Features,  Honors & Awards,  Ag Announcements

Calendar, Ag News Elsewhere  (fresh daily from the Web)

Features

[AUG. 1, 2002]  URBANA — An investment in basic research into improving the photosynthetic process could be priceless to the future of agriculture. Genetically altering photosynthesis, or chlorophyll formation during the greening process, could lead to an eightfold increase in crop productivity, according to Constantin A. Rebeiz, professor of plant physiology at the University of Illinois.

Theoretically, the maximum food conversion capability, or the amount of sunlight converted to food for a plant, is 27 percent. However, under the best conditions in the Midwest, a corn plant at noon converts less than 1 percent of the sunlight it receives into food.

"Essentially, to make a very long story short, we are saying that basic research has not benefited agriculture so much. Crop productivity is still very low compared to a plant’s theoretical maximum photosynthetic efficiency."

Two types of chlorophyll in plants are responsible for solar energy capture and conversion into chemical energy. Antennae chlorophyll gathers light, and reaction center chlorophyll converts the captured solar energy to chemical energy that can be used in the formation of food. In nature, the ratio of antennae chlorophyll to reaction center chlorophyll, called the photosynthetic unit size, is so large that optimal efficiency is not possible. Mother Nature is responsible for the relationship, Rebeiz said.

In the 1970s, researchers attempted to modify the greening process to decrease the photosynthetic unit size but did not succeed because of limited knowledge of the process. The required knowledge exists today.

[to top of second column in this article]

"They did not succeed because changing the photosynthetic unit size requires a deep understanding of the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway and other facets of the greening process," he said. "In 1975, that knowledge was not available. Now, 27 years later, we have garnered a considerable body of knowledge of how chlorophyll and other components of the greening process are made, and we feel the time is right to start systematically investigating how the photosynthetic unit size can be changed."

Rebeiz said modifying the photosynthetic unit size will require a multidisciplinary approach and calls for information about chlorophyll, protein, lipid, carotenoids and guinone biosynthesis. While maximum efficiency can be obtained only in model systems, he believes that achieving 10 percent efficiency in modified plants in the field is possible.

"If the ratio is decreased from 200-to-1 to 25-to-1, the efficiency increases eight times. In other words, a grower could produce on 1 acre what they were producing on 8 acres," he said.

[U of I news release]

[JULY 30, 2002]  URBANA — It now appears that improving weather conditions will result in some near-term price declines, said a University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist.

"The prospects for declining U.S. and world stocks of grain and oilseeds should keep prices supported above the extremely low levels of the past four years," said Darrel Good. "Small U.S. crops would provide an opportunity to test the strength of demand for corn and soybeans."

Good’s comments came as he reviewed corn and soybean prices, which have been extremely volatile over the past few weeks. September corn futures have traded in a range of nearly 30 cents, while August soybean futures have seen a 70-cent trading range. The wide trading range reflects uncertainty about crop size and the relatively tight supplies of old crop soybeans.

"The recent price behavior has been similar to that of a year ago, when September corn futures traded in a 40-cent range and August soybean futures had a range of 75 cents," said Good. "The major difference is that prices have been at a higher level this year.

"The debate about likely size of the U.S. corn and soybean crops continues, and opinions apparently vary significantly. The USDA’s weekly crop condition report shows that crop ratings are the lowest since 1988, suggesting that significant yield potential has already been lost. Others argue that crop ratings are not a good predictor of crop yields and that recently improved weather conditions in some areas point to the potential for decent average yields in 2002."

The USDA will release the first projection of 2002 yield potential on Aug. 12. The market will view this as an important benchmark for judging actual crop size. The report will reflect changes, if any, in planted acreage since the June survey was conducted, a forecast of harvested acreage and yield projections.

"It is always interesting to examine how the August forecast has compared to the estimate released in January after harvest," said Good. "Last year, when there were similar, although lesser, weather and crop concerns, the August soybean production forecast was only 24 million bushels — 0.8 percent smaller than the January estimate.

"The August corn projection was 241 million bushels — 8.3 percent smaller than the January estimate. In the 20 years from 1982 through 2001, the August soybean production forecast was above the January estimate nine times and below the January estimate 11 times. The August projection was below the January estimate for five consecutive years from 1988 through 1992. Since then there has been an alternating pattern of above and below."

[to top of second column in this article]

For corn, Good noted, the pattern has been similar to that of soybeans. The August forecast was above the January estimate in eight of the last 20 years and below the January estimate 12 times. The August projection was also below the January estimate during the five-year-period from 1988 through 1992.

"While the historical relationship between the August forecast and January estimate of crop size is interesting, it does not provide much insight for predicting the relationship this year," said Good. "The change in the production projection from August forward depends on weather conditions during the final stages of growth. The market will use the August projection as a starting point but will closely monitor weather conditions and crop condition reports in order to ‘second-guess’ the projections."

Potential crop size will continue to be the primary price factor over the next several weeks, said Good. Once the market settles on yield and production expectations, more attention will shift to expectations about market size during the 2002-03 marketing year.

