In this issue: Up coming production meetings, Corn Short Course, Drought monitor, Farmer of the Year, winter annuals, and peanut questions.
The Vegetable and Pecan Production updates are scheduled for this week. If you are interested in attending, please rsvp using the qr code or call the office.
The 2025 UGA Corn Short Course will be held on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at the UGA Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. Early registration is $10, and registration at the door is $15. To register, use the QR Code on the flyer below or this link.
The updated drought monitor is below. Seventy-one percent of Colquitt County is considered abnormally dry this past week. On January 1, 5% of Colquitt County was abnormally dry. These characteristics are shown in the table below.
2025 Farmer of the Year! Kent Hamilton of Southern Valley Farms, was recognized as 2025 Georgia Farmer of the Year at the Georgia Ag Forecast on January 24, 2025 and this past week at the Georgia Agribusiness Council Legislative Breakfast. We also had a chance take a picture with Governor Kemp. Pam Hamilton, Representative Chas Cannon, Jody Redding, and Senator Sam Watson were also in attendance. In October, Kent will represent Colquitt County and compete against other Southeast Farmer of the Year recipients for the Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award.
Is it time to fertilize my winter annuals? My answer would be yes. If your winter annual forages consist of rye, wheat, or oats then apply about 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre during the growing season. The forages can use nitrogen more efficiently when it is applied multiple times. It is recommended to apply 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre at planting and another 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre in late winter before spring growth begins. If ryegrass is in the mixture, then consider another 50 pounds of nitrogen in the early spring for a total of 150 pounds of nitrogen. Ryegrass has a longer grazing season when compared to other winter annual forage grasses so a spring application of nitrogen will help extend the grazing period.
Is it time to apply my pre-emerge herbicide for my hayfields? Crabgrass begins to germinate in early spring when soil temperatures reach approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Because the lifecycle of summer annual weeds is predictable, growers can change management programs to reduce crabgrass establishment in spring. The graph below shows that 2-inch soil temperatures have ranged from upper 50’s to lower 60’s for the period of February 1-7, 2025. Source: UGA Weather Network, Sunbelt Expo.
How do I manage peanut root knot nematode? According to Dr. Bob Kemerait, losses to nematodes, both the peanut root-knot nematode and lesion nematodes, occur across the state. Growers should recognize that important management options for the root-knot nematode include crop rotation, resistant varieties (example TifNV-HiOL, Georgia-14N, TifNV-HG, and Georgia-22MPR), and use of nematicides as a pre-plant fumigant (Telone II) or at planting (example Velum, Vydate-CLV, or AgLogic 15G). A later application of Propulse to reduce damage to the pods and pegs does not replace management decisions made before the furrow is closed. Propulse and Vydate- CLV are labeled for application later in the season.
Do I need a peanut inoculant this year? According to the UGA Peanut Production Guide “Research in Georgia has shown a tendency for yields to be slightly higher (up to 200 lb/A) when commercially prepared inoculants are used in standard rotations, and significantly larger (as much as 1,500 lb/A) yield improvements when peanuts have never been grown in a field. Evaluate the responses to inoculation and compare the cost of the material and application with potential returns when deciding whether to inoculate peanuts that is planted in a field that grow peanut within the last five years. Also consider weather extremes that may have influenced Bradyrhizobia survival since the last time peanut was grown.”
Tighter peanut rotations have been concerning for peanut growers. According to Dr. Scott Tubbs, UGA Cropping Systems agronomist, a minimum 3-year rotation (2 summer crops between) is needed to maintain maximum yield and reduce pest incidence. Below is a table showing research crop rotation experiments from 2013 and 2014 from Dr. Tubbs. It shows the effects of continuous, 2-, 3-, or 4-year peanut rotation on peanut yields.
What do I do about CA on my peanuts this year? This has been a question asked by numerous growers over the last couple of weeks. Below are a few comments from Glenn Harris, retired UGA fertility specialist. First, UGA Extension recommends using gypsum when you take a pegging zone soil sample (4 inches deep) soon after peanut emergence and when the results say you have either 1) less than 500 lb Ca/a or 2) a Ca:K ratio of less than 3:1. If either of these criteria are not met then we recommend applying 1000 lb/a gypsum m at early bloom (approximately 30-45 days after planting). All peanuts to be saved for seed get 1000 lb/a gypsum automatically since calcium levels in the nut are critical to good seed germination.
Can I use lime instead of gypsum? Yes, but lime needs to be applied before planting since the calcium in lime is not as soluble as the calcium in gypsum. Timing is important. Also, if you do not need to do a deep turn before applying lime so you don’t bury it. So, placement is important. The calcium needs to be in the “pegging zone” (top 4 inches). And technically, lime should only be used when you either need a pH adjustment (below 6.0) or start around 6.0 so the lime will not raise the soil pH too high.
What about “liquid lime” ? There is a product currently available called “Topflow” that has been field tested at a 12 gal per acre rate, surface applied at planting. This may not provide as much calcium to the pegging zone as 1000 pound per acre of gypsum and won’t raise the soil test calcium as much but can be considered an alternative if you cannot get gypsum. Even though it is a liquid, it is still lime so it needs to be applied before or at planting.
What about other “Liquid Calcium’s” ? Well, it depends on which “liquid calcium: you are talking about. For example, recent research has been conducted showing 10 gallons per acre of calcium chloride (or 20 gallons of calcium thiosulfate) through the pivot during peak pod fill (around 75 days after planting) can have some benefit. Again, this is not as good as a prompt gypsum application but can be viewed as an ‘emergency” or “insurance” application. The calcium in both products is basically 100 % soluble and therefore can be applied during peak pod fill. Also, calcium chloride should be the more affordable option but check on price and availability.
Can I base my gypsum or calcium needs on a Fall soil sample? You can, and this is better than nothing, but it is still better to base your calcium needs on a pegging zone sample. Soil samples taken in the Fall were likely taken at a deeper than the pegging zone. Also, calcium can leach out of the pegging zone between a Fall sample and early bloom and give you a false sense of security. Finally, if you take a fall soil sample and then deep turn before planting peanuts you can very possibly turn up soil into the pegging zone that is low in calcium.
I had a few questions this past week about Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV). CLRDV was of renewed importance in 2024 on cotton production in Georgia, especially as it produced “bronze wilt like” symptoms. According to the UGA Cotton Production guide, our recommendations are to grow cotton as we have been successful in the past and to avoid late-plantings where possible in 2025. Early-season symptoms of CLRDV have been more pronounced in DG 3615 B3XF, DG 3799 B3XF, DG H959 B3XF, NG 5430 B3XF, and PHY 475 W3FE than in other varieties. Significant yield reductions were seen in 2024; however, when the incidence of disease in a field is low, the impact on yield is likely small. The charts below show the 2024 Colquitt County Dryland and Irrigated sites from the UGA On-Farm Cotton Variety program. The varieties with no CLRDV are highlighted with green columns and the varieties affected with the virus are highlighted with the red columns. The dryland location was planted on May 31, 2024, and harvested on November 12, 2024. The irrigated location was planted on June 7, 2024, and harvested on November 18, 2024. These locations had challenges from weather and virus induced bronze wilt. Special thanks to the on-farm cooperators, cotton gins and industry for the support of this project.
Below is a drone picture of the dryland site a few days before harvest. It is not hard to pick out the symptomatic and non-symptomatic plots in the test.
Have a great week,
Jeremy M. Kichler
Colquitt County Extension Coordinator
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension does not endorse or guarantee the performance any products mentioned in this update.