Producers should be glad to know that the latest release of the popular Crop Sequence Calculator now includes corn in the list of crops it can help manage.
"The emphasis has been on the expansion of the crops," ARS research soil scientist and program contributor Mark Liebig says. "Functionally, the program operates exactly like it did before."
First released in 2001, the program provides crop-specific information on production, plant diseases, weeds, water use and surface soil properties to help producers make sound decisions regarding different crop sequences.
Based on recorded results of multiple crop plantings dating back to 1995 near Mandan, N.D., the CSC can show the yield effect of any two-year combination of 15 different crops. The information, though, is not tied to the Mandan area alone. Producers can modify the Mandan data for soil, weather and other conditions to match their own and therefore get a more personalized result.
A helpful feature of the program is the "More Info" button. This presents graphs, photos, Internet resources and additional information on various subject matter. Clicking the button for plant diseases will return an introduction to plant diseases, research data, Internet resources and photographs of plant diseases to aid in their identification, according to a product release.
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More than 12,000 copies have been sent to producers in the Northern Plains. Perhaps the crop most missed by users in recent years is corn, which now is being grown by far more producers than it was just a few years ago.
"We included corn as part of a greater emphasis on warm season crops," Liebig says. "Some of the crops that we evaluated, such as corn, have increased in acreage significantly in recent years, and because of this, there may be new customers interested in the program. By not changing how the program operates, it will be easier for users familiar with the program to jump right in and learn about the additional crops."
Producers have commented that the program has allowed them to develop cropping systems that are responsive to changes in the market and environmental conditions, he says.
"It makes their system more sustainable," he adds.
More research data has been included, as well as new information on economics, insects and pests in North Dakota. The program also now provides an introduction to the Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory crop sequence research project and dynamic agricultural systems.
Putting such a comprehensive program together required input from specialists in several fields of study, and Liebig thinks this is key to the program's success.
"Because of this multidisciplinary team approach, this product should be quite useful for producers," he says.
Requests for copies can be made at www.ars.usda.gov .