For corn, the USDA sees the potential for an increase in exports and domestic processing use during the year ahead. A small decline in domestic feed and residual use is expected.

"The critical question is whether the crop is large enough to accommodate an increase in consumption or if higher prices will be required to limit consumption," said Good. "The last time that consumption had to be limited was 1995-96. In that year, demand was strong enough to require extremely high prices to force such a reduction."

For soybeans, the USDA had projected a small increase in the domestic crush during the year ahead but a significant decline in U.S. exports. The decline in exports reflects the expectation of increased exports from South America. At this early state, the USDA sees a 4 percent increase in soybean area in Brazil, a 6 percent increase in Argentina and a 2 percent increase in Paraguay.

"That increased acreage is expected to result in a record 2003 harvest of 2.965 billion bushels — 100 million bushels larger than the current projection of the 2002 U.S. harvest," said Good. "Even with a decline in U.S. exports, the 2002 crop may be small enough to keep year-ending stocks at an extremely low level."

[U of I news release]

[JULY 27, 2002]  Leave it to a team of University of Illinois seniors to solve a problem that has dogged specialty crop growers for some time.

Students found a way for growers to switch between serrated wear strips and smooth wear strips on a John Deere STS combine in only 20 minutes — considerably faster than the one to 1½ hours it had been taking.  Specialty crop growers, such as popcorn and edible bean growers, use the smooth wear strips to reduce crop damage.

Solving such real-life problems is part of the appeal of the senior design class in the U of I’s Department of Agricultural Engineering — the capstone design course for off-road equipment engineering and a requirement for engineering accreditation.

"Students work harder on this three-hour course than on any course they have in college," said Doug Bosworth, adjunct professor and coordinator of the popular design class.  "But they enjoy it more because they’re working on real-life problems. They work with companies like John Deere, Caterpillar, Case-DMI.  It gives them excellent preparation for industry."

Katie Yagow, part of the four-person team that worked on the wear strip problem, agrees. "Many of our engineering classes are very theoretical and abstract. We’re given problems out of a book and have nothing tangible to attach the problem to. This class is the complete opposite."

Mike Gentry, a second member of Wear-N-Tear, Inc. (the team’s "company" name) recently spoke with the team’s engineering contact at John Deere. According to Gentry, "John Deere has a summer intern looking at the design. Depending on the progress she makes, the design may or may not go into production. There is also the possibility that the design may be put on the shelf for a few years until there is funding available."

Bosworth said that about one-third of the students’ projects are implemented by the companies that sponsor the "real life" projects.

"A project we had a year ago resolved a problem Caterpillar had for 30 years," he said.  "It was a simple thing — a door hinge for a cab.  But when you have fresh eyes look at an old problem, some very good things come out of it.  That particular design will be introduced in a new line of cabs in a few years."

"Such impressive statistics are the result of Bosworth’s high expectations of his student team members.

"I give them complete control of their projects," he said. "I expect them to do the necessary research, develop design alternatives, do the actual design, fabricate the parts, evaluate the parts, write formal reports, and in the end, present an industry-style report to the sponsor, along with a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation at the sponsor’s location."

[to top of second column in this article]

Students are also required to develop and track project schedules and budgets and to give their sponsors weekly project reports and monthly project reviews.

Ryan Giordano, another student in the design course, worked with a team known as the "Shankbusters."  They were charged with designing and constructing a laboratory test stand for large ground-engaging equipment for Case-DMI Inc.

"A class like this is a delicate balance between having successful projects that keep sponsors coming back and giving the students enough freedom to let them make mistakes and learn from them," he said.  "Doug Bosworth excels at this balancing act.  I imagine it’s something that can only be learned from years of experience."

Bosworth’s experience includes 35 years as an engineer and manager at John Deere.  While with the company, Bosworth was the contact that developed projects for this same class.

"So I’ve been on both ends of this thing," he said.  After taking an early retirement, Bosworth came to the university to teach Ag E 336 in 1995. Some of his former students are industry representatives who now provide projects for the class.

"What better way is there to try and get a job?" said Gentry.  "This class gives each of us a chance to show what we can do.  It’s like a semester-long interview."

Meanwhile, the companies involved enjoy considerable benefits as well. Industry partners pay out-of-pocket costs and furnish parts, expertise and components. Bosworth estimates this expense runs somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500. In return, sponsors receive an optimum design solution to their problem, a working prototype and over 400 hours of engineering resources.

The most telling endorsement of the design course came this spring when the John Deere Foundation provided the Department of Agricultural Engineering with a grant to support the instructor’s position for the senior design class.

Bosworth was installed as the first John Deere capstone design instructor for product development in agricultural engineering.

[Leanne Lucas, University of Illinois]

[JULY 23, 2002]  What a difference an inch of rain makes! Of course portions of Logan County have received more than five inches in the past week, while other areas are significantly below those totals. Both corn and soybeans are in critical periods of their growth and development now. The rains of last evening were "million dollar" rains that will help with corn kernel development and soybean pod set.

