The 2019 planting season was rough for row crop farmers. A late, wet winter and catastrophic flooding in many parts of the Midwest left a record number of acres unplanted. More than forty states reported prevent corn acres, and fifteen of those reported more than 100,000 acres that were entirely unplanted.
As we careen toward the 2020 planting season, it’s safe to say that every single grower in the United States and Canada is hoping to have a better planting season. And for many, an easier 2020 starts with taking care of those unplanted acres. Because a cold, wet spring after a year of no crop production is a recipe for fallow syndrome, and even acres that were “prevent planted” could be at risk, depending on how long they sat barren.
Unplanted fields or fields that sat under water for long periods of time are inviting targets for fallow syndrome. The lack of nutrient-providing vegetation (in the case of unplanted acreage) or oxygen (water-soaked fields) leads to a lower population of important mycorrhiza fungi like vesicular-arbuscular-mycorrhiza (VAM). These mycorrhizal fungi are beneficial to corn and small grain production, as they develop around the plant roots and assist the root in taking up nutrients, specifically phosphorus and zinc. The mycorrhizae survive by feeding off the sugars from the root system of the host plant. It’s a symbiotic relationship and if one partner isn’t there, the other will falter. And that means lower yields.
How to prevent fallow syndrome from taking hold
By the time planting 2020 rolls around, it’s likely that fallow syndrome is either there or it isn’t. If potentially fallow fields are cared for early enough, you can work toward prevention by planting the right kinds of cover crops; most brassica species and sugar beets, for instance, won’t host VAM, so they won’t prevent fallow syndrome. But at the time of this writing, most growers facing fallow syndrome will be looking to mitigate its effects, as opposed to reducing the risk.
Get started, and don’t skimp on the phosphorous
Corn and other small grain crops planted in ground with fallow syndrome will likely show phosphorus or zinc deficiency, leading to slow growth early in the season. This is why, before or during planting, if fallow syndrome is possible or if the acreage is light on VAM, starter fertilized is a must, especially for corn. Applying up to 80 pounds of phosphorus per acre isn’t out of the question when it comes to overcoming fallow syndrome, although specific application instructions should be followed; for instance, this much P should not be applied directly in the furrow. Instead, apply two inches deep and two inches to the side of the furrow to prevent damage.
Switch to soy
Soybeans seem less susceptible to low VAM populations, so if fallow syndrome is suspected or even if conditions last season led to potential fallow syndrome, switching to soy for 2020 might be the way to go. Sorghum is another option here.
Planting a cover crop
Since the effects of fallow syndrome are often felt or seen for up to two years after the fallow season, and because our weather patterns don’t seem to be getting any less extreme, being prepared for fallow syndrome prevention is a must. If we have a third straight year of late winters and wet springs, even more acres may go unplanted in 2020. Being prepared for that eventuality is smarter than ever, and that means planning for potential cover crops.
Even acreage not susceptible to fallow ground can benefit from cover crop, especially over-winter, if the cover crop is already in the plans. Traditionally, winter cover crops aren’t a planned decision for row crop farmers, but it’s becoming more and more common as the benefits vs. risk are better understood. In Minnesota, for instance, where the window to get cover crops in the ground is tighter than anywhere else in the country, the number of acres with winter cover jumped by 900 percent since 2015. It can be costly –seed isn’t cheap— but if managed properly (or if government conservation programs like this are taken advantage of), a good cover crop can be profitable on its own, let alone how beneficial it can be for the traditional crop.
Tough times, so control what you can
Recent history suggests that belated winters and soggy springs may just be our new normal. Which means that they should be taken into account when planning out your years. If growers know that they might not even get seed in the ground in certain regions, it makes good sense to plan ahead for a) what those unplanted acres might mean going forward and b) preventing those acres from going fallow.
We know that fallow syndrome is likely to happen. But we also know that we can engage in prevention if not now, then for next year.
