Agricultural News
Milo May Replace Corn in 2014 Spring Planting Mix Across Oklahoma- Rick Kochenower
Fri, 24 Jan 2014 08:20:16 CST
As grain producers in the state's drier areas seek to maximize their profitability with minimal water, OSU Extension Agronomist Rick Kochenower says more and more farmers are looking toward grain sorghum. (You can listen to Ron Hays's conversation with Kochenower by clicking on the LISTEN BAR at the bottom of this story.)
Kochenower and other grain sorghum experts will be presenting their annual northwest Oklahoma grain sorghum meetings and tours beginning January 27 and running through January 31.
"We hit ten or 11 counties depending on the year," Kochenower said. " This year we're having ten meetings in five days starting out at Gate next Monday and we'll end up in Enid on Friday." In addition, a couple of Grain Sorghum informational meetings are planned for Cordell and Walters February 12th and 13th.
The speakers for this year's conference and their topics include: Dr. Brian Arnall, OCES Nutrient Management Specialist-Grain Sorghum Fertility; Jesse McCurry, USCP Regional Director-Checkoff Program Highlights; Rick Kochenower-Grain Sorghum Production; Dr. Tom Royer, OCES Entomologist-Headworm Decision Tool.
Grain sorghum has struggled recently to maintain acreage in Oklahoma, but has been getting a second look by producers because it is a water-efficient crop, Kochenower said.
"It is very water efficient. The last couple of years kind of demonstrated that. We had some outstanding yields in the state last year kind of in a line from Enid to Lawton. East of that line of heard of some 170-bushel yields that producers had on their fields. I had plots that made 140s and 160s, so I had some really good sorghum- So, everything I'm hearing, grain sorghum acres are going to go up dramatically in north central and northwestern Oklahoma. Corn acres are going to drop. How much? I don't know."
He said some traditional corn growers have told him due to afflatoxin considerations that they were going 50-50 or 70 percent sorghum to 30 percent corn.
Other producers are considering growing sorghum this summer and then planting no-till canola into the stubble this fall, Kochenower said.
Click here for a complete listing of this year's tour stops. http://oklahomafarmreport.com/wire/events/06864_SorghumMeetingsGate01272014_112419.php
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