So it's been a little slow in the action department this week. Now don't think we're just hanging around playing cards. All us researcher types have been busy with research reports, equipment upgrades and other important stuff. But I thought I would have a little mid-winter crops test. (Well if you could call this winter. It's been mostly snow-free so far here.) I was looking at some pictures today and came across the one below taken last August 24. It was of a field of Navy beans on Farm 7 where the West half was nice and green and the East half was yellow. Now it is normal for Navy bean leaves to turn yellow as they reach maturity. But not this early. What could it be??? Different planting dates? Different varieties? Aliens?
Well what it is, is herbicide carryover. You see, the West half was sugarbeets the previous year, and the East half was corn that was sprayed with.....Lumax herbicide. You see, Lumax has an 18 month rotation restriction for Navy Beans. Lumax is a great product that we have used for years at the NCRS. But we wanted to test the rotation restriction. (Do you believe that?) The West side yielded 23.1 cwt/A and the East yielded 15.9 cwt/A. So those restrictions on rotation actually are worth following. Hmmmm.
