Hot News

8.26.2008

By Jane W. Graham
AFP Correspondent

The Virginia Grain Producers Association (VGPA) and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) have both applauded the state’s top wheat producers for their accomplishments this season.
VGPA reported that Chuck McGee of Grainfield Farms in King William County was the top producer. He had a 131.70 bushels per acre yield using USG 3665 seed.
Donald and Jamie Turner of Turner Family Farms in Dinwiddie County had the second highest yield with 130.05 bushels per acre using Southern States 560 seed.
Ronnie Russell from Corbin Hall Farm in Middlesex County had the third with 111.07 bushels per acre using Pioneer 26R15 seed.
The trio cited good weather and good basic farming practices as factors in their success during telephone interviews.
“This year’s crops was excellent,” Molly Pugh, executive director of VGPA, said in a news release. “However, some of our growers produced outstanding results in a-no-till environment.”
All three top growers used the no-till method. VGPA said innovative seed varieties, production techniques and improved conservation techniques helped Virginia wheat growers achieve top numbers in the VGPPA and Virginia Cooperative Extension Small Grain Yield Contest.
“We believe this contest proves Virginia’s ability to grow exceptional crops in an environmentally friendly way,” Pugh said.
CBF congratulated the state’s top wheat farmers for producing record yields while using conservation practices critical to restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay and Virginia’s rivers and streams.
Ann F. Jennings, CBF Virginia executive director, praised the wheat farmers for leadership in both production and using conservation practices that assist the state in meeting its goal to improve the water quality in the bay and its tributaries.
VGPA and VCE reported that all three winners achieved their record-breaking yields using nutrient management plans and continuous no-till practices.
McGee, the top producer, said his approach was pretty straight forward. He followed with no-till wheat behind full season soybeans and fertilized according to soil tests. The tests, he said, showed he needed to apply only nitrogen. He did this in three separate applications.
The first was around Thanksgiving. He applied 50 pounds per acre with the herbicide Finesse and the pesticide Karate for fall aphids. In early February, McGee applied 40 pounds per acre of nitrogen.
At the growth stage 30, he reported applying 50-pounds of nitrogen per acre with four ounces of Headline and another application of Karate. At flag leaf stage, he applied six ounces of Quadris because he saw the leaf diseases septoria and powdery mildew were present. He said the rain come just in time, but the key was the cool May weather and the extra application of fungicide to protect the plants.
Turner said good weather helped him. He said he planted by population and did split applications of fertilizer. He used a fungicide to control powdery mildew, noting that he saw enough of the fungus to justify the cost of treatment.
Turner expressed gratitude to his Extension agent, Mike Parrish, and to retired Virginia Tech small grains specialist Dan Brann for their support. He said Brann taught him how to grow good wheat.
“The Good Lord took care of most of that this year,” Russell replied when asked how he achieved his yield. He said timely rains and a fairly disease-free crop helped.
He cited his no-till practices over the past 10 to 15 years, split applications of nitrogen and application of foliar fungicide and spraying insecticide in the fall for aphids as factors in his success.