Does anyone know the effects of straw shortening chemicals on manure?
I didn't know there was such a thing as Straw Shortening Chemicals, but I do now. We just don't know what we are letting ourselves in for. It seemed so simple in the olde days. :)
I don't know but would not have thought it would be any problem.
My thinking is this, you have to spray the crop with the growth regulator at a specific time in its growth cycle.
If any residue on the land were to cause any problems, then this would affect follow on crops, which I guess it does not, so guess it should not be any problem of straw mixed in with your manure, as any residues would be a lot smaller than then in the sprayed field.
This is total speculation ???
I don,t think they use straw shortening chemicals as such.
I think the shorter straw stems are a result of breeding, that is they did this to get rid of excess straw and also to improve yield.
This is one of the reasons is not as plentiful as it was when I was a lad.
Plus they do not have to burn the stubble either,the binders are so efficient the straw is cut quite short and it is generally ploughed in.
Some plant breeders use ' dwarfing' agents particularly with pot plants! Chrysanthemum & Alstroemeria come to mind as common subjects of this practice!
I was up on OHs parents farm weekend before last, was going to ask if he or others used much growth regulator, but I did not have to.
I took the dog for a walk up to the wheat fields, and noticed the wheat was very short.
I asked why? He said firstly that a herbicide that had been sprayed on had affected the wheat due to the lack of rain, and secondly, the person doing the spraying for him sprayed a growth regulator.
Apparently, he does not normally use a growth regulator, but most people do which is what the spray guy did it for him.
He also added this was quite annoying as the price of straw is quite good at the moment.