Grain Crops Topic #2085 Josh Miller

Crops and Use Grain Seed of a cereal grain plant Grain kernels have a high starch content Grain has been used for food for thousands of years Grain domesticated about 9,000 bc Kernel Part of an individual grain within the seed coat

Grain Crops Grown Major grain crops in US Other important crops Wheat, corn, and rice Other important crops Oats, barley, rye, grain sorghum World leading grain crops Wheat, Corn, Rice Corn is most important to US

Grain Crops cont. Grain Crop #1 #2 #3 Wheat Kansas North Dakota Montana Corn Iowa Illinois Nebraska Oats Wisconsin Minnesota Barley Idaho Rice Arkansas California Louisiana Rye Texas Georgia

Grain Use Primary used for human consumption Also used as animal feed which intern is consumed by humans Corn Most versatile grain Cattle, hogs, poultry Humans – bread, chips, oil

Uses of Selected Grains Corn Cooking oil, bread, breakfast cereal, livestock feed, fuel, cosmetics, medicine Wheat Bread, pasta, livestock feed, alcohol, manufacturing Rice Main meal, side dish, breakfast cereal Oats Breakfast cereal, livestock feed

Uses of Selected Grain cont. Barley Malting, livestock feed Rye Bread, livestock feed Grain sorghum Livestock feed

Selecting Crops and Varieties Things to consider when selecting grain crops to grow Climate Average weather condition over a long period of time A variety must be selected so that the crop can mature before it frost Soil and Water Must be within the range of the requirements of the crop to be grown Rice requires large amounts, wheat requires little

Selecting Crops cont. Market Technology Personal skills Grain marketing includes all the processes that connect the producer and the consumer The closer the producer is to the market the cheaper it is to produce Technology Equipment, fertilizer, improved seed, pest control Personal skills Knowledge/skill of the producer Skill level of available labor

Scientific Names of Selected Crops Corn – Zea mays Oats – Avena sativa Rye – Secale cereale Wheat – Triticum aestivum Rice – Oryza sativa

Corn Production 70 million acres planted each year in US 750,000 acres planted to sweet corn Average corn yield in the US is 123 bu Most corn grains are: 65% carbohydrates 10% protein 25% moisture, ash, other materials

Corn Production cont. Dent corn – major type grown for grain So widely grown it is know as field corn Grains are flat with indentation in the crown Livestock feed, human use and oil products Flint corn – more rounded than dent Shorter time to maturity Grown in Northern United States Floury corn – soft and first corn grown in US

Corn Production cont. Sweet corn – planted for human use High sugar content and low starch content Popcorn – food that many people enjoy as a snack Kernels are smaller than other corn Each stalk may grow several ears

Corn Production cont. Varieties Planting Height 2 to 20 feet average is 6 to 8 Maturity ranges from 50 days to 330 days Some good for silage other better for grain Planting Occur after the threat of frost February in southern Texas Mid-May in Northern States Ground temperature should be at least 50 Seeds should be planted about 2” deep

Corn Production cont. Degree Days Seedbed Is a measure of the temperature requirements for best corn growth Daily high + Daily low divided by 2 minus 50 Ex. 80+60=140/2=70-50= 20 GDD Seedbed Corn is normally planted in 20 to 40 inch rows Normally 30 inch rows Plant population – is the number of seeds planted in a acre (24,000 to 32,000)

Corn Production cont. Fertilization Pest control Research has found that to produce 150 bu corn you need to apply 170 lbs N 35 lbs P2O5 175 lbs K2O Soil pH 5.0 to 8.0 Pest control Pest include weeds, insects, nematodes

Corn Production cont. Harvesting Starts when the kernel moisture is between 20% and 28% Corn with more than 15.5% will need to be dried artificially Should harvest to maximize yield if to late corn will fall and break

Wheat Production Types of wheat Color Spring wheat – planted in the spring, grows in the summer and matures in early fall Winter wheat – planted in the fall, establishes itself over the winter and grows rapidly in the spring Color Red wheat and White wheat

Wheat Production cont. Hardness Varieties Kernel hardness – is either soft or hard Hardness is determined by the endosperm Varieties Selected on climate adaptations and yield Taller wheat sometimes goes down in wind Selection determined on the harshness of winter

Wheat Production cont. Planting Important factors Planting date - winter wheat normally planted in October in the northern states Seedbed preparation – most is planted in prepared seedbeds a lot like corn Seeding rate and depth – normally seeded at 20 to 100 pounds per acre at a depth of 1 inch

Wheat Production cont. Fertilization Pest management Harvesting A yield of 100 bu will normally require 120 lbs N 56 lbs P2O5 31 lbs K2O Pest management Insects and diseases are particular problems Harvesting Shattering is the point at which mature kernels fall form the wheat head Preferred moisture is 12.5%

Rice Production Half of the worlds population depends on rice for food Especially important in Asia and Indonesia Per acre yield averages about 5,534 pounds Grain length – why to classify rice kernels Short, medium and long

Rice Production cont. Low-land rice Up-land rice Seeding Rice Grown in large, flat fields that are flooded by irrigation Up-land rice Grown in small areas on hillsides Seeding Rice Drilled into dry seed bed Broadcast over dry seed bed Broadcast into standing water

Rice Production cont. Seed population Water depth 15 to 20 plants per square foot 653,000 to 871,000 per acre Water depth 2 to 4 inches deep If weeds are a problem water depth can be increased Water needs to be added to replace amount lost of evaporation

Barley Production One of the oldest known grain crops Little is used in food Some used for malting Cattle feed Grain Forage – primarily hay Very similar to wheat

Oat Production Declined in recent years Replacing horses with tractors is part of the reason Even with the decline US still leading nation Planted in early spring in Michigan

Rye Production Is a cereal grain similar to oats and barley About half of all rye is used for grain Rye grain has declined as preferences for white bread has increases Planted in the fall like wheat in Michigan