Assistant Professor OSU-Extension Putnam County

The following information comes from a USDA-SARE grant on Midwest weather and climate.

Extreme weather events may change your future farming operation. During wet springs, farmers often use larger equipment and additional hired help to plant in a shorter time period. Cover crops through evapotranspiration may dry the soil quicker. Controlled traffic also promote firmer soils for timely planting. The Ohio State University (OSU) is experimenting with auto-steer and self- propelled robots which may allow equipment to get smaller. Smaller lighter equipment (3-4 rows) operated remotely using robotics decreases the weight and compaction factor and operate 24 hours per day. In 20-30 years (maybe sooner); planting, spraying and harvesting operations may be vastly different than it is today.

With a longer growing season expected, farmers will plant earlier and use longer season crops hybrids that they harvest later. However, OSU research shows that longer crop maturities do not necessarily produce higher yields. It depends on rainfall timing and growing conditions. Short season crop varieties have the ability to produce as much grain as longer growing crop varieties. Farmers may want to consider planting a short season variety and adding a cover crop to increase carbon in the soil. Increasing soil organic matter by 1-percent increases water infiltration and water holding capacity by as much as 1-2 inches per foot of soil (Hudson, 1994).
Soil crop residues decrease soil temperatures, beneficial in a drought or during a hot summer. This past summer, soil temperatures were 20 to 30 degrees cooler under no-till and cover crops compared to conventional tilled soils, conserving moisture lost to evaporation. In Illinois, soil temperatures on conventionally tilled soil reached 140F, which is high enough to kill soil bacteria. These farmers may need to inoculate their soybean fields to reestablish beneficial Rhizobia bacteria for N production. At 100F, 15 percent of moisture is used for growth and 85 percent moisture is lost through evaporation and transpiration. At 70F, 100 percent moisture is used for plant growth. For corn production, 75F requires 1 inch water/week, at 85F – 2 inch water/week, and at 95F – 4 inch water/week. Water requirements double for every 10F increase in temperature (Elwynn Taylor, 2012).