu.edu
