1 Texas Liquid Fertilizer Sorghum 2007

2 TLF Commitment to you Increase yields Lower Costs Help solve those production problems that limit profitability

3 TLF Commitment to You: Sorghum Field Inspections: – over 1,000 in three years Plant Analysis: – 101 in 2006 Weather Stations; – located in El Campo, Dayton, Holland DSS Acres – 25,109 in three years

4 Sorghum in the Texas Upper Coast Year USDA Yield Upper Coast #/Acre TLF DSS Yield # /Acre 20033,0633, ,9034, ,5985, ,2624,794 At $5.25 per cwt, per acre increase in 2006 means $28 more per acre

5 TLF DSS Results in 2006 Yields ranged from 2,576 lbs. to 7,620 lbs. /acre Highest yields came from planting between 2/28 and 3/1 (earliest in three years) Potassium and zinc were most limiting

6 Climate Data for Four Years El Campo, TX rain (inches) Jan Feb March April May June July Totals

7 July 2006 Produces 10.9” Rain Avg. Yield Harvested Here 5,614 # 3,752 #

8 Climate Data for Four Years April 2006 was warmer than usual; 2006 was warmest year El Campo TX GDU March April May June Total2,7482,7262,6182,951

9 Early-Season Weather is Variable Optimum PD for 2006 (5,264 #) Avg. yield for 2006 = 3,620 #

10 Crop Summary Yields were slightly lower than was the warmest of the past four years In 2006, El Campo received 30.8 inches of rain during the sorghum growing season The optimum planting date came earlier than the previous four years Harvest delays caused yield losses with too much rain The DSS data base from 2006 included 128 fields consisting of 8,698 acres.

11 Sorghum Recommendations for 2007 Fertility Hybrid Selection Seed Treatments Planting Dates Seeding Rates Tillage Row Direction

12 Sorghum Fertility Nitrogen Phosphorous Potassium Sulfur Zinc

13 Sorghum Fertility 2006 Summary These results compare the high-yield group (5,700 lbs. /acre compared to the lower yield group (4,200 lbs. /acre)

14 Sorghum Fertility 2006 Summary Potassium levels were low in both yield groups Zinc was much lower in lower yield group Nitrogen, calcium and sulfur trended higher in higher yield group

15 Sorghum Fertility 2006 Summary This chart compares the individual plant tissue sample results from fields where the yields and practices were known.

16 Sorghum Fertility 2006 Summary Potassium and zinc tested higher in the highest yields Potassium prevents lodging, promotes plant health, lowers aluminum toxicity from low pH soils Zinc quickens dry-down and helps with pollination Zn/Cu Balance: the sorghum plant tissue samples were very high in copper.

17 Wheat Fertility – N Amounts DSS, 2006 Highest yields in 2006 came from fields receiving 140 to 160 lbs. /acre N

18 Impact of N by Hybrid

19 Sorghum Fertility – P Amounts DSS, 2006 Highest yields in 2006 came from fields receiving 31 to 40 lbs. /acre P

20 Sorghum Fertility – K Amounts Potassium effects on grain sorghum stalk strength and yield. Southeast Kansas K 2 O rate per acreAllen County, KSCherokee County, KS LodgingYield per acre Stalk deterioration Yield per acre 0 pounds88%5,32022%2, pounds71%5,88020%3, pounds45%6,04826%4, pounds16%5,99216%4, pounds2%5,9364%4,648 One pound potash in a band is equal to four lbs. broadcast Better Crops with Plant Food. Number , pp

21 Sorghum Fertility- Sulfur Sulfur is critical: – For the plant to utilize nitrogen 5 to 10 lbs. /acre of sulfur increased yields by 1,327 lbs. /A in DSS data.

22 Zinc on Sorghum Results from DSS in 2006 Hybrid: Golden Acres 737 Zinc quickens dry-down and helps with pollination Zn: Cu Balance – Plant roots absorb Zn and Cu by the same mechanism. – This can cause interference in the uptake – Copper levels in the plant tissue are all very high

23 Functions Of Zinc An essential component in many enzymes. Linked to the growth hormone auxin - low auxin levels cause stunting of leaves and shoots. Plays an important role in the formation and activity of chlorophyll. Involved in protein synthesis. Important for carbohydrate metabolism. Zinc plays a major role in the absorption of moisture (plants with adequate zinc nutrition have enhanced drought-handling capacity).

24 Fertility Program for Sorghum Apply: lbs. /A Nitrogen 40 lbs. /A Phosphate lbs. /A Potash 5 to 10 lbs. /A sulfur 2.5 to 5 lbs. /A of zinc

25 Sorghum Cultural Practices Hybrid Selection Seed Treatments Planting Dates Seeding Rates Tillage Row Direction

26 Hybrid Selection Hybrid 2006 Lbs. /A 2005 Lbs. /AAvg. DKS ,014 5,992 6,003 DKS ,118 6,177 5,648 Golden Acres 737 5,342 Asgrow 570 4,306 5,980 5,143 Pioneer 82G63 5,023 Asgrow 571 3,590 4,598 4,094

27 Seed Treatments on Sorghum Results from DSS in 2006 Hybrid: Golden Acres 737 Poncho 250 produced 1,087 more lbs. /acre than Gaucho in 2006

28 Sorghum Planting Dates year Optimum PD3/11-3/123/25-3/312/28-3/1 5 day GDU (50) Since 2004, the best time (highest yields) to plant sorghum was when the 2-inch soil depth forecast accumulated 78 GDU (base 50) or higher in the next five day period including the day of planting.

29 Early-Season Weather is Variable Optimum PD for 2006 (5,264 #) Avg. yield for 2006 = 3,620 #

30 Sorghum Seeding Rates* Depends on average annual rainfall Depends on seed size Depends on seed loss * Kansas State Univ.

31 Sorghum Seeding Rates* Avg. Annual Rainfall (inch) 26-32>32irrigated final stand 45,000 70, ,000 seeding rates (35% loss) 69, , ,846 lbs/acre (16,000 seed per lb.) * Kansas State Univ.

32 Tillage Each cultivation will cause the soil to lose about ½ inch of soil moisture; The DKS was planted on 49% of DSS 2006 fields

33 Row Direction Since 2004, there has been an average increase of 105 lbs. /A by planting West to East

34 Summary of Sorghum Practices DKS and DKS gave the highest average yields from 2005 and 2006 results Treat seed with Poncho 250 Plant as soon as the soil temperature forecast reaches 78 GDU (base50) in the next five days Seed according to the soil moisture capacity of the field Use as little tillage as possible Planting east to west gave slightly better yields

35 TLF Commitment to you Increase yields Lower Costs Help solve those production problems that limit profitability