Corn is just somewhere around the pollination stage. I say "somewhere," since some corn is just finishing up, while other fields are just beginning. It’s amazing what it does to have three planting periods, a month apart. Corn that is under severe moisture stress may not have live pollen shed at the same time that silks are available to receive the pollen. Silk for the tips of ears emerges last. In some years the pollen is gone before the silk for the kernels at tip is exposed, leading to barren tips.

[Photos provided by John Fulton]

Soybeans are in the early pod-set stage, with many varieties being much shorter than normal. Height of plants doesn’t provide any indicator of yield, as the nodes are much closer together on plants when the beans are grown under stress. Severely stressed soybeans also tend to have more blooms fall off without setting pods. Don’t get too alarmed at blooms that don’t set pods, since less than a quarter of the blooms set pods in a good year.

[to top of second column in this article]

Spot inspections of corn pollination this year show pollination to be surprisingly good. Many ears have shown over 90 percent of available kernels pollinated. Corn that would be suspect for pollination is the corn yet to pollinate. It has been under more moisture stress because of reduced root development. It has also been under more stress while the reproductive portions of the plant have been forming in the plant. These later-planted fields can be assessed in about two weeks to see their progress. Each stage of crop development limits yield potential. Early to mid stages were stressed, while corn should be good for a few weeks.

In addition to weather, insects and their relatives are creating challenges. We have had Japanese beetles, corn rootworm beetles, aphids and now spider mites causing damage. Limited treatment has been occurring for these problems. When determining whether treatment is justified, the stage of crop growth, threshold of insects, cost of treatment, value of crop and the effectiveness of treatment must all be taken into account.

[John Fulton]

[JULY 23, 2002]  URBANA — A variety of specialty crops will be featured on the fourth in a series of sustainable agriculture field trips, on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

The tour will begin at Frey Produce north of Keenes, Ill., at 9:30 a.m. Owner Sarah Frey is a commercial buyer and packager of fruit and produce.

Dave Johnson, forester with the Illinois Department of Conservation, will give a talk entitled "Money Does Grow on Trees." He will be presenting information on how farmers can grow nuts, acorns and other seeds for the Illinois Department of Conservation for their tree nursery. And, Martin Barbre and Brad Greenwalt will provide information on growing low-nicotine tobacco. Barbre farms approximately 26 acres of tobacco in Illinois.

The tour will then move to the Mark Donoho farm. Donoho grows pumpkins as an alternative to corn and soybeans. He has grown them for Frey produce for three years.

The day will end with a tour of the Genkota Winery in Mount Vernon. Owner Brad Drake will describe the grape and wine production at the winery. Allan Dillard, who has his own winery near Carbondale, will also be available to answer questions.

While the tour itself is free, there is a $5 advance registration required for the lunch, or $10 on the day of the tour. To register in advance, contact Walt Townsend at (618) 897-2560.

To get to Frey Produce, drive east of Mount Vernon on Route 15 to Keenes, then turn north toward Orchardville, continue 8½ miles, then turn west for two miles.

[to top of second column in this article]

The specialty crop field trip is part of the 2002 Sustainable Agriculture Tours, sponsored by the Agroecology/Sustainable Agriculture Program at the University of Illinois, the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program and the Illinois Small Farm Task Force.

"The tours will give people a chance to see a variety of sustainable agriculture operations in action," said Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant, research specialist at the University of Illinois in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

"Then, in November, we’ll be offering two identical workshops, on the 13th in Effingham and on the 14th in Peoria, that will look at the big picture and try to assimilate the practices presented on the summer tours. But each of the tours and the workshops stand alone, so people can attend one or all of them."

Cavanaugh-Grant said that the next field trip, on Sept. 10, will be about fee hunting, and the final field trip, on agri-tourism, will be on Oct. 11.

Visit http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/asap/ for more information or contact Deborah Cavanaugh-Grant at (217) 968-5512; e-mail: cvnghgrn@uiuc.edu.

[U of I news release]

Honors & Awards

There are some ‘treemendous’
trees in Logan County

[JULY 20, 2002]  The 2002 Treemendous Tree Contest sponsored by the Logan County Master Gardeners has determined winners by species and an overall winner. The largest tree scored was a tulip poplar owned by Hoblit Farms of Atlanta. The tree measured 129 feet tall, had a branch spread of 79 feet 7 inches, and a circumference of 16 feet 11 inches. The tree garnered a composite score of 352 points based on these measurements.

Other winners were Jim McKown with a black walnut tree with a composite score of 203 points, Hoblit Farms with a white oak earning a score of 241, Daris Knauer’s red oak with a score of 252, Stephen Miller with a score of 260 on his ash tree, Jim Sparrow’s silver maple with a score of 250, and John Fulton’s hackberry with a score of 214.

Winners will receive plaques sponsored by contest chairman Walt Ebel. The contest was promoted by Walt and the Master Gardeners to identify and preserve large trees in the Logan County area.

[John Fulton]

Logan County 4-H Shows

• 4-H Food and Nutrition Show results

• 4-H Home and Family Show results

• More

Ag Announcements

Back to top